Sunday, August 09, 2009

Uppity White People

So I went to Congressman Steve Cohen's town hall meeting and a Jerry Springer Show broke out. I haven't seen that many white people downtown since "Cats" played the Orpheum, and it became quickly obvious by the heavy use of madras and pastels, that most were not residents of the 9th District. I half imagined that the conservative suburban white folks wouldn't flock to a Democratic town hall meeting in the heart of a black district, yet here they were, nattily dressed and tan with nice cars and looking in reasonably good health to me, as in, people who already have health insurance. I wore my T-shirt reading, "I'm one of the 45 million Americans without health insurance," and got my picture taken alot. I guess some people had never seen one before. I attended with my wife and brother-in-law, Melody and Billy, in that order, and although we got there early, the line for admittance stretched around the block and all the seats were taken by the time we entered the cavernous building.

We stood on the side with a large group of anti-whatevers while Cohen's security chief announced that three armed, carry-permit holders had entered the arena and requested for anyone else packing to please identify themselves to the local police. There were a mixture of boos and applause while the preppy beside me shouted, "That's against the law." Now I knew why the white people weren't reluctant to attend, but this was, after all, a community center. Steve Cohen was finally introduced to the cheers and jeers from his constituents and carpetbaggers respectively, but I knew we were in in for a long day when he read the headline from the morning's paper that said "U.S. Economy Shows Life," and a cascade of boos gushed forth from the hostile crowd. When Cohen told the crowd that under the pending House bill, "If you like your current health insurance, you can keep it," it sounded like the referee just made a bad call at a Tiger home basketball game. Then the chants began; "Read the Bill," and "Tell the truth." If Cohen had announced free beer and Bar-B-Que, this crowd would have still booed.

A parade of doctors on both sides of the issue stoked the fires, with the crowd cheering wildly for those condemning health care reform as governmental intrusion into the free market, and shouting at others who stated that the poor deserved health care too. See, these assembly-line doctors who get paid per procedure don't want anything to change because, like street Mafiosi, they're in on the skim. Another jock doc sent the crowd-turned-mob into a frenzy by blaming all the problems of the health industry on the high cost of malpractice insurance. With two wars, an economy on the brink, and unprecedented collapses in the home, banking, and auto industries, you don't know what surreal really means until you stand in the middle of a crowd of angry, red-faced, rich white people chanting, "Tort Reform!" A thunderclap of boos erupted when Dr. Neal Beckford said, "There are fifty million uninsured Americans," as if railing against the facts would change them, but the largest display of hostility was reserved for the doctor who announced that he had read the House bill and, "There was nothing in it about euthanizing Granny."

Boisterous crowds had gathered around us when suddenly a dispute about free speech broke out right next to me. Linda Moore reported in the Commercial Appeal:
Within 15 minutes of the start of the event, a nearly nose-to-nose confrontation between individuals with opposing views became so heated they had to be separated as Shelby County sheriff's deputies and Memphis police officers called for reinforcements. No arrests were made.
OK, so that was me. A knuckle-dragging, Fox News talking-points spouting heckler believed he had the freedom of speech to come into my district and prevent me from hearing my Representative, bellowing, "Stop Lying" in my ear the entire time, and I felt I had the freedom of speech to tell him to be quiet. I might also have thrown an epithet or descriptive adjective in there somewhere. Of course, I said "Shut up," and he thought I said "Stand up," so there was a brief flare-up and exchange of words that was followed by some macho posturing until I felt hands on my shoulders and arms, one of which belonged to brother Billy who was telling a muscled loudmouth with a salon cut to get his finger out of his face. Security immediately stepped in and the meeting continued. The burly heckler looked hard at me a few times, but there was a Sheriff's Deputy standing between us now and, you know what? He wasn't so eager to act-out after he was challenged.

What I want to know is, where were you? I scanned the crowd and you weren't there. The news has been filled with clips of town hall meetings across the country erupting into organized chaos and there was a good chance it was going to happen here. So, why did you allow an enraged mob of former Bush voters to hijack an important democratic function and throw your elected Congressman to the wolves? Where were Steve Cohen's friends and loyal supporters when the modern equivalent of a torch-bearing, superstitious mob of townspeople descended on his meeting with his constituents? Where were the self-congratulatory whites to defend him, who thought Cohen's election signaled the start of a post-racial paradise, and the patriots and champions of freedom who permitted this assault on democracy to go on unremarked? And where in this crowd of 1000, were the black people? I saw, aside from members of Cohen's staff, maybe a dozen African-Americans in the hall. Your congressman was speaking on your behalf today too, and that you weren't there to hear the message makes me wonder if its apathy, or an early indicator of support for Cohen's foe for re-election, former Mayor Willie Herenton.

