Abortion Apathy

Earlier this week I came across a story about an Arizona preacher who was wishing death upon President Obama. He is the pastor of the man shown below weilding an AR-15. He has become infamous with the viral videos of himself... armed & standing outside of a meeting in Arizona with the President in attendance.

Now, the presidential meeting this man attended was about healthcare INSURANCE reform, but the pastor who was speaking about the death of Obama claims to use abortion as the reasoning for his hatred of Obama. Btw, its not in this clip, but he does explicity state in another clip that he hates Barack Obama.

Here is what I dont understand about social conservatives. What is the QUALITATIVE difference between Republicans and Democrats, as relates to abortion? You ask this of a conservative, they can do nothing but stutter. One party is okay with abortion, the other party rails against it; but which party has actually done something to make abortion illegal. Let me go a step further... has the party (allegedly) against abortion even ATTEMPTED to outlaw abortion?

We all know the answer to that. So where was the religious rights' disdain for Republicans when they had control of the White House, both Houses of Congress, and the Supreme Court, from 2001 to 2006? Answer... there was none. Let these men of God look to their own hearts and try to answer why that could possibly be the case.

David Kuo has an opinion. He even wrote a book about it. He is a conservative who was part of the Bush White House, as related to faith based issues, but became disillusioned with the lack of ACTION taken by the Republican party. Isn't that what its all about... action? You can talk about something all you want, but if you're in a position of power... and you do nothing, how is that better than someone who thinks nothing should be done? Is that not even worse? At least their conscience isn't COMPELLING them to do something. Or maybe these Republicans do not feel compelled to do something. Which brings me to my main point... sooooooooooooooooooooo, for all the retarded preachers out there, who... once Obama got elected, now they started getting beligerantly angry about abortion... I have a chinese riddle for you morons...

which is worse... to think abortion is okay or to (claim to) believe its horrible and do nothing?

White Fear

I don't know what percentage of white America this applies to... but, there are certain pockets of people in this country who are scared to death... and (apparently) they just aren't going to take it. Its so palpable, you can almost touch it. People just losing it, like this guy at a Senator Arlen Specter town hall meeting. People who feel that their country is changing, spiraling out of control, and there's nothing they can do to save it. They're frustrated and angry. The people erupting at town hall meetings are mad at far more than just healthcare. I dont like to do it, but if I happen to hear one of these people ranting in front of a camera, they dont really have any concrete grievances. You hear about the country changing. You hear about socialism. I saw a woman get on tv, say she's never been involved or cared about politics, but NOW she's worried to death... all of sudden, with Obama in the White House, and talking about Healthcare reform. She was terrified that Obama was going to change her country away from what it was supposed to be.

I've said it before, the show Happy Days was created in the 1970's. Even more than thirty years ago, there was a glorification... a "perfect" romanticization of the 1950's America. The good ole' days... as it were. Nolstalgia at its finest. Watching Happy Days... ah, a time when families could sit down together and reminisce on a better time. "Oh... daddy's generation had it sooo much better than we do. He's always going... 'When I was a kid' And those stories are awesome. I want Happy Days here again."

Back from what? There was a white male Republican running this nation a little more than 6 months ago. This person wants their country back and they're not talking about healthcare. For people who say this... can they name a single thing that has changed since President Obama took office? As far as the country changing, demographically at least... they are correct. The white (percentage of the) population of the United States is decreasing. We will see the most recent updates next year when the 2010 Census is gathered, but where it was once in the high 70's, White America now makes up approximately 68% of the United States. It has been said that by 2040, the United States will be a... "majority minority" nation. There will still be more people of European descent than any other ONE particular group of people, but the combined numbers of minorities in about 30 years will outnumber those of white/non-hispanic descent. This person wants their country back from what... or is it better asked... from whom?

