Snippitts of Illusions

Well, here's another political post. Of a sort. I recently engaged in a conversation on a Facebook link post that a friend of mine put up. It was on the recent right-wing extremist groups that are threatening people. Everybody has their panties in a bunch on health-care, and I do have an opinion on it myself, but I'm not sharing it here. The conversation was the capacity for violence that the extremists on the right have, and how I thought it was more immediate. Another fellow, who's fairly conservative (I believe he may be, or at least lean towards the Libertarian camp of things) pointed out that many on the left (extremists) also have the capacity for violent acts. This is true, from Black Panthers, who use intimidation tactics, to eco-terrorists who use sabotage and harassment. There's plenty of extremists on the left that will use their own method of violence to "sway" folks towards their political position. I think however, there's a disconnect here. I don't condone the violence of the left, even though I can understand where the violence of the Black Panthers originated from, it's been 50 years for hellsakes, let's leave those tactics to somebody else and try dialogue. I don't understand the passive violence and sabotage of the eco-terrorists (or folks from PETA throwing paint) it under-mines the message firs of all. But the violence and vitriol from the right is something else.....

It's a response for things they disagree with. But the immediancy is more apparent because of a couple of things. 1) These extremists tend to be gun nuts. This isn't an implication that every gun nut is an extremist. I actually support a majority of gun rights. I think guns are fun to shoot. I don't like hunting, but that's by the by. These extremists are armed and ready. They expect the government to come in and try and take their guns. (I'd like to point out, if this ever happened, and the government was serious, they would just blow the shit out of your house -or compound- with missiles and rockets, they don't need to send in an armed contingent to get the guns away.) They are already willing to use violence if neccesary.
2) They are the general viewership of Fox News, which has a handful of individuals encouraging them to start a revolution. Fox News is a conservative network. No bones about it. Most of their talk shows and pundits are conservative and report the news from a conservative bias. That's fine and well. MSNBC has become the same sort of thing for Liberals. I don't watch either one. While a lot of the reporting is hyperbole and failed attempts at humor (on certain shows) many of the extremists who take it in can't separate the wheat from the chaff. It's not because they are stupid, ignorant on occasion, but not dumb. It's because they are already angry. They're listening to that irrational emotion, not logic. They can't tell when Mr. Beck, or Mr. O'Reilly are spouting off obviously exaggerated events, because all they can see is a red cloud of rage.

They are sitting on the brink of violence, they just have to hear the right thing to push them over the edge.

I don't like it. I don't like the sabotage of the left. I don't like the rhetoric of violence and gun waving of the right. It isn't a solution. The left should know better. They are nothing but hypocrites with their actions. What happened to the Ghandi's and the Kings that showed peaceful protest can work? Who showed you could march through the streets with out slinging insults or threats and have it really have an effect?

The course of this country has been off track for a while. Corporations have more power than individuals. Both parties play at politics when the good of the country hangs on the balance. I'm not sure when this happened. When it started. But it should stop. We should dialogue. We should discuss. Both conservatives and liberals have great ideas. If we could just tune down the noise, perhaps we could hear them.

posted by F.G. Shaw @ 1:47 AM