One Righteous Rant

[filkertom]

Really, don't miss this one.

Comments

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Thanks for pointing that out.

Another important essay is located here

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

That is a really interesting motherlode of information there, thank you.

[mdlbear]

Wow! Thanks!

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

While it is well written, and a lot of fun, it reminded me too much of the rants about liberals I've seen written from the other side. Taking the worst aspects of a political ideology, ramping them up to 11, and ascribing as common characteristics. It's wrong no matter who does it.

All this because of a Confederate flag decal? I look at those faux-flags (what people think is the Confederate flag is a mix of the Confederate battle flag and the second Confederate Naval Ensign) and just think the person is both historically illiterate and bit foolish to celebrate one of the most spectacularly unsuccessful military forces in history. Faced with a string of utterly incompetent Union generals, the CS Army still managed to lose time and again. Why celebrate failure? But I can recognize that the Confederate flag has become an almost romantic symbol of a rebellious attitude and rose-colored pride in Southern history.

Maybe it's because I'm heavily medicated this morning, but I can't get excited about a rant that engages in gross stereotyping.

[kengr]

Check the followup (linked to at the bottom). He covers most of your objections, including the bit about liberals.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Allow me a somewhat dissenting point of view.

I think the ranter is reading far too much into it.

I don't think the dude with the monster truck and the cheap-patriotism stickers and the big freakin' rebel flag really hates America at nearly the length nor depth the ranter thinks he does.

You see, I grew up with these people. I don't think they think that deeply, or that hard.

I'm not accusing them of being dumb. Most of'em are pretty smart when it comes to fixing trucks or ag equipment or fishing (which is a lot harder than it looks! BTDT!) or other things that don't have keyboards. I knew a fellow once who could barely sign his own name, but if it had an internal combustion engine (diesel or gas) and wheels or tracks, he could work on it, and he could run a backhoe like it was an extension of his own arm.

They're two things. They're tough, independent, stubborn, proud individuals; they don't like taking charity from anyone. "Makin' their way, the only way they know how," as Waylon Jennings sang.

And these days, they're scared. Things are different. The world has gone and got all computer-y, and there's a black man in the Oval Office, and jobs are scarce, and credit even more so... and if something breaks that they understand, they can fix it, but they don't understand how the world is broken, much less who caused it...

And they're more than willing to listen to somebody who has All The Answers, especially if it puts the blame elsewhere.

Scared... but defiant. That's what that rebel flag is about. It doesn't - for him - necessarily stand for slavery and oppression; it's just a big fat digitus impudicus to this f-ed up world, that he's gonna keep on doing the things the way he wants.

His fears own him. He doesn't have *time* to own his fears; if he did, he'd probably fly a "Don't Tread On Me" instead of a CBF(*). He's just making his way, working his tail off when he can, drinking cheap beer and watching Fox News when he can't, and trying not to max out his credit cards.

It's a gross generalization... but it's probably not that far off. The Battle Flag means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, some of whom have a lot longer memories (and more of a bent for studying history, or just plain studying) than other people do.

Basically, what I'm saying is, never attribute to active malice what can adequately be explained by ignorance. Yeah, a lot of the time the outcome is the same, but intent does matter, at least in America... and I don't think, absent further evidence to the contrary, he intends harm, just... he wants to be left alone.

Only problem is, America don't work that way; you can't just stuff your head in the snow and pretend things don't matter.

The *headline* is probably right. He probably thinks American==Christian, and probably believes most of what he watches on Fox every night. Those of us who study know better, that America==freedom of religion for *everyone*, Muslim, Buddhist, Wiccan, or atheist (among a bazillion others). But I don't think he hates like the ranter thinks he hates. I don't think he has time. (There *is* a strong possibility he's racist or anti-gay, but I think it's just because they're *different.* But I'm not sure it runs that *deep*. I don't think he *is* that deep.)

I could be wrong. But I kinda doubt it.

Please to note, I don't *defend* Mister CFB's actions. Flippin' the virtual bird all the time in public isn't the best idea. I sure as hell wouldn't fly it in Cascadia, for whatever reason, precisely because somebody's going to make the same assumptions the ranter will. I'm just thinking the ranter is reading far too much into this.

(*)(Personally, I fly a Cascadia flag... not so much a digitus impudicus as just to say, "The mountains are high, the Emperor is far away, and this is our place, and we live as we choose." (Which is quite a bit different from Mister Confederate Flag, I daresay. :) No real "f-you" element.)

