BAD AMERICAN reponse.

[Deep13]

I SOMETIMES READ A FIREARMS FORUM BECAUSE I AM INTO THAT AND AM OCCASIONALLY SUBJECTED TO RW RANTS. HERE IS ONE AND MY RESPONSE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED. THE ORIGINAL RANT IS IN QUOTES.


"YES, I'M A BAD AMERICAN".

Interesting

"I Am the Liberal-Progressives Worst Nightmare."

Speaking as one of the very few progressive liberals on this board, I would like to address these item by item. I'm rather rushing through this, so I hope you excuse any grammatical or spelling errors.

As a preliminary matter, "liberals" and "progressives" are not the same things although they often arrive at the same conclusions. "Liberal" means "generous" and is the perspective that favors the labor class over the management class, broadly speaking. It's perspective is motivated by empathy and a sense of justice. Progressives are the successors to the early 20th century movement towards modernism, science and standardization and away from superstition, tribalism and prejudice.

"I am an American."

Well, no kidding.

"I am a Master Mason and believe in God."

Good for you. So far, no nighmare fuel. I don't buy into the Masonic conspiracy theories and I doubt many of us do. Like most Americans, most liberals also believe in god, though they tend to be--guess what--liberal believers, not conservative ones.

I am actually among the minority who does not. Nevertheless, I fully recognize that freedom from dogmatic rule necessarily means freedom of religious conscience. Even though I might express my own conviction that there is no god, I will never, ever oppose the 1st Amendment's free excercise guarantee. To paraphrase Queen Elizabeth, I have no desire to make window's into men's souls. I do, however, strongly support the seperation of church and state and believe free society depends on this. So did the Founders as their numerous writings attest.

"I ride Harley Davidson Motorcycles and believe in American products."

Vroom. Vroom. I actually prefer BMW. My grand-dad had one when he was a teenager. I don't own one because peopel around here turn off their brains when they get on the road. Some 17 yr old kid hit me at 30 mph at a stop sign because he did not see me. If I were on a bike, I would be dead. Still, I have no desire to restrict motorcycles and I think it was stupid to ban Jarts.

"I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some Liberal governmental functionary be it Democratic or Republican!"

Well, sure. Of course, the states and the Feds. have the power to collect taxes. Whatever you might think about that, it is reality. I will point out that a big chunck of that tax money goes to military and law enforcement which cannot reasonably be described as liberal.

"I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way!"

Great! Now all you need is a tie-dye T-shirt and a headband, yah hippie. : )

"I think owning a gun doesn't make you a killer, it makes you a smart American."

There is a growing feeling among liberals that the guns are not the problem. Sadly, many D. politicians have not gotten the message yet. I personally don't see control-freak politicians like Sen. Feinstein as especially "liberal." Some have received the message. Many of the new D. members of Congress are also pro-gun and they would like to keep their jobs and their majority.

Sorry to point this out, but many of us got into shooting because we did not want only the reactionaries and conservatives to be armed. I bought my first gun a week after Bush was "re-"elected. My concern was that the fundamentalist, jingoistic neighbors in this county (which went 60% for Bush) would become emboldened (perhaps at the urging of soem TV or radio host) and hang all the god-hating, fag-loving liberal traitors (to use their terms.) I wanted to be able to respond with something more than foul language.

"I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, "
Not noble, but if it is a victimized minority, then by definition, a member of it is also victimized. That's a general response to your general statement. We probably agree on many of the particulars.

"...and does not entitle you to anything."

A specific injury does entitle the victim to be compensated for the injury.

"Get over it!"

Over what? What does that mean? Compalianing about injustice. Well there may be some opportunism and some self-pity out there, but there are legitimate complaints too.

"I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, do it in English."

Well, yeah.

"I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God"

That's in the Constitution. Everyone has that right. That includes those who pray to other gods. Having said that, as a nonbeliever, I have no special duty to shut up. I think religion is bad (including Islam, yes) and I have the same right to say so that you have to promote your religion.

"...when and where they want to."

Under that logic, I have a right to pray to Baal in your house. So no, the "when and where" part does not exist.

"My heroes are John Wayne,..."

a hollywood actor and not a soldier or cowboy.

"...Babe Ruth,..."

Did you grow up in the 1930s? Anyway, I have a hard time calling a man who was paid to play a child's game a 'hero.' Auddy Murphy was a hero. Joshua Chamberlain was a hero. George Washington. A guy who plays ball is not.

"Roy Rogers,..."

A guy who pretends to be a cowboy while singing. Again, when did you grow up? I mean, the Lone Ranger would make you my Dad's age.

"... and Willie G. Davidson that makes the Awesome Harley Davidson Motorcycles."

At least he does something productive.

"I don't hate the rich."

I don't hate them, but I am cognizant of the fact that the top few are allowed to leach off the thousands that work for them and in fact do the production. Just to be clear, if you built a successful business and now live in your dream house with new Caddies in the driveway and your kids in private school, YOU ARE NOT RICH. We are not talking about the middle class. The fact is that egalitarianism is one of the ideals on which this republic is based and the citizens of this country are not merely employees or residents or consumers, but shareholders in the company. Consequently, they are entitled to a fair (however we choose to define that) portion of the wealth that they produce and that this country makes possible.

"I don't pity the poor."

As with hate, pity is an emotion and is not subject to a moral judgment. You either pity them or you do not. If you do not, you may want to ask yourself why not? I suspect that it is because personal insecurity has suppressed the feeling. Many people with this attitude have been poor themselves and are terrified of it ever happening again. By pretending that the poor are to blame for their plight, we can define the problem out of existence and convince ourselves that as long as we do what we are supposed to do, it can never happen to us. Unfortunately, in addition to making us callous assholes, it ignores reality. Anyone can end up on the street or with a terrible disease or crazy.

