Is it just me, or is this place getting more and more pissed off over everything? I notice it most outside of the site, when we are used as the default liberal position in the media. On one hand it is good that some one is paying attention, but on the other hand it is making us look very polarizing and petty.
While I am not saying that there aren't many valid issues being brought up, I do question the maturity and intellect they are being handled with. Especially some of this Rick Warren posts. I personally believe proposition 8 was a clear violation of civil rights, but I don't have to believe that everyone backing it are terrible people.
It is a question of maturity. When an issue is brought up, do you take the time to think through both sides or do you find the nearest mob to join? Do you consider the complexity of the issue, or collapse it into a black or white ideology? Do you look for practical solutions or just bitch and moan? Neither side of the political spectrum has a monopoly on closed mindedness.
Yes, Rick Warren represents the opposition to gay marriage. Yes, Rick Warren represents the opposition to choice. These are social issues that lack consensus in our nation. On choice the left has a slight advantage in public opinion, and on gay marriage the right has a slight advantage in public opinion. Obviously we would like to move more opinions in our favor. But how do you expect to achieve that by vitriolic attacks of your opponents? How can you expect your opinion to be respected when it is presented in a sophomoric fashion?
If you look at the auto bailouts, most of the country was still against them. The reason supporters of the bailouts failed to sway public opinion is because they attacked those who were opposed to them. Rather than laying out a reasoned argument, proponents just claimed people in opposition hated American workers. Do you really believe anyone wanted to see Americans suffering? People opposed them because they didn't believe the bailouts would work, and no one would explain why their doubts were unfounded.
It is clear to me why Obama received so much support from the mainstream of America. He unlike the left or right is willing to broach subjects in a reasoned tone. Instead of whining about the other side, he is willing to listen and present a rational case for his point of view. In other words he is an adult.
I have no ambition of winning any popularity contests here, as attempting that would mean I would need to suspend my own critical thought. There are many good authors here who have broadened my outlook on many subjects. Sadly there are just as many robots appealing to a mob mentality.