Monday, April 21, 2008

Temper, Temper

Fairness is a virtue rarely seen in this world.

It's true; life isn't fair, good things don't always happen to good people, and sometimes bad people have the best lives in the world. There is no omniscient balance that makes sure everybody gets what they deserve.

If there is one thing this presidential campaign has illuminated it is the unfairness in both life and this country's political process. Deep down, most of us knew that inequality had been this country's life partner since its inception, but only the truly honest folks were willing to admit it. In fact, after examining the overall treatment of each of this year's presidential candidates it's hard not to hear an old Sesame Street ditty in my mind.

"...One of these things just isn't the same..."

Actually, that song is the crux of this blog post. Simply put, John McCain is an angry white man.

I know that revelation was shocking and confusing to many of you. I'm sure it was shocking because none of you have heard him characterized that way by his fawning friends in the press. It's confusing because most of the readers of this blog are black people, which means that when I notified you of McCain's character flaw y'all had one thought dominating your minds.

"What the hell does a white man have to be angry about in America?"

Good point readers. After all, a simple examination of the facts shows that America is the closest a white man can get to paradise without dying. Name another country in the world where it's better to be white and have a penis? Go on, I'm waiting....Came up blank didn't you?

That's because not only in this country geared towards making sure white men get their needs met, it's also set-up so that when they screw up, the blame gets placed squarely where it belongs.

On niggers.

Do y'all mistakenly believe that today's young black men have taken killing to whole new level? Well let me tell you a story about this thing called Manifest Destiny and how the west was really won.

What about the myth that young nigras just love raping and brutalizing folks, particularly virginal white women? If you've heard that one, then I would advise you not to inquire about why people as dark as Africans now come in all shades of the chocolate rainbow.

But, everybody knows that black folks have an unhealthy affinity for welfare and food stamps, right? Well you haven't seen an addiction to handouts until you've heard the story of the Savings and Loan crisis or the tale about exactly where JP Morgan got the cash to make that recent purchase of Bear Stearns.

Look, my apologies to Pat Buchanan, but if there is anyone who needs to be grateful to this wonderful democracy that is America, it's white men, not us black folks. White men have sown more discord and reaped more rewards than even seems possible. Yet, for some reason, they are still angry.

Which, in a convoluted way, brings me back to Mr. McCain.

I know my big homie Barack always points out how much of a real American hero the old fart is in every stump speech, but I just cannot travel down that road. While McCain deserves respect for surviving capture in the Vietnam War that actually seems to be one of the few times where he was on the right side of things.

By his own admission, McCain was a hellraiser and ass-kicker as a youth. He not only fought when he felt like he was being wronged, but he also was known to throw some blows when he just felt like he was getting his proper respect. And, despite the way McCain might like to paint things, the truth is that this type of behavior existed well past the age of youthful indiscretions. I'll let him explain:

In all candor, as an adult I've been known to forget occasionally the
discretion expected of a person of my many years and station when I believe I've
been accorded a lack of respect I did not deserve."



I'm wondering if Barack Obama would be considered presidential material if he had a history of flying into rages where he regularly used foul language towards everybody, including his wife.(McCain once called Cindy a "cunt. Must have been that cookie recipe.)

If the media are pontificating about whether Obama possibly, maybe, might have given Hillary the finger for two seconds while wiping his face, how would they react if he got into a shoving match with another senator? How about if he left his handicapped wife for a rich younger woman?

If Obama is elitist and out-of-touch, what does that make a man who regularly tries to get secretaries fired because they disagree with him? And if that same man reamed out a volunteer for not setting up a stage in a way that would mask the fact that he is a midget in stature and morality, is that man really a "maverick?" Or, is McCain a pompous bully?

But, this whole exercise really goes back to the simple truth that life ain't fair. It's not fair that despite the fact that they have received so many undeserved benefits white men are still angry.

It's definitely not fair that a man who is easily upset or disrespected has the power to immerse all of us in a nuclear war. Or that the same man who confesses to being a little slow when it comes to the economy might take over a country during one of its worst economic times.

Men reap where they have not sown.

Now, all aboard the Straight Talk Express; next stop, the White House.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Men reap where they have not sown."
------------------
No, no, Big Man, you have it all wrong. White men are just really good delegators. They aren't exploiting. Honest. The rich and powerful white guys are in there getting their hand dirty too...well, if the occasional ink stain from a Mont Blanc pen is considered dirty. (should be read with the sound of dripping sarcasm, of course....)

Big Man said...

Y'all do some amazing delegating, just amazing.

Anonymous said...

I, myself, stink both at delegating and at being overly ambitious, both of which have cut seriously into my ability to get the juicier fruits of white male privilege. My wife should've gone for someone more Trump-like, I think...but with better hair.

A.F. said...

"Actually, that song is the crux of this blog post. Simply put, John McCain is an angry white man."

He IS! And why is this seen by so many as a strength?? He seems to always have been that way, too. I know this is anecdotal, but I had a student who'd had an extended military background, and he had a constant angry cockiness about him that actually frightened me a lot, to the point I was afraid he might snap one day. Well, when I watch John McCain now or footage of John McCain decades ago, I see the exact same expression, mannerisms, cockiness, anger. It's uncanny. I also don't think that it's acceptable for a political leader involved in Vietnam not to have come to terms with American atrocities there and not to have questioned U.S. involvement...like John Kerry did and many others. John McCain has never to my knowledge questioned any of that and I just think that a "real man" (though I don't like the term) must do more soul searching.

"a simple examination of the facts shows that America is the closest a white man can get to paradise without dying."

This has become one of my favorite quotations because it's SO true.

Thanks for the post.

The Christian Progressive Liberal said...

What has a white man in America have to be angry about?

NOT A DAMNED THING. THE END.

And if they're angry, it's because their greedy hunger has not been satisfied, and it never will be, because of some sick thinking of superiority to others not like them and that includes white women, too.

They want IT ALL. No sharing with anyone else, and they want to call it DEMOCRACY.

If they're angry, it's because, to their way of thinking, they don't have IT ALL, and won't rest until they eat the whole thing and wonder why the world's going to hell in a handbasket.

Gye Greene said...

My dad (of Norwegian-Swedish descent) , and a Vietnam vet, already noticed that about McCain (although I think he used the word "bitter").

My hope -- and belief -- is that this is one time when the American public's tendency to go by appearances and charisma, not issues, will work for the best:

Reagan won because -- in part -- could could present himself as a golly-gee nice fella.

In contrast: H. Clinton comes off as an unpleasant (slightly grating?) person; and McCain comes off as a bitter old man.

Whereas Obama seems Presidental -- Kennedy-esqe, even.

Let's hope that the rest of the U.S. sees it that way, as well.


--GG

E.J. said...

Nice. :-) You definitely got a way with words, man.




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