*sigh* The thing about socialism accusations... its pretty clear to me that noone in this country knows what socialism means. If you were to step back... BREATHE... (just take a deep breathe for a minute... thats it... good... now let it all out) and look at the entire spectrum... from all the way far left athiest communism... to the other end, far right religious-nationalistic dictatorships, our nation is firmly center/right. Our debates are merely various degrees of center/right. Canada and Europe, which are signifcantly more left than we are, but themselves FAR from truly being socialist... they look at these debates about socialism and are flabbergasted by our ignorance. Canada's government plays a much more active role than the United States government, but, markets aren't owned and controlled by the Canadian government. American Democrats aren't even left enough for Europe, they're certainly not left enough for Venezuela... a real socialized nation where Hugo Chavez, TRULY, controls the markets, fixes prices and seizes companies when he deems necessary. Venezuela sees no difference between George Bush and Barack Obama because, relative to his far left view of government, any distinction between the two is pretty miniscule (to him). If you think Obama is a socialist, you are a moron, you have no concept of government and your ideas have no basis in reality. But why would some people think that way to begin with?

Sarah Palin, as usual, is clueless. Certainly it wouldn't have anything to do with her going around for months telling people that Obama's not one of us. (I'm not sure if I were including in "us") He's different. Certainly not one of us. Just... something about him... she's not quite sure what it is... she just can't quite seem to figure it out... just can't seem to say it, can't put her finger on it... but its something about him that should have people worried. And thats what you would hear at her campaign speeches. You can go online and see and hear some of the speeches... as well as the comments before and after those stump speeches. It wasn't, "we will do a better job of running this place" it was... "who is this guy? what do we know about him? we know he spends his weekends with terrorists... dont forget... he pals around with terrorists... right now? probably... off doing... um... terrorist stuff... you know how those people hate America... he wont even wear a flag pin... he hates America. Its not just that we would run this country better than the other guy... he's dangerous. He'll DESTROY America. Now... I'm not going to come out here... and say he's a crazy Muslim... I'm not going to do that... I won't come out and say that, but..." (now look at her above picture again)

"Gosh, remember the drive-in? Weren't those the good ole' days?" Its funny how the "good ole' memories" seem to only include middle class and affluent white Americans... but, I digress.

"Back when women were women. Like June Cleaver. Did she go around... trying to... work, and be a man? No... she didn't. She stayed home... she raised her kids... she was a good wife and mother. Now, they have that... that darn feminism... rebellious... godless... heathens... trying to upset the order of the world. June Cleaver didn't talk back. She didnt question... she stayed in the house and raised the children. Now women are selfish... they wanna work... and be quick to get divorced... and date around... sluts... dumb sluts... giving opinions on thangs... talking back... I mean... they got the right to vote already... my God, what is this world coming to? Where are the June Cleavers of today?"

[disillusioned present day guy]

"Look how she cooks and raises my children... all at the same time! My wife is the best. This is the ideal life... at least for me... I'm not really sure what she wanted... I never asked... but then again... I never cared. Bless my obedient wife. Another successful nuclear family."

I'd be remiss to talk about fear of change and not mention immigration. The rising hispanic population is causing a Xenophobia in this country. It wouldn't be the first time. There weren't any Mexicans in Happy Days and Leave It to Beaver, perhaps... because they were "Repatriated" in the late 1930's. Even hispanics born in the United States. Drug fears in those days were (believe it or not) even MORE irrational than today, especially with the propaganda drug videos showing people smoking pot and going stark raving mad... the stigma was attached to Mexicans and a lot of people were deported. Can you imagine living your entire life in America, and being told you have to get out? And that happened to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people. Before that, in New York City, in the early 1900's, as European immigration shifted from Western to Easten Europe... there was a backlash in New York city against Pols and other new types of immigrants. "Who are these new people trying to take my country away from me???" Certain concern over immigration is valid, but if you listen to talk radio, for example... the tone sometimes has a certain element that can only be described as vitriol.

