Image via WikipediaI've attended Tea Party rallies twice now. The first time was because I believed that our government representatives were not adhering to the principles that have made this country great. I also believed that if we abandoned those principles and fail to remain vigilant and vocal that we would lose our cherished freedoms and liberty. I have to add, though, that it was not me I was necessarily worried about. It was my children. What kind of circumstances would they have in order to pursue their happiness? And what was the result? I've been referred to as a "teabagger" (warning: definition is quite graphic) and called a "racist, straight up" by Janeane Garofalo. I think some of her statements qualify her for a diagnosis of "teapartyphobia." What really frightens me, though, is her neuroscientific claim that "those people's limbic brain is pressing against their frontal lobes...." That coupled with a bumper sticker I saw about a year ago that said: "Frontal lobotomies for all Republicans: it's the law" makes me even more frightened. Yeah, you could get a laugh out of that; call it comic relief, but I don't really think it is funny. The youtube video that the link in her name above takes you to is done by someone who obviously disagrees with her and presents their own view of the situation that some will call propaganda also. So be it. At some point, though, you need to decide what your real world experiences tell you. Any of you who know me at all know in your heart that I am not racist, I am not violent, and I strive to be an honest and honorable person. Straight up, that's who I am and so are many other "tea party" members. Are there "bad" people involved in this movement. Yes. Are there "bad" people in every group of people on the face of the earth? Yes. Generalizing about any "group" of people is, to me, a form of racism.
The link in the word racism takes you to the Anti-defamation League site. I direct you there because there is a good discussion of what racism is as well as to point out the link to "homophobia." The "phobia" designation is what prompted this post. I have learned recently that I am also "Islamaphobic" if I find building a Mosque near Ground Zero to be insensitive and in no way conducive to building dialogue. ADL defines homophobia as: "hatred or fear of homosexuals--sometimes leading to acts of violence and expressions of hostility." Are there people who qualify for this label? Yes. Some people who identify themselves as Christians have done hateful and vile things. Carrying signs that say "God hates gays" qualifies. Believing that, according to the type of life I believe Christ wants us to lead, homosexuality is not a good thing for the individuals or for the society does not qualify. "I disagree" does not automatically translate to "I hate you."
When people say "this is the greatest country in the world" most of them do not mean "we are better than everyone else." What I believe most people mean is that our Constitutional Republic offers the greatest opportunities for people to experience "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This does not mean everyone succeeds equally; just that they have the opportunity. The word "happiness" is difficult to pin down. I understand it to mean something closer to "happenstance." This, to me, means creating the circumstances that will lead people to achieve their dreams, not guaranteeing that they will succeed. Who has not, at some point, thought, "Just give me a fair chance"?
In the Geography of Bliss, Eric Weiner travels the world to find the happiest countries. He makes the statement on page 252 that: "...let's not forget that the government is already in the happiness business.......Besides, what is the role of government if not to make citizens happier?" Earlier in the book he makes a comment to the effect that "happiness" is in our founding documents. I disagree and this is where the need to "define the terms" becomes important. We need to be speaking the same language. Our government is not set up to guarantee happiness or success, but it is set up to create the best possible environment for everyone to succeed. Equal chances and opportunities, not a guarantee of equal results.
Finally, the articles below may be of interest. The Huffington Post and the Dailykos articles, to me, are examples of propaganda. In the "White Pride" article there is an individual identified as "the founder of the Tea Party." There is no one founder of this movement. If you find racist elements in this group it does not mean everyone is. A generalization like that does not benefit anyone. If you have a phobia; an "irrational fear" of something or a specific group of people then the cure is to find out why your fears are not rational. We only get to do this if we talk to each other about the "hard stuff" and do it in a way that we actually hear and understand each other.
I leave you with another quote from The Geography of Bliss (page 327):
We base our happiness on the state of our relationships, and on those stolen moments where, for a brief shining instant, we lose ourselves in the pure joy of being.
Relationships are valuable, but they involve hard work at times. Let's get to work. Are you with me?
No comments:
Post a Comment