How did the country that put a man on the moon a mere forty years ago become so jaw-droppingly dumb?

My thoughts exactly, the reason I have not even contemplated visiting your country again Tom, in the last decade. Watching the last eight years of Bush Cheney was enough to turn the stomach.

Certainly makes me appreciate my Country so much more!!!!!!

Martin Luther King "I have a dream"


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The Rant Tom Degan

AMERICA THE PITIFUL

In 1963, the the people were singing, We Shall Overcome.
Forty-six years later, the chant was, We Shall Undermine.

In 1963, a vast and varied demographic of the American people - all races and religions - descended on the nation's capitol to peaceably and nonviolently protest an injustice that was occurring in certain areas of the country to people of a certain skin pigmentation.
Forty-six years later, a Convention of Pissed-Off White People - united only by the fact that they were all habitual viewers of a single cable news channel - rolled into Washington to hurl invective at an African American president for creating a mess that he had absolutely nothing to do with creating.
In 1963, the signs people held up were optimistic: "With Liberty and Justice for All."
Forty-six years later, the signs were ominous: "We Came Unarmed - THIS TIME!"
On August 28, 1963, the hearts of people who marched on the city of Washington DC were filled with love and hope.
On September 12, 2009 they were just full of shit.
Let us boil the comparisons down to their juicy essentials, shall we? Martin Luther King had a dream. Glenn Beck has a scheme.
"Stupid is as stupid does."
Forrest Gump
THE SELLING OF STUPIDITY
In the America of 2009, "STUPID" is a valuable commodity. "STUPID" sells. A couple of years ago, one of the highest rated cable television programs for people between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five was a show that was dedicated to stupid people doing really stupid things. The program was called, "Jackass". It was so successful, its producers were confident enough to make it into a full-length movie!
"STUPID" sells.
A few months ago, an African American named Michael Steele had a plan to bring other African Americans into the fold of the Republican party. How did he plan on accomplishing this damned-near-impossible feat, you may well ask? He was going to offer them watermelon.
"STUPID" sells.
In 2008, a Minnesota congresswoman declared that an investigation should be initiated against every Democratic member of congress for "un-Americanism". Less than a month later, she was reelected.
"STUPID" sells.
Last week at a Town Hall meeting, a woman confronted Eric Cantor with the plight of a close friend whose illness had left her destitute. With a straight face, the congressman suggested to the woman that her friend rely on charity.
"STUPID" sells.
Nearly half-a-century ago, there really wasn't much of a market for "STUPID" in most regions of this once-great nation:
"The energy, the faith, the devotion - which we bring to this endeavor - will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world."
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961
"I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace."
George W. Bush, 2002
No doubt about it: In the first decade of this new century, "STUPID" has a corner on the market. LinkHere