I don't mean to beat up on a regular reader, and I won't name him here. He is a Rightwing guy, and that's fine. I even look forward to his replies, and I check in on his blog from time to time just to really see what the Right is thinking. I love dissent and crave a good argument, and, in fact, I prefer folks, on any side of an issue, who fight passionately for their beliefs. I have far more respect for those folks, than those who agree blindly with my views, or those who cave without a fight. But something really disturbs me about the Right's near religious reverence and defense of corporate abuse and preferrential treatment in this society.
We know why corporate shills in the media, like Hannity, Limbaugh, Savage and others argue so passionately and eloquently on behalf of big oil, big business and all the gouging, criminality and election interference these companies perpetrate at citizen's expense. There is a hypocrisy here that, as the cornerstone of the neo-con culture of lies, shows the level of corruption that makes honest and well-meaning Righties look like fools, and gives the impression they are complicit in the crimes of their leaders. Very simply stated, they are the good Germans going along with the Nazis-the power elite- the status quo-the group.
Righties love to promote the idea of individual rights and spirit, that we need less government and more of the rugged nature that built this country. They eschew the ideas of Kings, dictators and politburos, all great American ideals. why then do they except a government that obscures truth and information from the American people? Why are they satisfied when a government that is supposed to be for and about the people tells them they will give them information only when they see fit-if ever? Why do they condemn corruption on the Left, but make excuses for it on the Right? Why do they parrot defenders of the corporate stranglehold on American government and society, spewing tripe, schlock and immorality into the culture, or robbing it blind, arguing that IT IS CORPORATIONS THAT GIVE US JOBS, THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH REGULATION, OR THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY TAXES? WHY DO THEY PARROT THE VIEW THAT LIMITING CORPORATE MONEY IN POLITICS AND ELECTIONS IS SOMEHOW LIMITING FREE SPEECH?
When it is all said and done more than a billion dollars in contributions will have flowed to presidential candidates in this election. More than $600 million will flow from corporations, or more $2 dollars to every dollar if every single man woman and child in America donated a buck.
It begs a question. Is the moral and religious Right inherently weak, in that they cling so desperately to life at the expense of their touted beliefs? They trade the illusion of security(racial, ethnic, life, entertainment security) to the neo-slave owners whose money and power influences laws, what they see on television, what they feed to their children, and limits or erases liabilities for defective products and drugs. Is it because that individualism that they hold so dearly to is really their own inate fear of confronting powers greater than them because they fear the loss of a job, or some other retribution. We all hear about whistle blowers revealing corporate and governemnt corruption. Why is it always the Righties who vilify them for doing what the government should be doing, they, it seems, are all the rest who are blind or refuse to accuse that corruption. Only they know if the latency of issues, white rage, homophobia and more is less about moral outrage than their own individual fear of the world, and of change. Theirs is not a world of diverse views and perspectives, but a frustration of homogenizing the world to create some sort of security blanket illusion. If they believe in god, the Bible and heaven, why do they make some many decisions based on fear that someone will rob, rape and kill them? I have been to the worst places on the planet, and in this city without carrying anything more lethal than a pen knife. I, as a white guy and a civilian, have been in so-called high crime projects, frisked by gang members to get inside. I'm hardly afraid of a fight, but prefer wisdom, foresight and finding connections to mutually assured destruction and suspicion. I have stood against power, alone, willing to risk all for my ideals. I expect nothing less from others in defending the weak and this country, in that order. I expect Lefties to stand for ideals that transcend this life and money just as I expect Righties to do the same. I hold myself, and them to the same standard. I expect sides to see through the inconsistancies of their leaders and not to follow anyone based on fear, blind devotion or even ideology. To do anything less makes you a slave, and now, at this moment in history it is the American PEOPLE'S voice that should resonate supreme, and not the corporations. WE THE PEOPLE....
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I am so tired of all these mind games, lies, distortions and hypocrisies that I could scream. Why have so many Americans allowed themselves to be made the enablers of truly insane and amoral losers? I haven't got a clue but I do not find any of the so-called right wing comedians like Limbaugh and Coulter funny - unless seeing blood is now humorous.
I have a good article coming up on what happens when good people do nothing against the few who perpetrate, encourage and perpetuate injustice
Most of this diatribe compares apples to oranges. Clearly your original intent was to berate corporations again but you dragged so much irrelavant trivia into the conversation it devolved into an emotional slobber.
