Leftover Fuming from the Election

All right, I have 2 blog posts in my head, but I'm going to write this one first. And be warned, it's a bit ranty. And political.

All through this election, I couldn't help but notice how COMPLETELY DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED the "sides" were. I have "sides" in quotes because there was such a gulf in reasoning and in looking at the candidates. But there shouldn't be. This entire campaign season turned out to be "Candidate A is the devil incarnate and will destroy the country." Both sides were saying this. For completely different reasons, but both were pretty consistent.

Is it just me or has sanity and moderation gone the way of dial-up?

Take a look at this, for instance. From the ever-awesome cheezburger network.

Now, from my perspective, I looked at this. Blinked. Looked some more. Then did this.

From the ever-relevant Hyperbole and a Half

I have to wonder. Who is right? Is there a right? Because I look at this and remember the entire media operations that exist solely to promote ideology (Fox, Conservapedia, 700 club, etc) and a bad situation that's getting worse (undermining womens' rights [Violence against Women Act is no longer relevant? In which universe?], defunding Planned Parenthood [which educates women on contraception and provides health services to people who otherwise couldn't afford it. Yup. They're undermining society], and a million other things that are chipping away at civil liberties that minorities and women have fought tooth and nail for. You're right, Mr. O'Reilly, the situation is getting worse)

But the more I think about it, and the more I talk to people, I start to wonder. Am I crazy? All these facts I look at, that education and contraception is the way to go, not abstinence and pro-life rallies? But we need war and guns and oil and gigantic trucks and GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY GUNS and LOOK AT ME I'M PATRIOTIC. And because I'm so patriotic, I'm not going to listen to anything you're saying. It's like facts don't matter, but even facts begin to pale in the face of this kind of blind belief. It's like being a patriotic republican is turning into its own religion. Why else would so-called "red states" be trying so hard to defund public education and keep their populace in ignorance?

I think what I'm getting at is this kind of hardcore propaganda and indoctrination has me feeling like I'm the crazy one in this occasion. I propose that we sit everyone down and go over a fact-checking session. Take half an hour from MSNBC and half an hour from Fox and tell everyone which part is right, which part is twisted, and which part is just plain wrong. Then we shut down both and revamp CNN to be less of a pop-phenomenon and more of a true bi-partisan network asking actual questions of politicians and holding them to their answers and promises.

But more than that, we need the American populace to care about their future and their lives. We need people to remember that the more educated are the more dangerous. That we're the ones that remember learning about the fall of Rome, the fall of Napoleon, the fall of Stalin, the fall of Hitler. The rise of America (as it once was, not that 1950's bastardization that only appeared on TV) and why it was founded in the first place (you know, freedom. All freedom, and not just religious freedom.). The rise of great men in our history and what exactly made them great.

And take a hard look at what's happening now, with the corruption and war chests, and corporations running the country into the ground. Look at who's letting it happen and who's fighting it. Because I guarantee you the Red and Blue states are that because people think there's two options. But it's really only one - the corporations. And the more the networks do their slight of hand and "look at me look at me!" broadcasting, the more the American people lose. Both in intelligence and liberty.

Next blog entry - nothing quite so heavy and ranty. I promise.