WHY DO CONSERVATIVES HATE LIBERALS? on PNN

WHY DO CONSERVATIVES HATE LIBERALS?

Posted by Rosemary Peavler Posted on: 10/15/08

WHY DO CONSERVATIVES HATE LIBERALS?

A recent post in a blog on pnn.com refers to those of us with a liberal political bias and how “rotten” liberals are. It made me stop and think of all the blogs I’ve read written by conservative columnists and all the hate I’ve heard spewed by conservatives toward liberals. It’s not just toward the Democratic candidate for President – it’s toward liberals in general. Makes me wonder why conservatives hate liberals, instead of just their politics. What has happened in America that we are posting personal attacks toward groups of people who don’t believe the same things we do? Isn’t that the principle on which America was founded – freedom of speech, freedom to believe what we wish? Isn’t the two party system a good thing? Or do conservatives want the Republican party to be the only party? Doesn’t that smack of a form of government, call it what you will, that we really don’t want? Do we want to hate our neighbors because they have different beliefs than we do?

There used to be respect for the two party system in America and respect for our friends and neighbors no matter what their beliefs. It was considered good and the basis of our democracy. Now liberals are called “rotten” or “communists” or “terrorists” or some other terrible name that is the height of ridiculousness. Conservatives trying to incite the crowds. Is this what we want?

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Well Lori, to be fair - we aren't a Democracy -- we're a Democratic Republic. It may seem like splitting hairs, but there's a difference. However I do agree with you... Obama does seem to have a fairly socialist viewpoint. And I want to agree that I don't hate conservatives OR liberals... being a moderate independent, lol.

By April Duke on October 15, 2008 01:34
Ack! Lori! I just re-read that comment and realized how it sounds... I wasn't trying to "school" you on politics :-), I just know that not alot of people realize that we're not a pure Democracy... didn't mean to sound snotty :-).

By April Duke on October 15, 2008 01:45
Yikes - Lori, I'm really sorry to hear that you "hate" Obama. And, respectfully, I disagree with your claim that as people mature, they get more conversative. That's just not necessarily the case. The language and assumptions being flug around during this election are really disturbing. We really need to stop being divisive.

By chitowngirl on October 15, 2008 02:25
OK, sorry, the word I meant to use was "flung," and to clarify: Please don't equate being liberal with being immature. Thanks.

By chitowngirl on October 15, 2008 02:27
Lori.....the Bush administration (conservative and Republican) just took the country in a socialist direction with the bailout plan and the plan to buy shares in the banks. I'm not criticizing these plans as they may be necessary. But, you equate liberalism with socialism. It's the conservatives that have focused the country in a socialist direction.

By Rosemary Peavler on October 15, 2008 03:21
Lori....you say you don't like the two party system. I'd like to know what you think would work better than the two party system? Just curious.

By Rosemary Peavler on October 15, 2008 03:23
Sorry you aren't feeling well. Conservative in your political views and conservative in the way you live your life are two completely separate things. I'm older than you - I'm 56. I think, only my opinion, that you grow wiser regarding your political views as you age, not necessarily more conservative OR more liberal, but wiser and able to analyze political situations and candidates more dispassionately. I was so glad to read that your focus is on opinions and views, not hating candidates or groups of people. From reading your blog, I've wondered about that.

By Rosemary Peavler on October 15, 2008 03:50
WritingbyLori makes a solid point. Seems to me the two party system will soon be a relic of the past. The message from both the Dems and the Republicans at their conventions were the same....both desparate to distance themselves from Washington. Both are running against a Washington by propose to change through their respective parties. Face it, both parties speak of change but neither is willing to undertake steps to do it. My crystal ball says there will be a viable third party in America by 2012 regardless of who wins in November.

By curiousgeorge on October 15, 2008 15:58
I think a third party would be GREAT! What I don't want is a ONE party system!

By Rosemary Peavler on October 15, 2008 16:05
There seems to be a lot of confusion between economic systems and political systems. Socialism and capitalism are economic systems. Most developed countries have some mix of the two. Democracies can have greater or lesser degrees of socialism or capitalism, and still be vibrant democracies. Most European countries have a greater degree of socialism than the US, but they are still vibrant democracies. Democracy is not an economic system, but a form of government. You can find other forms of government -- monarchy, oligarchy, dictatorship -- with capitalist, socialist, or mixed economies. Unregulated capitalism, however, tends to lead to concentration of large amounts of wealth among a very small number of people, which in turn leads to a de facto concentration of power, and tends to promote less democratic forms of governing.

By twogens on October 15, 2008 17:14
twogens -- you got it. Should be an obvious point, but too many people must have been snoozing in civics class when it was explained. No American should "hate" another American for their ideas. It's unAmerican! More conservative with age? I'm 50, and it was true of me until about 2004. Now I'm more liberal than any time since 1975! Why? Because Republicans have screwed up everything they've touched. Liberal is not a dirty word (nor is conservative). Socialism is not a dirty word (nor is capitalism). We have always had a mixed economy with a "socialist," "spread the wealth" system of progressive income taxation accompanied by a "socialist," social safety net. I suppose all the conservatives will be happy to give up their "social" security checks when they reach that age, huh? And just how did we get out of the Great Depression? That "socialist" "liberal," FDR, used government money to hire young men to do socialist "public works" projects, among other things.

By George Lenard on October 25, 2008 02:37
I don't hate you --- I just think you're misguided :)

By YeaYeaWendy on October 28, 2008 14:47

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WHY DO CONSERVATIVES HATE LIBERALS?

WHY DO CONSERVATIVES HATE LIBERALS?

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