Will, I agree with you that fear mongering, labeling, and name calling are all inappropriate and most definitely destructive. The issues I've seen along this line are brought about mostly by those at either end of the political spectrum. In fact, I believe that our Congressional members (I wanted to say "leaders", but I just couldn't do it... :-) ), have been gradually drifting in opposite directions taking their respective parties toward the fringes of their belief systems. This deeper and wider chasm between politicians is only going to make things worse, as evidenced by the results. I believe that most Americans are clustered around the middle somewhere. Some a little left and some a little right. As a whole, our country has been described as "just right of center." I try not to call our president any of those names you mentioned, although I will say that he has more socialistic tendencies than any of his predecessors. :-) As for labeling myself a liberal or a conservative, I really can't. I don't think either of these labels fit a majority of Americans. I take each sides view and validate it against my own set of beliefs and then I choose whether I support that belief or not. You might think me conservative because I want a smaller, limited government. I happen to believe that the government has never done anything to help me get a job or make a living, but they have done a lot to restrict what I can do and take away huge chunks of my money in taxes. I don't believe in redistributing wealth to level the playing field, for it isn't level. Some people are more ingenious and motivated than others. If they can make an empire from it, then so be it. I'm not there yet, but I want the freedom to be able to do that. On the flip side, I happen to be pro-choice. I also own the greenest vehicle in America right now, powered by CNG. And I am an NRA member. I'm not trying to start a discussion on any of these, I'm just merely pointing out that I believe in personal freedoms and keeping our country as clean as possible for our children. I take my own views based on my values and morals and I could care less whether they are Democrat or Republican or Libertarian or Green Party. It's irrelevant to me. I know there is a balance here that has been skewed to the extreme edges by our elected officials. What I really think we need is a third party that sits in between the other two. They would win by a landslide, I believe. I don't want extremes. I'm willing to compromise, but our current regime is tugging way to hard in one direction. Looking at the election yesterday... res ipsa loquitor. The country, as a whole, is tugging back. Unless you have anything further to discuss along these lines, I think I am done with this topic, to the collective sigh of relief on the pianotech list, I'm sure. I respect your views and I hope you respect mine. An open discourse, especially during election times, is a healthy activity and mostly beneficial. Now back to piano stuff... Regards, Rob McCall On Nov 03, 2010, at 03:12 , William Truitt wrote: > Rob, I have already made the distinction elsewhere that our constitution and > other institutions do safeguard the rights of the individual and the > minority, both by laws passed and the purview of the supreme court - as > established in the constitution. That in response to those persons on the > far right who are painting the picture as if we are now living in a > democracy where the unwashed, drugged, Big Mack eating, cake eating majority > tramples on the minority in an unlimited fashion. We live in a democracy > and a republic - a democratic republic. As stated elsewhere, a tension > always exists as to where the lines should be drawn, and always will. That > tension in and of itself is not unhealthy, it requires us to think and > recheck ourselves if we seem to be straying. > > I do have problem with the destructive use of language by some on the right > who are unwilling to make subtle and important distinctions. They paint > everyone they disagree with a very broad and black brush. Every day we hear > our president being called a socialist, a communist, a fascist, a Nazi, a > Black Muslim, etc. etc. As an unrepentant liberal, I have been called a > Nazi on more than one occasion by some on the far right with whom I have had > discussions. (As a lifelong pacifist, I am probably the only such member of > the Nazi party) Such use of language is done to demonize those with whom > they disagree with, without ever confronting the ideas and merits of the > policies, and arguing against them on the same playing field of philosophy > and facts. If you are going to call Obama or Pelosi or others a socialist > or communist, then define your terms. Say what a socialist is in terms of > generally accepted definitions of what a socialist is, and then demonstrate > how the other person meets that criteria in terms of their beliefs and > application of them in action. And do so rigorously and honestly, setting a > high standard for yourself in the use of language. Then you have the right > to be taken seriously in what you say. > > Instead, what we get are aspersions cast about freely without backing any of > it up. He's a commie because I say he is. > > Language used in such fashion may be effective politics - it seemed to have > worked in this election where people are fearful and not making distinctions > they should be making. But it is terrible and destructive to the fabric of > our democracy. I think we would both be in agreement that our democracy > seems to be unraveling at the seams right now. Because of how we now talk > to each other. > > Will
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