Angry Wednesday: Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood (and DOMA)

[greenie_breizh]

I don't even know where to start with what's been happening with public workers (especially teachers) in Wisconsin and other places (especially Ohio) in the United States lately, or with the unrelenting attacks by conservatives on Planned Parenthood and issues relating to women's health. I can't even link to that many articles because I've been

Comments

[menyhapyreturns]

To be fair, what's traditionally credited as the reason for America's greatness (at least, as far as I'm aware) is the emphasis on individual rights - freedom FROM government control - freedom of religion, freedom of speech - which unfortunately gives rise to a lot of the insane rhetoric (side effect). I don't recall our publicly funded social programs ever being cited all that often - that's more Canada's and Europe's purview

[greenie_breizh]

Unfortunately, most people who go on and on about America's greatness rarely go further in their analysis - I'd speak differently about it if these people were capable of saying 'America is great in this respect, however we're not so awesome at this other thing', which I feel opens up space for useful dialogue. I certainly think the United States doesn't suck across the board. But most of the time that I've been exposed to this kind of blind patriotism, all people want to hear and say is that America's the best, period. So there's usually nothing being cited at all, or maybe freedom in such a broad, generic sense that it becomes meaningless. That's the type I can't stand. But you're coming from an (obviously) more open-minded perspective, where it's possible to have a discussion about differences in policies and politics, and that's obviously fine. Like I said, it's not like I think the U.S. is fundamentally worse than everyone else, I just deeply dislike the shape that patriotism often takes there

[menyhapyreturns]

USA! USA! USA!

j/k ;) Yeah, in my personal experience it's a knee-jerk reaction - some people take any kind of criticism and instantly interpret it as "OMFGthiscommie-marxist-socialisthatesAmericaandjustthinkswe'retheworstandeverythingwedoisbadandnothingisgoodsofark'emintheear". B/c yeah, some people ARE like that. (critics, that is).

And some of them (frothing-at-the-mouth-patriots) are just ignorant. Sometimes willfully so.

There's plenty to criticize. There's plenty to praise. And we have a huge capacity for reform. Progress isn't linear and backslide is always possible, but I think ultimately progress wins out overall - sometimes simultaneously with the backsliding (for example: Obama on DOMA...but I bet you he will be waffling on this somewhat. If he gets a second term, however, I see him going for broke - in a good way.)

Still, at least you guys in Canada don't have to deal with Phyllis "its-not-rape-if-you're-married" Schafly. Every other country on earth has that on us. ;p

[menyhapyreturns]

PS- re: AZ. As someone who has spent a lot of time there, my advise is to just sit back and enjoy the crazy. It's really all you can do with them. They are the new Texas.

[lvs2read]

I love my country, but we're not the 'be all end all' that so many people like to think we are, and all the recent shit that's been going on just scares me to death. There are some bright patches - there's talk of a recall for WI Gov. Walker (though, apparently, they have to wait a year, ugh), the PP funding issue shouldn't make it past the Senate (though, yes, I'd already signed the petition), Maryland is working on passing a Marriage Equality Bill - but the continued assaults on women's rights, labor, immigrants and the poor are enough to make me wonder what century we're living in. :(

I just hope that enough people wake up to what the fundies are trying to do before we end up living The Handmaid's Tale. Honestly, we could stand to learn something from the Egyptians. Peaceful protest in sufficient numbers can do awesome things. :)