I received a message from a friend on Facebook. I have to share it with everyone to illustrate the current line of thought on both sides of the fence. Hopefully you will all draw your own conclusions and take something of value from it. My response isn't very pretty in structure, but I believe has substance. I reprinted it as written, but left the person anonymous.
Hi Brian,
i was talking to some friends of mine in Europe
about how americans are so polarized, discussing politics with either
the left or right is an exercise in futility and I used you as an
example, a person i like and respect who is just typically american when
it comes to ranting, closed minded thinking.
Do you know how
ignorant and counter productive is to throw around words like "liberal
or conservative", it's a lazy mans excuse for getting like minded people
to give you a thumbs up without having to discuss facts.
I
can give you clear reasons why I am left leaning: gay people have the
right to be married and have families, healthcare is a right and not a
priviledge, I'm rich and paying a little more in taxes to help someone
who is struggling will just mean 1 less starbucks coffee a day for me
(I'm not american, if the republicans win I'll accept the benefit and
just spend more time volunteering in Africa, Haiti and with the homeless
in america because because caring about your fellow man is what
christianity is about, not interfering with a poor womens right to have
an abortion).
My friends in Europe always talk about how great
it would be if you so called right to lifers put their money into
programs to help desparate pregnant women, set up networks to help their
kids be adopted, so keeping a child might be an option, instead of
forcing them to have kids, waiting till their circumstances inevitably
left to a life of crime them imposing the death penalty - hypocritcal? I
think so, either all life is sacred or it is not.
I listened
to the RNC and liked what a lot of the moderates have to say, I like
Mitt, he looses my respect in his need to shift positions to appease the
tea party, he is the architect of the ACA whether you like it or not
and for that he gets massive kudos.
The RNC convention had
some good ideas but lets not pretend that Ryan played more than fast and
loose with the truth. I can look at the DNC, see the positives and also
see the same political nonsense.
For you to watch and say
there were no policy statements, no ideas at the DNC etc, etc etc is the
reason politics in this country will get more polarised.
Whenever there are elections in Europe I sit down and have really
interesting arguments with my right wing friends, I respect them, they
change my mind about some things and I change their minds about some
things. All you talk about is "liberals", that means nothing and as I
said is a lazy excuse for you to get people that agree with you to say
hoorah. There is no way that either a DNC or RNC convention can have
days of speeches and ideas that are not worth applauding, you have
decided that if a democrate/liberal says something it's not worth
listening to. That makes me incredibly sad.
What I have loved
about living in Maine is the intelligence, civility and bipartisanship
of your politicians (unfortunately ending with this current governor), I
love and respect your 2 republican governors for caring about maine and
the issues first and not just following the party line. I have no
desire to spend time talking to people that agree with everything I
think, thats the beginning of small mindedness.
I unsubscribed
from your posts because their so negative and unpleasant in your
charcterization of people that disagree with you. Liberals are not
devils and could teach you a lot if you took the time to listen. I love
my conservative friends because they keep me grounded and open minded.
I don't need you to reply, dont expect, american politics has just
become a game of who can out do who in nastiness, but I always liked you
so wanted you to know how your thoughtlessness can be perceived.
I wish you all the best, happiness, health, success, (keep hating
people that disagree with you if that makes you happy, but please dont
vilify them).
Best wishes , A friend.
I responded:
I don't know how I could resist replying to this. My rantings are rooted
in fact. My beliefs are just that , beliefs and I don't force them on
anyone. People have a choice whether or not to read and if my rantings
sway a person's way of thinking, well, then that's their choice. I have
many liberal friends and I don't look at them as devils. All of them I
have great respect for. I try to be respectful in my post talking in
generalities. I appreciate you taking the time to write. However, I have
to dispel some characterizations. I too believe in gays rights. But in a
different way. All Americans should have the same rights. Across the
board. I have many gay friends and love them dearly. They command the
same respect from me as a heterosexual. Healthcare is not a right. It
is a good or service offered by a person. To make it a right absolves an
individual from personal accountability. People are not going to live a
healthful lifestyle if there is not accountability. The entity you
expect to oversee this, the governments of the world, are malleable,
corrupt and power hungry. The argument that the proponents of this line
of thought use the analogy that a healthy person is more productive.
