So the Right is mad-as-hell over President Obama's perceived insistence on crafting an enormous and heavy-handed government dedicated to achieving absolute control over every segment of American's lives. It's wrong, I tells ya'! And by gum, they're gonna take their country back, and restore it to being the home of the brave and the land of the free. Free from an intrusive government telling hard-working God-fearin' Americans how to live their lives.
Riiighhhtttt.....
They want freedom. Just not real freedom. They don't want the gub'ment telling them they need to waste money on roads, schools, and policemen. Or that kids should be educated. Or "safety nets", whatever the hell that means.
But they are perfectly happy allowing the gub'ment to dictate that you can't have sex. Or if you're allowed to have sex, you can't wear a condom. The gub'ment cutting off Social Security checks for those other losers (you) is okay, but God-fearin' Americans (them) should get theirs, 'cause that's only right. And this being a Christian nation an'all, Gub'ment should make you go to church every Sunday. They'll go right after the race. Maybe.
Yeah. That's the freedom they want. They want the freedom to tell you what to do and how to live, while they are free to do whatever the hell they want. They want the same type of freedom enjoyed by despots and dictators the world over, throughout the history of civilization.
If this was satire, it would be mildly funny. But these views are ripped from the headlines, and espoused by a Presidential frontrunner. As such, I am terrified.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Arr-Ee-Ess-P-Ee-See-Tee!
As an American, it pains me to see the level of disrespect heaped upon this President. I mean, I know he's black, and he did grow up poor. But right now, today, he is the President. Of the United States. All of them.
I know that when Dub'ya was the POTUS, comedians, commentators, and surely us liberals, all had a field day extolling how little we thought of him. But not to his face. Look, when the President invites you to anything, the answer (should be) "Yes". I mean, in 2007, as the world was beginning its descent into the financial and social morass that still consumes it, if my phone had rung, and it was the White House inviting me to an official function, my answer would have been a respectful, "Yes, Mr. President". Hey, I thought Bush 41 was an awful President, but he was OUR President. And as such, he deserved our respect. At least to his face.
Not our worship, mind you... he's just a guy. He screws up, we should call him on it. But common decency dictates that you shouldn't interrupt anyone when he's speaking, much less the President of the United States. You shouldn't wave your finger in anybody's face, but surely not the President's. You shouldn't yell out, "YOU LIE!" in the middle of anybody's speech, but particularly not a State of the Union address. And when the President of the United States invites you to a State Dinner, you damn sure don't answer, "I have to wash my hair!"
Look, it's tough to be the first Black anything. The hill is always steeper, and the hurdles are always higher. We all understand that, and accept that. Every black person who has ever been "The First Black..." anything knew that going in. And President Obama is no different. And he is handling it wonderfully. So this isn't about him. This is about the Jan Brewers and Bill O'Reilly's and Joe Wilsons of the world. History will remember you badly. History will show a President doing a spectacular job from an abysmal starting point, in the face of united political opposition, yet elegantly rising above an unprecedented lack of respect shown to the Office of the President.
History will remind you that you do not have to like the President. You certainly don't have to agree with him or his policies. But you DO need to respect him. And if you can't respect him (or her), you MUST respect the office. And history will find you lacking.
I know that when Dub'ya was the POTUS, comedians, commentators, and surely us liberals, all had a field day extolling how little we thought of him. But not to his face. Look, when the President invites you to anything, the answer (should be) "Yes". I mean, in 2007, as the world was beginning its descent into the financial and social morass that still consumes it, if my phone had rung, and it was the White House inviting me to an official function, my answer would have been a respectful, "Yes, Mr. President". Hey, I thought Bush 41 was an awful President, but he was OUR President. And as such, he deserved our respect. At least to his face.
Not our worship, mind you... he's just a guy. He screws up, we should call him on it. But common decency dictates that you shouldn't interrupt anyone when he's speaking, much less the President of the United States. You shouldn't wave your finger in anybody's face, but surely not the President's. You shouldn't yell out, "YOU LIE!" in the middle of anybody's speech, but particularly not a State of the Union address. And when the President of the United States invites you to a State Dinner, you damn sure don't answer, "I have to wash my hair!"
Look, it's tough to be the first Black anything. The hill is always steeper, and the hurdles are always higher. We all understand that, and accept that. Every black person who has ever been "The First Black..." anything knew that going in. And President Obama is no different. And he is handling it wonderfully. So this isn't about him. This is about the Jan Brewers and Bill O'Reilly's and Joe Wilsons of the world. History will remember you badly. History will show a President doing a spectacular job from an abysmal starting point, in the face of united political opposition, yet elegantly rising above an unprecedented lack of respect shown to the Office of the President.
History will remind you that you do not have to like the President. You certainly don't have to agree with him or his policies. But you DO need to respect him. And if you can't respect him (or her), you MUST respect the office. And history will find you lacking.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Religious Freedom Isn't
It's amazing how the Right loves to claim the mantle of "Religious Freedom". It seems, however, that they are a little unclear on the definition of religious freedom. But their confusion seems to stem from just one crucial word.
See, Religious Freedom is the right to practice your personal beliefs in a way that satisfies your belief structure. As long as you aren't infringing on anybody else,go ahead... worship, pray, chant, and genuflect your ass off.
However, they apparently believe that Religious Freedom extends beyond the right to merely practice. They feel that it's their place to impose their personal beliefs in a way that satisfies their belief structure. All the while proclaiming to be acting on the will of the Founding Fathers.
The simple fact of the matter is, ol' Georgie, Ben, Alex, & the rest of the boys, never envisioned a nation that dictated religious beliefs. That's why the whole "Separation of State and Church" was put in the country's operating manual, also known as The US Constitution. Their view was, 'Believe what you want, or nothing at all, but we're staying out of it.' But every four years, the Right swears that this is "Christian Nation". Sorry, guys, but it's simply not.
At the same time, I could almost stomach their piety if it were at least genuine. However, history shows us that some of the most evil sons of bitches around are the ones screaming from the highest rooftops. Pedophilia, corruption, sexual depravity, bigotry, marital infidelity, and greed, all in the name of the Lord.
Please.
See, Religious Freedom is the right to practice your personal beliefs in a way that satisfies your belief structure. As long as you aren't infringing on anybody else,go ahead... worship, pray, chant, and genuflect your ass off.
However, they apparently believe that Religious Freedom extends beyond the right to merely practice. They feel that it's their place to impose their personal beliefs in a way that satisfies their belief structure. All the while proclaiming to be acting on the will of the Founding Fathers.
The simple fact of the matter is, ol' Georgie, Ben, Alex, & the rest of the boys, never envisioned a nation that dictated religious beliefs. That's why the whole "Separation of State and Church" was put in the country's operating manual, also known as The US Constitution. Their view was, 'Believe what you want, or nothing at all, but we're staying out of it.' But every four years, the Right swears that this is "Christian Nation". Sorry, guys, but it's simply not.
At the same time, I could almost stomach their piety if it were at least genuine. However, history shows us that some of the most evil sons of bitches around are the ones screaming from the highest rooftops. Pedophilia, corruption, sexual depravity, bigotry, marital infidelity, and greed, all in the name of the Lord.
Please.
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