"Regardless, he's still a jackass."
I was completely shocked. How can anyone be comfortable living in a world where their summation of an argument is something so concise and final as the dismissive "Regardless, he's still a jackass." Not an answer. Not a counter-argument. Just dismissal.
Regardless.
Hmph.
I have heard of these types of people...but this was my first personal encounter. I revealed to yet another person in my workplace that I am, indeed, a Republican. This was greeted with forseeable distaste, and then Bush-bashing. "That man is the worst President ever--he's a jackass!" Summarizing the war as a family thing, all about oil, etc. They laughed at the suggestion that WMD had actually been found...I chuckled and said...but they have been. Chemical weapons that were illegal for Saddam to possess. Found...apparently found a while ago...I admit, I have no idea why that didn't make a larger wave 3 years ago, but that doesn't change the fact--they were found. I told them that those were great talking points, but that they had very little to do with reality. They were ready for me--they asked how I knew anything; they asked, you know, if I knew anyone in politics?!?! I smiled...and asked if they had any proof that those talking points had merit. They looked confused...and dismissed me. Insults and dismissal.
Regardless.
Hmph.
Its not an uncommon tactic apparently. I have suspected as much, but there are suddenly plenty of great examples of bitterness and ignorance overshadowing the facts...especially as more and more facts turn up that suggest that perhaps the momentum to impeach the President isn't quite as well founded as some might have thought.
Now...I could go into a rant about this or that political idea...but I'm not going to. That there are people that disagree with me without reason is hardly a new thought...and I would rather use my time discussing things with people with reason that disagree with me--at least then we might grow in the process.
The thing I am most shocked by is this realization...people really don't want to learn and discuss actually the ideas that divide us. They want to avoid those ideas. They don't want to discuss things that matter with truth...they want to hear the things they want to hear...and hearing something they don't want to hear is uncomfortable. There are actually people that don't want to deal with it...in any way shape or form. I've known this...but I cannot help but feel a little bit of sad awe at this realization...how can you live in this world and feel any sense of peace but be unable to discuss real ideas and be interested in finding actual truth. The search for truth doesn't begin by hearing always and only people that agree with you.
This sad little discussion ended with them saying that politics was like religion...its something you just don't talk about.
I wanted to pull out my hair. Politics is something you don't talk about? Religion is something you don't talk about? In a society of *free speech*, these are the things you don't talk about?
Sigh.
And, since the word "jackass" is being thrown around...lets not forget which party is the proud party of the jackass...
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4 comments:
http://www.livescience.com/othernews/060124_political_decisions.html
*sigh* This kind of brainless antagonism is what makes me hesitant to identify myself as a liberal (well, that and some other party doctrines of course). I don't know why I find it more aggravating coming from Democrats than Republicans - I guess I'm used to getting shut down and told I'm evil by conservatives. Rush Limbaugh doesn't bug me so much - it's Air America that pisses me off. :) So on behalf of intellectuals everywhere who would prefer this meaningful debate that is possible and beneficial, I apologize for the idiots you have to work with.
Man... it just keeps going back to that West Wing episode with Glenn Close doesn't it? I should probably learn the title of it by now...
That really was a great episode. I have thought of it frequently of late.
And see, I think--being a little self-songratulatory for a moment--I have grown because for a while there I was almost to the point of perceiving anyone on the "Left" as the same as this specific brand of Liberal.
I don't think that's the case. Perhaps that's why that debate was a turning point of sorts...you and I, divided on other points-- sometimes bitterly--were united on a central issue...and that made me rethinking the nature of the disagreement. We're not enemies (I would rush to say, generally that was not how I thought of you anyways, but sometimes that fact seemed to get lost in the fray of disagreeing about stuff)...we merely disagree at certain points about what this beloved Democratic Republic of ours should look like. But it is beloved for both of us...and we know and believe that about the other. I think the problem arises when people either stop caring about the system, or become convinced that the other party has stopped caring.
The great thing about that West Wing episode was that both judges had tremendous respect for the other, while completely and utterly disagreeing--because they knew they could trust the other to always care about the system. That's unique, almost mythical in today's political world.
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