Agree or disagree: When you demonize the other side, you make America a less civilized society (Glenn Beck, healthcare)

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Unless and until we actually do start seeing ourselves as part of one country in this together, until we start to recognize all our humanity, we are going to dissolve in destruction and violence. This is a very real and frightening possibility.

Lara M. Gardner: Stop Demonizing The Other Side's Supporters

[ryanst530]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

Unless and until we actually do start seeing ourselves as part of one country in this together, until we start to recognize all our humanity, we are going to dissolve in destruction and violence. This is a very real and frightening possibility.

Lara M. Gardner: Stop Demonizing The Other Side's Supporters

Dude, enough already with this hippie nonsense.

The people who argue their side are only sticking up for what they feel is right. If enough people argue their point, a real difference can be made.

I will not just submit to another side's beliefs just because I feel like we need to become a more "civilized society". **** that.

[afoigrokerkok]

Originally Posted by ryanst530

Dude, enough already with this hippie nonsense.

The people who argue their side are only sticking up for what they feel is right. If enough people argue their point, a real difference can be made.

I will not just submit to another side's beliefs just because I feel like we need to become a more "civilized society". **** that.

You can argue your side and stick up for what you feel is right without "demonizing" the other side.

No one ever suggested mere submission. The suggestion is to work with the other side, considering their points and educating them on your points, attempting to come up with a joint solution to issues. Most of us actually have the same goals, believe it or not. We simply disagree on the means to achieve those goals.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by ryanst530

Dude, enough already with this hippie nonsense.

The people who argue their side are only sticking up for what they feel is right. If enough people argue their point, a real difference can be made.

I will not just submit to another side's beliefs just because I feel like we need to become a more "civilized society". **** that.

It's not about submission. It's about compromising. It's something that mature adults learn how to do.

There's a big difference between speaking up for what you believe is right and demonizing those who disagree with you. I just don't have much respect for people who can only spew negativity about the other side.

[artsyguy]

Absolutely agree.

[Mike from back east]

I agree with the OP, but I gotta say that what I've seen in the last 20+ years in the GOP/right calling people all sorts of names, such as:
- Welfare Queens
- Welfare Liberals
- Tax and Spend Liberals
- Baby Killers and Infanticide
- Liberals (it's become a demonized dirty word with the GOP, who sneer it every chance they get)
- Socialists
- Communists
- Fascists

There are a lot of other demonizing tactics and language used by Karl Rove and the right the past decade or so. Recently, Glenn Beck, who shouldn't be allowed near a microphone, began calling our President a racist. Other rightwing mouthpieces have called anyone who disagrees with their agenda all sorts of names, like the ones above, etc.

I'm all for getting over the divisiveness, but the GOP needs to make amends and start the ball rolling. Perhaps Senator Graham's decent words for Sonja Sotomajor are a start, and the work this week by Senator Grassley and a few other GOP'ers to get a workable healthcare plan in place may be a further step towards better relations between the left and right. Truth is, MOST of us live towards the center of the spectrum, not out on the fringes.

[macmeal]

Agreed.....however, if we insist on the goal of a multicultural, values-neutral, "anything goes" society..where no lifestyle, no cultural attribute, no 'way of handling things' is BAD....just 'different'....then we'll probably continue to "demonize" each other, because no honest discussion will be possible. When somebody does something that outrages us, we'll HAVE to demonize them, for otherwise, their otrageous behavior will be 'just their way of doing things...no worse, and no less valid than ours...only 'different' "

This PC nonsense can only be carried so far, and then it becomes obvious BS. When THAT happens, logical, civilized discussion goes by the wayside, and the illogical 'screaming' begins.....and a large part pf that breakdown of common sense is a tendency to 'demonize' one's opponents.

[EnjoyTheSilence]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I agree with the OP, but I gotta say that what I've seen in the last 20+ years in the GOP/right calling people all sorts of names, such as:
- Welfare Queens
- Welfare Liberals
- Tax and Spend Liberals
- Baby Killers and Infanticide
- Liberals (it's become a demonized dirty word with the GOP, who sneer it every chance they get)
- Socialists
- Communists
- Fascists

There are a lot of other demonizing tactics and language used by Karl Rove and the right the past decade or so. Recently, Glenn Beck, who shouldn't be allowed near a microphone, began calling our President a racist. Other rightwing mouthpieces have called anyone who disagrees with their agenda all sorts of names, like the ones above, etc.

I'm all for getting over the divisiveness, but the GOP needs to make amends and start the ball rolling. Perhaps Senator Graham's decent words for Sonja Sotomajor are a start, and the work this week by Senator Grassley and a few other GOP'ers to get a workable healthcare plan in place may be a further step towards better relations between the left and right. Truth is, MOST of us live towards the center of the spectrum, not out on the fringes.

Great post Mike -- agree 100%.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Perhaps Senator Graham's decent words for Sonja Sotomajor are a start

I think it's going to take a lot of work. Immediately after Graham's vote, he was called a traitor and a RINO by many on this forum.

[ryanst530]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

It's not about submission. It's about compromising. It's something that mature adults learn how to do.

There's a big difference between speaking up for what you believe is right and demonizing those who disagree with you. I just don't have much respect for people who can only spew negativity about the other side.

Give me an example on what you expect people to "compromise" on.

Some people, like myself, just firmly disagree with certain aspects of other people's beliefs. Compromise, in my opinion, is giving in... it's selling out your beliefs.

Do I agree with severe partisanship like what is happening now in this country? Absolutely not, nobody does. But the reason conservative minded people tend to be more bitter about topics and unwilling to change their viewpoints on things is because we believe in something so strongly and feel that we are right based on our knowledge. I speak for myself when I say I would gladly accept a new idea or someone elses idea if they can convince me it is the right thing to do. So far, the left-minded people have failed to do so.