We Are Not The Enemy!
Well, my friend Andy done went and got me all pissed off on a nice Sunday morning. He's upset that someone has gone all hyperbolic and accused Democrats of possibly harboring negative emotions. He contends that Democrats are incapable of doing hateful things. Obviously, I disagree.
I am sick and fucking tired of this "Us vs. Them" attitude being promoted by both of the major political parties. I mean, it's one thing to poke fun at the opposition, via satire & general snarkiness. It's another thing entirely to promulgate active hatred just because the other half of the country doesn't believe in the same things that you do.
That sort of reasoning is what got us to Krystallnacht, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Rwandan & Sudanese massacres, just to name a very few examples.
OK, for the record...
Democrats! The Republicans will NOT be bussing the gays off to reeducation camps. They will NOT destroy the planet's ecosystem. They will NOT institute mandatory church attendance. They will, however, ask that you pull your own weight, contribute to society, and that you not insist on perfoming sex acts on your partners in the front yard.
Republicans! The Democrats will NOT apply the Gay-O-Matic genderbender to your kid's brain. They will NOT erase religion from the country. They will NOT take your guns, though they will probably try to. They will, however, ask you to pay some taxes towards social welfare to keep the poor from rioting and burning down the cities. They might ask you to be a little more tolerant towards the more... unique... citizens we have. They may even ask you to toss some money towards Public Television. It's cool, NOVA & Masterpiece Theater are worth a few Bill Moyers and Sesame Streets!
Look, the other side is NOT the enemy. They are the loyal opposition. There's a world of difference, but if you can't figure that out, you're not nearly as nuanced and erudite as you think you are.
Now, I hate to close this plea for tolerance with a statement of intolerance, but I'm just at that point now.
From this moment onwards, anyone referring to either U.S. political party as "evil" or "the enemy" has chosen to remove themselves from the bounds of polite & rational discourse, and I'll have to work very hard to take anything you say at face value. We have met the enemy, and it is NOT us!
Back off the hatred. It benefits no one.
Make an effort to understand the other side. I'll wager you agree on 80% of most issues. That other 20% will work itself out.
Ok, rant over. Go about your business as usual.
I am sick and fucking tired of this "Us vs. Them" attitude being promoted by both of the major political parties. I mean, it's one thing to poke fun at the opposition, via satire & general snarkiness. It's another thing entirely to promulgate active hatred just because the other half of the country doesn't believe in the same things that you do.
That sort of reasoning is what got us to Krystallnacht, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Rwandan & Sudanese massacres, just to name a very few examples.
OK, for the record...
Democrats! The Republicans will NOT be bussing the gays off to reeducation camps. They will NOT destroy the planet's ecosystem. They will NOT institute mandatory church attendance. They will, however, ask that you pull your own weight, contribute to society, and that you not insist on perfoming sex acts on your partners in the front yard.
Republicans! The Democrats will NOT apply the Gay-O-Matic genderbender to your kid's brain. They will NOT erase religion from the country. They will NOT take your guns, though they will probably try to. They will, however, ask you to pay some taxes towards social welfare to keep the poor from rioting and burning down the cities. They might ask you to be a little more tolerant towards the more... unique... citizens we have. They may even ask you to toss some money towards Public Television. It's cool, NOVA & Masterpiece Theater are worth a few Bill Moyers and Sesame Streets!
Look, the other side is NOT the enemy. They are the loyal opposition. There's a world of difference, but if you can't figure that out, you're not nearly as nuanced and erudite as you think you are.
Now, I hate to close this plea for tolerance with a statement of intolerance, but I'm just at that point now.
From this moment onwards, anyone referring to either U.S. political party as "evil" or "the enemy" has chosen to remove themselves from the bounds of polite & rational discourse, and I'll have to work very hard to take anything you say at face value. We have met the enemy, and it is NOT us!
Back off the hatred. It benefits no one.
Make an effort to understand the other side. I'll wager you agree on 80% of most issues. That other 20% will work itself out.
Ok, rant over. Go about your business as usual.
posted by El Capitan | 10:50 AM
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