Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

[pirate]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

And a big part of the conservative PR machine is to paint Dems as stupid. It's also incredibly ironic that in decrying labeling people stupid you use "simple" as an insult.

I was having a political discussion with conservative friends a few days ago and we arrived at the following conclusion: the only truly unpardonable offense we find in our interlocutors is when we think they are making assumptions about us based on their generalizations. If somebody listens to me and then, based on what I've said, concludes I'm wrong, or even that I'm stupid, it won't make me happy but I can at least walk away not taking too much offense -- they just have different ideas or values from me. But if somebody thinks to themselves, "well, this guy is a liberal, therefore he is X, Y, and Z," that's when I lose all respect and just think they're a wind-up toy.

Demagogues are always explaining "when (the opponent) says that, they really mean this," because their hatred can only take hold if the listener is programmed with thought-terminating circuit breakers that trip whenever they encounter cognitive dissonance.

We all have an implicit sandwich board reading "don't assume you know anything about me other than what I've told you." Real offense starts when somebody starts trying to "fill in the blanks." And of course, since we're all human, and that's a large part of how human intelligence makes sense of the chaos of the world, we're all always doing it to some extent, so offense is rampant.

I don't disagree with what you typed, but how do I reconcile it with your repeated comments about southern conservatives being stupid? Were some of those comments hyperbole, probably. But you, as much as anybody on here, paint large swaths of people with generalizations regarding intelligence. That isn't something I would have said over a year ago as it seems to be a recent trend...did a redneck in a pickup truck with a rebel flag run over your dog?

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Are you saying Carter, Clinton and Obama haven't been slandered ceaselessly? Its called politics.

Yeah, but they were libruls. They deserved it.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

I don't disagree with what you typed, but how do I reconcile it with your repeated comments about southern conservatives being stupid? Were some of those comments hyperbole, probably. But you, as much as anybody on here, paint large swaths of people with generalizations regarding intelligence. That isn't something I would have said over a year ago as it seems to be a recent trend...did a redneck in a pickup truck with a rebel flag run over your dog?

Well, most obviously, everybody knows liberals prefer cats and conservatives prefer dogs.

Also, as my wife will tell you, just because I'm the epitomy of rational objectivity doesn't mean I don't have occasional hyperbolic rhetorical excesses.

I don't think "southern conservatives" are stupid because they've been extinct since the 19th century. The ugly thing that uses that name is a weird strain of rural redneck politics that goes back at least 150 years to some very creepy populist roots, it's home base is now the old slave states, and yes, I have no use for them. For the record I doubt anybody on a college hockey forum is representative of it, although there is a cottage industry on the right to coddle it as a way of provoking resentment against a variety of boogymen.

There's an analagous, glaringly obvious, Joe Rockhead constituency in the Democratic Party that pulls the "D" lever with the same zombie mindlessness of the "Real Amurka" types. The main reason why the right's idiots come up more often than the left's is the latter are historically bad at voting.

The 1990-2010 right's basic MO isn't stupidity, it's the Constant Drumbeat of Victimization. Everybody's out to get them: judges, science, the gummint, the teevee, college boys, nancy boys, women who wear pants. They live in a paranoid fantasy of Constant Existential Threat where anything they say or do is self-defense and anything said about them is Oppression. Today's right is exactly like the Hippie Left -- thin-skinned and navel-gazing. And from their demographics they will be as sterile as the Hippie Left. Their line ends with them. Something else will assume the right's mantle after them - something optimistic and active rather than just snarling and reactive. I'm sure it's already happening, since like music by the time you see it on a major label it's already been percolating for ten years.

 

[busterman62]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

The 1990-2010 right's basic MO isn't stupidity, it's the Constant Drumbeat of Victimization.

So what you're really angry about is the infringement on the Left's sacred territory?

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

So what you're really angry about is the infringement on the Left's sacred territory?

Proved my point, thanks.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

The South should have won that war.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Petraeus to replace Panetta at CIA. Panetta to succeed Gates at Defense.

Jury's still out over here...

eta:

I mean, these aren't the worst choices for the jobs, by a mile. Panetta at DOD seems to signal spending cuts. If this is the best way to retain Petraeus's services, I guess that's one thing. But it doesn't seem like the most valuable use of his skills, and it doesn't seem like the best possible choice to run central intelligence, tbh. Presumably, he's okay with it, or else none of this talk ever sees the light of day...

 

[busterman62]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Proved my point, thanks.

My reply was went to be fully tongue in cheek but now I'm intrigued. I'm not quite sure where I proved your point by saying the Left is more than adept at playing the victimization card.

Your point seemed to be that the GOP is now using "victimization" as their MO. I fully agree with your point (unless of course I'm completely wrong in my assumption of what your point was). However, the only difference between the two parties, IMO, is who they are targeting as the next "Victimized of the Month"

 

[geezer]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

So, looks like Barry released a doctored copy of his forged Kenyan birth certificate this morning.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Well, most obviously, everybody knows liberals prefer cats and conservatives prefer dogs.

