NEWSFLASH: NEITHER LEFT, RIGHT "CRAZY"

"misguided", perhaps

Published on April 15, 2005 By Gideon MacLeish In Politics

One thing I am sick of seeing in blog after blog, is the reference to either liberals or conservatives as "crazy". The LLL label is the most prominent example of this, but apologists for both sides have been rather generous in their appraisal of the mental condition of their opponents.

Among those I would classify as passionate liberals, conservatives, or centrists, I have found a common thread: ALL are trying as best they can, from their own perspectives and life philosophies, to improve the world around them and leave a better legacy for their children. I may not agree with their proposed solutions, but I respect the fact that they are trying to work towards a solution (for the most part) rather than simply complain.

Speaking from my own perspective, when I write, I write from the soul and from personal experience. I speak as a Libertarian because I have lived the past year and a half in virtual exile because of the consequences of an over-authoritarian government in a rather liberal state. Put simply, I did what I had to do to support my family. I must avoid elaborating further for obvious reasons, but suffice it to say I broke no laws in doing what I did; I just made sure others didn't get a chance to break laws.

As a result, I press for individual liberties, and feel that that topic is the most pressing concern for us as citizens. Someone who has grown up in the inner city may feel that entitlement programs are the most pressing concern. A small business owner who has been stifled by crippling taxes may feel that tax reform is the most pressing concern. NONE of those perspectives are wrong, they are a matter of individual perspective and should be respected if we are to respect the constitution.

Labelling one's opponent "crazy", "loopy", or any other demeaning adjective simply based on their political outlook is a way of demeaning and belittling the philosophies that one holds dear. And, having read most JoeUsers blogs and finding them to be intelligent, articulate individuals, I would encourage them to act like it. We will get nowhere through running each other down; it is imperative that we work together for a better America, regardless of our political affiliation.

Comments

Moderateman

on Apr 15, 2005

MM hold up hand, pleads guilty to name calling, will take this post as an admonishment to me, and attempt to be more understanding.

Dr Guy

on Apr 15, 2005

I reserve the labels like LLL to those whose trolley has left the track. It may be their beliefs, but in being so far out from reality, we should not cater to theier lunacy. And while I believe that there are ones on both ends of the extremes, we seem to see more ranting from the extreme left here at JU than from the extreme right. If there was a republicanunderground.org, I am sure we would see some fine examples from the right as well.

David Hawley

on Apr 15, 2005

Citizen Gideon MacLeish, you deserve a Medal of Honor. I was actually going to post this today, but, you beat me to it. And you did a darn good job, too.

I am a moderate with liberal views on issues such as the Iraq War and legalizing marijuana and conservative views on issues such as abortion rights and gay marriage. I don't think it's fair to label someone just because of their left/right status. John Kerry sided with the conservatives on gay marriage, too! When someone is liberal or conservative, it doesn't mean they believe everything liberals and conservatives believe; everyone's different.

Abraham Lincoln once said, "A house divided can not stand." This is still true today. Don't start a civil war just because some people have different opinions than you do. I did not want George W. Bush to win re-election, but I respect the fact that most Americans did, and it's something I'm willing to live with. I thought Ronald Reagan did a good job as president, while some others thought he was horrible. It's all a matter of personal belief. If people want to live in a country where you have the freedom to have and express your own opinions, then they have to be accepting of the fact that everybody's going to HAVE their own opinions. This doesn't mean you have to be HAPPY that they believe the things they do.

If you want someone to change their mind about a particular issue, it's not a good idea to say, "Hey, you stupid liberal nazi! What's wrong with you?" A good idea would be to present them with factual information in a calm, rational manner. For example, it is a personal belief of mine that tobacco should be illegal. A lot of people would disagree with me (because there are a lot of smokers... especially in Ohio, where I live). In this case, I could be nice about it and say something like, "I know smoking helps people relax, but it also kills one out of three long-term users. Secondhand smoke is also the third leading cause of death." If you were one of the people DEFENDING smoking, they could present some facts back, such as, "What about alcohol? Alcohol is the SECOND leading cause of death." Don't be afraid to be competitive with people who have differing views. Just keep it friendly, and don't call them faggots.

Anyway, I hope my advice helps. I'd like to see some friendly debates on these forums.

Deference

on Apr 15, 2005

I agree with you, Macleish. Political orientation doesn't equal psychosis. I think what you often see at JU is the confusing sentence, "Left wing crazies," or, "Right wing crazies." Which the author could say pertains only to those who are "crazy" and also liberal / conservative, but like deceptive advertising, the insinuation often leaves the reader inferring the author meant "all on the left / right are crazy."

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