Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

~~~

~~~

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

See that grumpy old man scowling in the banner above this post?



Well here's the sort of thing that makes him grumpy and p.o.'d all the time:  


Change

As a country of enlightened, progressive people, we Americans have come to understand that labeling certain groups of people who deal with handicaps, hardships, or who have made mistakes in their lives, or who, like a baby, have no control over the circumstances of its birth -- labeling these groups with cruel names, setting them up for mockery, shaming, and isolating them is inhumane. But see that G.O.G. [Grumpy Old Guy] in the photo above? He's angry that we've matured now and have stopped labeling people and calling them names because of their life circumstances. Instead Americans decided to show some compassion and understanding toward our fellow citizens -- our fellow humans -- instead of making their lives more difficult than they already are.

For example, the typical Conservative GOG. is nostalgic for the times when we called the children of unwed mothers "bastards."  What better way to isolate and shame a child than to remind that child that he or she was born out of wedlock? We progressives decided it was a good idea to stop calling the child a vile name. But the C-GOG is upset that he can no longer be cruel to that child. He wants to be able to do what he did in the good old days -- call the child born out of wedlock a BASTARD! To not do so is being PC, says the C-GOG, and part of the reason the country has lost its way.

Another thing that the C-GOG is nostalgic for  is when a mentally challenged child, with say mental retardation or Down's Syndrome, is called "retarded" and mocked by his classmates and others.  Enlightened compassionate people understood that singling out children and making them feel inadequate because of a medical condition sets those children up for all sorts of psychological problems their whole lives. But our C-GOGer is angry that his right to mock a mentally retarded child by calling him "RETARDED" is seen as another indication of how low this country has fallen because "libtards" slavishly follow political correctness.

The C-GOGer is nostalgic for the times when we were comfortable calling homeless people "bums." Many homeless people, as we know, are veterans who've fallen on hard times, but the C-GOGs of this world are angry because they now have to refer to them as "homeless" or the "unsheltered." The C-GOGs want to be able to call these unfortunate Americans who served their country BUMS! See, the C-GOGs want to "call a spade a spade," and tell it like it is! This rejection of cruel labels for our fellow Americans is what's "dumbing down" America.

We Progressives/Liberals were appalled when Donald Trump made fun of a handicapped man, but the C-GOGers saw nothing particularly wrong with it -- why would they when they long for the good old days of calling homeless veterans 'BUMS,' children born out of wedlock "BASTARDS,' and mentally handicapped children 'RETARDS.'

They'll tell you that since we PC "Libruls" made it shameful to mock the mentally handicapped with the label "retard;" made it shameful to label  children "bastards;" and stopped calling homeless people "bums," our country has gone to the dogs. America was so much better, they say, when we felt free to insult, belittle, shame, and denigrate those whose lives are not like ours. Just ask any C-GOG, he'll tell you how great the good old days were.  Here's one of them talking about it on a far right blog:



"It's all part of the larger dumbing down of Americans, and defining deviancy down, as Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-Ny) coined this effort. An effort of the left. Remember when bums were bums? And as a bum, a stigma was attached. Now, these bona fide bums are called 'homeless,' or the 'unsheltered.' No stigma, see...? 
 

Remember when there was such a thing as an unmarried mother? With a bastard child? Both held stigmas. Not anymore. No such thing as an unmarried mother. And no stigma involved in bearing illegitimate children, either. And the word illegitimate as it relates to children disappeared as well. And the word bastard? That's now a curse word, when it used to mean something. 

And how about retarded? Remember when these kids who had extremely low IQ's for whatever reason were called retarded? And we called them retards, and thought nothing of it. And these retards were sent to special schools, or kept at home?

Not anymore, no siree Bob. They are lumped in with the general public school population, and are called 'special needs' children, or some such other crap. No more retards... And no more stigma associated with being a retard. 

All of that has gone away.

See how this is all working?" 






And here is the reinforcement from the commenter's fellow conservatives, agreeing with the good old days of stigmatizing mentally handicapped children:


Z April 16, 2016 at 10:54 AM 
"AMEN to all you said..."

Kid: "Exactly Fredd. Thank you for adding to my point in such a way. May I add that the retards are destroying public education because 'no child left behind' ? Some kids need to be left behind in favor of providing a robust education experience for the smart kids."



This is how the far right actually thinks. They believe our country's problems would be solved if only we could STIGMATIZE Americans they disapprove of. They long to go back to the days when making people feel awful was a healthy way to make them change. Make them ashamed of what has happened to them. I mean look at a "RETARD" for example. 

Look at how that person caused his own mental condition! Mock that "RETARD!" And make America GREAT AGAIN!

