The ignorant, and the sociopaths who manipulate them
The headlines are worthy of the satirical publication The Onion.
"Arizona GOP Candidate Confuses YMCA Campers With Migrant Children"
"MI Woman Accidentally Shoots Self In Face While 'Trying To Make A Point"
Their graffiti and homemade signs are comedy gold.
"NO ILLEAGLES HERE"
"IT'S NOT SPELLED 'SOCILISM', IT'S SPELLED 'DEMOCRACY'"
The power behind this movement-all very, very intelligent people-are able to keep a straight face while saying civil rights for LGBT people are "special rights" but religious standing for corporations is not "religious privilege".
Confusingly, the states which depend the most heavily on federal aid, have the most poverty. These states also have the highest per capita rate of gun violence and the most lenient gun laws. Lawmakers have made sure that residents of these states, which have the highest rates of uninsured citizens, can't have access to the Affordable Health Care Act (ObamaCare). These same states are also most likely to vote Republican-a party which has cut federal aid, welfare, and fights efforts for gun control, and was against Obamacare (before they were for it).
Most of the nation's wealthiest, are also most likely to vote Republican.
How do these two groups find enough common ground to populate the The Radical Conservative Extremists?
It's simple-there is no common ground. There is, however, a Master and Servant relationship.
The leaders of the The Radical Conservative Extremists are master sociopaths with no concern for others or of the future. If there's a problem, they can buy their way out of it-with power or money as currency. They often hide behind religion or God, but only when it suits them. They cherry pick verses out of the Bible to prove their point (gays are bad: Leviticus 18:22, Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination), but skip verses that don't fit their narrative (fetuses and infants have no value: Leviticus 27:6, And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver). The are The Masters.
The Masters work to limit their followers', The Servants', right to vote, access to social programs and government assistance, access to medical coverage. This keeps their followers, The Servants, poor, uneducated, ill and on the verge of collapse. The Masters then feed them a steady stream of misinformation and lies that prey upon their racial and socio-economic fears. The Masters keep the The Servants angry and afraid.
The Servants of The Radical Conservative Extremists are not stupid, but they are uneducated. Born into system that gives them false hope (The American Dream) but no real chance of moving beyond their socio-economic status, they spend most of their time worrying about their daily survival. Such worries are justified. But they don't blame The Masters for their state; they blame "The Other": the "illegals", the gays, the liberals, the blacks, women, President Obama. Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, FOX News misdirect The Servants' anger, allowing them to feel informed while being manipulated. Between the stress of surviving and the bombardment of lies, The Servants are unaware of their status. Several years ago, Boston.com aired video from the Tea Party Rally on Boston Common. Supporters were rallying against the government. When asked what they did for work, one answered "on disability", another "unemployed". How could they be rallying against the government programs that were supporting them? They've been brainwashed by the sociopaths.
I don't know about you, but I'm done pretending The Radical Conservative Extremist is the Republican Party. I've also given up hope that caring human beings can take back control of the GOP. Sen. John McCain has surrendered. Rep. Jack Kemp is dead. The Annenbergs (Google it) are just footnotes to GOP history. It's over.
The gloves are off. The Servants deserve to be educated so they can make their own decisions and stop being slaves to the master.
Am I an elitist? Yes, I am. In fact, I want every American to be an elitist. My dad and mom-a truck driver and a Head Start family advocate-didn't have much money. But they did believe in the power of education. I believe in American exceptionalism-but it's an exceptionalism that's earned. The best way to earn it is through education.
Let's tell our fellow Americans on the bottom rung on the ladder of the The Radical Conservative Extremists that they are right to be suspicious and angry-they just need to pay better and educated attention to who deserves their rage. They deserve the opportunity to make an informed choice. They deserve the opportunity to be elitists, too.