August 11, 2009 6:27 AM

It wouldn't hurt if it wasn't true...and it is

MY NEW HERO #139: Keith Olbermann

Time was when I thought that this country was capable of anything. Sure, we disagree on a lot of things, but we share- or at least used to share- a desire for America to be the best it can be. Now I look around and I see a country ruled by the lowest common denominator. I see a country ruled by fear, ignorance, and racism. We've become a country prone to hatred and insults far more than compassion and understanding. Hypocrisy has replaced compromise, and the social contract seems to have gone the way of the buffalo. "I got mine; you can damn well get your own" has replaced the sense that we're all in this together.

The sad thing is that it doesn't have to be this way. We're blessed to live in the most powerful and successful country in the world. America still has a lot going for it, but certain segments of the population have become so wrapped up in their own self-interest and such a prisoner to lies and propaganda that they're actively and unwittingly working against their own self-interest. In a world where reaction is more easily achieved than sober reflection, there are groups and individuals out there who aren't above manipulating emotions in order to support their own narrow agenda. That there are seemingly far more Americans willing to react emotionally as opposed to thinking critically would only seem to prove my point.

Instead of openly and honestly discussing real issues, people honestly and open compare Barack Obama to Hitler. They seriously "debate" whether or not Obama is an American citizen. They rail against "socialized medicine"...even as they enjoy the health care they receive courtesy of Medicare and Medicaid. I could go on, but it seems clear we've become a world ruled by ignorance and reaction, where Fox Noise Channel is considered by many to be a legitimate source of unbiased ("fair and balanced") news. Inflexibility and foolishness have become the coin of the realm. When people can be derided as "unAmerican" by those who couldn't gin up an independent thought if their life depended on it...well, that's how we got to where we are today, no?

That the flames of ignorance and reaction are fanned by those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo is an unconscionable as it is offensive. That there are so many Americans ready to air their overarching reaction and ignorance for all the world to see is as impressive as it is thoroughly disturbing. When people who believe that Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill O'Reilly are sage observers of the American body politic...well, how can you not escape the conclusion that our collective I.Q. is mired in the mid-double digits? As harsh as this may sound, we've become a nation of (&^%$#@ morons who are ready, willing, and able to shout you down- because they know best what America is and should be all about.

I keep hoping that I'll be proven wrong, that Americans of all political stripes will be able to come together and help this country move forward. Sadly, I go through every day feeling as if I'm trapped in an endless loop of "Idiocracy". Ignorance reigns, volume and vituperation rule, and nothing changes, in part because the Obama Administration is too busy trying to keep everyone happy. In the end, no one- except those who benefit from the status quo- will be happy. The idiots and the haters will continue to rule by manipulating the emotions of those to lazy to think, and this country will continue slowly circling the drain.

WE DESERVE BETTER.

blog comments powered by Disqus

Technorati

Technorati search

» Blogs that link here

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on August 11, 2009 6:27 AM.

You might just have to admit you have a problem when.... was the previous entry in this blog.

You might just be too stupid to vote when.... is the next entry in this blog.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.

Contact Me

Powered by Movable Type 5.12