There is a question I have rattling around in my head that I am not sure how to get out. It sits there like a pebble, making annoying electrical impulses when I read things written by the compassionate Liberal Democrats who make such a big deal about how mean and uncaring the Conservatives are, especially people who support the Tea Party movement. It doesn’t seem to matter whether they are famous name callers like Mr. Maher, Mr. Olbermann, most main stream television commenters on ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC and Fox, or Ms. Garofalo, or just everyday name callers like people on Facebook I happen to know.
When I was young I was taught to respect others, to treat even those you don’t really like with the respect you would want to be treated with. This used to be known as the Golden Rule – do onto others, as you would have them do onto you. Now this seems to have been thrown out the window and it seems to be fair game to dehumanize and demonize anyone who stands between you and your sacred opinions. Routinely words like idiotic, foolish and stupid are used to describe why an opposing view is wrong, but it doesn’t stop with the name calling of the opinion, the individual who expresses that opinion is a fool, an idiot or just plain stupid as well.
For example, when Ms Garofalo talks about the Republicans she points out the “obvious racism” of the party, and that any woman, black or person of color who chooses to align with that party must have Stockholm syndrome isn’t she saying they are idiots because they choose their own path and if it disagrees with her view of the world they must be pawns. It seems to me if anyone is making a racist or antifeminist statement in this discussion it would be Ms. Garofalo who believes clearly a minority or woman who disagrees with her cannot be thinking clearly and his or her ability to understand reality must have been compromised. Clearly, with a degree in History and American Studies, she is eminently qualified to render these conclusions. Yet who is there to offer an opposing view?
How easy it is to post to the Internet comments like shmuck, bitch, fool, or retard when there is little chance anyone will call you on it. Why is it that it seems a majority of these are made by the liberal communities? When I was a teenager I used profanity. I believe it is almost a right of passage, like smoking. Teenagers use language they believe will offend their parents and their friends as a way of pushing their own independence. Among teenagers I now expect to hear this regularly because no one is there to teach them differently. But why is it that we don’t grow out of this and learn to use words that convey our ideas without vulgarity or hate when we are supposedly engaged in civil discourse, or speaking in public where anyone can hear us?
I hadn’t given this much thought until one day I was playing golf with my 28 year old son and I hit an errant shot and said damn or maybe fuck. He looked at me and asked when I had started swearing. I was taken back for a moment and had to think about it. In the world of aviation we swear with our peers as part of the friendly banter. When my wife and I had children we agreed that swearing around them wouldn’t set a good example. I hadn’t realized how disciplined or successful I had been until then.
So back to the original issue, why is the progressive-liberal side so much like a naughty teenager when it comes to disagreeing with the conservative-religious side? Why is vulgarity used as a shock and intimidation tool so quickly? Is it they really don’t have good counter arguments to make and like angry children they lash out with the only thing they have, profanity and hateful speech? Granted there are those on the right who are equally vulgar, but I have a hard time finding the same numbers, why is that?
So now to that question that keeps rattling around in my brain… What should I do when confronted with this? For now my approach is to not support whatever show or venue they are at, but surely blocking it out will not help fix the problem, so what should I do?
3 comments:
It seems that those with small minds tend to be the ones with big mouths. I find that those who actually have some good answers are not usually in the lime light
good post and I like what none said. "so what should I do?" Be the bigger person.
I think it depends on your relationship to the person in question. If they are a friend you might appeal to their intelligence and reasonableness (honey rather than vinegar.) If it's a person you don't know at all, perhaps a touch of humor and redirection might be in order: "Aside from the racism, the sexism, and the obvious hatred of puppies, what exactly do you find objectionable about Candidate X? Is it his idea that we should spend less money than we make?"
I think oftentimes it's a fool's errand (so to speak) as most of us don't like being corrected, but sometimes one might be a reminder to someone who should know better.
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