Liberal fence jumping at it's finest...

When I started this blog earlier this week, I saw it as an opportunity to show those who think they know me exactly what they've gotten themselves into by calling me their friend.  It's turned into so much more in such a short time.

Last night in my favorite Knitting/Not knitting/Crochet/Not crochet group on Facebook (Knitter Be Damned, look us up) something akin to a PURGE was conducted.  I label the group this way because yarn and fiber crafts initially brought us together, but it has grown into something so much more.  There are Liberals, Conservatives, Independents, gay, straight, bi, dog lovers, cat lovers ( I think we may even have someone with a squirrel fetish, I'm not sure) my point is, it takes all kinds to make a community.  They migrated to our little slice of FB because we have only 1 rule.  Respect your fellow human being.  Voice your opinions, speak your mind, stomp your feet and vent your frustrations, but don't take it personally and don't get personal.  We had some people that joined that were incapable of following that simple directive so a few buttons were pushed and the shit storm ensued.

What started this shit storm you may ask?  The words... I LOVE TRUMP

You would think that Satan himself flew in from hell on the red eye and farted fire on every baby in a NICU.  Some of these people completely LOST THEIR MINDS.  We're always up for a healthy debate, throwing facts and posting links.  Not necessarily trying to change anyone's mind, but opening their eyes to more than one truth from different angles.  Nope, not happening, within the first couple replies the word IDIOT was thrown out there like fresh poo in the monkey house.  No debate, no information, no facts, just name calling.  No matter what was said, a hard line stand was taken and being defended harder than Davy Crockett defended the Alamo.  With what at stake?  Pride, simple pride.

I've never wanted to be a political blogger.  I never intended on writing anything political at all, but when my friends and I are discussing politics and are attacked like we're wearing Lady Gaga's raw meat dress to a dog fight, it's time to speak out.  I chose to do this here on my blog because the people that matter will read it from the link I'll post on the FB page and it keeps my dear friends out of the line of fire.  Gregory Patrick has had enough of that.  He was personally attacked and a campaign to destroy his reputation and livelihood undertaken by a group of women who didn't like a "pussy hat" comment he made.  (I'll say more on that later)  This is me, all me and if you don't like it, have the cojones (co-ho-nays) to call me out directly, if not, you've proven my point for me.

Yes, I jumped the fence.  I was a die hard Liberal/Democrat for a decade.  Believe in governmental action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all, and that it is the duty of the State to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights. Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need.

Then my daughter was born in 2001.  I was working 50+ hours a week, my bring home pay was $685 every 2 weeks.  Not 1 program in Massachusetts did I qualify for.  No daycare discount, food stamps, rental assistance, nothing.  I made too much money, so it was hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck and robbing Peter to pay Paul.  (Pay 1/2 the light bill so I could put gas in my car, then pay half the gas bill to pay over due on the light bill, you get the idea)  I fancied calling it "Creative Financing".
Then a few laws were passed in MA, a full on Blue state.  If you were an illegal alien, no green card, no visa no work permit you were eligible for everything.  Free food, shelter, medical care and because you were illegal and couldn't get a job, help with your lights, gas, phone, cable, and internet.  Befuddled I realized that these people who didn't even come to the state legally were being given everything on MY DIME.  I was paying more taxes to cover the costs of their lifestyle and they were living better than I was.  Programs I didn't qualify for they were getting for free without restriction because "they needed the help".  That was the beginning of the end of my relationship with Liberalism.

With every year that passed since then, I've gone further and further over the fence.  Immigration and the refugee situation.  Healthcare.  All of the groups that have come out of the woodwork demanding what they contrive to be "EQUAL" rights.  Hate to tell you, equal rights means EQUAL.  It doesn't mean you get more or are to be considered special, it means you are JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.  The US Constitution gives everyone the right to Life, Liberty and the PURSUIT of Happiness.  It does not give you the RIGHT TO HAPPINESS.  It's not the government's job to make your life easier or to ensure that you're happy.  YOU HAVE TO TAKE SOME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

The final fling over that great divide was the "OFFENDED" bull shit.  You can't say this, that or the other because someone might get offended.  Do you know what that really means?  Awww, don't hurt his widdle feewings.  At what point did it become the job of every other human being to make sure you don't get upset.  You know what...it's your right to get upset.  Just like it's the right of the person to say what they said to upset you.  You can't pick and choose whose rights supersede whose. 

