Well, the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombings came and went without the promised chaos and show of force that was promised by the right-wingers. However, there was a troubling undercurrent of violence, threats, ignorance and hatred that seeped onto the airwaves, enough to make one fear for the safety of innocent Americans at the hands of Fox News and Republican manufactured domestic terrorists.
To celebrate their new national holiday the usual gang of idiots, the parade of racists, kooks, religious zealots and totally misinformed nincompoops rushed in front of the cameras to promote their irrational hatred of President Obama.
Whenever they were confronted with the facts contrary to their positions, they would all laugh, blame it on the liberal media and accuse the questioner of personal hatred or bigotry.
Almost all these representatives of the tea bagging right denied that there was any racial bias in their group of crazies. All would parrot "Where's the proof?" when confronted with the charges of calling congressmen John Lewis and Emanuel Lewis the "N word" at a recent Washington rally.
All blamed President Obama for the bank bailout. This of course, is a lie. It was George W. Bush who handed Wall St. billions. These same spokespeople also agreed that the stimulus package was a complete failure. Another lie. When they were confronted with the true facts, all would laugh and attack the interviewer in order to change the subject.
The 2nd amendment zealots and tea baggers really had nothing to say to support their positions when confronted with logic and the truth. It was just verbal game-playing, accusing the innocent of fabrications and mistruths when they were backed into a corner. They also had no interest in engaging in a meaningful dialogue. They tended to belittle their opposition with condescending and creepy laughs. They meant to intimidate and bully, not listen or exchange ideas.
This brought to mind the classic Monty Python sketch "The Argument Clinic." In case you've never seen it, check it out here. To quote the Pythons, as opposed to contradiction (And the party of "No") "An argument is a collective series of statements (meant) to establish a definite proposition." "An argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just an automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says." Isn't that right, John Boehner?
As shown in the Python sketch, it's impossible to have an intellectual discussion with anyone whose sole purpose is to undermine and demonize your beliefs or position. Sarah Palin is a master practitioner of this form of debate. There is no reasoning with her. She's right and everybody who criticizes her is branded Un-American and threatened with violence. (Although now she qualifies her "Reload" comments by saying she's not condoning violence. Hasn't stopped her from advising the crowd to "Reload" though.) Of course the tea baggers and Republicans are following her lead. She yells the loudest and no one else is leading the right, so why not follow her?
President Obama has saved the country from economic collapse, turned around the economy, passed sweeping health care reform, restored America's standing in the world as the preeminent super power, negotiated a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, has had more success capturing Al-Qaeda operatives and higher ups without the casualties that defined George W. Bush's ill conceived foreign policy and oh, is now taking on financial reform to prevent the excesses and disastrous consequences that took place while the Bush administration was asleep at the wheel.
Despite all this, the tea baggers and Republicans threaten secession and violence to rid them of this evil Socialist dictator. They want their country back. Back from what?
As noted intellectual Sarah Palin likes to say: "How's that hopey-changey thing working out for ya?"
Fine, thank you.
"No it isn't."
Yes it is.