Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Health-Scare Mobs Pt 2: What the F**K is Everyone So Angry About?



From what we can tell by the nightly news clips, they're mostly old, white and, gosh darn it, enraged. I'm not talking simple anger here. I'm talking balls-out, spittle-flying, neck-veins-bulging, exploding-skull, I'm-gonna-kick-your-ass anger. They're coming in busloads to the nationwide "Town Hall" meetings held by Senators and Congressmen to discuss President Obama's proposed health care system overhaul. And they're bringing much more than just concern over their medical coverage. There's enough ignorance, racism and xenophobia at work in just one gathering to fill weeks of Rush Limbaugh airtime.

Tuesday's meeting held by Sen. Arlen Specter in Lebanon, PA is a perfect example of the vitriol these poor legislators must endure (yeah, I said "poor" legislators) from the health-scare mobs. Here's a sampling of the outrageous misconceptions spewing from the mouths of these misinformed ragers:

-"This is about the dismantling of this country"
-"We don't want this country turning into Russia"
-"We believe there are several issues out there that leave the Republic at risk, not the least of which is this ObamaCare"
-"You are trampling on our Constitution!"
"They are talking about killing people"
-"Adolph Hitler was for exterminating the weak, not just the Jews and stuff, and socialism--that's what's going to happen" (my personal favorite, btw...and rumor has it that this was actually Sarah Palin in deep disguise)

My God, what the hell is going on here? I'm sorry but, how stupid can people be? Russia, Nazis, Socialism, killing old folks? Are people really believing this crap? Or, have circumstances turned them all into 24/7 anger-machines who, unable to afford therapy, are using the Town Hall meetings as a mechanism to let off steam? A place to vent when you feel like the world has kicked you in the ass? An opportunity to use elected officials as punching bags for all the pent up hostility and frustration over the recession, joblessness and the resulting stress it causes at home? Additionally, are these same people also using the health care issue to channel generations of racial animosity and intolerance? Have the Town Hall meetings simply become the perfect stage for bigots to scream, "Fuck everybody! It's not my damn job to pay for your damned health insurance! Go back to your homeland! Get a job! Stop freeloading! White Power!?" Because that's sure as hell what it all feels like...


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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Andy,

You are so right. This is not only about health care. This is about a group of white folks who will not accept the election results of November 2008. I am white and find those folks prancing around yelling embarrassing and disgusting. This is about wanting Obama to fail plain and simple. We must not let it happen.

Anonymous said...

Agreed. We have a lot of stupid, uninformed and racist people living in this country.

Justin said...

You forgot my favorite statement made by the teabaggers: "I just want my country back!"

For once, I'd just like to see the President/Congressmen/Senator ask that person, "What country would you like back?" "Did you want your country back seven months ago?" "What's so radically different about the country now than seven months ago?"

"I just want my country back." That's the most asinine statement ever. These people want their white country back? Their Republican country back? I hate to tell the teabaggers, that ship has sailed...

Realist said...

People have always been stupid, Andy. As a result, people have also always been afraid. Only the Great Bugaboo changes from time to time.

History keeps repeating -in variations of guises, locations, and cast- the tales of arrogance and stupidity which end up causing a crisis which some smart person then gets to solve. That may be why history is seen as such a "boring" subject in the schools. It ceases to stimulate the production of the adrenalin which makes life fun! So how many times can one watch reruns before the appeal of a television comedy becomes trite? It is thus with historical fact.

The real solution to this issue -and I have to award laurels to the Obama administration for beginning to take what I see as the proper and necessary action to achieve this (even if I'm not yet convinced that they do so in the interests of the people and not the corporations with whom I suspect collusion)- is to step up and lead the people. BE the leaders the people thought they were voting for.

People have every right to express themselves, as we are doing here. They have a right to ask questions if they don't understand or agree with the direction the leadership proposes. It is up to the leaders to keep it orderly (see: Arlen Specter yesterday). Those who cannot are clearly not leaders, and their constituents need to note this fact.

I suspect that there is a question which could bring this controversy under a semblance of moderation and inspire thoughtfulness of those who oppose: "What has your insurance company done to you lately?" I'd like to hear someone ask it.

Anonymous said...

Let's be honest: This is not about health care.

I am white, but this is about accepting the results of last November's election. We voted for change and some folks just won't let it go.

Those white folks are racist and if you don't see it you are not listening.

Anonymous said...

As a member of a (currently) minority race I find it both amusing and frightening to see the fear these people are experiencing. As a minority person we are constantly aware of our color and we are taught to expect mistreatment. I am a good guy and have no criminal record and yet I have been harassed by authority figures constantly in my lifetime. It’s expected. I could tell you lots of stories but I will leave with this. I recently had breakfast with a mix of folks. The breakfast was just a casual social gathering, not political at all. There were 5 older white guys that began to reminisce over how things are changing and how they are afraid. One guy mentioned how it used to be you (white guy) could shoot someone and kill him and just tell the cops it was “self-defense” and that’d be the end of it but no longer. In Texas that’s what those guys feared losing, unquestioned authority. As a minority I have to say that I really do hope things continue to change and quickly. I just hope this fear doesn’t lead to the loss of lives.

Anonymous said...

Blacks are ten percent of the population Obama was elected by a huge majority of Americans which means he was put in office by whites. The problem now is not his race but his la lack of leadership.

The old folks' uprising is about statements like the one made by Emanuel's brother the doctor, who said only people between 15 years of age up to 50 were productive in our society and thus deserving of full health care which might be expensive and save lives.

Anonymous said...

When the Dems voted on the proposal to allow Bush to declare war few of them, including Hillary, didn't bother to read the full proposal. Now, the Dems aren't reading the healthcare proposal. Their ignorance is propelling the outrage.

BTW Obama questioned if "society" should pay for thie grandmother's end of life care. He thought not, but he himself would personally pay for it.

The Ostroy Report said...

ASnon 9:45...I hate to burst ya bubble, but the angry goons at the Town Hall meetings are not the White folks who elected Obama.

Anonymous said...

Thank you 8:54. You are so right. Those pracing angry repubs did not vote for Obmama. I call them Repub Christians. This drives them crazy, but they are not following the Prince of Peace or the Sermon on the Mount.
And they are just plain stupid when they yell get the government out of my medicare. You dumb nuts. Medicare is a government program. See how dumb Americans are??? And some of them are just plain racist, I might add.