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NEWSROOM * CIRCULATION * ADVERTISING
Monday
March 2010
15
Community Blogs
EMANCIPATION DENIED
We like to teach American history as though we have been a nation that prides itself on emancipation. We like to preceive ourselves as liberators and freedom providers. Let's pause and reflect on how the United States of America has been so reluctant in granting "others" emancipation and freedom.
From the time European explorers and settlers arrived in what would become the United States, our treatment of Native Americans [many prefer the term American Indians] has been atrocious. Mistreatment of American Indians continues to this day, but we simply destroyed these cultures, killed off huge parts of their population, subjected them to disease, and imprisoned them on inhospitalbe reservations. There has been almost no attempt to understand them or work with them to show respect for their cultures, habits, religions, way of living, etc. It is a horrible chapter in our history.
From the beginning of colonial America there has always been a predisposition to give special favors and recognition to northern Europeans. Scandinavians, Germans, English, etc. have not had to overcome some of the discrimination that has been faced by cultures from Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Slavic people, etc. The Irish came after English and German culture had secured itself in our basic thoughts, and thus those from Erin had to struggle upon reaching our shores. Germans, for example, often arrived with no assets, but they were accepted openly in much of what would become the USA. Irish had a tougher climb to acceptance. Spanish-speaking people were not accepted, and we actually stole much of what we now call the United States from Mexico.
The Jews often arrived destitute from Europe. They faced not only economic hardships, they faced anti-Semitism. Jews still face overt and covert discrimination in the U.S. Bigots are disgruntled by this because they like to simply categorize "other" people as lazy, on the dole, unclean, etc. But Jews with very little were able to become successful. From Napolean's time when Jews were given some freedom in Europe, these people succeeded against great odds. They did so in Europe during the centuries of oppression as well.
African-Americans faced a special bigotry. Not only did their skin become a mark that bigots used to practice horrible discrimination, the black peoples in the U.S. had the inhuman experience of actually being owned by whites. To say there is still discrimination in the U.S. against blacks is to state the obvious. The election of Barack Obama was an anomaly brought about by a huge infusion of young voters and independent voters outside the mainstream of prejudicial America. Recent elections show what happens when the young and minorities do not turn out in such large percentages. People who hold onto prejudice and have fundamental mythologies vote in large percentages, as do the "haves" in our society who want to hold on tightly to their materials and not share them with anybody. This is in many ways the biggest example that breaks the myth of America the free, America the democracy, America for everybody.
Asian Americans have been mistreated in the U.S. throughout our history. Chinese "coolies" built our railroads and lived in squalor. Prejudice has been rampant for Asians. Japanese-American internment camps were a blatant evidence of bigotry. Today's Laotians, Hmong, and Vietnamese face daily bigotry.
Today we have become quite focused on Latin-Americans who are in our midst. Not part of the northern, white European cultures, they are expected to jump through hoops never before required of other European cultures and their descendants. Prejudice rears its ugly face when it comes to Latinos who reside here. Suddenly we set up special barriers that most Americans' descendants never faced. We have thought of building a wall along the Mexican-U.S. border, but if we build a ten foot fence, there are twelve foot ladders. This drives many people bonkers.
Do I write this because I am anti-American? I should not have to prove my American loyalty. But to deny our discrimation and bigotry is a lie that we never fully confront. Too many Americans have been given special favors because they are white, or they inherited estates from their parents, or did not have to be confronted with racial or ethnic bigotry, etc. And these fortunate people want to deny this to others. THAT to me is definitely un-American. Equality is a part of the America of freedom. Read the Declaration of Independence, the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation, and other key documents in our nation's history. If, after you read them, you still hold onto the same prejudicial mindset, then you have personal problems that transcend history.
In our blind race to be patriotic we often forget that correcting the mistakes from our past is also a requirement in a democracy. We need these reminders to keep us honest, informed, and objective citizens as we express our freedoms and equality. Thanks for the needed reminder, Mr. Schultz. As mentioned in the past, your blog should be read throughout America.
