Politics and Paranoia

I have an old friend (old meaning duration, not age, although neither of us is getting any younger) who has remained resolutely Republican despite his own distress at the party’s current incarnation. Presumably because of that affiliation, he is evidently on some sort of list that allows him to get the sort of emails that I rarely see, and from time to time, he shares them. (I think he likes to imagine me with my hair on fire as I read them.)

The other day, he sent me one that began:

The American Dream ended (on November 6th) in Ohio. The second term of Barack Obama will be the final nail in the coffin for the legacy of the white Christian males who discovered, explored, pioneered, settled and developed the greatest Republic in the history of mankind.

A coalition of Blacks, Latinos, Feminists, Gays, Government Workers, Union Members, Environmental Extremists, The Media, Hollywood, uninformed young people, the “forever needy,” the chronically unemployed, illegal aliens and other “fellow travelers” have ended Norman Rockwell’s America.

Next time someone solemnly assures you that their problems with Obama have nothing to do with bigotry or mean-spiritedness–and that what is really racist is to suggest that they do–think about this diatribe.

From the far Right, we increasingly hear these laments–the whine of the poor white male Christian victims. What we get from the far Left is more likely to be naiveté and annoying immaturity, but it also can descend into paranoia.

I have a Facebook friend who is constantly sending email “alarms”–with lots of exclamation points and highlighted passages–bemoaning President Obama’s “sellout” and viewing every presidential or congressional action as a conspiracy against “the 99%.” No one gets the benefit of the doubt. All Republicans are evil, all Democrats are disappointing pussies and/or fellow-travelers.

Interestingly, at the very end of the “Patriot’s” screed, he warns darkly that the nation can only be “saved” by zealots with guns. A similar thread runs through my leftist friend’s hysterical “alerts”–only by taking to the streets can “real Americans” prevail.

Thanks to the Internet, it is sometimes hard to remember that the vast majority of Americans are pretty sensible people who would very much like to see the crazies from both ends of the spectrum return to their caves or wherever they came from.

Most of us think it would be nice if our elected officials spent less time placating hysterical extremists and more time attending to the nation’s problems.

13 Comments

  1. Thanks to the Internet, it is sometimes hard to remember that the vast majority of Americans are pretty sensible people who would very much like to see the crazies from both ends of the spectrum return to their caves or wherever they came from.

    There are too many of that “vast majority of Americans are pretty sensible people” who are so disappointed and disgusted with the current political situation in this country that they do not vote. They say their vote won’t count so why bother; they continue to whine, cry, piss and moan when nothing changes. What they do not realize is the fact that their refusal to vote IS A VOTE- as it is covertly saying they agree with the status quo which leaves all of us with the current situation.

  2. Republican rhetoric goes way beyond disagreement in policy. Many of their statements are based on fantasy. Various statements, taken as a whole, show that don’t believe in equal rights for woman, don’t believe in science, don’t believe in affordable health care, don’t believe in compromise, and don’t believe people of color should hold office. Policy decisions are made by biblical reference. I recall in the first Obama presidential campaign that every time Sara Palin made a speech, death threats against Obama went up by a significant margin. The party is in the process of self-destruction. As the demographics of the country change, their standard positions will make them irrelevant. Can they change? No.

  3. Sheila for President !
    Finally, someone with the common sense to see through the fog of extremism.

    Run for something, lady!

  4. Anybody remember this song from the 60’s
    “Melting Pot” by Blue Mink ?

    Take a pinch of white man
    Wrap him up in black skin
    Add a touch of blue blood
    And a little bitty bit of Red Indian boy

  5. Well, that old song is a Republican Nightmare.

    As to the copied phrase below.
    (White Christian males who discovered, explored, pioneered, settled and developed the greatest Republic in the history of mankind)

    I don’t think that, that’s how it’s described in the history book. I have a vague recollection of
    Vikings and Spanish Catholics discovering the place, Then the white Christians arrived and proceeded to F__k it Up, like they have F__ked Up every place they have been.

  6. I think my Cherokee ancestors would have a bone to pick with anyone who says the Viking and the Spanish “discovered” the western hemisphere, let alone the White men.

    There is no sweeter sound to me than the death-knell whinings of the oppressors. Turn. It. Up.

    In my trade, the intensification of an undesirable behavior that occurs shortly before its permanent cessation is called an “extinction burst”. I’m pretty sure that’s what we’re seeing with the extreme right. Let ‘er rip!

  7. Kyle …
    Your Cherokee ancestors were already here. Thus, they did not
    discover it

    (Vikings and Spanish, is from a European discovery point of view)
    However, I’m sure you would agree that the white Christians F’d up your
    ancestors “Feng Sway”

  8. JoAnn, I agree with what you say about voting. But after hearing about the stunt Pence pulled today, I wonder why I bother to go to the ballot box, when my vote and the other 1.3 million votes get overturned by a Republican who ignores democracy infavor of ALEC and its policies.

  9. Kyle sounds like a smart person. Please comment more. I like how you think!

    Let’s hope the crazies (a few in my family even and they would call me FAR LEFT too) see that they are the wrong side of history. Which they probably will if our next President is a Democratic woman. This black man in the White House will be gone and a woman will take over. ha ha ahhh…I can’t wait to see that happen. Their heads will explode.

  10. Sheila – You do seem to be glossing over the difference between “taking to the streets” and “taking to the streets with guns”. Just saying.

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