Willy Stern writes an interesting piece on bigotry against Republicans as the last "socially acceptable bigotry". As he puts it:
The bigotry of America’s Left-leaning intelligentsia is based upon cold logic that unfolds in the following predictable, if venal, fashion: I’m very smart. I’m well educated. So are most of my friends. I give generously to liberal causes. I’m a kind and caring human being. I defer to nobody in my exemplary set of values. I care about equality. I believe in a just society. These values are integrated into the core of who I am. I work diligently to teach these values unto my progeny. And these are just the values that, generally speaking, have been represented by the policies and actions of the Democratic Party.
The corollary logic continues: I don’t have much respect for the values of the Republican Party. Oversimplified, Republicans stand for the rich, for the status quo, for selfishness, and for war-mongering. These logical trains of thought are tinged with intellectual arrogance and gross stereotyping. Of course, some liberals who speak ill of Republicans have an ulterior motive. They use the tactic to undermine the credibility of all Republicans, who must be evil, stupid—or both.
Of course, such stereotypes have little to do with the facts, but it seems that many liberals have a mental block when it comes to Republicans. Any plan proposed by the GOP must favor only the super-rich. Why? Because the GOP proposed it. It doesn’t matter what the actual plan entails, or who it was really designed to help, or even if it is good public policy. The Republicans only like the rich, and no further thought or analysis is required. Ditto for Republicans being war-mongers and wanting to destroy the environment.
Granted, not all those on the left succomb to this intellectual laziness. However, many do, and that sort of attitude cheapens political discourse by moving it farther and farther away from issues and policies and more towards cheap and lazy generalizations.
(Link via InstaPundit)
Given that GOP scoundrels have just made an 11th hour amendment revoking the tiny “tax relief” bone they promised to lower-income taxpayers so that they can give more away to the wealthy, the timing of you and Mr Stern to dispute the notion that GOP policy coddles the rich is not very good. For you to be so blind as to even discuss GOP policy not favoring the rich the day after the latest tax cut bill abomination proves that whatever venom the left doles out at you guys–though it will NEVER even come close to competing with the vitriol flowing from the right–is entirely deserved. One would think even the blackest-hearted conservative ideologue would be embarrassed by the deceptive stunt pulled yesterday, but leaving one’s conscience at the door has been a requirement to entering the GOP clubhouse since 1981.
Oh cry me a river Jay.
Damn. Since when did the right become the whiny side?
Surely you didn’t mean to leave out Roman Catholics? Anybody, anywhere, anytime is free to bash the Papists with impugnity.
Tolerance is not an infinitely elastic virtue, not even in the Christian “Love your enemies,” (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27) which means one’s private foes, not personal enemies (it reads “diligite inimicos vestros,” not “diligite hostes vestros.“) Never in the thousand year struggle between Christians and Moslems did it occur to a Christian to surrender rather than defend Europe out of love towards the Saracens or Turks. In this case, tolerance extends only towards those aims are in accord with the common sense implications of tolerance; charity, fair-mindedness, and the principle that responsibility accrues to those best able to shoulder it. The charge that the enemies of tolerance–those who glorify naked greed, summary and simple-minded judgements, and the right of the powerful to sovereign irresponsibility–should be extended tolerance is sophistry pure and simple, and nothing more than the demand that the allies of tolerance capituate.
If you enemies of tolerance, Mr. Reding, Mr. Reynolds, expect to prevail, you will have to fight for it. And with better weapons than this laughable piece of illogic.