http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24645
Open-Minded Liberals? by Larry Elder
Walter Cronkite, when asked whether he agreed that liberals dominated the major news media, told me, "Yes -- if by liberal you mean open-minded."
Are liberals more "open-minded" than conservatives?
To find out, a biennial survey conducted by the University of Michigan's American National Election Studies uses a scale from 0 to 100 -- 0 meaning shoot-the-person-on-sight hatred, and 100 meaning find-a-place-for-him-on-Mount-Rushmore adoration. The 2004 survey then asked 1,200 adults to define themselves politically.
Using this 0-to-100 scale, the survey asked those who described themselves as "conservative" or "extremely conservative" to rate "liberals." Average score -- 39. "Liberals" and "extreme liberals" gave "conservatives" a similar score -- 38.
But the survey then asked respondents to apply the scale to specific people. How did "extreme conservatives," in 1998, rate then-President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore? "Extreme conservatives" gave them both an average reading of 45. Twenty-eight percent gave Clinton a 0, with 10 percent giving that score to Gore.
How did "extreme liberals" rate President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney in 2004? That group gave Bush and Cheney an average temperature of 15 and 16, respectively. Sixty percent of these extreme liberals gave Messrs. Bush and Cheney a 0. In other words, six out of ten Americans on the far left found that no evil, heinous person in the world could be worthy of more hatred than Bush and Cheney. For a little perspective, the then-alive Saddam Hussein received an average score of 8 from all Americans.
Dick Morris, a former aide to Bill Clinton, described how Clinton berated his 1996 Republican opponent, former Sen. Bob Dole. President Clinton said, "Bob Dole is not a nice man. Bob Dole is evil. The things he wants to do to children are evil. The things he wants to do to poor people and old people and sick people are evil. Let's get that straight."
After Republicans took control of the House in the mid-'90s, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., compared the newly conservative-controlled House to "the Duma and the Reichstag." Dingell referred to the legislature set up by Czar Nicholas II of Russia and the parliament of the German Weimar Republic that brought Hitler to power.
Comparing Republicans to Nazis remains a favorite pastime of some Democrats. Billionaire Democratic contributor George Soros said the Bush White House displays the "supremacist ideology of Nazi Germany," and that the administration uses rhetoric that echoes his childhood in occupied Hungary. "When I hear Bush say, 'You're either with us or against us,'" Soros said, "it reminds me of the Germans."
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean characterized the contest between Democrats and Republicans as "a struggle of good and evil. And we're the good."
Last week at my local barbershop, the barber working at the chair next to mine, and his customer, discovered that I voted for George W. Bush. Shocked! Shocked! The customer stammered, "Why?"
Not particularly interested in a political discussion, I said something about keeping the country safe, opposition to big government, and support for low taxes.|
"But how, how can you support somebody who pulled off 9/11?"
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"I believe 9/11 was an inside job."
"You mean Bush murdered 3,000 people on American soil?" I asked.
"He did it to get black people."
"Most of those killed in 9/11 were white," I said.
"They were in the way."
"Explain to me why people like Bush and Cheney run for public office in order to commit murder."
"Because that's what they do."
"For what reason? To get rich?" I asked. "They already were."
I then learned that somebody intentionally ruptured a levee in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina; that Bush simply serves as a puppet for others; and that "they" wish to "destroy" the little people in the middle class.
Finally, I sighed and simply asked, "How do you function day by day?"
"What do you mean?"
"How do you get up in the morning thinking that somebody in Washington, D.C., wants to murder you?"
I started to ask him where he places Bush on that thermometer, but I think I already knew. So I switched the conversation to the NFL playoffs.
Bottom line: Conservatives consider liberals well-intentioned, but misguided. Liberals consider conservatives not only wrong, but really, really bad people.
― and what, Friday, 25 January 2008 15:35 (eighteen years ago)
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― kingfish, Friday, 25 January 2008 15:39 (eighteen years ago)
lol at the really convincing conversation
― DG, Friday, 25 January 2008 15:59 (eighteen years ago)
Where can you get these thousand dollar pizzas from?
― Noodle Vague, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:02 (eighteen years ago)
Never mind, I googled it.
― Noodle Vague, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:03 (eighteen years ago)
What's the point of that cartoon? Poverty in Africa is not an issue because rock stars are cocks?
― chap, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:03 (eighteen years ago)
the poverty of rock stars isn't a problem because they have cocks.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:05 (eighteen years ago)
I'm having trouble believing that anyone would start a question to HRC, "you're a hero to all feminists..." without going "PSYCHE!!" a few seconds later
― DJ Mencap, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:10 (eighteen years ago)
"Hi Domino's? This is Bono. You know, send that pizza to Africa instead. Hmm? Oh, wherever. Ghana I guess."
