I seldom get political. Inasmuch as I hate politics, now more than ever, I do have opinions. But I hate the pigeonholing. Am I conservative? Am I a snowflake or a libtard? I honestly feel there are very few absolutes, and there are a million shades in between. And I’ve yet to see an argument really change anyone’s mind on a stance they feel strongly about. So much of it is arguing for the sake of arguing: we try to speak over, outtalk, outbabble, and bulldoze an opponent into just shutting up because no one wants to deal with it, or listen to it, anymore.
But I’m going to put forth a question to you, because recent events have me angrier than usual. Recent QUOTES. Quotes from someone who may be well physically, but every time he opens his mouth I become more convinced that there is a serious case of Asberger’s, or megalomania, or schizophrenia, or delusions of grandeur…pick one. Whichever roll of the dice comes up, it ain’t right.
My question: what defines a shithole?
Is it a country that drains its populace of goods and money, and then spends them not in ways that serve all, but serve the few and specific? As an example: tax money that doesn’t improve the infrastructure, but goes to defense spending. Or charities that give a dollar out of every hundred to actually assist their cause.
Is it a country that claims to have health care, but is so thoroughly ruled by privatization of drug companies, that even with insurance, people are driven to the poorhouse by simplest medical needs? How much is insulin? That cancer drug?
Is it a country where corporations have more sway, more influence, and apparently more import, than individuals? Do people mean so little?
Is it a country where a police state is growing at a dangerous rate? Where the populace is becoming inured to random shootings, be it a lone brown person, or a mass of innocents gathered for a completely innocuous event?
Is it a country where those running for public office can have any kind of a past? Not a past for which they’ve paid dues, mind you, but a foul, questionable past that they are either proud of, or are willing to blatantly ignore. Worse, they have scores of supporters who are willing to ignore it, too.
Is it a country where the media and politicos have whipped us into such a frenzy that we’re happy to hate each other? That we will viciously attack each other, singly or in mobs, played like puppets? They stir and antagonize us over a stupid tweet, and while our attention is there, they come closer to pressing a red button, or they pass some law slipping a few more rights away…
You get the idea. And before you get all red, white and blue on my ass, I am NOT calling America a shithole. My point is that there are wrong things everywhere. Any country. My point is stop giving ourselves airs. We DO have a lot of great things going. Hell, our freedoms is one reason I can write this blog. And there are good people here, lots of them, and good policemen as well as bad. There are people who really do want to make life-saving drugs available to all. And there are other people who fund them, willingly and often. But we also have our own share of poverty, violence, and discontent.
It’s what you do about them that matters. Seriously, stop paying attention to 45’s tweets. Stop quoting him. Like any 8 year-old, if you ignore him, he’ll take his toys and go away. And stop hating on each other. Band together, and we’ll do what we must to preserve the greatness that is not just a name, but a country we all have a hand in.
azbaelus 