If you do not care about the poor, whatever else you believe, you have turned your back on Christianity. The canonical gospels make it clear that Christianity is a rejection of material wealth. A wealthy man has as much chance to win the kingdom of god as a camel has to walk through the eye of a needle. Give to all who beg. The references are extensive. I may not be a believer, but if you are a Christian, you should take another look at what your holy book says about this.

"I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it."

Yeah, that's going to give me nighmares all right! WTF?

"I've never owned a slave, or was a slave, I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and neither have you!"

The Turks? Any Armenian WWI survivors here?

"So, shut up already."

So, free expression for you, but shut up for enyone else? Sorry, I decline to shut up.

"...go back to where you came from and change your own country!"

This is my own country and I'm not going anywhere. I will continue to criticize the political right, their symbol-oriented political culture, their tribalistic values and their anti-modern ideas.

"This is AMERICA ...We like it the way it is!"

Who's we? Last time I checked, there was quite a bit of blue on that political map. You like it at war, worse than bankrupt, in a depression, with people sleeping on the streets, as a soulless consumer-driven culture, with health care rationed on the basis of wealth. Well, I don't like it that way and I along with the rest of the majority party will change it. We will hang on to all the good things about America and fix the dysfunctional parts.

"If you were born here and don't like it you are free to move to any Socialist country that will have you."

As I said, I'm not going anywhere. If George Bush couldn't drive me out, you certainly can't. Besides, things are about ready to because really great. If YOU don't like it, you can move to any totalitarian country you want. And unlike France, Sweden and the other socialist countries, there's no waiting to get into Iran.

And why a socialist country? It isn't an either/or you know. We can have a vibrant capitalist economy while making sure everyone shares in the prosperity. Now, don't start asking rhetorical questions based on the false assumption that I am somehow advocating Maoism. I'm not. That is a falsehood being spread by those nut cases you watch on Fox. NO ONE is advocating becoming a Stalinesque type state. No one. Anyone who tells you otherswise is a f...ing liar. Please remember the 9th Commandment which you conservatives claim to value.

"I want to know which church is it exactly where the Reverend Jesse Jackson preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part of the problem and not the solution."

Can you be a little more vague please? How is he part of the problem and what problem are you talking about. See, this is why we don't take you seriously. Your complaints are inevitably a series of incoherent sound bites. You obviously get them from the addict Limbaugh or those crazy a....... on Fox. you might want to think about what you are saying before committing it to writing.

"Can I get an AMEN on that one?"

Amen = "so be it." So be what?

"I also think the cops have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what color you are."

Terry v. Ohio found the same thing, though it did not reference race. A cop does not have a right to pull someone over BECAUSE of that and around here DWB is a well-known practice.

"And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my drivers license."

So, suddenly big government is not so bad. Well, I don't either, in point of fact. There's nothing private about ones face, unless one is an Islamic woman and then--as always--civil law trumps religious custom.

"I think it's good.... And I'm proud that 'God' is written on my money."

Pride is a sin. Anyway, I find it hypocritical as well as a 1st Amed. violation. If we really trusted in god, we would not need money.

"I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years."

Literacy tests are unconstitutional for the same reason now that they were in the 1870s. They are discriminatory. It is the BOE's job to make sure they are understandable, to make sure the counting system ascertains the will of the majority, and to make sure ballots don't end up in the Everglades just so your brother can become president. Obviously, the most powerful office in the world is too important to let corrupt politicians decide it.

I notice you guys were pretty silent with this argument in the MN senate race.

"I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me stuff or trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their cause."

You mean like the fire dept's muscular distrophy drive? Actually, kidding aside, so do I. It is a dangerous distraction.

"Get a Job and do your part!"

I have a job. I prosecute major felonies.

"I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents."

That is such a stupid thing to saw, I'm embarassed to have to comment on it. So, no school to educate, not doctor to immunize and treat, no babysitter, no relatives, not farmers to grow food for the kid, no highway dept. so the parents can get to work to buy said food, and what about those jobs--someone else is going to be involved--and of course it might be nice to print some cash so they do not have to barter, and cops might be nice to keep the perverts away etc. etc. etc.

You're right. It does not take a village. It takes a nation.

"I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers think."

What does that even mean? I believe air should be gaseous no matter what geologists think!

"I believe the American flag should be the only one allowed in AMERICA !"

Since this IS America, that is not going to happen.

For a love-it-or-leave-it guy, you sure have a lot of complaints.

"If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American."

Well, that is a moral judgment only you can make.

"If you are a BAD American too, please forward this to everyone you know."

Blah, blah, blah, I don't send my friends junk mail.

Anyway, I'm a model citizen.

"We want our country back!"

We never lost it.

"We NEED GOD BACK IN OUR COUNTRY!"

70% of Americans are Christians, so go cry on someone else's shoulder. I think we need to think more and believe less. We are responsible for the nation and the world, not god. For the personal responsibility crowd, you sure expect a lot of divine bail-outs.

"WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!"

Sure, military bravery is necessary, but not sufficient. There are all kinds of bravery including the bravery to challenge established norms.

"Pray for our Troops.
May God bless America and everyone.
IN GOD WE TRUST"

We are responsible for the troops, not god. I submit that it is hypocritical to send them to die in an unnecessary war and then ask GOD to provide for them.



Thank you for this opportunity to share my feelings on this. The picture that Fox and Limbaugh and even the NRA is painting of liberals and progressives is grossly misleading. Ultimately, we want what you want--peace, prosperity and good family lives. We are as attached to this country and its traditionas as you are.