Tuesday, September 8, 2009

I'm Scared. I'm Serious.

I am scared. I don't know if I've been this scared since GW Bush was president and we were rushing to war. I looked down the barrel of that loaded and cocked gun and I saw decades of tragedy to come and I wasn't the only one. So many of us saw it and we did nothing. Okay, maybe we talked amongst ourselves and we shook our heads in disbelief and we may have written this or that and we may have prayed it wouldn't come to pass- this war begun for no apparent reason which was bound to lead to so many deaths, to so much money spent, to so much hatred in the world for the US, and which ultimately has led to more pain and suffering and loss of respect than any of us ever imagined.

The torture issue, the deaths of civilians. The destruction of our economy as schools go unfunded and people are out of work and sick people die because they don't have insurance while we spend more and more money funding a war that will never end because there is no end to a war on terror. Ever.

All of that scared me but I am even more frightened now.

I listened to a little bit of Obama's speech to the school children after I got home from my walk and it was just as it had been reported it would be- a challenge to our youth to be personally responsible, to work hard, to not let mistakes or bad grades define them but to serve to make them work harder. It was a good speech.

And then, because I am crazy, I listened to a little bit of the Rush Limbaugh show. Five minutes was enough to scare the ever-loving crap out of me. Do you ever really listen to these people? The Rushes, the Glenns?

If you just accidentally tuned into them it would be ridiculously easy just to laugh them off as ignorant, harmless bullshit. I mean, it would be if you didn't know how many people not only listen purposefully to them but believe them. Because if you know that, it's fucking scary.

I just heard Rush say that although Obama's speech to the school kids was indeed an entirely conservative speech, it was only that way because he had been forced to change his original speech which was the REAL speech he wanted to make about telling our poor, innocent children how to help our president. And then he went on a rant about how yes, this is like the food fight in Animal House and how Obama is the Dean (was it Dean?) Wormer and how all of Obama's people are the ELITISTS (and Rush can't say that word without slurring it) frat boys and prissy pants sorority girls in the movie and how Americans LOVED it when John Butarski played by, oh, what was his name? Rush asked because he couldn't remember there for a moment, oh yes, John Belushi, got food all over those elitist's elitist clothes. Americans LOVED THAT!!!!

So Rush Limbaugh is saying that America is a stoned, fucked-up John Belushi (and don't get me wrong, I do love the Belush and always will) who is bringing down the Elitist administrators, frat boys and sorority girls.

And you know what? Americans are listening to this and they are nodding their heads and they are agreeing and there are millions of these people and I am scared.

When I was in Cozumel and had that little chat with the guy from Texas who claimed that Obama was going to bring down the country with his health care bill, I had no idea what was going on. I thought it was an aberration. I even thought so when the guy sitting next to Texas Guy joined in the argument against me. I did not know that Glenn Beck was already trying to poison the waters of Obama's administration with what soon came to be lies and more lies, misrepresentations and complete bullshit.

Listen- I just heard Rush say that England has "third rate health care."
Well, gimme some of that, okay? because it's better than what my insurance provides.

I'm scared.

It seems to me like we are quickly losing our shit here, folks. I mean, at least when Bush pushed us into war we had the recent memory of 9/11 shutting us up, making us doubt our sanity in believing that a war with Iraq might not be serving any sort of purpose, even though we knew the truth. But this- this constant attack, this constant hammering and yammering and complete dumb acceptance of the spewings coming from these, these, these IDIOTS, these MORONS, these ugly, ugly men is scaring the living daylights out of me.

And I'm beginning to think there's more than Obama's race at issue here. Sure, a great many people who listen to the hate and who incorporate it into their own thinking (and I use that term loosely) probably don't even admit that they're racists. Even to themselves. But I think there's something more going on. I think it's Obama's intelligence, his ability to speak so well and move people with his words.

People hated Clinton who was incredibly intelligent with a blind fury, too. And because he had a less-than-spotless private life, they were able to uncover and use that to attack him. But Obama seems to be exactly what he says he is- a man who loves his wife, who is faithful, who dotes on his children, who is a very good father, and they haven't been able yet to prove he wasn't born in America. So what do they have?

