There are times when I identify with people I'd rather not identify with, for example the VA Tech shooter. I know very little about him, and I have avoided the news purposely, because all this carnage is painful, and watching the victims' mothers weep will not heal what is wrong with any of us. But this act of evil is the direct result of a deep alienation that, combined with some mental illness blossomed into a tragedy.
I am unlikely to dash out and buy a gun, and I'm not mentally ill. But there are days when I wonder how I got dropped off on Mars, because this ain't the country I remember growing up in.
I've known people accused of hate speech. The definition of "hate speech" must be speaking the truth that the person listening does not want to hear. It is okay for liberals be called disloyal and unpatriotic, but if they say that the religious right are the self-righteous wrong, they commit hate speech; therefore hate speech must be predicated on truth, because it isn't hate speech when the right-wingnuts say those things, which are untrue, about liberals.
People actually write and publish articles defending the idle rich class's right to escape taxes. (Oops, more hate speech, but alas, it belongs to George Bernard Shaw, not me.) I become an infidel for suggesting that they help me bear the burden of running the government they use so craftily to preserve their wealth. Who better to pay taxes than someone with money in his pocket?
Does it surprise you that I'm alienated? It doesn't surprise me. The difference between me and the VA Tech shooter is merely one of self-control. I check such impulses as the villian of the story surrendered to. Anyone who has never wanted to throttle a bureaucrat who cannot see beyond her "directives" has never met one. It is those who do not have self-control who get on the news.
Do not doubt that there are many angry and alienated people walking among us. Someday they may form a club to beat some sense and humanity back into our society. I hope so.
Even though I don't agree with many of your views, that was a very well written piece. Let's see...angry and alienated...hate speeches...where do I start? I have been called a crazy conservative....gay hater....antichrist pope lover many times. Does it make me angry and feel alienated? No. It makes me realize that some people think differently than me. And that is okay. I am not going to shoot down the liberals of the world because I think differently. I just refuse to be immature and throw out names that are only meant to be hurtfull. As far as the clubs that need to beat sense into the government. They already exist. That is why we have elections every year. And the one with the most votes wins.
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