Left wingers.
In my three thing things post I listed left wingers as something I hated.
Since some of you folks describe yourself as such and I like you anyway, I will define what I consider a left winger and why I use the word hate.
A left winger is a person like Jane Fonda who went to Vietnam to visit American POW's and took the notes they passed her and handed them off to the Camp leader resulting in additional torture and beatings.
A left Winger votes constantly to deprive me of my second Amendment rights even though I have done nothing wrong and have hurt no one with my firearms.
A left winger is the person who shot at my dad as he was leaving the the airport after his tour in Vietnam.
A left winger is the judge that releases the child molesters over and over with a slap on the wrist and puts them in outpatient treatment instead of prison.
A left winger is someone who gleefully dances in the blood of our fallen soldiers in Iraq just to promote their political agenda.
These are a but few examples but you probably get my point.
There are plenty of liberals I get along with just fine. We may disagree when talking politics but they are still good people in my eyes.
I myself am a Libertarian rather than a Republican. Although, I do identify with certain Republicans that share my values.
Hope this clears things up.
posted by Bill Rowland @ December 01, 2006
14 Comments
14 Comments:
We have Nancy Pelosi taking leadership of the House and Charlie Rangel writing tax policy.
God help us.
Maybe it's a po-TAY-toe/po-TAH-toe kind of thing, but I'd have probably gone with "thoughtless". I don't know that your examples are particularly left or right politically, as much as they are wildly inconsiderate and shallow (as in, the people exhibiting these things- not you for highlighting them). I don't know that there is any defense of Fonda, and I'm not inclined to try. As for the child molesters and prisons, I've heard on the news just this week that we now lead the developed world in prison population (don't recall if that was per person or per capita) but they mentioned that 50% of these inmates are in for drug charges. I don't see the Dems as being all that inclined on changing anything with regards to drug laws, and that may be an area where I share more with the Libertarians than Libs.
Not that you were inviting a debate, or even to suggest that we'd disagree, but I'd submit that the end result is equally damaging between some boob taking a shot at your dad at an airport (and seriously, wtf?) and sending troops into battle with landfill scavanged body armor or less.
This may be a controversial thing to suggest, but in my view there's a parallel between Christians and Republicans in the modern world in as much as there are plently of those who'll talk the talk but precious few who'll walk the walk. Given what little I know about you from your blog, I'm inclined to give you every benefit of doubt for being thankfully in the latter group.
And for the record, as far as I can recall visiting your blog, I've never felt slighted politically/ideologically/etc., and I hope I've never slighted anyone while here.
Cheers, and incidentally, I really appreciated the story about adopting your daughters. Very enlightening.
I agree with you, there's a difference between a liberal and left winger. I love trees, but won't hug 'em, I love animals, but have no problem with hunting. I believe the federal government should be focusing their considerable energy on solving problems instead of trying legislate morality.
LBB: I should have put that on my meme as soming I was scared of.
Stucco: I tend to agree with everything you said and I'm a card carrying conservative nut job according to many.
I'm glad we are cool and I never intend to slight decent folks that I consider my friends on this blog.
Glad you enjoyed the adoption story there's one more installment.
kat: I hear ya, You know the sierra club and other environmentalists pass laws that do not allow limited logging. This allows the forests to fill with kindling. One lightning hit and the whole thing goes up like a match.
Peta and anti-hunters are the same way. They would rather the deer become overpopuated, sicken, starve or wander out on the roads and kill motorists rather than have hunters go out and thin the population.
Hammer, I've ranted about left/right-conservative/liberal
-progressive/reactionary on my blog.
What annoys me is that instead of each issue being considered on its own, people adopt opinions that are pre-packed for their convenience, no need to think. Do you feel that you are modern and progressive? Then follow the opinions of the Left - they are against the status quo. Do you feel threatened and insecure? Then follow the conservative/Right. You won't have to think hard, there will be slogans to chant, pre-packaged arguments to use. I consider each issue on its own. I form opinions based on fact. I might hold Left leaning opinions on one issue and Right leaning opinions on other issues. The Left/Right tag is only coincidental and doesn't dictate my thinking regarding issues. It can get very messy when people attempt to label me, identify me with a particular group. But that's their problem. Discussion is a means of learning if you have an open mind and try to see the others point of view. How often does that happen? I think the labels of Left/Right blind us from thinking about issues and forming our own opinions.
Labels as such are just that - meaningless. Being a "political scientist" I have bever agreed with political labels. In my opinion, labels are just that. All yuppies don't like coffee, all black don't like chicken, all Rednecks don't drive Fords, etc. Republican, Democrat, Libitarian, white, black,green, blonde, adopted - all are labels.
Well, I never thunk it until you said it.
I happen to be an Agnostic Secular Humanist myself.
I've had long discussions with nutjob Libertarians who I've felt fit in the category you seemed to describe, though with different manifestations.
The answer to hot forest fires for them, was to simply cut down the trees (the cause of the hot fires to begin with)
At any rate, you loath nutjobber extremism which is evident on all sides of the poitical spectrum. Some pro gun types (those who claim automatic assault rifles are for "sport" for example, come to mind.)
Hate is such a bigoted word to begin with. I would avoid it in a crowd personally...
Is anything really ever cleared up?
I don't much like labels and definitions myself. Left, right, Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative.
Okay, religious nut case Republicans I don't like at all. I may like the person but we can't talk about religion and politics or I will tell him/her that he/she is a frigging idiot and of course that ticks them off.
I'm always seeking some middle ground myself. When I'm not telling people that they are idiots. :-)
Anyone wanting my gun can't take it from me until the magazine is empty, or I'm dead.
I wouldn't go looking to shoot anyone with it, but I believe in protecting my space and property if someone should try to invade it.
To bad the natives of this country didn't have guns and sense enough to keep the invaders off their shores.
sounds more like left wingnutter
yes, I agree with your definitions.
Because I proclaim myself to be a "right-wing libertarian" in my profile I've noticed some very interesting "first impression" reactions from people. It's most evident while visiting foreign blogs in Europe & the ME.
btw, LOL! once people realize I don't quite fit into the "mold" they just right me off as a Canadian flavored right-winger! :P
Very well said. Contrary to popular belief I'm a conservative but not a Republican. I've been told I'm a conservative libertarian by some I respect but hesitate because 'lib' is in libertarian. LOL So I dunno but my politics are more PALEO-conservative than anything...
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