Not My Imagination

My last two posts were about what I perceive as the rampant racism that has reared its ugly head in this country since Barack Obama was elected President. I am thankful that, while raised in the deep, dark south, I was not raised to be a racist and any attempts to change my beliefs have failed. (My ex was not a racist when we married and he was active duty - or he hid it well - but after spending a few weeks in our hometown he returned with an 'us vs. them' mentality.)

I am told (quite often) that I 'throw the race card' with no thought. That bringing up race is my first, instead of my last, idea to counter an argument. So while I found this article over at Fallenmonk disheartening and disturbing, it was a huge relief to realize that it's NOT just me. Others see what I see. Others understand that the recent assaults on women, on the poor and middle class, on the sick and homeless are bad, but our descent into the Southern Plantation mindset is truly happening and things are going to get worse instead of better.

I considered (and am still considering) posting the link to my Facebook page. I am not expecting anyone to actually read it or comment on it. I can get almost 200 comments on my status update of "W00T! It's Constitutional!" But I have seen almost nothing on my posts about the TB breakout here in Florida, or about Gov Nikki Hailey's comments about the sympathy that South Carolina has for rape victims, but there just isn't any money  to help those same victims (both links are above).

I am sad about what is happening in this country. I am appalled that the Republican party spent two years trying to pick anyone but Romney but now they have jumped onto his bandwagon in a manner that tells me they have NO IDEA what or who they are supporting - what or who they will be voting to implement. As someone who was not necessarily a John Kerry fan, I can understand voting against someone, but I could tell you why I was voting against W. Do people know why they are voting against Obama? Do they not see the what has happened in the history of this country?

"For most of our history, American economics, culture and politics have been dominated by a New England-based Yankee aristocracy that was rooted in Puritan communitarian values, educated at the Ivies and marinated in an ethic of noblesse oblige (the conviction that those who possess wealth and power are morally bound to use it for the betterment of society). While they've done their share of damage to the notion of democracy in the name of profit (as all financial elites inevitably do), this group has, for the most part, tempered its predatory instincts with a code that valued mass education and human rights; held up public service as both a duty and an honor; and imbued them with the belief that once you made your nut, you had a moral duty to do something positive with it for the betterment of mankind. Your own legacy depended on this."

This does not sound like Mitt - raised rich, bullied in school, no respect for the family dog, the workers who depended on him, or his own beliefs. Mitt is all about Mitt. When did that happen in this country? Can it be stopped?