Paranoid Solipsism: It's The American Way
Here's a facepalm-inducing story about a racist dimbulb idiot living in the next town over from me: a presumably drunk woman named Jennifer Crabbe [resist the temptation to make the obvious puns about crabby people, here] called 911 to report that her cabdriver was "very Muslim." I don't agree she should be charged with a hate crime, as the article mentions -- being rude and obnoxious shouldn't be illegal -- but charging her at least with misuse of 911 certainly sounds reasonable to me.
But here's what really depresses me about the story: subtract the woman's batpoop-insane racism and what's left is an attitude growing all-too-common in the modern American security-paranoia state: the idea "If I feel frightened or uncomfortable, this alone proves either that my rights are being infringed, or someone else's ought to be." After all: this woman didn't make the papers merely for fearing Muslims, but for being arrogant enough to believe "My fear of Muslims naturally means this Muslim guy should suffer as a result!"
Other examples of this self-centeredness include: "I am uncomfortable with the thought of being in a public place where someone might, possibly, have a concealed weapon plus intent to use it harmfully; therefore it's only right and just that everybody consent to these hyper-intrusive searches. So I say hooray for the TSA! American heroes, every one of them."
"I don't like hearing certain [non-libelous or slanderous] words or messages; therefore it's only right they be banned altogether."
"I am uncomfortable with the thought of someone using drugs and then maybe-possibly turning into a mindless criminal rampaging zombie, so hooray for prohibition."
"If people are allowed to have privacy, some of them might turn out to be criminals. That's why I support the NSA and think Edward Snowden a traitor for calling attention to their secret unconstitutional shenanigans."
"At least with New York City's stop and frisk policy, I don't need to worry so much that those scary black guys over there might be packing!"
Ad infinitum, ad nauseam: My fear is your problem. That's what America is supposed to be about, right?
But here's what really depresses me about the story: subtract the woman's batpoop-insane racism and what's left is an attitude growing all-too-common in the modern American security-paranoia state: the idea "If I feel frightened or uncomfortable, this alone proves either that my rights are being infringed, or someone else's ought to be." After all: this woman didn't make the papers merely for fearing Muslims, but for being arrogant enough to believe "My fear of Muslims naturally means this Muslim guy should suffer as a result!"
Other examples of this self-centeredness include: "I am uncomfortable with the thought of being in a public place where someone might, possibly, have a concealed weapon plus intent to use it harmfully; therefore it's only right and just that everybody consent to these hyper-intrusive searches. So I say hooray for the TSA! American heroes, every one of them."
"I don't like hearing certain [non-libelous or slanderous] words or messages; therefore it's only right they be banned altogether."
"I am uncomfortable with the thought of someone using drugs and then maybe-possibly turning into a mindless criminal rampaging zombie, so hooray for prohibition."
"If people are allowed to have privacy, some of them might turn out to be criminals. That's why I support the NSA and think Edward Snowden a traitor for calling attention to their secret unconstitutional shenanigans."
"At least with New York City's stop and frisk policy, I don't need to worry so much that those scary black guys over there might be packing!"
Ad infinitum, ad nauseam: My fear is your problem. That's what America is supposed to be about, right?
posted by Jennifer Abel at 11:16 AM
1 Comments:
Jennifer, totally agree.
And I've missed you! When are you going to come up to Baltimore? Your turn.
I'd read your blog more and comment, but I still can't take the white font on black background. Too hard on the eyes.
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