When you see how easily people are frightened by lies and misrepresentations from talk radio hosts or dishonest politicians it really makes you worry about the future of our country.
The Republicans have done everything they can to reduce the intellect of the average voter by attacking public schools and vilifying the intellectual elite. They claim that "Real Americans" are the simply folk who get their news from FOX News and Rush Limbaugh, when in fact the only people who rely on those sources are the "Real Dumb Americans".
But it is very hard to break through that bubble of paranoia that is created by those dishonest media outlets to inject any truth.
You have all seen the comments that come here from the slackjawed knuckledraggers. Do any of you think that sitting down and trying to have a calm intelligent conversation with them would do any good? Not so much.
But the target for any of us are the people who are only vaguely aware of what is going on. The people who really are too busy to get on the internet, or attend town halls, or even read a newspaper. Those are the people who will listen to a friend with good information. So if you know somebody who may be confused or a worried, then it falls to all of us to help educate them.
I just had a conversation with a relative of mine who had heard some of this garbage, and had the sense to come to me for clarification. I sat down and explained the controversy and what the President was really trying to accomplish and had them watch Obama speak on the issue. It made perfect sense to my relative and they left with the facts at their disposal and not the cacophonous misinformation disseminated by FOX News and their allies.
So if you know somebody who is struggling to understand, take a moment to explain it to them. You do not have to attack the Right or ridicule Palin, just give them the facts. Strangely enough, for many people, that seems to work just fine.
Update: If you need a little more ammunition, then read this New York Times op-ed written by your President.
Here's the problem, sir: Palin's "death panels" comment was clearly an argument by emotive language. Nonetheless, the response to this was clearly muffed by the administration and now you here this from Maureen Dowd:
ReplyDelete" (the doctor) who was being portrayed as a proponent of euthanasia, needed to get out there and explain his opposition to euthanasia. So he interrupted his hiking vacation in the Italian Alps to give a raft of phone interviews saying he was taken out of context and calling Palin’s charges “completely off the wall.”
But, much to Sarah’s delight, he also conceded to The Washington Times that his “thinking has evolved” on the “very vexing” issue of deciding who gets treatment and who doesn’t.
“When I began working in the health policy area about 20 years ago ... I thought we would definitely have to ration care, that there was a need to make a decision and deny people care,” he told the paper, adding that he now feels that if we get rid of expensive “unnecessary care” that “we would have absolutely no reason to even consider rationing except in a few cases.”
Despite the administration's attempts to unambiguously deny rationing, this guy admitted it WOULD be necessary "in a few cases".
Again, Disraeli cautioned leaders to never explain. By this guy attempting to defend his views he has tacitly given Palin the ammunition to say, "I told you so." and lobbed another publicity hand
grenade right into the oval office.
Our local TV station also has a website with top stories and a place to comment. I have found this a really good place to post facts. Most of the comments start with radical wingnuts with every sentence ending with an exclamation point. I've noticed that when I start to post the facts the wingnuts go away. This is a great way to refute some of the paranoia that is out there to people that are still on the fence.
ReplyDelete"So if you know somebody who is struggling to understand, take a moment to explain it to them. "
ReplyDeleteAnd do it the easy way. Just tell them that the Senate has removed the provision that Sarah Palin was talking out of her ass about which was really just fine and perfectly appropriate. but it's gone now. Nothing to see here.
Oh, and tell them that Obama has dropped his demand for a public option. This thing is getting better every day.
Great Post!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I have tried to have conversations with people about Health Care reform. Maybe it's just that I live in a deep red state, but some of these people are very intelligent but still will not let you have any conversation with them.
I volunteered on Obama's Presidential Campaign. At first I tried to work the phones.(it was difficult because of my hearing. I have to have a really good phone). Most of the people I talked to would not let me get two sentences out of my mouth. To them, all Democrats were on the side of evil. They had all kinds of excuses. Then I tried another approach. I copied a big stack of papers with the differences between McCain's tax plan and that of Obama's. I had a little more luck with that. I am trying to find out where to sign up to volunteer with the President in order to get the message out. I have written to whitehouse.gov, but no answer yet. If you or your commenter's have any suggestions it would be great. We all have to come together to help Obama on this. We can't let the rethugs and big business win this. There are too many lives at stake.
"Do any of you think that sitting down and trying to have a calm intelligent conversation with them would do any good? Not so much."