Laws are being passed, not only in the US but Canada also that remove all thinking and common sense from the individual.  My personal favorite at the moment is the Walking while texting laws that have cropped up like Kudzu in a hot Georgia forest.  If you choose to text while you're walking down a sidewalk and you step into traffic without looking up from your phone, who's fault is it?  Why is it necessary for the government to spend the money to research, write up, pass, implement and enforce a law that should be common sense to the masses?  You're requesting nay demanding that the government take care of you as if you're a child so you don't have to think, and on everyone else's dime.  I'm not even going to touch the laws that have come about regarding how to raise children in a way that turns them into complete unthinking idiots with no sense of true value other than "I'm special"

Speaking of "I'm Special".  On to our current POTUS. I say OUR because while I live in Canada I am still and always will be a US Citizen.  I love the United States and I love Canada and I have had the amazing opportunity to live in both.  Now, on to the show.

Whether you voted for him or not, whether you like him or not.  He holds the role of Commander in Chief of the US Armed Forces and President of the United States.  The office itself deserves due respect and it's an extremely UnAmerican sentiment to disparage either post.  As for the man himself, there are a few truths that you're really not going to like and as stated above, it's as much your right not to like them as it is for mine to state them.

He won the election.  "But, not by popular vote!" you scream.  I say, "He's not the first and he won't be the last to hold that particular distinction."  It's a simple (not really that simple) matter of demographics.  The right number of votes in the right places to secure the electoral college votes and boom, you're in.  It's been like this for centuries and no matter how much you scream, yell and stomp your feet on social media, it's not going to change until someone decides to take it under their wing and enact change.

Have you ever had a friend tell you "OMG, you have to meet this person, they're just like you, you'll have so much in common!" and you finally give in and go meet that person and CAN'T STAND BEING IN THE SAME ROOM WITH THEM?  Yeah, I have too.  Psychologists will tell you you can't stand that person BECAUSE they are just like you.  We tend to dislike and exaggerate the characteristics in others that we don't like in ourselves.  I'll let you mull that over for a moment and reread it if necessary.

Donald J Trump is NOT a politician.  He's human.  He's a business man.  He's an American. I repeat he's an American.  For decades it's been said, if you're an American tourist, don't announce that you're American.  Some places don't like Americans.  They're brash, rude, self-important, speak without thinking, self-centered, self-entitled, chest thumping bullies, unrefined blowhards.  Sound familiar?

Believe it or not, the majority of Americans are all of the above and more.  But, they also care about their country and family.  They will go to the mat to defend what they believe in and they really do want something better.  In a society of NOW NOW NOW, that's not the easiest thing to accomplish.  The collective gets an idea in their head and they want it yesterday and there's quite a bit of fumbling along with 2 steps forward and 1 step back.

You heard a lot of Trump supporters saying during the election "He says what's on his mind."  That's true.  Straight pipe from the brain to the lips, no deviation, no filter to soften the blow.  I don't agree with everything he says, but it's my right not to... (yeah, if you've come this far, I think you get the gist)  On more rare occasions I heard someone say "He says out loud, what other people say behind closed doors"  I think that's a more accurate description.

Hypocrisy has become a way of life in North America, it had to.  With the laws being passed against free speech and to avoid hurting someone's feelings and candy coating everything to make it easier to swallow, life, in general, has become an obstacle course to be navigated with a touch so delicate as not to break the web that's been woven fearing society will fall apart.  We did this, we made this happen, we brought this on.  Every single one of us by inaction.  Being a keyboard warrior is not action, it's not social justice, it's pissing and moaning on the internet from the comfort of your home/office/coffee shop while drinking Diet Cokes, lattes and $9 coffees.

The majority of Americans ARE NOT the refined, well dressed, well mannered, articulate, clean cut, high school prom king and queen types that so many people think of with dreams of the Nuclear family, white picket fence, 2 kids mom and dad.  We're messy.  We're single parents, exhausted from being over worked and under paid.  There are narcissistic parents, over zealous mall security guards, hell, an array of irritations and troubles that interrupt those daytime fantasies. We want more and most of us deserve more.  The catch 22 is, to have more you have to give more of yourself, you can't expect the government to do everything for you, it's not a sustainable model.  Unlike what's being taught to our children, life IS NOT fair.  There are winners and there are losers and the real difference between the two is who really wanted it more.  Life is full of irritations and you can't always have what you want and many people choose to deal with that with attitude.

Like it or not, from this point of view, Trump IS AMERICA, you don't have to like it and I know some of you don't.  (I'm picturing so many ways being contrived regarding my demise)  He is all those things that the world sees America as and even we ourselves see it and we hate it.  So with the need for hypocrisy, all that hate and disdain we see for ourselves we deflect.  He's your friend's friend.  You hate him because he's everything you hate about yourself.

I'm not going to go into an/or discuss the election or accusations about either party.  In the here and now, they are a moot point.  Screaming but this and that does nothing to further the goals for this great land.  Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness are your rights.  You have life, you have liberty and how you choose to pursue happiness is up to you and you alone.  If you're happy being miserable, I'm happy for you.  If you're not, get off your ass and change it.

Thanks for reading.