Blue America: The land of the easily offended
By Dennis Prager
�© 2004 Creators Syndicate
Commentators on our country explain our blue-red division in many ways ââ?¬â?? liberal-conservative; secular-religious; North-South; coasts-heartland; singles-married with children.
I propose one more explanation: the easily offended-the not so easily offended.
With the acknowledgment that there are many individual exceptions, a major defining characteristic of modern-day liberalism is the ease with which liberals take offense personally and/or on behalf of others.
Liberals regularly portray as offended women, African Americans, Jews, American Indians, gays and every other group liberals declare a minority, i.e., any group that votes Democrat ââ?¬â?? no group that votes Republican, such as Mormons, Cuban Americans and Vietnamese Americans, is considered a "minority." All other groups are constantly warned that almost anything they say that is not patronizing of those groups is offensive (and therefore subject to litigation).
Having given thousands of lectures across the country and on all seven continents (yes, Antarctica, too) over the past 30 years, I can vouch for the personal-offense element. I am continually astounded at how often members of the audience (usually liberal women) will say they are offended by something I said, when what they really mean is that they don't agree with me.
It is most unlikely that conservative men or women speak that way ââ?¬â?? saying, "I am offended" ââ?¬â?? when they hear liberal speakers.
For one thing, conservatives are so used to being labeled as stupid, bigoted, ignorant, racist, homophobic, sexist, insensitive and intolerant that it is almost impossible to offend them. Moreover, the culture does not allow them to feel offended, since they are not an officially designated minority.
For another, liberal positions are far more emotion-based than reason-based.
To cite but one of many examples, take the widely held liberal slogan "War is not the answer." It is pure irrationality. War has ended more evil than anything the left has ever thought of. In the last 60 years alone, it ended Nazism and the Holocaust; it saved half of Korea from genocide; it kept Israel from national extinction and a second Holocaust; it saved Finland from becoming a Stalinist totalitarian state; and according to most of the people who put "War is not the answer" stickers on their bumpers, it saved Bosnian Muslims from ethnic cleansing.
The list of irrational, feelings-based liberal positions is almost as long as the list of contemporary liberal positions. The relevant point here is that people who take positions based on feelings will of necessity take disagreement more personally and feel offended more often than others.
Liberals' claims of being offended themselves or on behalf of a selected group are almost endless.
Liberal Jews and non-Jews claim that "Merry Christmas" offends Jews and other non-Christians. That 90 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas is of no importance to the easily offended.
Liberal blacks and other liberals see racism almost everywhere in America. To cite a typical example, the absence of black musicians in major orchestras has frequently been named as an example of white racism, despite the fact that many orchestras audition musicians behind a curtain. To non-liberals, the reason probably lies in the fact that few black kids learn to play the oboe or viola. And the sad result of liberals taking offense at so much white behavior is that many whites now talk very guardedly and unnaturally to blacks.
Liberal American Indian spokesmen and other liberals regularly tell us how offensive Indian names of sports teams are. The latest polls show that most Indians have no problem with such names, but liberals are still offended on their behalf. To make the point of how offensive the name "Indians" is for the Cleveland baseball team, one liberal caller once asked me, "How would you feel if a team were named 'Jews'?" I told him that it would be a great day in Jewish history ââ?¬â?? for 3,000 years, Jews have been looking for fans.
Part of America remains the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. An almost equally large part is now the Land of the Easily Offended and the Home of the Hypersensitive. Which land we become is a big part of the second American civil war we are fighting.
right, because bible-thumping religous conservatives never get offended, right?
two thumbs up :-)
Oh, that might offend some liberals with no thumbs.
I give that an A+, damn it, that might offend the stupid liberals.
Good read! Errr, I mean, that might offend Liberals who can't read!
andways :-)
If you read the article it states:
"It is most unlikely that conservative men or women speak that way ââ?¬â?? saying, "I am offended" ââ?¬â?? when they hear liberal speakers."
