I’ve watched the RNC all week. I have always watched both conventions. I think it is our responsibility as voters to know everything and to listen to everyone.
As I watched I took some notes for what was going to be a wrap-up post about the convention.
I found some facts showing how Obama’s record and accomplishments were being misrepresented
I was going to share what living in Rudy Guiliani’s NYC was really like and how he has no right to the title of ‘America’s Mayor’ and certainly has not earned the right to make jokes about community service.
I wanted to tell you all that according to the Home Décor section of Lowe’s there are 657 shades of white. I think that’s a low number. I saw far more in the crowd of delegates.
The thing is - this has all been covered. All week I have read the most eloquent and well researched posts from many of my fellow bloggers.
So I got to thinking about the one thing about the convention that really bothered me.
It was the mocking.
From the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Main Entry: 1mock
Pronunciation: \ˈmäk, ˈmȯk\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from moker
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1: to treat with contempt or ridicule
2: to disappoint the hopes of
Like bullies who have no other form of communication.
Like dullards who didn’t do their homework and now have no real facts to share.
Like elitists who have nothing but disdain for their fellow citizens.
Like the over-privleged self-entitled who just know they’re superior – they have no real proof of their superiority but it doesn’t stop them from owning it.
The genius that is Karl Rove took the fear of 9/11 and spun it into a wonderful web of control. And so many of us bought into it.
Now the fear-mongers are afraid. More people than ever before are paying attention. More people watched Barack’s speech than ever before. A stadium was filled with thousands of people – all ages, all colors, all types of human experience. All Americans.
Now the fear-mongers are afraid.
They’re so afraid that they steal the words from the very person they mock.
Why? Because his words have power and his words give power to the powerless.
Powerless people with power!?
Now the fear-mongers are afraid.
They promote the value of chauferring children to soccer and hockey games while spitting on the value of community service.
Why? Because they don’t serve their communities. They don’t even know their communities.
They rehash heroic deeds from 40 years ago.
Why? Because they have no new heroic deeds to describe.
They misrepresent and over state their accomplishments.
Why? Because they couldn’t find enough real people to fill 4 days. They couldn’t find enough real Americans to tell stories we could relate to. They couldn’t find enough retired military officers willing to share a stage with them.
Now the fear-mongers are afraid.
The beauty of America has always been idealism in the face of daunting truth.
The beauty of America has always been courage no matter the odds.
The beauty of America has always been our ability to shine a light on the darkest corners.
The beauty of America has always been hope in the face of fear.
And that makes the fear-mongers afraid.
And so they mock.
I took the image from stinkyjournalism.org. I tried to find one wearing lipstick but alas that too is a lie.
32 comments:
I'm still working on my post but I went to the dictionary too. I so agree with you about the mockery, the nastiness. It's the school-yard bully syndrome. It's people who have no merit of their own so they try to make them selves look good by tearing down the other guy. It's ugly. I hope it bites them in the butt.
Oh gosh, it will be interesting two months, won't it? I made up my mind long time ago so I just change the channel for the commercials and mockings. And yes, I watched both, too.
Have a wonderful weekend!
I saw both conventions, not gavel-to-gavel, but more in prime time.
Mocking is bound to happen - and this goes back to the earliest elections in the Republic. Andrew Jackson, in fact, blamed his opponents for the death of his wife I think in the 1832 election.
For the worst is election campaigning banter, try to avoid "Politico.com'. The comments sections of any post bring out the absolute worst for each side. It is far from civil discourse and uncomfortable to read. a real and palpable meanness seems to exist all around.
We've tried to teach our kids to respect other points of view - you don't have to agree with others, but respect all views. They'd want the respect in return.
Civility and respect are really lacking these days. It's going to be a tough election season
raven - of course you're still working on yours! You have been throughout the past 2 weeks the most civil and well researched blogger! You really should submit to Huffington, I think Arianna would love you.
It was really you more than anyone that I was referring to. I can not begin to have the tolerance you exhibit time after time!
You rock Raven!
ivanhoe - I find that people not born here often have far more respect for the process. I'm so glad you watched both. You impress me all the time.
ralph - I filled my TiVo with C-span. I just can't handle the pundits, not even the 3 major anchorpeople - not for this. I think people are exhausted and afraid and that brings out the worst in us at times. And then there are those who exploit that - like shouting fire in a crowd.
I am working very hard on remaining civil and respectful. At times my sarcastic humor is misunderstood but I do try to never be mean spirited intentionally. I hope the country grows and learns from this election.
Dianne, you knew I'd have to come for this one, right?
You didn't really say it, but I got the feeling you were implying it was only the Republicans mocking. Or would you call this "respectful discent"?
A few isolated phrases from Mr. Obama's speech:
"McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time?"
"It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it."
"John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives."
"The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -"
The whole thing is nothing but mocking from both sides. I don't feel uplifted. I feel scared. Scared that people will make stupid choices out of ignorance. I'm so frustrated and sickened by the whole process. This is supposed to make us proud of our country?
