Election Year

Where was I? Ah yes! The upcoming election has sent the scared white, right-wing boys in to a frenzy. The black man with the "foreign" name is scaring the bejaysus out of them. The socialist! The Nazi!, The communist!, the fascist! he's a muslamite! He's goddless! He's both! They are, literally, terrified of a man that does not exist. The whole Clint Eastwood talking to a chair is a perfect analogy. Arguing with a person that is not there. It's all in your mind, boys. Death panels don't exist. Really. Every day I endure the boys working themselves into a frothy mix of fear & hate. I've never know people to be so easily manipulated. They know what to think and they only need to be told once. The right wing noise machine keeps them on edge. Every day a new outrage, every day something else to be scared about. I think I can grasp how it might have been, in those first few moments, as the first Europeans met the Indian tribes, I am dealing with a world so alien to my own experience. A quick review of what they believe in that does not exist. Obama was born in Kenya. Obama is a Muslim. Obama is a socialist, Nazi, communist, fascist. Obama is Hitler. Death panels. Obama has signed in to law more restrictions on the 2nd amendment than any other president. Obama is giving everything away to "the blacks". (I have no idea what "everything" is). When I think or am reminded of other stuff I'll add to the list. If you want to know more just watch the/listen to the right wing noise machine.

Women

I'd like to thank Herman Cane for bringing to the fore the latent misogyny of my colleagues. Her's a sample of the remarks I've heard in the past couple of weeks.

Note: These remarks are only said when the women in the office are not around.

Typical, as soon as a man gets success some bitch pops up to bring him down.

They're only saying this stuff because they want his money.

They probably spent all the money on shoes and now they want more.

You know what women are like.

The thing that's so interesting about these guys is they are so unaware of their attitude toward women. They sneer at women for "only being interested in shopping" but when one of the women in the office discuss politics they snicker and giggle about how women "should stick to what they know". As I said, none of these comments are made when women are around. The attitude toward the women is one of polite condescension. They condemn women for being superficial but when a woman steps out of that stereotype they are condemned for it.

You wouldn't believe how terrified they are of Oprah Winfrey. She makes them hide under their desks, shaking with fear and anger. OW is represents their biggest fears. An influential woman, a black woman. They blame her for Barack Obama's election. Who knew that she had such power?

Who Are These Men?

I work with them. They are white, middle-class, christian, and conservative. THey are barely holding on to being middle-class. THey come from upper middle-class background but have slid down the ladder a little. They believe that "their country" is being taken away from them by the gay, women, minorities. Basically anyone who is not exactly like them.

Those Who Are The Gay

What's wrong with them, why can't they be normal?

They just want to get in your face

They want special rights

They're not normal

I think it's disgraceful that they're being allowed to marry

Race

Black people were better off as slaves than running around naked in Africa.

Yes, my coworker said this and the others agreed with him.

Another gem

I think people are sick of hearing about racism

Really? try being the recipient of all that racism

Now that we have a Black president, there's no more racism in America
Oh FFS

A comment on the spate of suicides at a factory in Asia

Those people are always doing that, it's part of their culture to commit suicide