The last time I saw passions run this high was forty years ago over the war in Vietnam, so something deeper than health care reform must be driving this anger. In 1970, I participated in a Knoxville protest of Richard Nixon's use of a Billy Graham Crusade in the University's stadium to show he was still able to speak on a college campus after his announced invasion of Cambodia. My assignment was to stand at the main intersection and hand out leaflets explaining that our protest had nothing to do with Reverend Graham, but the angry Christians pouring in by the thousands were outraged by these alien, shaggy-haired weirdos that had taken over the college without ever realizing that they were their own children. I had never felt so detached from the society's mainstream as then, but now I know why. The mainstream is sometimes polluted. The angry protesters at today's town hall meeting are like the fabled "Silent Majority" of the Nixon years. They are confused and afraid that there are things beyond their control, even sinister forces, that mean to alter their way of life, because the era of white entitlement is fading away. Another of the doctors speaking today was roundly booed for reminding the mob that fear and lies, repeated over and over again, will always trump the truth.

I regret that because of recent spammers, your comment may not immediately appear, but I will try to post all legitimate comments as soon as possible. RJH

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42 comments:

Divers and Sundry said...

"Where were Steve Cohen's friends and loyal supporters when the modern equivalent of a torch-bearing, superstitious mob of townspeople descended on his meeting with his constituents?"

We weren't as loud -not nearly as loud- and were certainly not as well organized, but some of us were there. I enjoyed your report. It reports the same type of experience I had.

Anonymous said...

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to keep other people from speaking. Those unhappy with the latest elections manage to pervert logic at every opportunity.

James Parks said...

I wish like hell, I'd known about the town hall meeting, 'cause I would have been there, for sure. This latest "bully" tactic, ala Broward County mob attack on the Election commision during the Florida recount process, is an abomination! I am disgusted by this new ploy, but it IS working. These attacks, across the nation, on Congressman's Town Hall meetings are having an effect on the weak little chickenshit representatives. They appear to be frightened and easily lay down for the screaming mobs! It has been torture to watch the news reports on TV about these Town Hall fiascos! I sure wish I could be at some of them to fight back!

I haven't heard how Steve held up against the Karl Roveian shenanigan, but I pray he will speak the truth, and tell these "demonstrators" just how important health care reform is to our country, and why! The President is certainly NOT backing down and neither should our good legislators! I'm sure Steve will bear this thing with dignity and fervor! WE NEED to get the word "insurance" out of our language when we speak of health for all our citizens - period. Give 'em hell Steve Cohen, and somebody please tell me when I need to be there to help balance a mess like this recent desperate ploy!

I need to be on Steve's volunteer list, because this time around - I intend to work my tail off in jis campaign for re-election. Herenton MUST be defeated, and Ameirca MUST change the way we do health care in our country.

James Parks said...

I wish like hell, I'd known about the town hall meeting, 'cause I would have been there, for sure. This latest "bully" tactic, ala Broward County mob attack on the Election commision during the Florida recount process, is an abomination! I am disgusted by this new ploy, but it IS working. These attacks, across the nation, on Congressman's Town Hall meetings are having an effect on the weak little chickenshit representatives. They appear to be frightened and easily lay down for the screaming mobs! It has been torture to watch the news reports on TV about these Town Hall fiascos! I sure wish I could be at some of them to fight back!

I haven't heard how Steve held up against the Karl Roveian shenanigan, but I pray he will speak the truth, and tell these "demonstrators" just how important health care reform is to our country, and why! The President is certainly NOT backing down and neither should our good legislators! I'm sure Steve will bear this thing with dignity and fervor! WE NEED to get the word "insurance" out of our language when we speak of health for all our citizens - period. Give 'em hell Steve Cohen, and somebody please tell me when I need to be there to help balance a mess like this recent desperate ploy!

I need to be on Steve's volunteer list, because this time around - I intend to work my tail off in jis campaign for re-election. Herenton MUST be defeated, and Ameirca MUST change the way we do health care in our country.

gregg said...

These poor people who by themselves are just your normal everyday man or woman who do their job and love their children but are so unfortunately unintelligent that when lead by anyone who has any desire to lead them anywhere can turn them into a insolent snarling jeering bunch of drooling sharp toothed sheep. These unfortunates are unable to understand much and so don't need to know much to be mobilized. What we see now is about as sad a commentary on your average bear in our country as we dare want to see. Fifty-three million of them voted for Mr. Bush the second time.

