Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Who are you?

This is a big rant... sorry. I am probably opening a can of worms here, but I am so utterly disappointed when I read pages like what I am going to describe.

I am not going to name the person who inspired this, but I have seen plenty of sites that have done this, so in some ways it is not really aimed at anyone in particular. Whenever I visit this particular Facebook page--or those like them, 99.9% of the posts are like this. 


Almost.every.single.post is anti-President Obama, anti-Democrat, anti-liberal. Each meme is pure snarky hatred. So I have to say, "yes, I get it, and so does everyone else who reads your page." You don't like the President. But don't you think we'd like to know more about you than this?

And yes, I am a big boy and can take it. That is not the point I want to make.

What bothers me most about this and other similar pages are that I know this person (very well, I might add) and know he is so much more than this. Instead of seeing all this hate, I want to know about his/her hobbies; I want to know about his family; I want to know what's going on his life. What I do not need, want or need to see is all this dripping pure sarcastic hate. It bothers me how someone could focus on nothing but hate.

Mind you, far be it for me to tell someone what they can, cannot or should or should not post on their own page. And I suppose some would say this is me "calling the kettle black" as I have posted my share of memes addressing the ills of today's society.

After all, there is no doubt when reading my page how far left I lean or how much I detest how the Tea Party has hijacked the GOP in the past 15 years or how the farthest right of some religious denominations have come to believe their faith supersedes the rights with those whom they disagree.

AND I do not think I am wrong about this. I have two very good friends--one that I have known for 20 years, the other for more than 30, both were lifelong staunch Republicans who today lament and pine for the party they once loved and supported. In fact, today when I read their words espousing beliefs closer to mine, I almost suspect they are "pod people."


Frankly, all this hate bores me.

Where I think my pages differs is that yes, I have no problems posting views of mine and of those are similar and invite intelligent discourse. I don't permit people thrusting their finger in the proverbial eye. But in the pages I have described if I post anything that challenges them, I instantly am attacked for it... and yeah, again I am a big boy. A famous actor (from "Star Trek," no less) for whom I used to hold in the highest respect runs a page that makes my blood run cold. I have never seen so much hate in my life.

I think the difference between my page and those that I describe is that yes, I post all things politics, but I also post all things science, all things science fiction, all things humorous, all things of dirty birds pelting parked cars--especially Toyotas (grin), all things Ford. all things modelmaking, all things education, all things tropical fishkeeping, all things moviegoing, all things RMS Titanic, all things Star Trek... well, you get the idea, right?

My point? I do not think anyone can say my page is boring... AND no, I am not trying to pat myself on the back for "job well done," but when I visit a page that is so one track--and one so filled with hate, I have to ask why? And is this the image you really want to present of yourself? And to the point, especially when it is someone I admire or love, I really want to believe they are better than that. I guess sometimes it hurts when some people let you down.

Of course, I suppose some could say "mind your own business." AND I could but here I am, doing exactly the opposite. Have a great day... to those I agree with and yes, even to those I don't!