See how this is all working?

26 comments:

Infidel753 said...

Great post. So much of what animates the C-GOGs is the need to make themselves feel higher up by pushing someone else down. Hey, you're lower than me and I can prove it by calling you names, so that makes me higher than you.

Well, here's something to make them even grumpier: there are a lot of unmarried mothers in this country, and they can vote. So just keep up that "stigma" talk, y'all.

Anonymous Reader of TeaPublican Blogs said...



IIRC, the persons agreeing with the creep who wrote that mess of hate also runs a devout Sunday blog every week quoting scripture. Wouldn't Jesus be the first to call a Down's syndrome child RETARD! or a homeless veteran BUM!

Thanks for exposing the rot in that group.

Doctor Tomato said...


When people use the word "retard" what they mean is that the person is as stupid as someone who is mentally handicapped. And they mean that in the most derogatory sense.

The implication is that the only characteristic of mentally handicapped individuals is their stupidity.

It's hard to believe that grown adults would be sorry that people frown on calling mentally handicapped children "retards," but that's the rabid rights mentality. I wonder if any of them have mentally handicapped relatives and if they'd like to hear their daughters or sons or spouses a retard?
If you didn't link to the page, I would of thought you made this up, since it's unbelieveable that there are such ignorant cruel people in this country.

Shaw Kenawe said...


Infidel753, what's so astounding is that there really are people who want the bad old days back again so they can ridicule mentally handicapped children, children born out of wedlock, and homeless veterans and other unfortunate Americans! What ISN'T astounding is that these same people identify with conservatism and the Republican Party.

ARoTPB,

It's usually the pharisaical types who hope to bring back shaming and insulting as a way of improving this country.

Rusty, we don't need to make this stuff up. Just read the blogs to see what they believe.

I'm Skippy's Mom said...




"May I add that the retards are destroying public education because 'no child left behind' ? Some kids need to be left behind."

"Retards" are destroying public education? And "some kids need to be left behind?" Dear God. Does that person have children? And would that person feel that way if his kid had mental retardation or Downs?

And don't those remarks make you want to say away from such mean-spirited and hateful people?

Dave Miller said...

Breath taking.

Simply put, this is the crowd that is all in for shaming, the Scarlet "A", if you will.

I will admit that I am not a fan of single parent households, especially when one does not have the financial resources to support both the child(ren) and themselves, but public branding is no way to handle this. Better to wait until one is better off financially and able to care for their kids.

ARTPB... yep, you remember correctly. I can assure you that deeply rooted in Jesus actual teachings, is the concept of let "he who is without sin cast the first stone." I have often wondered how people can use language they would never say in front of their grandmothers, pass along racist comics, and in some case straight out lie about our political leaders, and then on Sunday supposedly become all lovey with their "Lord" as if they've never uttered anything offensive.

Look, I understand that politics can get heated. And people take things personally, but there are some lines civilized people do not cross. What we are seeing today, particularly from what used to be the extreme right, but is now the majority of the GOP, is really an unhinged anger at the change going on in our country.

Democracy is messy and as a melting pot, or as my wife says, a stew, we are constantly blending into something new. That is by design. You can choose to like it, or not, but responsible people learn how deal with the facts, and folks on an adult level.

That is certainly not the way the people in Shaw's post have decided conduct themselves.





(O)CT(O)PUS said...

Kind of like recycling used toilet paper, these fringe fanatics never let a good smear go to waste.

Shaw Kenawe said...



Dave, it is breathtaking. People who believe they are the "real" Americans, Americans who love their neighbors, nodding their heads in agreement over shaming and insulting those who are less fortunate than they are. They definitely are not like the Christians I know. I wonder what nasty things happened in their lives to make them so uncharitable and mean.

(O)CT(O)PUS. These are the people who look down their noses at "libtards." There is not one Liberal who would talk about mentally handicapped children, out-of-wedlock children, and homeless veterans in such a degrading way. They are a sad lot.

Les Carpenter said...

What we are seeing today, particularly from what used to be the extreme right, but is now the majority of the GOP,,,

I'm not so sure Dave. That is a rather large and broad brush stroke.

Anonymous said...

Try thinking outside of your echo chamber Shaw. There are tens of millions of Americans who disagree with you totally. And they are Americans also!! Of course your idea of a bad American is anyone who disagrees with you. How sad you are.

Shaw Kenawe said...



Hello Anonymous @5:38.

You consider me sad? I don't want to bring back the bad old days of calling children out of wedlock BASTARDS. I don't want to refer to homeless people -- a lot of them veterans -- as BUMS. And I certainly would never be so cruel as to label mentally handicapped children as RETARDS. So for this I'm sad? And tens of millions of Americans would disagree with what I've posted here?

