Imagine that you live in a society where you are the villain. Now, you haven't done anything wrong, in fact you have worked hard all your life, tended your responsibilities, and stayed out of trouble. But, when you watch TV most of the bad people look like you do. When you hear people talk about undesirable physical traits, you find that you possess them all. When you approach people you see a glimmer of fear and loathing in their eyes.
It is the same way that Jews are treated throughout Europe and the Middle East, it's the same way that blacks are treated in parts of this country. It's the same way that the Native Americans are treated.
We fool outselves and say that we are somehow a progressed society that has moved beyond superstition and fear. Yet we are the same idiotic, hateful, fearful, and belligerant apes we have always been. Nothing has changed in these past 4000 years, the only difference is now we have Ipods.
God help us.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
A cup of tea
Lately, I have been pondering the growing right wing movement calling themselves the Teaparty. Here in North California we have a very strong vein of conservative people, Ranchers, loggers, farmers, etc etc. I respect their hard work and dedication to their community. However, I do not like their politics or how they go about debating their points. They tend to shout people down and use bullying tactics to make their point about any particular topic they feel strongly about.
As I have seen across the board, both the Teapartiers and the Republican movement like to imply that those who share their views are both patriotic and "good Christians". Anyone who does not are simply communists. Any student of history knows that these same tactics of demonizing the opposition were employed by the most fascist, and totalitarian regimes the past has ever seen. Never have they been used to positive effect to bring a group together for constructive discourse.
Today, I came across an article on Yahoo regarding a plan by the foes of the teaparty movement to infiltrate their rallies and "dismantle the political group by trying to make its members appear to be racist, homophobic and moronic". Now, I must admit that I considered volunteering for this effort. The vindictive person in me would love to be part of a counter-political activity. However, I realized that doing such a thing would be counter-productive to what I want to see in American society, that being an honest and informed debate over the FACTS of our political issues.
So, I have been considering writing an article detailing our failure to do the one thing that Americans are renowned for, sitting down and rationally finding a compromise to our problems. However, at the end of the Yahoo article I found an excellent criticism of the Teaparty movement written by a man calling himself William C. Now, he uses a derogatory term throughout his article for the Teapartiers that I don't promote. But, the core of his argument is sound, and that's why I am re posting it. Here is the text of that post, enjoy;
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Separating The Contenders From The Pretenders by William C.
Teabaggers are a misinformed, right-wing corporate media consumer who often fails to understand that BOTH major parties represent a corrupt plutocracy that steals from the middle class by taxing labor and profiting from corporate tax subsidies.
A teabagger also often fails to acknowledge that George W. Bush and his neo-conservative minions perpetrated one of the boldest and most egregious executive power grabs in the history of the United States. Furthermore, teabaggers mistakenly continue to blame a newly elected President Obama for all that ails the United States of America, based on a grossly flawed perception of reality (including latent racial prejudice) and despite the fact the U.S. economy collapsed on the previous administration's watch.
Teabaggers are also known to base their misguided, right-wing-media-inspired beliefs about President Obama on stupid conspiracy theories about totalitarian takeovers, FEMA camps, etc., despite the fact these very same theories have been circulating around on the Internet for years, and were originally ascribed to neo-conservative cabalists at a time when Barack Obama had not even entered national politics. Teabaggers also are known to be particularly paranoid, xenophobic and intolerant, especially with regard to immigrants and anyone who isn't white.
Additionally, teabaggers generally echo stupid myths about entitlement spending (it actually only accounts for about 1% of federal budget spending), have no idea that most poor people in America are not lazy, actually do work and don't want to be on welfare, and have no idea what socialism actually means or that socialist reform in this country is actually what allowed a middle class to flourish and ultimately make the U.S. one of the most prosperous nations in human history.
Furthermore, teabaggers incorrectly equate socialism with Stalinism, think a system that rewards greed (capitalism) is the divine preference (despite Gospel evidence to the contrary), and are shameless champions of a misguided belief in American exceptionalism. Teabaggers also fail to recognize the inherently unpatriotic nature of their failed every-man-for-himself ideology that ultimately vilifies anyone who supports public policy aimed at reaching out to fellow Americans in need. They celebrate an exploitative corporatocracy (holy creator of jobs, blah blah blah) while denigrating the little guy for being "weak."
Interestingly, teabaggers uphold an immoral, morbidly obese, twice divorced, draft-dodging, college dropout and known drug addict as their de facto leader, and are even known to advocate burning books. Of course, teabaggers fail to recognize the blatant hypocrisy within the GOP and tend to oversimplify all political debate and social issues, much like their pseudo-intellectual, fat-ass leader.
Finally, incredibly, teabaggers fail to recognize the hysterical double entendre associated with their proudly adopted teabag moniker.
