Extremes in Current Political Climate (and a discussion of liberal tolerance)
America has become a polarized political nation. This doesn't mean that there aren't a VAST group of people who are in the middle watching, listening and reading before making decisions. I'm talking about the people who are vocal about politics. Some of you have just thought to yourselves, "WELL DUH!" But, I am concerned not so much with who is what as much as I am by the TOTAL lack of INTELLIGENT healthy discourse that has permeated the American Political Climate.
I once lived in a state that drank the Republican Kool-Aid. Now I live in a state that drinks the JIM JONES version of the Liberal Kool-Aid. In both instances, I was arguing from a Moderate viewpoint, I've just had to turn my head to the other side to do the arguing. I thought that people in Alabama were scary with their close-minded attitudes toward the other side of the argument, but Oregonians are even MORE vehemently close-minded in their own viewpoints... I know that must have touched a nerve, but just hold back the steam and read on... or you prove my point.
Oregonians are wonderfully tolerant and acceptable of all kinds of people and lifestyles. It's one of the things I love about living in Oregon. You can do your own thing and look the way you want and nobody is gonna bug you about it, but that's an EASY tolerance. The scary part is that the people who think they are so tolerant are also the people who can't listen to a person with conservative or even MODERATE viewpoints without getting upset to the point of rage... or they turn off their ears and decide you're just an idiot who can't understand the realities of the issue you're discussing.
I am NOT advocating one viewpoint or another. I could care less what your political views are as long as you have solid arguments to back up your beliefs, and you are willing to have a CIVIL conversation about it... but some of these people see everything on the OTHER end of the political spectrum as EVIL... and see their position as the one to combat that evil... ummm... I hate to break it to you, but you're wrong on BOTH counts. And, before you pile on and call me a conservative idiot, you better understand that I think the same of Conservatives who consider every Liberal is out to destroy the American way of life.
Both extremes are wrong. They are necessary, but not often the realistic solution to ANY problem. They are necessary in that they are the balances to each other, and they are the potential energy that swings the political pendulum and allows for constructive arguments that further the American way of life and the needs of its people. That doesn't mean that the process and the results don't take wrong turns. However, for the extreme ideologies to believe that they are the solution to the problem and that the contrary ideology is evil and backward is ridiculous. I have heard some of the most outlandishly ridiculous claims regarding the last TWO Presidents of this country. For people to think that either one of these people is a SAINT or the DEVIL is assinine. They are humans. They have ideals that they think will help the country, and they follow those ideals and try to make a difference. Some of their ideas and programs turn out to be wrong or based on bad information, but they are not put forth with evil intent. That doesn't mean that there aren't people in government out for their own rewards and to take advantage of their positions, but the people in the front lines of American Politics have beliefs that they think can help the people of this country.
All I am trying to put forth is that having differing opinions is a good thing. Listening to those opinions with respect is also a good thing. The problem I see is that my conservative friends will listen and disagree... even vehemently so, but my liberal friends... tend to discount ANY argument from the other side as uninformed or backward or worse... racist, misogynistic, or homophobic. The worst I've ever heard an EDUCATED conservative call someone in regards to ideas and opinions is "Liberal." The tolerance many liberals claim they believe in rarely extends to differences of opinions, and that is the most relevant form of tolerance.
I certainly don't agree with a LOT of things in the conservative agenda or ideology. I still, for the life of me can't understand their fixation on saying Creationism/Intelligent Design is relevant and should be taught along side Evolution... Frankly, it ISN'T hard to see how the two can both be part of the answer, but you don't need to teach it as science. If you believe in God and believe that he created everything then why must he have done it in seven days? Can't you see that God's manner of creation could have BEEN evolution? This digression is really about the tolerance of ideas. Why must things be black and white, right and wrong all the time? They AREN'T that defined and stratified. The issues and the solutions are more like a watercolor painting... Blended and shaded in a rainbow of colors, that don't work if you're dissecting it with a microscope, and sometimes don't work at all... but when they DO work together, and the viewer takes a step or two back and considers the whole... it is a beautiful work of art.
My concern is that the poles are starting to get too heavy... There is gathering at the extremes that makes it harder for constructive debate and workable solutions. Everyone is SCREAMING at the top of their lungs that THEY HAVE THE ANSWER and EVERYONE ON THE OTHER SIDE IS AN AGENT OF SATAN. It's like a group of kids playing in the street and someone gets upset and stomps off with his ball because they don't like the way things are going... It's childish, destructive and has NOTHING to do with solving the problems of this country or the problems that effect the Global community either.
You don't have to agree with someone's opinion, and you don't have to like their argument, but if they have an informed opinion based on what they see, read, and believe, you have to at least respect it as an opinion and not just discount it out of hand as "backwards", because it doesn't fit your criteria or opinions. I learn something from EVERY discussion I have about important issues. Sometimes I learn of a new source of information that I can use to better inform myself. Sometimes I am swayed by an argument and other times I find that my opinion and argument has been solidified by the argument against it. Whatever the case, I am enriched for having had the discussion. Open your minds... don't claim you do only to shut your ears. It may seem that I picked on the Liberal side a bit in this, but it's what I'm facing right now... and Liberals are the ones that pound their chest all the time claiming to be open-minded and tolerant.
