Post-election thoughts

I had a brief conversation today with my mother about the election. She told me about going to hear a preacher last night who told the congregation that the health care bill would require us all to have black disks (think microchips) implanted that would enable the government to know all about us. I am not surprised. This crowd that seems to be the loudest and most likely to vote in our state only listen to Fox, only read emails with crazy shit like this, and believe what they're told as long as it gives them an excuse to hate the Democrats and fear the President. This is insane.
Anyone could have seen this sort of thing coming. Years ago the "Christian" Coalition determined that for the religious right in this country to gain the power they felt they deserved, they needed to start at the bottom. That meant that school boards, town and county councils, any local office, would become ground zero in their fight to take control. Gradually, at least in South Carolina, these people got elected. Often by using issues like abortion and gay rights, and subtly injecting racism, they became the ones who set school budgets, policy and curriculum standards. Rupurt Murdoch happily jumped into this by establishing Fox News, which has over the years descended into the right wing pool further and further, until this year his News Corp actually contributed money outright to the Republican party. One million dollars, at least. That is so unabashedly biased, and so inappropriate for a news organization, that it boggles the mind. But it wasn't a surprise that he did it, just a surprise that he did it so blatantly. This gradual takeover by the far-right has been the real reason our education system has been failing our students. Not the lack of prayer, as the more vocal would have us think, not the lack of bible reading, none of that. But the lack of critical thought. Many teachers have bought into this idea of "bad liberal, good conservative", and I honestly can't tell you why.
And another thing before I forget again-this idea of "American exceptionalism". I find it arrogant beyond belief that we look to our leaders to talk about our country as if it is the only "good" country on earth. If someone said to you, USC is the only university in the country where a person can get a good education, you would laugh him out of the room, even if you weren't a Clemson person. That is just a ridiculous thing to say. So to say, America is the only country on the planet where a person can have a good life-isn't that just as absurd? Everyone loves his/her country. Even those who are forced to leave their countries because of the political or economical climate love their home. So while people may come here for economic opportunities or asylum, they go to other countries besides the good old USA for those same reasons. People move. I love South Carolina, but I am not about to tell you that it is inherently better than North Carolina or Virginia or New York. It is better for me (although sometimes I wonder), but that doesn't make it the best for everyone. Same for our country. We have a great system, but other countries have emulated that system, some may have even improved upon it, and we have flaws just like everywhere. So I am fed up with the criticism of anyone just because they don't think America is "the greatest strongest country in the world" (thanks for that, Jon and Stephen!).
Okay, more later. Just a little vent for the day after elections that I think have taken our state-and maybe our country-in a totally wrong direction.

Changes

So, the snake has moved out. His stuff is still here, because even though he had notice nearly two months ago that he would have to move at the end of summer, he still made no effort to find employment. I finally had all I could take and let him know in mid-July that summer ended at the end of July (he of course wanted to argue that no, it ended mid-September). He still made very little effort to find work or shelter, so I don't know exactly where he is sleeping (although he emailed his sister that he slept on a park bench the first night). I hope to think I am a compassionate woman, but as to him, I really do not care. He had time (five months!) to find work and try to prepare for life on his own, and he chose instead to live like a hermit. I finally decided he wasn't really drinking (at least not so I could tell after a couple of times) but just holing up in his room, lying on the gradually flattening air mattress I had bought for him (because I couldn't afford a mattress for the bed he was using) and being too lazy or shiftless or whatever to even blow up the mattress-with an electric pump! By the time he left that mattress was nearly flat (and it doesn't leak, it was brand new).
Okay, now I can resume posts that are good for me, and quit obsessing about him. I look forward to my writing again.

Attitude

I am, at the moment, furious and trying not to be. I made the mistake of kindness. It is a mistake I often make. Remember the Al Wilson song about the woman bringing in the snake? I feel like the woman. Although he hasn't bitten me, he is disrupting my moods, and I hate it.

What happened is this. I had a friend, from many years ago, with whom I had been corresponding for a year or so. He got in a bad place (he was living in California). I had more or less casually commented before this that if he couldn't find a job there and should want to come back to South Carolina he could stay with me. He became unemployed in California, and didn't have success finding another job (based on his behavior since arriving here, I doubt he tried very hard). He asked if he could come here. I emailed his sister and told her I had concerns because he had been a heavy drinker in the past; she assured me that he didn't drink anymore. He assured me he would look for a job right away, that he had no intention of acting, as he put it, "as if he were on vacation". May I say, HA!! SNAKE!!

Since he came he has primarily stayed in his room. He sells plasma for money. He hasn't ONCE filled out a job application anywhere, and he doesn't even have his birth certificate with him (which is a requirement for a South Carolina ID card or a job)! I think he uses the plasma money for wine because I haven't seen but $50 in over two months.

I can't even stand to look at him at this point, because over the weekend I talked to him about all this and since then he is, if possible, worse. Years ago I swore I would never take anyone else in, and I should have stuck to it. I hate being lied to and used.