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I would also agree that liberals tend to be less tolerant of others opinions. For the most part anyway, at least in the northeast. Used to bug me, especially in college, and I am a political independent saying that.
In my experience in NY, conservatives will give you ****, then go about their daily routine. I've been "blacklisted" by some liberals for not agreeing with them.
My views are all over the place and have felt hostility from both sides and found the hostility from the libs to be worse. In NY at least.
I am relatively new to NH, so I really don't have a great grasp on the historical details. NH is more of an "Independent" state politically in the past as well as the present. Many people here seem to respect the US Constitution and Ron Paul events always seem well attended! Our motto is "live free or die" and rugged individualism is a way of life around here. That has been my experience as I live in a rural area out in the woods
Well, one other thing: VT attracted more hippy/socialist types in the 60's, 70's, and to some degree the 80's, than did NH. Until then VT was always a very conservative, rural, state. Most older ("true") Vermonters are rather conservative still, they were when they were younger (or even still are) pretty tough, individualist, farmers in a state with pretty rough land and a cold climate for farming. The Northeast Kingdom is still more conservative compared to the rest of VT. One thing is certain cities dominate the politics in VT (Burlington, for instance). While a homosexual rally or PETA protest might draw lots of support in Burlington or Brattleboro or Montpelier or some of the college towns, do that in rural Northern VT and the reception might not be so welcoming (especially towards the PETA types lol). In many cases it's not a very outspoken conservativism like in the Bible Belt, but more of a "leave me alone and I don't care what you do" quasi-libertarianism. NH is facing a similar "invasion" of sorts from people fleeing MA but who keep their MA politics with them, so I suspect something similar will happen, at least in Southern NH. Maine...well, there's a big difference between Southern Maine and Northern Maine...
I sort of lean to the liberal side of things, so I'll give my take. I think that the extreme liberals AND conservatives argue with the same type of almost illogical fervor that's aggravating to almost anyone with a reasonable argument against them... there's no getting through to those on the extremes no matter what the side.
However, I have found that the SLIGHLTLY left leaning liberals are MUCH more irrational when it comes to debating than those conservatives that lean SLIGHTLY to the right. I say this because as a slightly left leaning liberal, these folks are a good portion of my peers. I get annoyed when we have friendly debates with our peers on the slight right of things (the debates don't remain friendly).
My conservative friends are often the more tolerant ones. While I voted for Obama and was certainly thrilled to have him win, my conservative friends who voted McCain were proud of the historic win regardless of the fact that their guy lost. They were fascinated and moved by the the innaguration and were proud to be a part of it, even if Obama wasn't their man. I can't see the reaction being the same if the roles were reversed.... if the minority canditate (i.e. female or African American) were conservative and the old white guy were liberal, I can't see many of the liberals celebrating the historical significance of the minority candidate being elected in the same way that many of the conservatives did.
As a liberal, I have found that liberals as a group are often more intolerant than conservatives are. It may not be as OPENLY intolerant (there aren't many liberal groups similar to the KKK), but there's a deep-seeded intolerance for most who don't agree with their viewpoint. I know many liberals who refuse to associate with anyone who's even slightly conservative. They look at conservatives (even mild conservatives) as hillbillies and uneducated (even if said conservative is an educated urbanite).
Of course, there are examples of intolerance on both sides and there are those on both sides that are VERY tolerant of the opposite side. However, as a liberal, I have seen more intolerance from liberals toward conservatives than the other way around. While most people probably would love to point fingers at the other side, I think we need to tell this one as it is.
It isn't true that liberals are the irate and violent side of the political coin. I haven't ever heard of liberals going out with the intention to injure or kill others in the name of their cause. Whereas conservatives have done everything from bombing abortion clinics to beating and killing gays.
Name one instance where liberals have done something as equally deplorable as that. And keep it rational.
It isn't true that liberals are the irate and violent side of the political coin. I haven't ever heard of liberals going out with the intention to injure or kill others in the name of their cause. Whereas conservatives have done everything from bombing abortion clinics to beating and killing gays.
Name one instance where liberals have done something as equally deplorable as that. And keep it rational.
Groups such as PETA, ALF and ELF have crazy liberals. There is a long track record of evil deeds these groups have done.
The bombings, fires and whatnot are pretty well documented. I'm not sure of murdrers but I do know that these organizations have bombed and set fire to buildings with people in them. I did research on this a few years ago and really don't feel like googling.
Really? All I am pulling up is the burning of buildings from which no one was ever injured.
And this is skating around my point, liberals aren't nearly as violent and reactionary as conservatives. A liberal may give you a verbal barrage, but a conservative will drag you behind a truck.
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