Take a Liberal to Work Day?

I let someone get to me, which I try not to do. They posted some snide little blurb about how it was ‘take a liberal to work’ day. It said you should not expect them before lunch, because liberals aren’t used to getting up very early. It also talked about how they did not understand the meaning of a hard day’s work.

I got a bit pissed – maybe even more than a bit. Unfortunately it is typical bullshit from some knee-jerk right wingers. Look, I know some thoughtful conservatives. I read some conservatives who have real ideas, and I respect them, though I may often disagree with them. 

Still there is a faction of the right that eschews ideas and civil discourse and instead chooses to throw out personal insults, usually unwarranted.  Call it the Rush & Glenn faction, along with all the dittoheads who listen to them and go ‘yeah, that’s right’ to whatever garbage they spew. And it is usually garbage they are spewing. Try ‘birther’ or ‘closet Muslim’ nonsense, for starters, along with shit about how Obama has issued more executive orders than all previous presidents put together, which non-partisan researchers quickly disproved. They are the sort who call Obama the ‘liar in chief’, and make nasty personal comments about the first lady and Hillary Clinton. Along with that they make nasty comments about liberals in general.

After more than a bit of that, including some of the above from the person who made the ‘take a liberal to work’ post, I got pissed. He was greatly offended. After all he ‘never makes rude replies’ to my liberal postings. Let’s get something straight, I don’t try to paint all conservatives with a broad and nasty brush. At times, I repost nasty comments about certain right wing policies, though I usually try to limit that. I don’t even usually repost insults about conservative figures. When I write my own opinions, which regularly I do, I try to be fair and thoughtful, albeit liberal.

So why should I be so thin skinned? I worked part time during much of college. I got my BA in December of one year, and by the end of the first week of January, was working full time, albeit at a job which didn’t use half my ability. In my early 20s, I had to be to work no later than 7 am, because I had to do some things which, if they weren’t done, made other people sit with nothing to do. In 6 months in that assignment, I was late once, when my vehicle didn’t run, and it took me a little extra time to get an alternate ride. I was still there no more than 15 minutes late even at that.

I worked full time for over forty years, before I was laid off, last year. During that time, I went back to school and got my Masters degree, while working full time, and going to school evenings. I’ve been looking for work since I was laid off, even though I have decent savings and could start to draw social security even now, though not at full rate. Maybe it is a character flaw, but I take personal offense at being called lazy. I’m sure ‘he didn’t mean me personally’, but it sure as shit sounded that way.

I have listened to too much crap about ‘makers versus takers’, too much garbage about how if people are poor, it is only because they are lazy or ‘make bad personal choices’. I’ve read far too many lies told by right wingers about liberal policies or figures. I’ve seen too many personal insults by right wingers against liberal figures or groups. Once in a while, I just can’t take it anymore. So, maybe I overreacted. Maybe I was personally insulting in a way that was not called for. I acknowledge that. I won’t hold my breath waiting for any of my right wing ‘buddies’ to acknowledge where they have crossed the line.