I read a diary earlier this week on hate. I am not linking to it because of my conviction that there is already plenty of hate in the world - it NEEDS no justification, no apologetics, no rationalization. It exists, whether I want it to or not, and it will continue to exist no matter what measures I take to reduce it or undermine it.
I feel very strongly about it. For me, there is no question which is answered better - EVER - by hate. Do I find hate-worthy elements in the world? I do find anger-inducing elements. I am just coming off an 8 year stretch of that kind of experience, and all of the things which made me angry then make me angry now, as they have not been eliminated. The only difference is that their influence and their forum have been reduced a smidge - they have lost their most identifiable ‘face’ on the world stage.
Angry Mouse wrote a FP story on the 7th about anger. I agreed with some of it, I disagreed with some of it. I do think there is a large and important distinction between anger and hate. And this diary is about hate.
Here is what I wrote, to attempt to explain a difference to the diarist so invested in hatred (of Republicans).
(For me) ... hate isn't about reasons or justifications (no matter WHAT side one is on, Republican, al Quaida, Nazi ..., there are always plenty of those), it is about me, about an internal toxic state I choose to not cultivate and nurture in myself. Hate hurts me, in my view. It doesn't empower me, it doesn't make me a better person, it doesn't motivate me or take me along a path to growth and improvement. Most of all, it would undermine my ability to influence others as I Do wish to be influenced by others. No, Republican arguments are unlikely to sway me, but I appreciate mutual respect when I encounter it. When I don't, I am committed to not compromising MY respect, or my standards of behavior, because I am responsible for those.
For me hate is a reaction, and I don't think we need more reaction in this world, we need more action. Just look at their campaigns. Those are ALL about getting the electorate into a reactive mode. If the reactive mode a given voter adopts does not lead that voter to vote FOR Republicans, then for them the next best thing is for the reaction to be so negative that voters who might be influenced by the reactive non-Republican turn away from that possible influence. I think that works far more often than many 'Democrats' believe. I intend to never engage in political activity which repels simply because my personal energy is so negative/hostile/out of balance.
End of comment. :)
I do feel that conservative campaigns are all about talking to the reactive side of human beings. They prey on fears. They take existing fears and expand them, link them to other issues. They encourage dramatic emotional response, they discourage rational discourse. They are the wrestle-mania mongers of the political world.
Sometimes we’re astonished that their campaigns cultivate nearly contradictory hostilities in the electorate! How could that possibly work to their benefit?! Yet, it does. They validate and ratify little hatreds and hostilities, they cultivate the idea of us and them, and they’ll happily bank your vote no matter WHO you are against or aggravated by.
What is less appreciated is how insidious the approach is when it is OUR voters they are manipulating through reactivity. When they so provoke and anger Democrats that people on our side ‘lose it,’ and let rip with an ill-advised statement or action or utterance. When they so poison US with apoplexy that no matter how RIGHT our positions, no one is going to listen to us or what we have to say anyway. We see that kind of super-toxic energy very often during times of high political stress. Every time we have one of those ‘phases’ on Daily Kos a number of highly valued Kossacks take their leave in reaction to the energy. Still others take a hiatus or furlough, knowing instinctively (at least), if not fully consciously, that such energy will take us, our causes and our candidates nowhere good.
The argument I expressed in my comment, above, however, pertains to the damage anger and hatred do within us. TO us. We don’t need it, but worse, we can’t afford it. We can’t afford it for ourselves, much less for our progressive world view, which I hope is motivated far more by tolerance and compassion and love than their less savory counterparts.
The following is a video of one of my favorite episodes of my favorite tv show ever, The West Wing. In this skit (I know many of you will know it well), Republican attorney Ainsley Hayes is having one of the worst days of her life in her first day working for the Bartlet administration. Two relatively minor flunkies delivered a bouquet of hideous, ugly dead flowers by way of making their hatred of her clear. Sam fires them, but thanks to his good heart, and CJ and Toby and Josh, they prepared a finer welcome for Ainsley when she arrived at work the following day. They decorated the approach to her office, and played music from HMS Pinafore for her. And she walked into her office and turned on the light to their smiling faces, and felt, for the first time, welcomed as a fellow human being, as a teammate. I watched it for the first time with tears streaming down my face, and I think of it tonight with the same tears lurking in the corners of my eyes.
Thank you for visiting tonight! On to comments!
Tonight's Comments:
From Predictor:
bettync articulates the importance of health care for HIV patients.
From TracieLynn:
Dave925 writes about the 'predation of a corporate plutocracy'.
From JanF:
A late night (early morning?) comment by DBunn in NCrissieB's Thursday Morning Feature describes Democracy in terms of what it means to progressives and to the human species.
