GOP: Poor People Get What They Deserve

There is a term that sociologists developed to describe an incredibly ugly quality of human nature. The term they use is "victim blame." Here's how it works: Americans are fearful people. That's why drug companies are able to sell more pharmaceuticals per capita in America than any other place in the world. It is also the reason that gun manufacturers love Americans.

On the outside , most Americans want to project a Rambo quality of "gutsy" but "fearfulness" lies below that veneer. It is that fearful nature, according to sociologists and shrinks, that compels us to blame victims for their misfortune. It makes us feel better when we convince ourselves that bad things only happen to other people.

Test that theory yourself. Find one of those male or female swaggering, bravado types who is always quick to project macho self-assuredness.

Keep track of how many times they blame a victim for a rape, or a robbery, or an accident, or virtually any kind of misfortune. Note how many times they tell you that "if they were in that situation," there would have been a happier ending. That is the nature of "victim blaming."

It is a mechanism that promotes false bravado as a way to help us believe that bad things will never happen to us. After all, "we," unlike those other victims, are smarter, stronger, and more righteous.

Conservative political policies have been built around the manipulation of that ugly quality called victim blame. If an American is homeless or jobless, if they cannot afford health care, if they lost their home in foreclosure, then surely they have done "something" to deserve that fate. Conservatives are brilliant in that they have freed us from the responsibility of being our brother's keeper. It's much easier to conclude that our brother is always stupid, irresponsible, immoral, and obviously not as smart, responsible and virtuous as "us." If they had "our" superior qualities, their lives would flourish.

Today, homeless families are the largest growing segment of America's population. Almost half of those "irresponsible," "underachieving," homeless types are children under the age of six. An accomplished "victim blamer" will conclude that those homeless children are suffering appropriately for the "sins of their fathers."

Until Obama signed legislation to ensure that America's poverty stricken children could get health care, nine million had no health care protection. We saw eight years of victim blaming from conservative political leaders that allowed their swaggering, self-reliant followers to conclude that those kids "get what they deserve."

That same crowd is mobilized again. You can catch them at town hall meetings attacking 47 million "deadbeat" Americans who have no health insurance. It is a crowd that feels better when they can rationalize that unlike those 47-million "deadbeat" underachieving losers, their own crowd of motivated, righteous types will always have medical care when they are sick or dying.

When we are able to control fear, it has the capacity to help us improve our lives and the lives of others. But when fear controls us, we end up with terrified mobs shouting down and blaming their neighbors when those neighbors need their help the most. It makes some of us feel more secure.

 

 

Follow Mike Papantonio on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RingofFireRadio

Comments

[Pyrum]

Conservatives give more to charitable causes than liberals. It's not that conservatives don't care about the poor, it's that conservatives believe the poor should be helped by those who take personal responsibility for their actions and help them, not by those who are being forced to pay the government to help them through higher taxes. It's called liberty and freedom.

[seawolf77]

Excellent post and very insightful. This is one of the perks of being a Republican. It's like being a marine. They talk a certain code and they identify themselves surreptitiously. Then they make a different set of results so your freind is not exactly off base when he says he would have had a better outcome. OK my bad, he should have said different outcome. But he is spot on. Now does a rapist let his prey go once he finds out she's a big fan of Sean Hannity. Probably not.

[S1m0n]

This is the just world fallacy in action.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-world_phenomenon

It's a major feature of the Christian right mindset.

[Talossa]

Another great example of the Christian Right being un-Christian. After all, "your Father in heaven... causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteou­s."

The world is not just.

[Ventoi]

When you have little to begin with...you have little to be forced to bargain with...

it is perhaps the reason many people in the street appear closer to God...

they are not asking anything from him...

but they are not being forced to give someone else something to be allowed to admit they are of him.

[StJames]

Fearful Americans.­..yeppers. FDR was such a success because he told our parents and grandparents that they had nothing to fear but fear itself. Has anyone noticied how many seniors are at town hall meetings protesting healthcare reform? Selfish bastards all of them. They will rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars of costs to medicare trying to live an extra year or two, and would deny healthcare to the young. I am almost 62 years old, so will be eligible for medicare in a bit over 3 years...my personal preference would be to extend medicare to everyone, but failing that we need a strong public option.
There is no 'conservative' party in poiliotics today. If Democrats are "tax & spend" Republicans are "Cut taxes & spend & increase the deficit. Why aren't we regularly calling them out on this. Where are our rallies and protests?

