The news this morning reported that ESPN commentator Kurt Schilling has been suspended because he Tweeted a controversial comment comparing radical Islam with Nazis. While I don't know if his comment was technically accurate or not, I do believe his employer was within it's right to suspend him if they wished. But the bigger picture to me is that, once again, knee-jerk political correctness has ruled the day.
"Controversy" is something we just aren't allowed to partake in any more for fear of offending someone, and believe me, there is always a someone out there. We have become all-consumed with being kinder and gentler, while glossing over sometimes hard truths.
As my wife and others remind me regularly, I have a big, often uncensored mouth. But when I say something, in my mind at least I have credible research to back me up, or a logically reasoned position to support me. I don't mind putting my name on what I say or write. Then if someone disagrees, they are free to tell me where I'm wrong, and for the record, I have been known to change my position if I feel the opposite position actually holds up to cross-examination better.
Which beings me to Donald Trump. Why is the current political phenom soaring in all the polls? Is it because his positions are so well thought out and articulated? Doubtful. Why would all of his ardently conservative supporters love him so, when if they'll just think about what he's saying, they'll realize his proposals would absolutely bust the budget? *BLASPHEMY*
Why? Because, IMHO, he has thrown political correctness out the window. He's saying things that people may or may not agree with, but they like the fact that he's saying what he thinks, and he's putting his name on it.
Will this be The Donald's true, lasting political legacy....his willingness to say things out loud that would leave other weak-kneed politicians issuing serial apologies? Would that really be such a bad thing?
OK, so now my NSA / FBI dossier has grown one blog-post-entry thicker. Bite me. This is my story, and I'm stickin' with it. :)
S
I just read in the news that Canada now has a more affluent middle class than the United States. So do several other countries.
On the ever-popular topic of health care, the United States ranked 40th in the world on accessibility of quality health care, behind #1 France, as well as Singapore, Portugal, and Chile, among others.
We've been reading for years about the sad state of our educational system here in the US. Finland ranks first in the world followed by others like South Korea, Hong Kong, Latvia, and Slovenia.
Our economy statistically is bouncing back from recession at a world-leading pace, but those jobs are by-and-large not the high paying jobs we need.
Now many are questioning the wisdom of borrowing heavily for a college education. They say the debt students are straddled with when they graduate is way out of line with the modest-paying jobs they're likely to get. They'll be in debt forever.
Many of our cities are decaying, our roads and bridges are in sad shape, and we're afraid to smile at anyone for fear we'll be called in for "sensitivity training." Political correctness rules.
When something goes wrong, it's always that elusive "someone else's" fault, never our own. Lie, cheat or steal if you have to, just "show me the money".
We universally think we're the best at everything, when we are increasingly just average at everything....nothing more.
This is not meant to be a "beat up on the US" post. Quite the opposite; this is meant to be a "WAKE UP AMERICA" post.
IMO, and I think my position is probably now a majority opinion, our system is simply broken. Class warfare is raging. "I've got mine. You go get your own". Tea Party members don't play well with others, nor do their extreme liberal counterparts. We are our own worst enemies.
We MUST break this. Our political system is a joke. The wrong people / special interests get breaks at the expense of the rest of us, which ultimately weakens us all.
Yet we still strut around yelling "WE'RE NUMBER 1". We're talking the talk, but we're sure not walking the walk. How long do you have to be in denial before you hit bottom?
There's nothing we can't do, but a lot of us are going to have to change the way we think before that will happen.
Does anyone give a shit anymore?
Happy hump day. :)
S
