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It’s Not All Greed and Stupidity, You Know. Cowardice Needs To Take a Bow, Too.

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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 07:58 PM
Original message
It’s Not All Greed and Stupidity, You Know. Cowardice Needs To Take a Bow, Too.
The Tea-Baggers and their 9-12 parties are the perfect confluence of stupidity and greed. Anyone can point to the protests, and say, “This is what happens when the worst corporatists mobilize the most angry and misinformed.” These are the people who could be counted on to back any outrage Bush and company wanted to commit. Raiding of the treasury - they were onboard. Illegal war - that’s patriotic. Global warming – that’s liberal propaganda. Spying on Americans – well, if you have nothing to hide. Torture – terrorists do worse. No matter how much their stances twisted history, common sense, reality or decency, the group that would later form the backbone of the Tea-Baggers would give their full support, if told to by the right people.

But of course that is not the full story. Although the evil and the stupid are the most culpable for today’s multitude of problems, the cowards have had their hand in what’s going on. The hundreds of prominent people who stood up and always stand up when needed, plus the millions of unknowns who meet any injustice with the courage of a hero, are by far out numbered by those who are happy to keep quiet and give tacit approval to any affront.

The cowards kept quiet during all of the aforementioned crimes and they remain so today in the face of unbelievable hypocrisy, idiocy, open bigotry and not-so-subtle threats of violence. They were the ones who whispered, “okay” when the religious right demanded the government get out of our lives while simultaneously demanding more church in our state. They were the ones who stammered, “well alright” when the most fanatical and uneducated insisted that religion have an equal footing with science – in the science classroom. They are the ones who knew better but remained silent when certain people were made the scapegoat for the latest distraction. The Dixie Chicks, Michael Moore, illegal aliens, the French, whomever the demon of the week is, you know the cowards will let it ride. In fact, you can always count on the cowards to do the very least they can do.

Normally the greedy lead the stupid - that is what we’re all used to. Now we’ve reached a new nadir in which the stupid have taken the lead, the greedy have stepped out of the picture, (except where they’ve joined the cowards) and the cowards are in their usual role as, well cowards. For years the corporate media has censored the news. They decide what stories are covered, what importance the stories are given and what slant if any is given to the coverage. We’ve grown used to the fact that certain outlets are just not reliable sources of information. Certain people can be counted on to ferret out the truth, and some will bend over backwards to lie. Most who are interested in facts have figured out ways to remain well informed and have adjusted to today’s reality. Now there is something new to contend with. Not only will the greedy try their hand at filtering out what you will see and not see, but also the stupid now will have their say in what’s okay for you to view.

The stupid have now branched out from the schools where evolution is barely taught, and have managed to ban a movie in the U.S. without even saying a word. The movie Creation will not be shown because it’s “too controversial for religious America.” There was no outcry from the religious right not to show this movie. People just knew there would be and that was enough.

So, Coward America, is this okay with you? Because if you don’t say anything now, you better get used to Stupid America deciding what you can watch.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6173399/Charles-Darwin-film-too-controversial-for-religious-America.html
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varelse Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:03 PM
Response to Original message
1. Note to Skinner et all
I'd happily pay $1 for every extra recommend you let me give to a single thread - this one... would be costing me plenty :evilgrin:

(on the other hand - you can keep the unrecs - I have no use for those)
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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:18 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Wow, thank you!
You rock!
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varelse Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:24 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. No no
Thank YOU. I intend to share this - with your permission of course?
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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:31 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. Please do!
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ihavenobias Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:22 PM
Response to Original message
3. Big K & R! n/t
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chollybocker Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:30 PM
Response to Original message
5. True.
Teabaggers seem to begin every sentence with "I'm afraid of..."
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suede1 Donating Member (770 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:45 PM
Response to Original message
7. Oh hell yes! K&R!!!
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unpossibles Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:54 PM
Response to Original message
8. of course! Good analysis
And of course it makes sense as it seems all of the GOP's "winning" strategies are based on fear-mongering.

And on a related note, file under "gotta keep 'em too stupid to know better," I just saw that Philly is shutting down 20% of it's free libraries!
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6612188.html

Guess all those books and such were too close to Socialism or something.
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anonymous171 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 08:57 PM
Response to Original message
9. WTF? Our social problems are nothing compared to our economic predicament
Edited on Tue Sep-15-09 08:57 PM by anonymous171
Our is almost literally run by private corporations, wages are stagnant, the poverty level is increasing, and all some people can think about is how evolution isn't being taught in some backwater schools? What the fuck man?
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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 09:11 PM
Response to Reply #9
10. And some don't see a connection.
Edited on Tue Sep-15-09 09:14 PM by 20score
WTF, man!

Really, guess I'll check with you and make sure I cover everything you want covered in my posts.

Or, you could could write your own and stay out of mine.

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suede1 Donating Member (770 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 09:19 PM
Response to Reply #10
11. Your posts are always so good. Some of them just seem to be asshole magnets.
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ihavenobias Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 09:50 PM
Response to Reply #10
12. True and as you know, it's an either/or. n/t
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hbskifreak Donating Member (43 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 09:54 PM
Response to Original message
13. wow!
What little hair I have left, consider it officially blown back. How you have just summarized what is wrong with the entire country in six little paragraphs is amazing. By the way, I'm okay with Stupid America, I mean (some people say) we did put George Bush into office twice, right? So, if the shoe fits...

