This is the title of the Op-Ed by Frank Rich today in the New York Times.
I’ve been reading through the over 800 comments on his piece, and here’s one by a Pauline from NYC that struck a special chord with me. The most popular comment, with over 1300 recommendations, is excellent as well. But none that I’ve read so far has hit the note of this one. But then again I’ve read only about ten of them.
Frank, the reality is that this anger has been building since last year, and it is not only the Tea Partiers.
As dangerous and deranged as these people are, people of every stripe are full of rage at the conditions in this country. For mostly valid reasons.
Quite apart from economic suffering, the daily assault of what life is becoming in America today renders people helpless — and that is the greatest incubator for rage.
The contemptuous dishonesty of the banks, to which anyone who has a checking account or credit card is subject; the corporate stranglehold on everything that touches our lives; the constant wars; torture as a regular topic of discourse; a destructive health care system in the hands of a corrupt, predatory industry; abysmal and worsening education standards and opportunities.
And all of this abetted, supported and kept in place by a platoon of corrupt, bribe taking political hacks.
This is not some crackpot interpretation!!! It is the reality that life in the USA is, and the average middle class person is being bled dry, daily.
LIFE IN AMERICA, FOR PROBABLY 30% OF THE POPULATION, HAS BECOME A BRUTAL, PITILESS EXPERIENCE.
Who would not be enraged? It is in fact astonishing that it has taken this long. But the saddest thing is that it’s the wingnuts who are making the noise.
If the mainstream, who are suffering badly, would in their own way make their voices felt, and stand up to the corporate/state union, they might stave off what all this portends: a slide toward fascism.
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Nutjobs Gone Wild!
August 24, 2009 in Commentaries, Democracy, Politics by Mardé | 2 comments
Frank Rich has another sobering Op-Ed today in the Sunday NYT, The Guns of August. The nutjobs are those “real Americans” who carry all manner of guns during Obama speeches. This is just exercising second amendment rights, Jah? Bush never let this happen at any of his speeches. In fact unarmed protesters were herded off into corals far from the speech area. And now we have crackpot Senator Tom Colburn of Oklahoma blaming the government for violence against the government. Read the Op-Ed if it doesn’t make you sick.
Here’s the most popular comment on Frank’s Op-Ed:
As a native Oklahoman I am embarrassed at both our Senators. What Coburn and Inhofe both share is the Bush philosophy that God speaks to them. I have thought long and hard why our state would elect such idiots and have concluded it is directly connected to the fact Oklahoma ranks consistently at 49th in what it puts in education. I saw a recent survey that only 8% of scientists identify themselves as Republicans. If the Democrats really want to crush the remnants of the Republican party it must put more emphasis on education. If not we will be condemned to more McVeighs, Coburns, and all the rest who believe everything they hear on Fox.
This received 878 recommendations and it’s by Greg from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Tags: frank rich, guns of august, second amendment rights, senator tom colburn