Which brings me to Rush Limbaugh and people of his... ilk. Two things... number one... people like Rush Limbaugh sow the seeds of discord. But even more important than that... there is an audience for this. There are millions of people out there, mostly white Americans, all over the United States... who feel a disconnect with their present reality compared to the dream and the illusion of what a successful American life is supposed to be. People who are having a much harder time finding work... finding high paying jobs... who are dealing with rising costs and stagnant wages. They are looking for answers, and things to blame, and Rush is happy to ablige.

People who see beautified interpretations of a by-gone era and reflect with envy on yesterday. Simpler times. Better times. No crime. No violence. No drama. "Lets all just go on down to the Burger and Shake joint." Life was like an Archie Comic. Things seemed so easy for Mary Tyler Moore. Wally and Beave's problems seemed so trivial compared to mine. Dick Van Dyke sure seemed happy. I wish I was there...

Instead they see a country full of minority violence. On the news ("if it bleeds, it leads!") and in different forms of "entertainment." And since large portions of white America have little to no regular interaction with blacks and hispanics [there are no blacks in Wyoming and Montana!] opinions are formed based on what is trasmitted to them. People may generally hold negative views of punk rock white guys, but they know that doesn't reflect on white America as a whole. Just last year, a 3rd of (usually liberal) democrats polled before the election freely ADMITTED they held, at least somewhat, negative views towards blacks.

I couldn't believe how many people were willing to believe Obama was secretly a Muslim. I can't believe how many people think he wasn't born in the US. (Btw, John McCain? he was born in Panama, losers) I can't believe how many people actually believe that America could have medical death panels. Are certain people THAT afraid of the future... so much so, that that sounds credible? "Glenn Beck said its true, then he cried about it and said he loved America... so its gotta be, right?"

The number of "middle class" jobs in this nation are decreasing. Quality job hiring is getting more competitive, so there will inevitably be white Americans who feel they're missing out on opportunities their parents and grandparents had. You could think that way, or you could feel that minority groups, who have historically been disenfranchised are now getting opportunities they always should have. And things are still far from equal. This is the new face of America... this is the future of this country... its a diverse future... get over it.

Pills, Pills, Pills... Drug Nation

In a recent Reuters article (click here) it was reported that the number of people taking prescription antidepressant drugs doubled from 1996 to 2005.

10% of the population is reportedly taking antidepressants. When you go to work, just think about that... for every 40 people you know... probably 3 to 6 of them are popping "make me feel better" pills before or after work. The study also found that, not only were more people being prescribed pills, but the amount of pills per individual was on the rise.

"Here... take more... and more... and more pills. They'll make you feel better."

People are really... really stupid. As I've said before, the biggest backers of anti-drug laws in this country are cigarette, alcohol and prescription drug companies. [ We must fight this war on drugs to protect our kids! ] The "stigma" associated with drugs is different based on where you get them from. Its okay for Middle American moms (from the Heartland... aaaaawww) to just... "zone out" on drugs. To put a rambuctious pre-adolescent on Ridilin. To give their teenager some Paxil or Prozac. But, weed smokers need to go to prison.

All the while prescription drug companies get richer... and richer... as more Americans join Pill Nation. Lets the mental numbness begin!

Add to that, a recent CNN report about teen heroin use on the rise in Connecticut. But, what... you may ask... does that have to do with prescription drugs? The report found that most of these teens were recent prescribed Oxycontin. A painkiller that was prescribed for different physical pain... but Oxycontin is an opiate. Opiate... why does that word sound familiar. Hmm.. opiate... opium... heroin! Ooooooooooh. So, drug company prostitutes... er... um... whoops... I mean... doctors... are prescribing their patients Oxycontin, and these people get addicted (just like... heroin addicts like Rush Limbaugh) and they decide they might as well just start doing heroin. Because, you get the same drugs... and here's the kicker... at a fraction of the cost.

I got a suggestion for a war on drugs we should fight... and it starts on GlaxoSmithKline's doorstep