Made up stories for every view abound. Many are used to discredit, and many are used to fuel that lynch mob mentality like in the old westerns. At the heart of it is that need to feel power over others; to micro manage the lives of those who aren't marching in your band.
It is troubling that neither side sees it when their direction is something that is not in the spirit or letter of the Constitution, and is something that restricts individual autonomy while further empowering the state. Disaster.
Realizing that the need to feel self righteous and to cloak vindictiveness in fabricated crises, and that most people have never understood the ideals embodied in our system is disheartening. There's a lot of , "hell yea, string em up" sort of mentality.
How people can enjoy being crammed in chanting crowds is beyond me. I get that many really believe. I also get that a huge percentage of participants and "leaders" are their for peer approval and self aggrandizement (Michael Moore, Cher, a cornucopia of attention seeking thespians). Never under estimate the power of peer pressure, or the psychopathic nature of crowds and the group psychology that develops as the crowd becomes its own organism. I do not think women's rights are as threatened as they think. But I get how the hysteria can multiply. Like usual, how to get from A to B is the real dispute. I hate the massive crowd approach in most instances. They are subject to being used for ends and interests they do not even see. pbuh
Like chanting "Lock her up" at the inauguration. Really? That is over. She lost, and it was a dumb sentiment in some ways to begin with; not that she didn't majorly mishandle her job and information. It would do no one any good. But that attitude at the inauguration seems to indicate that people think that now that Trump is in office we'll have a hellfire theocracy of some kind, and all the pain they wanted to visit on infidels and others who don't conform to their ways can now be accomplished, no holds barred.
Think again. Some of this nonsense is not going to happen. I hope.
One big myth is that food stamps and welfare are out of control and a big drain on the economy. No. Wasteful, I am sure, but the stuff people are putting out there is not really accurate. The big money is in the program of never ending wars. Not only do we seem to stay engaged forever, but we haplessly attempt to rebuild countries where people love to fight one another, and we aren't making it better. You go. Don't send others and pretend it is worthwhile. Often it is nonsense.
So often people get sent in to battle, and then they have the rug pulled out from under them by rules of engagement or political nonsense. Remember the lies about the video causing Benghazi? Somewhere back in this blog I recall claiming it a suspected hoax before it became known. Just because it made no sense. The video was hilarious. It was a trailer for a film that I guess does not exist. I found it at the time. Lot of green screen work I guess. Made the actor look like he was floating. Anyway, it was a lie. Probably a jailable offense, but that would do not good.
You have people who think the problem is that we don't put enough people in jail. What nonsense. The US is like the number one prison happy country and we are supposed to be the opposite. The main good thing Obama did was to commute so many sentences and to pardon many. In some cases I imagine it was a mistake but in most, I doubt it was. Many were in for things that would yield a slap on the wrist today, if that.
I'd rather see a hundred guilty go free than to see one innocent person jailed. It is a sick system and needs re-thinking. But that is no fun for those who like to feed that little mean streak masquerading as righteousness and "common sense".
Common sense is nonsense. Uncommon sense is what we're after. Common sense told people the earth was flat, that a bubble balance is as good as spin balance, etc. Common sense tells people the easy, obvious, fallacious conclusion. You have to dig a little deeper to hit truth.
Like climate change. It's hot so the world must be warming. It's cold so it must be cooling. On and on. Since Al and others say it is serious and climate change is absolutely due to this or that, people choose a side (in ignorance, truth be known) and then fight for all they are worth. Neither side could even do the math involved in analyzing the subject, let alone have solid proof that they know all of the influences on climate and the relative weight of each. Maybe a little clue but not the totality. Not at this point.
But facts don't stop people. It is like people pretending all the migrant illegal visitors are picking fruit. Turns out to be a small percentage. I know that many make very good money in construction and else. Some scrape by doing manual labor, and some work with gangs and drug lords, etc. The point is, people paint the picture that suits their conclusions, making up their minds then searching for a fact or two to support their view. They avoid that which may shoot down the desired conclusion.
One subject that has come out recently is drug testing welfare recipients. Mostly this would further humiliate those who need or seek help. The scammers would still find a way around it, and the tax payers would spend yet more money for no good purpose. Thinking it would save money is nonsense. It is a feel good bit of vindictiveness that is not even warranted. First drug test elected officials, daily, if you are so concerned about the secretly addled brains of others. You think that because a drug is prescribed it is less detrimental than drugs that are not? If so, you are in the dark on the subject.