I caught a bit on Radio 5 this morning where they had delegates extolling the heroic values and pushing the military kind of angle ...
I thought that was a bit rich, coming from a party who's current president got the label of "draft-dodger" ... Which is a bit of a shame because it detracts from what Bush Sr did in military service.
There's a very short memory in politics.
PS Google search for "bush draft dodge", 2nd article listed on democraticunderground, will expand on the draft dodging thing.
I have spent a lot of this morning reading the Times online and the various opinion pieces ... this post should be on the Times Opinion page .. once again Dianne,its spot on... there's a message/posting board I used to visit and when times become political all the nice posters turn into rabid uninformed attackers ... when they cant repute a fact, they attack the poster. Someone pointed out that the RNC was 99.99% older white men (and women) and this woman, who says she is a teacher but gawd help the kids she teaches, posts 'what convention were you watching, there are people of every color at the Republican convention I am watching'... Sigh, she was corrected by several other more sane posters but she ended up turning and saying that the attendees at the Democratic Convention were more white .. at that point I just clicked away from the site .. I refused give in and post: Excuse me, but maybe the color on your TV is busted.. that man who was speaking to the 'whiter' group? He's BLACK.
Oh and she thought Mrs Palin was just WONDERFUL ...
We can do this... we can turn this country around .. everyone MUST vote .. and you must help get people who need help getting to the polls .. the independents are the ones who will swing vote this .. do not let them swing the wrong way!
:-Daryl
Daryl directed me here. This was great. Thank you for being another eloquent voice for those of us not quite as eloquent. It was the tone of voice that got me, and the sneer on the face.
Do vote, but take my advice and VOTE EARLY. Don't wait for Election Day. I'm assuming you know where your Early Voting locations are, but if you don't find out. There are going to be very very long lines on Election Day. It is imperative that we get out the vote this year. Your country depends upon getting rid of these hypocrites.
Dianne, unlike you I didn't watch more then 5 minutes of both conventions combined. Just not that interested in love fests and Americans with nothing better to do in these troubled decades than to spit at one another.
I will research and find information and then backcheck from at least two different sources the original information. Much like I would do if I were writing another novel. This is responsible, at least my idea of it.
America's new sweetheart looks not bad in her desecrated flag bikini holding a semi-automatic rifle, but what they don't say is that MS. Palin is an advocate of hunting bear and wolf from airplanes and also advocates a bounty for each left foreleg of a killed wolf. I am no PETA person, I like meat even if I don't kill it myself but to me hunting is for sport or food where is the sport in her advocacy of airborne hunting...BANG kill your prey, land cut the foreleg off and take off. Last I heard wolves and bears were still an integral part of the eco system, they must provide some balance within it that would be missing if they are hunted for bounty. To me this is symptomatic of the Republican party since Reagen...all for profit, nothing for fairness to the planet.
I also know the evangelical church she was brought up in and still attends, it is one of the more "spirit filled" churches with speaking in tongues not uncommon and prophecy as well as other "manifestations of the spirit." It's fine by me but not for a politician who will be guided by what they honestly believe the voice of God speaks to them. God is not a registered member of any party and I doubt God is that concerned with the affairs of society to delegate the work of spiritual people to a politico.
McCain is a hero because he failed at war? He got shot down and captured? To me that makes one a failure as a soldier, not a failure to be punished but one certainly not to be lauded as a notable attribute for a president.
His wife and kids can all be a wonderful family but his current marriage was the product of a less than honest relationship with his first wife. Is this another character trait I want in a president...it is not a condemnable offense, people cheat all the time, but he wants to be held to a higher standard only when it doesn't hurt.
I am no true believer in the Barak Obama hymnal either but I will say that he has earned my respect after I read his position papers on volunteerism and Americas place in the world, how we should be benevolent but not a patsy for them that would oppose us. I agree with his first opinion that all foreign leaders belong at the table of accord regardless of what some previous administration labeled them. The exclusion being bin Laden. he is a rogue thug and I believe that Obama has the testicles to finish him in the way he deserves, not by starting wars on bogus charges to hide another agenda of securing bases in sovereign nations. To me it would have been much easier to be for Obama had he not changed some of his stances for political expediency.
So comes the day, November the 5 2008 I will exercise my right as I have in every election except last years MI primary because if I don't; then it means to me I am then complicit in whatever the new administration does and that is one thing I never want to be known as ... a sheep.
Indeed they do mock because they've got nothing left but to mock, and hide behind the American flag and patriotism so false as to be easily torn tissue paper.
What struck me most about McCain's speech was the forced (if not cued) cheering and applause the audience gave his flubbed, lackluster address. Mind you, I care little for the aesthetic of his delivery, but I saw it as a metaphor for the Kool-aid-drunk mass that is the Republican National Convention.
Cannot imagine how you managed to sit through the RNC. I couldn't do it. The minute Mrs Palin opened her mouth I had to cut out.
