Put Your
Hands Together for the Whiners!
Leftward-Ho
By Peter Gamble
BlackCommentator.com Publisher
Do you like being called a whiner? I don’t.
First of all we have to figure out if you are indeed part of the base of the Democratic Party that Joe Biden has told to stop whining.
It would appear that the Obama administration has managed to craft a test for determining if there are whiners out there. The political intellectuals in the Democratic Party must have some accurate way of deciding which progressives to tell to shut up.
People this smart would not say things like that without doing some research. They couldn’t be reacting like somebody with thin skin. No, they must have randomly picked a bunch of Democrats and progressives for a focus group. This group became the first people to ever be given the “The All American Political Whining Test” the acronym for which is “TAANPWT” (pronounced tan-poot).
I must admit here that I have no sources whatsoever in any high places anywhere who have confirmed such a test was ever conceived or given to anyone. However, something like what I am about to describe must have happened.
Here are some of the questions I believe must have been asked to members of the TAANPWT focus group.
1 - Are you not as happy as a pig in poop about Obama? – If your answer is “Yes” you might be a whiner!
2 – Did you know Obama was not a “real deal” progressive, but you supported him and perhaps worked as a volunteer and voted for him and now, even though you knew you were not going to get everything you wanted, you are you still disappointed? – If your answer is “Yes” you might be a whiner!
3 – Do you refuse to be satisfied with the fact that the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy has not been abolished? – A “Yes” answer means you might be a whiner!
4 – Are you unwilling to look the other way and accept rendition, the back-door draft and the escalation of the war in Afghanistan? - Watch it, another “Yes” might put a dreaded scarlet “W” on your brow.
5 – Have you been annoyed lately when officials who pontificate about our failing education system attack teachers and never mention poverty, hunger and racism? - As reasonable as a “Yes” answer may seem, it will probably mean your thinking is that of a whiner.
6 – Even though the first parts of health care reform are kicking in, do you still think Medicare for everyone would be much better. – Even though you’ve been told over and over by President Obama that what was passed is the best that could have been done and you must be satisfied because it was better than nothing, you are nothing but a whiner.
I am sure, dear reader, you can quickly add a number of additional questions for the TAANPWT. We have published many commentaries here on BC about the importance of critical thinking and critical support of the Obama administration.
Joe Biden calls critical support, whining. He does not describe it as constructive criticism. He is saying our dissatisfaction is what a dictionary would describe as “To complain or protest in a childish fashion” or whining.
What Joe Biden and Barack Obama should be hearing is the uttering of a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint. That’s a definition of whining that fits.
People are in pain. When the people cry out in pain because of suffering, severe disappointment and hopelessness, it is best for those in power to listen.
As usual, I end this commentary with information you should use to communicate with our elected officials.
Signing petitions is good, but a personal call, letter or email is best.
For the U.S. House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/ (enter your zip code in the upper left corner of the page)
For the U.S. Senate: http://senate.gov/ (choose your state using the drop down menu in the upper right corner)
White House Comment Line - 202.456.1111
White House Switchboard - 202.456.1414
White House Website contact form: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
BlackCommentator.com Publisher and Chief Technical Officer Peter Gamble, is the recipient of a national Sigma Delta Chi award for public service in journalism and numerous other honors for excellence in reporting and investigative reporting. The “beats” he covered as a broadcast journalist ranged from activism in the streets to the State Department and White House. The lure of a personal computer on his desk inspired a career change in 1985 and an immersion into what he sees as the future of communications. The acquisition of computer programming skills made it possible for Peter to achieve an important level of self-reliance in the technology of the 21st century and to develop BlackCommentator.com. Click here to contact Peter.