Nothing.

So they go after his policies and every move he makes and everything he says and they twist his words and they lie and they spout and they spew and they scream and people are listening and people believe them even though none of it, NONE OF IT makes any sense at all.

Okay. I just don't know what else to say. But I'm asking- what can we do? We who do have our eyes open, we who were, for perhaps the first time in our lives, proud as hell of our country when we elected Barack Obama to be our president? What do we do? How can we stop the madness? This is America and we are all allowed to say what we think. And while the crazy people are saying what they think on air and getting paid huge golden buckets of money for it, what can we do?

I'm asking because I'm scared.

How do rip the curtain off the little man on the radio? The fat little man laughing as he lies, chuckling as he rakes in his earnings?

Is it too late? Have we all gone insane already? Are the inmates running the asylum? Are we going to watch a good man be pulled down much to the detriment of our country, to the WORLD by these men? Are we?

Perhaps we have to rise up and march in the streets and if that's what we have to do, so be it. These guys are bullies and bullies are known to be scared little cowards at heart. But when they have the backing of so many people, it's not easy to bring them down.
Who's going to be the one to punch them in the nose and send them home crying?
I don't want to really hurt these people, I just want them to be exposed for the liars they are. I want them to have to admit they are liars.

Because they are scaring me with their swagger and their crap. They are scaring me with their followers and their influence. And I won't be able to live with myself if I look back and realize I did nothing, nothing at all.

I'm scared. What do I do?

40 comments:

  1. What we do in the face of this fear-mongering deceitful propaganda is to speak out against it with honesty, intelligence, and integrity, as you have done here, Ms. Moon. When you shine a light on rats, they scurry.

    Thank you for your words. Keep shining.

    Love, SB.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." As long as hatemongering makes good money, Rush and his ilk will keep stirring the pot, and as long as there are people who believe that, I dunno, Chinese restaurants serve stray cat for dinner, there will be people to listen to them. But that just means the rest of us need to keep speaking up and pushing back. Just like you're doing now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ms. Moon, don't be scared. There are still a lot of us out there that want it to happen, that believe it will happen. Maybe for our children or our children's children, but we can't give up. Don't lose hope. Progress doesn't come easy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am moved by this post, equally scared and also angry, and I don't even listen to any of those Limbaughs or Becks. The atmosphere of hatred and anger and violence that has permeated Obama's first 9 months in office does not bode well for our country...and where exactly ARE those people who voted for him, cheered him on and made a commitment to change? Because I don't see a lot of them making an attempt to counter-effect all of the really, really bad stuff, you know? This post is a start.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't think there is any hope for the fools who follow the chuch of Beck and Limbaugh. You can't even talk to those people, they refuse to hear you. We have to educate people who haven't yet formed a solid opinion.
    And it is scary, and it's irritating as hell.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dang it! I just wrote a long comment and it didn't make it! Basically I wrote that we should probably follow Obama's lead (even though I wish he were a tad bit angrier) and stay cool. The cynical side of me thinks that we're living, really, in an oligarchy, and that the only thing that speaks effectively is money. And in that sense, there isn't much to do but live like Candide and plant your little garden and make babies. But, I'm willing to protest in whatever way necessary that is peaceful, and depressed that it just isn't happening. I can't even speak about these things with my own parents who believe in all the crap. I think, in some ways, this country IS on the decline and that we're headed for something really bad, like civil war? In the meantime, I wish that people like -- ahem -- that radio blowhard -- ahem -- might really tax the healthcare system by -- ahem -- needing to use it -- ahem -- and it fails even him? Ahem. Just saying. And hoping.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just have to reply to Elizabeth-ha, I think it would be HILARIOUS for Glenn Pecker, er Beck to be turned away from a dentist when he's in agony because the dentist doesn't take his insurance. He'd be forced to SHUT THE HELL UP for a little while at least, until he scored some vicodin on the down low. Oh wait, that's Rush's gig. Either way, it would be funny.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm not sure what you can do. I'm thinking most people who read your blog (religiously, I may add) will already agree with you. I'm not sure there's anything anyone can do. I used to think it was just a matter of throwing love at the problem, but I don't think that will go very far either.

