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.