General Discussion

Brigid

(17,621 posts) Thu Mar 29, 2012, 03:38 PM Mar 2012

Just when, exactly, did this country turn into a nuthouse? [View all]

I log on to DU after finishing my math homework and in seconds I'm reading stories about a teenager being shot dead by a vigilante while carrying nothing more menacing than a bag of Skittles and a bottle of iced tea; a college kid getting shot dead by the cops because some idiot called 911 and said there was somebody prowling around with a gun; and an older former Marine with a heart condition being shot dead in his own home when the cops show up and break down his door after he accidentally set off his MedicAlert pendant. What do these stories have in common? Cops (well, one wannabe cop) and the race of the victim. I don't even want to think about what the next jawdropping story will be.

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Just when, exactly, did this country turn into a nuthouse? [View all] Brigid Mar 2012 OP

June 30, 1950 gratuitous Mar 2012 #1

I was going to say January 21st 1981 - Raygun's inauguration Initech Mar 2012 #2

Winner...! russspeakeasy Mar 2012 #7

Yup. Nailed it. n/t FSogol Mar 2012 #9

What I would say too. libtodeath Mar 2012 #10

Correct. That's when the insane "Moral Majority" cr-p started, and I was in college. kestrel91316 Mar 2012 #11

Oh don't get me started on the moral majority or "values voters" Initech Mar 2012 #26

You beat me to it, Initech! LOL! Ecumenist Mar 2012 #14

I'm Going Back To November 1968 ProfessorGAC Mar 2012 #21

True - what were people thinking electing Nixon? Initech Mar 2012 #25

I'd say they were thinking of the 1968 Democratic Convention MicaelS Mar 2012 #71

Ha - OWS is viewed the exact same way. Initech Mar 2012 #75

Damm hippies and your pushback! Mopar151 Mar 2012 #80

I swear the Fox News crowd is in full on Gran Torino mode at this point. Initech Mar 2012 #81

Nixon perfected the art of identity politics to a science TrollBuster9090 Mar 2012 #43

Nixon started this latest craziness when he declared war on the kids, ThomThom Mar 2012 #94

touche! Carolina Mar 2012 #38

That's it. ArcticFox Mar 2012 #49

Close. jwirr Mar 2012 #39

That's my date. Nt XanaDUer Mar 2012 #41

Agreed: "Then tell me, "Future Boy", who's President in the United States in 1985? FailureToCommunicate Mar 2012 #47

Ha! Love "Back To The Future" Initech Mar 2012 #55

Spot on. Exactly what I was thinking. LoisB Mar 2012 #50

And you would be right. n/t RiffRandell Mar 2012 #61

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Mar 2012 #64

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner! chnoutte Mar 2012 #89

That's exactly when Aerows Mar 2012 #100

Hmmm . . . Brigid Mar 2012 #28

And how could you argue that? I look virgogal Mar 2012 #40

What? Brigid Mar 2012 #44

This message was self-deleted by its author TahitiNut Mar 2012 #52

And this turned the country into a nuthouse? I think the virgogal Mar 2012 #63

US beats England in World Cup! montanto Mar 2012 #34

What happened then burrowowl Mar 2012 #83

Forgot the Korean War burrowowl Mar 2012 #85

I'm not sure it was ever any different MuseRider Mar 2012 #3

When wasn't it a nuthouse? GoCubsGo Mar 2012 #4

Don't forget about this one: Cali_Democrat Mar 2012 #5

Not to mention the one about the 60-year-old woman who had two flat tires and was charged HiPointDem Mar 2012 #18

This is minor by comparison, but how about the TSA making that woman in a Texas airport TrollBuster9090 Mar 2012 #45

Same thing, I agree, just less destructive. But still humiliating. HiPointDem Mar 2012 #60

This article you wrote is quote profound. GopperStopper2680 Mar 2012 #6

1791 slackmaster Mar 2012 #8

you left out all the jackass-cop antics regarding ows leftyohiolib Mar 2012 #12

1980, 1984, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2004, 2010 seem to be at the root of most of our current problems. Proud Liberal Dem Mar 2012 #13

republicans won. barbtries Mar 2012 #17

What date did Joe McCarthy wave around that blank piece of paper that he no_hypocrisy Mar 2012 #15