― Eppy, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:29 (eighteen years ago)
American conservatives are really, really bad people. mean murderous ignorant "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity" . You won't find even super-radical-extremist-rightwing-terrorist of other countries advocating forced conversions like that
― Embarchie, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:33 (eighteen years ago)
Perpetuating stereotypes! hooray!
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:37 (eighteen years ago)
Apologies for taking this even slightly seriously, but I fail to see the connection between the study cited (and the random anecdote) and 'open-mindedness'. Surely hating a specific person who has been proven to be a dick is not a symbol of narrow-mindedness, but rather a result of informed judgement?
― emil.y, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:51 (eighteen years ago)
There was a HILARIOUS sign in one of my high school classrooms that said, "An open mind accepts what a close mind rejects." ???!!!!
― Abbott, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:52 (eighteen years ago)
Evangelical Christians are suspicious of "open-mindedness", it's assumed to be a negative. People used to make jokes like "oh yeah, so open-minded his brain was falling out!" and laff and laff with a superior glint in their eyes.
― Laurel, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:55 (eighteen years ago)
how late do the openminded stay open?
― Dr Morbius, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:57 (eighteen years ago)
24 hours, but not in a row.
― Eppy, Friday, 25 January 2008 16:57 (eighteen years ago)
It is bad to be so skeptical you'll never even consider a thing, but bad to be gullible, and I always kind of thought "open-minded was in between," like looking at a thing and using your rational and/or moral functions to consider its merits or lack thereof.
― Abbott, Friday, 25 January 2008 17:01 (eighteen years ago)
oh god this is some 'limousine liberal' meme engineering
liberals have as dim a view of their opponents as conservatives have of theirs, big surprise -- but since conservatives don't even bother to claim open-mindedness, they win! "u say ur open minded but u hate me lol u hipocrit!!1 (oh i hate u tho lol)"
― gff, Friday, 25 January 2008 17:06 (eighteen years ago)
also, comparing a far-right conservative president to a moderate, centrist president may not be the best methodology
― and what, Friday, 25 January 2008 17:15 (eighteen years ago)
I have just come to accept that this simple-minded bullshit is effective, and will always be effective.
― Fluffy Bear Hearts Rainbows, Friday, 25 January 2008 17:22 (eighteen years ago)
American conservatives are really, really bad people. mean murderous ignorant "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity" . You won't find even super-radical-extremist-rightwing-terrorist of other countries advocating forced conversions like that-- Embarchie, Friday, January 25, 2008 11:33 AM (47 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
-- Embarchie, Friday, January 25, 2008 11:33 AM (47 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
Comparing a dumb-shit talking Fox News talking head to a head of state may not be the best methodology
― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Friday, 25 January 2008 17:22 (eighteen years ago)
Also, yes you will. It's not that hard to track down some isolated Islamic extremist who says infidels should convert or die.
― Hurting 2, Friday, 25 January 2008 17:24 (eighteen years ago)
So who was this rockstar that ordered a $1000 pizza?
― Ned Trifle II, Friday, 25 January 2008 17:24 (eighteen years ago)
Even Pat Benatar? Eww.
― Daniel, Esq., Friday, 25 January 2008 17:26 (eighteen years ago)
those "hit me with your best shot" fantasies make you uncomfortable now, huh?
― Eppy, Friday, 25 January 2008 17:35 (eighteen years ago)
It's pretty hard, never heard of one. Except if he's talking about apostates/apostate communities
― Embarchie, Friday, 25 January 2008 19:40 (eighteen years ago)
There's a difference between tolerating people who choose to live differently to you and tolerating people who want to kill loads of other people.
― Bodrick III, Friday, 25 January 2008 20:11 (eighteen years ago)
Nah. She's the right kind of sinner, to release my inner fantasy The invincible winner; she knows that she was born to be.
― Daniel, Esq., Friday, 25 January 2008 20:15 (eighteen years ago)
Indeed! These people are committed to bringing upon the destruction of the world. When they'll be "in the twinkling of an eye" transported to heaven
― Embarchie, Friday, 25 January 2008 20:23 (eighteen years ago)
Have you had a conversation with one of these people before?
― strgn, Friday, 25 January 2008 20:42 (eighteen years ago)
Liberals consider conservatives not only wrong, but really, really bad people.
"consider" my arse.
Having no time for close-minded people doesn't make liberals close-minded people.
― Autumn Almanac, Friday, 25 January 2008 22:35 (eighteen years ago)
^ to clarify, it's the Bush/Cheney/etc. conservatives that are really really bad people, not the ones who just groan about abortion at the pub.
― Autumn Almanac, Friday, 25 January 2008 22:36 (eighteen years ago)
If I am ever at a pub with someone groaning about abortion, there will be punching.
― HI DERE, Friday, 25 January 2008 22:41 (eighteen years ago)
What if they're groaning whilst having an abortion? In the pub.