ReplyDeleteAgreed...we have a lot of these people in this area, and their anti-intellectualism and inch-deep reasoning skill is frightening. One parent at our school supported Sarah Palin last fall "because she's a mom...Like ME!" and answers almost any argument about potential change in the USA with "because this is AMERICA, and that's how its always been, that's why!"
The main fear seems to be that anyone who isn't far right and hyperChristian will actually have a voice. One parent at our school referred to another child's father as "that Arab, you know the father with the turban!" The family is Hindu and about as peaceful as they come. But hey--I guess all threats to the status quo look alike with nutjob goggles on.
Now, most of the NJs I know graduated from high school, then got married and had babies--but have no higher education, and very little travel other than to state parks in surrounding states. Their life has been right wing suburbia probably since childhood, and anything outside their "norm" (white, middle class, Christian) scares them half to death.
@6:58, Palin did not originate the idea. That old death panel meme originated from Betsy MacCaughey. Palin plagiarized it, like she does everything else. The Palin woman doesn't have a thought in her head.
ReplyDelete(It isn't "emotive" language. It's a "lie" that's been around for years.)
So you can quote THE ART OF WAR (as you did yesterday) & Benjamin Disraeli (as you did yesterday) all you want, but it is irrelevant.
It's a new day. It's the 21st century. Times have changed. Communication has changed. The U.S. population has changed. Pres. Obama knows this. Mrs. Palin does not: she's posting on FaceBook and thinks that's "new technology." It's hilarious since it's a teen-originated social network.
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Gryphen, good for you for reaching out and speaking with a relative. Great advice to give us all. Healthcare reform is here and needs to happen.
I agree, most people will respond to one on one discussions. I have found stating some facts help. I posted this on the ADN letters to the editor today.
ReplyDeleteThe whole "death panel" debacle is so outrageous. Every adult, no matter what age, should have in place their wishes for end of life. You could be in an accident tomorrow and become comatose, then it will be up to close relatives and the courts to decide what to do. It is a matter of responsibility to spare your family from making those decisions. The health care bill wanted to reimburse this consultation to your insurance policy. Now they are going to drop it because of all the uneducated people who are against it. For those of you who want to be responsible, you should do this anyway, and have the paperwork in your medical files, so people don't have to guess. There are legal forms called "Advance Directives" that can line out your wishes. You can state who you want to make decisions for you, medications or procedures you don't want to have and so forth. Now you will need to pay it out of pocket. This item on the bill was giving you the power and taking it away from the courts.
I am a Canadian citizen...a strong suporter of President Obama, his family and his team.
ReplyDeleteI have many US friends & relatives { yes, they are legal US citizens, for like their parents they were born in US }.
For going on three years and more, I have done my research and checked out all facts on Pres. Obama. Sad to say..I have lost a few friends and have a few relatives that are hopping angry with me. For I have constantly been sending them..all that I have learned about your wonderful President. Yep, I even sent those emails to my Repug friends and relatives. And to my Can. friends and relitives..so they will have the truth to share and refute when necessary.
I just recently sent everyone the email on Health Care Reform that I received from Mr. Axelrod from the WH.gov site. I have received some thanks and notes of that email being very informative. So my friends I too join you in trying my very best to educate some folks..even those very nasty liars and hate criminals.
Keep up the good work Gryphen...and all US Obama Bloggers and friends. I am so very proud of you, I commend and salute all of you.
Sincerely,
Eileen C. Tallon { aka EileensHoot }
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Canada
Yawn...
ReplyDeleteHow'se it hangin' Gryphers? :)
Slow news day- BUT tomorrow I believe we get to see Sarah try to wriggle her way out of disclosing financial details regarding her sponsors and gifts...
Looking forward to more drama from Wasilla
Thanks for sharing this video.
ReplyDelete***Please sign this petition*** to have paid health care removed from our representatives in Congress until such time as they reform health care – to include a strong public option – for ‘we the people’ who they are supposed to represent.
ReplyDeleteThen spread the word to anyone and everyone you know!
http://www.petitiononline.com/PubOp676/petition.html
Sarah is in Alaska?
ReplyDeleteRe: Canadian citizen:
ReplyDeletePolitical preferences as well as religious (and sexual) are best left discussed with those of a like mind.
I know that may seem cowardly but just think about it: is it worth alienating and possibly losing a true friend because conversations become animated and possibly white hot? It happens.
