Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Ugly American

I remember something Margaret Cho said once about racism in the South, “It’s not the hate, it’s the stupidity.” Actually, both bother me, but they cause each other to mutually flourish.
I’ve been writing more personal material than I have intended, because I have been feeling personally affected by some of these hateful items—and they are not always directed at me. Here are a few of the fun ones I have been saving from Facebook.
This was a response to something about Fox not being balanced:
“Yes, and I'm sure if I turn on MSNBC, I will be watching a channel that brings America together...good thing this is over. Im gonna get me a free cell phone and food stamps so I can pay for my blazer season tickets.”
Okay, yes, there is a program, started in 1984 and being re-evaluated, but that does not make it an Obama phone, and of course as we have covered the TANF program has been very effective at moving people into higher paying jobs and more stability, but we ALL KNOW there is ABUSE, with these drug-using, manicure-having, steak eaters, so let’s focus on our resentment instead.
Here was a particularly ugly one that caused someone to delete the entire thread after this comment was posted:
“Obama has to earn our respect, to expect respect from the people, and he sure isn't showing the the American people respect. Like not letting our soldier's Vote, cutting there medical, cutting the military budget, asking to cut there pay, saying social security is a benefit, I paid for mine and bet you did also. I earned my money and donate to my choice of charity, not for Obama to give to his choice ie. (illegals)!! Or the Arab Black Muslims ect!!”
The president never tried to take away voting rights from soldiers. He tried to stop early voting from being taken away from everyone except soldiers, which is a completely different thing. Your social security is far safer under Democrats than Republicans, who would like to free you to make your choice for your own investments with the help of those companies that broke the economy in 2008. Remember them? And Obama’s budget plan is basically what the military asked for. Maybe they should have asked for more, but are you talking about the sequestration? Because there is almost too much stupid to sort through, and I can’t deal!
Finally, one cute little joke. “Do you know how to tell an Obama supporter from a Romney supporter? Romney supporters sign the front of the check, and Obama supporters sign the back!”
You know what makes that one extra cute? The person who posted it has been benefitted by the Oregon Health Plan, the Bishops Storehouse, Disability, probably food stamps, and honestly when she did have a job she was always calling in sick. And yet, this is posted without a trace of irony.
I remember seeing someone complaining about taxes who has a severely disabled child on the Oregon Health Plan. You know how you are able to go to school and have a horse? That’s because society, via taxes, helps you with your circumstance that you think about more in terms of emotional issues, but which is in fact very expensive. Because society agrees that her life and well-being has value, and that maintaining that should not bankrupt you, taxes!
The guy who invited me to the Papa John’s thing, has had horrible health problems where a lack of health care has hampered the diagnosis and where he now has a major preexisting condition, but supports the guy who thinks .04 cents per pizza is too much to give his employees healthcare. Raise the price a nickel, and take the extra cent for yourself, so you increase profits and yet are still less evil overall. How’s that for a thought? Nope, let’s rally in support of corporate greed.
Romney thinks the people who voted for Obama did it because of the gifts; because he’s Santa Clause. We voted for Obama because we are capable of seeing a good greater than our own. Romney promised plenty of gifts, mainly tax cuts and spending cuts, and it doesn’t matter how many times they say it will help the economy. That plan has been tried. It doesn’t work.
Governement spending is the reason the United States is the one bright spot in the world economy when all of the austerity countries are continuing to suffer. Keeping that economy moving is the most important thing during a recession, and if the GDP continues to grow, the deficit is more manageable than if the economy stalls. Because there is already a deficit there (and it started under a Republican).
And yet, people will not let go of the idea of “Cut, cut, cut!” Even people who have been benefitted by those services. Even people who call themselves Christian so are supposed to be all about the charity.
So, this seems like a good time to go back to Chapter 4 of Mosiah (Book of Mormon):
16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
 17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—
 18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?
20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.
 21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to aimpart of the substance that ye have one to another.
22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.
 23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world.
 24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.
 25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.

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