Analyzing "Why are Liberals so Condescending?" by Gerard Alexander

Originally post at Desk of Brian: State of the Nation by Brandon Jones

Before I get to the article by Alexander, let me confirm that outrageous onslaught from those on the left. Time and time again my point made or attempted to discuss was always under some sort of attack.

 

"But American liberals, to a degree far surpassing conservatives, appear committed to the proposition that their views are correct, self-evident, and based on fact and reason, while conservative positions are not just wrong but illegitimate, ideological and unworthy of serious consideration."

 

Alexander's statement totally summarizes much of those on the left. This is particularly intense for former Democrats like myself as any position of dissent is always attributed to brainwashing emulating FOX news or a right-wing talking head.

 

Alexander's Washington Post column quotes President Obama:

 

"We were so busy just getting stuff done . . . that I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are."

 

The American people just don't understand or have succumb to the latest rant by Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh.

 

Alexander describes it as: "The benighted public is either uncomprehending or deliberately misinformed (by conservatives)."

 

He then sites "Lionel Trilling's 1950 remark that conservatives do not "express themselves in ideas but only in action or in irritable mental gestures which seek to resemble ideas."

 

Most liberals hold the 1950s-1960s as an age free of biased journalism untainted by the evil shepards of FOX News and talk radio.

 

But Trilling's comment articulates the marginalizing attitude that dissenters are crazy, paranoid or simply irrational.

 

Alexander perfectly tackles another condescending tone that I've hard: "...it was all part of the conspiracy to support conservative candidates for their nefarious, self-serving ends."

 

Bush lover, Obama hater, Beck doesn't even believe what he's preaching and any opposition is just the marching orders of the right -- heard it all.

 

The article quotes NY Times writer Paul Krugman:

 

"What do these people really believe? I mean, they're not stupid -- life would be a lot easier if they were. So they know they're not telling the truth. But they obviously believe that their dishonesty serves a higher truth. . . . The question is, what is that higher truth?"

 

Just like the President, we just don't understand. However, unlike the President (who feels another speech just might work) Krugman just labels us all liars and phonies.

 

Alexander hits on the race card as well and all I'll add is that I've been called (and those on the right) KKKonservative.

 

Diving headlong into political discussions and debates thickens the skin rather quickly. My favorite nickname, which I will gladly wear as a badge of honor, was and is: Brainwashed spewer of bile and filth.

 

 

 

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/04/AR2010020403698_2.html?sid=ST2010020403858

Hatred commonplace for Limbaugh as many wish his death?

I'm no huge fan of Rush Limbaugh, but as it was announced that he was hospitalized, I knew there would be rejoicing by some disturbed folks on the left. I don't recall this type of response over Ted Kennedy and others.

While I was researching this, the balloon popped up that 443 more messages had arrived and I needed to refresh the pages to see them.

443!

I was horrified at the multitude of posts, comments, tweets -- all wishing ill will on this man.


This was actually the second set I found²

"Rush Limbaugh … Drink some bleach !!! Kill Yo’ Self !!!!"

"@tracycoyle oh come on, don’t you wish God would kill Bin Laden? this is no different – Limbaugh’s done just as much damage to the U.S."

"Rush Limbaugh in the hospital! In a year full of deaths, I think we can afford one more."

"I hope Rush Limbaugh dies and I will not take it back. He’s a horrible man."

"A) Praying won’t do anything because there isn’t a God and B) Rush Limbaugh should die for being a giant douchebag. Shut up."

"First thought, good riddance RT @cnnbrk: Radio host Rush Limbaugh was rushed to a Honolulu hospital with chest pains"

There is a lot more where that came from, but let’s check the blogs now. Over at The Huffington Post:

"No, I don’t want him to dye suddenly. It should be very very sloe and pane-full. So he can truly understand how broken our health care system iz!!!!!"


From Twitter¹:

Here are a few sample hate tweets taken from thousands about Rush Limbaugh:

"Rush Limbaugh might be dieing? My Christmas wish came true!"

"PLEASE USE HASHTAG #DIERUSHDIE IF YOU HOPE RUSH LIMBAUGH DIES. DONT BE ASHAMED, IT IS FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF AMERICA."

"Rush Limbaugh in the hospital with chest pains, please let this be the end of his reign!!! This would be a great end to the decade!!!"

"FOR THE RECORD, UNIVERSE, IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC TO START THE NEW YEAR WITHOUT RUSH LIMBAUGH AROUND. JS."