When we enter rough waters it's our friends who are going to help see us through, not the president or his minions.
I'm on the different side of the aisle than politically than all but one of my friends--but they will never know it. Why? because they are as convinced of the legitimacy of their beliefs as I am of my own. I have NEVER swayed the religious, sexual, or political opinions of ANYONE who disagreed with me, no matter how compassionately I attempted to do so.
If, for the sake of argument, one wanted to make the claim that Jesus was the most powerful speaker in the history of civilization, there were still many who turned and walked away when he attempted to "convert" them.
Spare yourself the angina and let people discover truth in their own way
and in their own time or leave them to their folly and ignorance.
It worked for the Buddha.
I don't think i saw the public option addressed in Pres. Obama's NYT Op-Ed. Did I miss it or has it been dropped?
ReplyDeleteFound the answer to my question. NYT money page has a report, "White House Appears Open to Insurance Co-ops".
ReplyDeleteThe problem seems to be in the Senate Finance Committee. The SFC and the White House need to hear from those of us who think a public option is required for any semblance of true reform.
I am not really wanting to explain to anyone how the dems just threw public option out the window. They are just shills for the corps like all politcals. You can kiss any meaningful health care changes goodby. They will do the same with any meaningful environmental or energy changes. Were not grassroots--were just lawn clippings.
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed that Obama is selling us out on the public option.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090816/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_health_care_overhaul
I watched a Documentary (CNN) yesterday evening on the situation in Afghanistan... How they are trying to prevent kids from being enlisted in the suicide killing schools.. by building real schools and teaching kids the art of talking and listening vrs. hate and violence..
ReplyDeleteWhat the soldiers were doing, as well, to help.. by handing out markers and books.. education
It is a strong tool
We are in a war.. THIS is what the President needs to be yapping about on his weekly addresses.. not trying to undo brainwashing by the loons on the right
It's health care people! This is a good cause.. it brings peace and unity.. it is American through and through..
Yet they bring out the pitchforks and slanderous rhetoric
And now Pres. Obama has to spend his thinking time clearing notions up like "to death with the old people" .. "Trig will be killed" .. "the Gov is going to take away all health care and raise taxes .. we are doomed"
while we are at WAR
sad
Anyone see MTP this a.m.? Former republican congressman, Dick Armey calls medicare "tyranny". One can infer from his comment that he is against medicare and wants to see it abolished.
ReplyDeleteThose of you who watch Rachel know that Armey's Freedom Works is one of the instigators of the hate-fest going on in the town halls. We need to jump on this...this is a talk point that could drown out the death panel lie. We need to ensure that it is brought up at every town hall, in every blog and in every health care reform conversation.
It's time to take back control of the conversation!
http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/0809/Dick_Armey_calls_Medicare_tyranny.html?showall
@ Anonymous 11:29
ReplyDeleteWell aren't you the harbinger of change and perseverance - NOT! I prefer not to consider your attitude one that does anyone any good whatsoever. So, while you are bumming yourself out, the rest of us are moving forward by adding our efforts and voices to the process. Good luck, don't get too depressed and bring everyone down around you, too, also.
I am saddened by the attitudes of so many. I think they simply do not care about their fellow Americans unless they think and look exactly like they do. I'm also surprised that churches and synagogues are not standing up for a public option. This is not the America that I love.
ReplyDelete"The Lord has blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts--so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them."
ReplyDeleteJohn 12:40 (NLT). I think it rather fits this situation.
And annie, don't be surprised. Most churches and synagogues in this country are now, sadly, fully owned subsidiaries of the GOP.
The real problem with 'health care' is that our medical models still perceive and treat the human body as a conglomerate of separate parts, rather than as the manifestation of an energetic field in which not only do all the parts interconnect, but the resulting body functions in relationship to its surrounding energetic fields.
ReplyDeleteWe are learning through quantum theory that what we think of as 'reality' is incredibly subjective at all levels. In the future, the shamanistic techniques of 'singing people into health' may once again make perfect sense. At present, the intense focus on 'diagnosis' only serves through observation to 'collapse the quantum field' into a specific disorder which may then be 'treated'. At great expense.
Much of the alleopathic medical care model is imploding, as it should. What is needed are transitional care models which bridge the chasm between perception of the body as mechanical collections of parts and perception of the body as physical manifestation of energetic fields.