26 September 2017

Welcome to the Sick

If you got a sick feeling and a bit of a headache because you were upset over NFL players taking a knee, welcome to the world of millions of other Americans. Most of the time that our president opens his mouth, this sick feeling washes over us.

Here’s why:

  • He brags about grabbing pussy.
  • He said Hilary Clinton doesn’t look presidential but couldn’t define what that means. (She wears pantsuits every day, just like he does, so what’s not presidential in that look?)
  • He commented on Megyn Kelly having her period during a presidential debate when he didn’t like the questions she asked.
  • He rates women, calls them pigs, and comments on their physical attractiveness as if it makes any difference to their professional accomplishments.
  • He felt a judge with a Hispanic name could not give him a fair ruling.
  • He calls Senator Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas.”
  • He likened private school to being as hard as, or harder than, being in the military.
  • He called out the Khan family, who’s son was in the military and killed, when he didn’t like what Mr. Khan said about him.
  • Rather than comment on policy, he has personally insulted senators and representatives John McCain (as I was putting the finishing touches on this post, something new came out about McCain; I haven't had a chance to find out details yet), Mitch McConnell, Jeff Flake, Lisa Murchowski, Paul Ryan, and Charles Schumer, among others. He has also called out Jeff Sessions, James Comey, and other federal employees who work for him. 

Is this enough disrespect to enrage you yet? Remember, he also mocked a disabled journalist.

How many free passes are you going to give him? One Sunday afternoon of black men making a statement against a history of racism in the United States makes you more uncomfortable than at least two years’ worth of racist, misogynistic, and anti-veteran statements from a rich white man who deferred his military service.

Of course you’re not enraged over those things because you’ve been supporting racist mascots and athletes who abuse women for years. But I guess you think keeping a racist mascot can be brushed off as staying with tradition. I don’t know how you can accept beating women; that one is beyond me. (Unless that is tradition as well.) But now, having some of those racist traditions in the United States being brought to your attention front and center when all you want to do is drink beer and watch a football game makes you uncomfortable. Makes you angry. How dare they use their First Amendment rights when I just want to have a lazy afternoon.

You say the players should protest on their own time. The First Amendment doesn’t work that way. If people only protested when it was convenient and comfortable, not much would have changed in this country vis-a-vis civil rights. Plus, the president is racist and disrespectful on the taxpayers’ time regularly, rather than on his own time.

You say the players are being disrespectful to millions of veterans. Some of those veterans support players taking the knee. Does that make those veterans any less patriotic? Also, why is it more outrageous to you that athletes disrespect veterans (so you perceive) yet the president is disrespectful to millions of women, persons of color, and Muslims, many of whom are also veterans. Where's your outrage over that?

Don’t bring Obama or Clinton into this. Clinton lost the election so you can’t use her as an example anymore. Obama put up with tons of racist crap during his administration and he did not resort to hurling insults. Say what you want about his policies, he was a class act. Oh, I almost forgot the birther movement, which was encouraged by none other than our current president.

Welcome. Welcome to the sick feeling that our current president invokes on a regular basis. There is not going to be a turning point that makes this president see the error of his ways and makes him be a nicer person. He is an asshole and will remain one. It’s up to us to stop putting up with his garbage because we don't want to feel sick anymore. And if it makes you uncomfortable that’s too bad. 

4 comments:

~~Silk said...

Thumbs up. And on the knee topic, all those idiots so upset about disrespect for the flag are sitting on the couch with a beer in hand yelling at the players while the anthem is playing. And some of them are nice people.

Monique said...

Nailed it!!

Unknown said...

Well written, thanks for putting your thoughts down on paper. Well, not paper exactly. But you know what I mean.

Marsha said...

Perfect, Stephanie. Great job!