Two Minutes’ Hate… Randomology Style

July 14, 2010

A good friend asked me a few days ago, “Why are you so obsessed with a crappy film series you hate?!”

I’m paraphrasing, but the sentiment is the same.

Why indeed? I’ve gotten the same question regarding Glenn Beck, Palin, Limbaugh, the Tea Party, Eragon, and other people and institutions. Why should I focus so much energy talking about things and people I loathe and think have nothing useful to contribute? By my own admission, I think Beck is a liar and a conman who does nothing but swindle people way too gullible to be allowed mobility without a leash.

And that’s why I rail against these people.

Epic battle by ~Kalopz on deviantART

Speak Now

I listen to Beck, I sat down to watch Twilight, and I look through who knows much video to bring these commentaries to you because I think I have something interesting to say and these people are talking and others are listening. The only difference between O’Reilly and a crazy guy at a retirement home ranting about the evils of Youtube and gay marriage leading to duck marriage is that O’Reilly has an audience that listens to and believes him.

Beck has millions convinced he is some sort of non-prophet prophet. He’s made politics into a religious war and has stirred people into frenzies that have resulted in deaths. He now wants his followers to monitor websites that spew progressive messages.

Hey, Beck! I’m right here!

If he was still a cocaine-addled shock-jock on some rinky-dink radio station, I couldn’t care less what he said. But, again, people listen to and believe him.

Millions have bought and read Twilight. Young women, and girls, have come to idolize the Edward-Bella relationship for something to strive for. If those two cardboard cutouts just went all lovey-dovey, that’d be fine, but their relationship is abusive and demeaning to women. To see it as a good standard is to set yourself up for disappointment and pain.

Everyone needs their Delusions by ~Sabertooth1980 on deviantART

Forever Hold Your Peace

Arguing with Twilight fans is futile. Trying to make Beck or his cultists see the blatant hypocrisy of this rodeo clown is almost equally fruitless. We’re dealing with people who have detached from reality to such an extent that even when presented with facts, with a rational, unbiased argument, will ignore it and go back to a fantasy world they’ve used to replace reality.

Thousands of bad books get published. There will always be crazy men and women touting conspiracy theories. But I don’t feel like going after them because they’re mostly harmless to the whole. They achieve nothing.

These people, though, do real damage. They affect the world and bring lies. To ignore them is to say that I don’t hold my own beliefs in high regard. I value artistic talent in all its forms and it pains me to see people hold Meyer’s tripe as some golden standard because they don’t know better. I earned my citizenship into this country because I wanted it, so when guys like Beck and Limbaugh insist that I am somehow a bad citizen or even a non-citizen, an enemy, because I believe what I believe, you bet I’m going to say something.

Incendiary by *jollyjack on deviantART

This is My Rifle

I’ll mention some stories to friends. Get their reaction. I write about them here. I share some on Facebook. Twitter. I’m vocal about my opinions.

Why are we afraid of expressing these opinions?

Some people very close to me, family and co-workers included, love Twilight. And yet I write these articles and say what I say knowing they will hear or read it. Why?

This is My Gun

It needs to be said. I’m not going to censor an opinion because someone disagrees with it. Of course someone disagrees with it! It’s why it’s called an opinion. If someone showed me proof Beck is right on every count, okay. If someone shows me how Edward and Bella aren’t a one-sided control-a-thon, fine. If someone can explain why people are obsessed with Paris Hilton, I’ll shut up.

Show me the smoking gun that proves I’m wrong on these counts. Anything!

I do what I do because I feel it has to be done. It’s not enough to say Beck is crazy. Anyone can say Twilight sucks because vampires don’t sparkle.

But these things just touch on the surface of the problem.

Some people and stories cause harm. And I’ll keep pointing them out and analyzing them as long as I have the energy to keep doing this.

So what do YOU have a strong opinion about?

I have no idea what this means by ~tearusapart on deviantART

• Good news! A friend and coworker, Jesus Molina, is working in a local news affiliate! Not-so-good news? It’s a Fox affiliate… I kid! I kid! Congrats, man.

• New research may prove what we’ve known all along. Apparently, early classes don’t do anything but make us cranky and force us to try and learn at an ungodly hour.

• America’s fascination with vampires and zombies isn’t new. Check out the insightful article, and thanks for reader Elise DeCamp for showing it to me.

• “I Write Like” is a program that analyzes your writing to see what famous author you resemble in style. I input “She Wept Flowers” and I apparently write like J. D. Salinger. Who do YOU write like?

• Tremble in fear against the littlest Chun-Li!

• I’m having a REAL hard time seeing how LeBron leaving will make people want to join the Tea Party.

• Someone really needs to give Beck a dictionary. It seems that he doesn’t understand the term “grassroots.” No, Beck. Your 8/28 Rally isn’t grassroots. YOU planned it. YOU advertised it. It’s YOUR idea.

• And while we’re on the subject, no, progressives aren’t deleting the internet or destroying video. You just have a grasp on reality on par with movie popcorn butterfingers.

• Bender is not the only Hispanic robot in popular culture. Behold! Optimus Mariachi!

• And finally, how do you beat riot police? Lap dances!