In The Godfather, Michael Corleone is beaten by a police captain. Michael is told that the beating was just business, not personal. Michael replies "Don't kid yourself, Tom. It's all personal. Every piece of shit that a man has to eat in his life is personal".
For the most part, I have never felt that way about politics. I have no business criticizing how others live so long as they do not impinge on my life. I'm tolerant of every sexual proclivity, every drug and drink, everything. I think it all should be legal, and I mean all. While I think abortion should be legal I don't care enough to make it a voting issue. I do not believe any religion should have governmental support in the US, while also supporting the will of the large majority that are Christian in wanting certain Christian symbols to remain in government and public places. I make enough money that most federal assistance programs do not apply to me, and I don't make so much to be affected by things like the inheritance tax. Intrinsically I don't like name-calling or emotional arguments that twist facts. I greatly dislike the manipulative appeals of all politicians, which seems like cheap sales talk to me.
The result has been that I vote for the candidate whose policies seem most reasonable to me, and who seems least manipulative. For years I voted Democrat. Recently I vote Republican.
As much as I dislike manipulative argument, I dislike public disorder. I lived through the riots of the '60s, and I recall the fear and my disgust, even as a 10 year old, with the burning, looting, and violence. It seemed then and now as a self-destructive expression of rage whose major target were the people most affected by the very events and policies they were protesting.
I dislike Trump's excesses and coarse verbiage, but his policies resonated with me, and still do. What has affected me most, however, has been the reaction since his election. This is often referred to by conservative outlets as Trump Derangement Syndrome, and the name fits.
Liberals have, since Trump's election, engaged in all sorts of verbally and physically violent behavior. Trump supporters, and Republicans generally, have been called racists, xenophobes, homophobes, sexists. We have been lumped together as deplorables, called fascists. Friends have put up such items on FB. The Anti-fa, as they style themselves, have prevented access to Republican and Trump rallies. They have smashed windows and beaten up Republicans. Liberals have prevented Conservatives from speaking on college campuses. Anything disagreeing with Liberalism is labeled hate speech, and censored.
All this is deeply offensive to me. I understand disagreement, but not labeling, especially those that denigrate my values. I revile, truly and literally, those who in the name of protest destroy property and hurt people. Every bit of it is personal for me. Every single time a media outlet or celebrity calls Trump supporters names, they are calling me names. I am very forgiving of fleshly indulgence, but I am completely intolerant of personal insult. Absent an honorable and heart-felt apology, there is no acceptance or reconciliation.
I don't like Trump's style, but the reaction to his election has been the ugliest thing I have seen in American public discourse since the brutal suppression of peaceful marchers for racial equality in the early '60s. No matter how tawdry Trump's behavior, Democrats ought to think about the impact their name-calling and labeling has on those who otherwise might be sympathetic to their policies.
Ted
For the most part, I have never felt that way about politics. I have no business criticizing how others live so long as they do not impinge on my life. I'm tolerant of every sexual proclivity, every drug and drink, everything. I think it all should be legal, and I mean all. While I think abortion should be legal I don't care enough to make it a voting issue. I do not believe any religion should have governmental support in the US, while also supporting the will of the large majority that are Christian in wanting certain Christian symbols to remain in government and public places. I make enough money that most federal assistance programs do not apply to me, and I don't make so much to be affected by things like the inheritance tax. Intrinsically I don't like name-calling or emotional arguments that twist facts. I greatly dislike the manipulative appeals of all politicians, which seems like cheap sales talk to me.
The result has been that I vote for the candidate whose policies seem most reasonable to me, and who seems least manipulative. For years I voted Democrat. Recently I vote Republican.
As much as I dislike manipulative argument, I dislike public disorder. I lived through the riots of the '60s, and I recall the fear and my disgust, even as a 10 year old, with the burning, looting, and violence. It seemed then and now as a self-destructive expression of rage whose major target were the people most affected by the very events and policies they were protesting.
I dislike Trump's excesses and coarse verbiage, but his policies resonated with me, and still do. What has affected me most, however, has been the reaction since his election. This is often referred to by conservative outlets as Trump Derangement Syndrome, and the name fits.
Liberals have, since Trump's election, engaged in all sorts of verbally and physically violent behavior. Trump supporters, and Republicans generally, have been called racists, xenophobes, homophobes, sexists. We have been lumped together as deplorables, called fascists. Friends have put up such items on FB. The Anti-fa, as they style themselves, have prevented access to Republican and Trump rallies. They have smashed windows and beaten up Republicans. Liberals have prevented Conservatives from speaking on college campuses. Anything disagreeing with Liberalism is labeled hate speech, and censored.
All this is deeply offensive to me. I understand disagreement, but not labeling, especially those that denigrate my values. I revile, truly and literally, those who in the name of protest destroy property and hurt people. Every bit of it is personal for me. Every single time a media outlet or celebrity calls Trump supporters names, they are calling me names. I am very forgiving of fleshly indulgence, but I am completely intolerant of personal insult. Absent an honorable and heart-felt apology, there is no acceptance or reconciliation.
I don't like Trump's style, but the reaction to his election has been the ugliest thing I have seen in American public discourse since the brutal suppression of peaceful marchers for racial equality in the early '60s. No matter how tawdry Trump's behavior, Democrats ought to think about the impact their name-calling and labeling has on those who otherwise might be sympathetic to their policies.
Ted
While I feel the time for political parties is over, as they have become more divisive than helpful, I am neither Republican nor Democra. I support our President. He was duly elected and the cries for impeachment have no basis. I, too am disgusted by some of my otherwise loving friends nasty name calling. I’ve told my friends to not send me anything political nor discuss politics with me. One friend, who had sent me a nasty cartoon after my asking her not to share anything political, replied, “I thought you would think it was funny.” I believe these self proclaimed democrats, who “share” such disrespect simply assume that everyone thinks politically the way they do. They would never post hurtful things about someone they know personally. Perhaps they see public figures as fair game because the don’t know them personally. Then again, they talk about their failed candidates as if they were long lost loved ones. The vitriol scares me because they don’t seem to understand there are people. When we forget, or disconsider, certain people as humans, we are more prone to take inhuman action. History has shown us what can happen when certain groups are declared inhuman.
ReplyDeleteFurther to the names we are called . . . I went to City Hall Monday. (Maybe that's why I went into near syncope?) There was a new sign at the entrance for the City Clerk's office, where we pay bills, taxes, register to vote. The sign read, "Customer Service Center." Perhaps I am nitpicking but I'd rather it read, Citizens Service Center.
ReplyDelete