I once lived in a state that drank the Republican Kool-Aid. Now I live in a state that drinks the JIM JONES version of the Liberal Kool-Aid. In both instances, I was arguing from a Moderate viewpoint, I've just had to turn my head to the other side to do the arguing. I thought that people in Alabama were scary with their close-minded attitudes toward the other side of the argument, but Oregonians are even MORE vehemently close-minded in their own viewpoints... I know that must have touched a nerve, but just hold back the steam and read on... or you prove my point.
Oregonians are wonderfully tolerant and acceptable of all kinds of people and lifestyles. It's one of the things I love about living in Oregon. You can do your own thing and look the way you want and nobody is gonna bug you about it, but that's an EASY tolerance. The scary part is that the people who think they are so tolerant are also the people who can't listen to a person with conservative or even MODERATE viewpoints without getting upset to the point of rage... or they turn off their ears and decide you're just an idiot who can't understand the realities of the issue you're discussing.
I am NOT advocating one viewpoint or another. I could care less what your political views are as long as you have solid arguments to back up your beliefs, and you are willing to have a CIVIL conversation about it... but some of these people see everything on the OTHER end of the political spectrum as EVIL... and see their position as the one to combat that evil... ummm... I hate to break it to you, but you're wrong on BOTH counts. And, before you pile on and call me a conservative idiot, you better understand that I think the same of Conservatives who consider every Liberal is out to destroy the American way of life.
Both extremes are wrong. They are necessary, but not often the realistic solution to ANY problem. They are necessary in that they are the balances to each other, and they are the potential energy that swings the political pendulum and allows for constructive arguments that further the American way of life and the needs of its people. That doesn't mean that the process and the results don't take wrong turns. However, for the extreme ideologies to believe that they are the solution to the problem and that the contrary ideology is evil and backward is ridiculous. I have heard some of the most outlandishly ridiculous claims regarding the last TWO Presidents of this country. For people to think that either one of these people is a SAINT or the DEVIL is assinine. They are humans. They have ideals that they think will help the country, and they follow those ideals and try to make a difference. Some of their ideas and programs turn out to be wrong or based on bad information, but they are not put forth with evil intent. That doesn't mean that there aren't people in government out for their own rewards and to take advantage of their positions, but the people in the front lines of American Politics have beliefs that they think can help the people of this country.
All I am trying to put forth is that having differing opinions is a good thing. Listening to those opinions with respect is also a good thing. The problem I see is that my conservative friends will listen and disagree... even vehemently so, but my liberal friends... tend to discount ANY argument from the other side as uninformed or backward or worse... racist, misogynistic, or homophobic. The worst I've ever heard an EDUCATED conservative call someone in regards to ideas and opinions is "Liberal." The tolerance many liberals claim they believe in rarely extends to differences of opinions, and that is the most relevant form of tolerance.
I certainly don't agree with a LOT of things in the conservative agenda or ideology. I still, for the life of me can't understand their fixation on saying Creationism/Intelligent Design is relevant and should be taught along side Evolution... Frankly, it ISN'T hard to see how the two can both be part of the answer, but you don't need to teach it as science. If you believe in God and believe that he created everything then why must he have done it in seven days? Can't you see that God's manner of creation could have BEEN evolution? This digression is really about the tolerance of ideas. Why must things be black and white, right and wrong all the time? They AREN'T that defined and stratified. The issues and the solutions are more like a watercolor painting... Blended and shaded in a rainbow of colors, that don't work if you're dissecting it with a microscope, and sometimes don't work at all... but when they DO work together, and the viewer takes a step or two back and considers the whole... it is a beautiful work of art.
My concern is that the poles are starting to get too heavy... There is gathering at the extremes that makes it harder for constructive debate and workable solutions. Everyone is SCREAMING at the top of their lungs that THEY HAVE THE ANSWER and EVERYONE ON THE OTHER SIDE IS AN AGENT OF SATAN. It's like a group of kids playing in the street and someone gets upset and stomps off with his ball because they don't like the way things are going... It's childish, destructive and has NOTHING to do with solving the problems of this country or the problems that effect the Global community either.
You don't have to agree with someone's opinion, and you don't have to like their argument, but if they have an informed opinion based on what they see, read, and believe, you have to at least respect it as an opinion and not just discount it out of hand as "backwards", because it doesn't fit your criteria or opinions. I learn something from EVERY discussion I have about important issues. Sometimes I learn of a new source of information that I can use to better inform myself. Sometimes I am swayed by an argument and other times I find that my opinion and argument has been solidified by the argument against it. Whatever the case, I am enriched for having had the discussion. Open your minds... don't claim you do only to shut your ears. It may seem that I picked on the Liberal side a bit in this, but it's what I'm facing right now... and Liberals are the ones that pound their chest all the time claiming to be open-minded and tolerant.
posted by Daniel at 1:34 PM
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