    As an outsider, I'm mainly scared because all those haters could vote in another Bush or something.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Apparently there is a rumor going around that the White House "originally" had a packet of information ready to distribute to schools but it got "bad feedback" from Republicans so they pulled it and changed the speech. Which, as far as I can tell, is absolutely untrue, but that doesn't stop people like Rush and Glenn from talking about it and their mindless minions from believing it. Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hmm. Well, yes, it's all terrifying. My brother talks a good line in conspiracy theories that are horribly believable.

    But I can't pretend that we in Ireland have a good healthcare system. We have an appalling health care system. They don't turn you away but they do make you wait for 12 months for test results or operations. Or tell you you're fine and leave you to die of breast cancer. Ask Xbox about the difference between Ireland and The Netherlands.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You are absolutely true to its core.

    We must do something. But what? How do we un-scare the scared? The mouthpieces have frightened the uneducated and unknowing into believing the insane rhetoric they spew.

    What do we do?

    ReplyDelete
  12. I had a long talk with my co-worker today on this very thing, before you posted this. It must be on all our minds' and weighing heavy that its time to do SOMETHING...I just don't know what.

    I think all we can do is write letters to the editor of our hometown newspapers, keep using thoughtful, inclusive and progressive arguments with those in our lives who disagree. When it comes down to it, we can only affect that ONE person who we see every day who we disagree with, and not the masses. But maybe that's what we should focus on is that ONE person.

    ReplyDelete
  13. There are 4 Americas.

    1 is for people who think the poor have it off so bad we need to bend over backwards to help them because they are victims (they are rich)

    2. Are people who believe that this is the land of self sufficiency and everyone should be self sufficient. (They are rich)

    3. Then there are the poor who the other groups talk about but never try to understand. The poor that we need in the country (I grew up one), the ones who dont want Health care given but instead we want education and opportunity.

    4. Is the group that wants a handout and doesn't want to work for it. They are poor too but they are the ones that the second group responds to.

    Maybe its not about everyone being nice, maybe it should be a whole lot more about liberty and opportunity. offer people the chance to take hard steps and reward them for it... dont make it easy, make them take classes... allow them learn... allow them to work.

    America is about... being your fathers kid, but you not having to be your father.

    In short your 1000% wrong here.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ms. Bastard- See? I don't know. If truth did these guys in, they'd be done. They look at truth like one tiny little hurdle to jump. A speed bump. Not even that.

    DTG- That is the best quote ever and I need to remember it more often. You are completely right about the money.

    Steph- I'm trying not to lose hope. I know there are so many of us out here who don't believe in the crap. But we're so damn polite.

    Kori- Again. I think we're too polite. And perhaps dumbfounded.

    Rachel- That's the thing. These people don't even KNOW they're being puppets for gasbags who are only in it for the money.

    Elizabeth- Good points and you're right- if Obama can handle all of this with the grace he seems to be, we can too. But golly, I feel like I'm sitting here with my mouth wide open going, "WHAAAHT?"

    Rachel- Beck has also had his challenges with alcohol and drug addiction.

    Mwa- That's what I'm scared of too.

    Jill- Yes. That is exactly the story they're telling.
    And saying that for the president to have suggested a lesson plan is condescending to teachers. Yeah right.

    Ms. Jo- Well then, we probably shouldn't have to base our health care system on Ireland's.
    But believe me- if you don't have insurance here, you can go FOREVER without seeing a doctor and forget about test results because there will be no tests to begin with.

    Angie- I don't know. It's so effective to influence people through fear.

    SJ- I think that is very true. We ALL do what we can. And we can't be afraid to speak the truth.

    Mike- Strange. I agreed with so much of what you said. But then you said I was 1000% wrong. I'm not sure I follow your argument as to what you said in your comment and what I said in my post. I don't think I even mentioned the poor there or how "they" should be handled. I don't really see things that way. Are you saying that it's the poor as in Number 3 who listen to the Limbaughs and the Becks?

