Anthony Guerrero
The Paw Print
Ever since the election of President Obama, right-wing conservative anger has been at an all time high. It is understandable to be upset and devastated when your party is completely removed from power, when the other party gains a super-majority, and when you insist on continuing to believe in failed policies that the American people have drastically rejected. However, the anger I am referring to and which we are witnessing comes from something inherently deeper in conservative ideology, something they have been battling with for decades, something that keeps progressing. Consequently, when they don’t know how to stop it, they resort to tears and even to violence because they want “their America back.”
Just what America is this? America as I’ve always known it is pretty much still standing, breathing, and living. I would have to assume and clearly define it as the America without an African American president. Opposition to a president from an opposing party is to be expected, but the level of rage being expressed toward Obama and the federal government currently is not validated. What other possible, valid, logical reason could their honestly be?
Conservative media pundits and politicians are almost entirely to blame for this new ordeal in our society. Fox News and individuals such as Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’ Reilly, and Pat Robertson have completely hijacked the conservative side of the political spectrum and created mindless clones that no longer understand what it means to be conservative. Take recent comments by two of these individuals for example, referring to the devastating crisis in Haiti. Americans and the rest of the world have united to try to help rebuild and bring relief to this nation. President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton even joined forces to provide sufficient aid. Two prominent spokesmen for conservatism came out in opposition to the assistance of this nation affected by tragedy. Rush Limbaugh stated on air, “We have already donated to Haiti; it’s called the American Income Tax” while persuading his supporters to not donate to any American government agency trying to assist. On his program, Pat Robertson said that, “a long time ago Haiti made a pact with the devil, and now they are being punished.” As a Christian, I find both of these comments morally disgusting. It is astonishing to me that anyone who is a Christian and a conservative would continue to support and defend these men. But that’s modern day conservatism for you.
Glenn Beck – where do I even begin with this clown? He has completely reorganized history books and lessons just to fit his flawed perspectives. He is more an entertainer than a journalist, a self-admitted fact, but his conservative followers believe in his every word as if he had a Ph.D. in American history, which he does not, in case you thought he did. He loves to rant about secret societies and government conspiracies while simultaneously being a member of the LDS (Latter Day Saints) Church who will not let non-members into their temples because they are “sacred.” On one broadcast he called President Obama a “racist” and someone who has a “problem with white culture.” The President’s Caucasian mother and grandmother would have probably found this statement troublesome.
When the president first took office, the FBI released a report that because of the election of an African-American president right-wing hate crimes were expected to surge. Republicans were quick to cry foul and claim that this was only a way for the Obama administration to violate our First Amendment Rights. Not so fast, party of fear; let’s look at the facts. As a result of these types of blatant lies by conservative media outlets and politicians there was an immediate fear that Obama was going to crawl through our bedroom windows and steal everyone’s gun and by executive order demolish the Second Amendment. I’m still waiting for the president to even utter the word “gun.” But this didn’t stop the mindless clones; they went out and bought as many guns and ammunition as they could until they caused a shortage. In any event, we must thank them for that boost to the economy.
Were right-wing hate crimes just in the “liberal-elites” head? No! Take also for example the assassination of an abortion doctor and the mentally unstable conservative who carried out the action. He believed it was his Christian duty. Even this man’s family claimed they had become fearful of him. Every day you hear conservative media pundits and politicians rant about an “out of control government”, “Obamacare”, and “taxes, taxes, freaking taxes.” Well, that drove a man in Texas to drive a small plane into an IRS building, injuring his fellow citizens and setting his home ablaze. His motivations were that he could no longer stand this “large out of control federal government.” Senator Scott Brown, who unfortunately took the great Senator Kennedy’s seat, yawned at this event and said, “Well, no one likes paying taxes.” Ha ha.
Mark my words friends, a modern day conservative will come to the defense of every action and word I described in this article. Until then, and until next time, beware of the liberal media!