[itznotabtme]

We do need to be "our brother's keeper". But we don't need to be our brother's controller­...and this is through handouts and free rides disguised as government programs to "help" those in need. (It's also a great way to assure that person's vote.) Help. they do need...but help that will encourage people to become self sufficient , self motivated and productive members of society...­not those waiting on a government check. I'm all for helping others...h­elp themselves.

[DannyDanson]

And hence the point of this article,

Are you implying that every American who suffers lack, is equally accountable and responsible for their lack? Who is he that is esteemed enough to sit in judgement of those who lack? Are you willing to make that accessment of each and every individuals character, and proclaim who deserves to be "kept" and who does not? That is quite a burden wouldn't you say, what should be your equitable punishment for making a hasty judgement of one's character if ever you were to be mistaken in your judgement?

What qualifies those on the right to be judge and jury of an individuals value? What if we found that the cost of facilitataing the equitable consideration of each and every individual case added up to more than the cost of providing for all of our people?

Surely there is moral hazard in sloth and laziness, but there is also moral hazard in placing judgment when we all have been judged only to be found wanting. If in God we trust, then trust we must I would say.

[classicalgeek]

" A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee."

[classicalgeek]

"Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me."
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
"Judge not, lest you be judged."
"Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away."
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

[Talossa]

It's even worse than this. Polls show that opposition to health care is strongest in states where the fewest people have health care -- in other words where the problem is worst. I am sure that "victim blaming" extends to many of the victims themselves, people without insurance who have rationalized in their own heads that they, themselves, don't deserve insurance. All to prove some ideological point.

Jesus dispensed health care free of charge; it was a central aspect of his ministry. Isn't it incumbent on his followers to do the same?

[SpikeC]

The real followers of Jesus do the same, the false ones do not.

[TheBaffler]

Social Darwinism is quite simply at the root of conservative and libertarian ideology. Their only notion of freedom is that of the powerful to do as they wish, even if it's at the expense of everyone else.

[Talossa]

Isn't it ironic... scratch a Fundamentalist and you find a Darwinist inside.

[Michael Shanley]

No what they'll probably say is that because of CHIPP those kids can get the required health treatments they might require. Without ever acknowledging their oposition to said Bill/law when trying to provide for these kids in the first place. Mind you the compassionate conservative President Bush, I believe, vetoed it twice.

[VinceTeeter]

There are four components of conservatism: Fear, Hate, Ignorance, and Greed. Everything conservatives do can be attributed to one or more of these.

[Opygollopy]

fanned and faved

[ThePeoplesKey]

You forgot superstition and hypocrisy . . .

[QOTW]

Many Conservative groups, the GOP and especially Dick Cheney are outstanding moral entrepeneurs. They understand political sociology and apply it almost religiously by tailoring it to suit their agenda at any given point in time. And it is exactly by applying such theories as victim blaming, rule creation and rule enforcement that over time they have successfully been able to almost re-write the Constitution by riding completely roughshod over it.
The prime objective unpinning all others is to create a 2 tier class society where the poor remain poor, (and become poorer), so that the wealthy can always prosper. Never has this been more apparent than today and there is truly no cost too great in order that it be maintained.
This is why moral entrepeneurs work hard to keep government small and regulation almost non-existent, neither have much to do with the humane ideals of the founding fathers and everything to do with the majority being kept firmly under a very few powerful and exhorbitantly greedy ruling thumbs.
Nothing says FU, we'll do what we damn well please when we're in power better than words like fascism, communism, scialism,racism, terror, murder, madness, mayhem and absolutely NO healthcare for anyone who can't keep paying through their bloodied nose even if it makes you bankrupt and homeless-serves you right.
Don't buy into it, it's nasty and no good will come of it.

[wanda665]

agree qotw

[Opygollopy]

fanned & faved.

[Rule Of Law]

pt1

"Americans are fearful people."

True, we are afraid of much in our society.

But "fearful," as in, genetically or even socially predisposed to being afraid. No--we are not. A quick look at the history of this country, our accomplishments as individuals and as a people put that notion to rest.

So why then, the high levels of fear among us in this era?

Conditioning. Or, brain washing, if that makes more sense to you. Or social engineering, or advertising; pick one. They are all same.

