(Above image from SharpWriter via Boing Boing. Yes, that’s supposed to be Ronald Reagan. No, it doesn’t really look much like him.)
America is dying because there is no more actual debate on actual issues. People now merely scream at each other. The spirit that America once had, of everyone coming together to solve critical issues, no longer exists.
There is no better recent example of this than the death of Andy Griffith. In case you don’t know, Griffith’s 50 year career as an actor included 8 years playing a small town sheriff in a gentle comedy, The Andy Griffith Show, that featured an idealized vision of small town America. Griffith also appeared in a TV commercial supporting Barack Obama (directed by Ron Howard, who played Griffith’s son on TAGS all those years ago) and another commercial supporting universal health care.
This is the way some people responded online to the announcement of his death:
Progressive POS. Have fun burning in Hell for eternity. — Red Meat
Good people don’t promote laws that will directly lead to the death of millions, hope someday I get to spit on his grave. — Swampy
So long Andy [smiley emoticon] You are a total sell out to this great nation. You are a communist piece of garbage and you will not be missed. — Truthbeliever2
Sadly, my first thought when I saw the headline was “if he’d passed away at age 82 I would have missed him so much more” … Now, I only feel angry the old shill didn‘t live another year or two so he’d have to face a “death panel” before kicking it. The old bastrd died too soon to reap what he helped sow. I feel cheated that we’ll never get to hear him lament his decision to be a wh0re for the socialist DNC. — Wool-Free Vision
Another dead Democrat…today’s shaping up to be a better day than expected. — teddrunk
The guy that was the spokes person for Obamacare dies 1 week after it is upheld, 1 and counting. — Love The Kids
I had hoped that he would live long enough to be denied the healthcare that he helped shove down America’s throat. — Posterchild
So how did that Maobamacare you were pimping a couple of years ago work out for ya? Gee did the death panels keep you waiting too long? — Sweetrae
Griffith was a total communist and hated this country. He was a bitter resentful person as Libs usually are. He was wasting air that someone else deserved. I won’t miss him in the least. — el_texicano
It’s funny…everybody says the Sheriff Taylor character was so sweet and kindly. I guess that’s so. But I could never get past the look on Griffith’s face, and the expression in his eyes. He always looked shifty and downright mean to me. That affable smile looked sort of like a shark’s grin. He always creeped me out. — CatherineofAragon
Later in life he did a movie called “Gramps” where he played a sinister old man. Given how truly EVIL obamacare is, I imagine this character came naturally to him. — brickdds
yup looks like he died before he could vote for obama again — al baby
What makes you think he won’t still vote for Bamby? He is, after all, a Democrat. — JaguarXKE
I mean, really? The guy had a different political position from you and that gives you the right to dance on his grave?
(via Wonkette)
It is certainly appalling that there is no intelligent discourse between differing opinions in America today (e.g. screaming head TV is de rigeur). That is a situation that exists and needs to be accepted and navigated as part of the landscape. However, there are still many positives to recognize in the US. The negatives will, frankly, never disappear. When have there not been social issues in the US?
I thought Andy Griffith was supposed to be the epitome of all that people got nostalgic for in America. Guess not.
Compare the comments above with the ones of the Reagan picture, which are pretty hilarious. One of my favourites being “What’s he shooting at? People with AIDS?”
I think the partisanship has been with us a very long time. Sometimes it manifests itself as political anger (Aaron Burr vs Alexander Hamilton) and sometimes it shows up as racism or homophobia or misogyny or… you get the idea. The current unpleasantness is magnified, I think, by the internet. It enables people to do 2 things they’ve never been able to do before: find an outlet where thousands will read their thoughts, and find an outlet where thousands of them think alike. Americans have a lot going for us, but being erudite and cosmopolitan is quite a rare trait – especially outside of NYC and LA.
I don’t think intelligent debate is dead in the US so much as I wonder if it ever existed in the first place. Did something happen to these Andy Griffith haters to make them ugly, or were they always so?
A sobering and thought provoking post.
Buck, I have to (respectfully) disagree. The history of America is that of all sides pulling together in a time of crisis, setting aside differences to achieve a goal for the greater good. The Depression, World War II, Civil Rights – those are times when there was disagreement but not total stasis, which is what seems to exist now. Everything is politicized, everyone is polarized. I think fistfights on the floor of Congress in the near future are a definite possibility.
Go to any comment section frequented by Americans, on any topic. It will be full of Right-Wingers spewing venom and hatred. If the topic being discussed is not political, they will twist it somehow to inject their political views into it. You will not find the same sort of behavior from the Left at all.
Excellent post, this theme gets amplified if you go to sites like breitbart.com, there Breitbart’s death is depicted as the “end of the world”, any differing opinion is totally rejected and the death or defeat of anyone who is not a total right wing nut is celebrated.
This is not the America I experienced in the 60′s when I first arrived here, yes there were differences (Vietnam, civil-rights) but there was also dialog. Today there is only grandstanding and obstruction (if I can’t win, you will lose too).
“You will not find the same sort of behavior from the Left at all.” Really, Doug? “The death or defeat of anyone who is not a total right wing nut is celebrated.” Really, Fred? Somehow, you two — and maybe you too, Spike — missed the horrible, malicious comments that came from the caring, tolerant Left when Breitbart died. The comments about Griffith are mild in comparison. Wise up: Hateful intolerance on the Internet comes from across the political spectrum. And do, or even say, something about getting your own house in order before whining about the Right.
Gary, I believe that neither the left nor right is innocent here. But if you want to bring up Breitbart’s death as your example, that to me is an example of “you reap what you sow” because he was a hateful individual who in no small part was responsible for elevating the level of noise above that of intelligent debate.
There are plenty of people in Britain waiting to dance on Margaret Thatcher’s grave when she dies – even two songs about it (one is by Elvis Costello, I can’t remember who did the other). Frankly, I’m tempted to join them. She and Reagan between them did more than anyone to create the current culture of greed and selfishness wh9ich is manifested in the kind of statements you quote in your post.
Heh. Spike, you’re only proving my point, dude. I respect you and all, but given the American Left’s embrace of the likes of Keith Olbermann, Bill Maher, Ed Schultz, et al., you guys are hardly in a position to say how malicious and mean-spirited your detractors like Breitbart are. And spare me that “reap what you sow” crap. This nastiness has been going on at least since the death of Reagan. “You guys started it” is not a defense (even if it were true) for openly celebrating the death of a 43-year-old father of four within an hour of his death.
At least you acknowledged in your response that both sides have problems with obnoxiously offensive speech. But some have a real criticize-brother’s-speck, ignore-own-plank problem here. The poster of the comment that followed yours, for example. Hilariously, the irony of this post is completely lost on its author.
Oh Gary. I don’t watch Keith Olbermann, I don’t think you watch Bill Maher, and I have no idea who Ed Schultz is. Before being so quick to point a finger at others, get your own house in order.
I mean, seriously, spare me that “reap what you sow crap”? That’s what you got? Just automatic gainsaying of whatever someone else says? And in his defense all you’ve got is that he did what billions of others did, he had kids? You’re a prisoner of your ideology.
Spike, well said.
I am always amazed if Maher gets into this equation, he is a comedian!
I don’t know if anybody here remembers Lenny Bruce, a stand up comedian, who was demonized in life and death by the right when at the same time a Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond were celebrated as “American Hero’s” in life and death.