clayville
Active member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2004
- Messages
- 5,736
To me, John McCain is a weary and ineffectual but well-meaning public servant caught in an unenviable position... one not of his making or of his choice, one concocted and goaded by the likes of Fox and Limbaugh to confuse, obscure, deflect and deceive... to demon-ize and negate anything the political opposition says, does or proposes as being "socialist", "arab", "not like us", "terrorist" and a host of other slights and slanders...
He has, from one side of his mouth at least, attempted to reign in some of these over-blown manifestations of frustration... but...
I'm compelled to say that I'm deeply concerned by the fear, hate, and falsity that "informs" some of the folks that vent their frustration at his rallies -- if the bitterness and anger, the hostility and hatred, the tenor of the advertising or the accusations and insinuations of his VP are to be taken at face value then he has lost all control, all honor and standing for the highest office in the land.
McCain is of course not responsible for all of the hostility that some feel in these very trying times. Obama is not above criticism, none of us are -- on character, or on policy proposals. But damnit: b.s. is b.s. Democrats like me have been over all this stuff for months and months -- I understand that Ayers or Wright or Acorn or any other "association" might need to be defended again for those who haven't been paying attention, and I understand too that politically this stuff is a handy blunt instrument when few are available. But some people seem to take seriously the more outlandish, false and offensive charges.
Some of that is sadly just politics as we've come to know it of course, but today I say John Lewis is right on the merits, if not the target, of his recently voiced concerns -- some on the Right are playing with fire. There is indeed a "George Wallace"-style strain of anger and outrage animating some of the electorate -- maybe not so much the racism, but the hatred is real. And it's elevating to a dangerous level.
This nation, in my lifetime, has seen where this hatred leads -- to divisive and ineffectual politics, to social unrest, to a breakdown in the civil and social contract that binds us as a people with common cause. And yes: to assassination. JFK, MLK, RFK, the "only wounded" Wallace himself and RR -- and that's just this country, in the last 50 years. One can't blame the victims for the outcome here, or their oppositional politicians either necessarily -- and I don't mean to. I do mean to point out that people robbed of all hope and with nothing left but fear, anger and confusion are sometimes driven to desperation.
Sometimes they're driven of their own accord. But this time around, I know who is driving. The shit thrown at McCain at his recent rallies comes right out of the mouths of Fox and Limbaugh. I know because I listen and watch what they say in an effort to understand these views that make so little sense to me. They seem to make little sense to McCain either, on a personal level... yet there they are. And he "approves this message" much of the time. Like I said: he's in an unenviable position.
Anyway, I have an uneasy feeling about where we'll be as a nation in three weeks -- I think the right man for the job at this time will win, but I'm fearful about those who will feel left behind. And where that might lead us all.
Not that you asked.
He has, from one side of his mouth at least, attempted to reign in some of these over-blown manifestations of frustration... but...
I'm compelled to say that I'm deeply concerned by the fear, hate, and falsity that "informs" some of the folks that vent their frustration at his rallies -- if the bitterness and anger, the hostility and hatred, the tenor of the advertising or the accusations and insinuations of his VP are to be taken at face value then he has lost all control, all honor and standing for the highest office in the land.
McCain is of course not responsible for all of the hostility that some feel in these very trying times. Obama is not above criticism, none of us are -- on character, or on policy proposals. But damnit: b.s. is b.s. Democrats like me have been over all this stuff for months and months -- I understand that Ayers or Wright or Acorn or any other "association" might need to be defended again for those who haven't been paying attention, and I understand too that politically this stuff is a handy blunt instrument when few are available. But some people seem to take seriously the more outlandish, false and offensive charges.
Some of that is sadly just politics as we've come to know it of course, but today I say John Lewis is right on the merits, if not the target, of his recently voiced concerns -- some on the Right are playing with fire. There is indeed a "George Wallace"-style strain of anger and outrage animating some of the electorate -- maybe not so much the racism, but the hatred is real. And it's elevating to a dangerous level.
This nation, in my lifetime, has seen where this hatred leads -- to divisive and ineffectual politics, to social unrest, to a breakdown in the civil and social contract that binds us as a people with common cause. And yes: to assassination. JFK, MLK, RFK, the "only wounded" Wallace himself and RR -- and that's just this country, in the last 50 years. One can't blame the victims for the outcome here, or their oppositional politicians either necessarily -- and I don't mean to. I do mean to point out that people robbed of all hope and with nothing left but fear, anger and confusion are sometimes driven to desperation.
Sometimes they're driven of their own accord. But this time around, I know who is driving. The shit thrown at McCain at his recent rallies comes right out of the mouths of Fox and Limbaugh. I know because I listen and watch what they say in an effort to understand these views that make so little sense to me. They seem to make little sense to McCain either, on a personal level... yet there they are. And he "approves this message" much of the time. Like I said: he's in an unenviable position.
Anyway, I have an uneasy feeling about where we'll be as a nation in three weeks -- I think the right man for the job at this time will win, but I'm fearful about those who will feel left behind. And where that might lead us all.
Not that you asked.