Every village has its idiots, of course, but it's sad when citizens of any nation allow themselves to be whipped into a frenzy en masse by a state-run propaganda machine masquerading as a legitimate, fair, balanced and independent news organization. Teabaggers are right to believe the future of the U.S.A. is in jeopardy, but sadly they have not yet correctly identified the real enemy. Perhaps when teabaggers finally grow up and mature into thinking adults, they will see the right-leaning power establishment for the oppressive and cunning beast that it is.
Teabagger: We don't care that George Bush tripled the deficit and lied us into a war. The new administration only cut taxes for 90% of the population... fascists. Let's go throw some Lipton tea bags into a fountain!
As I have seen across the board, both the Teapartiers and the Republican movement like to imply that those who share their views are both patriotic and "good Christians". Anyone who does not are simply communists. Any student of history knows that these same tactics of demonizing the opposition were employed by the most fascist, and totalitarian regimes the past has ever seen. Never have they been used to positive effect to bring a group together for constructive discourse.
Today, I came across an article on Yahoo regarding a plan by the foes of the teaparty movement to infiltrate their rallies and "dismantle the political group by trying to make its members appear to be racist, homophobic and moronic". Now, I must admit that I considered volunteering for this effort. The vindictive person in me would love to be part of a counter-political activity. However, I realized that doing such a thing would be counter-productive to what I want to see in American society, that being an honest and informed debate over the FACTS of our political issues.
So, I have been considering writing an article detailing our failure to do the one thing that Americans are renowned for, sitting down and rationally finding a compromise to our problems. However, at the end of the Yahoo article I found an excellent criticism of the Teaparty movement written by a man calling himself William C. Now, he uses a derogatory term throughout his article for the Teapartiers that I don't promote. But, the core of his argument is sound, and that's why I am re posting it. Here is the text of that post, enjoy;
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Separating The Contenders From The Pretenders by William C.
Teabaggers are a misinformed, right-wing corporate media consumer who often fails to understand that BOTH major parties represent a corrupt plutocracy that steals from the middle class by taxing labor and profiting from corporate tax subsidies.
A teabagger also often fails to acknowledge that George W. Bush and his neo-conservative minions perpetrated one of the boldest and most egregious executive power grabs in the history of the United States. Furthermore, teabaggers mistakenly continue to blame a newly elected President Obama for all that ails the United States of America, based on a grossly flawed perception of reality (including latent racial prejudice) and despite the fact the U.S. economy collapsed on the previous administration's watch.
Teabaggers are also known to base their misguided, right-wing-media-inspired beliefs about President Obama on stupid conspiracy theories about totalitarian takeovers, FEMA camps, etc., despite the fact these very same theories have been circulating around on the Internet for years, and were originally ascribed to neo-conservative cabalists at a time when Barack Obama had not even entered national politics. Teabaggers also are known to be particularly paranoid, xenophobic and intolerant, especially with regard to immigrants and anyone who isn't white.
Additionally, teabaggers generally echo stupid myths about entitlement spending (it actually only accounts for about 1% of federal budget spending), have no idea that most poor people in America are not lazy, actually do work and don't want to be on welfare, and have no idea what socialism actually means or that socialist reform in this country is actually what allowed a middle class to flourish and ultimately make the U.S. one of the most prosperous nations in human history.
Furthermore, teabaggers incorrectly equate socialism with Stalinism, think a system that rewards greed (capitalism) is the divine preference (despite Gospel evidence to the contrary), and are shameless champions of a misguided belief in American exceptionalism. Teabaggers also fail to recognize the inherently unpatriotic nature of their failed every-man-for-himself ideology that ultimately vilifies anyone who supports public policy aimed at reaching out to fellow Americans in need. They celebrate an exploitative corporatocracy (holy creator of jobs, blah blah blah) while denigrating the little guy for being "weak."
Interestingly, teabaggers uphold an immoral, morbidly obese, twice divorced, draft-dodging, college dropout and known drug addict as their de facto leader, and are even known to advocate burning books. Of course, teabaggers fail to recognize the blatant hypocrisy within the GOP and tend to oversimplify all political debate and social issues, much like their pseudo-intellectual, fat-ass leader.
Finally, incredibly, teabaggers fail to recognize the hysterical double entendre associated with their proudly adopted teabag moniker.
Every village has its idiots, of course, but it's sad when citizens of any nation allow themselves to be whipped into a frenzy en masse by a state-run propaganda machine masquerading as a legitimate, fair, balanced and independent news organization. Teabaggers are right to believe the future of the U.S.A. is in jeopardy, but sadly they have not yet correctly identified the real enemy. Perhaps when teabaggers finally grow up and mature into thinking adults, they will see the right-leaning power establishment for the oppressive and cunning beast that it is.
Teabagger: We don't care that George Bush tripled the deficit and lied us into a war. The new administration only cut taxes for 90% of the population... fascists. Let's go throw some Lipton tea bags into a fountain!
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