Making what is "bad" not bad?

[King]

The myth of "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps" is especially strange, considering the saying itself originated in the 19th century as a way to describe an impossible task yet in the late 20th century it morphed into something that is supposedly very possible.

Considering the vast Government aid programs created under President Roosevelt, it became much more possible, IMO.

But it's literally impossible for someone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Maybe a gymnast if he practiced at it for a few months, but still highly unlikely.

[Badger]

They are guilty of causing more harm than good. If you know something will cause you to stand out in a negative context...why do it?

You should ask yourself this before every post.

[IceSpear]

The myth of "pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps" is especially strange, considering the saying itself originated in the 19th century as a way to describe an impossible task yet in the late 20th century it morphed into something that is supposedly very possible.

Considering the vast Government aid programs created under President Roosevelt, it became much more possible, IMO.

But don't you want to dismantle them?

[patrick1]

The crazy thing about this is that Reaganfan laments a time that never existed, one that only exists in the nostaglia of the bitter. There were more murders under Reagan, more homelessness, a crack cocaine epidemic, more teen pregnancies.  The morning in America motif was all a rhetorical device. 

Simply put, the Reaganfans of the world would rather condemn "bad" people than get people the help that they need. Theyve built a poweful American myth that everyone can simply pull themselves up out of the more by their bootstraps and get ahead. This is simply not true. Real Christianity and a moral policy calls for providing a boost when our society fails. 

It is the hypocrisy of it all that gets to me. The Reaganfan archtype lament the social ills of our society out of one corner of the mouth, while cutting programs that actually help in the other- in the name of fiscal responsibility of course.  If you are ok with that fine, but don't pretend that you actually care. 

Okay, I'll concede that these things shouldn't be vilified, if you will concede they shouldn't be happily justified.

I won't concede on the articles of clothing bit. Wearing a hoodie or baggy pants should not equate to being a criminal or a thug.  A white lawyer or football coach wouldnt be singled out for this treatment and I see no reason why a young person of color should be.

On the drugs front, you seem more concerned with punishment or enforcement than getting people treatment or addressing the social conditions that lead to drug use.  It's all very fire and brimstone mentality. The fact is that warehousing a generation of people for many drug offenses is a waste of money and resources that could be better spent fixing out many problems. There is also the huge problem of selective enforcement which correlates to the clothing example.

[courts]

I think I've unlocked the secret of what liberals seem to be up to in America. They are trying to take things considered "bad" and make them seem okay.

For example, drugs. Growing up in a post-Reagan America with things such as "Just Say No" and "D.A.R.E." and films and TV shows showing how bad drugs were and how they could only lead to trouble, liberals often complain that so many people are in prison due to drugs. So instead of trying to stop drug use and enforce against it, they want to make it so that the bad thing people are doing is actually legal.

The recent Trayvon Martin shooting and Michael Brown situation ongoing are more examples. Many people began mentioning how hoodies are associated with a "thug" culture. This is true. Hoodies, baggy pants, ect. So instead of thinking, "Gee maybe we shouldn't wear these things so associated with negative culture" what do liberals do? They show "solidarity" by wearing the hoodies.

Basically it's like the bad stuff makes people realize they're not behaving and are becoming socially undesired by society so instead of changing, they are embracing the bad. It's the same as the analogy of saying, "There are so many murderers in jail, so let's make murder not be a crime anymore so that those people won't be shunned or looked down upon or feel shame, ect ect."

I think it's a terrifying road to go down.