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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Naked Cynicism

I know it's incredibly rude to listen in on other people's conversations, but when you're sitting alone at the beach eaves dropping others' conversations can give you a window into what people are feeling. Especially at the nude beach where its best to keep your eyes closed and ears open.

I remember a time, not too long ago, when Americans were generally loathe to discuss politics, race or other controversial issues. That "hot button" issues were discussed in private amongst like minded individuals. That politics was something discussed once every four years, from September to the first Tuesday in November and then we would turn off NPR and a go back to pop radio and classic rock.

In April, I casually mentioned that I added my 21 year old son to my health insurance policy. I get attacked, yes attacked, for offering a "government entitlement" to my son. He's getting Obamacare. To be clear, the government, nor Obama, are not paying for my son's health care, I am. It's not free health insurance it cost upwards of $300 per month. The insurance company is making out like a bandit for someone who is not likely to get very sick.

So what happened? Here I am in May and two white, naked, gay men (OK, I'm at the nude beach, does that automatically make me a liberal?) are agreeing not to fill out the census because its a waste of time and they don't "want the government to track them". Yet it's okay for corporate America? Is it easier or harder to track nudists? They go on to discuss how Hispanics are filling out the census to "boost their numbers." Nearby I hear one Cuban man telling another how voting is rigged. Ironic, because no group has benefited as much from voter turn-out and registration as they have. Can you name another non-white group that has produced six congressmen and senator in a single generation? Sooooo, white men are worried about losing power and representation don't fill out their forms which will, in effect, cause them to lose power and representation. Cubans who don't believe in the power of the ballot box. Not sure about the logic there.....but naked, gay, tea partiers are more than welcome to their cynicism.