Unpleasant Facts About "The American People"

This is Driftglass, listing the first 5 out of his 10 "Unpleasant Facts About The American People."  Be sure to read the full list:

"1.  Other than geographically, there is no such group as 'The American People'.  It is a mirage invented by pundits to elide the stark and irreconcilable differences between various groups of Americans. 

"2.  Republican Americans do not care about democracy.  At all.  They are motivated entirely by their fear of and rage over various imaginary boogieman that the Republican media has spent 30 years implanting in their tiny lizard brains.

"3.  There are no 'Centrists' or 'Independents'.  Instead there are millions and millions of mopes who want to sound smart when they talk about politics, but who are also conflict-averse cowards who would rather pull their own heads off than take sides.  Over anything.  Or bother to learn the details.  Of anything.  So they hide out in the 'Both Side Do It' panic room, hoping that someone, somewhere will fix stuff and make everyone stop shouting.

"4.  There are plenty of Republicans-in-hiding who call themselves Independents currently hiding out in the  'Both Side Do It' panic room too.

"5.  Issues like fascism and voter suppression and civil rights and the fate of democracy and the future of the environment rarely penetrate the thick walls of the 'Both Side Do It' panic room, but stuff that gets reported on local news or in the mainstream media (like crime or inflation) does get in.  Because when the price of milk goes up, panic room denizens see it but when the price of democracy goes up they ignore it." ...

Meanwhile, we often refer to people who vote Republican as knuckle-draggers, mouth-breathers, sub-morons, seditionists, gun nuts, etc., tribal labels that may soon be reinforced in the upcoming election, when they (and untold misinformed voters) willfully and happily ignore appeals to "save democracy," because, as Driftglass points out, they don't care about it at all.  But gas prices?  Hoo- boy! 

 

Forewarned is forearmed.

Do We Need To Show Empathy And Respect For Shootin' Snowflakes? Nah!

via GIPHY

Driftglass has a searing takedown of David "Bobo"Brooks' much- mocked op/ ed telling us non- gun- humpers to be more respectful of gun humpers as a prelude to a dialogue on gun control. Brooks has a long history of divining what "Real America" has on its mind and what is "moral," which miraculously always aligns with Brooks' and his plutocrat audience's views and inclinations (as Driftglass demonstrates once again).

Not naming names, but clearly referencing Bobo, E.J. Dionne, Jr., wonders why gun humpers are to be endlessly indulged to the detriment of our society:

Supporters of even modest restrictions on firearms are regularly instructed that their ardent advocacy turns off Americans in rural areas and small towns. Those in favor of reforming our firearms laws are scolded as horrific elitists who disrespect a valued way of life. 

And as the mass killings continue, we are urged to be patient and to spend our time listening earnestly to the views of those who see even a smidgen of action to limit access to guns as the first step toward confiscation. Our task is not to fight for laws to protect innocents, but to demonstrate that we really, honestly, truly, cross-our-hearts, positively love gun owners and wouldn’t for an instant think anything ill of them. 

What is odd is that those with extreme pro-gun views — those pushing for new laws to allow people to carry just about anytime, anywhere — are never called upon to model similar empathy toward children killed, the mourning parents left behind, people in urban neighborhoods suffering from violence, or the majority of Americans who don’t own guns. [snip]

How come only one side of the supposed culture war on guns is required to exude respect for the other? Because the culture-war argument is largely a gimmick pushed by the gun lobby as a way of demonizing its opponents. None of us who endorse stronger gun laws wants to disrupt anybody else’s way of life. And none of the measures we are proposing would do that.  (our emphasis)

For anyone foolish enough to think narcissistic sociopath Donald "Rump" Trump's directing Confederate States Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III to propose regulations banning "bump stocks," here's a reality check:

Trump’s memo calls on the Department of Justice to try to ban these devices. 

There’s a big question, however, whether this would be possible. The Justice Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) already initiated the rule-making process for potentially banning bump stocks late last year. But they concluded at the time that federal law likely does not allow them to ban bump stocks and other similar devices by themselves — meaning they would likely need Congress to pass a new law to act. 

If this holds up, Trump’s memo will essentially have no effect — since federal agencies simply won’t be able to ban bump stocks. Although Congress could still ban the devices through new legislation.  (our emphasis)

You can easily see that this has been set up to provide the appearance of action to ride out the current firestorm; that the National Rifle Rampage Association supports this Potemkin approach rather than legislation tells you all you need to know about its sincerity.

It's being said that, thanks to the outrage and moral courage of teenagers (think about that -- teenagers) across the country, we may be at an inflection point.  But, as with our ongoing struggle with reactionaries, the only way any victory can be achieved will be through the ballot box, not just this November, but in every election -- Federal, State, local -- that follows until these NRA Republican stooges are gone.