Since the birth of psychology and it's use in advertising dating to the 1920's--and not just in products, but in wars, social movements, how we see ourselves and each other--we have been a nation of guinea pigs, bombarded with subtle manipulative cues that affect our behavior and our perceptions of the world.

It is no accident that all the world's media is owned by fewer than a dozen international conglomerates. It is also not an accident that most tv, movies, and video games feature over the top violence. From "24" which has softened us up to accept torture and law breaking, to Grand Theft Auto. From the selling of the Iraq invasion built on lies that played to our worst fears, to the nameless gangster, pedophile, car jacker, maniac, down the street out for our children or our blood.

[Weehawk]

It's called the Authoritarian Personality. The world is a frightening place to some people, and those who are different from them are perceived as threatening. These are the ones who also tend to shut their minds to any new input, so don't waste breath arguing facts with them. It just convinces them that you're another threat. You can also spot them because they tend to contradict themselves a lot, and never seem to notice.

[Rule Of Law]

I understand your remark re the AP. My point is that it is a manufactured condition, not a naturally occurring one. It is a breakdown in our processes created by constant exposure to physical and mental/emotional stress. It is like post traumatic stress disorder, but on a national scale.

And it is used as a sort of self fulfilling prophecy by the elites to support their rationale for why we all need to be controlled by them. Just as royalty in the Victorian times of Dickens used the terrible conditions of the poor, which they helped to create, as justification for their own superior behavior, so to do our plutocrats.

Once education, public health and labor unions became prevalent, the same "lower classes" once demonized by the wealthy, produced some of the finest minds the world has seen. So it could be here, as well, once the yoke of oppression is lifted and people allowed to return to their natural state of mindfulness.

[Rule Of Law]

pt2

We've been told the world is a dangerous place. And that we are no longer capable of protecting ourselves. That we need to accept order and safety and security at the expense of our happiness and our liberty.

We are victims only because we have accepted those lies. A fearful people is an easily controlled people. And when we look at the real causes of those things we fear we see a war waging government run amok creating chaos and inflaming hatred of this country around the world, a financial system engaged in Class War on those of us who work, and laws and policies that exist only to divide us from one another, weaken us in hatred, and enslave us.

Watch this film, The Century of Self.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151#

And see for yourself how as FDR said, the only thing we need fear, is fear itself!

[GrafZeppelin127]

It has seemed to me for some time that much of the "conservative" mindset, at least when it comes to economics, revolves around the idea of making darn sure that no one -ever- gets -anything- they don't deserve. They have opposed all manner of social help, largely because of "concerns" (read: fears) that some undeserving person might take advantage of it. Witness the whole flap over whether illegal immigrants will get health care. That the bill explicitly excludes them is not enough; they want to make sure that no illegal immigrant ever gets any health care of any kind anywhere in the U.S. Many of thenm would rather go without government assistance themselves, no matter how much they need it, just to make sure no one who doesn't deserve it gets it.

Part of the reason for this is that the vague notion of "personal responsibility," in the sense that everyone is where he is because he deserves to be there, and this sort of every-man-­for-himsel­f economic theory, is that it relieves us of responsibility for finding solutions to social problems. It relieves us of any obligation to help our fellow man. It's easier to simply say, "Well, it's your own fault you got sick and can't afford the treatment," than it is to come up with a workable way of preventing that from happening to people at large.

[Kathryn Horton]

I recently responded to a friends post that they wouldn't go into businesses that didn't allow them to carry their concealed weapons... you would not believe the rediculous comments his other friends made against my statement of "why do you need a gun in a store? I think they are obsolete, surely we can find a way to live w/o carring weapons everywhere we go like barbarians?" Now they're trying to tell me if they had been on the planes on 9/11 w/ their guns that wouldn't have happened. No, you still wouldn't have been able to carry your gun on a plane, that was not allowed before 9/11 and it's not allowed now. They had box cutters.. really.. box cutters.. you need a gun to take out a box cutter? There were tons of edcuated, capable people that died on those planes you're gonna tell me you would be the lone ranger w/ your "gun" on that plane to save the day. Go ahead, pull the other one.

[MJinCanada]

I had a similar argument with someone on HuffPo a few weeks back.

Some people need hero fantasies to help them sleep at night, I guess.