"You Got Trouble!" - Selling Fear

With only about 22 months left before the next Presidential election, the fear mongers are already out in full force, selling their two most potent products; the twin politics of fear and division. And the demand is great; with consumption by the masses at an all-time fever pitch. How else to explain the leading news stories of the day?

First though, let’s take a look at the science and art behind fear mongering. And what better example of this than Professor Harold Hill as he ramps up the fear in River City, Iowa against the latest unknown demon in the town. In his case it was a pool table. Watch the clip and see how the good Professor is desperate for an issue to arouse the town into needing his help. They don’t even know they have a problem until he seizes on an offhand comment by Buddy Hackett and then invents one for them; after which the townsfolk quickly fall in line to save their “culture”; in this case embodied by a billiard table.

It’s kind of like that in America today; with politicians casting about for anything that will arouse the concern of the public and create a demon for the people to unite against; all behind a politician as a leader of course.

Take the measles thing; it has been laid largely at the door of the illegal immigrants, who often do not have the required immunizations when they arrive here in the U.S. It’s a very easy thing to get the people riled up against that portion of the population. Very simple; illegals arrive without the shots required to attend school; and are allowed to go anyway and they get our kids sick. Pretty plain until you scratch the surface a bit.

I live in North Carolina, where we require immunization against the measles and several other diseases to attend public school. But we have a lot of kids here who are not immunized. They must be getting a waiver based upon their status as illegals, right? Wrong. They are allowed to attend school because the law allows an exemption for RELIGIOUS reasons. No proof required; just write a letter stating that you do not believe in immunizations and you can enroll your child in school.

So, what we have are people on the right complaining about illegal immigrants going to school and infecting their children with a disease that was all but eradicated until the right came along and got an exemption for the vaccine under the guise of religious freedom and smaller government. And the liberals even joined in with the flawed claim about the vaccines causing autism; which was proven to be false about 3 years ago.

Fear rules the day if you let it. And there is always somebody willing to don that nice looking Music Man costume; ready to lead the band and incite the fear which will keep everything static.

Here are the applicable portions of the NC statute concerning vaccinations required to attend Public School;

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-152. Immunization required

(a) Every child present in this State shall be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, red measles (rubeola) and rubella. In addition, every child present in this State shall be immunized against any other disease upon a determination by the Commission that the immunization is in the interest of the public health. Every parent, guardian, person in loco parentis and person or agency, whether governmental or private, with legal custody of a child shall have the responsibility to ensure that the child has received the required immunization at the age required by the Commission. If a child has not received the required immunizations by the specified age, the responsible person shall obtain the required immunization.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-157. Religious exemption

If the bona fide religious beliefs of an adult or the parent, guardian or person in loco parentis of a child are contrary to the immunization requirements contained in this Chapter, the adult or the child shall be exempt from the requirements. Upon submission of a written statement of the bona fide religious beliefs and opposition to the immunization requirements, the person may attend the college, university, school or facility without presenting a certificate of immunization.

The Cat House

Midnight, our resident stray, has a new home. After over a year of trying to make him comfortable; while at the same time taking care of my own allergic reactions to him; he finally has a better home than he did for the last winter. At that time he was living in our garage on an old bedspread with a heating pad to help him keep warm. This year the heating pad will be located at one end of his wicker home, and connected to a timer, which will offer him a few options in relation to how much heat he actually wants.

It’s been a year in which we have come to know one another a bit better, each respecting the others limitations and idiosyncrasies more than we first did. For instance; I now know that he strikes me with his paw as a sign of affection after I stop playing with him; while he has learned to not use his claws on me. Since he does live outdoors I cannot have his nails clipped, as that would leave him defenseless.

He has also learned not to wander too far from home, stranding himself in other people’s garages without food or water for several days. He has also learned not to cross the big open yard in back of our house which makes him a convenient target for the many hawks in the area. Last year he was actually swept up by one of these aerial predators. It was a short flight which left his ear damaged from the hawk’s talons. It actually changed the pitch of his “meow.”

The new home is of wicker construction, and was acquired by Sue at a yard sale for less than one dollar. I had already purchased a “cat bed” for him, complete with catnip, but he just kind of looked at it in a curious manner. He never even tried to lie down in it.

By contrast, from the moment Sue bought this wicker palace home, Midnight was very much interested in it. There is even a sun roof for him on top to use on nicer days. Currently, we are furnishing the inside, using Snoopy's doghouse as a guide for what Midnight might like. A small pool table is not out of reach; and a transistor radio or tummy TV is certainly affordable. But the Van Gogh is definitely out.