The Hardest Times… If Only
An odd tangential statement from a Rhode Island Catholic article (not yet online) about the need for young adults and children to be careful online:
“You’re at the most difficult period of your life,” Quirk began, describing the leap from childhood to adulthood as a “hard” period. “It’s challenging to make it through in one piece.”
That’s District Court Judge Madeline Quirk, presenting with Attorney Laura Pisaturo, and I suppose perhaps for women in such professions, it may in fact have been the case that they’ve never found hardship beyond the natural transitions of youth. Blue collar workers with multiple children might beg to differ — as would people with debilitating age-related diseases, as would [insert example].
,as would people who call themselves conservatives yet do not take responsibility for their own choices and blame others for their hardships.
, as would conservatives who use what they have of an intellect to hide narrow minded and short sighted prejudices detrimental to the underclasses.
OldTimeLefty
OldTimeLefty,
We already know you believe conservatives have narrow intellects to go along with their narrow minds while liberals have wide intellects and are very open to new ideas (as opposed to ‘narrow minded’)
So, to you, who are those that fall into the ‘underclass’ who would be harmed by these short sighted prejudices of personal responsibility?
Msteven,
You wrote “We already know you believe conservatives have narrow intellects to go along with their narrow minds while liberals have wide intellects and are very open to new ideas (as opposed to ‘narrow minded’
Number one: Don’t call me a liberal. I’m not. I’m much more radical and passionate. Sorry to disturb your cozy little “either or world.” It may do you some good to actually think about alternatives rather than label yours good and all others as bad. Try reading, or have someone read to you, William Irwin Thompson’s, “At the Edge of History for a starter.
You asked “who are those that fall into the ‘underclass’ who would be harmed by these short sighted prejudices of personal responsibility?” I must point out that you added the phrase “of personal responsibilty” and then want me to be responsible for your words. That’s not very personnaly responsible. But, ignoring the cheap rhetorical gimmick demonstrated by your attachment of a codicil to my words, I’ll tell you that 48,000,000 (That’s forty eight million) of our citizens don’t have adequate medical coverage. I’d call them the underclass. I will also add that the solution that I hear from those who call themselves conservatives sounds a lot like “Let them eat cake.”
I have respect for true conservatives like Lincoln Chafee whom I always supported at the polls, and utmost scorn for non reflective knee-jerkers who hide their narrow prejudices behind conservative icons – Want to be patriotic? Stick a flag pin on your lapel, but by god, don’t question what’s really going on.
Hope that this gives you an idea or two. Your fellow travelling citizen, compatriot and U.S. Army veteran friend,
OldTimeLefty
The first 2 post,by Phil,and Old Time
Lefty,nailed it.
Case clossed, no more needs to said
I don’t know what Phil’s talking about. Although I realize that some readers, whom I’ve never met, have an antipathy toward me, it’s beyond my comprehension how one fairly finds a complaint (much less blame) in my post. I’m merely pointing out that many people — I daresay most people — don’t honestly believe that the transition from adolescence to adulthood was “the most difficult period” of their lives. Indeed, it takes a cushy (very fortunate) and probably self-centered lifestyle to make such a thing true.
And OldTimer couldn’t even come up with a plausible put down. It seems to me that dumb, narrow-minded people would find life relatively easy. But I’ll defer to the testimony of the above-mentioned gentlemen on that count.
Justin nailed it.
FYI OldTimeLefty, the “either or world” along with the simplistic “yours good and all others bad” seems to be your trick. It is you that commented “… as would conservatives who use what they have of an intellect to hide narrow minded and short sighted prejudices detrimental to the underclasses.” and then refer to my cheap rhetorical gimmicks? Spare me.
It is fair to call those without medical insurance as those in the underclass. I don’t happen to think it is best that the government be responsible for covering the cost of health care for everyone but I’ll acknowledge there is a legitimate debate to be had. What is not debatable is your view that anyone who disagrees with you is short sighted, narrow minded and prejudiced against the underclass. That type of view is indicative of a knee-jerker who hides their narrow prejudices behind the flag-waving class warfare mantra.
I’ll make you a deal, I’ll question what’s really going on with an open mind if you will.
Your fellow (former) traveler citizen (sans military experience) friend,
msteven
I thought going from adolescence to adulthood was great-being a teenager was like waiting for the bus.
msteven,
How can you say that “Either or world” is my trick when you called me a liberal, an epithet that I find as personally distasteful as “conservative”. Just to refresh you a bit, there are radicals, liberal, conservatives and reactionaries and people in between those. It is you who paints the world black or white. Personally, I have some respect for Joe Bernstein even though we usually disagree. At least he does not appear live in a bi-polar world.
Justin,
You asked for examples and you got a few that you didn’t expect. You need to remember that it’s not simply your last post that draws the fire it’s the sum total of the ideas that you express and the smug attitude that accompanies them.
OTL
Justin,
If, as you imply, ignorance is bliss, then the White House is indeed a joyous place. As to political acumen, what do you think of this administration and did you, as I suspect, vote them in twice? If you did, please show some humility.
OldTimeLefty
“That’s District Court Judge Madeline Quirk, presenting with Attorney Laura Pisaturo, and I suppose perhaps for women in such professions, it may in fact have been the case that they’ve never found hardship beyond the natural transitions of youth.”
It could be also that their professional lives educates them to some of the problems people other than themselves face as adolescents. Your assumption that their professions in contrast to yours insulates them from hardship is what I’m taking issue with.
I find with many conservatives or those who call themselves by that label are actually a special interest of themselves. Maybe my comment went too close to home for you. It seems to me that a reference to “Blue collar workers with multiple children” could apply to you and yours. You’ve written on this blog , sorry think tank, of your personal situation before and how you are adversly affected by either some government action or some social issue .I owe you no personal antipathy. You can continue to live in your own bubble. The Myanmar generals would approve.
You accuse me of living in a bi-polar / black and white world while that is what I accuse you of. I guess only time will tell and/or only God knows.
Also, check the dictionary sometime when accusing someone of having a smug attitude the accompanies ideas; I think the word would be ‘hypocrisy’.
msteven,
Look at the @#$%^ing evidence. You tagged me as a “liberal” and I told you in very certain terms that I am not one. It was you who could not think beyond “liberal-conservative”, not I. I was careful not to condemn all conservatives, that is why I said, “who use what they have of an intellect to hide narrow minded and short sighted prejudices detrimental to the underclasses.” No where in the phrase did I call all conservatives narrow minded etc. I consider Chafee a conservative and he certainly has my support. You dragged in the either/or, not I. You still suffer from bi-polar disorder.
OldTimeLefty
Justin,
You said, “some readers, whom I’ve never met, have an antipathy toward me.”
What an ingenuous remark. You show plenty of antipathy for some of the people whom you have never met who write in this blog, and you show it with sarcasm and snottiness.
Please, me thinks thou doest protest too much.
OldTimeLefty