Editor Manteca Bulletin,
The GOP (The Grand old Predicament) seems to be having just that and not only nationally but locally as well. In a recent Gallup Poll asking “Who speaks for the GOP?” 52% didn’t know, 13% picked Rush Limbaugh, followed by the likes of Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Glen Beck and Sara Palin. An interesting point on Sara Palin, only four people named her, three called her by name, the other one called her “That woman from Alaska”.
If that same poll were held here locally, I bet the names would come up as Frank Aquila, James Simoni, Jerry Johnson, Scott McComas and Amy Sullivan, not necessarily in that order. Since the last election we have all been subjected to their constant whine about the outcome and the dire consequences of our collective ignorance at the polls. The same rhetoric we hear nationally, we hear locally soon after. No new ideas, no answers, absent of any logical thought process. Some of our local group as well as the national group, constantly bring up Bible passages. Of course we recognize this for what it is, Dark Ages fear mongering, pure and simple. Let me remind you, God doesn’t have a favorite people, he doesn’t have a favorite country or a favorite political party, he doesn’t have a favorite president or even a favorite football team and he doesn’t care one bit if Curt Warner makes one more touchdown throw. Really, he doesn’t.
Nationally we hear from Newt Gingrich who will say anything to get on TV, Rush Limbaugh who can only be described as a babbling sack of insanity, Dick Cheney, the crazy, angry old coot still living in the past, Glen Beck, who thinks of himself as an economic genius but with none of the accomplishments, and of course Sara Palin, the really bad soap opera that won’t go away. (Remember these descriptions for the fun game coming up later).
When we hear or read statements made by any of these, well known members of the right wing fringe, we can immediately visualize a face but when we read the same rhetoric repeated in local letters on these pages from our own local right wing fringe, the majority of the readers have no idea what these people look like, except for Scott McComas whom we all know is a skinny little dude with tights, a pocket protector and a little red cape. I am kidding, of course, that’s just the way I have always pictured him. Anyway, like I said, most of us have no idea what they all look like or their individual mannerisms.
Well, fret not, I have come up with a fun way to put a face on the local fringe. First make a list of the National fringe group next to a list of our own local fringe group. Then draw a line connecting the person on the local list to that person you think he or she most resembles on the national fringe list. For example, on my list, I drew a line connecting Jerry Johnson to Rush Limbaugh. Now when I read any of Mr. Johnson’s letters I immediately visualize Mr. Bouncy Bouncy, Rush Limbaugh. Is that fun or what?
Feel free to draw more than one connecting line but I must warn you, the resulting image may be extremely disturbing.
The GOP (The Grand old Predicament) seems to be having just that and not only nationally but locally as well. In a recent Gallup Poll asking “Who speaks for the GOP?” 52% didn’t know, 13% picked Rush Limbaugh, followed by the likes of Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Glen Beck and Sara Palin. An interesting point on Sara Palin, only four people named her, three called her by name, the other one called her “That woman from Alaska”.
If that same poll were held here locally, I bet the names would come up as Frank Aquila, James Simoni, Jerry Johnson, Scott McComas and Amy Sullivan, not necessarily in that order. Since the last election we have all been subjected to their constant whine about the outcome and the dire consequences of our collective ignorance at the polls. The same rhetoric we hear nationally, we hear locally soon after. No new ideas, no answers, absent of any logical thought process. Some of our local group as well as the national group, constantly bring up Bible passages. Of course we recognize this for what it is, Dark Ages fear mongering, pure and simple. Let me remind you, God doesn’t have a favorite people, he doesn’t have a favorite country or a favorite political party, he doesn’t have a favorite president or even a favorite football team and he doesn’t care one bit if Curt Warner makes one more touchdown throw. Really, he doesn’t.
Nationally we hear from Newt Gingrich who will say anything to get on TV, Rush Limbaugh who can only be described as a babbling sack of insanity, Dick Cheney, the crazy, angry old coot still living in the past, Glen Beck, who thinks of himself as an economic genius but with none of the accomplishments, and of course Sara Palin, the really bad soap opera that won’t go away. (Remember these descriptions for the fun game coming up later).
When we hear or read statements made by any of these, well known members of the right wing fringe, we can immediately visualize a face but when we read the same rhetoric repeated in local letters on these pages from our own local right wing fringe, the majority of the readers have no idea what these people look like, except for Scott McComas whom we all know is a skinny little dude with tights, a pocket protector and a little red cape. I am kidding, of course, that’s just the way I have always pictured him. Anyway, like I said, most of us have no idea what they all look like or their individual mannerisms.
Well, fret not, I have come up with a fun way to put a face on the local fringe. First make a list of the National fringe group next to a list of our own local fringe group. Then draw a line connecting the person on the local list to that person you think he or she most resembles on the national fringe list. For example, on my list, I drew a line connecting Jerry Johnson to Rush Limbaugh. Now when I read any of Mr. Johnson’s letters I immediately visualize Mr. Bouncy Bouncy, Rush Limbaugh. Is that fun or what?
Feel free to draw more than one connecting line but I must warn you, the resulting image may be extremely disturbing.
Larry Baca
Manteca
June 17, 2009
Manteca
June 17, 2009