    ReplyDelete
  15. My impressions of living in several countries is that the US has the best health care if you can access it and the UK the worst. Australia is in between. Interestingly the US spends the most and the UK the least on health care. I'm not sure where to place Israel on the scale. All the same there is waste in the US system and there is a problem of access for all.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow-talk about intolerant. You and your readers show true colors calling those you disagree with names. It's petty. As a registered Independent, Obama has been nothing short of a disaster. And to think he and Reid and Pelosi could just ram through that health care bill "before the August recess" and BEFORE anyone of us knew what it was about (let alone the pols themselves) is SCARY.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'd love to know what Obama's done so far that's been a disaster.

    Mike seems to be confused. Everyone I know works like a dog and still can't afford health care. I wonder where we fall on his list.

    ReplyDelete
  18. mOOm- Yes. If you can access it. And even then I don't know that it's the best. It falls short in many areas.

    KY- No. What's scary is not having insurance. At all. Or not enough. Or the only kind you can afford which offers nothing except that you might not lose everything you have if something truly catastrophic befalls you or someone in your family. To me, that is scary. And it's also scary that rich people who have NO IDEA what it's like to not be able to get the health care they need are convinicing their vast audiences that they're being swindled and blinded by a government who is trying to bring our country to the modern ages. I'm not saying there's a perfect bill out there but anything that makes the insurance agencies more accountable is a good damn start. And one more thing- as if those gasbags don't call our president and our representatives names themselves. Don't even try to tell me they don't.

    DTG- Yeah. Where's the fucking disaster? I doubt Mike will ever return to tell us the answer to your question.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh Ms Moon, although there is plenty to worry about the state of affairs in our country, please don't be scared. Do you read Margaret and Helen?

    http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com

    If you don't, do yourself a favor and read them. I want to grow up to be a little old lady just like them. The problem with the repthugs is that they are even more afraid than we are. Their way of life is as extinct as the dinosaur and so they continue to fight the windmills of their own delusions. I am with Elizabeth but we both have Italian blood and I don't think Obama has any. You see, Italian blood has a very low boiling point, so at times it is hard for us to understand why he just doesn't tell the Democrats who are scared of the Republicans to ask the repthugs to come and pull the cart for them when comes time for re-election. There must be something in the water those guys drink in the Senate and the Congress that makes them act like morons. We don't watch tv and I only listen to NPR, just got time to read the New Yorker and because it was such a pain in the rear to recycle the NYT Sunday edition I cancelled the subscription so my information comes from here, the "tubes".

    I am glad you are talking about this. Maybe we will all come up with some practical way of making it happen. I have seen miracles in my lifetime, look we elected a black president, what other proof would we need?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Perfect post. I am terrified. I cannot fathom how people are believing the things that come out of these whack jobs mouths'. I was informed in a playground conversation that Obama was a terrorist and was going to use this speech to brainwash the kids into being terrorists! Are you f-ing kidding me? Now he has evil super powers. Dear God help us all.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ms Moon - guess Obama isn't as scared for those poor and destitute uninsured as his proposal doesn't even go into affect until 2013! Ha - and to think it was so critically important to federalize 1/6 of the nation's economy in a few weeks before vacay. Americans on both sides of the political aisle are seeing through his slick talk. And it's about time. How about the stimulus $$ - took all of about 3 days to get it signed off. And another 4 years to spend it. Why the rush?

    Ironically, the author of this post writes "move people with his words" - well all say people are moved! Suave speeches on the campaign trail are one thing, but when he actually tries to act on his radical agenda, people get moved. Much to the chagrin of the administration. As the author writes "Obama is highly intelligent" which is why he CERTAINLY didn't want people asking questions or questioning his true agenda. Thank God they did..

    ReplyDelete
  22. there is far to much to respond to here.

    the most simple thing i can say, is that most people just want to be okay. they want their loved ones to be okay. they want to be fairly rewarded for their labor.

    people on all sides are getting so wound up; pointing fingers, laying blame, accusing their 'opponents', when at the end of the day generally everyone who is not at the very top of the food chain ends up screwed by ANY administration.

    i find it really sad when the 'salt of the earth' turn on each other as we fight for table scraps.

    i find it really sad.

