Tuesday, September 9, 2008

"Democrats must learn some respect"

I feel compelled to chime in on the political discussion Christopher started below. I, too, read the Clive Crook article in the Financial Times, and found it simultaneously angering, upsetting, and thought provoking. I grudgingly agree with the author (whom I'm still not sure isn't Republican!) about an urban liberal contempt for rural/suburban voters who fall under the categories of religious, blindly patriotic, and socially conservative. I often feel something close to such contempt when I hear right-wing politicians talk about immigration, health care, guns, abortion, gay marriage, capital punishment, etc. And yet, I understand that there is a seeming contradiction in the liberal notion of standing up for the "common man", by which many people usually mean religious, middle-class, and suburban, while at the same time discounting the political opinions of conservative voters because they might be religious, middle-class, and suburban.

The problem goes deeper than this, though, because I don't think that there is any valid excuse for ignorance, or cruelty. Can we accept the political opinions of anyone who unquestioningly believes that "Muslims are terrorists," or "Mexicans are ruining our schools," or "Black people are criminals," or "Homosexuals are going to Hell"? Can we respect someone who honestly believes that poor people choose to be poor, or that uninsured Americans with cancer or AIDS deserve no right to medical care?

The author says that liberals' "constant support for Democratic views has nothing to do with bias, in their minds, but reflects the fact that Democrats just happen to be right about everything." My only response is that, in many cases, "Hell yes, they are right!" I'm sorry, but I cannot learn respect for people who carry the above views, regardless of whether such views are ultimately rooted in religion or tradition or unworldliness or ignorance or whatever. For me to "develop some regard for the values that the middle of the country expresses when it votes Republican" is in some way to embrace a part of American society, admittedly a substantial part, that I am rarely proud of. If this is "close-minded" or "intolerant," labels conservatives throw at Democrats all the time, I would only say that the one thing that can't be tolerated is intolerance itself, and that includes intolerance of anything that disagrees with "good old-fashioned American family (read: overwhelmingly white, Christian, heterosexual) values". I would remind such people that democracy does not mean majority rule, and individual freedom can never exist without social equality. But alas, I'm preaching to the choir....

by Corbett at 7:37 PM |