Ted Rall for March 14, 2009

This idiot is not left. He was behind the door when the brains were passed out.

The big difference between then and now is that nobody’s telling the Obama haters they’re not Americans or that they are traitors. They’re projecting.

progan1, I know just what you mean. Wing nuts really irritate me sometimes; I just want to grab them by the neck and dope slap them.

Rall ust said what I have been thinking for a while.

Hmm, I was told that if I didn’t support Bush I should leave the country, by a guy who never had anyone in his family in the military. I pointed out I DID leave the country, to fight in Viet Nam, and my son left to fight in Bosnia and Iraq. I suggested he might book a flight.

I ain’t here to advance ANY political agenda. I like Rall ‘cause he is unpredictable. He is the closest to non-partisan as we can get today. Rall Rules!

And we wonder why Congress can’t work together?

The truth is not post-partisan. Nor is denial.

“The big difference between then and now is that nobody’s telling the Obama haters they’re not Americans or that they are traitors. They’re projecting.”

You’re right, no one does that.

[4 comments later]

“I pointed out I DID leave the country, to fight in Viet Nam, and my son left to fight in Bosnia and Iraq. I suggested he might book a flight.”

Repeat: “I suggested he might book a flight.” Um.

And here’s food for thought courtesy of Arthur Silber’s blog, Power of Narrative. http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2009/01/ravages-of-tribalism-ii-creating-next.html

“With these observations in mind, here is the true story I came across just over two years ago:

A few nights ago while twin #1 was taking a bath, I spent some quality time with twin #2.

I could hear twin #1 splashing around in the tub, but I didn’t think anything of it. When I finally went into the bathroom to help him get cleaned up, I saw water All. Over. The Bathroom Floor. The towels and bath mat were soaked and water was dripping down the side of the tub and the bathroom walls.

Furious and trying to control my temper, I asked twin #1 why he splashed the water out of the bathtub. I could tell he felt ashamed, because he wouldn’t look at me and he wouldn’t answer.

Of course I realized that this could be an excellent “teachable moment” about impulse control, so I knelt down and spoke to him. I told him that I was very disappointed, that I really didn’t like what he did. I asked him again why he did it, and he still didn’t answer. Then I asked him “Do you know what we call people who know what they are doing is bad, but do the bad thing anyway?”

He replied, “Democrats.”

If you are a Democrat or identify yourself as a liberal or a progressive, does this story enrage you? Does it strike you as immensely unjust and utterly false? Do you perhaps think that this manner of describing all Democrats is no different in principle from vicious stories that describe all African Americans, or all Jews, or all gays and lesbians, or the members of any other group in similar fashion? Do you think it is especially awful, even terrible and abusive, to “teach” a very young child in this way, about issues he cannot possibly understand?

You would be right to feel and think all of that. Would your reaction be different if the young boy instead had replied, “Republicans”? Please consider that question very carefully, and as honestly as you can. Your reaction should not be different, not in any respect, not to even the smallest degree. If it is, I respectfully suggest that you consider the following argument with special care.

In fact, the boy did reply, “Republicans.” You will find this story – a true story, offered with pride by the mother – at Daily Kos.”

^Great comment. Kids see (hear), kids do, even if what we, grown ups did in front of them was just a joke and not seriously intended.

The fact is, we get hung up on ideology. Too many feel that their side is always right and the others are always wrong. In reality no ideology or political party is going to be right all the time. When you’re convinced you are always right, you stop thinking and listening. A college professor I had once had said: “Intelligent people ask questions, ignorant people have all the answers.”

The problem with the American left-right, liberal-conservative, democrat-republican issue is that there’s more than just two sides. Presenting people with just two sides will only lead to polarization.

Obama is no different than any president before him. All presidents hail from the same political party: the democrats/republicans.

If you’re never going to vote republican, what choice of party do you have to elect a president from? Likewise if you’re never going to vote democrat.

Clinton also waged his wars, cluster-bombing civilians in both Kosovo and Serbia. The only reason Carter did not wage a big war was that the US were near bankrupcy at the time. But he did support evil totalitarian dictators like Somoza (Nicaragua).

tracht, I like the quote from the professor. It is, indeed, quite true.

Driving around running errands the other week I spotted, spray-painted on the rear wall of a commercial building, “Impeach Obama”. Gotta take a picture of that corker before it gets washed off.