Controversial Topics

[frogboy4]

Exactly. But there's a nice little footnote these pseudo-religion based hate groups follow to the letter, basically ignoring the ENTIRE rest of the bible. That is the worst aspect of any religion right there. And I refuse to even CALL them Christian, myself. Seem to follow the exact opposite, actually. Something with horns.

It's not really those Westboro freakies that bother me as much as the more subversive tactics used by other groups that feel very much the same way but won't publicly admit it. There’s a "Missionaries of Hate" documentary by Vanguard on Hulu right now that talks of pending legislation in Uganda inspired by softer-seeming American evangelicals that would put gay people in prison for one “offense”, put to those to death with multiple “offenses” and would do the same for those who know about them and do not report it! Does any of this behavior sound familiar? Just a heads-up. The documentary can be frank and disturbing at times, but has no official warning on it. We enjoy so many freedoms in this country - one that protects even the twisted Westboro folk to preach their toxic message in the public arena. I guess we've gotta take the bad with the good.

 

[Drtooth]

Speaking of Obama (not to get off of the oil spill topic), I heard he's going on a vacation this weekend and won't attend to the Memorial Day mourning at Arlington Cemetery,

It's more important that he's going to actually visit the scene of the oil eruption and the ravaged town, to me.

 

[RedPiggy]

Yeah. I admit I'm not really into celebrating holidays anyway, but there are a few real and practical things that need to be taken care of. Politicians celebrating holidays is just a photo op. I'd like to see my government doing its job, not confusing mugging for the camera with productivity.

 

[Drtooth]

Honestly, I just want him to actually be TOUGH! A lot of the things wrong with the country are what the opposing party gave us, and what they're still calling for. Deregulation being one of them. I don't get it. What happened to the whole Bailout rage about these massive monster banks and how "terrible" it was that the President (before he took office) gave them money. Oh no... regulation so these companies actually have to play as fair as the law forces them too is communism. Again, they want it both ways.

Forget the banks... look at BP... after all this, they could get slapped with a fine that's essentially lunch money and bill the rest to everyone else... they can mark up their prices to make up the difference. Look at Toyota, which is spending more money discrediting people and hiding their involvement than they are actually fixing their own problems. They're both UNREGULATED. And these companies are KILLING us. I mean, really... this goes back to the Greasy Haired Ex-Actor administration, who deregulated everything. And we put HIM on a pedestal?

 

[MelissaY1]

Alright, I'm going to throw a high risk one out there - Westboro Baptist Church
Now, I am all for freedom of expression and all, but the ridiculous level of xenophobia and homophobia displayed by this group really, REALLY ticks me off. I mean picketing funerals? That's just stupid; and it doesn't help anyone.

I agree. I understand people are going to have their opinions as they should and they should have the right to express it, but yeah targeting funerals which are very personal, sad functions and turning it into a protest site is just wrong.

I hate extremists in any group that while they are entitled to their beliefs, really ruin it for others who may share their opinion. They just don't go about the right way expressing it sometimes. Perfect example, I'm a member of PETA. I love what they stand for, protecting the rights of animals, but I do NOT agree with all their tactics of how they go about it sometimes. The most I do is sign petitions, make donations, wear my T-shirts, etc. and maybe post a video or something to my Facebook to spread awareness.

But I don't preach to people about not eating meat (and I'm a vegetarian, but not vegan), but I know terrorizing people to do as I do is not the right way of getting people to hop on board. Going after Obama awhile back because he killed a fly at a press conference was just dumb in my opinion. And it makes everyone else not take us seriously. So they are just losing points with the rest of the world because of a few dumb people who took offense to stuff like that.

 

[Drtooth]

Going after Obama awhile back because he killed a fly at a press conference was just dumb in my opinion.

People go after him for eating the wrong kind of ketchup. They go after him for EVERYTHING. But the nitpicky little garbage that doesn't matter only serves to spend time defending everything you do instead of getting things done. Of course, if the last guy was caught eating babies with a side order of seals, you so much as said anything, and you were branded a commie. Funny how that works out, huh?

 

[D'Snowth]

People go after him for eating the wrong kind of ketchup. They go after him for EVERYTHING.

Because the GOP is being a bunch of sore losers about Obama winning... they've had their taste of power for so long, because of those two terms that Bush served, that now they're being all whiney because they're no longer in control. I don't even remember the GOP being in this much of a spat when Clinton was in office.

And look at how they've been backlashing - everybody's oh-so-in-love with Palin, that they follow her every lead, and she's been leading this modern-day Boston Tea Party rally by having civilians going around, throwing bricks and walls into the windows of where any Democratic political figure works, where their children go to school, where their families live, etc for supporting Obama's healthcare overhaul, and she's even gone so far as to pinpointing these people's exact location on the internet for the opposition to hunt them down and such.

And good God, I'm scared to think what will happen to our lives as we know if Palin wins the 2012 election...

BUT, we all said we can do with the political issues in this thread, so let's change the subject, shall we?

 

[Drtooth]

And good God, I'm scared to think what will happen to our lives as we know if Palin wins the 2012 election...

I doubt she'll ever go into politics again. She'll never run because she's making all too much money just whining. All I can say is, wow... imagine if McCain won the election and she actually had to DO something. Wow.

I mean, either side, it is hypocritical to say that you shouldn't say anything nasty about the leader. That's everyone's right. But this is coming out of the "You're either with us or against us" and "speaking out against the war means your a sympathizer" Bush era. Remember "freedom Fries?"

I swear a good number of the Tea Party is people who still have Peace Sign = footprint of the American Chicken and "Let's Bomb France Next" bumper stickers on their cars. The thing that REALLY bugs me about this anti-government sentiment isn't what they're saying, its the fact they were good little soldiers and obedient puppets when the entire world said the war in Iraq was a DUMB idea. And no one seemed to care about deficit spending until the health care bill. If more of their organization were to vote ONLY for an independent party, I wouldn't say a word. But these are the SAME people who wanted to ship peace protesters to Guantanamo.

 

[frogboy4]

Both parties have had their problems and gross lack of competence. I have strong feelings about each administration since Carter. With congress it's about who gets what credit instead of actually improving the lives of individuals. That’s what creates stalemates no matter who is in office.

Reagan, Clinton, G.W. Bush and Obama have all been cited for lack of practical experience or accomplishment before taking Presidential office. G.H.W. Bush is actually the only one with a steady track record, but that doesn’t excite voters. That’s why the machinery behind Palin thinks she has a chance. I’m not a fan, but will note she will likely run again and could gain a bit of momentum.

For better or for worse, we finally have a leader who is dealing with decades-old problems head-on! This is very un-PC to say, but I do find it noteworthy that America’s first minority President has largely taken on the janitorial role cleaning up the many years of mess left behind by the Caucasian majority. And that takes time. Personally, I think he’s doing something right because he’s getting trouble from both sides of the aisle. He’s getting heckled by gay rights activists and that’s peeving me. There’s no magic wand for him to wave to fix everything. He’s President, not King.

Still, by nature no politician is perfect. In fact, you’ve got to be quite smarmy to be a success in politics so I never deify any of them. Peoples is peoples.

 

[D'Snowth]

I’m not a fan, but will note she will likely run again

You KNOW she will!

Hate to disagree with you for once Drtooth, but it's no secret Palin's going to run for presidency in 2012... as far as the behavior goes, she's a diva; she's gotten a taste of the spotlight, and she just can't and won't get out of it, she wants the attention, and she wants the power.