I read a lot of poltical news, and, probably to the detriment of my blood pressure, I also take the time to read the comments after those articles.
Today I noticed a thing that gives me pause.
I'm rapidly losing patience with the right. The innuendo with no basis in fact, the smug and belligerent repeating of "Facts" that have no basis in fact. The out and out lies- I'm losing my usual equanimity in the face of them.
I try, really I do, to remember that they are also people. But it grows ever more difficult as their smug attacks on everything I hold dear grow more frenzied, ideological and hateful.
Jade Helm, the war on Christians, abortion, wars and the desire for more wars, the wild eyed spouting of faux patriotism, the holding of the constitution up as a shield while they scream for more power for the N.S.A. to collect data on Americans. People advocating for the out and out execution of people who love differently than they do- man, is it me or is it getting crazy out? Through all of that and more, I'm losing my respect for these people.
Oh, to be sure, I'm no saint. I think that people who dive wholeheartedly into the most brainless of conspiracy theories are closet or not so closeted paranoiacs who really NEED to have something to fear. Maybe it makes them feel better, more powerful? Perhaps it gives them a reason to justify all those guns?
I don't know.
I allow them their beliefs, I really do. I hope they will find the will to allow me mine. After all, don't we fight it out in the polling booth?
But, I think what's getting to me is the insults. It seems these people cannot and will not state their opinion without calling names, spewing hatred and filth. It starts to look as though that's all they have. Insults to, somehow, make me and all I've done in this life less in their eyes.
It's as though if they can call me a "Liberal fucktard" (What the HELL is a fucktard anyway?) then they can easily put my arguments and viewpoints aside. Once they insult me, using bad language, worse grammar and atrocious spelling, why, then, it's all good for them again.
I begin to wonder, do they EVER take a minute or two to stop and reflect on the issues they are so passionate about? Do they EVER look at both sides of any issue? Or does outscreaming anyone with an opposing view take all of their time and ability.
I'm losing patience, and I mention that because today, I began sinking to the level at which they move so very adroitly.
And I don't like that.
Don't get me wrong, I have decided views on stupidity.
If you are against high gasoline prices and you are against high taxes- they pull the money out of your wallet, you say, and you are against the science that says you have some responsibiilty in what is happening to the world through climate change. Okay, it's a viewpoint, one I don't share but yeah, it's your good right. But if you go and have your pick up set up, at a good deal of cost, to spew unburned fuel out of the exhaust so you can show me and we other "Liberal Fucktards" what you think of us by blowing even MORE pollution into the atmosphere. And THEN you complain that you don't have any extra money because that smoke rig cost so much to buy and install, and now you have to buy more gasoline every time you use it...
Yeah, to my mind, you just hit stupid. Hard!
You insist you have to have fourteen weapons plus a bayonet to roll to Aldi's, but you want to tell people who walk the world without weapons how brave you are- and if they disagree, you threaten to blow them away- ummm, yeah. You just hit it again.
You are against Obamacare because you don't want the government telling you what to do, but you keep voting in politicians who TELL you they are going to keep the drug war going, expand the government's powers to listen in on your telephone and read all of your correspondence, your thoughts, without a warrant- uh huh- yep. There's that stupid wall again.
You repeatedly vote for people who take away the money needed to give your children a decent school, one that stays open for the whole school year. (Novel thought, isn' t it?) You vote out a government that at least collects enough tax revenue to guarantee your kids can get an education- and vote in a governement that won't fix the roads you drive on, won't allocate money to make sure the bridges under your truck are safe. But tell ME how "Stoopid" I am?
Don't you guys feel the pain? Ever? My old man used to say it best, I guess, he framed it as a question. "What have you got in your head to ache?"
You fight the idea of a union but then complain you can't MAKE it on your minimum wage job, which is all you can find since everyone is paying minimum wage nowadays. Then you fight the idea of raising the minimum wage while staunchly voting for the politician who denies your wife a pay rate that is equal to her male colleague.
Then sit over beer or coffee and complain to your cronies that y'all just can't make it, even on two pay checks...
Make that facepalm a nice, hard slap, will you?
So, yes, I have my bias, I do.
Patience is gone, all that remains for me is a firm conviction that we cannot let the stupids of this world have access to the buttons that set America into war mode or the ability to make any laws that I have to live under!
I'll get back to trying to maintain my good manners.
I really doubt I'll find any more patience for those who choose stupid over intelligent.
I think they killed that.
Kelly