Ah, Howard Dean. Remember when this guy was the favorite to win the Democratic nomination in 2004, but crashed and burned, partly because he was seen as too "angry" and extreme? Well, Democrats and liberals have undergone an evolution since then. They are now so apoplectic about the Trump presidency that no bad behavior, no fit of vituperation, no incidence of harassment of Republicans, seems out of bounds. In fact, the liberals are seemingly competing with each other to earn the title "Biggest Trump-Hater of All-Time". Think Trump is a fascist? NO! He's a Super-Nazi! Think Trump is soft on Putin? NO! He's a Putin stooge and an epic traitor! Think Trump is a ruthless businessman? NO! Actually he's guilty of every white collar crime in the book, ipso facto, and most non-white collar crimes too. Why not? And, lastly, think Trump supporters were wrong to vote for him? NO! Every Trump voter is as racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, Earth-hating, and generally monstrous as Trump himself! Death would be too mild a punishment for such swine!
That, unfortunately, is how the Left has come to see the world. It isn't pretty. Part Three of my four-part series on the likely leftist reaction to a failure of the "blue wave" is about ANGER, and how liberal rage will intensify in some frightening, but ultimately counterproductive (to the Left), ways after November 6th.
Here it is in American Greatness (it was also featured on RealClearPolitics!):
https://amgreatness.com/2018/11/04/the-stages-of-liberal-grief-anger/
Dr. Waddy: When I publicly debated a well known leftist in 2012 a young supporter of his declared to me "I'm offended!", as if this alone was enough to condemn my conservative views and especially my presumptuous defense of them. So very many of our persuasion wilt when confronted so;they are persuaded that to confront such as these is certain to bring upon them charges of "prejudice, bigotry" and the comprehensive panoply of "isms" carrying with them automatic conviction upon accusation. And they note the unrestrained and characteristic anger enacted by those who are confronted so and sometimes understandably weigh the possible material consequences of continued confrontation. But the anger of the left displays a strong element of irrationality and it can be met in several ways. The first is to display conservative anger at summary condemnation and a determination to resist it. Second, demand that leftists creditably define terms (like "racism" and "sexism" )which they casually level as self evident accusations. Very often they cannot do so and are further unhinged by being bade do so. Completely unalloyed and unrestrained anger is a defect the canny (like President Trump) are skilled at using against those who rely on it to shame and overpower those they disdain for their ideological "evil".
ReplyDeleteJack, I fear one reason liberal rage is so common these days is that they have learned that it often works. Scream in the face of those who disagree with you often enough, and pretty soon no one will disagree with you...to your face. Speaking of which, there were plenty of "shy Trumpers" in 2016, and I'm betting there are plenty in 2018 too. But I like your suggestion that liberals should be forced to define their terms. It's not as though one will ever win a rational argument with an irrational person, but definitions at least might distract one's fanatical interlocutor for long enough that the audience might recover its bearings, the leftist's rage might subside (slightly), and/or the target of his ire (say, you or me) might be able to find the nearest exit and so beat a tactical retreat. Always live to fight another day!
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy: They are almost uniformly unaccustomed to being publicly doubted and therefore have little practice at reacting
ReplyDeleteeffectively to it. Demanding of them definition of terms they use with blithe and scornful abandon, forces them to become objective or appear intransigent. I think much of their outrage at President Trump is because of his refusal to treat their pompous pronunciamentos with the deference they presume is due but are loathe to reciprocate.
True, Jack -- Trump calls the Left on its BS! I've always believed their hatred of Trump was more about style than substance. Ideologically, the Left probably could have cooperated with Trump, even co-opted him, but instead they decided to eviscerate him and his whole family. A decision the wisest among them may already regret!
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