    ReplyDelete
  23. People are beginning to act. Bit by bit, little by little, they are coming out of their shells. I did not know when the speech was, so by the time I got there, it was over. But others are smarter than me about figuring out logistics. The link is here, if you can go to it if I have managed to get it over. The story is from the Washington Post website, about a small group of people who showed up to support the president, including a young woman who screamed like he was Paul McCartney and yelled "WE LOVE YOU!" I just loved that.

    Washington Post link:

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/08/AR2009090801090.html?hpid=artslot

    click on “View All Items In This Story”

    then click on “Students excited over Obama address.”

    The beginning is students, then they go to the pro-Obama supporters and also interview and anti.

    So yes, it is time to stand up, time to be counted, time to organize. Get your friends and family members together for a pro- something or other rally, make some signs, walk around the White House, call your local newspaper (if you are lucky enough to still have one) and the TV station. It does not matter how small. Stand up.

    I am with you Ms. Moon. STAND THE HAIL UP!

    ReplyDelete
  24. For starters- don't ever listen to that poisonous, bilious shit again. After that? Listen to your hear and find your way to fight. Let's win this in the streets, on the internet, and never hold your tongue. Let's help these idiots and their families whether they deserve it or not.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Adrienne- Bless you, wise woman. I hear what you say.

    Glimmer- Yep. Let's do it.

    Juancho- You the man.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Bravo bravo...just last night two neighbors sat on my porch and simply shocked me with their blind acceptance of this crap. Gay, they also began to make out on the porch in front of the neighbors...just couldn't keep their hands off each other. I was shocked at the whole display and their opinions altogether...yet I love these two. And they admittedly don't watch tv or read the news. They pick it up and just spread it like shit, unaware of what they are propagating. First off, what the hell were they doing making out in front of my neighborhood in public? then claiming Obama is a racist because he helped out that Black woman get a home and a job. Geeeeeeesus!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Did anyone else notice that "KY" is commenting anonymously? When I clicked on KY's link, a couple of news sites came up.

    I'm scared, too, and have tried to figure out what to do about this. Rational logic doesn't work with them and neither does being nice or making an emotional appeal. I've tried it all.

    Rent and watch "Boogie Man" which is about Lee Atwater to learn what we're up against. Karl Rove was his protegee. Smear campaigns and dirty politics were taken to a new level with them. The Republicans start as soon as possible to destroy the Democratic President. They did it with Clinton, who possibly would have lost if Atwater had been alive. He died of brain cancer - karma! Bob Dole hates him because of how he conducted the primary campaign against him. Atwater is responsible for Willie Horton and the smear against Dukakis's wife and much more.

    That's what is happening. They manipulate others (we know who they are) to vote against their own best interest. So what do we do? How do we stop this madness? How do you fight evil?

    ReplyDelete
  28. I have too much to say about all this. Saying that President Obama is a disgrace is a very strong statement. Stronger than calling Rush an ignorant gasbag or a cocksmooch or whatever silly name we dress him in to dress him down, because we do so with humor and amongst ourselves. These issues do strike people in an emotional place, and that's good, we should be passionate about what we believe in. But it strikes me as ridiculous to go onto a person's blog and spew and get offended. Write to your damn newspaper, and back up your strong words. I love my country, and I love my President, and my country is made up of people, and my President is elected by the people, and it only makes sense to me that one so elected would want to ensure the basic care of his people. To me it is a disgrace to let sick people go without care. That's it. That's not a hand out, that's basic human rights.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Allegra- I am so adding those old ladies to my google reader. Thank you for that link.
    Thanks for the words and maybe you and Elizabeth could get together and donate a pint of Italian blood to our president.

    Mom2nji- Really? Did you say anything? After I had gotten through responding to that crap they never would have let me back on the playground.

    Mr. Berry- Jesus indeed. Ay-yi-yi.

