Reply #10: I saw a very stark change in our society with the selection of bush- [View All]

especially after 9/11.

The snarky- cutting others down "humor"- the arrogant "yer either with us, or with the enemy", mentality.

The thought that 'we' had the 'right' to do whatever we wanted, and no one would/could possibly question or stop us.

"Freedom fries" the "Old europe" FU attitude. We don't negotiate with "terrarists"- "I'm the president, i don't answer to anybody"-

We COULD have chosen to answer the violence of 9/11 with something other than just MORE violence- The nation of Afghanistan didn't deserve to be carpet bombed yet again. We accomplished very little by responding in kind. And now we don't know how we can get out of there....

It IS partly tv and the net- but i think it started when bush tapped into the ugly side of humanity- and made his asinine cowboy, tough-guy attitude, somehow ... acceptable/attractive to people with little impulse control.

It's an unhealthy, self-defeating way of living- imo and difficult to restrain once its been unleashed. ime

Unfortunately,'republicans' aren't the only ones susceptible to it.

I hope we can turn this around. But i'm afraid of what we've been flirting with.

(sorry for running off at the keyboard)

:hi: