I tuned-in to Hannity, Beck, and Rush today. I listened to their messages of gimme, gimme, gimme, mine, mine, mine, me, me, me. The crowds they stir up reflect their attitude. Regardless of their arguments for or against changes in health care delivery, there is an underlying attitude of me, myself, and I. A friend of mine said (and I paraphrase) "Liberals tend to be concerned with the OTHER person's health care, if their children are being taken care of. Whereas conservatives typically use phrases like MY health care, MY money, MY interests."Me... Me... Me....
While the talk show hosts droned on, a song from Alice Cooper came to mind. This is from the album "Brutal Planet" (an album where Alice does a fair amount of social commentary).
Though this song deals with the issue of world hunger, I couldn't help contrasting it to the message of endless, bottomless indulgence that I was hearing over the radio.
Eat Some More by Alice Cooper
Sixty million tons of meat
Spoiling in the stinking heat
Train full loads of moldy bread
Millions will still go unfed
Acres full of dying wheat
Burning brightly at our feet
A billion tons of roasted fish
Some with nothing on their dish
We can't see we're going blind
We're just dying on the vine
We're all sinking from the weight
Open wide and salivate
Do you like the taste?
Stuff it in your face
Its not nice to waste
We're not happy 'til we're choking
So we eat some more
Throw up on the floor
Go back to the store
We're so hungry
So pathetic
Lots of melting cheddar cheese
Spreading instant meat disease
Rotting veggies on the ground
Where hungry little kids are found
Worms in fruit an ugly sight
They're begging for a single bite
Our garbage dumps are mountains high
While other people sadly die
We can't see we're going blind
We're just dying on the vine
We're all sinking from the weight
Open wide and salivate
Do you like the taste?
Stuff it in your face
Its not nice to waste
We're not happy 'til we're choking
So we eat some more
Throw up on the floor
Go back to the store
We're so hungry
So pathetic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QywIExyI7wA
3 comments:
Your posting encouraged me to listen to Rush's show today, and for that I am grateful. I was unaware of Obama's upcoming Sept. 8th speech. The guest host and callers were rallying to support the boycott of the speech, and certainly to prohibit our children from viewing or hearing it. Naturally I was concerned, so I researched the topic of the speech, and this is what I found... Obama wants to challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning.
Why would Rush (or anyone) oppose such values? Hard work and empowering our children through education should be a foundational goal of every family.
What I find deeply troubling and frightening, is the influence that Rush Limbaugh's Show has on countless numbers of Americans. Can someone explain why Rush glorifys in the promotion of ignorance ?
**A friend of mine said (and I paraphrase) "Liberals tend to be concerned with the OTHER person's health care, if their children are being taken care of. Whereas conservatives typically use phrases like MY health care, MY money, MY interests."**
I've recently noticed this, and I find it disturbing, especially when coming from a conservative Christian. I saw a debate on the time magazine blog about health care, and a conservative Christian retorted to a universal health care supporter that if the health care supporter wanted a system like Canada or England, the supporter should move there and leave his system alone.
The entire focus was self-oriented. The conservative claimed to care about others, and yet his entire response was all about him, and then he cast that same belief onto the other commentator.
Having a wife who is a physician, following Jesus, and being a staunch libertarian(more staunch every day, it seems) has caused my brain to explode.
I totally see the point of empathy, care for others and the need for community in our world today. I just think the church should be the one doing it. Why are we asking our government to come in and 'fix' the problem of healthcare when there are millions of 'believers' around the country who read the same Bible I do. The same Bible that calls us, as followers of Christ to care for those in our community. If the churches individual members would rise up and do what they are told...listening to the heart of compassion...there would be no need for 'big government programs' and the federal government could retract back to what the constitution intended it to be.
More programs government or church backed are not the answer. They only lead to more opportunities for waste and corruption. INDIVIDUAL care and concern(like when my wife sees a friend for a minor medical issue and doesn't charge) are the answer.
I echo the frustration with a 'me' centered focus. I also feel frustrated when I've worked really, really hard to get where I am and I share what I have with those in need, but it's not enough. I believe we should eliminate the middle man...not add more of them. Isn't that what Jesus came to do?
Of course, my cynical side knows that individuals will never rise up to the degree necessary...so the second best thing is some kind of broken government program. Good times.
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