[alverant.livejournal.com]

That was my impression too. It overshoots the target, but is a lot closer than many are willing to admit. The people who want to "get the government off their back" are all too eager to put it on someone else's. They also tend to think their lives are the normal and if you're different you're not just inferior, you want to drag them down too. Even the acknowledgement of people who are different and that they're legally equal is evil.

[kayshapero]

The ranter himself makes it clear he's using a straw target, not an actual driver, as launching point for some stuff that's been driving him nuts.

I agree - as usual, it's not hate that's the driving force, it's fear. Good old future shock. Things are changing rapidly (and the rate is increasing) and things that were so are no longer so and things that weren't so are and in general that's scary if you don't think you can cope with it. I suspect most of us here, like me, are feeling too much like the proverbial kid in the candy store to be afraid; heck, a lot of this is stuff I've waited for all my life. But what about the guy you're talking about? He's feeling more like a subsistence farmer in an epoch of climate change who can easily starve without predictability. And there're all too many folks who are quite happy to give him someone/thing to BLAME.

[awfulhorrid.livejournal.com]

For some reason we have some of those CBF people here in Wisconsin. Very much like the author of that article, I really do feel like asking them questions, but I really don't want to talk with them. My first question, of course, would be if they realize they're in Wisconsin. (You never can tell, perhaps they got lost and think the South is merely experiencing a particularly bad winter or something.)

Great rant; thanks for bringing to our attention.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

Do you think those people realize they're now in Fitzwalkerstan? I can get behind people having decals of the Wisconsin flag flying upside down. I need my own upside-down WI flag.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

I have to go with gridlore and technoshaman. It's reading a lot into MCF and a lot of stereotyping and assumptions. I do agree with "You hate the idea of a republic, of representative democracy, where Senators and Representative don’t do only what you want." in that it's what "small government" people really mean. But in all fairness, I want the government to only do what I want it to do too (OTOH, I want it to obey and enforce the law and not let some laws go unenforced because it would mean coming down hard on industry).

But we're a COUNTRY damnnit! That's suppose to mean something. We should start acting more like a country and less like a 50 separate countries. I know our name is United States, but that doesn't mean what some people think it means. You want freedom and liberty? So does everyone else, especially liberals. Thing is you also want civilization and a society. That means you have to comprimise. That means you have to follow the rules and accept responsibility for your actions and give up the absolute freedom you think you want.

[sveethot.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing. Many, many thanks.

[mouser.livejournal.com]

I ended up reading the thing in the voice of the Old Spice guy.

Of course, that made it better.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

Oh a quasi-related note, I saw the movie "Paul" over the weekend. It's a good geek movie where two British sci-fi fans go on a roadtrip in an RV after Comicon to alien sightings in the southwest and encounter an actual alien named Paul. The movie is loaded with geek references and is very funny.

The part that's relevant to this topic is that there's a scene where Paul is in the RV's bathroom having an evolution vs creationism arguement with the RV park's manager's daughter. She's using all the cliches and Paul gets very frustrated. He finally says, "Oh, if you think we're made in God's image then how do you explain ME?!" and he steps out of the bathroom and gets in her face.

She faints.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

All I know is, if we are made in God's image, He must need as much health care as we do.

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

Tom, it is my great joy today to inform you that if you and I are made in God's image, God is an Atheist. Yea, Atheists!

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Hm. Yeah, but now we have a dilemma -- we're a supportive bunch, who want people to believe in themselves. What now?

[alverant.livejournal.com]

Well if you massage the definition of "Atheist" to mean "one that does not worship any gods" (not a big stretch, if you don't believe in them you don't worship them), then the christian god would qualify since he doesn't worship himself.*

*In Peirs Anthony series "Incarnations of Immortality" God and Satan (among others) are offices mortals find them in. In one book the current Satan goes to Heaven to ask God what the purpose of the Eternal Struggle is, is it his duty to see which souls are unclean by tempting them or just to be Evil, and other important questions. He discovers that the current God is enraptured with his own perfection and ain't doing shit (like that greek myth where a man fell in love with his own reflection) leaving Gabriel and the others to pick up the slack. Even though it's a work of fiction, it would explain SO much if it were true.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Even if you massage it that way, you still have the problem of The Ten Commandments, four of which are based on worshiping God. He may not worship himself per se, but damn that kid needs positive reinforcement on a cosmic level.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

Definitely crosses the border to narrastic (and at times sadistic). You have to wonder about a god who needs to needs to be told how great he is that often by so many (and about the people who give that praise).

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

The trick is to be supportive, but not enabling.