You are right of course. Bullies and braggarts are always afraid and ready to run and hide when push comes to shove. I am so, so weary of it all.
I am, thank God, surrounded by people who pretty much agree with me, but I am even weary of their agreement, since I do not hear the solutions coming as to how to convince the fence sitters. Mrs.P's history re animals and the environment helps a lot. But is that enough?
The Walking Man is quite confused. Sarah Palin is not his little Maxim pin-up girl. She’s managing a twelve billion dollar budget while raising five children and running for vice president. There are no pictures here. The other ones you might have seen aren’t real either. Click
[HERE]y for the truth on that.
Then tell me how much more "above board" many supporters of either candidate are ...
C'mon people - at least stick to the issues.
dana ...thank you I checked three more sources which I should have done first...the bikini pic is photoshopped and a cheap shot...but I will stand by the rest of my statements concerning the governor of Alaska. The Huffington post actually was the first that pointed of the photoshopping of the pic that I found.
Dana I've never read a copy of Maxim, if I did I doubt that this Palin woman would be an ideal pin up for it.
Palins state is not going to subpoena her for the issues concerning her governing style and that's good for her I suppose but to be honest ...I'd like to know what her actions concerning her ex-brother in law were and what they were motivated by. See that is a character issue, just as support for the air born slaughter of bears and wolves for fun. Or are neither of these real issues either? What exactly is fair game when questioning her character? Do we treat her differently then them among us treated H. Clinton, dems and reps alike called every decision she made both public and private into question...or is this relative new comer to national politic to be somehow sacrosanct because she has no foreign policy experience, no military experience, no administrative experience dealing with the needs of more than the nearly smallest population of all the states?
Or is God telling us to not question her with the same mouth we question other candidates because she is a "believer?"
My hope is that Americans will take their role as active participants in government seriously. Our future as a democracy depends on it. We have been passive too long....
HI EVERYONE!
I love and respect you all - you too Dana although I totally disagree with the comparison of Obama's speech to the endless, non-stop mockery that was the RNC.
For the first time ever I just can't answer each of you one-on-one. As much as I tried to make the post above funny and tongue-in-cheek I am actually very uncomfortable, more than a bit down and very cranky.
At the moment I'm never more than a second away from screaming FUCK YOU! at anyone for any reason.
So I think I'll stay away from things that require civility and a clear mind.
I love that you all talk to one another and as I said - I care so much about all of you.
Keep on keeping on!
and CAROLE - WELCOME!!
AAARGH! can i please oh please send this to my dear mother-in-law?
i love it. and you're fair and actually nice in your words...
exactly how a confident, kind person would sound, methinks.
karey - anything of mine is yours to share and thank you for your kind words.
Well said!
I am new to your blog, having just "met" you through Wordzzles.
What a wonderful and though-provoking post. It made it mad all over again - and I need to stay mad at LEAST until November, so thank you!
byrningbunny - thank you
chatty - I appreciate that!
Wow! What a great post! And you actually get thought provoking comments.
I have been steaming ever since Sarah Babe spoke, proceeded by "America's Mayor". I'm just afraid this cheap trick pulled on US in the form of Sarah Palin might work. I must work on my faith in people.
I found you through Rambling Roads. A great find.
Make that Ramblings Woods
Welcome Linda!!
I share your concern! Obama and Biden need to counter all that 'small town is the only town' crap. As a NYer I resent being insulted and disregarded and how hilarious that Rudy is suddenly so folksy. What a joke.
I'm so glad you like my blog and I appreciate the visit and the comment :)
You watched the RNC convention! You are a better woman than me. Just couldn't do it.
But I can report that even my Republican-leaning, Conservative Christian mother was turned off by all the mocking and the Palin speech, in particular.
Dianne: Well written. I watched her whole speech and came away thinking I had just been entertained by a female Don Rickles.
I have concerns over the Obama/ Biden ticket also...but the McCain/Palin ticket scares the bejeebus out of me
657 shades of white? do we need that many shades of white? sorry, i'm stuck on that. stop thinking about the white, holly!
for what it's worth, i sent my absentee ballot in for the taller candidate.
Wild Applause for this wonderful post Dianne! Thank You!
Hugs,
Kimmie
diane - I love to be able to throw it back into the smug faces of those trying to say I'm "infactuated" by Obama
bond - I just read something about Palin being supportive of "gay conversion"!! this is making me gag.
brava holly!!
according to the Republicans you can never have too much white ;)
thanks kimmie!
It was disturbing..yet I listened and couldn't believe the stuff I was hearing...
Amen! I stumbled over here from Ivana's blogroll and boy did I choose a good blog to visit!
This was so very well written. Thank you for posting it.
You said it all, Dianne..! (How did I misss this the other day???)
This is right on the monry and I thank you for putting into words, ALL that I feel, but could not articulate---Even to myself!
Beautifully said and so true--It Is Frightening.
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