On purity
What happened to our country, that we're now required to have ideological purity? It seems there's no longer any room for nuanced positions, even among your average voters.
If you're a Republican, you have to support the war, rabidly and at any cost, and no matter what happens or how it's going. There is to be total resistance to any facts not coming from trusted (Republican) sources, ESPECIALLY the media. You must oppose stem cell research and gay marriage, no matter what evidence may arise that supports either. You must support the Patriot Act and demand that it be made permanent. You must support more tax cuts, at all times, no matter the cost. You must be foam-at-the-mouth patriotic, and seek the absolute destruction of anything related to the Democratic party. You must be able to quote George Washington to support the idea of a one-party America. You must believe that any opposition to George Bush's opinions or policies, on anything at any time, is only owed to Bush-hating and is the work of socialists and/or communists, probably both. There is to be no dissent.
If you're a Democrat, you have to oppose the war, rabidly and at any cost. There is to be total resistance to any facts not coming from trusted (Democratic) sources, ESPECIALLY the media. You must support stem cell research (but gay marriage is up to you). You must oppose the Patriot Act and CAFTA, no matter. You must oppose tax cuts at all times, no matter the cost. Abortion is not only non-negotiable, it is non-discussable. You must oppose any symbol of patriotism, but claim the mantle furiously and in every utterance. You must be able to quote Thomas Jefferson and George Lakoff at any given time, and be ready with a list of issues at any moment. You must believe that opposition to every one of George Bush's opinions, policies or utterances is an act of patriotism. You must oppose and seek the destruction of the Republican party. There is to be no dissent from the acceptance of all opinions within the party (except on abortion; only one is acceptable). Those who disagree must be driven out and branded Republicans.
What the hell is wrong with us? I know, we have a diversity of opinion, blah blah blah. But the reality is, I've laid out today's America pretty directly as it is. Few people are this cut-and-dried, but there is a lockstep groupthink on the right and the left that forces us into our boxes. You see a car with American flags and "These colors don't run" or something similar on a bumper sticker, and you KNOW they're Republican. There is no point considering another alternative, because Democrats have bought into this connection of patriotism with Republicans. "I won't put a flag on my car because I won't be like them." No one has any doubt anymore.
We have, I'm ashamed to admit, allowed our country to be molded in the image of George W. Bush. I oppose a hell of a lot of what Bush does. I dislike the man, and he embarrasses me when he speaks. But the most egregious thing about him is his confidence. He's so incompetent, he's unable to discern when he's being incompetent. There's no listening to other opinions, because he has an opinion, and it must be right. And we have become a nation in his mold.
I want self-doubt to win its place back at the political table. I want politicians - and voters - to get together and actually talk about issues in a way that increases understanding on both sides. This is how things change. This is how things get done. Shouting slogans and locking ourselves in little ideological boxes only breeds hate and wastes our time.
If you're a Republican, you have to support the war, rabidly and at any cost, and no matter what happens or how it's going. There is to be total resistance to any facts not coming from trusted (Republican) sources, ESPECIALLY the media. You must oppose stem cell research and gay marriage, no matter what evidence may arise that supports either. You must support the Patriot Act and demand that it be made permanent. You must support more tax cuts, at all times, no matter the cost. You must be foam-at-the-mouth patriotic, and seek the absolute destruction of anything related to the Democratic party. You must be able to quote George Washington to support the idea of a one-party America. You must believe that any opposition to George Bush's opinions or policies, on anything at any time, is only owed to Bush-hating and is the work of socialists and/or communists, probably both. There is to be no dissent.
If you're a Democrat, you have to oppose the war, rabidly and at any cost. There is to be total resistance to any facts not coming from trusted (Democratic) sources, ESPECIALLY the media. You must support stem cell research (but gay marriage is up to you). You must oppose the Patriot Act and CAFTA, no matter. You must oppose tax cuts at all times, no matter the cost. Abortion is not only non-negotiable, it is non-discussable. You must oppose any symbol of patriotism, but claim the mantle furiously and in every utterance. You must be able to quote Thomas Jefferson and George Lakoff at any given time, and be ready with a list of issues at any moment. You must believe that opposition to every one of George Bush's opinions, policies or utterances is an act of patriotism. You must oppose and seek the destruction of the Republican party. There is to be no dissent from the acceptance of all opinions within the party (except on abortion; only one is acceptable). Those who disagree must be driven out and branded Republicans.
What the hell is wrong with us? I know, we have a diversity of opinion, blah blah blah. But the reality is, I've laid out today's America pretty directly as it is. Few people are this cut-and-dried, but there is a lockstep groupthink on the right and the left that forces us into our boxes. You see a car with American flags and "These colors don't run" or something similar on a bumper sticker, and you KNOW they're Republican. There is no point considering another alternative, because Democrats have bought into this connection of patriotism with Republicans. "I won't put a flag on my car because I won't be like them." No one has any doubt anymore.
We have, I'm ashamed to admit, allowed our country to be molded in the image of George W. Bush. I oppose a hell of a lot of what Bush does. I dislike the man, and he embarrasses me when he speaks. But the most egregious thing about him is his confidence. He's so incompetent, he's unable to discern when he's being incompetent. There's no listening to other opinions, because he has an opinion, and it must be right. And we have become a nation in his mold.
I want self-doubt to win its place back at the political table. I want politicians - and voters - to get together and actually talk about issues in a way that increases understanding on both sides. This is how things change. This is how things get done. Shouting slogans and locking ourselves in little ideological boxes only breeds hate and wastes our time.
posted by switzerblog at
7:41 PM
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