Cause For Effect

I have a Facebook and real life friend, who some days describes herself as a Ron Paul-style Libertarian but, most days, is even nuttier than that and is a tea bagger. Suffice to say, Christy simply hates Obama and democrats and will align with anyone else who does.

Christy is dirt poor. A mutual friend of ours advised me a few years ago that Christy has used every kind of entitlement available in her state. Things have been tough for her and the kids, for years. It would seem incongruous that someone like her would be so sternly against a helping hand but, it's shockingly common among red-staters like her to vote against their best interests.

I feel bad for Christy. But, she makes it extremely hard to feel bad for her. The friend who advised me of Christy's plight? She's one of the most genuine, loving people I've ever had the privilege of knowing but, she defriended Christy due to the sheer volume of reichwing hate that clogs up Christy's FB page. When it's not hate, it's insane paranoia. It's frustratingly sad to watch an old friend descend into the madness depths of politics. She sees government conspiracy in absolutely everything.

Justin Beiber's arrest for drag racing and DUI? I jokingly predicted that the reichwing would see it as just another deflection from current administration *scandals*. Sure enough there was a cartoon meme that read: "Justin Bieber arrested? What story are they trying to distract us from now?"

Now, I know from funny. Probably that meme's creator was being cute. In tandem with another meme on her page of the ubiquitous Keanu Reeves wondering: "What if terror attacks and shootings are staged by our own government to generate the support needed for an oppressive police state?"

Wow. That is some paranoia. It's fairly generic though. Some people on the left believe Cheney orchestrated the 9/11 attacks in order to get a very lucrative war with Iraq and a Patriot Act thrown in for good measure. There were people who believe Roosevelt allowed the attack on Pearl Harbor to happen so as to spark an isolationist America into supporting a very necessary war in Europe. Plausible but....why does he allow the better part of his naval fleet to be destroyed? Why intentionally handicap yourself like that? Within moments of Sandy Hook, crazies were proving that a government hit team perpetrated the massacre of the children. Why? To give reason to the confiscation of all our guns, of course. Well, that little slice of obscenity might fascinate some but, it's short-lived when not a single measure was taken in the literal wake of the murdered children or the year since.

I'm sickened and saddened that Americans think like this. This bullshit is not part of the republican party platform but they don't take a moment to disavow such talk in their extended ranks. Crazy people vote too, ya know. This is more than sour grapes based on losing the last two presidential elections. It's an avenue towards winning the next one. Well, if a filthy, back-alley of depravity can be an avenue, that is. All roads may lead to the White House but, you do not have to take each one.

Christy is not alone in her insanity. Topix and Facebook are chock full of such whack jobs. Who really believes this shit and who just wants to? Does Christy? It certainly seems as if she does. She doesn't do much vetting of posts. Most republicans would be ashamed to have the aforementioned memes on their Facebook pages, associated with their names. Christy probably fancies herself a patriot waiting for Obama's private army to come for her.

Don't hold your breath, Christy. You won't turn blue- don't worry about that. It wouldn't help your cause anyway, whatever your cause is today.