Hypocrisy In The Right

The more I hear my peers demonize Americans who need any sort of government assistance, the more I realize how warped their world view truly is. The bulk of the antiwelfare rants stem from Conservative Christians. Frequently, I wonder whether they see the blatant irony/hypocrisy. How can a party dedicated to "protecting Christian values" care so little about the plight of the poor?

Though I've been an atheist for quite some time, I was brought up with the Christian faith (Catholicism), which gave me a decent amount of biblical knowledge. My own quest for spirituality took that knowledge to another level. Throughout the bible (and various other religious texts), there are hundreds of verses about taking care of the weak, the hungry, and the poor. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that, at any point, it says, "Help the poor, unless your taxes go up because of it."

The majority of people who are food stamp recipients are not abusing the system in anyway. They simply need temporary assistance because of a crumbling economy, which, in an interesting twist, was caused by the very people who claim to protect Christian values, yet left the American working class hanging. It astounds me to no end. People in need have been demonized by those whose faith's main tenant is "love thy neighbor." It's the same with the pro-life/pro-choice argument. It never fails to make me laugh when people condemn abortion only to praise warfare and the death penalty a few moments later.

Perhaps their perception of the world has been distorted by a lifetime of comfort and security. Growing up without suffering has eliminated the possibility for compassionate behavior. Without knowing how hard life is for the majority of the country, they come to believe that everyone has it as easy as the affluent white protestant community. This leads to defamation of the unemployed, the homeless, the impoverished and oppressed.

It's apparent how these people will vote in the coming election. There's no use discussing policy with them. A rational person can see the hypocrisy in their beliefs. These are not rational people. Unlike those they persecute, these far-right, Christian warriors are a detriment to our society. Not because of their faith, but because of how they use it to oppress.

Oh, Romney...

Romney is definitely having a rough week. After being publicly outed by the Obama Administration for his extremely misleading (and factually inaccurate) attack ads, the first leg of his "Charm the World" tour landed flat on its face. Insultingly ignorant, he paraded about, leaving a slew of offended British diplomats in his wake. By forgetting names and criticizing the London Olympics, he displayed a stunning lack of the finesse necessary to conduct foreign affairs. As good as that will make Obama look in the months leading up to the election, this also motivates me to take part in the campaign.

Backed by the deep pockets of big business, war-hawks, and right-wing fundamentalist PAC's of all sorts, Romney is a viable candidate. The polls show candidates locked in a neck-and-neck race. Between the money and the right-wing's ability to twist and manipulate the vote,  Romney actually stands a chance at winning this election. This terrifies me.

Touting reinstatement of failed Bush-era economic policies, aggressive military tactics, and a low opinion of those who make up the working class, a Romney presidency would mean four to eight years of steady, and possibly, rapid decline. The tax loopholes, from which he benefits, are the same ones that are aiding in the deterioration of the American middle-class. He has adopted the opinions of his handlers, who happen to be Cold War era, warmongering, fat cats with a tendency to make a profit off of war, as well as at the expense (see what I did there?) of the consumer. With Romney at the helm, another war seems likely, if not inevitable.

Is Obama a decent alternative? I don't know. In his first term, he met opposition at every turn. His ideas were big. His plans were long-term transformational pieces of legislation. All of this is admirable. His list of accomplishments versus failures seems to balance out. In recent months, on issues like gun control and equal rights for homosexuals, he has started to jump into the fray, rather than letting the dust settle. Perhaps if granted another four years, this aggressive demeanor will take root and thrive.

There's no doubt in my mind that Obama is the candidate that is best (at the moment) for America. Especially after seeing Romney's inability to conduct matters in a professional, non-offensive manner. Left to his own devices, I am sure he would be harmless, but he seems to be another Bush. Another puppet maneuvered to enact neo-con policy. That is a dangerous person to hold office in such volatile times.