Socialism and Supporting the Hangman

Ok, on a trivial note, I had to go through this convoluted, overly difficult process just to retrieve my blog password. It's a blog, this isn't a password to access files which will lead one to the burial plot of Jimmy Hoffa. Google, Blogger, make it more simple for crying out loud. Or, I could take personal responsibility and remember it, eh, I'll take the former.

So, I'm going to try hard to make this short and sweet. The latest rant from the McCain camp is that Obama is a Socialist. My first response to that is, and the problem with that is???? Socialism gets a bad reputation from countries that have practiced Socialism in name only, much like the United States preaches Capitalism, yet is far from a pure capitalist state. What I love, is how the Republican base at these rallies are swallowing this nonsense and licking their lips afterwards. They love it!!! I've heard Palin and McCain deride and chide the "redistribution of wealth" to their supporters with not a single cry of opposition. Let me lay this out very simply. The majority of America would benefit from a tax plan that wants to cut taxes for those making less than two hundred and fifty thousand  dollars. Plain and simple. What's wrong with giving more people a shot at simply living. You fat cats out there will still have your private jets, palatial estates, and high end call girls, don't worry about it!!! The important point here though, is not the obviousness of the wealthy's opposition, but the sheer abandonment of self interest by those who are supporting McCain and Plain. When they're cheering for the McCain campaign's tax plan, they're celebrating the destruction of their own well being. 

I would say I can't believe it, but I can, because the Republican formula has worked before and we have seen perceptible failure from their brand, yet folks continue to support it. There is nothing wrong with helping those below you out when you have extra resources to do so. There is nothing wrong with the altruism, community, and humanity that is represented in socialist doctrine and Obama should not have defend himself if he so chooses to call it socialism.  I find this self evident, but unfortunately in America it is not always such. American's love their ideology, and they blindly adhere to it much like Communists, Fascists, Socialists, etc. The important maxim should be what does the most good for the most people. Call it whatever you want, as long as it improves the well being of everyone. I suggest that American's look inward, and think more deeply about their ideas and what they support. It's appalling, that with nooses around their necks, American's still support the hangman. 

"Ya Gotta Believe in Something"

"Ya gotta believe in something", that's what I was told yesterday is I entered into a political discussion with one of the novices I work with. The issue of believing in something came up as we were having a discussion, albeit a frustrating one, about the presidential race and who we were voting for. The woman I was discussing this with started repeating like a parrot all of the platitudes that FOX tv likes to propagate about Barack Obama.  

One that came up, in particular, was the comment about Obama being Muslim and his apparent unwillingness to put his hand on the bible. I"m not aware of the bible one, but I"m fully aware that Obama's opponents like to cast him as a Muslim due to his name, and his short experience as a student of a Muslim school in Indonesia. I'm so tired of hearing this one that it brings me to the point of pure anger towards those who repeat these lies which are simply veiled racism. For those who have a problem with his middle name, I have this to say, you are a narrow-minded racist, plain and simple. What's wrong with his middle name you ask? Well it sounds Muslim right? and what's wrong with Muslims? Well they hate America and they aren't Christian right? Well if you follow this line of reasoning, which some of Obama's opponents do, then it naturally should lead to some self-realization of one's own racism. However, it doesn't because nobody in America is racist right? And certainly not those who have a problem with Obama's middle name, or the fact that he has Muslim roots. 

I think it's purely sad that people still think like this. They vote values, not policy or which candidate will do the most for them. Strange twist of irony that some of those who profess to have their values are selfish, calculating, and only looking out for their own interests? Furthermore, the religious always like to describe themselves as peace loving, accepting individuals, yet they hate those who are unlike them, and yes, this is hate when you shun someone for not looking like you, not having a name like you, or for not being monocultural like you. We hate what we don't understand right? And I think that this woman that I was talking to, and other like her, simply don't understand the world on a broad scope. 

So after refuting her notion that Obama is a Muslim, he's actually a self-proclaimed Christian, I then turned to the notion of why is this even important. I responded that I could not care less what Obama's religion is, and that I was an Atheist. I then asked her am I a bad person because I don't believe in a god? She was noticeably shocked and struggling for words. Then she says, "well, uh, you gotta believe in something." You're right, I do, well said, but that doesn't mean I have to believe in a fiction. I learn valuable lessons from movies, tv, and literature that are works of fiction, but I know they aren't real, they're stories. I didn't say this to her, but I always think it when this topic gets brought up. What I did tell her was basically that I believe in treating human beings with respect and dignity simply because of their intrinsic worth as people, not because a god tells me I should. She was still shocked at this proposition. 

What  I find in all of this, and people who think like this woman, is a bunch of hypocrisy, narrow-mindedness, and self proclamations of superiority. And what this all equals to me, is sadness and disappointment that people actually think like this. I'm not saying all of this simply because I'm an Obama supporter, I'm an Atheist, I don't hold it against Obama, or McCain, that they are religious. So the difference comes down to how I think they will treat the multicultural and multiple class composition of American society. Unfortunately there are those in our society who are still full of ignorance so they hate those that are unlike them. They vote how they select their acquaintances, which is to say that they select people who look and think like they do, carefully nesting themselves in a social grouping that will never challenge their ideas. 

What makes this even more disconcerting is that in politics, somebody with a broad perspective is needed to run a national government, since after all, we are a very diverse nation. Unfortunately this woman will vote for a man who represents a small portion of American society, and will disregard the rest. She will fall for the dirty tricks that keep rich, white men in power. The wolf in sheep's clothing. 

So yes, you should always believe in something, but one should not be dictatorial about one's opinions. And when it comes to politics, one should be concerned with practical issues, tangible results, not some incorporeal value that doesn't always project itself onto the job an elected official does.  This woman is perfectly entitled to practice and believe what she does, but she should choose to use her mind to reach whatever conclusions she reaches. And she should stop being narrow minded and as arrogant to think that everyone thinks like she does, or that everyone who thinks like she does will do what is best for her in government. I know plenty of Christians that are corrupt, and I know plenty of Atheists who don't lie, cheat, and kill. So what's more important? Believing in common values like honesty, respect, and tolerance, or believing in a certain religion? Is it more important that someone profess to be a Christian? or actually practice a morally sound lifestyle?