"Rush Limbaugh rushed to hospital w/ chest pains. Santa actually listened this year."

"If Rush Limbaugh ends up dying it will take 20 minutes for the right-wing to pin his passing to President Obama. They're both in Hawaii"

"Rush Limbaugh rushed to the ER for "chest pains." Not to worry, it's not like he has a heart there or anything.."

"Did Rush Limbaugh fake heart attack to go to Hawaii hospital in search of Prez Obama's Birth Certificate"

"If Rush Limbaugh gets Hawaiin-born doctors, will he demand to see their birth certificates before letting them save his life?"

"I really hope Rush Limbaugh will live long enough to see history dismiss him as a divisive, racist, flake. Get well soon."

"Haha...Rush Limbaugh died. Black people everywhere are firing their AK's into the sky."

"I was scared of another death this yr til I heard Rush Limbaugh was in the hospital. Come on 2009;don't fail me now." (This one was a big hit, being re-tweeted)

"I do hope Rush Limbaugh is saved by a black lesbian doctor with a questionable immigration status. I don't want him de.. " (I'll assume "Dead"; also another favorite)

"Dear Rush Limbaugh: may your atheist liberal lesbian-of-color doctor do an excellent job caring for you. 8-D" (There were several variations of this one playing on the racist, sexist, bigotted stereotypes)

"May Rush Limbaugh die and be cast into the crushing pillars of the fire. May his bones rot and his walls crumble. May his women lament."



By the time I was finished, there were now 600+ new messages.

The vile fervor is unnerving.




1. http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/12/30/liberal-twitter-users-rejoice-at-rush-limbaughs-hospitalization

2. http://www.allamericanblogger.com/9383/limbaugh-in-hospital-liberals-rejoice/

Why Conservatives rave about Gallup Poll, but shouldn't!

The recent Gallup Poll is and will be promoted, over analyzed and overtly praised as a comeback for conservatism.

Sorry, but all polls are biased, mediocre data at best unless the sample size is over 3,000 -- my not so humble opinion.

What Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity will blabber about is that conservatives outnumber liberals 2 to 1.

But will they appropriately note that 36% polled describe themselves as Independent.

Here's the lowdown:

Republicans can't be trusted to be conservative.

Yes, the Democrats have been highjacked by socialists and they are engaging in a transformation of America. The "George Soros Democrats" control Congress, the White House and they are mortgaging our future faster than they are printing money.

So as we look ahead to 2010, what do we really see?

I see the same risks and problems.

Many Democrats need to be purged but are invulnerable in extremely liberal Districts (e.g. Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank) The alternative to incumbant Democrats, are the clones of Republicans, who were (and/or) also part of this mess.

Under President Bush, the Republicans ran up spending, didn't properly regulate Fannie & Freddie, implemented their own "Stimulus Bills" and allowed the Federal government to overstep their constitutional power as well. (Yes I'm omitting several things)

When you analyze the Gallup Poll results you can see that liberals are up since in 1992 and conservatives are down. Conservatives are too synonymously linked to Republicans while Democrats are split on describing themselves as moderates and liberals.

One thing that is revealing in the Gallup data is that we become LESS LIBERAL with age, not necessarily MORE CONSERVATIVE.

18 to 29 year-olds stand at 31% liberal, 30% conservative and 39% moderate. By the time we are in the "65 and older" crowd, the figures shift to 48% conservative, 35% moderate and ONLY 16% liberal.

In all 50 states, including California and New York, most Americans describe themselves as Conservative. I was shocked by this data.

So we must realize why the GOP was dislodged and is still struggling to find an identity. While the Obama, Pelosi, Reid et. al pulls us to the far FAR left, we drift further and further right. Meanwhile, those claiming to be on the right disregard their "conservatism" and behave like those on the left.

The media and the White House can dismiss Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Tea Parties, Ron Paul supporters etc...but at the end of the day we are looking for honest leaders to represent us -- and we are increasingly conservative.

Those of us expressing our dissent don't care about the parties but the end result. I don't care about politicians that call themselves conservative or liberal. I care about how they vote and lead.

I'm 100% sure of that.



Complete list by state:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/122333/Political-Ideology-Conservative-Label-Prevails-South.aspx#2

Image from the Wichita Eagle blog:
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/10/conservativism-up-but-gop-down/

Swine flu