I agree 100% Lester. America has not been clean as silk but yet have rectified many of those situations of the PAST. Presently, I agree that Hispanics have been scrutinized and in some cases for good reason. I'm sure that most of the Hispanics are wonderful people and contribut to society. However, the many big cities such as L.A. and others have experienced unreal gang situations with the likes of MS13 and many others. This is probably what creates the attitude against these people and it is sad but it is a situation that must be dealt with. As you are probably well aware, the majority of major prisons in the big cities are overpopulated with Hispanic and African American gang members who have not just robbed a bank. And it appears that everytime the law is enforced on these people, the do-gooders come forward to say that Americans are racist, bigots or whatever. Personally, I am tired of that attitude. We may have a long way to go but America is still the land of FREEDOM and cannot allow those who wish to do harm to be given a slap on the hand. I might add, all of those immigrants of the past at least attempted to assimilate into our society rather than try to change it to meet their culture.
I am tired of America worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture, assimilate to America’s way of life or leave. We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!
This is what I say to those mouthy “gib me dat” people:
This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great American freedom, THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.
P.S. Looks like Obama just had his “Pet Goat” moment. Obama gives a "shout out" to friends in audience before addressing Fort Hood! Of course Obama is Muslim and the shooter was a recent convert to Islam so I guess Obama is protecting his Homeboy.
Say what you want about President Bush, but we never had another attack on American soil after 9/11 during his Presidency. Now the jihadists have an ally in the W/H and look what’s happening. Muslims in the Army are in for a rough ride.
Gordy, I understand your premise, but that premise is easy to disprove and shouldn't need to be reminded to you, as Mr. Schultz has done in his blog. We still sit on the land stolen from Mexico. The overwhelming number of crimes in America are committed by white people but not punished as severely as for minorities. We never properly compensated the Japanese Americans for our taking their property. We have never kept our word in the treaties with the Indians. I could go on endlessly with this. The point is we still act out these bigoted actions today specifically on land we stole.
Who compensated the black people who were infected by the government in Tuskegee? Look at New Orleans today.
We just go along, as you suggest, as though everything is okey-dokey. Wake up! These atrocities still live with us.
Kids are dying from your type of attitude today! Why in the world would you try to cover it over and deny it?
When America and Americans have honestly and directly come to grips with these scars on our past, only then will we be able to write as Gordy has here. Until then we need all the reminders we can get. Shame on us!
Steve, I agreed with you somewhat but then you go off ripping my "attitude". My attitude is that the MS13 gangs and the many other gangs who are infiltrating every major city must be dealt with. And how in the heck are kids dying from MY attitude. It is the attitude of the slap on the wrist liberal judges who are causing most of the problems. I am awake and have been for almost 70 years and counting. You and Tom have the audacity to continue ripping the messenger. I suggest that YOU wake up and face reality in this dangerous world. Yes, we need a Ghandi, Martin Luther King but until justice for injustice is completed we will never make the advancements necessary. And no, EVERYTHING is not America's fault (even though our forefathers committed atrocities). THAT is history and the NOW is what you had best be concerned about for you and your children and grandchildren. Retribution can just go so far. If you read on my previous comment, I did NOT deny anything. It happened so get over it. The future must and will be more opportunistic for everyone as long as every culture is ready to accept our culture when they come here--legally or illegally.
Gordy, you always seem to miss the cause and effect of history. You want to f orget history. THAT is why children are dying in inner cities, on reservations, in ghettos in the U.S. And that is in main because of this history. You are the problem that the U.S. has: forget what we did, forget what we occupy (stolen land), forget our ONGOING heritage of prejudice, don't bother to try and understand American Indian culture, forget the debt we owe Japanese Americans, don't bother to help children abused in poverty through no fault of their own, on and on and on. The nation is criminal in this. The U.S. has a debt that it wants to ignore. That, Gordy, is illegal, immoral, and horrid. Unless we confront our history, children die, children are left to starve, children are hungry, to say nothing of the multitude of other social-economic-political ills.
You just want to forget all this. Pay up, USA!
What I have written is what this blog post is about, What you have written is a right-wing lecture. Address the blog, please.