Where's the real echo chamber, Anon? The echo chamber is in the far right wing blogs that approve of all of those hideous things you'd label Americans who are not like you.

I can't think of any healthy American who would agree with what those right wing bloggers said. Not a one.

How sad YOU are.

Dave Miller said...

Anon... here's a simple question... do you agree that we should publicly label kids born out of wedlock bastards?

Do you think we should label out of work vets who need help bums?

Do you think we should label kids with Down's Syndrome retards?

A simple yes or no will suffice.

No one here doubts that there are in fact many people born here who agree with the sentiments expressed at that blog by both Fredd and Z... and we would not call them UnAmerican... however we would say those views of publicly shaming and making fun of people, especially for conditions about which they can do little, do not seem very much in the spirit of "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free" that is enshrined on the Statue of Liberty.

And as for an echo chamber, please make note that you are allowed to pretty much freely comment here. We are not even allowed to comment at Z's blog, and at most of the other blogs connected to her, with the exception of Western Hero and Always on Watch, we are generally met almost immediately with names like vermin, libtard, dolt, idiot, commie and more.

Have you received that kind of treatment here?

D.K.J. said...



Kid: "Exactly Fredd. Thank you for adding to my point in such a way. May I add that the retards are destroying public education because 'no child left behind' ? Some kids need to be left behind


Anon, who are the tens of millions of Americans who would disagree with Shaw on how hideous the person is who wrote the above. It's beyond cruel to read the f*khead who blamed mentally handicapped children for destroying education and it's inhuman. This post shows them for what they are, hypocrites who tell everyone who reads their blogs what great Christians they are, but who know nothing about Jesus Christ. They sicken me.

Ducky's here said...

It's a pretty dangerous world view.

They start with a Calvinist belief that their position as the elect has been usurped and fold
in the need to belittle and humiliate. Add a healthy dose of ignorance.

Voila, the Drumpf base.

Ray Cranston said...



I start every day thanking God I'm not a conservative. And God thanks me for not being one.

Shaw Kenawe said...



Ducky, Drumpf has reinforced all that is wrong in their world view and made it okay to be malicious and unsympathetic towards their less fortunate fellow Americans. He's brought out their worst angels, not their better ones.

Ray, God isn't the only one who thanks you.

anymouse said...

Every time I read the right wing blogs I feel like i need a shower. Truly some very sad, kinda evil people they have.

Anonymous said...



Looks like Hillary nailed Bernie's coffin shut tonight.

Anonymous said...



And Ted Cruz got a dose of New York values.

anymouse said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...


Looks like Hillary nailed Bernie's coffin shut tonight.

April 20, 2016 at 1:03 AM

Gee, Rusty. If you're going to use the same exact lines on multiple blogs, you should probably stop with the whole 'anonymous' crapola.....

Anonymous said...

Right, this is all about you Shaw. No one elses opinions matter, in fact anyone with a different opinion than yours, is sick. What's sick Shaw is your opinion that other opinions are sick. Enjoy your echo chamber. Stop taking what one idiot said and falsely claim a group of 10's of millions of Americans agree with whatever some idiot said. You are just as dishonest as they come and that includes all the politicians who you claim are anti-American idiots.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Anon, you obviously don't know how to read, since other people's opinions are all over my comments. If you have something constructive or interesting to say, state it, otherwise learn to read.

Anonymous Reader of TeaPublican Blogs said...



Advice to Anonymous troll, if you don't like what Shaw writes, don't come here and read it. Simple, isn't it?

PS. Shaw publishes other people's opinions all the time. What the hell are you talking about?

(O)CT(O)PUS said...

Anonymouse (above) is not a mature or stable person. Why bother wasting time on such people. It wastes our time too.

Anonymous said...

Your poster about socialism is a little off. Medicare is something most contribute to same as Social Security.If you are referencing medicaid/welfare/food stamps/obama phones/rent subsidies/ ADC you are referring to socialist programs.

The only time SS and medicare is an entitlement is when you haven't paid in. Those 60% of us who choose to work all our lives have paid in thousands if not tens of thousands into the system. Now those who have paid for the benefits are getting entitlements. Do away with both and let people have a choice, sorry that had been recommended but the politicians believe the people are to stupid to make their own decisions.

Ahab said...

Fantastic post. All that vocabulary you described was intended to create a hierarchy -- to keep other people down. We can expect much wailing and gnashing of teeth from right-wingers now that the hierarchy is no longer set in stone.