Don’t Kid Yourself

If you don’t think it’s about race, then you’re kidding yourself. Our nation is currently in the middle of a verbal civil war and some citizens who don’t believe spitting is enough would be happy to see that escalate. At last count there were fifteen documented hate groups in the state of Washington, 926 in America. A hate group is defined by its beliefs and activities. They’re in the practice of not simply twisting truth, but coming up with complete fabrications. Robert L. Shulz, the leader of WTP (We The People), famed for his anti income tax stance, has broadly propagated the birther theory, FEMA camps, and socialist theories, along with other well thought out inventions.

My conservative cousin told me the other day she doesn’t believe in socialism. Well, dang, neither do I. I’m not interested in starting a family feud, so let it go, but I later asked someone else of the same persuasion: “What do you consider a socialist country?”

“Canada,” was the immediate response.

This is what people in America have had put in their heads. It’s no wonder parents home-school.

“Canada,” I said, “is a Constitutional Monarchy and they have socialized medicine, just like the United States. We have this thing called Medicare; it’s been around for over four decades. Name another socialist country.”

“Mexico,” was the answer and then quickly, with a lot of confidence, “France. England.”

I explained that Mexico is also a Republic, with a president and a congress, just like the United States, as is France (who by the way is globally number one in health care with a universal health care system. ) England is also a Conservative Monarchy and far, far from a socialist government.

Russia and China are socialist counties. Cuba, North Korea.

“Do your homework instead of letting Glenn Beck do it for you,” was my parting comment and it didn’t get me any smiles. Sorry.

Last year Mr. Beck talked about FEMA camps for three consecutive shows before finally admitting on the fourth broadcast that it was a myth. In the meantime, close to three million people, over the course of three days, heard differently.

And the Republican Party? Where do they stand on these garbled assaults on the intelligence of the average citizen? No where. They don’t take a stand, and that’s very alarming considering what is taking place in public forums. There simply is no condemnation for horrific remarks and speeches while certain Americans are led to believe a very twisted analysis.

Where was the Republican Party when former Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado spoke at the Tea Party Convention in Nashville and made openly racist remarks pointed at President Obama? Or when Congressman Steve King (R- Iowa) commented after the health care reform vote: “If I could start a country with a bunch of people, they'd be the folks who were standing with us the last few days. Let's hope we don't have to do that. Let's beat that other side to a pulp. Let's take them out. Let's chase them down. There's going to be a reckoning.”

That’s more than rhetoric. That’s inciting. And the GOP has stood by, without a word of censure or disapproval.

Last weekend a black congressman, Emmanuel Cleaver (D – Mo), while walking up the steps of the Capitol, was spit on by a member of the Tea Party. Sean Hannity of Fox News claimed the congressman was exaggerating and there was no evidence, despite a very available video of the event. The video is not a secret but it was not shown on FOX or other conservative venues. You make up your own mind.

Citizens who are interested in the truth can certainly find it with very little research, but listening to the Gallaghers, Limbaughs, O’Reillys , etc will give them one point of view and it is a narrow, uneducated, slanted, distorted one.

Last summer I attended a health care rally on Mercer Island, at the behest of a friend. Some of the protestors were local, elderly, wealthy people. A petite, diamond bedecked, gray haired lady held a placard that claimed “Our Health Care is Number One in the World” and in smaller print “and we want to stay that way.” I asked her did she really believe that? And she curtly bobbed her head up and down, and said “You bet I do.” Chances are she not only didn’t realize that the United States stands 37th in ranking with the World Health Organization, but she also had no idea she was surrounded by organizers of WTP and other radical groups who were there to incite the crowds. They handed out misleading information, shouted insults and slurs and inserted themselves into conversations. The uninformed senior citizen, Mrs. Mercer Island, who was probably dragged to the rally along with her bridge group, waving her sign to all passersby, did not know she was amidst neo-Nazis, anti-Semites, and those who believe in a non government authorized American militia. These are the people who are the loudest and most influential in the United States of America right now.

On April 19th a 2nd Amendment March is planned to take place in the capitol. Never mind that the Obama administration has not addressed gun control nor has any plans in that arena. It is an absurdly significant date for such a demonstration and organizers are encouraging participants to arm themselves as much as the can do so legally.

This is way beyond tempest in a teapot.

And they’re not kidding.

Thank you for reading.