Conspiracy Theory Monday, or: How the Gov’t Actually Controls Us

Whelp, the gun control debate is open and heated again in the wake of yet ANOTHER school shooting.  There have actually been MANY shootings since the last time I wrote about all the shootings, but let’s just set that aside for a moment.

In response to one of my FB posts about this most recent spate of shootings and the ensuing discussions of whether to blame guns, mental illness, or violent video games *eye roll*, I received the below “comment.” Not only did it have little or nothing to do with my original post, but there it was, so obviously copied and pasted, all by itself, as if it was somehow a valid rebuttal to anything I said.

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

56 million defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control:

You won’t see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.

Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note my fellow Americans, before it’s too late!

The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson.

With guns, we are “citizens”. Without them, we are “subjects”.

During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

If you value your freedom, please spread this antigun-control message to all of your friends.

SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!
SWITZERLAND’S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT THEY ISSUE A RIFLE.
SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!
IT’S A NO BRAINER!
DON’T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.

Spread the word everywhere you can that you are a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment!

It’s time to speak loud before they try to silence and disarm us.

You’re not imagining it, history shows that governments always manipulate tragedies to attempt to disarm the people.

Now this piece of…fluff…has been making the rounds since the nineties, and it is little more than scaremongering on the part of gun nuts, who have been convinced for YEARS that Obama and Democrats and whoever else want to “take their guns.”  Never mind it hasn’t happened yet.  This bit of specifically harvested, cherry picked factoids with little to no historical context is still circulating, with people citing it as proof that the government is set on taking over.  Sounds paranoid, right?  There’s more of that around than you think.  I live in a rural area that is fairly, by the standards of where I USED to live, safe…but you have never met a more paranoid population, clutching tightly to the idea of their guns as some safety totem… because you never know when someone might break into your trailer.   I’m not saying it can’t happen, but these people would surely die of fright if they had to spend a week in Baltimore, or even drive on 695 is all I’m sayin’.  Most of them do not know danger with any regularity.
But anyway, let’s take a closer look at the main theme of the piece, even though its individual elements have already been addressed and largely put into context (thanks SNOPES, you save me time typing.)
Basically, in periods of social or economic instability, this is when a country is most susceptible to the rise of a dictator.  Hitler’s ascension to power in Germany was a prime example.

Meanwhile, we have President Cheeto-dick in office wreaking absolute havoc on all manner of common sense regs on the environment, healthcare, gun regs, basically anything he lay his grubby hands to, especially if it undoes an Obama-era policy.  This is a DISASTER…and yet, his supporters not only still refuse to see it, they call the rest of us delusional.  (A fine example of the Dunning Kruger effect if ever I’ve seen one.)  Did we have racial tensions before? Of course, but Trump has seemed to take savage glee in stirring them all up and pandering to the ever-growing and more vocal streak of white nationalism in this country, as well as to the judgy Evangelical set who are bent on writing laws for all of us.  In effect, we have started going backwards in social progress.

It may sound like I am just ripping on Trump…and I also have a point, so bear with me…

The US government is NOT worried about a bunch of militant nationalists or red necks with guns and their “militia.”  Okay?  Let me repeat it.  They are not afraid of US citizens and their guns. IF they wanted to “take over”, they could just lay tanks or bombs on us.  They actually have…a well-regulated army.
No, if the government, or certain PEOPLE in the government wanted to take control, they’d do it the way it is happening now.  What we have in office is a literal recipe for disaster …and it seems to be working.  So here it is, ARQ’s take on the:

The Trump admin recipe for Takeover:

Start with struggling middle class and add one part old-angry white guy who can’t say the n-word anymore.

Stir in a heaping cup of militant patriotism  and a few dashes of irrational misplaced anger at kneeling football players.

Shake that shit up!

Next, take away health care access and any federal aid that  “those lazy bums” might be using to, you know, eat and stuff. Take away money from middle class, (in the form of sneaky new tax laws) but don’t forget to tell the middle class the poor people are using their money.

Sprinkle in some self-righteous gay hate and unrealistic fear of “being persecuted” for being Christian, (all while claiming this is a Christian country.)

And finally, remove regs barring mentally ill people from obtaining “legal” firearms.

Now, add heat and agitate the fuck out of it, then watch it explode, like a lit pipe in like a meth lab.