An interesting analogy would be to compare the suicide missions of the unfortunate 18-20 year olds who are sent gladly off with bomb belts around their adolescent chests and bellies to blow themselves and anyone around them to smithereens in an Iraqi Shiite wedding procession and the sad unfortunates who disrupted Steve Cohen's meeting. Our USA bomb-belters whose masters, the insurance companies, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, have sent them out to commit their own potential suicide and the homicide of their families, and all their friends who have or will lose their jobs, lose their health benefits, and develop conditions that won't be seen until it's too late because their masters, the insurance companies, won't pay for their care as long as there's no profit to made off of their sorry lives.

I'd call them lemmings but lemmings can't become rabid.

TomInJacksonMS said...

The Brownshirts in the '30s were sincere and passionate, too. There is a dangerous pathology in the land. Scary.

Cousin Cliff said...

Fondly remembering a year ago when dissent was the hightest form of patriotism.

GREGORY said...

a huge outbreak of public stupidity
my personal solution would just get me it trouble!
G. LIEBE

Anonymous said...

Randy & Dr. Gregg,
It is a real pleasure to have known the two of you all these years. I did not realize that the brilliance of your intellect until now. It is amazing to me that the only true way to look at things is your way. All who have different Ideas are idiots. Now that is what I call real sympathy for the under class. Your are so smart that to disagree with you lowers your intellect by 50 points. Randy please stop referring to yourself as uninsured. If you are it is because you are too cheap to pay the cost.
P.S.
Have you read the bill?

Fair and Balanced said...

Belligerence is the currency of the intellectually bankrupt.
A pathetic glimpse of the power of ignorance and fear to confuse and break down the national dialogue is now in plain sight at many town hall meetings on health care reform.
To anyone wanting to go to the source - here is the text of the Health Care Reform Act under consideration.
Don't buy into the politics of fear and belligerence! Inform yourself!


H.R.3200 Complete

Dan Rather said...

That wasn't you I just saw on CNN was it?

Fair and Balanced said...

Nope, wasn't me... and Paul really wasn't dead either!

Anonymous said...

you're right. I shoulda been there.
A white guy

David Fleischman said...

I lived in LA during the "Rodney King" incident. I saw first hand, civil unrest, anarchy in the streets. It's scary and uncontrollable.
If the devisiveness, animosity, hatred, and fear continues to rise as they have since the election of George Bush and has continued under Barack Obama......I have no doubt that we will see the same thing in and on the streets of our country.
Civility is a thing of the past.....or so it seems.
"can't we just all get along"....unfortunately and apparently......we can't.

Gimme a break said...

If there is a category for "one sided, hypocritical, closed minded" blogs, you will certainly get my vote.

Steve said...

We weren't 'disrupting'. The news accounts aren't complete or accurate. The disruption didn't begin until after an hour of calm and polite questions with the congressman not answering, evading, changing subject, demeaning, condescending, and then saying that we 'need' this and that he will vote for it regardless of what anyone thinks. No one organized me or told me what to say or how to act. All of this is very spontaneous. When the left does this it’s called grassroots and democracy. When the right does it it’s called organized, fake, mean spirited and Astroturf. Ever been to a college when someone from the right speaks? He/she is shouted down and food is thrown at the speaker. It’s ironic that the left complains when they are at the receiving end of a pissed off constituency. But, unlike the left, no one was paid or bussed in. We all live in the districts we attended. Obama is spurring what we didn’t have before –passion and involvement. Remember Hillary and Pelosi both said loud dissent, pulling politicians where we want and forcing them to hear us is the essence of democracy, or did they mean only when it is directed against the right?

Father Farken said...

The great Billy Lee Riley was buried in Newport, Arkansas yesterday! A Red Hot August Day! My question is , Where were you? There were so few people there that Six little green men had to carry the flying saucer shaped casket to his resting place! It has been reported that his last words were directed to Jerry Lee Lewis, "Your Gal Ain't Doodley Squat!" The Peace of the Lord Be with you always Mr.Billy Lee Riley! And also with the BAH Community! Father Ferghus Farken
PS...SOME BODY CALL SAM!

A Friend said...

Randy,

Here is your spammer:

David Merchant
10 Benning St. #121
West Lebanon NH 03784
Phone: (603) 632-9823

I ferreted this out by poking around in the blog address that he left before you banned him and deleted the comment. Here is the link to the page where he reveals his name and address. I checked it out with an address lookup. It matches the address that he gives in his blog:

http://4merly-a-person.livejournal.com/11876.html

The guy is a real piece of work. Tormented and bitter, which explains his rage somewhat, I suppose, but does not excuse his vitriolic behavior.

