generalspeaking

"Supporting the Family"

As the social and political climate in the United States simmers in the wake of the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and the funeral of the youngest victim of the attack, President Obama is being lauded on all sides of the political spectrum for his elder statesman-like, conciliatory words encouraging Americans to lower the blame decibels.

With fourteen people gravely wounded, including Congresswoman Giffords who is making a miraculous recovery, and six dead from the shooting spree which mentally troubled Jared Lee Loughner unleashed on a peaceful gathering, recriminations about the over-heated political rhetoric leading impressionable people to act out violent revenge fantasies have exacerbated the situation.

Republicans now, however, are enthusing that the president has skilfully, thoughtfully and earnestly risen above the harmful rancour of blame emanating from both Republican and Democratic ranks. In essence, the president took it upon himself to act as a social healer, reminding Americans that they are all equally invested in the future of that great country.

In stark contrast to the resolve being manifested by people of good will in the country, and those being chastised for increasing the climate of separation and suspicion, there was the Westboro Baptist Church whose radical espousal of hatred for their own country, its leaders and its values, struck a decidedly discordant note.

Their regular appearances at funerals denouncing what they see as the rot within American society, the degradation of biblical morality and social values have shocked people and brought them to a place of fear and hatred toward the vitriolic accusations and triumphalism of supporters of the Westboro Baptist Church, celebrating the deaths of Afghanistan-assigned troops.

Their planned demonstration at the funeral of 8-year-old, precociously politically-aware Christina Taylor Green was banned in haste by wary and alert lawmakers in Arizona. Another group, normally regarded as toxic social troublemakers, a Phoenix bikers' group named "Crazy Chain", was in attendance for the declared purpose of defending the right of the Green family to mourn their dead child in peace.

The noisy, disruptively offensive and hurtful confrontation that might have occurred had the Westboro delegates not been banned by law from demonstrating, would have represented a carnival of delusional insanity reflecting the demented purpose and act of the child's murderer.

Labels: Heroes and Villains, Human Fallibility, Human Relations, United States

posted by Pieface @ Saturday, January 15, 2011