PROUDLY IGNORANT OR JUST STUPID

I am still pondering the American condition. I am perhaps being naïve and simplistic in my thinking, but I see videos of Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Marjorie Taylor Greene and many others continuing to propose that Donald Trump really won the election. I also noticed that during a session in congress, where it has been established that mask wearing in required, Greene refused to put one on. There is another young newly elected congresswoman, Lauren Boebert, going on about wearing a gun and showing off her prowess with a gun in various videos.

They all speak with authoritative voices of defiance and pride. They speak with a tone as if defying anyone to disagree with them. They are certain of the correctness of what they assert. They claim to be representing ‘the people’, but in fact have no regard for other people at all. The wearing of the mask is to prevent the spreading of the virus, to protect other people. To not pass it on. Is it that they are proud of their ignorance? Do they really think they are standing up for liberty? Or is it that they are just simply stupid?

Their call to political office, so they claim, is to stop the evil democrats from imposing socialism. Those terrible lefties who are traitors to the American way. They are there to stop things they don’t understand from happening. They are not there to actually do anything. They are against things; they do not appear to be for anything. It seems it is more important for them to be able to own a gun than to deal with the pandemic, or affordable health care, or any legislation that will protect the citizens from real poverty and failing education; or to improve international relations with other nations. They are condemning of society at large and suspicious of what they consider foreign. Rather than trying to create an equalitarian, safe and educated society, they see danger everywhere and hence the necessity to carry a gun. They clearly do not believe a peaceful society is possible, and they clearly prefer things to be that way, so they go to congress to help stop any progress towards a civilised society not just in the United States but in the world at large.

Had the founding fathers realised just what they would unleash by putting the 2^nd amendment into the constitution, I am positive they would have left it out, or at least been more specific as to the parameters allowing citizens a blanket right to have lethal weapons:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

It was a time of revolution and unrest. There was no professional or regular armed force. There was no well regulated Militia readily available, so the emerging country called upon the citizen soldier to form its ranks. There was no defence department, or military stockpile of weapons, but most citizens had a firearm of some sort to hunt and gather food. Therefore, when called upon to form a militia, the citizen soldiers could bring their own weapons. A regulated militia however, does now exist, as do markets, shops, supermarkets and department stores. Goods of all kinds are readily available and there is no necessity to have a weapon for hunting and gathering food. There is also an organised and, for the most part, regulated police force to help and protect the citizen. It is therefore no longer necessary for every citizen to have a weapon. But the likes of Congresswoman Boebert do not believe that is enough to protect herself from harm. The necessity of openly carrying gun for her is to protect Herself from Others who might attack her. It has nothing to do with protecting anyone else. She is very clear why she wears a gun. It’s all about “me, me, me”, which is in keeping with the narcissism of Donald Trump. His behaviour is what is admired. The fact of his psychopathic behaviour and colossal egotism is a boon to the faithful who seek to emulate in in every way.

The likes of Ms Boebert do not see the downside. All her safe gun training does nothing to prevent anyone else with the same safe gun training from firing their weapon at people in response to whatever injury they perceived as perpetrated against themselves. More of the same “me, me, me’ mentality. And who is to say that Lauren Boebert won’t use her gun in the Capitol if she should feel insulted or slighted by some other congress person. 

She was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Colorado’s 3^rd District. She was elected by 51.27% of the vote. The population of the 3^rd District is 756,569, 71% of whom are classified as White. The district takes up nearly half the state of Colorado. There are seven congressional districts in Colorado, four of which have Democratic Party representatives and are, in the main, urban districts with populations of around 850,000 souls. They are, in the majority, white. The other three districts are much larger in area and have a greater rural population and a number of small towns that make up the urban population, again mostly white.

The 3^rd District has the lowest Median household income, between $19000 and $30000 less per annum than the other 6 districts. Ms Boebert is from the town of Rifle (appropriately) with a population of about 9700 people. She runs a local burger restaurant, the Shooters Grill. The following is a review from Trip Advisor. Most were favourable, but I thought this one, from a possible supporter, was interesting.

So the calibre of congressional representative from Georgia’s 14^th District and Colorado’s 3^rd are believers in the Donald Trump fantasy, with the least experience of public service, a very limited agenda and the arrogance of stubborn ignorance. What on earth are the electors thinking of in placing those two in Congress. I am sure there may be more representatives of this kind from areas of relatively low Median Household income, and even lower expectations. No doubt this is a prejudiced view, but please, something must be done about qualifications for public office.  Single issue under educated people should be discouraged from running for office. It is not good for their fragile mental health and certainly not good for the health of the country. It is a difficult area, when in a democracy anyone should be allowed to put themselves forward for public service.

It is not something one can do alone, and any friends and advisors should make people think twice about doing so, assuming the friends and advisors are totally honest and in a position to give truthful and accurate assessments of the candidate. Giving blind unqualified support is not always the best thing to do in certain situations. That of course never applies to one’s partner.