I have a scary little thought for everyone.

[tjwash]

There are a hell of a lot of threads and comments that are poking fun, and having a bit of a laugh at this whole deal about what has transpired in the past couple of days in Pittsburgh with Miss Ashley Todd. I flew off the handle at a couple of people, because I really don't think any of this is funny in the least. I just wanted to apologize and explain myself a little.

This may also work a little better, if you are a bit on the older side, say in your mid-fifties or older. I grew up in Tennessee in the 50's and 60's, and I remember all too well the racial atmosphere of those times.

If you are capable of it, I would like you to really imagine, what would have happened if Ashley Todd had done something like this 40 years ago. I can assure you, with utter certainty, that a scapegoat black man would have been hunted down, castrated, and lynched.

This is fucking serious stuff here.

If you add the equation to the glorified KKK rallies and hotbeds of racial hate that have been stirred up at the various McCain and Palin rallies, the potential for an extremely horrible ending to all of this gets to where I didn't want to imagine the possibilities.

This whole deal about that hate-filled person, is that she actually had no clue whatsoever, of how ugly it could have really gotten from that little attention grabbing stunt that she pulled. It has really made me take a step back and think about this current generation of young republicans. At the risk of going "old fart" on you, I think we are seeing the end result of kids today, that have been weaned on internet anonymity, and really don't know when or how, to separate that anonymity and "I can say what the hell I want with no accounting for it" mentality, from reality.

It's a new phenomenom, but under the cover of the anonymity the internet provides, people can say whatever they want, and, as long as they are careful, there is absolutely no fear of retribution. It tends to lay the black hearts of the conservative party out bare and exposes them for what they really are-selfish, racist hate mongers that care little for anything but THEIR god, THEIR guns, THEIR taxes, and THEIR rights. Ironically, they also care little about who they are hypocritically willing to have others step on and oppress, to ensure that THEIR right to be a selfish hate mongering little shit does not get infringed upon.

We mistakenly believe they are few in number and will soon crawl back under their rocks. Sadly, however, because of the cover of anonymity, they tend to get louder meaner, and more obnoxious. They feed off each other. Over this past generation, they have managed to take their dark selfish politics from the edge to the status-quo. Progressive and altruistic ideologies that were once once inherent to American youth, have mostly disappeared. Sadly, they have been replaced by a generation weaned on the selfish callous disregard of Reaganomics, the teeth gnashing jingoism and underlying racist garbage spewed forth by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Mikey Savage, the corruption of Christianity to encompass the "who can we hate the most" dogma, and this seething neurotic hatred of liberals and the federal government.

The problem arises for them, when the few brave souls that have been so securely nestled in the bunkers of their moms basement, venture forth out in to the real world, forgetting that their anonymity gets checked at mommies door. We are just seeing the conservatives really are...bullies, but only bullies if no one is there to take them to task and call them on their shit. As has become apparent lately, strip that anonymity away and they all tend to curl up in the fetal position, and start crying that "it's just not fair...why are you oppressing me?"

The altruist in me say's pity them. The realist in me says screw them...they deserve worse than what they are getting.


Oh and to the Police Department in Pittsburgh PA:
:applause: :applause:

You may have saved a few peoples lives because of the quick way you got to the bottom of this mess.

[livetohike]

1. I wish she didn't choose Pittsburgh for her stunt

but I'm glad the police took care of it. I hope she gets to sit in jail for a while and consider the life she lead that brought her to this point in time.

We have really great people in Pgh. We didn't deserve this little asshole to create her controversy here (or anywhere else either).

[Taverner]

3. She's a Texan, so PA is totally blameless in all of this

And no I'M NOT TEXAS BASHING...

I can see it already..."TAVERNER YOU IGNORANT ARUGULA EATER!!"

[PalinHater]

9. RE she's a Texan

This is true, and I grew up in that part of the country. Racism and bigotry is alive and well! Does anyone believe she chose to describe her imaginary assailant as a Black man, by chance?

[livetohike]

13. Welcome to DU!

:hi: I lived in Houston for two years decades ago.....

[EmeraldCityGrl]

2. This pic comes to mind.

[frogmarch]

5. Oh, that's the chiffarobe girl

in To Kill A Mockingbird, isn't it?

Yes, apt picture all right.

[wryter2000]

10. More like Susan Smith than Mayella Ewell, imho eom

eom

[BornBlue]

4. Excellent Post!

I am ashamed to admit these "internet youth" are my peers, Miss Todd is only 3 years younger than me. Hopefully this little stunt will scare some sense into them, especially if they make a public example of her.

My generation, as a generality, is the laziest, most selfish, materialistic generation to ever walk the face of this earth, and it makes me very sad.

Thank you for your thoughtful analysis!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. You're absolutely right

I'm old enough, just barely, to remember Emmet Till.

This is the atmosphere John McCain and Sarah Palin have nurtured and encouraged. This is the result of them making it acceptable to voice and to act out when all you've got is hate and bigotry.

John Lewis was dead right on. And the fact that McCain took umbrage at what Lewis said suggests an arrogance and tone-deafness that are frightening. Or else he does understand, and just doesn't understand.

If it's the latter, then McCain has shown that he's willing to sacrifice our country for his personal ambition, and that renders him even more unacceptable.

I really thought I'd seen the last of this kind of filth.

[dgibby]

7. Two words: Emmett Till

[Fire1]

19. You took the words right out of my mouth.

[wryter2000]

8. An old fart who has to disagree about young people

Your analysis of what would have happened to the first African American who happened along is right on. So is the seriousness of what she did.

I don't see it as a generational thing, though. The bastards who lied us into Iraq were all over 50. In my experience, young people today are kinder than my generation. (Although all generalizations are false, including this one. :))

It's Republicanism, aka greed and self-involvement combined with dishonesty and disregard for everyone else on Earth. It crosses all generations.

[tjwash]

11. good point...

:hi:

Hell...I'm so damn old, I remember when the Republican Party meant less government in your lives, no military involvement outside our borders, and no trillion dollar bailouts to thieving bankers.

[wryter2000]

12. I remember that, too

Eisenhower was my President when I was a little girl. I'm so nostalgic for Republicans like Nelson Rockefeller.

[rcrush]

14. I dont like to see Rockefellers in office

They got enough power.

[formercia]

22. Remember Attica State Prison.

Nelson Rockefeller can burn in Hell for all I care.

[tjwash]

17. I like Ike...you like Ike...everybody likes Ike.

heh...I grew up with those commercials

[Laelth]

20. Hear, hear. I am inherently skeptical of generational comparisons.

People are people. We have not changed much at all in the last thousand years. Evolution is a slow process.

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[lunatica]

15. Very thoughtful post but I disagree about young people

I work in administration at the University of California in Berkeley, and my experience with young people is that they care very much. Every department, and there are hundreds of offices, hires students so they can offset their registration fees. These are hard working students who have heavy course loads every Semester. And every research department, also with hundreds of offices and labs hire graduate students to do 99% of the research because the Professors have to also teach the courses, and every graduate student has to teach at least one semester as a graduate student instructor. They are far from lazy and they still find time to create groups that work for the environment and to stay involved in community work. I am amazed by them.

The university also has a publicly stated policy of intolerance to hate speech. All the staff and faculty get mass emails whenever racism or jingoism rears it's ugly head with pointed reminders that hate speech or action will be dealt with immediately. Which is why I wonder why they haven't fired John (torture is legal)Yoo.

[JustAnotherGen]

16. k/r

You are 1000% right.

August 27, 1955
Emmett Till's Murder


August 27, 2008
Barack Obama Nominated

January 20, 2009
Barack Obama Takes Office - Federal Holiday


That little snot was trying to wreck January 20, 2009 for me. And she can't be forgiven for that.

[Poll_Blind]

18. K&R!

PB

[Danmel]

21. I was reminded of To Kill A Mockingbird

And Tom Robinson

or Susan Smith and her poor doomed children

Blame the black boogeyman

these people are shameless