Why is the Right so Rabid?

If you’re paying attention, it would be impossible to miss the deep frustration and even rage being expressed by a certain segment of our citizenry. Being a resident of Southeast Virginia, I have had many opportunities to encounter these phenomena.

Consider the question; what is really so bad about President Obama’s push for a pubic option for healthcare and accessibility/affordability/availability for all Americans? Why is the debate over the possibility of providing healthcare to all American’s considered an uneasy encroachment on personal liberties and individual rights? Why have members of Congress been beset with diatribes about “A return to our Constitutional liberties" and remembrances of “My America”?

While I read, listen and try feverishly to understand what is meant by it all, I wonder why I am unable to understand the anger. Clearly this debate being played out in public squares around America is about much more than universal healthcare. This experiment underlines, yet again, the two Americas. My inability to understand this reaction underscores the different cultural experiences.

Why the Rage? Is it racism? Is it federalism?

Since I think it is safe to assume that this is about more than healthcare. It begs the question, ‘why the rage?’ Is it racism? Is it federalism[1]? Answer-YES! This nation has a very long and infamous history with racism and federalism. Fear of government intrusion in the lives of its citizens and a jealous preservation of individual rights has a proud history in the South. One that many defend with zeal of which I am one. There are many matters, in my view, that are best left to the interests of the individuals and should be void of government intervention or intrusion. I, for one, do not believe the government has a role in the private decisions on my personal matters of faith or moral belief. I took outrage, for example, at the Terry Schiavo[2] drama involving undue intrusion by Congress[3] into the family decision of when to stop life-sustaining efforts.

We have determined, however, that there are services and benefits that are so fundamental to our security as a nation that they would require the administration of government oversight to “…ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity…” (The Preamble-U.S. Constitution)[4]

For example, we as a nation have determined that the education of all children through the 12th grade is of such importance to our national interests that the federal government mandates it. We must first accept healthcare as a fundamental service that must be provided universally. That is an issue for debate.

What is impossible to debate; however, is a person’s unfounded prejudice and bias. Could it be that the mistrust of our president and his reform efforts that I have heard expressed by citizens in the media is based on racial bias? If it is, that would go far to explain this particularly pernicious mutation of federalism we see displayed over the airways. Let’s get back to the facts and find a way to solve this issue.

[1] http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/federalism.htm
[2] http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/31/schiavo/
[3] http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43406
[4] http://archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html