Great article...great big huge K & R!!

Semper Fi.
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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 11:21 PM
Response to Reply #13
15. Wow, thanks man!
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MrsCorleone Donating Member (844 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Sep-15-09 10:23 PM
Response to Original message
14. As a recent attendee of Darrell Issa's town hall meeting, I can attest to
Edited on Tue Sep-15-09 10:32 PM by MrsCorleone
widespread cowardice.

Most of Issa's followers were obviously Fox &/or RW radio listeners. Most that I spoke with spouted Fox/Beck/Limbuagh talking points verbatim. I actually met a real life Palin supporter! What a treat.

I don't think that I heard an original thought the whole night. It was wall to wall sheep in that auditorium. Interestingly, the topic of "czars" sent nearly the entire room into a rabid frenzy of hooting, hollering, and foot stomping. Wonder why. I was surrounded by savages.

Anyhoo, there was something else in the air. Fear. These people, mostly seniors, looked so frightened and confused. You could see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. The TV machine and/or RW radio are likely their only sources for "news". The folks in attendance are in fight or flight mode, reduced to pissing their collective pants and lashing out at perceived threats that do not exist.

Of course, Issa milked it for all that it was worth, stoking the fear flames further with RW fear-mongering rhetoric.

It was a sad thing to see.



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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 01:47 PM
Response to Reply #14
21. It's going on all over the place. That sucks.
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varelse Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 07:31 AM
Response to Original message
16. Kick
only 20 recs? Pfft DU can do better than that ;)
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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 11:41 AM
Response to Reply #16
17. Thanks!!
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suede1 Donating Member (770 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 11:55 AM
Response to Original message
18. Kick!
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cliffordu Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 12:01 PM
Response to Original message
19. KANDR.
This needs to be given a spot at the top of the board for a week or three.

Excellent!~!
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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 12:49 PM
Response to Reply #19
20. Thanks much!
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suede1 Donating Member (770 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 03:13 PM
Response to Reply #19
22. I agree, this needs to be main page!
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punkin87 Donating Member (257 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 04:24 PM
Response to Original message
23. Here here!! K & R
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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 04:35 PM
Response to Original message
24. How about that. This is on Facebook!
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punkin87 Donating Member (257 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 05:19 PM
Response to Reply #24
25. Very cool.
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CrownPrinceBandar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 05:25 PM
Response to Original message
26. K+R.........
The list of our numbered sins is getting so long...
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butterfly77 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 05:33 PM
Response to Original message
27. Kick &Recommended!!!
many,many,times.
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Jakes Progress Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 06:11 PM
Response to Original message
28. I did wonder if they were greedy, stupid, or just scared.
Then I figured it out. They are all three.
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WatchWhatISay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 06:52 PM
Response to Original message
29. Sorry, but I thought you were talking about Democrats re: health care reform
Especially when you mentioned cowardice
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Suich Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 07:06 PM
Response to Original message
30. Dang, I almost missed this!
Excellent, as usual 20score! If it wasn't for Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, we wouldn't have a voice at all!

K & R, gladly!


:hi:
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20score Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 09:35 PM
Response to Reply #30
37. Hola Suich!
You always find my posts. Very cool!

Hope you're doing great!



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sicksicksick_N_tired Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 07:21 PM
Response to Original message
31. I believe you summarily dismiss "what is" with "what could be" and "perception" with "ideals".
Edited on Wed Sep-16-09 07:22 PM by sicksicksick_N_tired
You are no different than those you admonish, really, because you attempt to SLOT people into a "square" or "circle" or "hole",...just like all those who WANT LIFE TO BE EITHER "square" or "oval" or some such familiar shape.

EVERYONE has to deal with the reality that is at hand,...EACH AND EVERY PERSON. It aggravates the piss out of most all of us when others attempt to DICTATE how we should be coping with our lives.

So, STUPID opinionator,...you are NO BETTER than those you label,...you are just pissing others' off,...and adding to the brew of hatred/confusion!!!

So, THERE!!!
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punkin87 Donating Member (257 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 07:41 PM
Response to Reply #31
34. You must be a coward and an idiot.
And an ass.

That would explain your weird response.
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sicksicksick_N_tired Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 07:45 PM
Response to Reply #34
35. Of course,...
nt
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GeorgeGist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 07:24 PM
Response to Original message
32. You don't say that Obama is a coward.
So I will

Obama is a Coward.

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malaise Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 07:26 PM
Response to Original message
33. Great post
Rec
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bertman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-16-09 09:33 PM
Response to Original message
36. Most of us are cowards at times and bold warriors at other times. That said, I do agree
with the premise that our Democratic leadership which is supposed to be progressive, liberal, or at least center LEFT has been consumed by the cowardice. So, without leadership in high places we look for it in the lower ranks and find it in Kucinich and Feingold and Sanders and Boxer and others.

Stoopid America is the cudgel that the bosses use to intimidate the rest of us into submission. Kind of like having a well-trained pit bull with a bad attitude on a long leash.

Sometimes good people can be pushed and bullied only for so long before they push back. I'm hoping that now is push back time.

Too late to recommend, but here's a kick.

And here's a toast to all of the heroes who stood up and spoke the truth and dodged the bullets and took all the shit thrown at them. May their short but honorable lives and sacrifices be remembered by those of us who ducked and ran for cover.
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