Health Care Refo-oh crap, what are you doing with that noose?

From a recent NY Times article:

The bitter divisions over an overhaul of the health care system have exploded at town-hall-style meetings over the last few days as members of Congress have been shouted down, hanged in effigy and taunted by crowds. In several cities, noisy demonstrations have led to fistfights, arrests and hospitalizations.

Um...on the up-side, people are starting to take notice of politics. Yea!

On the down side, we're starting to look like those Fox specials with names like "The World's Wackiest/Most Violent Parliaments."

I understand that divisive issues will lead to frustrations on both sides. Great. Read up on the topic, take a side based on an informed opinion, and make your voice heard.

But be respectful and calm. Don't start a riot. This is not Iran. This administration did not steal an election. We are not being oppressed. We are being asked to join in a debate over the future of healthcare, like the civilized country we are.

And as a brief aside to those calling for these protests (I'm looking at you Beck, Hannity, Limbaugh, and O'Reilly): for eight years, you told protesters that they were un-American. You said dissent was un-patriotic. You questioned the loyalty of any who didn't fall in line behind the Bush administration's agenda. But now, dissent is patriotic, as your picket signs read. You organize events and encourage your followers to disrupt meetings and protest taxes, and then claim it's grassroots.

But I've never seen grass grow from the top down.

I'll let Mr. Jon Stewart explain*:

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Rock on.

*I was going to right a brief explanation of Fox New's claim about Cash for Clunkers seen in the posted video. It took on a life of it's own and is now posted here.

To All of Those Who Say, "I Wish Today Never Happened."

I was going to start this post off with, "I hate to break it to you, but President Obama really is in office."

Then I questioned whether or not the full extent of my sarcasm would be perceived.

Instead, I say this:

One president will not destroy the country. One president will not save the country. We need a deep cultural change. And a shift of this caliber requires a good leader -- a leader who can inspire the masses, who reflects the diversity of which this country is made and the adversity which it must overcome.

President Obama is that leader.

Politics aside -- this has nothing to do with taxation, health care, education reform, or the size of the government* -- we now have a president in office who can deliver his speeches with great enthusiasm, who can serve as a role model for young people, but especially young men, and even then, especially young black men, who is willing to take his family to serve at a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving, and who has spent time working among the disenfranchised in the inner cities.

Sometimes, an inspirational leader is need.

This is one of those times.

Many of you have spent the past four or eight years defending President Bush against statements such as, "He is not my president," or claims that he stole the White House. You have watched as people counted down the days to the end of his administration. You have said that people should express their discontent in different ways. A few of you have even dared to state that publicly questioning the president is unpatriotic. And, to a certain extent, I appreciated your devotion to the Office.

But now I ask you to not reject this line of thought just because of a shift in power. The time will come when the President will make decisions with which you will disagree, and then, I respect your right to complain, bicker, protest, and petition the government. But as of now, President Obama has been in office for less than an hour and a half. So until that time, I ask that you be happy about this historic occasion and the opportunity for new leadership. I ask that you put aside partisan bickering and exaggerated fears of a communist state, and instead join the nation and the world in rejoicing for our new, young, passionate leadership.

Thank you for your time.

Rock on.

*I make no secret of the fact that I generally agree with the new President on these issues, but I am not writing this note to argue about them.

Post Script: This post was originally published in the form of a Facebook note inspired by the statuses (stati?) of a few friends. Some minor edits have been made.