They don't feel -- or care about -- your pain

[babylonsister]

Where's the compassion in this conservatism?


They don't feel -- or care about -- your pain

February 26, 2010 3:42 pm ET by John V. Santore


At yesterday's health care summit, Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY-28) related this story from one of her constituents:

I even have one constituent -- you will not believe this, and I know you won't, it's true. Her sister died, this poor woman had no dentures. She wore her dead sister's teeth, which of course were uncomfortable and did not fit. Do you believe that in America that that's where we would be?

What was the reaction from leading members of the conservative media?

* On Twitter, Michelle Malkin wrote: "We need trillion-$ Demcare cuz someone had to wear their sister's dentures! O: "Terrific conversation""

* On his radio program, Glenn Beck stated, "I've read the Constitution ... I didn't see that you had a right to teeth."

* Author and radio host Laura Ingraham told Bill O'Reilly that Slaughter's tale was "ridiculous" and a "sob story."

* Fox Nation, the website maintained by the Fox News Channel, labeled Slaughter's comments "Summit Insanity."

* Tara Lynn Thompson, a commentator for the conservative website, Rightpundits.com, suggested that if Americans had fewer teeth, they would eat less, and hence would meet Michelle Obama's anti-obesity goals:

What Michelle Obama has overlooked, thus far, is the potential of poorly fitted teeth. Children, as well as adults, could benefit greatly by a few extra teeth pulled, fillings that fall out, or dentures from the dead.

* Rush Limbaugh went out of his way to mock the story. "If you don't have any teeth, so what?" he said. "What's applesauce for?" Like Ingraham, he also referred to it as the "sob story of the day."

When criticized for such comments, media conservatives always claim they were joking and chastise their detractors for lacking a sense of humor. But they aren't kidding. Leading conservatives, especially those in the media, don't believe that the United States faces a health care crisis. And in one sense, they are right: their America doesn't.

more...

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201002260029

[Arkana]

1. They have no souls

and they are damn proud of it.

[Alias Dictus Tyrant]

20. Technically speaking, I have no soul.

:D

[Last_Stand]

2. Their Jesus is watching them...

Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. - Matthew 25:45

Ye shall know them by their fruits. - Matthew 7:16

[Gman2]

3. That is why I fantasize about decking them, and knocking out a few

so they could rely upon the generosity of the commons, to fix their fucked up face.

[Lex]

4. soul-less freaks

[FSogol]

5. As long as I live, I will never understand them or their lack of compassion.

Were they just raised wrong? I don't get it. :shrug:

[Last_Stand]

8. Sociopath...

–noun Psychiatry.
a person, as a psychopathic personality, whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.

[grilled onions]

6. Karma

My wish is that it will even out one day,one lifetime away perhaps but someday these same cold souls will have the opportunity to experience hunger,poverty,homelessness,unemployment and a throng of millions who care zip for their plight.

[Echo In Light]

7. The belligerent almost always use that. If someone has to tell you they're "joking," they're not.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. Message: Stop electing millionaires.

Whaddaya expect?

[Echo In Light]

11. But when you break that down/walk it through, you're often deemed a 'conspiracy theorist'

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

14. As soon as you elect a congressperson you've elevated them to the top 12%.

That's a fact.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. Catch-22

[Echo In Light]

16. Wasn't there a listed % of our elected reps who used to, or went on to, work as lobbyists?

It was a high % if I recall

[slipslidingaway]

10. Horrible comments, but maybe a poor example as dental coverage is ...

not mentioned in any of the proposed bills, maybe I missed that part.

:shrug:

[upi402]

12. sub-humans need to be outed

* On Twitter, Michelle Malkin wrote: "We need trillion-$ Demcare cuz someone had to wear their sister's dentures! O: "Terrific conversation""

* On his radio program, Glenn Beck stated, "I've read the Constitution ... I didn't see that you had a right to teeth."

* Author and radio host Laura Ingraham told Bill O'Reilly that Slaughter's tale was "ridiculous" and a "sob story."

* Fox Nation, the website maintained by the Fox News Channel, labeled Slaughter's comments "Summit Insanity."

* Tara Lynn Thompson, a commentator for the conservative website, Rightpundits.com, suggested that if Americans had fewer teeth, they would eat less, and hence would meet Michelle Obama's anti-obesity goals:


And Rush's "let them eat applesauce" line. wow...

Sub-humans. This crap will bite them if MSNBC repeats it often. It's the lone outlet atm. CNN is 100% Foxed up.

[Overseas]

13. K&R to highlight right wing pathology. //nt

[readmoreoften]

17. Most of the Democratic (not all but most) just use your pain to sound like they care

and then do not a damn thing for you when it counts. Which is better: outright assholes or people who use your pain to win elections? I'm not sure. The only group of Democrats who seem to have any sincerity are a few of those in the House.

[Kitty Herder]

18. Here's what I don't understand.

I know normal, decent people who listen to these conservative pundits and have no problem with what they say. These are good, compassionate people who feel others' pain, who help out their neighbors, who donate to charity, etc. So why does this heartlessness from their favorite pundits not disturb them?

[Kablooie]

21. As long as someone else does the dirty work they can accept it.

It's probably how they actually feel but are too timid to express directly.

[Kablooie]

19. Ayn Rand is their model. To be totally selfish is the only moral way to act. Empathy is immoral.

[Alias Dictus Tyrant]

22. Only libertarians are Rand nuts. Too weird for most Rs.