Remember when you actually believed in Santa Claus? Or remember your first true love? How about the myth that actually being a loyal, on time employee who tried his or her best insured your employment? These of course are but a few myths in your life that you probably held but soon came to terms with, often after becoming angry or incensed even psychotic, depressed, hostile or even somewhat violent.
Tuesday evening I had the opportunity to go and witness a Republican Congressional Town Hall Meeting in the den of the far right-wing, even I dare say, the radical Libertarian bastion of the nation, Woodland Park, CO, which is up a mountain pass from Colorado Springs, CO. I dare say this was a place quite "friendly" to all forms of right-wingism and political conservatism---even authoritarianism. Congressman Lamborn, one of the most [un]respected GOP Representatives even among his own peers was hosting the affair. Naturally the attendance broke all forms of safety and fire codes, but alas it is a Republican stronghold and who is going to enforce codes when a bashing session in order.
I did witness all forms of anti-government anger, Obama vilification even name-calling as in Nazi or Marxist or both. Many exclaimed all forms of the Constitution as they interpreted it as being trampled. More in tune was a proliferation and validation of the myths the Republicans and conservatives continue to express in opposition to this reform effort. One humorous moment of admission came when a person admitted:
"they were being bused in, prepared by their "handlers" as to what questions and comments to make, but it was unnecessary in a gathering of like minded people as here."
But their anger, confusion, fear and resentment was real, no different than the wrath Lorena Bobbit had when she learned of her John's infidelity. Except in this case the anger is not so much about facing reality that a relationship has come to an end but that their mythology of what constitutes America is being openly challenged---politically and they are angry about it. It is this sublime to witness. They see America in some mythology, as what there idea reality is, a form of ----- "truthiness". Corbet the sarcastic genius has captured what constitutes this large fringe conservative psychology:
They 'believe', therefore they know, in their gut, that these things they hold must be true, regardless of those pesky facts and contradictions, namely things like empirical analysis, or reality outcomes, for what they feel in their gut, all the myths and fears is 'Truth--iness'. Confronted with As for this 'cognitive dissonance', they don't recognize that something only liberal intellectuals can even pronounce anyway and they are not bound by it!
What is dangerous and wholly irresponsible is that Lamborn, our Congressman, is not only cow-towing to this collective but wrong-headed emotion, but he is actively feeding it. It is a veiled or unconscious path towards nihilism where any form of modern social organization and government is the object of their desired destruction of it. This of course is not about good policy or finding a means to solve an overwhelming social and economic problem, it is about feeding the flames to recapture their lost power, for the sake of having power and using to continue their own mythical worldviews.
Walking out of the energy-charged gathering one Bible-toting extremist greeted the attendees exalting:
"[G]od's work has been performed here."
Where as I passed close by I whispered just loud enough for her to hear,
"actually, " 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.', would be a more apropos quotation."
The stunned look that came across her face was precious, where suddenly there came the anger of some realization that I was actually a silent liberal walking right beside and was qouting the Bible. It left her momentarily speechless still holding her Bible high in the air.
That night watching the Rachel Maddow Show I got more validation for what I had seen in person. Many Republicans actually believe in the myths including "death panels", publicly financed abortions, government takeover of health coverage, et cetera, while Democrats and Independents don't. (Thanks to Daily Kos hiring Research 2000 to do some of that research).
These same Republicans admit to getting their information from Fox News and conservative 'talk radio' while Independents and Democrats are getting their information from other sources. Propagating the myths versus critically thinking that is what is going on here. That is why what Barney Frank said about talking to a "dining table" was so on the mark.
Ironically, the characterizations of Nazism is what is so maddening and yet it is such an example of "projection". What actually created and maintained Nazi Germany, as well as Fascist Italy and the Imperial Japan was their collective beliefs in national mythologies. It is the same thing that propelled Serbia in the 1990's, to genocide. Serbia was reclaiming its former ancient self of Greater Serbian Empire. Germany was living the myth of a "superior race", the pure Aryans, while Italy was rebuilding its former self, the Roman Empire. In Japan they felt that the Emperor was infallible and Japanese were superior all myths of course, but so powerful it brought death and destruction to all that touched it or had to repel it.
But these angry right-wingers declare that it is Obama is Hitler reincarnate. That is projection and they are as dangerous as Lorena Bobbit or my brother in the 2nd grade who punched the daylights out of the 3rd grader who told him there was no Santa Claus. Myth busting in politics is not entertainment on the Discovery Channel, unfortunately it is a blood sport.
The problem is not so much with these lost political souls who "... do not know what they are doing", it is with their leaders who do. Make no mistake, lying and feeding the myth monster is not a good American---period, it is akin to being a traitor. Burn down the house and then what, that is not protecting the Constitution, that is self-serving a political end that is nothing but a deep abyss.
So to those who are outside the myth believers, understand they are not reachable, no different than if you run into an adult who still believes in the "Great Pumpkin", which probably includes Michelle Bachmann. But to all the rest, keep them all accountable and have some courage.