Tuesday, February 09, 2010

It Takes All Kinds - But Not These, Please

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Many years ago, I knew a wily old country lawyer who often referred to a certain class of people as the "Maggots of Society". He was referring to people who were possessed of a kind of free-floating anger that they could never pinpoint. I'm sure you know people like this. They are generally dissatisfied with their lives, but can never figure out how to change their circumstances.

They are the people who are against every idea put forth that would lead to the betterment of the community. They are largely uneducated, semi-literate at best. They are naysayers, who don't even understand what they are speaking against. They are largely white, and at least the southerners among them are racists.

Until recent years, if you asked them exactly what they were angry about, they couldn't give you a definitive answer. Their anger was usually aimed at some local officials or businessmen, because they never read newspapers or thought much about the world in general.

All that changed when Fox News came along. Gradually, it dawned on them that the Fox News people were saying things they wanted to hear. A new world of hatred opened up to them, and soon, they were expressing anger at the national government, Democrats, the Congress, the Senate , the President and above all, liberals in general. How satisfying it was to finally have a target for all of their dissatisfaction.

Fox News told them to be mad at the Government for bailing out the banks. It never occurred to them to be angry at the banks, instead. They were incensed to discover, through Fox News, and members of the Republican party that the new Democratic President was a Muslim and had not even been born in this country. The Republicans became their new best friends.

They were warned that healthcare reform would be disastrous, and the government would raise taxes, loot Medicare, take away their rights to see the doctors of their choice, and would decide when it was time for them to die. Hot diggety-dog! Now, they were really mad! So, they started to band together and probably for the first time in their lives, got interested in politics. Sarah Palin was their sweetheart. She spoke their language, by golly!

They started organizing and having meetings to rant and rave about the things and people they hate. But, first they had to have a name. They were encouraged by Republicans, who know how to take advantage of ignorance when they see it. So, it came to pass that those same people, who would have been called the "Maggots of Society" by a savvy old country lawyer, became today's "Teabaggers".

So endeth the lesson.

Stay tuned.

18 comments:

Arkansas Patti said...

" people who were possessed of a kind of free-floating anger that they could never pinpoint"
Wow, you nailed it with that one statement. You are so right. Now they are being shown a place to put that anger and to make it grow.
Bit scary right now and might get worse. Sarah Palin scares the begebbies out ot me.

Olga said...

I agree, although I never would have had the courage to write these sentiments so forcefully. Thanks for the nudge.

Margie's Musings said...

You are "right on target"! The country generally has some very ignorant people who believe anything the right wing media tells them. They never look any information up for themselves.

Janie B said...

I couldn't agree more. The hate that Fox and Palin spew daily is unmatched. I used to be married to one of those people, and it was killing me inside. How do they live with such hate in their hearts? I keep thinking Rush Limbaugh's heart will just explode someday from death by hate. It's so sad.

Linda said...

Wow! This post is powerful. I've read it twice and emailed the link to four people. Powerful.

Janie B, if you ever need a heart transplant ask for Rush Limbaugh's. It's never been used.

Tincanman said...

Sad, true and scary, Betty

Darlene said...

I do love your posts, Betty. You always get right to the heart of the matter and call a spade a spade.

Hilarious photos that show the ignorant dolts can't spell. They advertise their ignorance and lack of education for all to see. I just learned that I'm a liberial. Is that a new kind of librarian? And the irony of the guy spelling 'moron' wrong is a hoot.

Word Tosser said...

It is scary that there are so many of them.... but I guess that is what tv does for us....

Word Tosser said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Word Tosser said...

sorry Betty there were two of the same post of mine, so deleted one

Kay Dennison said...

You said so very well. I am really interested in leaders who mispell 'moron'. However, I do believe that Sarah fits right in!!!!

Looking to the Stars said...

Great post! "Maggots of Society", I have not heard that term in a very long time. Thank you for bringing it back :) It fits these people so well.

Anonymous said...

Well said.

Kell said...

Bravo.

oklhdan said...

Bravo, well said, wish I had written it!!!!!

Betty said...

Thanks to everyone who commented and bravely identified yourselves. I especially thank Confucious, who commented anonymously, for some reason. I don't know what all those squares with numbers in them mean, must be some kind of code. Whatever.

Anonymous said...

so.......... you believe whatever the liberal media tells you?????????

Anonymous said...

What a great resource!