Catching up and catching flak
Wow. I hadn't realized how long it's been since I blogged, until I actually came out to post again. Obviously, TOO long. Yes, I can use the excuse that I've been busy...as has everyone. But the bottom line is, I've gotten too used to just pitching out a little tidbit here and there on my Facebook status. Then, every now and then, I'll put out as a "note" or "status update" something that really should be here, in my blog.
Case in point: a couple days ago, my wife and I volunteered at the Iowa Straw Poll. We worked for Michelle Bachmann's campaign, and had a wonderful time. We met some awesome people. It was our first time at a Straw Poll, and...well, I heard one person describe it as part country fair and part political party. And it really seemed just like that. The vast, overwhelming majority of people were smiling, laughing, having a grand time. Polite, helpful, engaging....it was just the most awesome display of....well, of being "Iowan"... that I had seen in a long time. Even though lines were long for some events or people or whatever, very rarely did we run across the crabby person, or the whiner or whatever. It was just plain awesome.
With a few minor exceptions. And this is what set me off, and brought me to post a fairly long diatribe on Facebook.
Why is it that some people can hold a rational discourse on differing viewpoints, while others resort immediately to negativity and generalized name-calling? I had people calling me a whack-job and that I should be locked into a mental institution, simply because I was wearing a "Bachmann Volunteer" t-shirt. I heard others referring to supporters of other candidates as "radical closet fascists" (whatever THAT means).
Then, there were the protesters. Those who yell things like "bigot" and "racist", because of the t-shirt I'm wearing. Really? I don't see myself as a bigot or a racist. And the media...sometimes they just drive me nuts. If a person has a socially conservative viewpoint, they are immediately labeled an "evangelical". Really? The connotation of that word has now become laced with negativity by the media. Why? Because some seriously disturbed person that kills innocent people is found to have a Bible in their home, with various passages circled. And the media labels him as having "evangelical leanings". Really? Exactly what are "evangelical leanings"?
So, I posted a tome about how I was getting fed up with the whole labeling thing. I pointed out that if I were to say something bad publicly about illegal aliens, I would be labeled a "racist". I pointed out that if I were to say something bad publicly about Islam, I could possibly be charged with a "hate crime". I said that if I spoke up against same-sex marriage, I'd be labeled a homophobe or bigot. But if somebody bashes a Christian...well, there are no consequences. It happens on a daily basis. So, in the interest of being "fair", I suggested that if/when I am labeled any of those things simply because I hold socially and fiscally conservative values, and profess my faith, I would counter by calling those folks "Christo-phobes" ... a made-up term, true...but it's the best I could come up with on short notice.
The point of my rant was that dumping people into a "bucket" and sticking a label on them is ridiculous, and simply not right. But nobody gets after people for dumping Christian conservatives into buckets or sticking labels on them. But people get chewed on for doing that to anyone else. And I'm not disagreeing with the fact that people get chewed on for that. I think doing that to people....ANYbody...is wrong. But in my opinion, the door doesn't swing both ways on this. And why is that? Why is it now a 'bad thing', for a person to be white, male, middle-aged, Christian, and outspoken? When did that happen?
People are going to disagree with me on things. From a political standpoint, I fully expect people to be vehemently opposed to some of the things that I believe are the foundation of this country. And they will loudly state that what they hold dear are foundational to this country. That is called "freedom". Fortunately, we have that liberty in this country. Isn't it wonderful?
When we were at the Straw Poll, my wife commented to me that she was not only amazed, but extremely grateful, because we CAN have events like that. We CAN have a forum for potential leaders to state their viewpoints. We CAN have people of like-mindedness gather. We CAN have people with differing viewpoints gather, discuss, and debate. There are, unfortunately, a lot of places in this world where folks cannot do that.
I know I probably offended people, especially some close friends, with my Facebook post. That was not my intent, and if they are offended, I apologize. My intent was simply to point out two things: the dichotomy that exists, and the fact that any of that name-calling, sticking a label on people simply because they disagree...well, it's pointless, and does nothing to help anything. It merely shows that a person has run out of intelligent things to say.
Am I going to go around calling people "Christo-phobes"? Probably not...it's just not my style. I'll probably continue to do what I do now, when people call me names. Look at them, raise an eyebrow, shrug, and walk away. I read somewhere that you shouldn't argue with a fool, because eventually people will get confused as to who is who.
One more thing, totally different topic. Speed camera going up on I-235. I read that it's going to be set to issue tickets when a car is clocked at going 9 mph over the posted speed of 60 mph. Hmmm....so what you're really saying is that the posted speed limit of 60 mph doesn't really apply. The enforced speed limit is actually 69 mph. So, why not change the signs to read 69 mph, since that's what the real speed limit is going to be?
OR....wait for it...how about setting the camera so that it issues a ticket when it clocks a car going at 61 or 62 mph? That is, IF the speed limit in that spot really is supposed to be 60 mph.