Just passing this information on to you in case you want to take some action. The free access of commentors to your blog shouldn't be hijacked by nutjobs like this guy. Have a look at his blog. He's slandering you, calling you Charles Manson and so on, trying to incite others to spam you, I suppose.

I've been following your blog for some time now, and with great pleasure. You see, I grew up in Memphis, family belonged to Temple Israel, and you were 4 years ahead of me at CBHS. My older brother and you were in the same class. I had the pleasure of playing some informal, spontaneous guitar with you at Kippy Lichterman's Halloween party back in 1972, although you probably wouldn't remember me, but it was a real high moment for me, let me tell you.

I'm telling you all this so that you'll know that I'm not a smurf trying to feed you bad information.

I hope that you can get shut of this guy. He's dangerous.

A Friend

Anonymous said...

Randy, you are sooo predictable. I wonder if you take as jaundiced a view toward the tactics of liberal groups such as ACORN. Liberals have been causing disruptions at engagements for at least the past 45 years and I bet that you thought that that was pretty cool. And, your brand of racism and class warfare would never be directed toward toward blacks, no matter how bad their behavior. You reserve your type of racism toward whites who have applied themselves, persevered in some sort of career, and consequently have earned some money. I suspect that your vitriol toward successful white people is a twisted form of self-loathing since with your brilliant mind and your considerable talents you amounted to nothing in this life. As a consequence, you cringe at the sight of successful white people because they remind you of what you might have become. You remind me of an old high school friend of mine who became the consummate hippie. In '68 he went to India to study under a guru in an ashram for a few years and then returned to the states where he joined a large commune for 12 years. He is rabidly liberal and despises the sight of well-to-do whites. Never mind the fact that he squandered his time, energy, and intellect pursuing a will-o-the-wisp and is now in tough straits. He hates all who are not as down and out as he is. I think that it is a common syndrome. I used to admire you, but now I feel that you are to be pitied...a failure who despises success and all the trapping that success brings like the nice clothing that the successful whites were wearing at the townhall meeting. What a sorry state you have decended to. Maybe you should have studied more and smoked less dope. I'll be surprised if you don't censor this.

Anonymous said...

Wow!! Talk about an elitist with a death wish for those who see things differently. Doctor G reveals that he has a 'kill them all' reflex toward the underlings who would dare to disagree with him. Now that is scary indeed. Just think what someone like him would be capable of if he had any power...death camps, torture for dissidents, etc. Randy, you really should distance yourself from such arrogant, over educated, and apparently truly dangerous people. It makes me wonder how many other liberal types are like this...a left-wing Hitler.

Anonymous said...

Talk about having a chip on your shoulder. The title of this commentary, 'Uppity White People' speaks volumes about your world view. Would you have written a commentary about uppity blacks? Of course not. It takes less courage to beat up on whites, especially successful ones. According to your world view, whites who are successful are worthy only of scorn. Your blog is so unwaveringly liberal. This speaks of imbalance. I am considered to be fairly conservative, but I hold quite a few liberal beliefs as well. I am suuspicious of people who are all one way whether liberal or conservative. I just don't believe that in real life anyone can be ALL one way. Well, except for you. You must have been raised by commies.

Anonymous said...

The government will run public health care with the same effectiveness and efficiency that it runs the post office, public education, and everything else that it is involved in. Medicare for 300 million will be a nightmare of ever increasing costs and ever diminishing quality. How could you think that it would be otherwise with the government's track record? And, rationing is an inevitability when 47 million more people are dumped in a system with the current number of doctors. It will be interesting to see how many (intelligent) young people will want to become doctors when in effect they will be government workers. The void will be filled with poorly qualified affirmative action types. The really bright and capable ones will not want to be under the thumb of the government. Wait and see. Rationing will be an inevitability. And guess who will be rationed...the elderly, of course. By the age of 72, in another 10 years, I will be due for a second heart by-pass operation. By then that will cost $200,000 or more. Do you really think that the gov. will fork over that much for someone my age? And, the low cost gov. option will eventually run the private insurers out of business. I have seen a clip where Obama himself says so. He said that there will be a transition period of maybe 10, 15, or 20 years, but in the end there will be only the gov. option. I saw and heard that with my own eyes and ears. And what about the inevitable waiting lines to see a doctor. We have all heard the horror stories from Canada and the U.K. And how come Congress wants no part of this plan for themselves? The reason is that they know how bogus it is going to be. I want all people to have access to medical care, but why do they have to draw everyone into the same gov. system? 80% of people like their health coverage the way that it is. Why can't a system be devised that covers the 47 million that need coverage and leave the rest of us alone. I already know the answer to that one. It is because the facist elitist want everyone to have the same shitty health care service regardless of income. What is next? Black pajamas and bicycles for everyone because the elitist want everyone to suffer the same poverty? That is the thinking of you socialist kooks. Why do you have to be so sadistic? And Randy, in a couple of years you will be eligible for Medicare. You will get all the health care services that you need. If the gov. option goes into effect you may be one of the ones who are affected by the rationing. Just as you need a by-pass they may say that it is not cost effective and give you some gov. issue pain killer while you wait to die. I hate to say it but it would serve you and your ilk right.

