Talk About The Old Boys!

Obama gave a 52 minute speech last night addressing the realities of the proposed health care reform versus the untruths being spread about it by those opposed to it.  I am biased, I admit it right out. I believe that proper health care is a human right, as is education.  We have public universities and still the private colleges and universities are surviving, why wouldn't private insurers do fine along side publicly funded health care insurance for those who really need it? Seems like a good idea to me.  The system is definitely broken and so now is the time to fix it.  

Really though I am not writing about the health care issue, I am writing today about what I saw of the old boy system during that speech last night. As the camera panned out to show Obama's view of the audience, you could see this sea of (republican) men mostly, arms crossed and faces scowling, shaking their heads at Obama.  More then a few of these "gentlemen" disagreed in such an ugly way, behaving like spoilt children, one even yelling out "you lie!" Makes you wonder who the hell elected them.  

What I saw beyond bad white male behavior was racism at its worst. Honestly I saw men who hated being addressed by a black man, they were furious.  As a woman I've seen this response to women in power who are a threat, so it is not new to me.  The old boy institutional racism, where white men could always count on their seat at the table, that institutional strong hold has been shaken to the core with Obama's election victory.  Every time those guys looked at Obama last night they were reminded of it. Certainly their concerns about the health care bill go beyond Obama and back to their political careers, the indebtedness of some to the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbyist no doubt.  I just was appalled at the overall immature and blatant hostility exhibited by these representatives.  If they feel entitled enough to act this way while on television no less, then I wonder how safe Obama really is as he travels and talks to the public.  He leads by his example, I just wish everyone would follow with the same dignity.