How Can I Be Loved for Hating Everybody?

The world is changing way too fast. A year ago we thought Hillary Clinton might get elected. Television pundits repeatedly asked us if we were ready to have a female president. When Obama upset Clinton, for many, it got even worse. Pundits then asked, "Are we ready for a black president?" Ready or not, we all know what happened next; Obama got elected and the economy collapsed.

Alright, it collapsed during the last administration, but it seemed like both administrations thought that something had to be done to stem the hemorrhaging of jobs and thaw the credit freeze. It wasn't fixed before Obama took office, so now it's his problem, which means it's still our problem. I was relieved that television let us know who we should hate -- all those Wall Streeters with their big bonuses -- and AIG, they were the worst. Thanks to television, we knew where to put our anger.

We hate that General Motors and Chrysler went bankrupt. What is more American than owning a car? We were the world leaders until the countries we beat in World War II, Germany and Japan, made better and less expensive cars. So what if the writing was on the wall in the early 70s during the first Mideast crisis when gas prices went way up. Time passed and we forgot to do anything about "being held hostage by Mideast oil." We got reminded again last year when gasoline hit an all time high.

Maybe the government could impose greater fuel efficiency standards, but this is America and nobody is going to tell us what to do. Remember when "Made in Japan" meant you were buying crap -- until we started buying their cars, televisions and video players. We hated the Japanese. Remember when they tried to buy up America until their economy tanked in the late 80s? Their financial system was severely over extended as the result of making bad loans. We're not too crazy about the Chinese either, buying up our debt then getting worried about being paid back.

A lot of us hate the idea of same sex marriage. A family is created so a man and woman can reproduce. A gay couple is incapable of reproducing, which in and of itself is outside the natural order of things. The sanctity of life is an integral part of the family, indeed of humankind. What can gay couples do if they want children? Adopt? Give homes to unwanted babies who might otherwise be aborted? Who would want to be raised by same sex parents? Wouldn't those babies be better off dead?

Hatred has pushed some people right over the edge. James Von Brunn hated Jews and Blacks. He took a rifle into the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. and shot a black security guard before being shot himself by two other guards. He was 88 years old. Although it's a good thing to have a reason to get out of bed in the morning, it's bad when your reason is to go kill people. He has been a time bomb of hatred for years.

Scott Roeder was another time bomb. Roeder allegedly shot and killed Dr. George Tiller, a doctor who performed legal late term abortions. Roeder has a history of militant anti-government activity and being associated with hate groups. According to his brother David, "he has suffered from bouts of mental illness". Roeder and Von Brunn share a common bond, hatred for all people who believe differently than they do.

We hate people who blame everybody they hate for the hateful things they do. Racism and the groups that foster it allow people like Von Brunn to feel supported. He didn't get that anyplace else. Hate groups are magnets for alienated, disenfranchised, unstable people like him. It's not some radical, thought out, intellectual position that empowers him to be a warrior for the cause he so strongly believes in, it's that he's a damaged person with serious mental problems. Roeder is the same. I'm sure Roeder feels justified and empowered by his acts -- depending on who he watches on television. He has never gotten so much attention.

Fanning the flames of hatred has become routine for television pundits who are trying to boost their ratings and advance their careers. Television has become a very crowded place. It takes a big noise to get heard above the din of clattering voices vying for our attention. In TV land, controversy is good, feuds and fighting is better, self righteous moralizing is best. Facts don't matter. Volume and repetition have replaced truth. Hate is a uniter, not a divider. Hatred has become a fuel that drives ratings -- and ratings are all that matter. Don't you hate that?

Comments

[leanandsuperfit]

Well, I'm only one vote but I cast it by voting against hate mongers when I am aware of their hate mongering. I've watched the O'Reilly Factor a few times. I don't regularly watch it because there is so much bashing and hate mongering rather than intellectually-stimulating discussion. But I also don't watch Keith Oberman for the same reason. I realize it's just my opinion. I'm certainly respectful enough of others' opinions to realize millions watch both of those guys on a weekly basis. They, and many like them, are just too over the top in negative energy for this kid.

[Charles Weber]

Well Jeff, it didn't take Rooney Tunes very long to jump on your article by adding names, faces and his own political spin to your message. Hate speech that incites violent behavior is bad. Does that mean that expressing ones views, not matter how fervent, becomes hate speech in the eyes of others? Mr. Tunes seems to ascribe blame to the previous administration by inserting it into your article when there is actually sufficient failure and incompetence to pass around among all major parties and ideologies. I just find it amazing how people proclaiming to be the educated and intelligent polar opposites of Bush / Cheney connecting loose threads to the recent murders in Wichita and Washington attributing events like this to the previous administration, Fox News, Republicans or Conservatives while tolerating or condoning the vile intolerant and inaccurate remarks of comedians like Letterman and lying politicians like Pelosi and Frank, to name a few.

A truly beneficent approach would be for us to listen to both sides without prejudice and render considered judgments based on the facts instead of ideology. But with news media having abdicated objective fourth estate analysis in favor of becoming our society's ideological pathfinders, I don't suppose there is much chance of either objective analysis or the truth emerging any time too soon. Thus, some will continue interpreting well intended articles through their own ideological spectacles. Such a pity.

[RooneyTunes]

Spot on Jeff.....no doubt an 8-year Bush/Cheney administration feasted on a divide & conquer, hate & fight approach to governing....the media caved and became complicit in this divisive approach to 'gathering and reporting' the news But "the audacity of hope" springs eternal. Perhaps a poised, open and steady approach to issues and world events by an Obama administration will pay dividends and prompt the TV viewing public to look at these hate-filled self-important blowhard TV pundits for what they are....empty, shallow and callous that do not educate nor advance meaningful debates. From there, the public might, just might crave something a little more thoughtful, open and substantive. I still believe in the 'centrist' and common sense-rooted nature of the American public and, in the end, their sensibility will rule. I simply have to believe that. What choice do I have? The thought that the Glen Becks and Rush Limbaughs of our society will be the 'thought' leaders of our culture is simply to frightening to fathom!

[cgr]

Strange, when I saw the title I was sure this was about Sarah Palin's supporters.

[Mehe04]

Sorry took awhile to post tonight I was distracted by Lindsay Lohan...located in the next column over....expressing herself on Twitter and how much she hates the news media!, she is probably a little conflicted too! Hatred is a pretty strong word...when I was a kid my parents never allowed me to use the word "hate" I could dislike something but never ever hate something or someone....I guess the world has changed and hate has almost become the norm...or one way to get yourself in the news media....!Go Lindsay!