It is amazing that fartoo many representing the right wing have such difficulty confronting the horrors of our past. We will never get past them if we deny them. Our horrible record in health care among industrialized nations, we still use capital punishment, our military bullying, our ignoring any understanding of Native or other cultures, etc. all lock us to the past. As a nation in the 21st century we will be locked into centuries old bigotry, hatred, and blinders unless we confront our past and move to change our attitudes. Otherwise we shall continue to have more domestic and foreign ethnic/racial problems than any nation in the world.
Mr. Schultz, your current blog posting couldn't be more relevant to the tragedy that unfolded at Fort Hood in Texas. So sad. I hope that we do not now compound the problem by showing off our bigotry by painting all Moslems, all people who look or speak like Moslems with the same brush. As events by individuals unfold, the bigots come out of their holes to chastise people of color, ethnic or religious groups, etc. as all the same. This is why it is so important to read what Mr. Schultz has written here. And Gordy, it would do you well to read the last sentence of this current blog by Mr. Schultz
Less,
Seek help for your guilt.
Being an "intelligent blogger" and student of history you should know that civilizations rise and fall from conquest, and the road to conquest is paved in blood.
Sad, but true.
I have to give you credit, Forgotten Man, you want the USA to be a nation focused on conquest and you admit it. On the other hand, we are taught that the United States was something special, something above the brutes of the past.
That, you see, is a part of the problem. I think the U.S. has followed your premise and been a bully to any group or civilization that got in its way. You admit it, I lament it.
Mr. Schultz, you sure do draw 'em. Like roaches confronted with an exterminator, the right-wing extremists come crawling out of the woodwork because you have made them uncomfortable. Good for you. These are people who overtly and covertly hold onto the worst kinds of hate and bigotry, and then stand up and cheer for the U.S. without ever feeling any guilt or compunction to address past horrors. Ares may top the list for crudeness and ignorance. He orders people to assimilate and learn English or leave.
Somehow in that twisted mind he has forgotten how long it was for Germans & other Europeans to assimilate. Lawrence Welk, Ares, was born in the Dakotas. How did you like his English? There are still enclaves of 3rd and 4th generation German Americans who speak English with a German accent. I bet Ares does a few dese, dem, and doze himself. Watertown anyone?
Some of you folks are amazing. You obviously think I am a child predator, killer of children, racist, hate poor people, think America has never committed atrocities, hates Indians, blacks, Hispanics and whatever. There is obviously nothing that I say will convince you of anything as your mind is set on the liberal viewpoints of this administration and our climb into Socialism. AGAIN, be concerned about the NOW as the PAST is the PAST. Maybe we should give all the land back to the Indians, and pay every Mexican $500,000 for stealing their land. There are no easy answer to all of the problems we face but for God sake will you all quit portraying me as an anti-human idiot. When you do that you are simply displaying your stupidity. Again, keep it civil as I try to do but for some of your comments it is almost impossible. And no, the killing in Texas has NOTHING to do with what we did in the past but rather what is going on now. When a man yells out Allah Akbar as he is killing his fellow soldiers YOU KNOW THAT HE IS A TRUE FOLLOWER OF THE KORAN AND RADICAL ISLAM. How we paid for his education and then medical school for 4 years should be enough to make you all start giving the NOW situations a little more thought. What I am wondering is how many of Hasan's are there out there undetected? Maybe we will soon find out. For those who still think America sucks, remember the Marshall Plan, the Berlin airlift, the sunamis and the help we gave to Muslims then and hundreds of other times around the world. America represents Freedom and humanitarian actions beyond any other nation. Somehow, some of you tend to forget those happenings.
Ares2009 believes every non-citizen Muslim needs to be deported immediately. I shouldn’t have to explain why. If a Muslim American Major can kill American soldiers on a US military base, how safe are we from Muslim terrorists in malls, schools and grocery stores? Say what you want but stereotypes come from somewhere!
Gordy, I would suggest you read the second sentence of your last comment here. Then read it again. Then again. Get the picture?
Ares, check out the NSM because you may find joy in the National Socialist Movement which is not socialist at all but on the other side of the spectrum where extreme right-wingers feel comfortable: Nazism. They are looking for people exactly like you.
