In 1995, I resolve to take responsibility for my life. I will not think of myself as a victim. I will not use the abuse excuse to avoid personal responsibility. I will control my own life and not waste time blaming others for my misfortunes.
This should be a New Year's resolution for all Americans.The United States has become a nation of victims. Don't blame me. It's not my fault. Ask my support group. Ask my lawyer. Give me sympathy. Give me protection. I demand happiness.
Personal responsibility, where art thou?
Even middle-class white males, about the only remaining group of Americans not in a protected class, now have demanded recognition for their special victimhood. They even have their own national support group - the Republican Party.
Angry white males, tired of being victimized by wom-en, minorities, affirmative action and quotas, finally stopped whining long enough to let their pent-up emotions spill over at the Nov. 8 ballot box. More than any other group, angry white men were responsible for sweeping Republicans into power in Congress, statehouses, courthouses and city halls across the nation.
Almost by accident angry white males found an outlet for their misfortunes on the airwaves. Radio station executives quickly recognized a moneymaker. This new market had tremendous buying power, which translates into advertising revenues. Profits. Soon talk show programs were springing up around the nation giving angry white males what they wanted. A chance to be heard. A shoulder to cry on. A sympathetic ear.
Some talk radio show hosts caught this new commercial wave early and rode it to fame and fortune. Some, like Rush Limbaugh, came from the disc jockey ranks. Others, like Pat Buchanan, came from right-wing politics. And others still, like G. Gordon Liddy, came from prison or from Mars. They all, however, vigilantly capitalized on white male frustrations.
Since the Democratic Party has long been identified as the party of minorities, feminists and the downtrodden, talk show hosts played to their audience by becoming cheerleaders for the Republicans. Democrats were ridiculed for promoting reverse discrimination, political correctness and tolerance for all manner of aberrant behavior.
Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton played right into the hands of talk-radio hypesters of white male victimhood. During the presidential campaign, white males were willing to forgive Clinton for fooling around a bit on the little lady. After all, Clinton came off as a good ol' Southern boy who was going to go to Washington and kick some butt.
Hillary was a little harder to take for angry white men. Hillary even said she wasn't going to be some little Tammy Wynette standing by her man and baking cookies. She just came out and said it. Hillary epitomized the type of uppity women who had been causing white males all their problems at home and in the office.
Then Bill gets elected, and the first thing he does is tell the military to welcome uniformed homosexuals. Heck, Bill even dodged the draft. The talk show hosts loved that one, while conveniently overlooking the fact that Republicans Newt Gingrich, Phil Gramm, Pat Buchanan, Limbaugh and lots of others also evaded service to their country.
Next Bill appointed Hillary to head up health-care reform, which she proceeded to do behind closed doors. That's all the talk show hosts needed to feed the angst of their victimized white male audience.
But now that everyone in America is a recognized victim, perhaps it's time to stop whining, stop blaming others for our troubles and start taking personal responsibility. It would make a good New Year's resolution.