Thought for the Day: Who's the True Liar?
September 10th 2009 20:17
Last night, as with millions of other Americans, I tuned in to hear our President address the nation concerning the hot topic of health care reform. As usual, I wasn't surprised with the overwhelming support of Democrats for a fellow Democrat in rousing applauding and standing ovations. I wasn't even surprised by the Republicans drab facial expressions and still responses to most of the President's speech. Actually, it's rather amusing to watch the up and downs of part of the crowd because you have to wonder if that's protocol during these types of occasions that you stand and applaud practically every single point your guy makes just because he's part of your party.
But I have to admit, I was totally caught off guard and personally angered when Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina heckled the President with 'You Lie" in response to whether the proposed reform will offer coverages to illegal immigrants. My jaw dropped, my heart skipped a beat, and my eyes widened in response to what I was unsure I heard. It wasn't until the President acknowledged and addressed him, along with the accompanying boos that I realized he did in fact flat out call the President of the United States a liar! Now, don't get me wrong, ALL and I do mean ALL politicians lie and the President probably has to do more of it than any one else in a 4 year span of time. But for a United States Congressman, one elected to represent and uphold the reputation of the highest office in the land, to heckle the President and call him a liar is beyond words or thoughts. Not only has he embarrassed and humiliated himself, even amongst his own party (who probably agree with his sentiments, but have the decorum not to have said it at that time and place), but he has embarrassed and shamed the country in my opinion.
Never before, in my lifetime, can I remember a Congressman/woman or Senator resort to name calling the President on national television during an address of the union speech! Even with the shameful and disgraced two terms George Bush served, he never was the recipient of heckling from his own Congress and Senate. And if ANYONE should have been called a liar flat out, it should have been him along with Cheney and so many others in his cabinet. Although Wilson has apologized and many, within a 24 hour time period, have offered excuses for his outburst, it still doesn't cover the fact that last night's actions have summed up the continuing downfall of the Republican Party and the American people. Disruptive town hall meetings, cries of racism and reverse racism, and comparisons to socialism and communism have plagued our society from everyday citizens. This is to be somewhat expected, as it is our right to express our opinions no matter how offensive, ridiculous, or scandalous they may be.
But a political party taking on the role of propagandists, creating and supporting grassroots organizations on the borderlines of homegrown terrorism in their thoughts and actions, and housing a Congressman who thinks it appropriate to insult the President in front of the country and fellow statesmen sounds more to me like the true proprietor of lies and deceit. The Republican party, as much as I hate to admit this, was once a decent and well respected group of educated conservatives who pushed for conservative fiscal responsibility and ideals, but this is not the case any further. They have turned into a collection of radical nihilists that would rather see the total destruction of the country rather than the return of the United States to a stable and competitive world power it once was. Now, again, not all have been brainwashed and converted to this destructive force, but their voices are muted by the majority of crazies now stepping into the spotlight constantly, such as Congressman Wilson.
Luckily, I'm not the President nor someone with power in his cabinet because I would have had Mr. Wilson removed from the building immediately and censured. But the President has accepted his apology and is moving on with getting his ultimate goal of reform achieved with or without Wilson's help. Changes definitely need to be made in this country economically, but changes also need to be made in society concerning the depth to which we, as Americans, have sunk to against this and any administration. We need to be held accountable for our actions and we need to realize that if we, as citizens of this country, have no respect for our own leader that WE voted democratically to office, then how can we expect the world to have any further respect for us as an axis of power? As much as I despised the Bush administration, I would never have disrespected him before our country during an address to our nation by calling him anything but Mr. President! It's almost as if because Obama is our first African American President, it's open game as far as mud slinging, racial epitaphs, and utter disrespect. For the sake of our children, who are our future as cliche as it sounds, I hope they will look as this time in history and learn from these mistakes and not continue or repeat them or what we know as democracy will fail completely. We're already on a rocky path as it is.
But a political party taking on the role of propagandists, creating and supporting grassroots organizations on the borderlines of homegrown terrorism in their thoughts and actions, and housing a Congressman who thinks it appropriate to insult the President in front of the country and fellow statesmen sounds more to me like the true proprietor of lies and deceit. The Republican party, as much as I hate to admit this, was once a decent and well respected group of educated conservatives who pushed for conservative fiscal responsibility and ideals, but this is not the case any further. They have turned into a collection of radical nihilists that would rather see the total destruction of the country rather than the return of the United States to a stable and competitive world power it once was. Now, again, not all have been brainwashed and converted to this destructive force, but their voices are muted by the majority of crazies now stepping into the spotlight constantly, such as Congressman Wilson.
Luckily, I'm not the President nor someone with power in his cabinet because I would have had Mr. Wilson removed from the building immediately and censured. But the President has accepted his apology and is moving on with getting his ultimate goal of reform achieved with or without Wilson's help. Changes definitely need to be made in this country economically, but changes also need to be made in society concerning the depth to which we, as Americans, have sunk to against this and any administration. We need to be held accountable for our actions and we need to realize that if we, as citizens of this country, have no respect for our own leader that WE voted democratically to office, then how can we expect the world to have any further respect for us as an axis of power? As much as I despised the Bush administration, I would never have disrespected him before our country during an address to our nation by calling him anything but Mr. President! It's almost as if because Obama is our first African American President, it's open game as far as mud slinging, racial epitaphs, and utter disrespect. For the sake of our children, who are our future as cliche as it sounds, I hope they will look as this time in history and learn from these mistakes and not continue or repeat them or what we know as democracy will fail completely. We're already on a rocky path as it is.
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