Now back to the blog: Mr. Schultz you are doing a service here because nobody could characterize the neocon danger more than the right-wing nutcases who comment here. Thank you for exposing these crazies.
Frank, you labled ME a Nazi? Don't forget Islam is a violent, intolerant, tyrannical, world-dominating ideology. There’s no two ways to slice this–that’s what it is. To claim it’s a religion like any other fails to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence that it is a “religion apart” (body count, failed states, etc.). Islam shares much more in common with Naziism or Communism than it does with any other major world religion. So Frank, why don't you point your angry in the right direction, towards the Muslims. I'm not your problem.
Also, If you follow Muhammed's teachings and life to the letter, you become a terrorist. If you folllow Jesus' teachings and life to the letter, you beome a saint. That's the difference, and that's the continuing inherent problem with islam.
Just like all of your comments here, Ares, you are no expert when it comes to Islam. You take violent, extremist examples and try to stick them all of Islam. How comfortable that must make you feel to put everybody into one of your cute little boxes.
Christianity has killed infinitely more people than Islam. You shouldn't have to be told that if you know anything of history. As Mr. Schultz has pointed out here, we ignore history to our own peril. The Crusades had Crusaders bragging and celebrating that there was Islamic blood up to their knees from the people they slaughtered. And look at Christian Europe's history. Look at the Christian European empires, built on the murdered backs of many different peoples. Our own American descendants wiped out immense numbers of Indians.
For Gordy, Ares, and all the Islamic critics...
"The First Crusade...set off its two-thousand mile jaunt by massacring Jews, plundering and slaughtering all the way from the Rhine to the Jordan. 'In the temple of Solomon,' wrote the ecstatic cleric, Raimundus de Agiles, 'one rode in blood up to the knees and even to the horses' bridles, by the just and marvelous Judgment of God.' " -Herbert J. Muller
Ares, forget about explaining sanity and reason to these people. They are a hopeless group and that is why they are such followers of Mr. Schultz. Nothing that is said will ever change their mind. They have to be brought to the light by happenings. I pity them for not being able to civily respond. Reason being, they just don't get it. They act as if we are un-American, child killing idiots. That is evidence enough of their inept attempts are trying to disregard our comments. Oh well, the old saying "it takes all types" certainly fits here. The Tyranny of the majority of this administration is hell bent on creating chaos and they are doing a good job. Mr. O's popularity as a person is still at 53%. Fine! All other polls related to policy have him at 27-37% while Congress (Pelosi/Reid and the rest) are at 21%. Now that is change we can believe in.
If you think that is just history to be ignored, think of how we are still impacted in the Christian world by events that took place over 2,100 years ago. I hope, Gordy and Ares, that you are not using arabic numerals. I shall have to report you. Stick with the old reliable Roman numerals that came from "our" people. The astronomical numbers of people who have been killed by Christians through the years continues today. As Mr. Schultz points out, being honest and confronting our history is very, very important. Otherwise we act out in ignorant and violent fashion, as evidenced by people like Ares and Gordy.
Oh yes Tom, I want to wipe everybody out except those who agree with me. Get off it! The arguements you guys present are pathetic. I suggest you contemplate the following: Change= More debt, more taxes, more welfare, more government, more wasteful spending, more corruption. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT! Example: In 1977 the Dept of Energy was formed. NOW, 2009, the budget for one year for the Dept of Energy is $24 billion a year, they have 16000 employees, 100,000 contract employees and our energy situation is worse than it ever was. Just what do you think the health debacle will be? Banking, auto industry and now health? Now THAT is history you can bank on. Get it? It is amazing how far from Lesters's blog everyone gets. Any comment that doesn't agree with him is stifled. That sounds like what is going on on the House floor as I type this. A health bill discussion on something that doesn't go into affect until 2013. Why the rush? BECAUSE PELOSI AND THE REST OF THESE IDIOTS KNOW THAT WHEN EVEN MORE AMERICANS KNOW ABOUT THIS DEBACLE, IT WILL GO DOWN IN A BALL OF FIRE. NOT IGNORANCE TOM BUT KNOWLEDGEABLE COMMENTS BY A HUGE NUMBER OF AMERICANS HAS FINALLY PUT THESE LIBERALS ON NOTICE. VOTE YES FOR THOSE UP IN 2010 FOR RE-ELECTION AND I SUSPECT THEY WILL ALL BE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, Gordy is angry. He is right, though. You know how I know he is right? He typed his comments in caps. Yes, Fuhrer. If you want to know where the real hundreds of billions of dollars are flushed down the toilet, check out the Pentagon. They got hundreds of billions of dollars in contracts that they didn't even know about while they were being negotiated. How can this be? Well, you may remember Dick Cheney. That demon gave away many billions of disappearing dollars to Halliburton and its subsidiaries. And for what? To illegally invade a sovereign nation. Do screw up Afghanistan so badly that nobody can fix it. If you want to see TRILLIONS of dollars in waste, check 2001-2009 in Bush's White House. That's where real waste happened.
