The continuing coarsening of America has taken a new and very ugly turn today. At least ten Washington lawmakers have requested extra security due to threats to their safety and that of their families — because of their votes on health care reform.
Haven’t the issuers of the threats, those paeans of virtue, heard of the ballot box and the democratic process?
Health care reform at its worst could never be as harmful to the country as those who threaten the actual lives and property of others over a vote.
Little better are broadcasters and other high profile individuals who incite such behavior — who knowingly and deliberately wield their influence to whip an angry segment of the populace into a frenzied mob. The word irresponsible comes to mind. Also coward, for sitting cloistered in their studios and offices while sending their followers out to do the dirty work.
Responsibility. Civility. Respect. Manners. Get ’em while you can, because the supply is limited and once they’re gone …
It’s all about capitalism isn’t it?
The media spews hate because people like to hate, they like to listen to it, they want to get all worked up and angry about things they don’t even understand. People watch it, they watch the commercials, and money is made. Those media agencies that don’t show the hate don’t get the audience and don’t make the money. Hate is big money these days. Beck, Limbaugh and Palin can attest to that.
I’m still trying to figure out why so many Republicans claim to be Christians and then want to prevent lower income people from having health care. Did they ever ask themselves what Jesus would do? Would Jesus say “fuck you poor people, you don’t get the medication you need, but dont’ worry, you get to go to heaven?” But then, the Christians frequently dumbfound me with their stupidity when they claim that Jesus was not a pacifist, and would have been “for” the war in Iraq.
I must have been on drugs when I read the new testament.
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Indeed money makes the world go around. Ratings, advertising, book sales, personal appearances — and whatever it takes to get them. I wonder what those people would say if they weren’t getting paid for saying it? Of course, with no one there to report it, who’d know?
Yep, that whole Christian double standard thing has never made any sense to me, especially the part where so-called “good Christians” (Golden Rule and all that) espouse hate and intolerance.
Well said.
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Thank you, sir.