Healthcare reform has passed. The economy is improving.
Civil rights hero John Lewis (D-GA) was spat upon Sunday and called a word I refuse to type here.
During a week that should be joyous, Nurse Kelley is afraid.
I am afraid because I think we are going to see increasing domestic violence, attempts by the wingnuts to destabilize the government.
Guns may be fired. Bombs may be planted. Assassination attempts may be made.
Make no mistake about it. The craziness we're seeing has its roots in old-fashioned racism. I can't prove it, but I have no doubt that the rallying cries of wingnut talk show hosts, teabaggers, misguided church ladies, birthers, deathers, and general assholes have been encouraged - and perhaps financed at times - by operatives of huge corporations that have the most to lose in the coming changes in our society.
Big bidness can't tell the truth and get this level of support.
Big bidness can't say, "Help us maintain the status quo. We'll lose money if we don't control our industries. We'll lose our huge salaries and our stock options and our bonuses and our corporate perks. OMFG, we'll have to pay higher taxes!!"
What they can do, however, is pander to the fears of racist Americans. They know those people are shocked and horrified and disgusted that our President is a black man.
They prey on those fears.
They pour money into the coffers of politicians, so much so that many of our elected officials now serve "we, the corporation" instead of "we, the people".
Those corporations aren't just CIGNA and United Health. They're AIG and bank holding companies. They're hospitals and big pharma. Wall Street firms. Agribusiness. Huge chemical and oil companies. In the same way that George W. Bush bought his presidency by making empty promises to evangelicals, these corporations are hoping to buy the collapse of the Obama presidency by pouring fuel on the once-latent fires of prejudice, bigotry, and racism.
It's time for rational Americans to fight back. Fight back before it's too late.
Those awful emails you get? The shitty things you overhear in the grocery store? The nasty editorials in your local paper?
The unchallenged lies you hear on "news" shows?
Push back, my friends. Drink for courage if you have to, but push back.
Change one mind.
Shut up one bigot.
Don't allow lies about our President and his accomplishments to be spread in your community.
Push back.
Please push back!
Don't wait for the violence. In my heart, I know it is almost here.