Question- Can Liberals and Conservatives stop hating?

[lady raven]

I'll admit it- I'm guilty. I have a tendency to hate first and ask questions later when it comes to conservatives (neocons, more specifically). It's gotten worse, I'll admit, and * has been a huge factor. Many of us share this view.

Obviously, the neocons hate us. They call us "evil", make threats of physical violence, and so on..

It's gone WAY beyond disagreement.

I'm not sure I'll ever like or trust Conservatives again, which leads me to the question:

Do you all think that the two sides can ever be civilized to each other again, or have things just gotten so bad that there's no turning back?

I'm certainly not feeling like getting touchy feely with any Conservative right now, but it really bugs me to feel so strongly against a whole group of people like this, and I wonder if I'll ever go back to the level of tolerance that I once had for them?

Anyone?

[benburch]

1. Unless they somehow stop being fascists and killers, no.

I cannot see making peace with that.

[lady raven]

4. sadly

At the moment, that is my view. But I really hate being so filled with disgust for a group of people rather than just judging each person on his or her own personal merits. I feel like, in that respect, I've become what I've always hated.

Now, whenever I see a * sign, I just assume that the person in that car or house is an evil, gay bashing, woman hating, uptight war mongering asshole, and I kind of miss not feeling that way.

It was certainly easier on my blood pressure LOL!

[TransitJohn]

2. IMHO

It's gonna take a *true* threat from outside towards our nation to really unite us as the AMERICAN PEOPLE again.

[rot0r_head]

3. An invasion of warlike aliens could do it, that's about it n/t

[wordout]

18. a giant meteor would do it

[lady raven]

6. it really is sad.

After 9-11, it really looked like there might be some unity among us all as Americans, but * had to go and screw that one up. Now it seems like we're more divided than we were PRE- 9-11.

[aquart]

5. Yes. Bad leadership requires division and hatred.

Good leadership doesn't.

We need each other, to check and balance each other, to question our programs and motives until the kinks have been worked out. Our government was designed on the principle of COMPROMISE which the extremists in power have been unable to accept. They've made it a dirty word, like liberal. It isn't. Our system doesn't work without it. It wasn't meant to.

The Republican Party needs to take a good hard look at these extremists, these radicals, these fascists, and make a decision.

[lady raven]

7. too bad we can no longer disagree without hating each other.

I'm not for a second suggesting that we should all agree with each other. I'm just commenting on what seems to be intense personal hatred, which seems only to have gotten really bad in the past few years.

I wouldn't ever WANT to agree with a Conservative. But it would be nice not to hate each other as people. Sadly, it looks like that probably isn't going to happen.

[billyskank]

8. It's not even a queston of "can"?

We must. There's no alternative. I know how much the radical right is responsible for the coarsening of political debate in your country, but one big truth remains. If your country is to have a future, then people are going to have to come together a bit more. As it is a dangerous schism is developing.

[lady raven]

10. it doesn't feel good to hate.

Four years ago, I did not hate Cons. Oh, there were a few here and there who I hated on their own merits, but not just because of their political beliefs. I have always thought of myself as tolerant of other groups and wasn't one to lump a whole group together and consider them ALL bad. But man I sure do now!

I guess I've gotten so fed up with people bashing me personally because of my political beliefs that it's grown from there.

The political envoronment today is upsetting. All the dirtiness, personal attacks, generalizations. It seems like in such a short time it's become the norm, and it's kind of scary. I do agree with you- If it continues to get worse, I don't even want to think about the hatred that we will all be living with.

Here's another generalization, but I know that if it is to happen, that it will be mostly the work of Liberals trying to do the healing, because I think that the RW has become SO hateful that they would actually PREFER to hate us all.

For lack of a better word, it's very "icky".

At least I'll feel SOMEWHAT better on Wednesday!!!!!!! At least I hope so!

[billyskank]

21. That's the hard part

it's not enough for those on the left to outreach to the right. Somehow the right has to be persuaded to come along. How that is to be done is beyond me, but the alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

[xchrom]

22. you cannot make peace with

conservative christians or free market nut jobs.
you have to ''fight'' them tooth and nail.
they do not wish you peace -- something that should have been learned during reagan, but liberals seem to want to get kicked in the head a lot.
unfortunately, america is going to suffer through some even uglier times in the future because of this ''cultural divide''.
being soft on conservatives simply means giving them room to stab liberals who work with them in the back.

[ever_green]

9. It is sad, we have to be civil and cooperate

In order to get things done and unite against the global elite. We're all human, we need to learn how to work together again.

[lady raven]

12. Maybe now (pre- election) isn't the best time to ask

But I do think that I need to do some sort of psychic healing. while I have no intention of even entertaining the idea of going conservative, I want to get myself back to the place I was 4 years ago. I was mostly an "agree to disagree" person. I was outspoken of my beliefs yet I respected their side in general (unless it was an individual who clearly didn't deserve my respect). I've always been a person who wanted to get along and be nice to people and be treated with kindness in return, and I think most of us at least on THIS side of the fence are like that too.

What is it going to take for some of these wounds to heal? Conservatives have become SO hateful that I fear even a major effort from our side to get along won't work.

Man, I've developed a bad attitude! Maybe after 11-3...

[Abelman]

I don't hate conservatives

Many are just misguided. Real conservatives aren't that bad, they just utilize a sense of cold logic. That's how so many were duped by the 'compassion' of bush.