― Noodle Vague, Friday, 25 January 2008 22:44 (eighteen years ago)
I would hope someone would call a doctor.
― HI DERE, Friday, 25 January 2008 22:46 (eighteen years ago)
I don't know what it's like your side of the pond but trying to get a doctor out after hours over here is moider.
― Noodle Vague, Friday, 25 January 2008 22:49 (eighteen years ago)
Did you try telling him/her you're at the pub?
― HI DERE, Friday, 25 January 2008 22:50 (eighteen years ago)
I have enough thick red notes on my file already thank you.
― Noodle Vague, Friday, 25 January 2008 22:53 (eighteen years ago)
-- HI DERE, Saturday, 26 January 2008 09:41 (27 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
^ this, if they're against abortion
― Autumn Almanac, Friday, 25 January 2008 23:09 (eighteen years ago)
I'm really just against groaning in pubs unless you're clandestinely fucking someone.
― HI DERE, Friday, 25 January 2008 23:12 (eighteen years ago)
ILE has been fairly reasonable, level-headed -- open-minded, even -- on the primaries thread and the like, but give us a thread on abstract conservatives vs liberals stereotypes and everybody goes crazy. Like a tent revival up in here.
― Kerm, Friday, 25 January 2008 23:17 (eighteen years ago)
I think it's cos conservatives are vermin.
― Noodle Vague, Friday, 25 January 2008 23:19 (eighteen years ago)
testify
― Kerm, Friday, 25 January 2008 23:25 (eighteen years ago)
Speaking of groaning about abortion, see the last few strips about the Roe v Wade anniversary
― kingfish, Saturday, 26 January 2008 01:27 (eighteen years ago)
This kind of piece-of-shit political spin is spun by the mile and sold by the yard by people who should be slapped every day just for showing their face.
― Aimless, Saturday, 26 January 2008 01:50 (eighteen years ago)
that study is BS... seriously, we all know that partisan politics have gone from annoying to OMG since the 2000 election. seriously, i got an email from an in-law recently trying to compare to hillary to all the worst dictators of the last 100 years. if she gets elected, retake that poll and see how she fares. i have no doubt the hatred will be just as bad.
yay skyence.
dick morris is editorial page... not exactly the picture of journalistic objectivity in reporting 101.
and that anecdote from the barbershop? wtf? m.
― msp, Saturday, 26 January 2008 02:15 (eighteen years ago)
"I met a crazy conspiracy theorist in the barbershop, and he totally opened my eyes to just how awful Democrats are!"
― Nathan, Saturday, 26 January 2008 02:20 (eighteen years ago)
So anyway, point being, this guy thinks that what Bush did is just part of the game--same thing as Clinton, just from a different side! Except that Clinton didn't:
1) Start a war. 2) Directly violate the Constitution on a number of occasions. 3) Allow a major American city to be almost entirely destroyed. 4) Let the economy go into the crapper.
I mean, Clinton had his problems, but there's an objective difference between the Clinton and Bush presidencies.
― Eppy, Saturday, 26 January 2008 02:26 (eighteen years ago)
This kinda shit lets Republicans forgive Bush because the mean liberals are picking on him.
― Eppy, Saturday, 26 January 2008 02:27 (eighteen years ago)
3) Allow a major American city to be almost entirely destroyed.
Do you think he knows about this yet?
― Autumn Almanac, Saturday, 26 January 2008 06:55 (eighteen years ago)
I like to think he is visited nightly by horrifying visions of the bloated bodies of infants floating in a fecal soup, but maybe I have an outdated view of Christianity.
― Eppy, Saturday, 26 January 2008 07:51 (eighteen years ago)
I have so many opinons, I need slogans on my clothes. I have a cute girlfriend, but we never have sex, because I don't like to sweat. My only comfort is knowing I'm not one of the idiots, oh and the beer and the weed.
― nicky lo-fi, Saturday, 26 January 2008 07:59 (eighteen years ago)
how's that haircut? xpost
― Kerm, Saturday, 26 January 2008 08:04 (eighteen years ago)
Great quote I encountered recently, by the comedian Mort Sahl: "A liberal is someone who does the right thing for the wrong reason so he can feel good for ten minutes."
(I think he said that 30 or 40 years ago; liberals don't even do the right thing anymore.)
― Dr Morbius, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 13:31 (seventeen years ago)
"a liberal is some one who throws a hundred foot rope to a man drowning 50 feet out, let's go of his end and then runs off to do another good deed."
-not sure who said this. I just remember it from when I was like 8 in my uncle's (maybe?) home office.
― will, Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:01 (seventeen years ago)
mortsahlsays#Only liberals could find a pres more warlike th/Bush. Who are the liberals? Ppl who are preoccupied w/not being communists
― Literal Facepalms (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 8 February 2012 04:38 (fourteen years ago)