Randy Haspel said...

Dear Anonymous,
And to think that I was just one hit record away from earning success and admiration in your eyes.
Randy

Anonymous said...

I am looking at things the way that they are and it is called reality. Reality is a tough thing for liberals to deal with. I just don't like the fact that many who squandered their substance in their youth and pissed away their opportunities in their youth are coming after the wallets of those who played by the rules, studied hard, made the sacrifices to stick with a career in spite of the pain, and who have a few bucks in their wallet as a consequence. In light of that many liberals act as though we committed a crime for the effort that we expended and hold their hands out for what they consider to be their cut of the loot. Someone else's loot. And, they use the government to do their dirty work. That is what makes a liberal. It would be more honest if you would rob people yourself, but that would take some effort on your part. It is easier to let the government rip folks off and then send your cut in the mail. Why not be an honest criminal...so to speak. It feels pretty good to support yourself by your own labors. Too bad so many libs will never know that feeling.

Father Farken said...

This may surprise some of you but the one thing that bothers me about our current president is that when he wants a bill passed he comes across like a car salesman speeding his sell through without us knowing what we are paying for or what we are exactly getting! This has made some of us shout & even disrupt meaningful discussion at town house meetings! Let's face it! We fear Su-su-su-Socialism! Fellow Patriots we must take a stand! Yes stand right where you are & take the Tea Party Patriot Pledge with me!
I__________, choose to refuse any goverment-run program such as social security, medicare, state or federal pension or insurance or VA benefits plans, public libraries or schools, fire protection & public utilities including TVA or national or state parks! I pledge to give up all these "socialist" programs to be true patriot of rhe United States of America so help me .....uh... G*d have mercy on us! There must be more to all this than I thought! Please help us see the light & choose the right path in bringing health care to our beloved nation! Amen! The peace of the Lord! Fr. Ferghus Farken

Divers and Sundry said...

"The government will run public health care with the same effectiveness and efficiency that it runs the post office,"

The post office was privatized some years ago.

The military, on the other hand, _is_ run by the government.

Anonymous said...

Randy, if you are going to censor my comment about Doctor G and his 'kill them all' statement, I would think that you would censor his comment as well. I would think that you would want to distance yourself from someone making such a Hitleresque statement. If a conservative had said the same thing I think that you would be up at arms. After all, you are a staunch peacenik. To let that pass puts you in a de facto position of agreement with him. At the very least I would think that you would call him out on the extremity of the statement. I haven't even heard Rush say such a draconian thing. The Doctor expressed a desire to kill all who politically disagree with him. However, you liberals will stick together no matter how dastardly your compatriots are. You would never let a conservative get away with saying such a thing. You would journalistically pound him into the ground. But then, you may be thinking that only liberals read your blog and a sentiment like that would be shared by many liberals. I haven't yet thought of you as a hypocrite, but I am beginning to wonder.

Anonymous said...

The military is not run by the jokers in Congress. The reason that it works as well as it does is that Congress pretty much lets the military run their own affairs. It still is not very cost effective, but it's all we have. If Congress ran the military Mexico would overtake us in a week. Surely you are not trying to make a case for the thrifty and efficient way that the government handles its affairs. If you think that, it just means that you never worked for the government to see the beast up close and personal. And, the Repubs are not much better than the Dems. In fact, the Dems are apparently more cunning and better organized. George Bush's legacy is the election of Obama. For that, he deserves all of the vitriol that comes his way. And, if the post office were truly private it would have gone out of business years ago. If it is not part of the government then it is just as wasteful and inefficient. And, Father Farken you don't have to be a smartass. Socialism is a real threat to non-socialists. I guess that lets you off of the hook. Yes, lots of socialistic measures have been implemented over the years, but there is a tipping point beyond which the government runs the whole show. Margaret Thatcher said that the fundamental problem with socialism is that it eventually runs out of other people's money to spend. Hell, we are already there. We are spending China's money through their loans to us. And the Dems want to keep spending money. What do they care...it is someone elses money so let it rip. That may not bother you, but I would think that you, being a man of the cloth, would show a little respect for the fears and concerns of those who are not as socialistic as you apparently are. You might feel differently if you ever had to make a payroll. You probably think what's the big deal about the gov. rifling the wallets of the producers and then passing the loot around. If you had to start a business with your own wits and your own hands you might not be so cavalier about the issue. Having said all of that I am now wondering why I am wasting my time and energy to persuade the unpersuadable. Liberals are impervious to things like facts and truth. They just get in the way of their agenda.I guess I must be a bit of a masochist. I can't wait to see the ass-kicking I will get for saying all of this.

