AJ, you say Liberals are just as much Americans as we are and you know what? That's true. But you need to accept that just like you disagree with what we say that opinions from Liberals will also be dissected and criticized and when you believe in "A" (A as in your opinions) you may not find yourself accepting "B" (B as in opposing opinions) and finding those who believe in "B" to be incorrect and maybe even stupid. The same can be said about those who believe in "B"
I have no problem with people disagreeing. Heck, Charles, I'm the only left leaning person in my family, which likes to discuss politics. So people disagree with me pretty much all the time. The issue I have, specifically with Nitro, is his approach. His tactics if you will.
Maybe I'm old fashioned, and yes I'm not any better, but I always figured you could disagree reasonably. No twisting of words, no name calling. Where's the honor in taking someone's wording intentionally (which is how I felt Nitro was doing it), and just....for want of a term, perverting it.
Sure, we all get worked up - *raises hand* - myself probably more than most because I'm young.
I don't know Charles. I just don't know. I can handle debate - heck, I can handle heated/passionate debates - but to go out of your way and call someone stupid or any other number of names, simply because they disagree with you...No. That's crap; it's wrong when I do it, and it's wrong when anyone else does it.
Where's the honor in that? Where's the respect, dignity, etc. in it?
But ask yourself this. Why is it that Liberals and Conservatives or Democrats and Republicans seem to always be at odds with just about every issue this country faces? How come we can't agree on at least 1 issue? And most of all, ask yourself this. Why won't people from either side give an inch without asking for something else in return? While I could say Republicans and Conservatives can give in once in a while to show we can work with Democrats and Liberals, how come I never see that same kind of talk from the other side? How come this Administration seems to be running full steam ahead on Democratic fuel only while no one seems to think there is something wrong about this, this is not how our Gov't was meant to be run? You say we are all Americans, then how come this Administration seem to thinks only Democratic opinions are worth listening too?
I have my guesses on why Liberals and Conservatives are at odds, but they're just that - guesses. I could go on and on about it because it is an issue that drives me up the wall. It's something that we, The United States of America, should be past.
I guess it doesn't help that we let ourselves be sheeple to party politics. We say we're pissed at politicians and that we want more honorable people, but we bite hook, line, and sinker. Again, and again, and again. We say we're smarter, but as soon as another political TV add is out showing that the other side is a different (trained) chimp - we blow our lid.
We think "How dare they believe that, or want that!" They're evil, they're socialist, they're anti-american! Sound familiar? These are the games and tactics that have been used time and again. People may have different opinions - but that doesn't mean that, based only on their opinion, they are evil.
Additionally, neither side listens - because they don't want to. They're happy in their little narrow minded
Honestly, we may claim that we do, but I really think at a basic level no one gives a damn about those outside their: religion, class, ethnicity, political ideaology, etc.
I mean... You have conservatives who feel that if someone is a liberal - then they can be pigeon holed, that they are ABC. (IE - oh, you're liberal? You must be pro-abortion!) Likewise, you have liberals who go and pigeon hole connservatives. You see it here, at DU, at FreeRepublic, damn near everywhere.
Why do we do this?
Who knows, maybe we're simpletons. Maybe it's like the structure/basis of religion? IE - we like having things fit our views. I don't mean to disparage religion, I'm just referencing a book that I've read that talks about early religion (namely, abrahamic and early pagan). If you go back years and years and years (thousands) to early religion - you find that people (nomads) desired a way to explain what they could not comprehend. Hence, they created a sky god. It's a simple reason, but you see it a lot in things. Modern religion, same way. Your religion provides the explanation of things that you just can't understand. Science, same thing. Political parties? Setting aside the knee jerk cynicism based remark about exploitation....Yup, it's a system that confirms your beliefs (IE it looks out for you)
Or, maybe...it's a byproduct of our two party system? Maybe we've let the Democrats and Republicans fool us into thinking that the system we have is the best possible. Who knows.
Differences or not - I would just like to see people that can offer ideas, not vitrol. Compromise, not "my way or the highway."
Yes, we won't always agree; as long as there are more than two people in the world, there will be differences (Or say, a schizophrenic, lol), Yes, sometimes people will want their way only, but...if we keep our goal in sight (Improving america, building a nation on our principles) I still think we can do this. I truly believe that we can move foward. Not for soclism, nor capitalism, nor corporatism, nor liberalism...but for our country.
I try to hope, but it's fading fast.
Anyways...
Like I said, I could go on and on and on, so I'll just stop here....I hope. (I have a lot to say on that topic...) I've got a lot of guesses on why people don't listen to each other. I once thought of going into politics because I feel so strongly that both sides are fools (politicians and the people that follow blindly).
Yes, compromising with democrats is like believing the fox when he says he will take you safely across the river. They get you across (take your compromise), but eat you on the way.
I would have to say that both sides are like starving bears in the congressional den. Politics just isn't about real give/take and lets move forward, compromise. It's about what you can get for your side, or your stingy ideology - forget the other side or other points of view.
That in the long run, can hurt progress and/or the nation as a whole.
****
That said, I'm taking a fellow JUser's advice and "detoxing." I again apologize for my temper; I really am a much more mature person than my failure to control it implies. I hope that one day I finally prove that. I'm a better man than my faults.
See you guys in a few days.
~AJ
