Infuriating

Sometimes I think I want to crawl under a rock and never come out and face the world again, because human beings just hack me off.

There's a conservative Christian group in Iowa that has set up a "Marriage Vow" that they're asking all the Republican presidential candidates to sign before they're willing to endorse them. Apparently, only Santorum and Bachmann have signed so far, so it's not having tremendous impact even though it's getting people riled.

For the sake of full disclosure, I'll let you know that much of what is stated in the pledge, I agree with personally (although I don't think I would have signed it as a candidate either--still unsure of my political stance on many of these issues). But some of the comments I'm seeing in opposition to this organization (and particularly one of the leaders of the organization) because of this pledge are simply irresponsible.

What finally got me to search the web to find this pledge and read it for myself was this FB comment I saw concerning it: "Remember the FAMILY LEADER Pledge in Iowa . . . one that said black kids were better off under slavery than under Obama . . . "

What?!?? Now, that is hard to believe. And I'm sadly aware of how badly idiots on both sides of the political spectrum distort their opponents' words, so I was quite skeptical. Here's the actual quote, folks.

It says, "We acknowledge and regret the widespread hypocrisy of many who defend marriage yet turn a blind eye toward the epidemic of infidelity and the anemic condition of marriages in their own communities." Amen to that. "Unmistakably, the Institution of Marriage in America is in great crisis." And then it offers this as its first point supporting that statement:

"Slavery had a disastrous impact on African-American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his father and mother in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA's first African-American President."

Only someone just looking to discredit the writer would read that statement and assume they mean black kids were better off under slavery. The entire document is about marriage. And this statement is pointing out a statistical reality -- it simply reflects on how bad we Americans (white Americans, too, it points out later in the document) have gotten in keeping our marriages together if more children are being raised in divided homes today than were in the homes of 19th century slaves whose families were frequently torn apart mercilessly against their will. It's comparing the tremendous progress in race relations (blacks were non-citizens; now a black man is President) to the sad deterioration of marriage relations.

Does anyone else find that first quote, that mis-characterization of the document, just infuriating?? Disagree with what you disagree with, and by all means, give the case for the other side. But don't assume and trumpet racism where there clearly is none. And what makes me even more infuriated is how many people will read a comment like that first quote and assume it's correct without ever checking it out.

And what makes me even MORE infuriated is how many people who do check it out will STILL think that first quote is correct -- just because they want to believe the worst about their opponents. Makes them feel better about themselves. Allows them to ignore anything their opponents have to say because the opponents are evil or stupid. Keeps them from having to examine their own views very closely to see if their opponents may have a point and they need to adjust their thinking. Infuriating.

Yep. Looking for a nice, cozy rock.