Memes! Schmemes!

Next to a photo of Allen West, a former congressman from Florida, is the following text: “It used to be that movies reflected American culture. Now it seems they’re trying to define American culture. But then again, it used to be that mainstream media journalists reported the facts.”

It was one those meme things that clutter the news-feed of my Facebook home page regularly.

West, a darling of the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party, is referred to as Colonel Allen West in the meme graphic. After a long career in the Army, he retired as a lieutenant colonel following an ugly prisoner abuse incident in Iraq, for which West was disciplined. Nonetheless, he was allowed to retire promptly with full benefits. 

Actually, most of the memes I see on Facebook express liberal points of view, if they are at all political. That’s because most of my Facebook friends who care about posting political statements are lefties. I also see a lot of memes oozing with cuteness about animals, especially cats. Religious and pop culture memes make regular showings in my news-feed, too.

Which means that I haven’t yet hidden all the “friends” who tend to click and share such annoying sayings/captions with pictures. Still, even when I agree with the point made, I routinely hide the popular memes that annoy me the most. 

Back to West’s statement, I don't doubt the man knows something about the military world. But given what he said about the history of movies and journalism in America, I have to say they are both subjects he apparently knows little about.

Like many Republicans, who like to strike poses of righteous indignation as they rant against modernity, West is a grouchy guy who's plainly unhappy with today's popular culture and political trends. So, as some conservative pundits and politicians are in the habit of doing, West happily takes the liberty to rewrite history -- to suit himself -- then he suggests we all follow him back to his imaginary better times.

A week-or-so ago the same Facebook friend -- a nice guy who knows plenty about race cars and rock ‘n’ roll -- also posted a copycat meme citing the wisdom of Hank Williams, Jr., on deploring Americans who refuse to do any sort of useful work, live on the government dole ... and who always vote the wrong way to suit him. Like so many memes seen on Facebook, posted by folks of varying political persuasions, it was put there mostly to piss off people who disagree with its thrust.

Come on you lazy Facebook addicts! Enough of the insights of louts like Hank Willaims, Jr. and Allen West. If you want to ruffle some feathers, can't you at least do it using your own damn words?

A pox on your memes!