Paraphrasing FDR, Or How The Right Wing Sees the World Through Distorted Lenses (aka, misquoting for fun and profit)

I'm not a big fan of Barney Frank, but to quote him, "What planet do you live on?"

The following was a comment I left on another post, but since it turned out so long I decided to just go ahead and make it a post of it's own, you betcha.  While the below has it's own context, it might be helpful to read the other post first, just so you can understand the thought process.

Let's look at the paraphrased excerpt from FDR (taken from the other post):

"We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way. The third is freedom from want. The fourth is freedom from fear anywhere in the world." (Franklin D. Roosevelt, Speech to Congress, January 6, 1941)

Okay, so it's paraphrased (badly), which only changes the meaning a little, well, mostly a little. The actual passage from FDR's 1941 State of the Union Address (which yes, is a "speech to Congress") is:

In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants-everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world.

Now let’s see the current minority party view on each of these:

Freedom of speech and expression: For example, tea partiers and other lobbyist fronted groups speaking their minds (Freedom!), but doing so in a way so as to make it impossible for others to also offer their views (Not so free). Making up outrageous lies about the President, like he’s a radical Muslim/Christian/Manchurian candidate who wasn’t born in this country and is just here to destroy the country he just got elected to run because he’s a socialist/communist/fascist who is putting death panels in the health care bill and trying to indoctrinate our kids by telling them to work hard in school and take responsibility for their lives. Etc. (Freedom to lie). Honesty (Not so much). Seems the minority party only believes in freedom of speech when it suits their ideology. All others need not apply.

Freedom to worship in their own way: Okay, lost the “everywhere in the world part,” but it’s not important because only the American versions of the Christian religions are acceptable to the minority party anyway. And not all Christian religions, only the “right” one will do. And it must be taught in our public schools (despite the Constitutional provisions against it) because otherwise parents and houses of worship would have to be responsible for teaching (indoctrinating?) their kids all by themselves. And we all know the government must stay out of our lives, except for things like religion and sexual preference, which of course our God (but apparently no one else’s God?) thinks must be written into federal laws.

Freedom from want: Well, FDR was talking about having a healthy economy. That seems to have been lost on the last Republican administration, who started with a surplus and immediately turned it into the largest debt in history. That is until our previous president left behind an economy in such shambles and dire straits that he had to get a huge stimulus package to salvage the country. And it was so bad that the incoming president had to have a second stimulus to keep the economy of the US – and the world – from going into a deep depression. Oh wait, Reagan also left the economy with a record debt, along with laissez faire policies that contributed to the 1987 stock market crash (Black Monday). Seems to be a trend.

Freedom from fear: As can be seen from the accurate quote, FDR was talking about a reduction in weapons worldwide. Oops. The minority party seems intent on increasing weapons. Not only domestically, but also internationally as the world comes to fear our lunatic fringe with their fingers on the red button. And guess what, now there are a bunch of countries working hard to obtain or expand their nuclear capabilities, along with China and Russia going to town on weapons sales. Plus as a bonus we managed to get everyone to hate us and wonder what country might get invaded next under false pretenses. Good job, guys.

And since this comment has already become longer than the post, I might as well continue and give you a huge chunk of irony. Because just before the section of FDR’s SOTU speech you mis-paraphrased is a whole section on personal sacrifice and improved social programs for all Americans. Seems most in the minority party have conveniently forgotten that part:

The Nation takes great satisfaction and much strength from the things which have been done to make its people conscious of their individual stake in the preservation of democratic life in America. Those things have toughened the fibre of our people, have renewed their faith and strengthened their devotion to the institutions we make ready to protect.

Certainly this is no time for any of us to stop thinking about the social and economic problems which are the root cause of the social revolution which is today a supreme factor in the world.

For there is nothing mysterious about the foundations of a healthy and strong democracy. The basic things expected by our people of their political and economic systems are simple.

They are:
Equality of opportunity for youth and for others.
Jobs for those who can work.
Security for those who need it.
The ending of special privilege for the few.
The preservation of civil liberties for all.

The enjoyment of the fruits of scientific progress in a wider and constantly rising standard of living.

These are the simple, basic things that must never be lost sight of in the turmoil and unbelievable complexity of our modern world. The inner and abiding strength of our economic and political systems is dependent upon the degree to which they fulfill these expectations.

Many subjects connected with our social economy call for immediate improvement.

As examples:

We should bring more citizens under the coverage of old-age pensions and unemployment insurance.

We should widen the opportunities for adequate medical care.

We should plan a better system by which persons deserving or needing gainful employment may obtain it.

I have called for personal sacrifice. I am assured of the willingness of almost all Americans to respond to that call.

A part of the sacrifice means the payment of more money in taxes. In my Budget Message I shall recommend that a greater portion of this great defense program be paid for from taxation than we are paying today. No person should try, or be allowed, to get rich out of this program; and the principle of tax payments in accordance with ability to pay should be constantly before our eyes to guide our legislation.

Which, of course, brings us to the real point. The post was a total non sequitur.

FDR’s paraphrased snippet has nothing to do with the (false) contention that our Constitutional freedom’s (at least the ones they care about) are under attack. The idea is simply absurd. There is no “consistent attacks” on the right to bear arms. It’s all in your mind. Do you think there is a “consistent attack” on the right to drive a 4000 pound conglomeration of metal, plastic and rubber at life-threatening speeds just because you have to register it with the state and get a license to operate it at DMV? Please.

The post was illustrative in one way though. It epitomizes the severe case of hyperboly that many in the minority party (and it’s even more extreme cousin) use to create false windmills at which to tilt.

After a while it gets embarrassing to watch. Who would have thought that the liberal Democrats would become the rational ones.

**

I should add that I'm hoping the sane side of the Republican party takes it back from the insane side that currently appears to be driving the bus.  Needless to say, the sane ones in the Democratic party better be checking their own rear view mirrors, because there are lots of crazy people trying to grab the bumper of their transport as well.

I now return the normal part of the world, where people think.