    Joy- I haven't seen the movie. I should. But then again, I'd just be more terrified.

    May- Amen, beautiful daughter. Amen. I love you.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I oppose drastic untested plans to change our fourth largest industry.

    I oppose liberalism that is too lazy to see the other side.

    I oppose conservatism that is ridiculous and is too lazy to see the other side.

    I oppose a government that offers an oppertunity for the next guy to abuse the system.

    All I was getting at is there seems to be a 1 road answer here on both sides. You present it as though Rush is wrong Obama is right. What if they are both wrong?

    FYI Obama scares me, he is untested and his ideas are all or none.
    Rush scares me but he doesn't have any real power, he is just a great marketer.
    Both sides have valid points and until the stance of "Im right and your wrong" changes it will just get worse. If there are 4 americas as I say then both sides are both correct and completely wrong at the same time.

    Liberals would do good to listen to Rush and Hannity and try to hear the valid. Lord knows I listen to NPR and Progressive talk , Rush and Hannity to try and get the other side and see what they have right, and see what they have wrong.

    Conservatives are responding to one group of poor and liberals the other so give conservatives a chance. Listening works better then shouting! Rush has some valid points try to be a little less ethnocentric and maybe you could see it.

    ReplyDelete
  31. That's right, mom - the reason you don't like Rush: he's white. Not because he's an insane, ranting, lying blabbermouth profiting off the fears and biases of the American people.

    ReplyDelete
  32. DTG- Whoa! I knew there was a reason and now I know what it is.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Ms. Moon - I surfed here because of your headline. I thought I knew what you were going to say and I was wrong! I've heard nothing but ridiculous bullshit this past week and I assumed you were one of the wing-nuts.
    I'm scared too. I'm scared about the state of a society that hears "death panel" and believes on any level that it could even be true.
    I'm so happy this evening to have read some truth. Thank you my dear.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Wyanjen- Thank you for coming by. I agree with you. Death panel? Who would believe that? A lot of people, obviously.

    ReplyDelete
  35. @DTG Ethnocentrism - the belief that your view, group or opinon is better than another belief, group or opinon.

    Grow up, stop name calling and buy into your own "ideals" you so loosely follow. Try inclusivity, dont be so closed minded it would help.

    Everyone is ethnocentric its ok as long as you give the other side a fair shake. I dont think either side does.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Mike- I am totally going to let my son, Downtown Guy, respond if he wants to. Because really? He can do it better than I can.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I hate to tell you Mike, but some ideas are, in fact, better than others. Liberals in this country have been giving the other side a fair shake for far too long, considering that the those ideas consist of torture, racist pandering, and unbridled corporate power. In fact, if there is one failing you can consistently apply to modern liberals, it is that of hesitating to really defend core ideals, because we are all too aware that there are many shades of grey in any debate.

    Frankly, if you think that "Rush and Hannity to try and get the other side and see what they have right, and see what they have wrong" you need to rethink your career, because you obviously can't tell when you've been conned. We've heard what those two have to say, and it's been bullshit the whole time. Those two and their ilk are what you trust to show us "the other side"? Do you realize how insane that is? Decades of lies, fearmongering, racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, and general bullying smallmindedness? If that's any reflection of your ideals, buddy, I feel bad for you.

    ReplyDelete
  38. DTG-
    Wow, thats amazing... you make great points and then totally distory them by name calling and lack of decorum.

    Simple fact liberals are so damn busy being agsinst business they distroy the possiblity of using free enterprise to do good.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Mike- I think you would be better served commenting on a blog you agree with. If that's what you believe liberals are, you really don't know any. My husband has started at least five different small businesses on his own since we've been together and has been successful in all of them. And yet he has very different opinions than you do. Have you ever started and run a business? Have you ever lived in another country? Have you ever looked up the definition of "distory"?
    Because I think you meant "distort." Or maybe you meant "destroy." I'm not sure. It's not clear.
    Until you at least learn to write English, no one is going to take your opinions seriously.
    But I really do appreciate your attempts to take us to school. I do.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.