Busted: I Am Truly Anti-American*
*Using Michelle Bachman's definition.
Yup, I am opposed to America when it acts contrary to its principles and ideals. I am anti-America if that means against inferring that some are just not "real" Americans. I hate the America that took a hundred years to even exert itself enough to guarantee the fundamental right of democracy, the vote, to everyone.
I am not "pro" stupid, knee-jerk, daddy-impressing wars, or rewarding speculators with reduced taxes for short-term capital gains, or encouraging more spoiled children of wealthy parents with reduced estate taxes, or just about anything the GOP has been flogging over my entire adult life.
I am treasonously willing to see illegal surveillance exposed, suspiciously solicitous of the welfare of non-Americans, and of course I don't support the troops, since I want them to come home and raise families instead of dying to protect the oil facilities in Iraq. I even want to release the "worst of the worst" while they're still alive and not too crazy from pointless imprisonment. Another item on my anti-American agenda is to stop being known as a country that tortures.
And to top it off, I am so seditious I think that some rights are inalienable, given by their Creator (and evolution) to all sentient humans, not just some people in one country. I am such an ingrate, a traitor to my race, that I think voting for a black man who is astronomically my superior in smarts, education, judgement, and political acumen, is a smart move.
As Michael Moore said in "Stupid White Men", all the injuries I have experienced, whether personal or impersonal, institutional or individual, have come from white men. Sorry, it's self-preservation to vote black.





You seem pretty American to me Tom. Well-written, great point, and eminently compelling. Nice work.
October 21, 2008 5:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
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Hi Tom...
Long time not here. But I do notice that the joint here is almost becoming navigable.
How is Chi-town treating ya'?
As per usual you nail it.
My only wonder is why such a thought-provoking piece such as yours cannot be placed in the main queue, instead of being relegated to the side bar reader's posts.
Oh well ... those wonderful days of the Cafe are long behind us now. But at the very least there is still a venue provided to those in which to vent.
~OGD~
** Infrequent Cafe contributor since June 2005 **
October 22, 2008 1:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Howdy, pardner.
Our home-town guy is going to flatten McCain.
October 22, 2008 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just dropped into say hi.
Nice post.
October 22, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, Dave and Bruce.
October 22, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
RE: your last para. While it may be the smart thing to do, we white men may still still a little emotional help in the coming weeks. Just in case you missed it, the latest GYWO White Man's Burden.
;-)
October 22, 2008 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love 23/6, in my Favorites list.
I wanted to write a post about what the fuck those crackers are afraid of, that say stuff like "he'll put minorities above whites" or simply say "I ain't voting for no ******". That they fear payback, or retribution, implies there is a reason to fear that. Gee, ya think?
My favorite weird white fear came from a friend in CA, who works in a barrio school. The custodian, who she was chatting up, brought up the election and volunteered she was afraid that the unruly Section 8 black housing residents in her neighborhood would get out of control, or engage in insurrection, with a black man in the White House.
October 22, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
What I can't figure out is why McCain isn't playing up Obama's obvious connections to the Mau Mau rebellion. You know, his Dad being from Kenya & all. That Mau Mau thing STILL scares the Brits.
I only have one LEGITIMATE fear. I don't care about the rest, but if they come for my Creedence....
October 22, 2008 2:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have a seriously anarchic quantity of Frank Zappa, especially early stuff.
Who are the brain police? Now we know.
October 22, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you for that exceptional post. I only wish I'd written it!
October 22, 2008 2:36 PM | Reply | Permalink