Meaning, that conservatives don't jump to the 'I"m offended'....
Originally posted by MxRacerCam:
right, because bible-thumping religous conservatives never get offended, right?
a perfect example of reverse liberalism whining.
give that guy a tissue.
"Liberal Jews and non-Jews claim that "Merry Christmas" offends Jews and other non-Christians. That 90 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas is of no importance to the easily offended. "
So, if a Jew or non-Jew is not offended, it means they are not Liberal?
What just strikes me as offensive about blue-state elitism is that they really don't feel that their own rules about racism, discrimination, how they state opinions, etc., apply to them. Hillary Clinton makes a joke about Mahatma Gandhi running a gas station down in St. Louis and is surprised when the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence asks for an apology. My wife saw editorial cartoons depicting Condi Rice as Prissy from Gone With The Wind (paraphrasing "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies") the day after she was selected as Secretary Of State, the highest political office ever for a black woman. A long-sitting Democrat congressman for my district has made anti-Semitic remarks more than once and keeps getting re-elected because he's just so entrenched that no one can outspend him.
The common thread is that they believe that because they supposedly represent these people more than their conservative opposites do, that they've got a license to use the imagery that they've deemed inappropriate for the rest of us. And they don't understand that that's not fair.
You're all a bunch of whiney pussies really.
So explain to me how this ISN'T just your average liberal v. conservatism dribble? I thought he was going towards a "easily offended v. not so easily offended argument...
Conservatives, your job is to tell the world to shutup and do what your government tells you, and Liberals, you are supposed to stand up for those that can't make their voice heard. I see no difference in this guys essay that varies from that model. Don't care how many continents he's been to, we have a Democracy for a reason and it's not so guys like him can try and stifle the opinions of others. You can mark me down for someone that's gonna call that conservative "ignorant".
Packrat, I apologize for insulting your patriotic little speech of "Majority Rules!, so HA!" here.
I have a job dingleberry.
Actually, Las Cruces is in the higher elevations of New Mexico and far from being "dusty". It's a touch dry, but one of the nicer places to live in NM.
Anyway, back to regular programming...
Wow, we almost got a competent opinion out of you without resorting to that classic E-thug approach that you use so well. Almost...
Originally posted by Packrat:
Since you couldn't leave well enough alone.
Was this a threat? Comeon. I've been looking for you to actually engage in a semi-educated argument for about an hour now. This is exactly what I was looking for. So, not really sure what the threat is all about.
Originally posted by Packrat:
The way liberals treat minorities is racist. Liberals only care about Blacks, Mexicans, etc. when it comes to elections.
You truly believe this, don't you? That's just sad. Many of the "liberals" I know regularly volunteer their time to help others, many are teachers, many donate much more than just their money (in addition to taxes). When it comes to politics, you could use this argument for either side. Really sad that this is your opinion of all liberals. When was the last time you tried to help someone less fortunate?
I agree that many of the benefits provided by the government do not help people in their situations, but only continue to extend the problem. However, I think you've gone ahead again and painted this broad brush (as you seem to enjoy doing) and grouped all liberals as evil. However, I wouldn't put all the "blame" on liberals for making the poor so dependent on these programs. I have heard very few suggestions from Republicans besides "cut the program."
Is the solution to just cut those programs and let those on it sink or swim? Hardly. Can you imagine the problems we would have then? We do need to devise a new program. Clearly the current program has problems. A program that can be implemented in conjunction with the current programs in place. To cut these programs without offering other solutions is completely asinine.
What efforts are conservatives doing to help people that can't help themselves? Clearly there are people out there that can't help themselves! Also, as long as there are laws and policies, there will always be loopholes, and people abusing those loophopes. The part I like the most is how when the wealthy abuse the system, I don't really hear conservatives bitching about all the tax dollars it is costing them. Guess what, it is! But, when the poor abuse social programs they sure are up in arms. Where do you think this country loses more money? Tax loophopes, or social programs? There is a reason social workers are paid very little, but tax law is a very lucritive business.
