(Community Matters) A common theme I’m catching in the blogosphere is the frustration and rage of the right. There’s a very vocal minority of lower & middle class white voters who just can’t believe they & theirs are no longer in control. They now have a Black president, Democrats control the White House, Senate & House. A Bronx Puerto Rican female was just elevated to the Supreme Court. A Black man who’s bold enough to call America coward re: discussing race is the US Attorney General. Lower income, less educated whites (have you seen a single person of color on the videos of healtcare protests or tea baggers?) are being fed malicious, fearmongering lies about health care by radio and tv pundits who I don’t believe really give a damn – it’s show biz for most of them. They are earning millions
Sure, there are folks with legitimate financial and procedural questions. And there are those with philosophical objections to a government’s even providing health care, who even philosophically disagree with the existence of medicare and medicaid but have figured out how to leverage the insecurities of those relying on these programs. We’ve been answering their questions and should continue to do so, but not stopping the legislative process until they are satisfed. Give me a break, rewind 8 years ago, the Republicans didn’t even discuss legislation with their Democratic colleagues before voting in committee – we’re doing a hell of a lot more in committee and conference.
But the mobs . . . . I believe a large portion are most frustrated by the realization of the inevitability: our country is changing. White male privilege is on the way out, fairness and multiculturalism are on the way in. No one ever gives up power and privilege without a fight. I fear we’re in for a long one, could be a nasty one – suppose it already is.
Community Matters 