Political conversation. 1776--2004.
It may have died earlier than that. But I just noticed that it died.
I have some Republican friends who I routinely discuss politics with. Most times, these discussions have been enjoyable in that I enjoy lively debate and the discussion of topics that make me think. Most times, no minds are changed and we just agree to disagree. However, the tone of my discussions with these conservative friends have changed.
If I don't accept their view about Mr. Bush's war of choice, I am labeled a traitor. If I discuss the horror of Abu Gharib, I hate the military, even though they don't properly equip the armed forces for the protection of the soldiers and even though they slash the benefits, medical or otherwise, of our veterans. If I don't vote Pro-life, I am going to Hell without any chance of redemption (which goes against the very nature of the Catholic Church or the Christian religion). If I express doubts about the Patriot Act, I am with the Terrorists. If I vote for Kerry, I am a terrorists since the terrorists want Bush to lose (which of course is not true since Al-Queda has in fact endorsed Bush, but conservatives tend not to pay attention to truth).
They (my conservative friends) have stated the above many times before, but the straw that broke the camel's back came yesterday. First, one of my conservative friends called all Democrats and Mr. Kerry himself an anti-semite because we and he don't "support" Israel. I pointed out to my deeply misinformed friend that Mr. Kerry is of Jewish ancestry, that 80% of American Jews vote Democratic, and that nothing in Mr. Kerry's statements or votes reveals any lack of support for Israel. At this point, I told my friend that he is not to use any biased Republican media proganda from NewsMax, Fox News or Drudge to support his outrageous suggestions. Further, I told him that since he has lowered himself to unfounded name calling, he would have to accept being called a racist and a bigot, since he called me an anti-semite. If he did not accept this, he was a hypocrite, I told him.
He responded back that I was never to use CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, the Philly Inquirer, the Washington Post, or the Los Angeles Times for support of my arguments ever again, sinse these news organizations were "hopelessly liberal." Further he responded that the Democrats always resort to name calling because they have no arguments to argue. (WHAT????? Didn't he resort to name calling first????)
I wrote him back and told him that we had nothing further to discuss politically since we can not even agree on what news organization to use, and I may have made reference to his questionable parentage. :)
Liberals and conservatives in this country have been arguing in the vitrolic sense for decades now. We have called each other names. But now we cannot even agree as to what is news. Daniel Patrick Moniyhan once said (and I am paraphrasing here) that each man is entitled to his own opinions, but not to his own facts. We have reached a point in this country where each side now has their own facts. How can honest political debate take place in this climate?
It can't. Dr. Delaware Dem: "Time of Death: June 2, 2004"
I fear for the future. Now one side will have to be utterly defeated so as their is no question as to their defeat. And I am not just talking about political defeat either. Yesterday I saw a post where the Bush campaign ran an ad or is planning to run an ad that featured the phrase "Visualize no Liberals." The conservatives in the Bush Campaign have reached the same conclusion as I. They are not seeking to debate liberals as to why they are right. They are planning on ignoring liberals in this campaign. They are planning on using their own facts to prove how we are wrong. They will create straw man arguments to defeat to prove that they are right.
How do I now this? Because of Dana Milbank's wonderful Washington Post piece over the weekend. The Bush campaign nevers answers the question that is asked. They set up straw men and knock them down with their own version of the facts and their ideology.
How do we combat this? I know many liberals are idealists. I know we say that we cannot stoop to their level. But we must. We must do exactly the same thing or we will appear befuddled, confused and more angry than we already are. We will appear as though we have no plan.
So cease debating conservatives on our facts and trying to get them to admit that they are wrong and we are right. They have insulated themselves against that line of attack by creating their own facts to use against us.
Your thoughts and experiences are much appreciated.