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May. 28th, 2009 11:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mighty_aphroditeAs an observer of people, a freelance sociologist, if you will, I’ve come to this conclusion when it comes to the American liberal, based upon my experiences:
It has to do with self-identity and politics. For the average American liberal, political ideology makes up a large part of how they self identify. It's not just how they vote, it's who they are. Especially in an area like the Twin Cities, where I am, which is a kind of liberal Twilight Zone, these people are almost completely isolated from any opposing point of view. Not only is "liberal" who and what they are, it's the only acceptable way to be. Because of this self-identity, any disagreement or disapprobation of liberal ideology or of a particular liberal individual is perceived as a personal attack (X is liberal and so am I, therefore any attack on X is an attack on me). As such, and because any dissenting opinion is by default morally unacceptable, the average American liberal feels quite justified in responding with a personal attack on the dissenting individual or upon some conservative whipping boy.
For example:
Conservative dissenter: “I think Barrack Obama’s policies are ill-considered and unwise for X, Y, and Z reasons.”
Liberal: “I don’t have to sit here and listen to your racist opinions.”
C: I don't believe empathy is an appropriate criteria in choosing a Supreme Court justice *cites judicial oath*"
L: "You just want some racist, antifeminist white man."
I wish I were kidding. I’ve heard this kind of thing happen more than once.
It has to do with self-identity and politics. For the average American liberal, political ideology makes up a large part of how they self identify. It's not just how they vote, it's who they are. Especially in an area like the Twin Cities, where I am, which is a kind of liberal Twilight Zone, these people are almost completely isolated from any opposing point of view. Not only is "liberal" who and what they are, it's the only acceptable way to be. Because of this self-identity, any disagreement or disapprobation of liberal ideology or of a particular liberal individual is perceived as a personal attack (X is liberal and so am I, therefore any attack on X is an attack on me). As such, and because any dissenting opinion is by default morally unacceptable, the average American liberal feels quite justified in responding with a personal attack on the dissenting individual or upon some conservative whipping boy.
For example:
Conservative dissenter: “I think Barrack Obama’s policies are ill-considered and unwise for X, Y, and Z reasons.”
Liberal: “I don’t have to sit here and listen to your racist opinions.”
C: I don't believe empathy is an appropriate criteria in choosing a Supreme Court justice *cites judicial oath*"
L: "You just want some racist, antifeminist white man."
I wish I were kidding. I’ve heard this kind of thing happen more than once.