header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 29
1928 - Little dam victim, thought unidentified & buried in SCV, actually ID'd & buried in Chatsworth [story]
Newhall Cowboys


Out of Left Field | Commentary by Charlie Vignola
| Monday, Jan 14, 2013

charlievignolaComedian and filmmaker Albert Brooks made a terrific little comedy in 1991 called “Defending Your Life,” and it had a lasting effect on me.

In the movie, Brooks imagined an afterworld in which people are put on trial and forced to “defend their life” to prove that by the time they died, they’d conquered the fears that had prevented them from living the best, most fulfilling version of their lives. If they failed to make the case, they were sent back to Earth in the hope that this time, they would overcome their fears and become happy and productive members of the universe.

The movie had a simple but profound message: We all face fears every day, but it’s how we handle these fears that determines the quality of our lives.

From my perspective, the modern Republican Party is a party that’s absolutely dominated and defined by fear, and it infuses every aspect of its party platform.

* Fear that al-Qaida is as strong as ever, and that Iran is building a nuke to give to terrorists so they can destroy Washington, D.C., and Tel Aviv.

* Fear that illegal immigrants are stealing all of our jobs, draining our social services and committing crimes.

* Fear that there’s a War on Religion – at least the Judeo-Christian kind – and that God is being driven from the public square.

* Fear that America is in hopeless moral decline, what with homosexuals demanding marriage equality and having the temerity to believe that the love they feel for one another should be recognized legally and regarded as normal.

* Fear that whites are becoming the minority in America and that changing demographics are turning this country into a racial mosaic they no longer recognize.

* Fear that the government is coming to take their guns – the one possession right-wingers seem to prize above all others.  I truly think if they had a choice between having a home but no gun, or having a gun but no home, they’d choose the latter.

* Fear of the government in general – that it’s becoming a socialist tyranny straight out of a bad Ayn Rand novel, with the “takers” sucking the “makers” dry … which is why we need all of those guns just in case we need to show the government who’s boss.

There’s a weird disconnect within the Republican Party. They revere the Founding Fathers as renaissance geniuses who created the greatest government ever seen in the history of mankind, yet they simultaneously distrust and revile that very same government and seem to be one step away from armed insurrection at any given time.

For those who think America is only one new gun law away from being a fascist dictatorship, here’s the truth: Every two years, you get an opportunity to change everything without a single bullet.  It’s called an “election.”

Yes, folks, we still live in a representative democracy, the greatest one ever devised, and it still works perfectly fine, despite the occasional hiccup like 9/11, the Iraq War, the abuse of the filibuster or the rising national debt.

If you don’t like the way things are going, you have the right to vote the bastards out every 24 months. You could even run for public office yourself and be one of those bastards, if you’re so inclined.  That’s what’s so cool about living in a free country.

Look. There are lots of real things to worry about, and there always will be.  In fact, many of the fears Republicans have are justified – at least from their philosophical point of view.  But that’s part and parcel of the conservative mindset.

Conservative intellectual William F. Buckley famously said the purpose of his right-wing magazine, The National Review, was to “stand athwart history, yelling ‘stop.’”  Clearly, he was fearful of the direction of social progress and wanted to freeze politics and morality in a form he understood and made him comfortable.

Generally, most people don’t like change, and most people fear what they don’t understand.  Fear and prejudice are like molds that can only grow where there’s a lack of experience and education.  Of course, no one likes to think their biases are irrational, because no one likes to admit they’re naïve or ignorant.

But times change.  Not too long ago, it was perfectly acceptable that women couldn’t vote.  And it was illegal in certain states for black people to marry white people.  And homosexuals were deathly afraid of revealing their true feelings.  Let’s be honest: If you weren’t a God-fearing heterosexual white male, America kind of failed to live up to its true potential until the last 50 years or so.

It’s been a long hard fight for equal rights and social justice, and there are a lot of sore losers who fear what America is becoming, who’d like to turn back the clock and stand athwart history, yelling “Stop.”

But America is a dynamic population that’s constantly changing, constantly improving, constantly evolving.  Of course, the party that doesn’t believe in evolution has problems with this.

Here’s the thing. America wasn’t created by fearful, narrow-minded people, but by bold, enlightened people who believed in the expansion of human rights rather than the suppression of them. That is, after all, what “liberty” means.

Conservatives may have their issues with FDR, but they’d be foolish to argue with his all-time great quote: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

 

Charlie Vignola describes himself as a former College Republican turned liberal Democrat.  A resident of the Santa Clarita Valley since 1999, he works in the motion picture industry and loves his wife and kids.

 

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

1 Comment

  1. Barnabus Collins says:

    Well the liberals have it really easy … they just have to instill fear in the GOP! Har! Oy vey … how many times will you liberals go back to a dry well to look for water?

Leave a Comment


Opinion Section Policy
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Read More From...
RECENT COMMENTARY
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024
Springtime in Santa Clarita brings not only vibrant blooms and opportunities to embrace the outdoors with warmer weather, but also an array of free, family-friendly events and this Saturday is no exception.
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024
Did you know that each year, Main Street in Old Town Newhall undergoes countless makeovers for different events, such as Light Up Main Street and the Fourth of July Parade?
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, issued the following statement Thursday in response to an announcement by Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel of a proposal to change how calls to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline are routed.
Monday, Mar 18, 2024
Unlike our children who enjoy a week-long spring break, we adults no longer have that luxury.
Friday, Mar 15, 2024

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1928 - Little dam victim, thought unidentified & buried in SCV, actually ID'd & buried in Chatsworth [story]
Newhall Cowboys
Los Angeles County Public Works is updating the Los Angeles County Bicycle Master Plan.
April 16:  County Bicycle Master Plan Virtual Community Meeting
College of the Canyons mens golf got back on track during its return to conference play on Monday, carding a five-man score of 370 to top the eight-team field at Brookside Golf Course and maintain its unblemished conference mark.
Cougars Win Again, Keep Conference Streak
Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector, reminds property owners that the second installment of the 2023-24 Annual Secured Property Taxes becomes  delinquent if not received by 5 p.m. Pacific Time or United States Postal Service postmarked on or before Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
County Treasurer Reminds Property Owners of April 10 Due Date
Local nonprofit Fostering Youth Independence is seeking “Allies” to support Santa Clarita youth who are aging out of the L.A. County foster care system.
April 16: FYI Seeks Volunteers To Pair With Local Foster Youth
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health today unveiled the latest L.A. County Health Survey, which gathers vital data on health behaviors, conditions, neighborhood settings, and the needs of L.A .County residents, informing future public health policies and programs.
Public Health Unveils the 2023 L.A. County Health Survey Findings
Due to the projected rain forecast, Eggstravaganza will now be held indoors at the Canyon Country Community Center beginning promptly at 10 a.m. on March 30.
March 30: Eggstravaganza Now Being Held Indoors at Canyon Country Community Center
To support the mental health of California's young people, the California Department of Public Health awarded $25 million to 28 tribal and community-based organizations across the state.
California Announces $25 Million in Awards for Youth Mental Health
The College of the Canyons Athletic Department will host a dedication ceremony to unveil the Michele Jenkins Softball Team Room in honor of the longtime board member and ardent softball program supporter’s nearly 40 years of service to the district.
April 16: COC to Host Michele Jenkins Team Room Dedication Ceremony
PFLAG Santa Clarita has announced the establishment of the Peggy and Jeff Stabile PFLAG SCV Scholarship. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to LGBTQIA+ students pursuing higher education and committed to advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights and promoting diversity and inclusion.
PFLAG SCV Announces Stabile PFLAG Scholarship
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
SCVNews.com