Tuesday, March 23, 2010
STAND UP AND BE COUNTED
The subject of Bob Herbert's column in the NY Times today dealt with the appalling behavior that the vote on health care precipitated. That in 2010 we should stand up and speak out against the bigotry that is being spouted in the name of free speech. This has never been a political blog, but I was incredibly upset this weekend when I saw John Lewis, a man who was a driving force during the fight for civil rights, a man who was beaten by the police, subjected to racial epithets screamed at him when he entered the capitol , that another black congressman was actually spit on and that Barney Frank, an openly gay congressman had anti gay epithets hurled at him. If we stay silent we condone this kind of behavior. It is not acceptable. I do not care what your opinion about health care is, but we cannot condone the hate and fear mongering that have been perpetrated in the name of democracy. I hope that you will speak out with me and let your voice be heard.
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Bravo, Nancy, I so agree. Civility is the least we can expect from elected officials...or one another.
ReplyDeleteWell-said. I completely agree with you.
ReplyDeleteIt was so sad to see such horrendous behavior. More and more, I am frightened about the future of the United States.
ReplyDeleteEver since Barack Obama has entered the White House the gloves have been off and all civil discourse has gone out the window.
ReplyDeleteI've been disgusted for quite some time now and NO ONE can tell me that race is not an issue in the United States! Just as our image is improving in the rest of the world, we are trying to tear ourselves apart from within.
I AM MORE THAN DISGUSTED...I'M JUST PLAIN TIRED that this behaviour is tolerated and encouraged by the Republicans.
I am in total agreement with you. There is never any excuse for bigotry. I hope all people of good heart, no matter their party, can see the hatred that spawned these actions and will vote out anyone who tolerates it. I always thought we were more civil than that. Guess not, so sad.
ReplyDeleteI am in complete agreement with you. I always go about my life thinking everything is hunky dory, and then something like the episodes mentioned above occur and I think, "My God, we haven't changed at all!"
ReplyDeleteThe Republicans practically have racism as a part of their platform; as soon as Obama won, I knew it would get ugly. Their platform is to be against whatever the Demos want.
It has to stop. That's all.
Gail D.
You are correct Nancy. Regardless of our political views, we should expect and receive civility from our congress to each other and us.
ReplyDeleteNancy I agree 100%. I am afraid of what's happening to this country.
ReplyDeleteThose protesters showed a complete lack of respect for Cong. Lewis and the others. I think it's despicable.
Mermie
I am totally disgusted. Racism has raised its ugly head and there seems to be no end in sight.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of behavior is just plain wrong. I can understand opposing the bill, that's our system. but the ugly, hateful and ignorant stuff has no place.
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying this.
ReplyDeleteI agree, racism is still alive in this country. It is not just against black but any group that is different. I feel the republican party is polarizing this country and leading the rallying cry with "apple pie" type retorice (sp)
ReplyDeleteAnnette
Well put Mom. I agree.
ReplyDeleteIn South Korea...they do that and they also get into actual fist fights. There has been talk about introducing a filibuster system to try to avoid violence on the discussion floor.
I couldn't believe what I saw on TV. It was like watching news clips from the 1960's in the deep south. People have the right to disagree but hatred and bigotry isn't acceptable. Period.
ReplyDeleteI am not an American so my voice is not "counted" in such a discussion, but what I can say is that this type of behavior and the wilful defence of their own bigotry of the GOP (who largely form the US ruling class) undermines the notion that the US is truly intending to bring anything resembling "democracy" to the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteA Brit living in the Middle East
I've been involved with our government since Iraq started 8 years ago. I've had death threats left in my mail box because I spoke out. Since I have kids I decided to take a step back because these people are crazy and will do anything if they don't get their way.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me more upset is this behavior is acceptable with the leaders of the party. They egg these people on in their rallies. I've seen it get a lot worse in the past year with Obama in office. They hate not having control but to have a black man in control is unacceptable to many of them and their actions are what I fear with showing up with a gun on your hip to spitting on congress.
We've been taught to not talk about politics. I believe this is one of our problems. If we all talk about it we can arrive what is best for all of us and we the people end up winning a better life for us and our children. Thanks for speaking out..keep it up...talk to everyone. It's the only way we can stop this from happening.
Thank you for pointing this out Nancy. Here in the UK, I don't get all the finer points of US news. It's pretty disgusting behaviour. Embarrassing to all of us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for speaking out, Nancy! Bigotry is NOT an American Family Value.
ReplyDeleteLynn
You're absolutely right Nancy. Civility is absolutely essential regardless of our political opinions. I was appalled by these blatant acts of racism, but not surprised, given the rhetoric spewed by the right wing media on talk radio and Fox.
ReplyDeleteNancy, great post, 100% agreement here.
ReplyDeleteBravo Nancy! I had an older Black person tell at the time, that if Barack Obama became president that we would see racism like we've never seen before. I do believe that has come true.`
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. This behavior is disgusting. And did you check out the video Bob Herbert describes in the article? The protestors are basically calling this disabled man a freeloader and throwing dollar bills at him. It's up on You Tube, if you search for "tea party Parkinson's." The man in question, BTW, has a PhD and has been on Social Security Disability for some years.
ReplyDeleteThese people are filled with hate and have no shame. I wish we could speak out in some more public way, to condemn this behavior. And Cindy is right--the Republican party is whipping them up, encouraging them, and using them for partisan gain, with no thought of the damage to society as a whole.