From OtterQueen:
I love this comment (by murrayewv) because it's not only spot-on, it is a great reply to those who would try to use biblical teachings to support their less-than-loving agendas.
From bmcphail (bronte17 also submitted this fine comment!):
(LeftHandedMan's) point about progressives, regressives, and pain avoiders can be applied almost universally to the problems facing the US today.
Very valuable perspective and analysis.
From watercarrier4diogenes:
This (comment from miller415, sadly out of recommendability) might be the best ratings shot CNN has left after Amanpour leaves.
From Im nonpartisan:
keeplaughing submits one of the finest, most compassionate and insightful comments I have read in a long time on the health care debate.
My submissions:
MarkTheBarberNYC writes a thoughtful comment (one of very many in that diary) to the young gay man (The Nephew) just coming to terms with his sexual identity. Coming late in the comment threads, perhaps others might like to read it.
Sherri in TX writes about the dangers of Stupak to pre-natal health care.
Pelosi for Congressional DOg Catcher? True Independent explains. :)
Top Mojo, excluding the tip jars and usual high mojo comments (search string provided by sardonyx!):
1 No sir (or ma'am) by realcountrymusic - 241
2 Jesus was all about health care..... by murrayewv - 163
3 david frum is WRONG by billlaurelMD - 151
4 Praying for peace. by noweasels - 137
5 And they will be gone soon, by tigerakabj - 129
6 if it is Waterloo, the Republicans are the French by neoprogressive - 129
7 "you don't work, you don't eat" by sgary - 126
8 FAIL and balanced! by MinistryOfTruth - 122
9 FANTASTIC diary and an inspiration to behold... by APA Guy - 109
10 Your strength is an inspiration, sir... by APA Guy - 101
11 It was enlightening though on how conservatives by Clytemnestra - 101
12 You can't make this stuff up by sgary - 100
13 While the photos of the Pres by RoCali - 98
14 McConnell and Boner React to This News by JekyllnHyde - 88
15 I don't post or comment here any more, but by RandomActsOfReason - 85
16 Didn't know about the Tiller lawsuit.Fabulous!! by RNmakingsense - 79
17 My first time on the rec list . . . by realcountrymusic - 75
18 The better historical metaphor by Jersey Jon - 74
19 neolibs by thereisnospoon - 71
20 No, but she is one of those geniuses by Scarce - 67
21 I'm moving this series to Thursdays from now till by FishOutofWater - 66
22 It's the action demonstrating that strength, that by Xapulin - 64
23 acorn my ass by memofromturner - 63
24 Just commented on this at the open thread. by tardis10 - 63
25 Commit random acts of kindness and beauty by rlk - 63
26 Thanks to everyone who shared on this diary by refinish69 - 62
27 Oh BWD--one of your very best ever efforts by St Louis Woman - 62
28 It wasn't an analogy, it was a metaphor in which by Jersey Jon - 62
29 Good News, Nora O'Donnell is calling out Stupak by LaurenMonica - 61
30 Give a man a fish . . . by therealcervantes - 61
Top Mojo, everything included (of 22347 comments in the past 24 hours)!
1 Tip Jar by realcountrymusic - 658
2 Tip Jar by NedSparks - 596
3 Tip Jar by Alan Grayson - 569
4 Tip Jar by blackwaterdog - 512
5 Tip Jar by sgary - 375
6 Tip Jar by noweasels - 337
7 Tip Jar by MeMeMeMeMe - 333
8 Tip Jar by Michael Moore - 277
9 Tip Jar by Eclectablog - 268
10 Tip Jar by itskevin - 246
11 No sir (or ma'am) by realcountrymusic - 241
12 Tip Jar by FishOutofWater - 235
13 Tip Jar by oxfdblue - 201
14 Tip Jar by Florida4Obama - 201
15 Tip Jar by BradF - 194
16 Tip Jar by dasheight - 170
17 Jesus was all about health care..... by murrayewv - 163
18 david frum is WRONG by billlaurelMD - 151
19 Tip Jar by deaniac83 - 151
20 Tip Jar by thereisnospoon - 147
21 Tip Jar by itskevin - 146
22 Praying for peace. by noweasels - 137
23 Tip Jar by slinkerwink - 135
24 And they will be gone soon, by tigerakabj - 129
25 if it is Waterloo, the Republicans are the French by neoprogressive - 129
26 Tip Jar by RASalvatore - 128
27 "you don't work, you don't eat" by sgary - 126
28 FAIL and balanced! by MinistryOfTruth - 122
29 Tip Jar by Femlaw - 121
30 Welcome to this week's final installment in our by GLBT and Friends at Daily Kos - 117
Please add your own submissions below!