On my way this morning to meet Dan for brunch, I was listening to one of our local talk-radio stations. The host was reading from Michael Barone’s piece from this weekend about the Administration’s inability to call our enemy “Islamist extremists”. I hadn’t read this article when I wrote my post this weekend regarding the Left’s incessant use of the term “hate” to deride not the content of their opponents’ arguments, but rather their motivations, thus avoiding having to defend their own positions against a thoughtful rebuttal. But Barone gives me even more to think about, when he concludes, after lining out several instances of American leaders’ trepidation to call our enemy by name (emphasis added by me):
My theory is that these well-intentioned folk see the American people as a howling mob. They think that if Americans find out that Islamists are attacking us, they will go out and slaughter innocent Muslims. They think that Americans are incapable of understanding the simple truth that while most terrorists are Islamists, the large majority of Muslims are not terrorists.
Doesn’t this sound similar to the argument about the gay Leftists who insist on labeling their rhetorical opponents simply “hateful”, rather than allowing that they might be temperate and sober thoughtful people who simply have come to different conclusions than they have?
This Howling Mob theory dovetails well with the use of “hate” as a dismissive for the gay Left. They are of a piece. If an entire class of Americans believe we (i.e., the rest of the Nation) are all simply unwashed masses without the cranial wherewithal to even understand cognitive subtleties, wouldn’t it make sense to try to pit us against each other by preying on our basest instincts and emotions?
-Nick (ColoradoPatriot, from HQ)
This post and your previous one, ColoradoPatriot, brought up some interesting points. I write this, by the way, as a moderate who has voted for both Republicans & Democrats in the past. Maybe it is true that the “gay Left”, as you say, is quick to use the word “hate” and “bigot” with people who do not agree with their views.
While venting on a conservative blog may be therapeutic, wouldn’t it be more effective to get a group of gay conservatives together, and go to those “left leaning” organizations such as the HRC, Courage Campaign, etc. etc. and insist to have a place at the table? After all, the only way that these gay (left) organizations will be able to get the causes they consider important, accomplished — will occur by getting at least, some amount of conservative support.
I think that gay conservatives are in a unique position to reach moderates and (straight) conservative people. Dan often says that gay marriage advocates need to make a positive case FOR gay marriage. If the gay Left is too busy screaming “hate”, should gay conservatives stoop to their level and attack the gay left? Or would it be a smarter idea for gay conservatives (the ones who support gay marriage), to start doing what members of the gay Left won’t?
As for repealing “Don’t ask Don’t tell” (DADT) in the military (an issue that pretty much the gay left & gay conservatives agree), wouldn’t it also be a smart idea to start reaching out to Republican members of Congress for their support? How many Republican congressmen & women have expressed interest in repealing DADT? Instead of only attacking Obama & the Democrats for going slow or even backtracking on this issue, wouldn’t it be a smarter approach for gay conservatives to also reach out to (straight) conservatives & Republican senators & representatives for their support?
Just as there are many liberals and gay left people who “hate” conservatives & Republicans, I also know conservatives & Republicans who “hate” liberals, Democrats, or anything associated with Obama.
No matter one’s political persuasion, it’s easy to attack others. But in the end, it probably doesn’t accomplish much. It would probably be more effective to start having that positive discussion — with the gay, Democratic and Left as well as the straight, Republican and Right.
You mean like LCR? That’s sort of mushy, moderate way to do it, eh? How about standing up for what you believe in instead of grabbing the Astroglide just so everybody will like you?
You mean like GOProud?
My mother…who isn’t a stupid person…unfortunately gets most of her political news from the (liberal) MSM; the New York Times, CNN and MSNBC cable news. To hear her tell the tale, the Teabaggers are a bunch of dangerous christianist, racist thugs. About our only common-ground politically is “…throw the incumbents out.“
If an entire class of Americans believe we (i.e., the rest of the Nation) are all simply unwashed masses without the cranial wherewithal to even understand cognitive subtleties, wouldn’t it make sense to try to pit us against each other by preying on our basest instincts and emotions?
It’s not that we’d like to see you destroy each other, it would just be nice for you to snap out of your stupor. The spell that the Republican party has over their conservative base is practically indistinguishable from a religious fervor, in that you believe you have found some secret truth and are relentlessly persecuted. Your spastic flailing and incoherent rambling is enough to grind the gears of society and good government to a halt, but it’s not your fault, although most of the times conservatives do seem to enjoy wallowing in their ignorance. You’re the manipulated, not the manipulators, and I reserve my loathing for them. You get my pity.
Yes, CP, this is how lefties view everyone else. They — the great leftists — are the superior humans with a right to rule over the great unwashed masses.
Thomas Sowell wrote an entire book on this several years ago: The Vision of the Anointed. You should read it.
