So there I was, enjoying a peaceful day watching Batman cartoons with my son, when all of a sudden I got the urge to check my Twitter account. I saw a barrage of posts regarding the upcoming Healthcare vote in Washington. Needless to say, there is more than enough nonsense being spread like an epidemic across this here interweb, but the worst is in the picture above. Those of you who know me personally, and all three of you who read this blog regularly, know that I'm 100% supportive of free speech. I'd like to (naively) think that my service in the Navy helps prolong the 1st Amendment Right of every American. That being said, I'm thoroughly disgusted with the image above and here's why:
For all of the 20th Century, no one would ever dare to openly threaten the lives of the President or members of the Senate or House. For all of the Red-scaring, Gay bashing, Nigger hating, and anti-Catholic (think Kennedy) scum there were out there, no one was marching with "Kill the President" signs en masse in front of the White House. Yes, they're entitled to do so, but here's where the double standard comes into play.
Protesting peacefully has always been a tough gig. As peaceful as people have been (especially during the Vietnam Era and for the last 20 years), nine times out of ten it ends in a huge cluster and innocent people trying to exercise their rights get beat down to the pavement and/or arrested. Think Kent State, the 2000 DNC, Seattle, early 2003 when we marched against the impending war in Iraq. It's always rough if you're fighting injustice and your viewpoint is coming from the left.
My main flashback I want to put out is in 2001/2 (I can't remember which, and I'm too lazy to Google because I'm on a roll, Jack) when some New Yorkers were ARRESTED for wearing t-shirts that said, "Give Peace a Chance". But that was socially acceptable because the Bush Regime was in power. Whitey was in charge, so the little man gets shit on. Now that ::gasp:: a brown guy is in the office, it's no holds barred. President Obama is a peaceful, CARING leader (hence HEALTHCARE REFORM), and he's just plain not like the men who held the office before him.
The people in the photograph above are exactly like the genius group that formed the KKK. They are offended that an "inferior" person is in charge. There is no gap between the lesser person and them. In their minds, the kitchen is the only room in the White House that a black man should be working in. Today they proved that by shouting epithets at Mr. John Lewis (if you don't know who he is, shame on you and take your ass straight to Wikipedia). This isn't about Right or Left, Democrat or Republican, it's about race.
The terrible irony in all of this is that these people are screaming any word that ends in "ism" at this whole thing and praising the Right at the same time. They don't see that healthcare reform is desperately necessary (probably for MOST of the people protesting it, i.e. My Name Isn't Really Joe and I'm Not Really a Plumber, Joe the Plumber) and it's for the good of the People. It's for US. It's a way to make sure that no matter what, if your kid breaks an arm, you don't have to dip into his college fund to send him into an orthopedic surgeon.
If you want to see true American Fascism, take a peek at the Christian Church's influence on politicians and legislation. Look at the previous administration and the "Acts" they "shoved down our throats" as Fix'd News would say if they were on OUR side. Look at the blatant racism and bigotry that pours out of the Republican Party. Look at the rights they've taken and realize that they've given us NOTHING in return. That, my friends is fascism. That is what I speak out against. That is what ruined the economy and put unnecessary strain on my family and friends. But in all of that, never once did I call for the assassination of President Bush. Because unlike these people say they do, I really do believe in Democracy.
If you have a dissatisfaction with president bush and the way he ran the country for 8 years than that's fine. You've taken the freedom of voicing your opinion too far when you referred to bush as "Whitey" and basing your whole story on the minority of news projected and of all things some pictures of some ignorant americans waving outlandish posters. I'm white and I could not disagree more on the way you've went about voicing your ideas and belief about the current issues you've pointed out in your article. You sir have hatred in you.
ReplyDeleteAdam - THIS is one of your people - http://bit.ly/deOI2v
ReplyDelete"I'm white and I could not disagree more on the way you've went about voicing your ideas and belief about the current issues you've pointed out in your article."
-I'm white too, there buddy. I don't see how that makes a difference. It's cute too that "whitey" offended you, but my opting to stay uncensored and not use "N-Word" as a cop out for describing historical events had no effect on your sensitive soul. It's clear whose side you're on.
"You sir have hatred in you."
-You're absolutely right. I hate that the American Dream has been wrongfully turned into a nightmare by a fringe minority that spews race and religious based hate at the masses.
It's people like you who overlook the REAL issues. You say that I'VE taken the freedom of voicing my opinion too far when I use ONE WORD, yet you say nothing about the call to assassinate the President. You say nothing about the hate speech from the likes of Limbaugh, Beck, O'Reilly, Coulter, and Bachmann to name a few.
Have you served in the military? I have.
Have you ever been beaten down and pepper sprayed by the cops for gathering in a public place peacefully? I have.
Have you been a part of anything that was even remotely significant in the history and shaping of this country? I have.
Have you the ability to see the wrongness and hypocrisy of the Bush Administration and Republican Ideologies in general for the last hundred years? I DO.
Thank you, and goodnight.