So okay, GoDrex posted this YouTube, and then Julie did, and I commented on it, and now I have to post the video, because I can't stop thinking about it and it inspires a constant state of weird otherworldly incredulity in me, because I think it accurately represents the thought processes of most people who actually think another Republican administration is a good idea, and because this was a convention in Bethlehem, PA, near where we live, and it's embarrassing and I can't wrap my head around the fact of these people's existence.
I'm re-posting my commentary from Julie's page on it here and expanding on it, because I need to get it off my brain before it freezes in this expression forever.
Does that first guy know that 25 out of the 43 American Presidents were lawyers? And that it's actually sort of an advantage to understand law if you're going to be in a political field? Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson,
James Monroe and John Quincy Adams. Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, John
Tyler, James Polk and Millard Fillmore. Rutherford Hayes, James Garfield, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland,
Benjamin Harrison and William McKinley. William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge and Franklin
Delano Roosevelt. Richard Nixon,
Gerald Ford and William Clinton. (I know that's only 23, I can't find the other 2.)
European socialist is a buzzword with these people. (Instead of
buzzwords, I’m going to start calling them FOXwords) Like Terrorist. Why is European Socialism bad, exactly? Because of all the free health care? I
particularly find the “I think you’re stupid” guy quite illuminating.
Why am I stupid?
“… uh… because… that guy gets elected, he hangs around with terrorists.”
Who’re the terrorists?
“Obama”
So… Obama hangs out with himself?
No just kidding, I get it. I know what he means, it’s just that he
doesn’t know how to speak properly, or form a logical or coherent thought. What he means is, Obama is a
terrorist because some guy he sort of knows did some crazy shit when
Obama was 8. And that's a more accurate understanding of the situation than even FOX news was able to tell him to think.
As cogent and insightful a point as this guy makes, I have to wonder, with all of the black men in prison, and all of the “suspected terrorists” at Guantanamo Bay, is it very likely that had any politician or policeman or spook at any time throughout Obama’s life even had the tiniest shred of real proof that Obama might have actual terror affiliations, isn’t it likely that he would never ever ever ever nerver never nev been allowed anywhere near any sort of elected office in the USA ever?
Or maybe FOX news and every dumb piece of crap that believes this Rhepublican Rhetoric has proof in a shoebox under their beds that Obama really is a terrorist that the guys over at the CIA doing his background check somehow missed.
“Get a Job!”
What does that even mean?! How do you know they don’t have jobs? Because they’re exercising their political right to protest? If you’re basing the fact that someone is at a political rally because they don’t have a job, then what are you doing there? Maybe you should get a job yourself? But oh wait, you can’t because Bush screwed up the economy so badly that the jobless rate is skyrocketing and competition for work is heavier, and you’re about to attend a rally for the guy who wants to continue the same policies.
“Go to Russia!”
Go to Russia? Because… people aren’t allowed to politically dissent in Russia (which isn’t exactly true anymore, but we’ll let that one slide because you obviously haven’t thought out your statement anyway) and you think that people who dare to dissent with your Republican knee-jerk non-views deserve to get shipped off to Siberia… which would kind of make you more like a Communist than an Obama supporter/McCain protester could ever dream to be? And as far as the whole "Commie/Faggott!" slur goes, I think we all know which political party has had more of those types outed from it. Plus, Joe McCarthy was a Republican Commie hunter, and I think it's probably widely agreed now that he was the biggest Commie of them all. I mean sure, not technically, but his tactics certainly were not American nor were they Democratic.
I think that by telling someone who disagrees with you at an American political rally to go to Russia, you’ve officially chased your own tail and deserve to be impounded for being dumb as a dog and not on a leash.
And ACORN? How the FRICK is ACORN, a community-based organization that advocates for low- and moderate-income families by working on neighborhood safety, health care and other social issues, responsible for our current economic crisis? Hey check out this picture and story of McCain with... that's right. ACORN.
And for God's sake people! Obama is NOT a Muslim, (not that being a Muslim is automatically terror-worthy) nor is he a terrorist, or affiliated with terrorists! Again, CIA background checks! They're pretty thorough. They'd have caught it by now, and Obama would be in Guantanamo. Palin, on the other hand, had the hands of a Witch hunter laid on her. Now, Olbermann is a tad histrionic, but if you're not one of those finger-in-your-ears Republicans, singing "God Bless America" to block out opposing viewpoints and spouting party FOXwords as substitutes for logical argument using fact and proof, this is something you need to watch. I mean, those types need to watch and understand it more than anybody, but they've got their fingers in their ears, you see.
And I could go on and on, but the fact of the matter is, people like those in the YouTube video believe what they believe because they want FOX news to tell them what to think and say so that they don't have to hurt their little brains trying too hard to think about it themselves. No amount of logical argument or fact checking or proof is going to sway them. God, I hope America is smarter than I give it credit for this election day.
I'm happy I can provide you and Julie with stuff for topics. And Michael you did a great job expanding on it. What would we do without ignorant hate-mongers? I'd probably feel a little more at ease and proud of my country.
Posted by: Gary | Friday, October 17, 2008 at 12:48
Thanks Gary... you tend to find all the best stuff out there, so it's natural that I want to pilfer it! I just, I just had to. That video totally blew my mind, and writing that post actually didn't help. I'm still sort of obsessing over it.
I still have pride in my coutnry, but it's more a pride based on it's founding principles and George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. I can't think of anything we've done though since going to the moon that makes me feel much in the way of a more up-to-date pride.
Posted by: messiestobjects | Friday, October 17, 2008 at 14:08
Oh yeah - no one has mentioned my favorite part - when they ask the "European socialist" guy if he thinks they should die and he says "everyone dies don't they?" Pretty messed up.
Posted by: Gary | Friday, October 17, 2008 at 15:03
Yeah, I'd wanted to comment on that, but I just didn't know what to say. I think his response has more to do with the fact that he, like most of those people, wasn't used to actually being asked to explain his beliefs, and that was the best answer he could come up with. None of the people questioned in that video, when asked to explain whatever nonsense they were just spouting, were able to come up with anything like a real response.
Posted by: messiestobjects | Friday, October 17, 2008 at 18:22
To be fair, the guy with the camera was baiting that fellow in the sunglasses. Should they die? I mean, that's a little extreme. I liked that he answered 'everyone dies.' Although, his look chilled me. Gah.
Posted by: Miss Luongo | Friday, October 17, 2008 at 18:30
I think he had been chanting that someone should die, which is why the cameraman asked him if he really believed that "they" should die. He wasn't actually caught on camera saying that someone should die, but from the context it seems apparent that he had been before cameraman trained his camera on him. I don't think that cameraguy just asked him that out of the blue. Most people, if they're just walking along, and someone comes up to them with a camera and asks if you believe that someone should die.... well I think if you hadn't been chanting death to someone, you'd be like, "uh, what? No man, I don't want anybody to die." Clearly by his response, he was caught with his leg in the air, so to speak.
Posted by: messiestobjects | Friday, October 17, 2008 at 18:54
Yeah... but - what about the Obama line, man?
Posted by: Dennis Hopper | Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 00:21
What about the Obama line?
Posted by: messiestobjects | Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 08:26
You're right. That guy was yelling "die."
And the Obama line was inciting those McCain supporters. They asked about the rape kit. Very caustic. Akin to "die commie faggots." Jeez.
Posted by: Miss Luongo | Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 11:34
{sarcasm}Yes, asking actual questions based on the actual actions by their politicians of choice is always baseless and inciting from a Republican's point of view. "Die commie faggotts" by comparison is merely good sense.{/sarcasm}
Posted by: messiestobjects | Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 12:14