Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Someone hold my tongue, because I’m tired of doing it

Squirrel with mortar I was initially planning on writing about Sarah Palin and her assertion to Baba Wawa that she could beat President Obama in a Presidential election. It is sounding increasingly like she will be running in 2012, so I'll have plenty of opportunities to write about her in the near future; in the meantime, I'm just kind of sick of thinking about the silly bunt and the classy Palin family. I'll take a break while I can, and bide my time until the election gears up for real (should be any day now...actually, I think it's already started). You all know how I feel about Palin, so you know I'll have plenty to say when the time comes. Heh heh.

Instead, I'll write about a status update I saw from someone that I stand a high probability of seeing around the holidays:

"Kenya called. They want their idiot back."

As my Dad would say, "Oh, for pete's sake." I had to laugh. Is this really still an issue for this person? Really? There are several real and substantive issues that you could go after the President on...instead, you're still harping on the Kenya thing? I find that incredibly petty, and quite pathetic.

I do not like discord; I like to promote harmony and generally do my best to avoid confrontation. However, I am getting a little tired of sitting quietly while the conservatives around me feel free to toss out ridiculous remarks, and spew outright lies (I'll be waiting for a remark about the $200 million per day Asia trip...feel free to lob that one my way, and sit back and hear my response.) I'm in Indiana. I'm surrounded by conservatives (except for a few bastions of liberalism, including in the county where I reside, thank goodness). I am constantly subjected to hearing comments that I find abhorrent and false statements put forth as the truth. I think most of these people think that if they make remarks like that, everyone around them will agree and nod happily as they join in the liberal-bashing.

Guess what? There's a new sheriff in town. I don't know why they think they can get away with such comments without any opposition. Hell, everyone already knows that I'm a mouthy broad, and that I often speak up about things. Why should I hold back? They certainly don't. Maybe it's time they got a big pushback and realized that theirs isn't the only opinion. Sometimes, I think an opposing opinion is welcome. A while back at a Thanksgiving get-together, a relative by marriage (a distant one...very distant) said that he thought Hurricane Katrina happened to New Orleans because of all that "stuff" that goes on there. In retrospect, I wish I'd asked, "Gee, just what kind of 'stuff' do you mean? Please elaborate, and do so in detail." Ha! But I just said that I'd been to New Orleans, and that there are a lot of good people there. Both my sister and my Dad told me later that they really appreciated that I spoke up and said what I did. (My Dad actually told me that he admired me for speaking up, and that remains one of my happiest memories and proudest moments.) I suppose it's easy to condemn people when you never take the time to know them; that doesn't make it right.

I don't usually go in search of confrontation, but I'm done with shying away from it in the interest of peace and harmony. It's time that people understand that when they make such outrageous statements, or even a false statement presented as fact, there might be someone there who has another opinion and who will challenge them on their smug certainty. They seem to have no qualms about whether or not I might be offended, or anyone else might be offended. Why am I so concerned about pushing back? I won't bring anything up, but I will no longer be afraid of responding.

No more going along to get along. And if I hear that tired bullshit about wondering where the President's birth certificate is, I'm not going to hold back. It's ludicrous, and anyone who continues to bitch about it is a dumbass.

I'm loaded and ready for bear. Even a mama grizzly that happens to wander by.

19 comments:

  1. Sink your teeth into that mama grizzly, Beth! You're fighting the good fight alongside millions of passionate, well-educated, common-sense-filled people.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We need more people who will say stuff straight out, and challenge people on their silly assertions about things. And that whole "that stuff that goes on there" thing is just reminding me of whomever it was that was saying that the Twin Towers were bombed because of all those "sinners" who lived/worked in NYC. And this reminds me of the 80s and some of the response to AIDS.

    You know, if there was some force in the universe just handing out punishment based on people being "bad" or whatever, then why would things happen also to "good" people, or really, innocent children? Things don't work that way.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It confounds me why folks can't disagree in an adult way, instead of resorting to childish comments that mean nothing.

