Friday, May 5, 2017

SLS_Glow


Just pull the plug, it's Sick Little Suicide #32, "Glow," in which we witness the evil of apathy.

They just passed that orange fraud's new healthcare bill in the House (I'm writing this on 5/4/17), and it's simply abominable, the evil that voting yes means. Among the frankly unreal list of horrible aspects of the bill, one of the most intolerable factors that should have been a deal-breaker to any reasonable human being is how cruelly it determines and handles pre-existing conditions. The most heartless consideration being how this label manages to strangle rationality to include under its hideous reach domestic abuse and personal violations. This spits in the face of no less than half the population, and forces women into the unthinkable situation of having to tolerate and suffer through domestic abuse for fear of reporting this and having their situation taken as a pre-existing condition, which would then preclude coverage.

What nightmare betrayal do you invite upon people in such unthinkably dire circumstances? How evil do you have to be to tolerate any bill that allows for that? Our very partners in existence, our co-pilots in humanity are not worth decency--basic, human decency? What third world country is this?


Anyway, I was inspired to draw this response by Nancy Pelosi's speech denouncing the bill, where she mentions towards the end that even if the bill is defeated in the Senate and people vote yes in the House just to get it into the upper house so they can iron it out, a "yes" vote means you approve of the bill as is, regardless of how it ends up in its final form. "Yes" means you not only condone but affirm what the language of the bill says right now, that the people who stand to suffer and/or die because of this or any successor of this bill are not worth any further consideration or due protection. The extended quote is as follows:
This is one of the best civics lessons we can engage in. Because of what happened following the election, the American people are engaged. They are paying attention. I'm not saying in a political way, I'm saying in a personal way. A former Speaker said, 'All politics is local." In the case of healthcare, all politics is personal. And so, this civics lesson will teach the American people a number of things. As special as we think we are when we come to the floor here, most Americans don't know who their member of congress is. But they will now, when they find out that you voted to take away their healthcare. They will know when you put an age tax on them or undermine Medicare, Medicaid, and the rest. Oh yeah, they're paying attention, because it's really personal with them and their families. So, I think we have to get ready for that.

Our colleagues who have the mantle of being a "moderate," you vote for this bill, you have walked the plank from "moderate" to "radical." And you're walking the plank for what? A bill that will not be accepted by the United States Senate. Why are you doing this? Do you believe in what is in this bill? Some of you have said, 'Well, they'll fix it in the Senate." But you have every provision of this bill tattooed on your forehead. You will glow in the dark on this one. You will glow in the dark. You will glow in the dark. So don't walk the plank, especially unnecessarily. Our responsibility to the sick and the hurt is biblical. It's fundamental to who we are.
-- Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, 5/4/17

Drawing this goon kinda reminded me of this old SLS, but this guy was just drawn to look evil--though I recall that being their motive way back in 2010, too, huh...how are these people existing? That old comic was about denying 9/11 first-responders. Anyway, I wanted this character to be an old white guy, because that is precisely who is behind this. Look at the self-congratulatory photos. You'll see an old white lady on occasion, but it's these people who refuse to show kindness and openness to their fellow humans and who are simply dead-set on making the many suffer for the benefit of the few, encapsulated in this "health" care bill that serves to release funds from health so that they can cut taxes for super-rich people who in no way need the help. That is why the character also had to be fat. It's greed driving this.

Greed is the basis of everything here (and so much more in the world in general, come to think of it). Greed makes you unable to tolerate giving up anything and you just want more and more. A life-changing quote came from early Bill Burr podcast episodes, where he unwittingly outlined a succinct life philosophy in his question, "how big do you need your yacht to be?" That sums it up quite neatly: if you are doing well, great, that doesn't mean you need to dominate. Just accept that you are rich or otherwise well off, and stop questing for even more obscene reaches beyond. Be happy with being set for life. It's like in Magic--there are so many "win more" cards and effects that are pointless once you're already in a winning position. It's not only pointless to win with overkill, but then when you develop a need to do so, then you're just jumping off into dangerous, evil territory that inevitably will clash with the greater good. In Magic, you start cheating or dirtbagging to assure domination, in life, you mistreat people to assure you get every ounce of everything you feel is or should be yours.


For the art direction on this piece, I thought of Tyler The Creator photography, and that haunting Childish Gambino album cover, which I first encountered on the plane back. I wanted the piece to be basically monochromatic, but with a reddish tint for the Republican party's official color, as well as to reflect the diabolical nature of these evil, cruel monsters--the hair even spikes up into horns, along with creepily pointy ears. Freaky, freaky stuff.

So, I guess it comes down to: how freaking evil do you have to be to vote yes? Every single Republican representative from my home state voted yes, which was further disgusting. Some would even hang up on you if you called their office, like the infamous Darrel Issa. Ring ring click. These disgusting un-human villains must be voted out in 2018. People will die because of their pettiness, ignorance, and greed. We must never forget the betrayal against our own people that they condoned and applauded. All for what? So that already rich people get to be even richer. You disgusting, shameless monsters. Great calamity upon you, least of which should be eviction from your seats in 2018.

Not normal,

Reuxben

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