Dissolve into Evergreens
This blog used to be about politics. Not so much anymore as I have worked through my fascination with that subject. It now seems appropriate that with a new president and the end of the Bush nightmare that I move on to new subjects that are more in line with my current interests. I may still occasionally express an opinion about political matters but for the most part I will be commenting on music, photography and personal observations. Thank you for reading.


Current Playlist

Top 100 in iTunes

juscuz's Last.fm Overall Artists 

Chart




Atom Site Feed

B4 d- t k s u- f i- o x-- e- l- c+

Blogarama


< ? Colorado Blogs # >

« - ? Blog Oklahoma * # + »
This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?
12.27.2005
scapegoats
 
Yesterday I had the pleasure of witnessing a conversation between two aging white guys who were (in their minds) doing their part in saving society from falling apart. One guy was working with a group to pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage as "one man, one women" because, in his mind, gays were attacking marriage and that was what was "causing such problems with families".

That this mentality is right out of the hateful Pat Robertston's playbook is obvious, but what instantly came to my mind was "scapegoating". People simply find ways of blaming any changes that they find distasteful on other people, which gives them a pass and keeps them from having to admit their own role in things.

Its one thing to say "I don't like how things have changed", its another to be a part of that change, and in my opinion, a driver of that change, and then, when learning that the byproducts of your actions are leading to circumstances you don't like, find a scapegoat to blame it all on.

Amanda at Pandagon had a good observation along these lines:

The right wing war cry about saving traditional marriage makes no logical sense, but it does provide an easy scapegoat for a myriad of anxieties about the very real changes that have already happened to family life and that affect nearly everyone. Most people nowadays, straight or gay, already feel empowered to organize their family lives according to their needs and desires, not according to tradition. All the anxiety this is creating is getting exerted on banning just one choice out of the hundreds, if not thousands, that people feel have opened up to them--in this case, marrying someone of the same sex.

So, in a sense, it's a depressing thought because the culture war is really just one long temper tantrum thrown by people who are frustrated that the world is changing without obtaining their permission. On the other hand, it's a good thing that it might be nothing more than a temper tantrum, something that will pass quickly enough as it becomes clear that there's no putting the genie back in the bottle, no turning back the hands of time.


I find it hard to take these people seriously when the targets of their ire are such small, insignificant parts of a greater mechanism. They're giving more weight to gays and people who refuse to say "Merry Christmas" than to other, more influential forces; the marketing of a hyper-comsumer lifestyle, for one.

|
Comments: Post a Comment

About Me

bruce
35 yr old
Married
Okie
Highlands Ranch
Denver
Colorado
Student
Recording Engineer
Gemini
Arrogant
Voted for Kerry
Voted for Obama
Scumbag
Narrow-minded
Liberal
Uncle
Smug
Hypocrite
Philosophical Type
Taken
Omicron Male
Feminist Friendly
22.3% Less Smart
Whacko
Rabbit



Any Box

email

Barack Obama Logo
Get Firefox!




Dissolve into Evergreens