Originally Posted By cmpaley >>I think if you look at what God has inspired which to me is places of worship and the people who are drawn to them you will see the overwhelming charity that is directed at the poor in so many ways.Since allot of Democrats like the ones in this thread want to point out that Religion is the domain of the republicans I think it's safe to say that republicans do an awful lot for the poor just not with a government seal on it<< Religion is most certainly not the domain of the Republicans. The Republicans adopted religious themes because they knew that their ideology of the worship of money wouldn't get enough votes, so they married their money worshiping ideology to issues important to religious people (i.e., abortion, gays, etc.). It's now become so pervasive among many Christians, that there are websites describing how it is a very grave sin to vote for anyone but a Republican. Disgusting.
Originally Posted By Donny CMPALEY so if I accept your theory of the republicans will you accept the concept that the reason Democrats defend illegal immigrants is because Democrats are criminals ?????
Originally Posted By Mr X ***issues important to religious people (i.e., abortion, gays, etc.)*** Why are gays an issue important to religious people? That always strikes me as interesting, to say the least.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <CMPALEY so if I accept your theory of the republicans will you accept the concept that the reason Democrats defend illegal immigrants is because Democrats are criminals ?????> Five question marks doesn't make that make any more sense than one would have.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance " Why are gays an issue important to religious people? That always strikes me as interesting, to say the least." I know, it's completely weird. WHY do they care so much what other people do in their own lives when it doesn't effect them AT ALL.
Originally Posted By ecdc It's the same reason the tea party is screaming so loudly. This isn't about taxes, or religious rights, or anything else. It's about fear that their world is changing. People not like them - people who look differently and believe differently and behave differently - are gaining in power and it scares the hell out of them. They don't put it in those words because I'm not sure even they comprehend it like that. But that's exactly what it is. It's not a coincidence that this emerged with the election of a black President. It's why we hear the phrase, "I want my country back." Their country didn't go anywhere, and realistically, their daily life is no different now than it was five years ago, but their comfort in seeing everything run by people who look and sound just like them is evaporating. Which in an odd sort of way is the one bit of hope I have. I hope the tea party and their ilk is a final gasp of xenophobia by angry white Christians.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance To someone who is racist and discriminatory, having a black president elected and then to have gay marriage legalized, it must feel like things are spiraling out of control at a fast pace.
Originally Posted By Mr X Your "final gasp" is about to take power in Washington, dragging all their gallons of crazy juice right up the steps of capital hill. Unless they are stopped at the polls (doesn't seem likely).
Originally Posted By Mr X And yet your sentiment is right on and to the point! (see how we liberals forgive so easily? )
Originally Posted By ecdc Well in fairness, I don't think most of them see themselves as racist. I'm certain they would be very offended if I called them racist. But I have family members who are tea partiers and Glenn Beck fans. It's very interesting to watch them. They really have no reason for feeling the way they do. When you press them on it, they're "scared," or "worried about the future." And they'll spew nonsense but when you correct them on it or refute it, they have nothing else to add. It's clear they're getting their talking points from Beck and his ilk. So when I observe them, it really does become apparent that it's a fear of things changing. But the only thing that's changing is the skin color of the people in charge. It's all wrapped up in what "might" happen. Case in point: There's a Facebook screen capture floating around of a girl's Facebook feed. (In fact, it might have been posted here; I don't recall.) She posted a link from the Onion about how Obama was doing some horrible thing like re-education camps or something. But this girl thought it was serious. Even after numerous friends had corrected her and told her what the Onion was, she persisted in saying something like, "All I know is things are changing and it's very scary." That sums up the entire right-wing right there. "Things are changing and it's very scary."
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance But the irony is, the only things that are truly scary about the future or scary is if they, the"tea party", persist and take over. This is the truly scary part of it.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance AND, I'd wager that a fair few, not all of course, but a good many might ACT offended if you called them racist, but it's all an act. Inside they know the truth.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan And they'll spew nonsense but when you correct them on it or refute it, they have nothing else to add.<< This is what drives me crazy. I'm all for having a noisy debate about the role of government, how much stimulus money is too much, what constitutes a fair level of taxation. But when it's reduced down to bumper-sticker one liners and applause lines that have no depth, that isn't how to have a debate. It becomes a football game at that point, choose a side and root for it.
Originally Posted By Longhorn12 >Obama was doing some horrible thing like re-education camps or something< This is a right-wing conspiracy from the early 90s when Clinton was in office. Glad to see the onion bringing it back out.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 << But when it's reduced down to bumper-sticker one liners and applause lines that have no depth, that isn't how to have a debate. It becomes a football game at that point, choose a side and root for it.>> But the sad truth is that most of the populace eats this stuff up. It's what they understand and like - simple causes with a clear "good vs evil" plot. And it plays perfectly with what the media likes to show as well - simple headlines that jump out and grab your attention and require very little thought to understand. Truely, we've become a nation of simpletons.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Both Democrats and Republicans can find so much to distrust and hate each other about. If only they could start looking for things to love and support each about, instead, it would be a much better world.
