Brain Lemon

Being accustomed to the nature of political discourse, it takes a lot to shock me.  Politics often brings out passion in people, and sometimes that passion gets carried away.  Those on both sides can be guilty of this.  But it seems to me there is an important difference between the left and right.  While conservative types can certainly go too far (see birthers) I have never observed the kind of sheer callousness that seems widespread amongst the left.

Today’s example comes from NewsBusters.  A woman tragically decided to take her own life.  This is, most certainly, a very sad occasion and will cause terrible trauma to her family and friends.  On the left, though, what was more important was her occupation – a producer for Fox News.  Because of this, not only was her death not considered tragic – it was considered cause for celebration and something to encourage others do.  As many of us know, Fox News is HATED by the left, for no other reason than it provides a platform for right-of-center opinion.  This hatred is so intense that even a peripheral attachment to it is reason for someone to not receive even the barest empathy.

If this were the only example, we could leave it at this, but sadly it is not.  Over the years there have been numerous examples of leftists exhibiting a truly disturbing lack of basic humanity regarding their political opponents.  This includes frequently wishing for their deaths, wishing them ill, and demonizing viciously.  Again, conservatives can be nasty too, but never to this level.  One has to ask – what happens to a person that makes them feel that way against someone who simply disagrees with them?

I think the answer lies in an important distinction. While libertarians and conservatives generally tend to view liberals as OPPONENTS to be defeated, the other side tends to view us as ENEMIES.  To a true liberal, the forces of the right are not simply people who disagree, but evil people that deserve to be personally harmed.  It is rare for a liberal to even acknowledge the very existence of valid dissent – such dissent must always be caused by sinister motives, never founded on legitimate thought.

All of this is important to keep in mind when dealing with a full-fledged progressive.  You’re not dealing with someone who wants to debate and discuss, to be questioned and reasoned with.  You’re dealing with someone who, once they finds out where your views lie, thinks of you as sub-human and detestable.  If you happen to be associated with a right-leaning network, group, etc., don’t expect even basic decency from the left.  They are simply disturbed people, and it’s simply not worth the time and effort to argue with them.  They don’t want to learn.