Debunkery - The Einstein Visa Edition

I really hate those smarmy, dewy-eyed, and ultimately near-sighted memes that cry out for some imagined era of Good Old Days. I tripped on a few on Facebook over the last weeks. Let’s take a closer look.

I’m gonna hurl. Let’s go line by line.

There was once a time when the President was honored…

No one has done more to bring hostility and uncivil behavior to bear in modern culture than conservatives, led by AM talk radio and Fox “News.” This very blog documents eight years' worth of the most uncivilized, dishonorable, and unprecedented attacks on a US President. All he did was bring the country back from the pits of a recession, save the US auto industry, and provide health care to more citizens than ever before.

All he got was criticism on everything from the color of his suit to not bringing home our troops fast enough from the war his predecessor started. And once they were home, he was criticized for not leaving them there longer.

Any direction Obama went, he was criticized. Republicans invented the “Heads, I win - tails, you lose” standard of debate. Republicans’ only constant was that he was for it, they were against it.

You don’t like the current culture of harsh criticism and lack of respect for the office? Fuck you. You started it.

Police were respected…

Yeah, let’s just gloss over all the beatings and killings of unarmed civilians for minor crimes. Before cell phone video, conservatives could just hide behind, “Who you gonna believe, a cop or some criminal?” That doesn’t work anymore. Now we see video evidence of cops gone wild, planting evidence, arresting passersby for commenting, or just being there, using excessive force, and just plain shooting people over traffic tickets.

Police who do their jobs correctly should absolutely be respected. It’s a tough job. Those who act like they are above the law should get what they deserve, which in my book, is a jail cell.

Newborns were treasured…

Newborns are still treasured. The writer is confusing this issue with abortions, which are overwhelmingly performed when the fetus is the size of a grape. And those that are done later, that involve anything remotely resembling newborns, are done in cases of incomprehensible tragedy. Severe birth defects, (like brains outside the body or vital organs) impending death of the mother; things that prevent a life from taking root.

I hate it when shit like this ignores the basic facts of the situation.

Veterans were revered…

Veterans are still revered, probably more now than at any time in history. Unfortunately, the Republicans in power are only interested in using them as a bludgeon against doing anything for anyone else. “Sorry, we can’t provide benefits to the homeless, or reduce student debt, or support food assistance, because there are homeless veterans. What? No, we’re not doing anything for them either, we’re just sayin'…”

All this “Thank you for your service” is just lip service. If Republicans really wanted to do something about Veteran issues, they would have by now, while they had unlimited governmental power. But you saw what they did instead, right? Slashed taxes for the richest people in the country.

And God was worshiped.

Gee, I wonder whose God she means. It sounds like she wants to go all the way back to the Spanish Inquisition. (Which I’m sure no one expects, even now.)

You can’t turn around anymore without someone wanting to give a blessing or invocation. Whatever happened to just getting down to the first item on the agenda?

I think this is more about objecting to other religions (or those with a lack thereof) wanting their opportunity to speechify.

Let’s bring that back…

There it is, the plea to return to the good old days of yesteryear when everything was just fine and dandy. Unless you happened to be a person of color and endured dehumanizing treatment and suffered assaults on your basic human rights. Or you were gay. Or an immigrant… no, wait… that’s still the same today.

Style Over Substance

For some reason, there are people who idolize the current First Lady. I’m not sure why.

What exactly has she done in office other than being arm candy for her lecherous husband? She got into the country on a trumped-up “Einstein visa,” which is earmarked to recruit those whose contributions to their fields of expertise are in demand. How’s that for an award?

If she wanted to, she could do most anything. But what is she doing with the Office of the First Lady of the United States? Well, every once in a while, she drops a #BeBest on Twitter, and otherwise ignoring the hostility and crassness coming from her husband, in the same forum.

You want magazine coverage? How about this?

Look at how much shit Michelle Obama took, over such benign things as going sleeveless once in a while, planting a garden at the White House, or encouraging healthy school lunches. She was the one lacking in class? You didn’t see any shots of that First Lady’s hooters set free on the internet, did you?

Personally, I don’t care if Melania did titty shoots back in the day. And I don’t care much what any First Lady does in what is usually a strictly ceremonial role. I only get riled because of the raging double standard. If anyone can point out something classless that Michelle Obama did, that no other First Lady did, I’m all ears.

Melania showed much more skin than Michelle, it’s just that hers was white.

Missing the Point, Part 3

Two things…

First, there is no “I Hate Trump” agenda; that’s just a Republican construction so they can claim victimhood. Reasonable people want Trump impeached because he has engaged in unconstitutional acts (bribery, obstruction) while in office, while simultaneously seeking to enrich himself and his family while throwing billions at the richest among us at the expense of the very people who voted for him. (Although the last one is indicative of all top Republicans, not just Trump.) These are specific, concrete reasons, not just free-form animosity.

Second, if you want to complain about not representing the American People, talk to Mitch McConnell, who is single-handedly holding up dozens of bills that would help the American People.

Just not the American People he cares about.

It’s uncanny how Republicans keep accusing Democrats of the very things that they, themselves, are doing. Projecting much, guys?