Randy Haspel said...

Your comment about ACORN reeks of knee-jerk conservatism. Stop scapegoating for the disaster that happened the past eight years. Your way resulted in a war of choice, a Constitutional nightmare and the desertion of the poor. If black people from South Memphis had gone to Germantown and disrupted a public meeting about Medicare, or anything, they would be pulled from the hall and arrested for disorderly conduct and inciting a riot. You know it's the truth. Yet these whites with Medicare cards in their wallets believe they can shout down a U.S. Congressman with impunity. The misinformed belligerents from outside the district are trampling on my civil rights to hear from my Congressman. Protest comes with the risk of a fair share of abuse attached. Just ask me. The people around me acted surprised that someone challenged their bad behavior. Imagine that.

Divers and Sundry said...

"Surely you are not trying to make a case for the thrifty and efficient way that the government handles its affairs."

No. I'm just getting tired of the "we don't want the government to have anything to do with it" cries.

Where were the folks objecting to congress running the military when we invaded Iraq? Where were the people who object to the expense when we invaded Iraq? Where were the people who say we can't have a government-run program when we were busy buying up large parts of the private sector? I'd have loved to have heard some of this back then.

Anonymous said...

Randy, apparently you mistake me for a Republican. The past 8 years were not 'my way'. I am libertarian with some anarchistic leanings, if anything. As far as I am concerned the antics of ACORN would be repugnant to lots of folks whether they are politically involved or not. I never cared for rabble rousers whatever the political stripe. And, George Bush was a joke. He and his crew paved the way for the problems we are now facing. Obama and the far left are just exacerbating the problems that Obama inherited. As far as the remark about ACORN is concerned, I could have pointed to any number of leftists groups going all the way back to the Democratic convention of '68. The leftists are past masters of rabble rousing. Frankly, I was surprised that the conservatives had the backbone and spunk to stand up to anything. I don't like chaos. I prefer order so that things can be discussed and clearly understood. The shouters hurt their own cause. What you are seeing more than an organized Republican assault is just so many pissed off people who feel disenfranchised and have lost their capacity for reason and that can be dangerous for everyone. In fact, we may be flirting with the beginnings of an actual revolution of some sort. That could get real messy. Ask the folks in Northern Ireland. If blacks went to a political rally in Germantown they would be handled with kid gloves. We no longer live in a country where blacks can be mistreated with impunity...the whole world is watching to borrow a catch phrase. In summary, some of the behavior at the townhall meetings has been embarrassing. Everyone needs to cool it so that we can get some idea of what we are backing into with health care. I'll say this for a certainty. Anyone, conservative or liberal who trusts the government has a rude awakening coming. I have a vested interest in this health care business because I am 63, have had one heart by-pass operation, and have been told that heart disease is like rust, it never sleeps. I will be due for another by-pass in 10 years, give or take. So, this is deadly serious business for me. It is common sense that health care is going to have to be rationed and on strictly economic terms a 72 year old man with a bad heart is expendable. You could say that my life is on the line with this bill. And so is yours and all of the rest of the boomers. It bothers me that so many people put such blind faith in Obama. He and his close associates make me very nervous and that is not a political statement. I am a student of human behavior and the more I learn about him and his close associates the more nervous I become. I didn't feel like this during the campaign. In fact, I was glad that he beat Hillary. It is all of his massive, rushed programs that are being force fed us and the stupid fucking politicians who pass bills that they don't read. What if there is a clause in one of the bills that says that everyone must offer up their first born as chattel to the government. That is hyperbole, but you get my point. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark and it will take a while to see exactly what that is. I feel that the country is in great peril and that the bottom could drop out at any minute (at least economically speaking) At any rate we are walking on thin ice seeing as how we are broke and are living on the largesse of foreign governments. I shudder to think of what the Obama gov. has in store for us in the case of a dire emergency such as a complete implosion of the economy. I don't think that we would be able to recognise the country after the reconstruction. I don't know if it would be a change that I could believe in. When Obama talked about change during his campaign he was short on specifics. I think that as people are finding out about some of the specifics they are getting a little freaked out. We no longer live in Kansas, Dorothy.

Father Farken said...

