The Inequality of People's Thoughts
What I learned - or re-affirmed - during the past couple weeks. Lessons included the upholding of the ACA, SCotUS ruling for same gender marriage, and the current banning of all things with the 2nd Confederate Naval Jack as insignia/flag.
1. ACA - People are Stupid. There are those who say, "OMG, Obamacare said I'd get healthcare for cheaper, but I'm paying XXX *more* than ever before! Such a liar. etc" Of course, no such ire is aimed at the health insurance agencies which are the ones who are actually the ones jacking up prices. Few of this ilk seem to realize that having as much medical availability as possible to as many people as possible will actually cost everyone less in the long run. Nope, gotta jump on the "conservative" hate train and drum out the black man in office. 'Cause it's all his fault corporate America is full of greedy douches. Or something.
Please notice the use of " ". This denotes those people who claim to be one thing because it's popular but who have no actual idea of how destructive warping ideals may be to the health of their society and country. Conservation is a laudable goal; appying forms of conservation in twisted ways to exclude entire swaths of society because X group believes this or Y group believes that threatens our entire nation. You can be conservative without being a hateful bigoted bastard (or bitch).
2. SCotUS and "gay" marriage - People are selectively Stupid. The 14th amendment specifically orders that states cannot deny the citizens in their jurisdiction fair treatment under the law (stated much better, of course). SCotUS reminded everyone of this. Yet the "conservative" hate train immediately started screaming that the ruling had "broken" the entire Bill of Rights because it disregarded the 10th amend. ("states rights" - if something is not mentioned as a particular umbrella law in the Constitution, then the states can make their own rules with no fed interference) and violated their "Christian" 1st amendment rights. This was ballyhooed as proof positive that the Evil Atheists had bought the judicial process, and all "good" "Christians" were now in dire danger of life and limb.
Please notice the liberal use of " ". This denotes these people do NOT speak for nor do they represent any group who seem to be actual followers of the Christ. Of course, that is my opinion and subjective. Or not so subjective since there are many, many followers of the Christ who are thoughtful, wonderful, loving, Good-as-humanly-possible folks.
The point stands that the ruling did not violate religious rights (it actually upheld the religious rights of other-than-mainstream in some ways), upheld legalities which were already in the Bill of Rights but which were very inconvenient to those who perpetuate the cherry-picking of laws according to whom it applies to in their minds. Of course, "conservatives" in some states are already protesting and erroneous, frivolous, and idiotic lawsuits are already being filed both by so-called leaders and by others thinking to cash in somehow on this ruling.
3. The "Confederate Flag" - People are beyond Stupid. This one astounded me in a way that the other two did not since I fully expected those other reactions.
A symbol only has the meaning assigned, the weight of the belief in that definition is what gives it an illusion of power. A piece of fabric is only a piece of fabric. It is the belief of people who assign it a symbolic definition that makes it into an object of veneration or of fear.
Racism does not equal a piece of fabric, the display of a piece of fabric or the belief that it is, indeed, only a piece of fabric. If you look at the so-called Confederate flag (the 2nd naval Jack) and see a symbol of hatred and racism, it is YOU who are superimposing that false power. The flag itself has no ability to be what you project upon it.
Racism existed long before that piece of fabric existed, and it will endure long after because people are beyond Stupid. They refuse to accept that they themselves hold the ONLY key to the end of racism. It is such a simple truth, it evades the most otherwise intelligent.
When humans finally decide to stop hating anyone who is different than themselves, who believe differently than themselves, who talk differently, enjoy different pasttimes, etc than themselves - when humans finally decide to accept each other as fellow humans without reserve, THEN racism will die.
All this brouhaha about a flag did was prove that we are nowhere near that point because, as a collective, we do not wish to be.