And just like that, I lost more friends. This time it was on me, admittedly (well, sort of), but still…
As most of you know, someone attempted to shoot at Trump yet again. I really tried to avoid anyone I knew in regards to this. I didn’t want to know their opinions on it. It’s faire season, and I just wanted to go to faire and relax and have a good fucking time. But nope. One person I’ve known for a decade, who I considered (until last night) to be a reasonable, rational person, said (and I quote), “Too bad he missed.”
Do they have the right to say that? Yep. They do. Being an asshole, being wrong, that’s protected in this country. And don’t get me wrong, though it irks me greatly to know people I considered close friends are actually assholes in disguise, I would not want our country to be any other way. But lately I have found myself asking, too many times, whether free speech should reasonably include lies.
I am reasonably certain that most of the people I’ve considered friends who’ve been taken in by the bullshit spewing out of the media would NEVER have gotten as bad as they are without the media helping. They may have still disliked Trump (hey, I’m not a die-hard Trumper, either), but they wouldn’t be actively wishing death on him. This is the fault of the media, and/or whomever controls the media. And I know they have a 1A right to spew their garbage up to a point. I just can’t help wondering… when do we reach that point?
There are so many people saying so many vile things that Trump can’t possibly take them all to court. He’d be doing it for a hundred years and never make it past discovery. Even though he would probably win most of the cases. But it takes money, and it takes time, and let’s be honest… he’s not going to live long enough to take most of these jackwads to court. He’s going to be 80 in a couple of months, which is a fairly advanced age for someone of his weight, and all these threats on his life and his family’s lives must be weighing on him. I am hopeful he’ll make it through his 4 years, but I have to be blunt and honest that he’s not likely to make it to 90. So most of those vile words will go unchallenged.
Someone once said that the victors write history, but I’m not so sure that’s true these days. Whoever has the most memes and bots writes history, and it’s being REwritten right underneath us. It doesn’t matter if it’s even related to the truth, because it was said on the internet and somehow we’ve brought up a whole-ass generation who can’t logic their way out of a paper bag. Present them with cognitive dissonance and they faint from panic. They can’t follow a thought through to it’s logical conclusion. They just can’t.
Those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it, yes… but those of us who DID learn it are doomed to watch the vast majority of idiots repeating it. There’s only so many facepalms I can do before I get a major headache. I’ve taken to bitching at grok, because I don’t want to whinge at my family anymore. They don’t need to be exposed to my upset and anger.
So yes, I deleted someone on FB who I’ve considered a good friend for a long time. If I run into him at faire, which I likely will, I will be forced to walk away. I am not going to hug someone or spend “quality time” with someone who advocates murder. Not even if “it was just a joke.” Or whatever the excuse de jour is. One more person to avoid. One more person to step away from. I’m running out of people, folks. And I’m damned tired.
that sign works both ways..
someone who says things like that need to be reminded about the patriot act- they can be prosecuted for saying that.
The cultural divide is now a canyon.
“… but those of us who DID learn it are doomed to watch the vast majority of idiots repeating it. “
Corollary: Common sense is not a blessing, it is a curse because you have to deal with so many people who have none of it.
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The rest of it, spot on. Across the board. Not a single statement I disagree with. Does your friend (former) have the fundamental human right to say stupid and offensive things? Yes. Then again, if someone had tried to take out Obama or Biden, I may have been tempted to say something similar. Although… I would not have posted it publicly. Which I think is a big difference between the left and the right. (Or between a child and an adult) Why the compulsion to share your hatred of a politician publicly following an attempt on their life?
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And, let’s be clear here. I will not pull punches when it comes to criticizing a politicians actions. I happen to have a very low opinion of one of my Senators, and I am not shy about saying so. But, it is not personal attacks, or wishing for violence. Then you have the left side of the political aisle which will go straight to “Orange man/Drump/tiny hands/WannabeKing/etc… deserves to die/be in prison/a STD/whatever.” Where is the commentary about politics? Oh… there is none.
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Why is that? Because too many people get their news from social media, or when they do go to a legit news outlet, it is a left leaning one, and they do not really look beyond the headline. Net result, you are blocking former friends.
Corollary: Common sense is not a blessing, it is a curse because you have to deal with so many people who have none of it.
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OTOH, if ignorance is bliss, why aren’t there more happy people? Particularly (but not exclusively) of the Leftist bent?
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Where is the commentary about politics? Oh… there is none. […] Why is that?
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Because they let their politics become synonymous with their identity. We (you and I and Ally and probably most of the people who read this site) recognize that our political beliefs are just that — beliefs — and are separate from who we are; we can tolerate challenges to our beliefs but remain undisturbed in our sense of identity as humans. Most of the “intersectional” crowd has forgotten that; they conflate their beliefs with their sense of being, their identity.
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Thus, when you question the validity of their beliefs — because in their minds their beliefs are inseparable from their identity — you are questioning the validity of them as a person. Of course they take it personally, as a personal attack! It’s even worse when you bring objective facts to bear, because now you’re saying their identity (tied to their beliefs) is even less legitimate and/or supported by reality!
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There’s no way to argue with them without everything you say being dismissed as an ad hominem attack, because to them, that’s what it is.
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I don’t know the way forward from this, as a society. But whatever we’re trying, so far, isn’t working.
I have said negative things about all sorts of politicians. Hell, I’ve said it about Trump (1.0). But I NEVER advocated for his death. I have NEVER celebrated a death. Not even of truly bad people. The worst thing I’ve suggested is that one particular kiddie diddler I had the unfortunate curse to know personally should probably end up in GenPop. While that’s a suggestion of death, it’s not a direct one, and I haven’t said it anywhere that had readers who might clutch pearls.
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And I think that’s part of it. None of us say these things in places where others might be offended. We say it here, or in person, because we know each other well enough to know that even if we do get upset, we’ll get over it. The Left? Not so much. They just word vomit everywhere.
Exactly!
I do not know why the left thinks their opinion and beliefs are for widespread sharing, and they never deserve to suffer any consequences for saying whatever they want, no matter how harmful. It is likely the motive of this shooter is directly tied to years of hearing the left denigrate, slander, and push for violence against Trump. But, try getting them to admit their voice could have had a role… good luck with that endeavor.
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Have I said X politician is an idiot? Hell yes. I have said Trump is an idiot. God knows, not a day went by when I was not questioning the IQ of Obama and/or Biden. (And, Bush Jr. for that matter) If Obama was assassinated while in office, I likely would not have shed too many tears, but I would never have advocated for his death. But… here is the left, saying the most inciteful and hatful things, and they act surprised when someone acts on it.