To Anon 5:41! Peace be with you! I guess I did sound a wee bit like a smart ass but what I said about our president...I meant! He wants to rush every thing through in emergence mode! Didn't President Bush do that with the war! Listen! I prayed every day for President Bush! I'll pray every day for President Obama! And I'll pray every day that he never becomes King Huss! I am not a Socialist but I am a pro lifer! Life for the unborn! Health care for the poor! I am not a pacifist but I am called to be a peacemaker!WAR AS A LAST RESORT! Care for the Aged! It was prolifing whites that stood in the trenches with the blacks in the days of SEGREGATION! IT'S NOT A MATTER OF liberalism AGAINST CONSERVATISM! IT'S A MATTTER OF MINISTERING LIFE OVER DEATH! We have 3 enemies! The values & attitudes of the world with all its violence, greed, lust and lies, the flesh...that is Pride & all its desires and of course...the obvious...the damn devil! At least that's the way I see it! If you reread the thingie I wrote I was calling for G*d's grace & mercy to show us the way!Let's work together on this! But let Randy be Randy! You don't have to agree with him but it is his blogging blog! By the way! I know what it is like to be self employed! I have been a Furniture salesman, coached football, taught art, been an artist. Bar-tended, been a bouncer, Came close to going in Professional Sports (football, wrestling. boxing) Did a little Stand up comedy but G*d called...and the pay is low but more than I deserve,,,he wants servants not the powerful! What I learned as an artist is to see things from many different angles! Sounds like you & Sputnik were or are real close friends! Hell brother! Never let politics get in the way of a good friend! Peace be with you! The Smart Ass Padre!

Anonymous said...

Divers and Sundry...I could have given you an earful, but you didn't ask. Just kidding. Look, we are all going to die anyway,so can't we all just be friends during the interim. I mean at some point in time the Sun is going to burn out and all of this sound and fury will signify nothing in the end...just eternal cold and blackness. So, let's throw down a cold brewsky, smoke a bowl, and wait for the end with light hearts. Screw politics. It is a fool's game. But then, I guess that is easy for someone who could die any minute of a heart attack to say. I might have said something different 30 years ago. I might have said, let's throw down a cold brewsky, smoke a bowl, and chase some tail. What else is there? But, enough of heavy philosophy. Where's my pipe? See, I still have a sense of humor even after watching the townhall circuses. Is there redeeming value in that?

Anonymous said...

Randy, apparently you mistake me for a Republican. The past 8 years were not 'my way'. I am libertarian with some anarchistic leanings, if anything. As far as I am concerned the antics of ACORN would be repugnant to lots of folks whether they are politically involved or not. I never cared for rabble rousers whatever the political stripe. And, George Bush was a joke. He and his crew paved the way for the problems we are now facing. Obama and the far left are just exacerbating the problems that Obama inherited. As far as the remark about ACORN is concerned, I could have pointed to any number of leftists groups going all the way back to the Democratic convention of '68. The leftists are past masters of rabble rousing. Frankly, I was surprised that the conservatives had the backbone and spunk to stand up to anything. I don't like chaos. I prefer order so that things can be discussed and clearly understood. The shouters hurt their own cause. What you are seeing more than an organized Republican assault is just so many pissed off people who feel disenfranchised and have lost their capacity for reason and that can be dangerous for everyone. In fact, we may be flirting with the beginnings of an actual revolution of some sort. That could get real messy. Ask the folks in Northern Ireland. If blacks went to a political rally in Germantown they would be handled with kid gloves. We no longer live in a country where blacks can be mistreated with impunity...the whole world is watching to borrow a catch phrase. In summary, some of the behavior at the townhall meetings has been embarrassing. Everyone needs to cool it so that we can get some idea of what we are backing into with health care. I'll say this for a certainty. Anyone, conservative or liberal who trusts the government has a rude awakening coming. I have a vested interest in this health care business because I am 63, have had one heart by-pass operation, and have been told that heart disease is like rust, it never sleeps. I will be due for another by-pass in 10 years, give or take. So, this is deadly serious business for me. It is common sense that health care is going to have to be rationed and on strictly economic terms a 72 year old man with a bad heart is expendable. You could say that my life is on the line with this bill. And so is yours and all of the rest of the boomers. It bothers me that so many people put such blind faith in Obama. He and his close associates make me very nervous and that is not a political statement. I am a student of human behavior and the more I learn about him and his close associates the more nervous I become. I didn't feel like this during the campaign. In fact, I was glad that he beat Hillary. It is all of his massive, rushed programs that are being force fed us and the stupid fucking politicians who pass bills that they don't read. What if there is a clause in one of the bills that says that everyone must offer up their first born as chattel to the government. That is hyperbole, but you get my point. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark and it will take a while to see exactly what that is. I feel that the country is in great peril and that the bottom could drop out at any minute (at least economically speaking) At any rate we are walking on thin ice seeing as how we are broke and are living on the largesse of foreign governments. I shudder to think of what the Obama gov. has in store for us in the case of a dire emergency such as a complete implosion of the economy. I don't think that we would be able to recognise the country after the reconstruction. I don't know if it would be a change that I could believe in. When Obama talked about change during his campaign he was short on specifics. I think that as people are finding out about some of the specifics they are getting a little freaked out. We no longer live in Kansas, Dorothy.

