a simple example of what's wrong with America

[Vietnameravet]

An exchange took place about a week ago at the home of one of my wife's aunts and it really epitomized so much that is wrong with this country. It went like this.

My wife; So what do you think of Mayor X?

Aunt Jane Doe; I hate him!

My wife; Why is that?

Aunt Doe; I hate the way he looks and the way he talks.

my wife; So what is it you don't like about him?

Aunt Doe; There's just something about him,,,in the way talks... in the way he looks that I really hate.

Me; I guess the Christmas spirit didn't last long around here!

My wife; well what about the things he has done as mayor, what you think of those?

Aunt Doe; well I really don't know about those things ...because I don't follow them!


yeah that's the way we make up our minds here in America....

[el_bryanto]

1. Man that does sound like a lousy Mayor - first of all - what's up with calling himself X?

That's a silly name for a mayor. I'm not going to vote for him either.

Bryant

[arcane1]

3. Is his first name Malcom?

[el_bryanto]

4. Malcolm X- yes i think you've got something there. I'd vote for him. nt

[Blanks]

7. Perhaps he's kin to Professor X?

[yuiyoshida]

13. The guy is uncanny, He can read people's minds!

[Blanks]

16. No wonder the mayor is unpopular. Who wants a mayor that can read your mind?

[Dont call me Shirley]

2. When they say such things as " I don't know what that person has done" I start listing them out loud

[Shrike47]

5. Let me guess: is he mayor of a city that rhymes with Boo Bork?

[DeSwiss]

6. But......

...she was made that way. Really.

- K&R

[Capt.Rocky300]

8. I know of a similar situation.........

Our best friend's grown daughter announced she would not vote for John Kerry back in 2004 because she "couldn't stand to look at that long face on the news for 4 years". So, she didn't vote. The scary part is she's a teacher. Her parents raised her to use her head but I suspect her Archie Bunker-like husband has influenced her.

[sakabatou]

9. "I have no idea what he's doing. I just hate him cause of his looks and voice."

Ugh...

[narnian60]

10. My elderly, Fox news-watching mom constantly

judges politicians, newscasters (and everyone else) on their physical appearance especially their weight & clothing. Makes me crazy!!!

[Blanks]

17. I'll bet she really likes Christie. Eom

[narnian60]

19. She can't stand Michael Moore

because he's a fat slob and hates America. Obviously, we NEVER talk politics.

[adieu]

11. Exactly.

There are no longer any serious discourse with arguments having any gravity. It's all a shallow touchy-feely thing.

On a facebook group on local politics that I participate in, we have the same sort of discussions. Someone would post a query, "Plan X, good or bad, discuss!" And the answers would be, "No!" "Yes!" "Aw hell no!", "Of course, yes!" But no one is willing to put an explanation of why. There's absolutely no substance to their answers.

None of these posters are persons of any authority, so it's not like they can appeal by authority (one of the weakest form of arguing). So, explain thyself, I ask, and I can't get a reply worth repeating.

The answers are all so superficial and selfish. It's always, "Well, it would affect me, or this person harmed me." I can understand that some anecdotes are worthy of note. But one has to look beyond the selfish and superficial and see the big picture. Is this candidate better for all of us compared to the other candidates? Is this proposition or plan a better plan/proposition than the alternatives? And what are the other alternatives?

[Enthusiast]

12. Americans are superficial?

Who knew?

Al Gore is too stiff! Remember that one?

WTF?

[Warpy]

15. No they're bone lazy

Auntie thinks she can get a good read on a person by his looks and how he talks because Auntie is too bone fucking lazy to find out who he is.

"Low information voters" are LAZY voters and it's time we started calling them that.

[Blanks]

18. I don't know...

'Bone fucking lazy' might not be viewed positively in all circles.

I like it, but I'm thinking that my mom might not use it.

[mountain grammy]

14. The last time someone in the room started ranting about Obama

saying "I can't stand anything he does.." my husband said, "name five." Crickets. After the idiot caught his breath, he said "everything" my husband said "name one, and be specific" and the idiot said "everything."

My husband said, there are things Obama has done I agree with and some things I don't agree with, but, for the most part I at least know what he's doing. Get a clue, man, you're what's wrong with America.

He agrees with your post, one Vietnam vet to another.

[raccoon]

21. Kudos to your husband for calling out this dingbat! nt

[Dreamer Tatum]

20. Really, people should develop nuanced insights before ridiculing what others look like.

The only way to be credible is to be incisive and thoughtful, and THEN spend the rest of your life ridiculing looks.

That's how to do it.

[Omnith]

22. I use to think people were not this stupid.

But then I talk to some of my relatives and they really do make voting decisions based on superficial reason. Like saying someone is told to be president as the sole basis for their vote.