This needs some correcting. Here is how it should read:
The spell that the Democratic Party has over its leftist base is practically indistinguishable from a religious fervor, in that they — the lefties — believe they have found some secret truth and are relentlessly persecuted.
You need to quit the psychological projection, Levi. Or better yet, just shut the fuck up.
Levi @ 4:
This needs some correcting. (Not surprising considering its author.) Here is how it should read:
The spell that the Democratic Party has over their leftist base is practically indistinguishable from a religious fervor, in that the lefties believe they have found some secret truth and are relentlessly persecuted. Their spastic flailing and incoherent rambling has proven enough to grind the gears of society and good government to a halt. While it is their fault, most of the times lefties do seem to enjoy wallowing in their ignorance.
No need to thank me for my proofreading services, Levi, although you really should quit the psychological projection. Perhaps it would be best if you just never said anything.
Like the religion of Global Warmism?
How can you read ThinkPropaganda and MediaMorons and compare their writings on a subject to what actually happened or was said and not conclude those poor lemmings who read those sites aren’t manipulated?
Like when the liberals latched onto that bullshit of the manufactured quotes Rush allegedly said about slavery during the STL Rams kerfuffle a few months back. Look at how many people BELIEVED he actually said that.
Now, who’s the manipulated?
We have a political party that wants everybody to believe that everybody else EXCEPT them are racist, sexist, bigot homophobes. They elect a black man to “prove” it and pat gays on the head and tell them what wonderful faggots they are come election time. The manipulated are the ones they hope are stupid enough to believe it. The liberals couldn’t give a rotten fcuk about you. They just want you to believe everybody else hates you.
YOU, sir, are the manipulated.
Guys,
Levi still thinks that some parts of the constitution are more important than others, Judges rule the country, and that there are many successful socialist countries. Of course he can’t back any of his statements up and lies constantly, so take his words at that value.
As is usual, Victor Davis Hanson sums up the situation.
@The Livewire: would one of those most successful Socialist/Communist countries by chance be Greece? ROFL… just asking….
Levi piques my interest:
Levi, come back! Levi!
Please ‘splain what the Democrats have done since they took the reins in 2006 to gear society up and get good government humming along.
Please ‘splain what Democrat President, a lop-sided Democrat House and 60 seat Democrat Senate have done since 2008 to gear society up and get good government humming along.
Or, if you prefer, please ‘splain how those wascally wepublicans have been able to dupe the smartest people in the universe time and time again. ‘Spose you could mute Rush, Glenn, Sarah, Sean, Mark, Ann, Laura and Newt …. would it be springtime for Obama and good government would bust out all over?
‘Spose Obama just closed Gitmo, pulled out of Iraq and Afghanistan, sent valentines to Iran, and shut down relations with Israel. He has that power. Shouldn’t he do that before the Democrats start to hemorrhage seats in November? Oh, yeah, why are Democrats going to hemorrhage seats in November? ‘Splain that.
Furthermore, Obama does not lack for money. He has quadrupled the deficit spending and when you run up the deficit spending, there is no real end to what you can spend. So, money is not an Obama problem for greasing the gears of society and goosing good government into full hum mode. ‘Splain that, too, please.
@TheStraightAussie,
I don’t know what countries he’s referring to. It’s been 82 days since he made the claim, and was called out on it. Still for stating ‘several’ he can’t even name two.
He’ll go sulk now, only to pop up and spout his bile in another thread.
My statist friends are always fond of saying “people are too stupid” to do things like make their own healthcare decisions or buy property using anything other than a 30 year fixed loan. They use words like “schlubs”, “rubes” etc. Their entire socialist philosphy is based on the idea that they are smarter and better than the average American.
Of course they don’t say “better” they say “no I just feel for them and want to help them” but socialists don’t want to help, they want to force people into certain courses of action “for their own good”
What’s sad is they don’t realize how the statist christian Right is the same way, they assume it’s “hate” but instead it’s the same socialist belief : they both want to control other people “for their own good”. But only righties can hate and lefties just care? I don’t think so. Maybe both sides hate the average american and think they are stupid and need to be controlled.
We used to call it tyranny.
Plutosdad,
Please direct me to the “statist Christian right.” I am interested in knowing more about these people. Websites, publications, etc. would help. Who are their leaders and financiers? What are their three key objectives? How do you profile a “statist Christian right” operative?
And when Levi the Puppet pops up again, slap him down with his precious “progressive” movement’s latest — Barack Obama and his puppet Elena Kagan support banning political pamphlets and political speech other than in the media they control.
#17: NDT, that Reason article is an eye-popper. Geez – they’ll be burning books, next (in some environmentally friendly way, of course).
I guess it’s true that the left thinks that the only speech protected by the First Amendment is porn and taxpayer-funded “art” (gubmint-issue porn).
Talk about aiming for the very heart of the republic.