Reactions Of Beck And Producer Wreak Of Classism, Callousness And Bigotry

Here's a perfect example of what is increasingly wrong with so many conservatives in our country.

A family home burns down in Tennessee over this $75 fee that the couple did not pay. Instead of putting the fire out and charging the family for services rendered, the fire department essentially allows the house to burn to the ground.

Enter Fox News far, FAR right commentator Glenn Beck and one of his cronies (Pat Gray, a producer for his radio show).

Check out how these two sensitive Americans gently discuss the issue:

GRAY: (mocking Cranick’s accent) Even tho’ I hadn’t paid mah seventy five dollahs I thought dey’d put it out. [...] I wanted ‘em to put it out, but dey didn’t put it out.

BECK: Here’s the thing. Those that are just on raw feeling are not going to understand. [...]

GRAY: But I thought they was gonna put the fire out anyway, but it burned down. Dat ain’t right! [...] What’s the Fire Department for if you don’t put out the fire?! [...] I thought they’d put out mah fire even if I didn’t pay seventy five dollars.

BECK: This is the sort of argument that Americans are going to have.

GRAY: It is.

BECK: And it goes nowhere if you go onto “compassion, compassion, compassion, compassion” or well, “they should’ve put it out, what is the fire department for?” [...] If you don’t pay the 75 dollars then that hurts the fire department. They can’t use those resources, and you’d be sponging off your neighbor’s resources. [...] It’s important for America to have this debate. This is the kind of stuff that’s going to have to happen, we are going to have to have these kinds of things.

One can quickly see the bigotry and classism rearing its ugly head at the hands of these two right-wing knuckleheads who who have no problem joking about this man after his home burned to the ground.

What's next, the police charging a $75 and not stopping thugs from mugging an old lady because she did not pay up?

Lets hope not, but this is s sad commentary on where it seems our society is headed. It's one thing to repossess a car because of nonpayment, but to let a house burn down is disgraceful.

Tennessee Fire Allowed To Burn Shows An Erosion Of American Values

The callousness of some people never cease to amaze me.

We have this story from Tennessee of a fire department essentially watching a family home burn to the ground because the owners did not pay a $75 fee to a nearby fire department.

I agree, it's cheap and to some extent it is gambling with your house and property. But, come on now. If a person is dying in the hospital emergency room ... do you not help the person because they may not have insurance or did not pay their last premium?

Seriously, put the fire out and bill the family for services rendered. For this town and these firefighters to allow that house to burn down runs counter to the American spirit.

It's an example of how far our society has plummeted since the days and weeks after 9/11 when we were all Americans pulling together to help one another.

To allow this home to burn down over $75 is pathetic and disgraceful.

Here are some opinions from the blog Booker Rising, which tends to feature the opinions of black conservatives:

The FOX Business analyst and conservative writes: "Much is being made over the home being allowed to burn to the ground because the owner didn't pay his $75.00 fee to the neighboring town's fire department. The owners of the home in Obion County in Tennessee offered to pay the fee when firefighters arrived, but that offer was turned down. The mayor explained that it's like trying to pay auto insurance after an accident. The family lost three dogs and a cat, along with their doublewide. This is a cautionary tale in so many ways. I think the firefighters should have put out the fire and charged an extra fee after."

More: "Beyond that is the economic reality that speaks to accountability. There are services we all willingly pay for, including police and fire protection. Big government advocates like to leverage those commonsense needs that are met by taxing for massive government spending that flies all over the board, and extends from protecting citizens from foreign and domestic invasion to protecting citizens from harming themselves or exercising creative thought. What is really interesting is why the county doesn't provide firefighters. Obion County has 33,000 residents whose incomes are well above the 2,500 of South Fulton."

Booker Rising response: No sympathy. The owners had enough money to care for three dogs and a cat, then they had enough money to pay the $75 fire department fee and protect their assets. They gambled with their home by choosing not the pay the fee beforehand....and lost big. And by the way, this ain't an example of libertarianism run amok. For one, the fire department is the only game in town. Two, they had no option for folks who want fires put out after not paying the fee. In a free market, such an option would emerge.

This is precisely the kind of libertarian mindset that is ruining this country and putting each person and each family on an island. I take care of my island and you take care of your island. it's like working in an office and everyone is in their silo. It's like walking through a building and seeing trash on the floor and saying "I am not picking that up ... it's the custodian's job and he gets paid to do it." Where's the mindset of helping your fellow person ... even if you need to invoice for services rendered?

Well, like the togetherness following 9/11 ... it apparently has become a passing fad.

POLITICO Contributor Has Interesting Take On Day One Of Sonia Sotomayor Confirmation Hearing

This is a piece from Julian E. Zelizer, a professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton as published on POLITICO:

It’s Joe the Plumber all over again.Republicans are not going after Judge Sotomayor, they are actually going after the angry white male voters. Senator Graham made that very clear when, talking about her speeches outside the courtroom, he said: “I can just tell you one thing: If I had said anything remotely like that, my career would have been over. That’s true of most people here….” Reduce…

The Republican focus on the New Haven firefighter’s case will amplify these kinds of attacks. One needs only to watch Alexandra Pelosi’s fascinating film on the 2008 election to understand what kind of anger the senators are trying to stir up. If the GOP is serious about remaking itself and appealing to a broader part of the electorate, this is not the way to do it.

My take: I agree and have stated similar things repeatedly about Republicans being dragged (kicking and screaming) into a more diverse future. Sen. Graham has indeed seemed to be working to appease his base of highly conservative and old white men by pounding away at the overblown “wise Latina” comment and (in some other instances) the New Haven firefighters case. Monday was a part of the confirmation hearing where the politicians get to show off for the cameras and the people with their long statements. When it comes time to vote, you will see the prejudice out there and (contrary to what you heard from Sen. Graham) race will play a factor in this decision (it already has by pounding away at the “wise Latina” comment, which generally is taken out of context, and by the portrayals of her based on the New Haven case).