If it were possible for you to turn a switch and be rid of your own bias (we all have biases) you might be able to at least consider the position corporations are in vis-a-vis politics, unionism, Leftist knee jerks and the educational meganopoly. You might, for example, consider more deeply why corporations often give huge amounts of money to both sides in every election. What do you suppose (or would you suppose if you could think on the other side of reason) these corporations are getting for their money? Try to name it. All you will be able to come up with is ordinary, empty, anticorporate sloganeering. The money that corporations give is plain old extortion payoffs. They are paying protection money from government mafioso tactics.
You obviously do not appreciate the prosperity you live in. You're not just a glass half empty kind of guy you're the kind that gets furious when someone else's glass is fuller than yours. If you were ever to put on your reality glasses you might look around yourself and notice that our "poor" are the fattest underpriviledged class in the history of mankind. I would hazard a guess that among the top three health hazards in "poor" communities is obesity. I understand that senstivity is your reason for living but get a clue.
I am familiar with the blind passion of corporate hate and those who wallow in it. I can't cite all the reasons for it - political scapegoating is the primary one- but the reason I find most interesting is that it allows people to exercise their bigoted nature in a way that is socially approved. Don't know if you can understand what I'm saying there. It's wrong to be racist, sexist, nationalist etc. But among people on the Left there are groups that can legitimately be hated and your chosen favorite happens to be the hand that feeds you.
I hope you're not going to get angry at this reply. I beleve we need to communicate for what we can learn from one another.
NBT, You'd have to work a lot harder than that to insult me. i appreciate your perspective, and believe it or not we aren't all that far apart. i think we can both feel the pressure of being dragged one way or another by our respective extremes. I also understand business-aside from writing and painting I'm also in management-and the need for freedom in the marketplace, but not unlimited freedom, and certainly not unchecked influence, and certainly not the neo-influence of corporations that trumps the votes and intentions and wishes of the American voter.
I live a nice life. My wife and I own our own home, and next week my company is sending me to Germany for additional training. I'll be staying in a luxury hotel and flying Business Class. We don't want for anything. As a gourmet cook we eat exceptionally well, but I remember growing up poor, and I remember struggling just to eat when I was just starting out on my own. More than that, I recall how lucky I felt meeting the girl of my dreams in the middle of a terrible war. It only took the destruction of an entire nation and the deaths of hundreds of thousands for us to enjoy that personal fate. And that is how I view injustice in the world.
When I go after corporations it isn't for business, but for the perversion of business, and the incestual gluttony of business and government, and not the understanding that business and government need each other to survive. It is for the perverse influence that is changing our democracy, dictating foreign policy and plundering the treasury. Do I want to outlaw corporations? absolutely not. But the corrupt relationship between Government and corporations is the monster that is eating itself. I won't expand on that, but think about it for a minute
Hope to hear from you again.
Appreciate it.
I saddens me to see that you carry such a weary burden of guilt in your daily life - 'Hundreds of thousands of people died so that you and your wife could meet?' That's sick, man. To twist a beautiful thing into something so grotesque is pitiful.
And as for the relationship between government and business I hope some day you will be able to rationalize the fact that in that relationship government holds all the power and wields it viciously.
That's why all these whores in governement are down on their knees before their coporate and special interest lobbyists. And that's why the worst abusers of the lobby/quid pro quo system go off to cushy corporate jobs, which, coincidentally, are provided to continue and strengthen that relationship.
As for the issue about my wife, it is called perspective. It is called understanding that I am not at the center of the universe, or that fate is not my personal trek through my own fulfillment. Had the war in Bosnia never happened the chances of me travelling to Yugoslavia would have been slim at best. I would have gone off to some other war, some other part of the world. I decided to go to Sarajevo because of the war, a war that many suffered from. It was a beautiful thing, our meeting, but all those other fates, those thousands of other lives held their fate to be as important as mine. I cherish her everyday all the more because all those other fates were possibilities for us as well. Read my series about the war and our meeting.
There is great line by a comedian some years back. He's sitting in a cafe and notices two people at another table. One of them looks up briefly. He goes over and yells, "Hey, I'm not background to your life!" I'm not to yours, just as you aren't to mine. Should have been a simple concept.
We can put aside the debate about the government/corporate relationship. You're locked into your perspective on that one.
Of course you ARE background to my life. Just as I am to yours. How can you say otherwise? You're there aren't you?
No you are not, and that is the difference.
Hillary has proven her shamleful character with her bid for the presidency. CLINTON WAS IMPEACHED!!!
Clinton Accused of 1978 Hotel Rape,
Clinton Murders video in my blog:
http://hillaryandbillscrimes.blogster.com/hillary-for-president-very-scary
As a right wing conspiracy guy, do you have the same support for those who believe in 9-11 conspiracies? Just curious.