Yes, on Katrina, rebuilding after 9/11, rebuilding after Enron, Tyco, Worldcom and the dot com bubble burst. After the Democrats took over in 2006 and it has been downhill ever since. FM/FM controlled by Frank, Dodd and yes, Mr. O. Big bucks paid to them. $479 billion deficit when Mr. O took over and now we are at almost 4 trillion. Now that is change we can believe in. You are clueless as to what is going on so don't try to belittle me. You probably are also unaware of the FACT that in 1978 the Army Corps of Engineers had millions of dollars to re-enforce the levees in New Orleans. Your buddies, the environmentalist fools stopped the whole project due to a stupid frog and the eco-system. Result? flooding of the 9th ward. Bush gets the blame because you people are not in the loop on what really happened. Just remember, during Bush adm--52 straight months of economic growth, 4-5% unemployment, taxes cut and a 14000 stock market. THEN the Democrats took the checkbook in 2006. Don't you get that? Inform yourself before you rip the messenger of truth. And you might as well forget about Cheney and Bush because they don't matter anymore. They did the job the were elected to do. KEEP YOUR BUTT SAFE FROM FURTHER ATTACKS. Play your games of negative comments but it won't work on me. I can rebutt ANYTHING you say. Sorry to make you feel bad but I'm afraid you are outclassed with FACTS. Now go back to your MSNBC news station and see how they will distort the happenings of the day. Oh, and don't forget to go to church on Sunday and pray that your liberal friends don't add another $1.3 trillion to your childrens debt while still NOT covering 51 million people by 2015. Those are the CBO figures as of today.
Obama is busy telling Americans to not “jump to conclusions.” Really, what conclusions would they be? Like 13 American soldiers dead from a Muslim murderer yelling “alihu akhbar?”
The mainstream media continues to report about the Muslims in America fearing retaliation from angry Americans. Boo freaking hoo. Last count I saw this week is Muslims – 13, Americans – 0. That the Muslim murderer is alive in the hospital speaks volumes to the humanity of Americans and our belief in the rule of law.
Hussein Hopenchange's response to the Islamofacist attack ar Fort Hood has left no doubt of the wacko leftist, America-hating embarrassment he is. Americans are gullible and trusting. They voted for him because he said such smooth, sweet words and to show Americans weren’t racist as they’ve been trained. Barack Obama’s words may be slick but his actions illuminate a very black soul.
Kathy may look upon Islam differently after she becomes a prisoner of her own burka.
Look at France and the almost continuous unrest of its Muslim immigrants. Look at what has been allowed to happen in the UK. Look at the southern Philippines and any other part of the world with a minority Muslim population and it seems that trouble festers as their demands go unmet; autonomy; homeland; self rule; imposition of Sharia Law.
What is happening in Israel is but a window of what the next installment will look like in Europe and India.
If we are not more restrictive, instead of pandering to demands on our own soil which are totally alien to our Western way of Life, then we risk being subsumed. We risk being forced back to an age of barbarism and head-taking by an ideology that is steeped in blood and well past its sell-by date. Reject Islamofacism!
Folks, just read what the Three Mosquitos write from the right-wing goof wing. Just read what they write.