Mr. Guerrero,
Thank you for your very reply. My point in stating the CNN poll is that though there is anger among the right wing folks that people from the left, right and middle are not pleased with the government. I disagree that I took the quote from Rush Limbaugh out of context. I understand how politics change and that the party out of power will do what they can to get back in power it’s happened before it will happen again. Make the other party look bad and make yours look good and you win elections. I agree that many people take the opinions of radio talk shows, or as these aforementioned would say the liberal media and make them their own. Of course, they do not stop there they usually add a dash of their own craziness to it and we end up with many misinformed people on the right and on the left. I thank you for clearing up my misunderstanding with where you stand with regards to those of the LDS faith. I only asked for censorship if you had continued writing in the manner that you did when you gave the response that I wrote about. I am glad to see that you have written your other articles in a manner where you still freely express your opinion but you have still been respectful. I will look forward to your upcoming article and your opinion. Oh and Mr. Guerrero, I am not terribly fond of the color purple and I would prefer using a red crayon instead.
-Lyle Carbutt
Well Mr. Carbutt,
You can’t have it both ways. Glenn Beck and others on Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN have said things way worse than anything you could ever find I wrote. You can’t call for my censorship just because you disagree with me and have taken offense, and then say it’s perfectly okay for right wingers to say anything they want and they won’t and shouldn’t ever quit. That’s a deeply failed logic and argument.
Once again, I have never, believe me, never, called for any Conservative’s censorship no matter what it is they have stated, because I believe in the First Amendment. Don’t go celebrating too much either Mr. Carbutt, because of the First Amendment as long as I don’t write something against the law, such as libel or slander, I will continue writing in any manner I deem appropriate, and it will more than likely be printed.
Mr. Guerrero,
Please quantify your statement about conservative anger being at an all time high. Comparisons of past years would be a good start. It may interest you to know that a CNN poll says that 56%of Americans are not terribly happy with the government right now and believe it has become too large and is untrustworthy. They must have asked more angry right-wing people their opinion than anyone else right? I think people are upset about the bailouts that Bush started and Obama has continued. They are unhappy with the unemployment rate that rose under Bush’s watch and has continued to rise under Obama’s watch. They are unhappy with the spending the government was doing under Bush and the spending Obama has continued. But these are just the right-wing conservatives who are unhappy correct? The reason Scott Brown won in Massachusetts is because of right-wing anger. With majorities in the House and Senate and no need for a single Republican vote Democrats have been unable to pass their health care legislation because of right-wing anger and Republican obstruction right? Many polls state that the American people do not want the health care reform that the House and Senate have proposed. They must have only polled a bunch of angry right-wingers. When will they ask someone else their opinion?
I think you are forgetting that Pat Robertson also said that hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for New Orleans. I believe he said that during the Bush administration. I don’t believe his ignorance level has changed in five years. The nut job who flew his plane into the IRS building hated paying taxes, which if I remember right people have been paying since 1913. Let’s move on to Rush Limbaugh. He said not to donate to government organizations he did not say do not donate and give to non-government entities. Rush Limbaugh has and will continue to say things that anger people; he’s been doing it for at least 20 years. Ditto for Glenn Beck. The gentleman who killed the abortion doctor in a church is a nut as are the people responsible for bombing abortion clinics in the South years ago. Murder is never justified.
Let me move on to your problem with the LDS church. Some months ago I did visit your blog. I noticed that you described yourself as anti-mormon as well as other things. In past articles you have written you have stated your anger against the church and those affiliated with it. You have called the church racist and you are now expressing your anger against the church again. Apparently you do not think that church members should call their temples sacred. They must be doing something sinister in those temples. It’s a conspiracy. This seems to be the opinion of someone who has little respect for another person’s beliefs and is unwilling to be educated on what the LDS people believe and why temples are sacred to them.
Mr. Guerrero, you are entitled to your opinion but I don’t think you have done an adequate job in supporting it.
