I try not to get into politics
Outside congress we have the grassroots tea party movement showing their true colors. They shouted "nigger" at Rep. John Lewis and "faggot" at Rep. Barney Frank. Inside our capitol we have duly elected officials shouting "baby killer".
Look, this bothers me more than I know how to express.
First, let's talk about how the media has covered this. I have yet to see a single media outlet use the word "nigger", but all of them have been happy to use the word "faggot". Is one kind of hate really OK, and the other not to be spoken of directly? That's just insane! I WANT the public at large to see a group of angry white protestors shouting that at an elected official. I want us all to contemplate and discuss just how f'd up that is. Using phrases like "racial epithets" is offensive to me. Tea party protestors didn't use racial epithets; they dropped the N-Bomb. White people take up the banner of hundreds of years of inexcusable torture and enslavement when they use that word. Kinda invalidates the whole notion that this is about healthcare, and that Obama's race is not he central problem these protesters have with this administration. Let's call them out on it.
Secondly: I've been hearing more and more outbursts from our legislative body this year. Nobody shouted for eight years, and now it happens over and over. I LOVE watching parliament on cable. They shout and boo a great deal, and it adds to the sense that causes are being advocated and opinions shifted. I'm pretty sure that's NOT what's happening here, and I'm really confused about this sudden talk of health care being a back-door trick to expand abortion access under Federal programs. This bill is f'n pro-life through and through.
Now, let me add that I'm happy some basic reforms were passed this weekend, and that it actually might slightly improve the conditions for a few people here and there. The fact that such minor modifications are central to a Holy war between conservative and Democratic values is inexcusable. In HS I thought I could keep myself out of politics. In college I understood the issues, but I felt that the average person would either vote like their parents did, or rebel against their folks for all the wrong reasons. I'm pretty sure the average voter is an idiot.
I want a voice of reason in the media spotlight who isn't a New York Jewish comedian. I want racism and intolerance to have to hide themselves from the public eye instead of being able to openly shape public policy.
Look, this bothers me more than I know how to express.
First, let's talk about how the media has covered this. I have yet to see a single media outlet use the word "nigger", but all of them have been happy to use the word "faggot". Is one kind of hate really OK, and the other not to be spoken of directly? That's just insane! I WANT the public at large to see a group of angry white protestors shouting that at an elected official. I want us all to contemplate and discuss just how f'd up that is. Using phrases like "racial epithets" is offensive to me. Tea party protestors didn't use racial epithets; they dropped the N-Bomb. White people take up the banner of hundreds of years of inexcusable torture and enslavement when they use that word. Kinda invalidates the whole notion that this is about healthcare, and that Obama's race is not he central problem these protesters have with this administration. Let's call them out on it.
Secondly: I've been hearing more and more outbursts from our legislative body this year. Nobody shouted for eight years, and now it happens over and over. I LOVE watching parliament on cable. They shout and boo a great deal, and it adds to the sense that causes are being advocated and opinions shifted. I'm pretty sure that's NOT what's happening here, and I'm really confused about this sudden talk of health care being a back-door trick to expand abortion access under Federal programs. This bill is f'n pro-life through and through.
Now, let me add that I'm happy some basic reforms were passed this weekend, and that it actually might slightly improve the conditions for a few people here and there. The fact that such minor modifications are central to a Holy war between conservative and Democratic values is inexcusable. In HS I thought I could keep myself out of politics. In college I understood the issues, but I felt that the average person would either vote like their parents did, or rebel against their folks for all the wrong reasons. I'm pretty sure the average voter is an idiot.
I want a voice of reason in the media spotlight who isn't a New York Jewish comedian. I want racism and intolerance to have to hide themselves from the public eye instead of being able to openly shape public policy.