Am I making too much sense with that one? Probably. But then again....that's just something I'm cursed with sometimes. Trying to apply common sense to problems that we can make really difficult and convoluted, if we really put our minds to it.
That, dear readers, is my two cents worth for today.
--Larry Voorhees
Case in point: a couple days ago, my wife and I volunteered at the Iowa Straw Poll. We worked for Michelle Bachmann's campaign, and had a wonderful time. We met some awesome people. It was our first time at a Straw Poll, and...well, I heard one person describe it as part country fair and part political party. And it really seemed just like that. The vast, overwhelming majority of people were smiling, laughing, having a grand time. Polite, helpful, engaging....it was just the most awesome display of....well, of being "Iowan"... that I had seen in a long time. Even though lines were long for some events or people or whatever, very rarely did we run across the crabby person, or the whiner or whatever. It was just plain awesome.
With a few minor exceptions. And this is what set me off, and brought me to post a fairly long diatribe on Facebook.
Why is it that some people can hold a rational discourse on differing viewpoints, while others resort immediately to negativity and generalized name-calling? I had people calling me a whack-job and that I should be locked into a mental institution, simply because I was wearing a "Bachmann Volunteer" t-shirt. I heard others referring to supporters of other candidates as "radical closet fascists" (whatever THAT means).
Then, there were the protesters. Those who yell things like "bigot" and "racist", because of the t-shirt I'm wearing. Really? I don't see myself as a bigot or a racist. And the media...sometimes they just drive me nuts. If a person has a socially conservative viewpoint, they are immediately labeled an "evangelical". Really? The connotation of that word has now become laced with negativity by the media. Why? Because some seriously disturbed person that kills innocent people is found to have a Bible in their home, with various passages circled. And the media labels him as having "evangelical leanings". Really? Exactly what are "evangelical leanings"?
So, I posted a tome about how I was getting fed up with the whole labeling thing. I pointed out that if I were to say something bad publicly about illegal aliens, I would be labeled a "racist". I pointed out that if I were to say something bad publicly about Islam, I could possibly be charged with a "hate crime". I said that if I spoke up against same-sex marriage, I'd be labeled a homophobe or bigot. But if somebody bashes a Christian...well, there are no consequences. It happens on a daily basis. So, in the interest of being "fair", I suggested that if/when I am labeled any of those things simply because I hold socially and fiscally conservative values, and profess my faith, I would counter by calling those folks "Christo-phobes" ... a made-up term, true...but it's the best I could come up with on short notice.
The point of my rant was that dumping people into a "bucket" and sticking a label on them is ridiculous, and simply not right. But nobody gets after people for dumping Christian conservatives into buckets or sticking labels on them. But people get chewed on for doing that to anyone else. And I'm not disagreeing with the fact that people get chewed on for that. I think doing that to people....ANYbody...is wrong. But in my opinion, the door doesn't swing both ways on this. And why is that? Why is it now a 'bad thing', for a person to be white, male, middle-aged, Christian, and outspoken? When did that happen?
People are going to disagree with me on things. From a political standpoint, I fully expect people to be vehemently opposed to some of the things that I believe are the foundation of this country. And they will loudly state that what they hold dear are foundational to this country. That is called "freedom". Fortunately, we have that liberty in this country. Isn't it wonderful?
When we were at the Straw Poll, my wife commented to me that she was not only amazed, but extremely grateful, because we CAN have events like that. We CAN have a forum for potential leaders to state their viewpoints. We CAN have people of like-mindedness gather. We CAN have people with differing viewpoints gather, discuss, and debate. There are, unfortunately, a lot of places in this world where folks cannot do that.
I know I probably offended people, especially some close friends, with my Facebook post. That was not my intent, and if they are offended, I apologize. My intent was simply to point out two things: the dichotomy that exists, and the fact that any of that name-calling, sticking a label on people simply because they disagree...well, it's pointless, and does nothing to help anything. It merely shows that a person has run out of intelligent things to say.
Am I going to go around calling people "Christo-phobes"? Probably not...it's just not my style. I'll probably continue to do what I do now, when people call me names. Look at them, raise an eyebrow, shrug, and walk away. I read somewhere that you shouldn't argue with a fool, because eventually people will get confused as to who is who.
One more thing, totally different topic. Speed camera going up on I-235. I read that it's going to be set to issue tickets when a car is clocked at going 9 mph over the posted speed of 60 mph. Hmmm....so what you're really saying is that the posted speed limit of 60 mph doesn't really apply. The enforced speed limit is actually 69 mph. So, why not change the signs to read 69 mph, since that's what the real speed limit is going to be?
OR....wait for it...how about setting the camera so that it issues a ticket when it clocks a car going at 61 or 62 mph? That is, IF the speed limit in that spot really is supposed to be 60 mph.
Am I making too much sense with that one? Probably. But then again....that's just something I'm cursed with sometimes. Trying to apply common sense to problems that we can make really difficult and convoluted, if we really put our minds to it.
That, dear readers, is my two cents worth for today.
--Larry Voorhees
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