The whole McCarthy Army hearings ... bayareaboy Mar 2012 #51

If there was ever any doubt beforehand ... lpbk2713 Mar 2012 #16

According to Howard Zinn, from the very beginning. yardwork Mar 2012 #19

Good point. People always act like....people. MissMarple Mar 2012 #23

2000. MineralMan Mar 2012 #20

...and to think everybody pooh-poohed Y2K. Buns_of_Fire Mar 2012 #33

you got it! (nt) Tumbulu Mar 2012 #76

I agree loyalsister Mar 2012 #82

Didn't you hear? He shoplifted the Skittles! pokerfan Mar 2012 #22

dear goddess--is that whole thing real? she actually said that? niyad Mar 2012 #30

Not real -- Hell Hath No Fury Mar 2012 #95

"I bought a donut - they gave me a receipt. We did not need to bring ink and paper into this transaction!" Initech Mar 2012 #32

I was going to mention that pokerfan Mar 2012 #36

Positively amazing gratuitous Mar 2012 #35

Oh, well...depends on who you ask. Rex Mar 2012 #24

I would add October 7, 1996 lutefisk Mar 2012 #66

Dam have they had that long to ruin our country? Rex Mar 2012 #72

I swear, they've been around longer cyglet Mar 2012 #78

10/12/1492 Uncle Joe Mar 2012 #27

Since our media got taken over by minority corporate interests who Cleita Mar 2012 #29

That has to do with Newt Moon Colony pushing media deregulation back in the mid 90s Initech Mar 2012 #57

I really wish we could send Newt, Murdoch and the Koch brothers to Cleita Mar 2012 #67

1994, when someone tried to destroy Weezer's sweater bart95 Mar 2012 #31

Carlin pokerfan Mar 2012 #37

1978 JHB Mar 2012 #42

I am guessing around the 1500's, b4 it was a country. n/t jtuck004 Mar 2012 #46

1980s ArcticFox Mar 2012 #48

1492 One_Life_To_Give Mar 2012 #53

Gotta appreciate this one. ^ Smarmie Doofus Mar 2012 #90

It's always been a nuthouse. obxhead Mar 2012 #54

1776 When we declared indepence as a country TNLib Mar 2012 #56

You say "NUThouse" like it's a bad thing? TahitiNut Mar 2012 #58

Just Follow The Rise Of Rupert Murdoch DallasNE Mar 2012 #59

when the Buckeyes began to dominate EVERY sport! BB_Troll Mar 2012 #62

Officially, December 2000 Gman Mar 2012 #65

Yep, when W stole the presidency. Tennessee Gal Mar 2012 #70

Middish 1600's??? AKA well before our founding. TheKentuckian Mar 2012 #68

well... cyglet Mar 2012 #69

December 16, 1773 Dead_Parrot Mar 2012 #73

And not surprisingly, the harbor water is still brown! FailureToCommunicate Mar 2012 #74

Welp I guess you overlooked the little Texas kid banned from using her walker at school. lonestarnot Mar 2012 #77

November 22, 1963 n/t Waiting For Everyman Mar 2012 #79

This message was self-deleted by its author Sen. Walter Sobchak Mar 2012 #87

Raygun! burrowowl Mar 2012 #84

I don't know Herlong Mar 2012 #86

My father will tell you the exact moment, Sen. Walter Sobchak Mar 2012 #88

November 4, 1980 Egalitarian Thug Mar 2012 #91

July 4 1776 SmileyRose Mar 2012 #92

Guaranteed the next story won't be about white collar criminals being held accountable just1voice Mar 2012 #93

Just ask the Wampanoag people... countryjake Mar 2012 #96

I'm guessing sometime between mikeSchmuckabee Mar 2012 #97

when Gingrich passed his infamous Contract With America. LanternWaste Mar 2012 #98

When was the world not a nuthouse? Taitertots Mar 2012 #99