But it makes people feel like they are getting back at "them", the damned riffraff ruining the country. Here's my take: the drug war, and the DEA, the prison system, and public education as it has been used, all combine to help develop and swell the ranks of the riffraff who make problems. It is insane.
What has happened is that false premises have been so often repeated that we take them for fact. Or we assume that certain things are good and others bad, without investigating.
So many things that never should be under government purview, and certainly not part of federal power, but people don't question it. They think we are a democracy and that means if the majority decides the proper diet for all then so be it. That is not the deal. It is so hard to let much of individual behavior be off limits to government overview.
The big difference in the USA was that, here, the government's powers are by permission of the people, rather than the people's rights being granted as privilege by government. That is a very important distinction. Fewer and fewer seem to comprehend that concept. And therein lies the problem. WE have even been taught differently than that, but the basic premise of the Constitution is just that.
I worry that people are so willing to see the state wield power over the individual in matters which do not directly involve or harm others. You can pretend anything harms you, I guess. If you have bad diet and exercise habits, your kids will be obese and unhealthy, so let's get the state on them right now. That is the kind of logic I see. It is too bad. People should either be smarter than that or should be taught the reality of the philosophy of self government as introduced by our system. It was unique. But they pretend not. Public schools teach the compromised philosophy which puts the individual at the bottom of the list of importance, rather than the top. It is criminal and annoying.
And it carries on to the news sources, which have forever been the government's sales force, selling more and more erosion of rights. Selling a self sacrificing program of national self hate and spending money on nonsense. Nothing happens that they don't push for more laws, even when the disaster of the moment was either related to present laws being enforced or not enforced.
Gun free zones have helped facilitate problems. Immigration issues are often a case of not enforcing the existing laws, and then someone wants another law. Happens all the time.
Someone is driving unsafely but we need to make micro laws specifying texting etc. You're driving like a drunk idiot. Who cares why? Laws are already there. That one is minor. There are better examples of writing laws over existing laws which aren't enforced. Can't draw one up just now.
Anyway, I do not like the over-reaction to Trump. The mantra being repeated of racist sexist etc. If you were a fly on the wall in NY power circles or even DC, you would know these people are not what they pretend. Even the democrats. Shreds of truth to the chants but not extreme relatively speaking. Ted K was Trump's abusiveness or personal bullying on steroids.
I also don't like the reaction of people who actually think Trump is going to send all obnoxious groups overseas or back to Mexico or something. Not happening and the idea is nuts when you are talking people legally here. I have seen a little of that on the net. "Go back where you came from!" REALY? People are so proud of their ignorance and idiocy if they have peer support.
Maybe these marches will be wonderful. Just leave traffic alone. But keep in mind the mantra of misogyny xenophobia racism etc., may be over the top. The imitating the disabled guy has pretty well been debunked because that is his go to pantomime whenever he mocks anyone. Maybe not good, but not specific to the guy.
I never liked Trump or Rosie O, or any of that kind of people. That petty back and forth insult. That does not mean I think people are not going overboard, half baked on half true information. And they know it. They just can't let go of that feel good zealotry, aimed at whichever side. Bunch of friggin neo bolsheviks on one side, replete with millions of duped, useful idiots, and a bunch of yahoo, round'em-up-and-let's-have-a-neck-tie-party nuts on the other. Throw in religiosity here and there, and lots of pretense, and here we are.
No need for this idiocy. But I don't care what anyone says. Freeing federal prisoners is probably not a case of loosing rabid cannibals on the street. Most in federal prison are not there for horrendous crimes.
Looks to me like both sides want totalitarian government. It is just that they differ on how people should be forced to live.
I guess it is true that people are just not that bright. But look at how we live with such great things like planes and cars and nice beds, etc. So people cannot be that stupid. I guess it is a matter of character then. They cannot resist ill gotten gain/power, finding enemies to hate, and they can't resist having more control over their neighbors than is really necessary or right.
Always an excuse, though. Greater good, what God wants, who knows what else. Just lame excuses to control or punish others. Crazy.
Look at me!!! I'm famous!!! Thank you Mr. Trump.
Without you I would have no hobby and no fame
Now, if I can just figure out what I have accomplished here...