Great post Nancy! I completely agree. I'm so disgusted with the lot of them right now.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Disagreement is fine, racism and bigotry is unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteIt is despicable!!!
ReplyDeleteFor any opposing party to stoop to this level is totally unacceptable. I at least thought these were professional people in the Congress, their behavoir is a DISGRACE! Where are their "family values" now?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nancy!
Nedra
Not an American citizen I was hugely surprised by all this behaviour, and wondered what democracy meant to those people. Of course I only am partially aware of all that happened, but I thought it was the health care issue that provoked it, not racism. From the comments I read that it's felt like that too.
ReplyDelete(And being a citizen of a country with a great health care system for all, I am still surprised that this is such an issue in the US).
Sigrid, I think those people are under the impression that they represent the American people, or so they claim in their rhetoric. They don't seem to understand about elections. Yes, it is supposedly about health care, but why are they hurling insults at a Civil Rights hero?
ReplyDeleteAll that it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. I have made my dismay known to the Republicans of Virgina(Eric Cantor, Goodlatte, etc)
ReplyDeleteIf enough of us speak up, they will be shamed.
Nancy, thank you for stepping outside your norm and posting this.
ReplyDeleteI look at these actions and I see fear - fear of change, fear of the balance of power in the US shifting to non-whites, fear of the poor, fear of true equality among races/sexes/orientations.
I know that my belief is a somewhat radical one, but in this day and age, shouldn't health care be a basic human right?
Having a political system that encourages civil discourse seems further and further from a reality. I have never been so disheartened. Thanks for the posting and the opportunity to comment - free speech is not taken for granted, but empathy, civility, and humanity seems to be.
ReplyDeleteI read Bob Herbert's column out loud at the dinner table, to make sure my 12-year-old daughter got every word of it. Thank you for pointing out that column here so that all of us could be aware of those "protestors" and speak up as well.
ReplyDeleteI wish that all of us had spoken up last September, at an earlier flagrant instance of incivility: the heckling of President Obama by Joe Wilson, the South Carolina Representative who yelled out "You lie!" as Obama was delivering his signature speech on health care.
The sooner and more firmly the line is drawn against barbaric behavior, the better.
Thank you, Nancy, for hosting comments, too.
Those people have lost all and I mean ALL credibility as far as I am concerned. If there was anything that could convince me that their's was an empty headed, malicious protest, that was it. These people are not the AMERICA I know and love. They aren't protesting against a social wrong (think civil rights, women's right to vote, ending the war as we did in the 70's, etc.) they are demonstrating in the name of hate and greed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad state of affairs our country is in, when adults act like children who pout when they don't get their way and hurl insults instead of having mature discussions. What example are they providing to our children? My 6 year old daughter handles adversity better than these grown adults do. These people need a time out!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly does seem to be that instead of racism going away, it's getting worse. My parents are a biracial couple, and I'm starting to worry about their safety. And my dad is an educated black man, therefore the most dangerous kind.
My goodness--I cannot help but think of all the blood spilled in the defense of our constitution: all those young men. I cannot help but think of all the lives and livelihoods that were sacrificed to establish and protect our freedoms.
ReplyDeleteThe violence that Congress has visited on the constitution, at the very least, deserves some thought. Mandatory insurance purchase? If the government can mandate that, they can mandate anything.
Make no mistake, mandates from the government are violent acts: if you don't comply, then what?
In the last century millions have died in the pursuit of socialist and utopian dreams. Violence indeed!
Maybe a little less sewing, a little more history?
If you don't comply, you pay a fine at tax time. Since everybody else would be paying for your emergency healthcare it seems pretty fair.
ReplyDeleteJanet, I agree. This bill is a start to bringing real equality to everyone.
ReplyDeleteWikipedia has an entry "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." You can scroll down to the Provisions section. Of course, people can reasonably disagree, but there is a lot of hysteria about this bill and I think a lot of people would be surprised at how moderate it is.
ReplyDeleteFreedom and imposed equality (of outcome) are opposed to each other--they cannot co-exist.
ReplyDeleteI just want to know why Anonymous is sprouting their "opinion" without signing their name! What's that about?! If you truly believe this garbage you are sprouting man or woman up and sign your name! Everyone else here has!
ReplyDelete*sorry Nancy but I hate how people use Anonymous to disagree. If you really believe that and want to shout it out ~ sign your name!*
Actually, I'm not certain how to be someone other than "Anonymous"--I have never done any commenting before. But my name is Anne. (Although I do think I'm not the only "Anonymous" commenting here). I see now that I could go into name/url but I don't know what my url is.
ReplyDelete'Imposed equality"? What does that mean? The 14th amendment is wrong?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nancy, for posting and allowing the rest of us to comment. I agree 100%. These people are obviously members of the "low information" crowd who actually believe many of the epithets they are shouting. So, in addition to objecting to this horrid behavior, I wish there would be a very vocal outcry against the propaganda and lack of ethics in what passes for "journalism" on television and radio in this country. There is a constant diet of propoganda, based on fear and ignorance, being fed to the American people by "talking head" entertainers who get big ratings. Disgusting!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Good for you for speaking up.
ReplyDeleteTimes of stress make people show their true colors. The Teabaggers showed theirs. The bigotry they try to disguise as patriotism came to the fore. The congressmen who were assaulted showed theirs by going on, doing their jobs and behaving like the gentlemen they are. Congressman Cleaver, who was spat on, refused to press charges.
ReplyDeleteAMEN! Never said better. There is so much disrespect on the hill. Totally, totally unacceptable.
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