I read with unamazement Bob Johnson’s most recent diary (It's gotten this ridiculous: liberals blaming and bashing poor people for Clinton's loss). I always expect this kind of performance from him, he did not disappoint and I wholeheartedly approve. With one exception and that is he speaks so lowly of douche bags. Douche bags are much better than you portray them, although you may be correct about condescending douche bags.
It appears to me that this is the part of your diary that struck a nerve with so many that made comments:
“At one time, the Democratic Party believed we needed to wage a "war on poverty."….
I am embarrassed by some of the things I have seen written here since the election. What is even worse is the seeming pride some folks take in shitting on the poor. ….
A lot of you condescending douchebags could use some comeuppance and a severe dose of humility. I don't wish ill on you, but I sure as hell hope you somehow develop some humanity.”
One commenter stated, “I have seen a lot of anger towards Trump supporters and the fact that people that voted for him are either rascist(sic) or at least didn’t(sic) care enough about the rascist(sic) crap he was spitting out every day.
But that's not the same as shitting on poor people.”
This statement sums up appropriately the opinion of many of the “condescending douche bags”at this site. They seem to think that it’s not shitting on people when they impose their reasons on Trump voters for not voting for Trump. They seem to believe that their reasons are so pure and correct while the Trump voters were racist, misogynist, uneducated or all of the above. They do not see that many were tired of the same old shit, after all you can only piss down a person’s back and tell him it is raining for so long. Perhaps it is because they were not the ones without a job, no raise in years or a pay cut if they had a job or found a new one. Perhaps they were not the ones losing their homes thru mortgage foreclosure, or not enough money to pay the utility bills, or to pay to see a doctor or buy needed prescription drugs, or help their child go to college. When your living day to day with time running out you know one thing and that is “there has gotta be a change”. For them Trump was a change maybe not for the better but a change and a chance for the better. To them Hillary was more of the same, “empty promises”.
Yes some of the Trump voters were racist, misogynists, greedy and selfish who hate government and seeing their tax dollars spent on welfare; but many more were just depressed without hope and believing they had nowhere else to turn.
But where did the shitting on the poor come in? In diary after diary with commenters in agreement you heard “fuck em”, I won’t help a Trump voter they can go fuck themselves” To these condescending douche bags it did not matter that many of these people were poor and without hope, it only mattered that they voted for Trump. They were pariah, to be shunned, turned away and to be taught a lesson. Unfortunately they are not the ones who need to be taught a lesson.
The ones who need a lesson are the condescending douche bags here at this site that chose security over Democratic principles. Who fail to realize that the Democratic Party by many of its statements divides the people into groups, for example take this sentence “ The Democratic Party stands for woman, people of color, the disabled, gays, lesbians, the bisexual, transgendered, religious and ethnic minorities, and others….” Where are white people in this sentence? Represented by the word “others”? Who among us wants to be referred to as “others”. We divide ourselves when no division is necessary. We do not stand for people we stand for principles for all people of these Unites States regardless of who they are. When we talk about our principles let us look to FDR and his Second Bill of Rights:
- The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
- The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
- The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
- The right of every family to a decent home;
- The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
- The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
- The right to a good education.
- Let us add one more: The right to equal protection for all under the law.
No one group is singled out by FDR, the rights he espouses are for all people regardless of sex, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, degree of wealth or political party. Perhaps it’s time the people of this site and all liberals for that matter realize that we stand for all people of the United States of America. Our fight is to attain and defend the rights espoused by FDR for all people of the United States. We are all inclusive no one likes to be referred to as “other”. We do not need to play to racism, misogyny, or hate to have many Trump voters vote for Democrats, we only have to fight for the rights of all and mean it by our actions and not just our words. Yes there are many poor white people in rural areas who are poor and suffer consequences just the as minorities do. They too ask for a chance for a better life. If the Democratic Party is to succeed then it must be all inclusive by talking simply about all people that need our help and the principles stated by FDR in his Second Bill of Rights.