an itch a scratch

I remember as a young child being lectured to by my parents to stop scratching that itchy mosquito bite. I was warned that scratching it might satisfy my immediate displeasure at the itch, but if I continued to irritate the bite, it would get infected.

I remember when one of my kids contracted the measles and my parent mode kicked in and I tried my best to make sure that no excess scratch or itch would take place for fear that the measles would become infected. I gave my son the lecture that itching may solve the immediate, but long term pain would ensue for a few moments of pleasure.

I remember having run into some poison ivy as a young man, and the bumps spread along my forearm. I knew better then to scratch that rash, but thought maybe just one hardy three minute itch might stop the entire rash from bothering me. Just three minutes of satisfying my self by stopping that nagging need to scratch. How could three minutes cause the rash to spread.

And now in American politics of 2012 it seems we have the far right Christian Conservatives of the Republican/Tea Party scratching new and old bites, wounds and rashes, infecting all those who itch with hate, bias and bigotry. It seems that the festering hate speech, false innuendo, and trumped up religious dogma have spread into the souls and conscience of people who find pleasure in the mistrust of others and purposeful maligning of innocents. It seems that the disease of denial is running rampant all because one person scratched the itch of another and spread the infection throughout their church, family and community.

It all starts with people calling women sluts, pronouncing Gays as the anti Christ, insisting that the president is not a Christian, complaining that unemployed people are lazy, chastising those on social security as selfish, teachers culpable for the deficit, women too stupid to control their own bodies, and poor people as just jealous losers.

One mosquito bite, one measles, one prick of poison ivy all disguised as racism, homophobia, anti religion, anti-immigration, Socialism and suddenly the teeniest wound is scratched, itched and the infection of deep dark dreary hate spreads. And then the rash turns into a disease and both the body and mind become consumed. The good cells are defeated by the sickly, self destructing tumors.

How much more does the itch have to travel before we realize that if we just stop scratching we might stop the spread? How many more people have to become infected in fact-less truth, fictionalized history, and false prophecies before we reach the tipping point unable to turn back? How much more rot must accumulate before all we have is sick and sorry instead of healthy and hopeful?

We have so many provocateurs ready to pounce upon the fearful, ignorant, and uneducated. We have so many devious able to convince the chicken that the sky IS falling. We have so many sinisters who stand in the lobby as they shout fire in the theater. We have so many who love to tell us to scratch that itch and don’t worry about any or all consequences.