Then swoop in and heroically pick of the pieces, writing any policy you want because people are too shell shocked to fight you.

The End…

no, really.  It will prob be the end of the “United” States as we know it.

Sound paranoid? Any more paranoid than thinking our government is bent on taking our guns so they can commit genocide?  Doubt it.  After all, how would they make money off of us if we were dead?

Bad Manners, Bad Meme, and Bad Grammar….

Some brilliant person has done it again…another bad meme on Facebook, and people are passing it around…

Tea Party United/faithfamilyfreedom.com

I’m not offended at all by people saying “Under God…”

I’m offended that some of them are being such assholes about trying to shove it in EVERYONE else’s faces. Yet they resent having the same thing done to them.

They will try to defend this aggressive (and grammatically challenged) piece of crap by claiming we are a “Christian nation,” and that there is a so-called “war on Christianity.”  Even if it were once true that our forefathers were Christian, it doesn’t mean things don’t change over time.  Even if one religion is a majority in a certain country, it shouldn’t mean they get to shit on other people, and this meme basically says “I don’t give a shit about your feelings, but you better recognize mine!”

But boy don’t they hate it when people do it to them… Suddenly it’s the “war on Christianity!”

And yet, you don’t see me making an aggressive meme out of my opinion or beliefs, all the while indicating that the feelings of others mean nothing to me (“You’re offended?  Too bad…”) and then prompting people to “share it.” Why does it have to be the whole nation under YOUR God?  Are you that insecure?  If you wanna believe it, fine.  You wanna include it in your pledge (it wasn’t in the original draft, by the way...)?  Go ahead.  Just stop your bullshit with trying to make everyone else do things your way.

Awww….you’re offended that not everyone in the country is Christian and therefore may object to being forced to say “Under God?”

Too bad…

Grammar Police: Acceptable vs. Non-acceptable Ignorance

If I posted a status on Facebook claiming that there were 52 states in the US or that 2+2=7, people would in all likelihood not only correct me, but also lambaste the shit out of me for being so ignorant.

And yet, it’s considered passe, annoying, and even rude to correct improper grammar.  People like myself* me are often referred to as “grammar nazis,” as if preferring people use correct English, which we were supposed to have learned in school, is something about which to be embarrassed.

Aside from wanting to grind my teeth into dust when I see people who should know better mix up “your” and “you’re,”  the educational and social double standard that this is somehow acceptable annoys the piss out of me.  These same people who complain about grammar nazis are likely also complaining about the “state of education” in the country.  I’m just sayin’…

It’s not like these rules are arbitrary.  To me, the fact that “you” and “are” can combine to make “you’re” and that word’s meaning is completely different from “your” does not seem to be an impossible or nonsensical concept.  I’m really not even trying to rag on people who make this mistake (I even do it sometimes if my brain is moving faster than my fingers can type.)  It just annoys me that there seems to be some sort of double standard where, once out of high school, English is regarded as Math/Geography/[fill in blank with subject]’s bastard red-headed stepchild.  I’m not even talking about people needing to know every obscure rule of grammar there is;  I’m talking very basic grammar here.

No one loves a grammar nazi…except maybe another grammar nazi…

Well, I know all this bitching won’t do anything to change anything.  We grammar nazis are routinely ignored.  But I figured that at the very least, I could get a blog post out of it, and we could all enjoy some grammar memes.   Oh noes.  I’m a… “grammar nerd!”

I was actually THINKING this last night….

No one is feeling MY nuts!

You all just better watch your step! Liam is serious.

*Thanks to Louise for pointing out even Grammar Nazis make mistakes. 😀

I Hope Your Cardiologist is an Obama Supporter

I originally posted this on Facebook, but then remembered by “no more politics on my Facebook” vow, and decided to post it here.  Because I am really, super fucking tired of reading about and hearing people bash Obama for the Affordable Care Act, and even more tired of seeing people make carte blanche statements about people they’ve never even met based on who they voted (or didn’t vote) into office.  Some people are just random morons spouting their uneducated/ biased opinions in Huffington Post comment sections would likely not be so free with their opinions if they were face to face with the people they were insulting; after all… most civilized people regard it as gauche to just straight up insult someone because you don’t agree with their politics.   But apparently, it’s okay to do that online.  As evidenced by all the hateful political memes going around Facebook.  When I was growing up, who one was voting for was often considered a private matter, much like asking someone about their salary.  But now apparently it’s okay to criticize people in retrospect for their choices in the polls.

