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Are We Patriots, or Partisans?

Posted: Jun 11, 2014

I'm not sure when it started, but at some point Americans with differing ideas for the betterment of the nation stopped talking to one another and sharing those ideas - and became mortal enemies. As someone who is old enough to have watched this sea-change develop, I have some ideas about HOW it happened, just not when.

At some point, a lot of us have become unwitting pawns of "conservaatism" or "liberalism". I'm a conservative; tell me you're a liberal and I hate you. You're a liberal; you spot that I'm a conservative and you hate me. Automatically. No questions asked. You're the ENEMY!

Speaking as a conservative, my social conscience forces me to acknowledge that liberals have ideas (and ideals) that deserve respectful consideration. I wonder if there's a liberal out there who would acknowledge that conservatives have good ideas (and ideals) as well.

People, the fact is this: By various means, we're being shoved around the chess board like pawns by the power brokers in this country WHO HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA, and who know that as long as the people are at each other's throats they are not - and will never be - "The People, United".

Conservatives, you're being encouraged to hate liberals. Liberals, vice versa. It's time that we shook loose the chains of "party affiliation" and started to think like AMERICANS, because when we do that, we can send ALL these slimeballs packing and take back the country that we love. Americans UNITED can do anything.

;

I think this board is like a game. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't run into the brick walls discussing politics in real life that I do on this board. I think people see this board as more of a competition than a discussion, so everyone just digs their heels in and argues, argues, argues. Winning the argument is more important than anything. I rarely meet people like that in real life (thank God). Most people I talk to about politics are pretty reasonable and see both sides.

And no matter how much people disagree, I rarely hear anyone call politicians or the "other" party names, because it's rude and in real life, people generally try more to be polite to one another. I think anonymity of the internet makes people more extreme.

I agree that anonymity invites discourtesy. - But the problem goes deeper than that.

[ In Reply To ..]
It would be pleasant to imagine that people's online behavior doesn't impact their behavior in "real life", but I'm pretty sure that the psychology of the human mind - specifically the principle of "cognitive dissonance", but others as well - makes it unlikely that people, as polite as they might be "in person", will not hold two utterly different ideas in their mind at the same time.

I'm not surprised that people exhibit restraint "in person", but I don't think that is really a measure of how they think because I don't think it's possible to "hate" certain people online and hold a different view of them in person.

What you're seeing "in person" is mere social constraint. When these people retire to their keyboards, they hate you as much as ever they did.

I think the drive to win an argument causes - people to move more to one side

[ In Reply To ..]
than they may actually feel or believe. There have been times on this board when I've been pushed further to one side than I'm comfortable with, and it was because I got caught up in an argument that I wanted to win. It doesn't mean I held 2 different ideas in my head at one time--it just means my ego and the will to win took over. That's something I would not do in person. Bring boredom and social isolation into the picture and people will argue all kinds of things--sometimes just to get some human interaction and sometimes to win the argument.

Well, I'm not talking about a momentary "dislocation". - Because that's not what I see.

[ In Reply To ..]
We're not talking about the same thing at all. I'm not talking about someone who gets caught up in a debate momentarily.

I'm talking about people who go online and consistently "champion" the position of one political party or the other to the point that they cannot even recognize the merits of another point of view. Whatever "their" party says, that is what they think.

Kindly distinguish between these two very different situations.

I have to agree with the poster you replied to - and your last line was rude

[ In Reply To ..]
"Kindly distinguish between these two very different situations"????

How about kindly take it down a notch. She was giving her opinion and I have to say I agree with her. They are the same thing. She was talking about how boredom and social isolation will get people to argue over anything, and then being anonymous just adds to it, which is what you were talking about in your post.

They are not two different situations, they are the same.

Thank you, I thought it was rude too. - I stopped responding, not worth it.

[ In Reply To ..]
There was no reason to get snippy. Ironic, considering the nature of the thread she started.

Take back the country? - From Who?

[ In Reply To ..]
People keep posting "take back the country."

Who exactly do you think has it that it needs taking back from? Are you a conservative that thinks it needs "taking back" from Democrats? (this is a serious question)

All due respect, this "take back our country" sounds like a Tea Party phrase, which is fine if that is your party.

But, all due respect, it is not "your" country to take back; it is "our" country. (and by "our," I mean the people)

From the ones destroying the principals the country was founded on - Mrs. Tingles - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm not the person you responded to, but I will share my thoughts.

All due respect, yes it is "my" country. Because "I" live here. That's what makes it my country. If it wasn't my country that would mean I live in another country. Yes, it is your country too, it's also John, Jo, Bob, Helen, etc's country. But the statement this is my country is correct.

When people say we need to take back our (mine, yours or whatever), they are talking about bringing back the country to the principals in which it was founded on. Taking it back from the people who are destroying the principals. The ones who want to transform the country. Sorry, we are not a communist or socialist country. We are not North Korea, Cuba or have a government like that. The people who are in the process of trying to transform it into that type of government are the people they want to take it back from. We are at a fine line right now. As people see the events folding in front of them it's pretty easy to see this happening.

"Take back our country" is not a tea party phrase. It's a common sense phrase. It is a phrase that many people are saying. They don't all belong to the TP.

So, all due respect to you, but yes, this is my country. I live here. Of course it's all of our country, but it also is my country.

Take it back from the Republicans, you mean. - N'est ce pas?

[ In Reply To ..]

Excellent post and very well said - Mrs. Tingles - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been thinking the same thing these past couple days. When did this start happening. I can remember the good ol days (about 5 or 6 years ago) when liberals and conservatives could actually have a decent conversation. Many of us on this board were respectful to the other side. Some actually made some very good arguments that I would sit and say (and actually admit it to her) "you know, I never thought of it that way. I'm going to think about this some more". I forget who she was because it was so long ago, but it was such a pleasure to come to this board.

Now it's all fighting. Seemed as though it happened around 5 or so years ago. People started hating with venom and would gleefully come on for the sole purpose to insult. Someone once said "if people are sitting there snickering while they are writing what they are then they shouldn't write it. But decency started going out the window. It's was easier to call names and try to get the fear factor going. What politics in the past 6 or 7 years has done is pit family members against family members. Mothers actually thinking they have the right to call their children stupid because they don't believe the same things they do politically, when you just want to scream at them, no, sorry I don't believe in socialism or marxism or that way of life. If that makes me "stupid" then I wear that badge with honor.

I think things have really gotten so far out of whack that it will need to be a divine intervention to rid the planet of the evil.

partisan - Laura

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't have time this morning to read this whole string, so hopefully am not repeating something from below.
I have often felt that when the news media is reporting, they should leave off the little (R) or (D) behind the names of those they interview. I know for myself that if it is the "other side" from what I am, I tend to be more judgmental about what that person is saying and more agreeable if it matches my "letter."
Sadly, the news media has way, way too much influence on us - I am an "R" and I am still amazed that there are intelligent people who do not know that Herman Cain ran for president a few years back (Jeopardy) - the media didn't think he was worth covering - I'm not saying that he would be president today, but he should have gotten equal coverage.
Sorry - I am rambling - my point is, the media contributes to the partisanship.

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