“Ambien Made Me a Racist Pig”
Roseanne’s sudden fall from grace sums up America’s troubles in one comment. Yes, it is problematic that her statement about Valerie Jarrett was among the top ten most racially offensive comments a person can make. Roseanne’s actions since expose a much deeper problem than just a deplorable racist tirade. The problem this incident exposes is a cancer upon our democracy. It is the inability for people to take responsibility for their own human failings.
Sure, she apologized profusely, but not sincerely. Her apologies, which now appear as feeble attempts to save first her job and second some shred of her career, were nothing but curtains on a window. She followed those apologies by attempting to shift blame to her former co-workers, her drugs, and then, predictably, to a liberal conspiracy.
Her co-workers did what any decent human would do in like situations. They made it clear that her statements were reprehensible. They didn’t throw her under the bus. Roseanne threw herself under the bus.
Pills and liquor can motivate people to say and do stupid things, but they can’t make a person think something that isn’t there already. Sanofi, the manufacturer of Ambien, released this statement in response, “While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.” My finger-wagging eighty year old mother once scolded her brother, who had just made an equally racially offensive comment, “If I had such thoughts, I believe I would keep them to myself.” No, Ambien didn’t make Roseanne a racist pig; she was already there.
That term “liberal conspiracy” buzzes around my head like a summertime housefly. It is annoying, and I just want to smack it. Every time a conservative gets caught screwing his neighbor’s wife, molesting children, or embezzling money from the church, he or she blames it on a “liberal conspiracy.” We liberals did not conspire to make a politician screw his neighbor’s wife, and we certainly didn’t conspire to make Roseanne tweet a racially offensive statement.
If demanding accountability from politicians, entertainers, and influential persons is a liberal conspiracy, then I’ll gladly embrace it and admit “guilty as charged.” However, let it not ever be said that we are hypocrites in so doing. Responses to the “Me Too” movement are telling. Liberals were the first to turn against Harvey Weinstein and Al Franken. Where was the conservative outrage when their candidate bragged about grabbing women by their genitals? It was non-existent, and they actually voted for the creep!
Roseanne’s ill-considered blame shifting appears to be the conservative way. Blame the pills, blame liberals, blame Obama and Hillary, but never take personal responsibility. I remember a time when people were taught things like, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Luke 6:31), and “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” (JFK, 20 January 1961). Conservatives, racists, and fascists will have none of that. To them it is “me first” and screw everyone else.
At some point we will have to confront our racism. It’s tough. I think it is impossible to be a natural born American and not have to battle with racism. It permeates every aspect of our society. It affects everyone. I can’t imagine that we will be able to address our problem with racism while we have a racist president, but it must happen. Maybe the embarrassment of his racism and that of people like Roseanne will motivate us to act, to erect a wall, not a physical wall to block immigrants, but a moral wall to end racism once and for all time.
https://www.bluewatertales.com
Sure, she apologized profusely, but not sincerely. Her apologies, which now appear as feeble attempts to save first her job and second some shred of her career, were nothing but curtains on a window. She followed those apologies by attempting to shift blame to her former co-workers, her drugs, and then, predictably, to a liberal conspiracy.
Her co-workers did what any decent human would do in like situations. They made it clear that her statements were reprehensible. They didn’t throw her under the bus. Roseanne threw herself under the bus.
Pills and liquor can motivate people to say and do stupid things, but they can’t make a person think something that isn’t there already. Sanofi, the manufacturer of Ambien, released this statement in response, “While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.” My finger-wagging eighty year old mother once scolded her brother, who had just made an equally racially offensive comment, “If I had such thoughts, I believe I would keep them to myself.” No, Ambien didn’t make Roseanne a racist pig; she was already there.
That term “liberal conspiracy” buzzes around my head like a summertime housefly. It is annoying, and I just want to smack it. Every time a conservative gets caught screwing his neighbor’s wife, molesting children, or embezzling money from the church, he or she blames it on a “liberal conspiracy.” We liberals did not conspire to make a politician screw his neighbor’s wife, and we certainly didn’t conspire to make Roseanne tweet a racially offensive statement.
If demanding accountability from politicians, entertainers, and influential persons is a liberal conspiracy, then I’ll gladly embrace it and admit “guilty as charged.” However, let it not ever be said that we are hypocrites in so doing. Responses to the “Me Too” movement are telling. Liberals were the first to turn against Harvey Weinstein and Al Franken. Where was the conservative outrage when their candidate bragged about grabbing women by their genitals? It was non-existent, and they actually voted for the creep!
Roseanne’s ill-considered blame shifting appears to be the conservative way. Blame the pills, blame liberals, blame Obama and Hillary, but never take personal responsibility. I remember a time when people were taught things like, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Luke 6:31), and “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” (JFK, 20 January 1961). Conservatives, racists, and fascists will have none of that. To them it is “me first” and screw everyone else.
At some point we will have to confront our racism. It’s tough. I think it is impossible to be a natural born American and not have to battle with racism. It permeates every aspect of our society. It affects everyone. I can’t imagine that we will be able to address our problem with racism while we have a racist president, but it must happen. Maybe the embarrassment of his racism and that of people like Roseanne will motivate us to act, to erect a wall, not a physical wall to block immigrants, but a moral wall to end racism once and for all time.
https://www.bluewatertales.com
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