I see a possible answer in education. Our public education system is an absolute disgrass! If you haven't read it, I would highly recommend a book by Jonathan Kozol called "Savage Inequalities." Education is not the only answer, but strengthing our education process is a must! If we have any chance of allowing minorites an opportunity to help themselves, it must begin with education.
I won't get into the various programs that have been cut, and how they truly are disgrassful to see them let go, and who is suffering as a result. Hell, I'll even stick with programs that are ONLY affecting children.
In closing. You should know that I am absolutely not a democrat and stay very much independent to choose the canidate that I believe will be best for our country. Nor do I vote for someone simply to follow a party line. I, along with the majority of my colleages, simply refuse the sheep mentality that I've seen rampent among the current majority. Think for yourselves!
Wow that is a open minded view!
I don't suppose that conservatives have an agenda,noooooo.
Being a Dem and a "old" guy, I just don't understand why so many of our young people are so conservative ( not so when it comes to sex, drugs, violence, intolerance, etc)its just when it suits you I suppose.
Its not that conservatives are stupid, just wrong! (for America as I've known it and historicly)......
Years ago I read that if Facism raised its ugly head here it would be called Americanism, look around you.
Rusty, explain why it's so absurd.
BS Packrat! It's your President that wants the illegals hear to help provide cheap labor for big business and decrease wages at the same time because the market is flooded with people who work for less. The less educated they are the more they like it. You don't stand up for yourself if your afraid or don't know that your being taken advantage of. Housing prices going down? Nope! Food prices going down? Not this time! Energy prices shrinking? Yeah right! Wages...yes they are going down so I guess the Republicans do have a program the works!
Who the hell said that? Damn, you sure know how to spin words around. But if we must pull teeth, it was the Democrats who started Social Security. The Democrats take all the credit for starting Social Security because of how 'wonderful' it is. If everything that happens in government is bipartisan (like you're alluding to), then I'm sure you'll say the Republicans and Democrats are equally responsible for the Iraq war.
Very weak, Rusty. Even for you.
Obviously not, if he didn't want to argue with you anymore.
The pot is already pretty well-stirred, but I'll give it another whirl because I'm a prick like that:
Quote:
With the Blue States in hand, the Democrats have firm control of 80% of the country's fresh water, 92% of all fresh fruit production, 95% of America's export quality wines, 90% of the high tech industry, most of the US low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods and sequoias, all the Ivy League and Seven Sister schools, plus Amherst, Stanford, Berkeley, CalTech and MIT.
The Red States have firm control of 88% of all obese Americans, 92% of all US mosquitoes, 100% of all tornadoes, 90% of all hurricanes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, 100% of all Televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia. Among those doing the "controlling," 38% believe Jonah was actually eaten by a whale, 62% believe that all life is sacred except for those on death row, 44% believe that evolution is just a theory, 53% believe that Saddam Hussein was involved in 9/11, and, last but not least, 61% believe that Bush is a person of moral conviction.
Yeah, you're a prick alright.
Well, I was going to join in the conversation, since I can find many flaws in zgendron's logic and posts, but since it's went into the crapper, I'll wait to see if someone pulls it out first...
E1
lets just flush it :-) Hopefully, its not a floater.
Originally posted by EternalOne:
Well, I was going to join in the conversation, since I can find many flaws in zgendron's logic and posts, but since it's went into the crapper, I'll wait to see if someone pulls it out first...
E1
pack and jerseycat have a special history together. jersey likes to point out how unsuccessful he think pack is in life, and pack likes to blast jersey for having a shortsighted view of success.
either way this thread was bound to turn into a pissing fest from the first post. i thought we would have ended these types of inflamatory discussions after the election was over but it seems people still have left over rocks to throw.
Some people need to grow up. Warnings are going out again - if you get one, take it seriously.
This one is over.
