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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