Are Americans Stupid?

Are Americans stupid? Or is that just the belief of those politicians who desire to feed us lies and deception? We are in the midst of the worst economic times since 9/11 and comparable to the great depression. This country has spent the last 6 years in a war that was sold as vindication for the lives taken on 9/11, which we all now know was never the case. Instead more lives, both American and Iraqi, have been lost than on 9/11 and we are still no safer than we were on 9/10/01. The only thing accomplished by this anti terrorism initiative has been longer lines in the airport to get on a plane. But that's not so bad, who the hell can afford a plane ticket anyway? Under the current administration we have seen the price of everything go up and no growth in income. Now I don't mean to sound like an Obama stump speech but I am having a hard time understanding how any American who is not wealthy could possibly vote for John McCain. It is boggling my mind because this country has literally been in a downward spiral since the day Bush took his oath of office. Yet somehow this man was elected again (maybe people wanted to see just how bad he could ruin this country). Which leads me back to my original question, are Americans stupid?

If you simply consider the actions of reelecting Bush, then the answer is clearly, YES. But aside from that one, I refuse to believe that this country is full of a bunch of irrational, un informed, crazy people...ok yes there are many...well lots... Ok fine, this country is full of a bunch of people who vote yet have NO understanding of the fundamentals of how government is run. I would bet that if you asked 10 people to name the three branches of government and their responsibilities, about 8 would be hard pressed. But that doesn't make them stupid. It just brings up the question of what quantifiers people use when they are voting. This is why politics of fear and smear often work better than the politics of issues. Most people don't understand the details of all these issues. But people know how to hate someone they don't know based on identifiers like age, gender or race. People may not know for sure which candidate’s economic platform will help them, but they know for sure they don't want a black man leading them. People may not understand exactly how the troop surge really worked in Iraq or how each candidate’s education reform will help their children, but ask them if they would vote for someone who doesn't share their religious beliefs and you get an emphatic hell no! (Never mind this isn't Americas next top pastor, who cares which church he goes to, I've sat next to people in church who I would never want running this country) You see, it is the inherent hate that exists in this country for everyone who is not just like "the other guys on the money" that is being used to play on the fears of Americans. Make Barack Obama seem sexist and perverse through ads that lie about his position on sex education for young children. Insinuate that he is some sort of pervert to play on the fears that a lot of Americans have of black men. Make his wife seem like an angry black woman who is unpatriotic because that is what all educated black women are anyway right? And about being unpatriotic, there can be no group of people in this country more patriotic than black people. After all, they were brought to this country against their will, enslaved, tortured, raped and disrespected – yet they die on the front lines for this country in war disproportionately to their population. All for a country that after 400 years still has NO love for them.

The politics of fear in this election has less to do with fear of war or terrorist, it’s about playing upon the fears people have of the unknown and those who don't look like them. It’s the fear of change, an idea most people can't deal with in their own lives, therefore the idea that this black man wants to come and change everything doesn't sit right with many parts of America (mainly parts in the middle/lower part of the country). And for those who are truly ignorant, you combine the fear of change, fear of terrorism and fear of Islam, convince a small few that Barack is Muslim (even after he is dragged through the mud over comments from his Christian Pastor) and there go a few more votes for the GOP. Which brings me back to the original question, are Americans stupid?

No they are not, they are afraid of everything not like them. The only problem with that level of fear is that is it NOT being used in the right direction. Damn right Americans should be afraid, scared to death frankly. That fear should not be of what will change, they should be afraid of what will stay the same. If we end up with another republican in office, you can GUARANTEE the economy will continue to suffer. This suffering will be intensified by the fact that we will SURELY stay in a war that is costing your tax dollars. And as the dollar and America get weaker by the day, under another republican administration we will not be safer, in fact we will be an even greater target because John McCain is COMMITTED to pushing the button on war wherever beef occurs. We will spend more money in war and have more American soldiers dying. If we want to be victims to the politics of fear then we should just watch the news and witness the downfall of Wall Street. We should sit and watch how the destructive practices of republicans for the last eight years have left our country in an economic tailspin. We should be very afraid as we watch our 401K investments loose value by the second. So if Americans are going to allow their fears to guide their vote then let it be the fear of empty bank accounts, cheese and milk lines and people hurling themselves off the nearest bridges after having lost everything in a crumbling bank. Let the fear of all we have come to know as normal and decent styles of life sink to the lows only seen in “3rd World Countries”. If it will not be the very important issues that lead people to the polls this year and it must be fear, let it be a real fear, the fear that our country could be left yet again in the hands of a party that thinks the economy is fine and Americans are whiners. Let it be the fear that we could have another president that tells BLATENT lies and refuses to take it back even when it is proven to be a lie. Because no matter what John McCain tries to make us believe, I don’t think Americans are not stupid, just justifiably afraid of him.

Maliek K. Branch
9/16/08