Remember, they believe what they write. It is incomprehensible that they could believe such nutso junk, but when you listen to Rush and Glenn, read the Washington Times, etc., you are likely to goose-step to any fuhrer. Read what they write! They absolutely promised...absolutely guaranteed...that the health care reform bill never would pass the House. I don't much like what they passed either, but I never guaranteed it would never pass THE HOUSE like those right-wing goofs did.
Wake up please! we are headed in a direction and it is one that we will never survive. Obama and the dems are day by day coming too close to a Nazi Germany. I hope all that voted for Obama are happy with the destructive changes Obama is making, his cronies haven't shown a sign of giving a hoot for the America he is spitting on.
Tom, where do you see that Congress would never pass the bill? Of course they will pass it as they have the majority, although it passed only 220-215, they might have a tough go in the Senate. Aren't you excited about government controlling banks, auto industry, and soon the health industry? You had better watch what you hope for. Every step moves us closer to Socialism/Marxism no matter how you spin it. Your children will be so happy you supported these people. If you REALLY didn't like what they passed you would have calling your Democrat reps and tell them your view. Maybe you did I don't know. At any rate, it is a long process yet.
Ares and Gordy, c'mon guys, you were crowing a very short time ago that health care reform would NEVER pass the House. I don't like what they passed. However I am not afraid of socialism because this country never has had nor never will have anything to the left. We have always been a right-wing, capitalism nation. I would much prefer a single payer system with protection for private insurance companies, much like they have in Germany. The insurance industry is not complaining in Germany, and the people would NEVER give up their single-payer system. Fear of socialism is just a lot of wasted effort. In the process the majority of Americans suffer. Not having a single payer system is on the way to bankrupting us...we cannot sustain the insurance-company-takes-all system we now have. And the silly fear by Dems prevents real reform. Silly & sad.
NEVER NEVER did I say it would not pass the House. Single payer simply means eventual total government takeover and we are already bankrupt in Medicare/ Medicaid and Social Security. 50 to 100 new government bureaucratic agencies to run health care will mean more corruption. Just clean up the fraud in Medicare/Medicaid first and then proceed to something else. Rushing this, as they tried, is the simple indication that it is not good for all. We all know that every single person can get assistance at an emergency room, insurance or not. We also know that the system needs fixing but not in 2000 pages. Insurance industry profits average 2%, they rank 35th in profitability of major companies. This bill is simply about power and control over you and when you are old enough you will realize that rationing is the key. You can't add 35 million to Medicare and expect there NOT to be rationing. Doctors have threatened to bail the profession if this bill eventually passes. They probably won't but their decision tells where they stand. The AMA has already lost many doctors because of the threat. Still doctors but not members of the AMA. When government controls your health choices it is over. JUST REFORM THE PRESENT SYSTEM BUT DON'T RE-INVENT THE WHEEL.
Also, it has been projected that tax rates will increase by 45%. Think of this: If you bought a car and paid for it today but didn't get delivery for 4 years, would you be happy? THAT is the plan. Tax now and insurance goes into affect in 2013. Most small business will be taxed right out of business or move to other locations. I might be wrong on this one, but I don't think there is any other country that forces health insurance. It has also been projected that over 5 million jobs will be lost if the present bill passes. We already have choices of 1300 insurance companies and for sure we should be able to buy insurance across state lines just like any other type of insurance. Get the lawyers out of health insurance and we could save billions every year. Notice how the lawyers are really pushing for this because they put up 96% of their campaign contributions to the Democrats and want payback. That is the name of the game.
Nothing Gordy writes above has any truth to it. When you support these absurd, exaggerated statements and lies you give unbridled support to the insurance industry, the private health care industry, the pharmaceutical industry, etc. You have been raped by these corporations and received terrible health care in the process COMPARED TO WESTERN EUROPE WHERE THEY HAVE A SINGLE-PAYER SYSTEM. Things are so bad in the U.S. that even the American Medical Assn. and AARP endorse the House bill. Amazing! It is a needlessly bulky bill because the right-wingers fought and fought and fought to keep Obama from success. Imagine a group that uses that tactic: the heck with the public, we want Obama to fail. Sad
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