Saturday, August 22, 2009

Everybody Has A Right To Their Own Opinion

I know a few people that would like to see a total ban on abortion. A few more would like to see late term abortion banned. Still, the two groups combined seems to me a very small percentage of all the people I know. I know some people who think homosexuality is a sin and some who aren't religious, who think it's unnatural. Still more, think that Gay marriage should not be allowed. We voted in California to make Gay marriage unconstitutional. So be it. I'm sure the issue will come up for election again and again. I know a few people who think it would be a good idea to have prayer in public schools. Not many. I don't know anybody but doctors, hospital administrators and insurance agents who think that some kind of universal health coverage is a bad idea. Most people have serious concerns about how this can be paid for. On the other hand, everybody knows that the entire rest of the developed World has universal health coverage and most of those nations have longer life expectancies than we do.

I don't know any super rich people. I know some people that make more than a million a year. Compared to me percentage wise, they don't pay much in taxes. Some of them don't even pay as much as me in total. They have really good investments that shelter them from tax liability. Some people I know think this is a good thing. Not too many. I'm not crazy about it myself.

There aren't too many people left that think George Bush's Middle Eastern wars of aggression were a good idea. I know some who still believe we are obligated to stay there to see things through. I know some who don't think so. Even people I know who continue to vigorously support the wars, admit that the Bush/Cheney administration made many untrue allegations to the American public in the run up to war.

It's a big country with a diverse population. People have different beliefs and opinions. That's the way it's going to be.

I don't know anybody who thinks Barack Obama might not have been born in America. I don't know anybody that thinks he's a Communist, Socialist, Fascist or Muslim. I've never heard anyone express a belief that Michelle Obama is a radical, Black Nationalist. Not one person, ever. I hear these things all the time and even crazier stuff, coming out of the Right Wing news media. I'm pretty sure even the people I hear reporting this stuff don't believe it. It doesn't bother me that they say it. It's a free country. At least it is so far. Anybody can say anything they want to.

It seems peculiar though. Where is this stuff coming from? Where are the people that believe it? Do Rupert Murdock and Sun Myung Moon keep them locked in a basement somewhere?

No comments: