The teabagging is over, well the protests anyways, and just like most demonstrations most of the nation feels a growing sense of 'meh' and went about their lives. Granted there were quite a few who publicly voiced their disdain for the tax code and the current administration and it's impact may be small.That of course hasn't stopped the media from covering it non-stop like it was a missing white kid. Most of the coverage has been about what one would expect depending on what channel you tune into, but Olberman out did himself with his guest Janeane Garofalo.
Keith started with a video displaying how misguided some of the protester's' anger may be directed upon. Then he introduces Garofalo to discuss the nature of the demonstrators. Right out of the gate she calls them simpleton redneck racists and discusses the brain physiology of Republicans and how it's inferior to those on the left.
Now she's a comedian and I assumed at first she was just trying to be funny, but she kept hammering the points home through out the entire segment that I was left to wonder.
It's come to this.
I was afraid the level of discourse would suffer due to people crying racism at any criticism for the Obama administration and here it is. Tongue in cheek or not what Garofalo did was Coulterish. To assume that these teabag protesters somehow automatically harbor prejudicial tendencies because they disagree with the President's policy...well...I really don't have to get into it.
While I wasn't surprised by her words what bothered me more is that Olberman would not try and stop that kind of nonsense on his show. Since he's made a career out of calling talking heads out on their outrageous statements you would think he would want the same standard for Countdown.
Now it may be true that some in the crowds don't like the idea of man who's just as white as he is black occupying the White House, but to carry on a conversation labeling all of them as racist and somehow mentally deficient is crass. I agree that a lot of the conversation at these demonstrations are misguided, but I certainly wouldn't equate all of them with the Klan.
Now I know a lot of you may be saying 'but...but...Coulter/Limbaugh/O'Reilly said.....' Yes I know the right's chosen entertainers say sick stuff all the time to help generate ratings and/or book sales, but this has got to end. Both sides should be held for the words they broadcast. I'll defend to the death their right to say it, but I will not sit and make excuses for such behavior.
Extremists will always rule the day when it comes to protests and sadly the same kind of rhetoric has become the standard for political talking heads.
"I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth." - Janeane Garofalo
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4 comments:
First off, let me say that I don't have any idea what the politics behind this post are about. Teabagging? Isn't something frats do to their pledges. Usual homoerotic hazing stuff? Whatever.
I disagree with your defense of free speech. But you knew that about me already, didn't ya?
People on both sides of the fence have to be made to shut up. They are not fostering peace, only widening the divide with their kindergarten name calling. It's time for both sides to just shut the eff up and take a consarnit time out.
The current administration has 2 1/2 years left before the reelection push. So, in that time, just let the government do whatever it wants and assume it's in the best interests of the nation.
For cryin' out loud, Bush's second term, he ruled with not much actual opposition because both sides spent two much effort trying to win the "Who gets to fix this mess" Election instead of preventing the mess from spreading.
Friggin' AMEN to that WIGSF. I couldn't have said it better myself.
I hate to see people pull out the race card when they don't know if that is the case. However, I bet most of these protestors have no idea about the tax policy they just hear 'more taxes' and 'socialism' and 'liberal' and they come out to protest.
The smartest economists in the world are divided as to the potential outcome of the Obama tax policy, so I doubt most of these people with an undergraduate degree at best would know any better either.
I hate that type of extreme political talk especially from celebrities who feel they are experts on the subject. I don't mind good debate when it deals with the facts, but mostly it's just emotional blathering.
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