Since I began this blog back in 2007, not a month has gone by where I have not written at least one post. So, this being January 31st, and having not written anything this month, I decided I’m not going to purposely ruin that record. It’s a meaningless record, but if it spurs me to write something, then so be it. I’ll write something.
One thing that has been on my mind is that I’ve noticed that the extreme fringes of the right seem to be more emboldened, less hidden in society. Has anyone else felt this way?
It used to be that the crazy street preachers, or the nutty conspiracy theorists who saw a Communist behind every tree, were relegated by society to the fringe. No one took them seriously, certainly not our representatives in Congress (with a few exceptions – think Joe McCarthy). We tended to allow the nut cases to speak their piece, but then ignored them.
But it seems these last few years, especially since Obama was elected, that the bedlamites are actually gaining momentum. People appear to be taking them seriously. Not in the sense that a majority agree with them. They certainly a still a small minority. But in the sense that the media tolerates them as if they are equals in any dialogues they are in concerning any topic of national interest.
Like the gun dialogue that the Newtown Massacre has finally, and sensibly, started. Immediately, there’s a conspiracy theory circulating that it’s all a charade, designed by the black man in the White House to take our guns. Not just with people on the internet with time on their hands and 15 minutes of fame on their bucket list. But ordinary citizens. Well, as ordinary as one can get and still be a functioning citizen.
I was in court a few weeks ago, and one of my witnesses, in a lull after the hearing, began to harangue me with the notion that 26 humans did not die at Sandy Hook, and that it was a carefully engineered plot to take our guns. And he was serious! I told him it was bullshit but he enigmatically just said “You wait and see”. Seriously. These people exist. Here. In my hometown. Crackpots!
And over at Wing Nut Daily, Joseph Farah is inciting the crazies with similar nonsense. From him, I expect it. He makes a living selling this shit. I’m sure he has a mortgage to pay, and apparently isn’t able to find respectable work, so he resorts to pandering to the touched. Reading the comments to his stuff is where I start to get worried. Let me quote a few:
These NWO [New World Order] murderers will use chemical and/or biological weapons on US citizens. It’s easier to hide 50,000 corpses than 50,000 corpses and a decimated city.
Get right with the Lord and fear not.
or
In a million years I would have never have believed that we would be fighting in the streets to secure our country from our own elected leaders. But, alas I appear to have been wrong.
That’s not so bad. How about this?
Oh Yes I do feel for those who live in the inner city, for they will be the first to see the riots of food store of gun shop’s and gas stations and life as we know it will change forever under Obama.
Oiks. This passes for thoughtful analysis and commentary.
Doesn’t this make you wonder whether there ought to be an intelligence test to vote?
Filed under: 2012 Elections, 2nd Amendment, Apologetics, Beliefs, Birther, Books, Constitution, culture, Current events, delusion, Evidence, Fox News, Fuck, gun control, gun violence, guns, Hypocrisy, NRA, Obama, Political/Topical, Politics, Presidential Elections, Rationalism, Reason, Republicans, Rush Limbaugh, Second Amendment, Tea Party Tagged: Barack Obama, Beliefs, Christian Nation, Conspiracy theory, Constitution, elections, First Amendment, Fox News, god, Intelligence, Joe McCarthy, Joseph Farah, New World Order, Obama, Politics, Reading, Republican, Republicans, Sandy Hook, Skepticism, Tea, United States, White House
