So, 2010 was kind of a bust and a great deal of hope and expectation was placed on 2011. And though some really awesome things have happened so far this year, it seems more like we're going to be dealing with a lot of crazy and stupid. In the past couple of days I've come across a smattering of next-level-stupid bullshit. Engage:
- Tennessee (love it there as I may) is trying to pass legislation that would make it a felony to participate in certain tenements of Islam. With the whole freedom of religion thing we've got going on in this country, it's highly unlikely that this will get put into law, but the fact that legislators see nothing wrong with the principles of this bill, is really frickin scary.
- The Supreme Court just ruled in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church's rights to picket fallen soldiers' funerals. I know we've got to protect freedom of speech and all that jazz, but really? If it's illegal to yell 'Fire!' in a crowded theater, why is it okay to inflict further emotional distress on the families of the recently deceased?
- In addition to republicans trying to restrict a woman's right to choose, they're also trying to make it even harder for children and the low income to get by in this world. God forbid we cut defense budgets or impose higher taxes on the mega-wealthy, but it's totally fine to cut back on education and assistance programs.
- While the whole Charlie Sheen craziness is really sad yet interesting to watch unfold, there's a lot of real shit going in the world right now, and it seems really unsettling to me that so many news outlets are focused so heavily on him. I also have to think that if he is an addict and really needs help, giving him all this media attention probably is reinforcing the idea that he's invincible and could inhibit him from seeking treatment.
No comments:
Post a Comment