Oh, this is funny? You probably just insulted and alienated half of your Facebook “friends.” But I bet you’re really a nice person in real life, aren’t you?  For realz.

You don’t have to agree with the President, or even like him, but I can’t help but feel like a lot of the negativity surrounding the ACA is born of ignorance and bigotry.  After all, socialized medicine is not a new idea, and Obama is not the first President to try to implement it.  Historically speaking, the Social Security and Medicare programs were also met with some resistance.

” Harry Truman took on the idea of national medical care and tried to integrate it into his Fair Deal program. Truman’s attempts were also unsuccessful, though during his presidency the fight for national medical care became specific to the aged population.Once the targeted age was decided, a lengthy debate began over presenting a coherent medical care bill to Congress. During the Eisenhower administration, the House Ways and Means Committee was created. The members of this committee were mainly Republicans and Southern Democrats, complicating attempts to pass social health programs. Wilbur Mills, chair of the committee, later played a role in creating the health care program that was integrated into the Social Security Act.” (source)

Obama’s ideas may not be perfect, but I do think they could work better if all parties cooperated instead of some businesses and politicians just trying to keep their already fat pockets padded.  Obama didn’t single-handedly ruin this country, as so many claim… lobbyists and politicians did.  As much as some people feel like he is not doing this country any favors, he’s not Adolf Hitler either.  He’s not the anti-christ… (and btw, your tin foil hat is crooked.)

But the main thrust of this post is actually this;  for those of you who feel comfortable judging a whole group of people as “morons” (or any other unflattering but essentially meaningless defamation) simply because you dislike that they voted for Obama (or didn’t, as the case may be,) just remember, these people are people too.  They have ideas, dreams, people they love, and people who love them.  And some of them are probably people you know, people you call “friends” and even like.

Or maybe they are people you will need some day.  If you should one day find yourself caught in a burning building, are you going to turn away a fireman who comes to your rescue because he’s a “moron who voted for Obama?”  (Psst…if you are that much of a self-righteous dick, you should probably consider just dying.  Just sayin’.)

Okay.  Red Queen out.

All A@@holed Out

At least once a week now, I ask myself the same question, usually prompted by some ignorant, separatist redneck post or some anti-abortion self-righteous meme…posted by my “friends.”  Some of these are people I haven’t actually “seen” since high school, and even then, they were more like acquaintances.  Many are people to whom I used to be closer, and time and/or distance has come between us, but with whom I would like to keep in some sort of contact.  And then I’m realizing I just never knew some of these people to begin with.  And I actually like some of these people…I mean, except for the unfortunate fact of their intolerance…

Um…yeah, okay.

Shall I attempt to point out the many ways this meme is ridiculous?  Firstly, the only people who have a problem with secularism are people who feel everyone should be their religion.  Secondly, pretty sure many of the “lazy, unproductive” people were that way before Obama got into office.  I can only assume this is a jab at people who are on some type of public assistance.  (These are also likely the same people who post memes like “before we help the poor in other countries, we need to help our own” and then go around bitching when any laws that actually attempt to do so get proposed.)

Thirdly–  Ow! I stubbed my fuckin’ toe!  Thanks, Obama!

But anyway, the question I have been asking myself is this:

At which point do I draw the line between respecting my friends’ views and differences of opinions to “You’re just an asshole and I don’t think I wanna be your friend?”

Generally I would say, the difference would be whether or not their “views” encourage hate or discrimination of any kind.  But seriously…have you seen  some of the memes going around now?  The line between expressing opinion and attempting to insult/control the opposition seems to be becoming increasingly blurred.

And especially in lieu of the George Zimmerman verdict and all the “moral outrage” and barely concealed racism going around, I am SO sick of seeing hateful, ignorant posts about “reverse racism” and white victims of black killers.  How about we direct some of that moral outrage and righteous indignation towards the things that really matter, and maybe realize that all these posts are just widening the racial divide?

But, back to my original question, how do you personally decide when to accept differences, and who to cut loose because they are just too different (aka, an asshole)?  Frankly, I’m all “assholed” out.

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.”
― Isaac Asimov