    Rock on, Beth!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ah Beth. I can smell the gun powder.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think I'll hang around for this one. I feel a hunting trip coming on. Bear hunting is so much more fun than a Kenyan safari, and far more necessary.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beth, maybe you should start demanding blood tests for your relatives! But seriously, I think you should speak up and say what's on your mind. You're right, the other side certainly has no problem doin it. Normally, they like to hide under cloak of anonymity (Northeast, that's a big word that means no one knows who you are) because they like to spread hate around without opening themselves up for criticism. The right wingnut crowd is so focused on making sure that theirs is the only voice to be heard. The Repubs are all out there screaming that, "The People have spoken. They disagree with the Liberal agenda." But naturally, they fail to recognize that while they might have all won their elections, those who lost theirs still got votes. And many times, those votes were just short of majority. So it may seem like a sweep, but it wasn't. There are still plenty of us out there and we need to start squeaking more loudly ourselves. Especially now, with so many of them in office trying to pull us back into the dark ages, we need to make sure that our side is heard. We tend to be more rational, so more reserved about making a scene when someone says a cruel, hateful, or ridiculous thing. Teabaggers, not so much...
    I'm not saying you should start fights. But it is our responsibility to stand up for those who have no voice. That's what it truly is to be free. So these flag waving Right wingnuts think freedom means freedom from diversity or freedom from responsibility to others. But we know that isn't true. If we take away rights from one group, it makes it easier to take them away from others. So, follow your heart, and speak your mind, even if it's just a slight remark reminding those people that you don't appreciate those kinds of remarks.
    "Shut up, and pass the gravy, you small minded b--tch!" works well in these festive, holiday, family situations. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm not big on confrontation for confrontation's sake, but when i hear ridiculous things come out of peoples mouths, just dripping with sincerity, I have to say something.
    That Katrina line? I would have asked the same question, "Ooooh, do go on!"
    The Kenya remarks? "Ooooh, do go on!"
    And then they can't because all they have is a soundbite they got from FOX or Pat Robertson, with nothing to back it up.
    Like shootin' asshtas in a barrel.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Loved this post!! And Northeast is a big turd...

    I am going to use some of this as 'motivation' for an entry of my own, one day!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Will you please video tape the good parts????
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Stan Stupid in NH,

    Do YOU know what anonymity means? I believe "Stan in NH" qualifies as a pseudonym as surely as "Northeast" does. But of course, that little diversion of yours was meant to focus attention on the messenger rather than the facts.

    Beth, despite her big talk, hasn't said a peep in response to my comment. Nor did you address my very specific assertions. So either link me to a copy of Obama's contemporaneous 1961, hospital-issued birth certificate, or shut up.

    ReplyDelete
  11. With my Southern upbringing, I find it hard to push back, but I may as well; half my relatives aren't speaking to me anymore because of the opinions expressed on my blog.

    I really like knowing that your Dad was proud of you for speaking back to idiocy--what a great guy! That would give me courage, too. With the bullies in the Thanksgiving dining room, sometimes all it takes is a little pointed discouragement. Enjoy your turkey with a glad heart.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Very interesting that this controversy about Obama's birth certificate continues. The document he produced is an official Certification of Live Birth -- and Hawaii state officials have called it official again and again. It sounds like Northeast is saying that because the document says "Certification of Live Birth" instead of "Birth Certificate," there's still room to question Obama's status as an American citizen. That this is still an issue after the State of Hawaii has publicly and repeatedly verified that Obama was born there, and that what they issue is called a "Certification of Live Birth" is astounding ...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hey Northeast, lets talk about policy, taxes, wars, earmarks, entitlements... anything with substance versus your ignoramus certificate diatribe, just say'n :o)

    ReplyDelete
  14. That status update was in very poor taste.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I think staying calm while "politely" calling out folks on their BS is indeed the right way to go.

    For example, Mr. Northeast, with all due respect, you are wasting your time continuing to rant about Obama not being an American citizen. He's president, get over it, and use your talent to argue about something of substance. And really, it's quite rude to call people names on someone else's blog.

    Beth I hope you have a nice and cordial Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Some people will never be satisfied-they could believe the sky is brown and nothing you do to prove them wrong will make them believe anything else..frustrating at best. I don't see how whatever government group in charge of verifying background info on presidents repeatedly misread information pertaining to their birthplace. Ignorance is bliss I guess, and going off that Northeast must be a very happy person.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Northeast, stop being a prick (yeah, I know that is probably as likely as seeing snow In July)!

    President Obama really doesn't have to prove anything. In a court of law, it the prosecutor's obligation to prove allegations and assertions such as the kind you dumb-as-fuck teabaggers bigots throw out on a regular basis.

    Funny thing is, no matter how often someone repeats a lie, it is still a lie.

    But then you nuts who thrive on Fox News are way too gullible for our own good... it's really too bad there are so many of you out there.

    Beth dear, great post, as usual!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Obama has NEVER produced a birth certificate? This nonsense is still going around???? I'm not an Obama fan, but this birth stuff needs to be given an rest. But I love the picture :)

    ReplyDelete

I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?