[odanu.livejournal.com]

It was a truly beautiful rant. I wrote a response over at walkingupstream.blogspot.com, because I couldn't let sleeping dogs lie (not my nature, you know how that is). Thank you so much for the link, Tom.

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

Unlike some of the authors who commented, I thought the article showed a fair amount of restraint. I would probably not have been as kind, myself. For example, I would have included more people in the attack rather than limiting it to a single rather unworthy representative.

I find it alarming that so many in our society, liberals and conservatives alike, take the symbols and trappings of extremism and racism in stride. No. No. No. Racist comments are not acceptable. I've dealt with a few of them in my time. Like the cabbie in St. Louis who was cursing the n-words. I told him I'd be donating his tip to the Black Panthers. Or the "friend" who used the phrase "jew me down." Not a friend from that moment on. It is also not acceptable, to me, to be a member of a group that tacitly endorses such views by failing to condemn them, and that unfortunately includes most of the conservative groups in the U.S., and some liberals as well.

Unchecked, racism dehumanizes groups of people, and the next steps are subjugation and murder. How in anyone's mind is it acceptable to not openly condemn this kind of intolerance and stupidity?

[alverant.livejournal.com]

Exhaustion. It's "wack-a-mole" you hit one but there are always more. Soon you find yourself picking your fights instead of going after each one. You also wonder if you're doing any good. If millions of people point out the arrogance and racism of say Limbaugh, will adding your voice change his mind? Would it change anyone's mind?

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

Here's the problem: Ask most anyone if they'd make racism disappear if they could do so by magically blinking an eye, and most would say yes. Then ask them, well, what if you did that, and YOU were one of the people who disappeared? They tend to get all huffy and in a state of denial. The problem is, the first step to ridding ourselves of racism is to admit that none of us is 100% free of prejudice. It's ingrained in our culture. The next step is doing battle with our own demons, and once that is fairly well underway we can attempt to have the discussion with others. And for the most part, we fail. But people are capable of change. Infrequently. Individually. With liberty and ketchup for all.

Question: I like the blues and jazz, for the most part, but I'm not fond of hip hop, and Michael Jackson does nothing for me. Does that make me racially insensitive, or just a music critic? And which of the two is worse?

[alverant.livejournal.com]

Well first we'd need to know what race MJ was. Now does that make me racially insensitive or someone who makes cheap shots at the expense of a dead celebrity?

(Seriously: music critic, the former is worse.)

[awfulhorrid.livejournal.com]

That largely depends. If you don't like these musical genres because you simply don't care for the melodies, the lyrics, the instrumentations, etc., then you're simply a music critic. If you don't like them because of the ethnicity of many of the most visible performers, then you're racially insensitive. I strongly suspect you're a music critic.

I don't particularly like most modern country music. I think it would be a serious stretch to attribute this to racial motivations!

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

I like it that you say "some" and not "all." Have you tried Miranda Lambert? The Dixie Chicks? Both phenomenally great. I don't know if you'd call him modern, since most of his songs date back to the 70s, but my favorite country singer: Mr. Richard "Kinky" Friedman.

The serious point I'm kind of getting at with all this: I've noticed many people limit their musical interests to their own culture or to one particular type of music, and some label those who don't "get" the music from their culture as biased outsiders. My opinion on this is that if human beings are going to get past our bigotry and ignorance we need to open ourselves up to art, music & stuff that's as far outside our own culture and ethnicity as possible. I like music that invites me to learn about other people, and I tend not to like music that seems intended to exclude outsiders. I also tend not to like music that seems mediocre, uninspired and run-of-the-mill. These things explain (to me) why I don't like Michael Jackson. I'm also biased against opera, because it reminds me of having my teeth drilled.

On the other hand, I'm a huge fan of Reverend Gary Davis, a black gospel singer and guitarist from South Carolina, and I'm a white (formerly jewish) atheist from Colorado.

[batyatoon]

I should have stopped reading as soon as the ranter said so far as I can tell, people like you...

The writer saw a vehicle and a bunch of decals and now believes he knows the driver's opinions about everything. I hate to say it, but I'm very far from impressed. I'm a little sickened, in fact.

I'd have taken it a lot better if he'd begun by just saying "You know what pisses me off about Republicans?" and gone on from there. Even better if he'd put it in the third person plural.

You know, instead of the second person singular, which heaps all his anger and outrage and contempt -- justifiable, if not outright justified -- onto the head of one person whose face he hasn't even seen. Whose name he doesn't know.

People like you.

Yeah.