Also, as my wife will tell you, just because I'm the epitomy of rational objectivity doesn't mean I don't have occasional hyperbolic rhetorical excesses.

I don't think "southern conservatives" are stupid because they've been extinct since the 19th century. The ugly thing that uses that name is a weird strain of rural redneck politics that goes back at least 150 years to some very creepy populist roots, it's home base is now the old slave states, and yes, I have no use for them. For the record I doubt anybody on a college hockey forum is representative of it, although there is a cottage industry on the right to coddle it as a way of provoking resentment against a variety of boogymen.

There's an analagous, glaringly obvious, Joe Rockhead constituency in the Democratic Party that pulls the "D" lever with the same zombie mindlessness of the "Real Amurka" types. The main reason why the right's idiots come up more often than the left's is the latter are historically bad at voting.

The 1990-2010 right's basic MO isn't stupidity, it's the Constant Drumbeat of Victimization. Everybody's out to get them: judges, science, the gummint, the teevee, college boys, nancy boys, women who wear pants. They live in a paranoid fantasy of Constant Existential Threat where anything they say or do is self-defense and anything said about them is Oppression. Today's right is exactly like the Hippie Left -- thin-skinned and navel-gazing. And from their demographics they will be as sterile as the Hippie Left. Their line ends with them. Something else will assume the right's mantle after them - something optimistic and active rather than just snarling and reactive. I'm sure it's already happening, since like music by the time you see it on a major label it's already been percolating for ten years.

Just thinking about this...there certainly are more 'straightforward' people on both sides of the aisle. Sure you have the southerner folks from the sticks but on the left you have the lunchpale crowd.

And if the liberal 'elite' are arrogant (of which I'd be closest to I guess)...you could defenitely make the case that the conservative corporate 'aristocracy' and the 'rednecks' complete with flag wrapping are also. Frankly that lunchpale crowd and many minorities are the few groups that aren't full of themsleves.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Frankly that lunchpale crowd and many minorities are the few groups that aren't full of themsleves.

Everybody's full of themselves. One of the more disheartening experiences for a young liberal is meeting working class heroes and finding out they're as full of BS as everybody else. Later, though, it's liberating: everyone is going through life hoping to hell nobody realizes they're just making it up as they go along. That's the human condition, and I think it's charming.

"All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it." -- H. L. Mencken

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Donald Trump reacted to the release of President Barack Obama's long-form birth certificate by the White House on Wednesday morning.

Speaking at a press conference in New Hampshire, the potential presidential contender said that he's "proud" in light of the disclosure. He added, however, "it is rather amazing that all of the sudden" the document surfaces. He suggested it should be inspected to ensure its authenticity.

Aren't conspiracies fun? They're never satisfied.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

My reply was went to be fully tongue in cheek but now I'm intrigued.

I was seeing your meta and raising you a meta-meta. It wasn't actually really intriguing.

 

[bronconick]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Aren't conspiracies fun? They're never satisfied.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

And here's Barack's response to his birth certificate release.

"Normally I would not comment on something like this... I've got other things to do"

Got news for ya Mr. President. You still haven't satisfied the Tea Party and Mr. Trump. We need proof that it isn't a forgery.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Victimization is used across the board in this country, including the political spectrum. We're a nation of professional victims. Everything is somebody else doing something to us. It's so rampant that it's really hard to sort out the cases here and there where there's a legitimate beef.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Victimization is used across the board in this country, including the political spectrum. We're a nation of professional victims. Everything is somebody else doing something to us. It's so rampant that it's really hard to sort out the cases here and there where there's a legitimate beef.

Go look at the Congress thread. I'd call the 9/11 first responders legitimate victims.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Go look at the Congress thread. I'd call the 9/11 first responders legitimate victims.

I'd say the 9/11 responders have more to be concerned about than the average whiny American.

 

[bronconick]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

And here's Barack's response to his birth certificate release.



Got news for ya Mr. President. You still haven't satisfied the Tea Party and Mr. Trump. We need proof that it isn't a forgery.

Who said anything about satisfying them. The Birthers just got shown that Donald Trump is the man that can get things done for the Tea Party Republicans.

This increases the odds of Trump winning some primaries and even, God forbid, the Republican nomination.

Michelle can pick out new curtains for the White House on that day.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XXI: Kenyan Muslins are ruining this country!

Who said anything about satisfying them. The Birthers just got shown that Donald Trump is the man that can get things done for the Tea Party Republicans.

This increases the odds of Trump winning some primaries and even, God forbid, the Republican nomination.

Michelle can pick out new curtains for the White House on that day.

I agree. Michele Bachmann will be the next President.