Hate Talk and Senseless Rhetoric: The “Dumbing-Down” of America

Just a Thought 

 

By Juanita Bratcher

 

Wild allegations, senseless rhetoric, inflammatory remarks, misinformation, incendiary voices and hatemongering are see-sawing their way through our daily lives nowadays via the Internet, Blogosphere, radio and television. And many of these slanderous offenders justify their actions as “freedom of speech”, their First Amendment rights of the U.S. Constitution. 

The aforementioned statement is by no means being critical of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That legislation is rock solid. Our forefathers who wrote and signed the U.S. Constitution into law did an honorable job. And certainly, I’m in total agreement with it. My criticism is with those actions of “rabble-rousers” who cling to First Amendment rights to slander others, say hurtful and disparaging remarks, display despicable signs, and deliberately spew out misinformation they know is not true, but as a means to plant chaotic seeds of distrust in others.

                      “Congress shall make no law respecting an

                      establishment of religion, or prohibiting the

                    free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of

                  speech, or of the press; or the right of the

                 people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the

               Government for a redress of grievances” – First

              Amendment to the U.S.  Constitution.

Then there is the Second Amendment to the Constitution…the right to bear arms.

        “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” – Second Amendment

      to the U.S. Constitution 

 

There was an awkward display of that right at some of the health reform rallies when some of the participants showed up with guns strapped to their hips.

Many of these hate mongers have no leadership qualities or skills and no credible ideas. Their goal and intentions are to keep havoc going by using scare tactics, smear their targets and create fear. They demonize and vilify their targets through false and misinformation. And they will say any and everything even though they know it to be inaccurate and not the absolute truth. They spew out hatred and “doctor” information to divide this country. They give power and life to lies. They do not disseminate constructive ideas or provide any relevant information, yet there are those who buy into their garbage because of lack of knowledge.

It is the “dumbing-down” of those who listen and accept their messages as the absolute truth. And many of these messengers spreading these false claims are making buckets full of money in the process, while at the same time, riling and building up hatred in some recipients of their messages.

As Americans and as a country (these United States of America), we are better than that!!!

Note: Amendment 1 – Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791.

Amendment 2 – Right to Bear Arms. Ratified 12/15/1791.

The first ten Amendments collectively are commonly known as the Bill of Rights 

Source: U.S. Constitution Online