-Lyle Carbutt
Mr. Carbutt,
Thank you for validating and giving credibility to the last line of my article, you are helping me build a positive report. Although, I don’t think it should be necessary to suggest this to an adjunct Professor of Science, I’m going to recommend you return and underline some points with a purple crayon you must have obviously or deliberately missed.
First of all, in response to your assertion that I am denying that American’s are unhappy with our government right now, notice that claim is not made anywhere in my article. Perhaps, my only mistake here is not addressing that I am mainly speaking of wing-nuts, not reasonable conservatives such as yourself who come to their defense. But let me ask you why are our citizens currently upset with our government? Sure, the bailouts and failing economy put burdens and anger on everyone’s dinner table. However, their is also an intense level of fear being deliberately created by the Republican National Committee. Reports just this week, exposed a fundraising strategy proposed by major contributors to the Republican Party that targeted small donation contributors based on creating in them a notion of “fear, reactionary, and extreme negative feelings towards the current administration.” As well as stating that what you do when you don’t have control of the House, Senate, or Presidency is pretend you didn’t lose, and fight socialism. The American electorate are gullible and reactionary, the party of fear knows this. Stay tuned for my next article on this subject. You’ll love it.
Secondly, Mr. Carbutt, politics is an ever changing field with constantly shifting opinions. For all the gains the Republicans are currently making, it could suddenly be swept out from beneath their feet in less than an hour. I would expect you can keep up. Perhaps you should reference some of my previous articles this semester, dealing with the frustration of Americans with our current President’s administration and his proposals, you’ll see we probably agree if you can play connect four.
As for Rush Limbaugh, and the other nutty opinion leaders, well you couldn’t have taken my words further out of context. I explicitly stated that Rush had suggested not to donate to the American government, you obviously and deliberately missed that. My point was that because of the rising nut wing conservative anger, we could point to individuals such as him for the burden of blame. They form opinions Mr. Carbutt, their opinions, turn into two people opinions, which turns into the nut-wing conservative opinions. Which recently, has created violence. However, I have to applaud you for coming to the defense of their First Amendment rights. Wasn’t you who suggested last year that I no longer be allowed to print articles in the campus newspaper? How noble and hypocritical of you. Check my record Mr. Carbutt, I have never, no matter how deeply a disagreement may be, called for the censorship of any Conservative or their heroes.
Lastly, Mr. Carbutt, because I know this is the main, and subliminal source of your anger, I have nothing against the LDS church. Yes, on the blog I previously maintained I headlined it with a definition of myself and it’s topics as being “anti-mormon.” That’s called satire and sarcasm Mr. Carbutt, it was intended for individuals who claim an analogy referencing the LDS Church is me calling them racist or picking on them or having something against them. In which you claim I called them racists, once again I wonder about your comprehension skills. Since their is so much anti-government sentiment, I was only pointing out in that article that many conservatives like to think religion can do things better than government, and that it took the LDS Church until the 1970’s through revelation to come to the conclusion that African-Americans could enjoy the benefits of the priesthood, while our government had decided in the 1960’s that we should progress toward being treated equal; To be fair I could have stated that about any number of churches who were segregated, and may even still be so to this day. I don’t think, nor did I ever say that inside the LDS temples were sinister plots or conspiracies, if you can’t tell, I really hate conspiracies and those that follow conspiracy theories. I have no idea what goes on inside the LDS temples, and if I did know I wouldn’t say because I respect their religious freedom and practice. However, yes, I do think their is a difference between sacred and secret, and that is something I cannot agree with the LDS church on, I will be honest. As a Catholic, I can understand sacred, but their is nothing I would consider secret, or so sacred that I am not allowed by the Pope to ever speak of. I have listened and been educated about the beliefs of the Mormon church for over eight years by the wonderful missionaries that dedicate two years of their lives for this cause. They have been some of the nicest people I have ever met, and I do not have anything ill to say of them or the church. They helped me through some of the toughest periods of my life, when others turned away, and I will always appreciate them. I wish them nothing but the best, and we have always parted as friends. As I will with you Mr. Carbutt, God bless.