I'll use another analogy. Going to an auto mechanic is not a right. He
offers a good or service that I require in order to be productive. I
need my car in order to get to work and be a productive member of
society. I am very careful with my car, routine maintenance and frequent
self inspections. I don't run around squealing my tires or beating up
my car. But if it was a right for that mechanic to fix my car? All bets
are off. I am a car guy. I would drive it like I stole it. This is the
world that liberals are creating. It's not a utopia, it's a world with
no personal accountability. Liberals say they are the party of choice,
but only the choices they deem right. I believe in a woman's right to
choose. If they want an abortion who am I to judge. But, isn't the plan B
pill and abortion just taking away from personal responsibility and
accountability? I believe that the private sector will spur innovation
without governmental influence. This current administration has spent
more money on very little substance. They had a chance to make some
truly great choices and change the way of life in America but instead
Obama, Pelosi and Reid chose to advance an agenda that will be repealed.
Flat tax to take the power out of the politicians hands, tort reform to
give doctors the freedom to practice medicine instead of just
protecting themselves and the institutions they work for through
defensive medicine. Entitlement reform that improves the welfare to work
ratio. A hand up not a hand out. Give a man a fish he eats for a day,
teach him to fish he eats for life and feeds others. I've only watched
bits and pieces of the DNC and the RNC, but can you show me any concrete
plans to address the economy on the democratic side? All I've seen is
numerous people speaking about how great this man is and how we need to
let him continue being great. What has he accomplished that is so great?
They tout the ACA. Eva Longoria put a pretty good example out there.
She spoke of a nurse, who wants to start a health clinic in a
neighborhood that needs one. Do you know that in the ACA there is a
provision that prevents this? This nurse would have to first apply to
the government and show a need. Then the area where she wants to open
would have to approve her plans. You couldn't start a clinic in this
country unless approved and this approval process will be run by the
malleable, corruption prone government. We are spending at an
unprecedented rate. How are we to tell our children when we are old,
that we spent their future to make our lives better now? I could go on
and on but I know that most of this does not adhere to your way of
thinking. I very much respect you and your opinions. I must try to leave
my world a better place for my children and I cannot sit idly by and
watch my government run a tab on those who have no voice. I do not hate
anyone. I have pity on those that cannot help themselves but have none
for those who can and choose not to. I have checked my posts and cannot
find anywhere that I have been hateful. I have made characterizations
based on behaviors. I have to believe by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan's
actions that they will move our current political state to the center. I
believe that they will be good stewards and fiscally responsible with
the People's money. I don't believe they are going to do anything with
respect to abortion. It's been decide in the courts. I respect you and
your choices but feel you don't have that same respect for mine. I don't
know how you can call me thoughtless, all of my opinions are rooted in
fact. I make sure the facts back up my words. To make unfair
characterizations of me through my words show your bias to my way of
thinking. I am willing to meet in the middle if you can show me
instances and fact that supports your view. The 'left' leaning people
that I deal with do not want to meet in the middle. It's there way of
thinking or no way at all. Progress in their direction at all costs even
if it bankrupts our future. This has been best illustrated by the
current administration's actions. They characterize me as a staunch
conservative. Racist, gay hating, gun toting, bible thumping with no
regard for anyone but myself. How are you any less closed minded by not
lending credence to my way of thinking? I respect anyone who has an
informed stand on any belief as long as it's rooted in fact. I do not
mean this to be disrespectful in any way. If anything, maybe it'll
garner a few laughs from your circle of friends. I always like to be the
clown! Be well, Brian