Randy Haspel said...

To Mr. Anon.
Accepted and thank you.
Randy

Anonymous said...

Father Farken, I stand corrected. You are indeed a man of God and I apologize for speaking to you disrespectfully. I guess if we all knew more about each other we would be less likely to say hurtful things. I apologize. Actually, my finer self is in agreement with everything that you said. Perhaps I need to get re-acquainted with my finer self. I have fallen into some low living lately that has hurt me spiritually and it shows in some of the things that I say. I too want health coverage for everyone. I could never be the one to say 'no' to a sick or hurting person. I just don't trust the government and don't believe them when they say that the options for non-government insurance will always be there and that there won't be rationing. I certainly don't have to be ugly when I express my views, though. So, I'm sorry for the disrespect. And, I have admired Randy from afar for many years. I wish that we weren't so politically different, but I still remember the scripture that says that life is more than meat and the body more than clothing. You are right. Political differences shoudn't be a source of separation. Life is too short and love is in too short of supply in this world. I am sure that on our death beds the clarity and care with which we have loved others will speak louder than our political views or the material goods that we may have accumulated. Thanks for bringing me back to a better sense of proportion. I watch too much news and it has a corrosive effect upon my state of mind I guess.

Divers and Sundry said...

"See, I still have a sense of humor even after watching the townhall circuses. Is there redeeming value in that?"

Yes! I'd be all in favor of arguing the politics over the beer. And then laughing at the circus clowns who take it way too seriously.

Divers and Sundry said...

"I just don't trust the government and don't believe them when they say that the options for non-government insurance will always be there and that there won't be rationing."

Too many people don't have the option for non-government insurance now (or any insurance, for that matter), and we already have rationing (much in the news lately with the guidelines on who will be able to get the swine flu vaccine, for example). The insurance companies are already convening what amount to "death panels" when they make decisions to deny coverage completely or deny coverage of doctor-recommended treatments.

I don't see how we can continue the current profit-motivated, health-insurance-company-run health care system. We agree that what they're considering in Congress has flaws, but the issue isn't even on the table if the Republicans hold the majority. Something must change, and now's our best chance.

Father Farken said...

Thanks for the kind words my friend. You made me a bit weepy!Hey we are all trying to overcome something! The Apostle Paul had his thorn in the flesh that wasn't covered under medicare! Me...ADHD! My head has more channels than Comcast & Direct TV put together! It's amazing how G*d uses our weaknesses. It's also amazing how the past can come back & bite you on the arse. I was raised in Frayser(Tn)...lived there 18 years. Thirty-five years later I am invited to come back to Frayser and to be the guest preacher at a Protestant Church!When I walk to the pulpit I notice that a pretty lady in the choir is some one I use to date in ages passed. Then I am getting all red in me face & hot under me clergy collar because I am realizing that I knew this lady a lot more than I should have! What is worse is she is sitting in an inappropriate position with her choir robe all dangling....winking at me...and pursing her lips toward me! Thank G*d I was standing behind a pulpit! (You know ministers can get a stiffy too.) All I could think of was Bobby Blue Bland singing YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION & the Apostle Paul telling Timothy TO FLEE YOUTHFUL LUSTS! So I cut the sermon short so I could flee this most embarrassing situation!But before I can cut & run my old friend from the choir stands to sing a most moving solo...RISE UP OLD MEN OF G*D! That just about did it! When I was asked why I cut my sermon so short I innocently told them, "Don't you get tired of guest ministers always preaching to the choir!" The Peace of the Lord!Father Ferghus Farken

Drew Hadfield said...

Enough about politics and serious issues. I'm wanting your take on Les Paul. A comment on Dewey Phillips getting a Beale Street Brass Note would also be welcome.

Anonymous said...

"SOME BODY CALL SAM!"
-----------------
I say raw raw daydaw

Anybody wanna buy a duck?

Randy....
Regards from an old fan now retired in Florida.

Regards,
Hairy Harry

Anonymous said...

"Day Gaw"

(I know better.....fingers still in training)


Regards from the South Coast,
Hairy Harry