What we have to fear isn't just fear

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/What-we-have-to-fear-isn-t-by-Ed-Tubbs-110818-622.html

Waxing on FDR's "Nothing to fear' speech, it broke on me that, what with the horrific mess we're mired in, while we do have to fear fear, as it can provoke the worst behaviors in all of us, unrelenting, undiminished ignorance and the wallowing giddily in it, is today our gravest peril.

Two evenings ago, a friend of a friend of a friend dropped by, and began to opine on matters political. He postured with great emphasis on the certain correctness of his opinions.

:snippage about RW talking points:

He was, in fact, so like so many who now compose the American electorate: bombastic while knowing absolutely nothing about what he was talking about. And, like so many "conversations" I've overheard, too often, the topic segued off the table to the floor and onto juvenilistic speculative silliness: "Ronald Reagan wouldn't have given Saddam Husein five days warning, he'd have just gone and attacked, blowing them to bits."

When I asked which country or countries Reagan had "blown away," the fellow couldn't name Club Med, or any other locale, or that Reagan had left Lebanon's shores within days of the attack on the Marine barracks. It so reminded me of the sort of stuff you can imagine coming out the lips of a 10-year old, "Man, you're crazy; Superman could take Bat Man any day of the week." Or, out the lips of our Republican-voting next door neighbors.

More at the link --

[DirkGently]

1. American conservatism has (de)volved into an Empowering the Stupid movement.