I really think once he's out of office the GOP will get rid of his type as their leadership and do what it's best at. The newly energized Democratic party, led by John Kerry, will once again have a backbone to go with its credibility and maturity.

The biggest influence on the split is the media. We don't believe the bias because we take the time to get the truth. Many average Americans do not.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. No choice in the mater

also remember, most real conservatives are defecting and voting for Kerry, Bush is NOT a conservative, and the neo cons are not conservatives either.

Now the GOP has two choices, take the party back from the extremists, or in my view die and be replaced by another conservative party. I have said this before and people look at me as if I am nuts

If there is no compromise and no peace, I am afraid this cold civil war will become a very hot civil war... and trust me, the nation may not survive that and may become several nations... and yes this is the right's doing, but we are all responsible to a point

Oh and I am not pollyanish, as I expect violence from inside by tuesday.

[lady raven]

13. Abel and Nadin

These are great posts. Maybe after 11-3 I'll have an attitude adjustment of sorts.

[Sin]

14. In my eyes I'll never Trust them again.

Ive seen the Worst they have to offer since i was in about 6th grade( went to catholic grade school then RC high school)
there so full of hate that if they knew you were a Dem or hell even not a Dem they would stab you in the back as soon as you turn around if it could make them more money or help faith exterminate evil in some way.
They do it one better then just that, there more calculating with there evil they first dehumanize you then segregate you then try to harm you and call you nuts when you say there doing these things.
They try to change through humiliation and the ways mentioned above if there in greater numbers then say Dem's or libs in a area.
I don't view them as human any more I don't think I ever will so my tolerance has been all used up on them.
there will be no joining of the nation again for me.

[bunkerbuster1]

15. Simple answer--with new leadership, it's possible to bury the hatchet.

Slim chance, but possible.

[REP]

16. There Are Few True Conservatives

I don't have any problems with those people personally, though I don't agree with most of the old-time conservative philosophy, though some of - like government not regulating the private lives of citizens - makes a lot of sense.

I do hate the neo-con movement, and many of those leading it. I'll stop hating it when hell freezes over.

[Hello_Kitty]

35. I usually can tolerate the old school economic conservatives

The fundies, the chickenhawks, and the corporate welfare hogs I cannot stomach.

[kayell]

17. Anger is different from hate. I'm not buying that meme.

Why are you assuming liberals are full of hate?

I want to see this administration prosecuted for their crimes, but I don't hate, and I don't think most liberals do.

Edit: My reading comprehension must be down this early. I missed seeing the question also applied to conservatives. I'm not as sure about some of them, since I think a large part of why hard core conservatives are conservatives is because of their own internal long term fear that leads to hate.

[Snotcicles]

19. I blame Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh they started

all of the hate talk. It's the constant maligning of Liberals.
After seeing how far the Right Wing will go to dominate politics I will allways be suspect of them and never trust them again.

[Snotcicles]

20. I'll treat them as I would a Rattle Snake.

[Jade Fox]

39. Yes, and now all their little minions (who know nothing about Liberals or

anything else from either experience or education) mindlessly repeat their
garbage. Many of these followers seem to have grown up getting with no
other sources of information about politics, history and culture. Its scary.

[xchrom]

23. no, no peace with conservatives.

there are several fault lines in the ''conservative revolution''.
the ones you can see, i.e. conservative christains, anti womens rights folk, facist gun folk, etc.
and the ones you can't see -- i.e. the corporate crowd. and those guys -- for now are in league w/ neocons and the ''authentic american'' crew. but in some ways are more dangerous.
they control the media and they control most of the door ways that allow access to politicians both liberal and conservative.
liberals will drown in their own compromises if they don't get very thick-necked about these elements in our society.
other wise we won't ''reaganed'' or ''bush-wacked'' in the future -- we'll be ''schwarzeneggard''.

[depakid]

24. Progressives are suckers if they think they can make peace

with conservatives. These are ignorant, intolerant, bigoted and hateful people. They would NEVER make peace with you- and your overtures only look like weakness to them. How many times do you have to be stabbed in the back? double crossed?

I think many progressives (and too many Democrats) have battered woman syndrome. They keep thinking "oh, he'll change."

Well Guess what. People like this WILL NOT CHANGE. PERIOD. Unless, of course, something bad happens to them personally.

We all need to keep the pressure on and apply a form of the golden rule- treat them EXACTLY as they would treat you.

[aquart]

28. And you think there are no ideologic nazis among progressives?

LISTEN TO YOURSELF!

I don't see much difference. Your way or the highway. But your way is the RIGHT way, huh? So you don't have to consult with anyone but people who agree with you, right?

Just like George.

[obiwan]

25. I don't hate conservatives. I just hate the Bush squad.

They have EARNED my hate.

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. No! We tried that and look at where it got us.

Never again are we to trust those people. We must NEVER forget what they tried to do. We must NEVER forget what they did to Clinton. We must NEVER forget what they did to Max Cleland. We must NEVER forget that they STOLE the 2000 election. We must NEVER forget that they preemptively attacked another sovereign country. We must NEVER forget that they tried to destroy our country. Never forget and NEVER forgive. EVER. We cannot EVER let them back in power.

I detest those people and will never stop hating them. This has been the longest 4 years of my life! AND the most miserable.

[Bridget Burke]

27. I don't "hate" anyone.

Sometimes I feel anger. Mostly, I just want them to go away.

The far-right extremists started the "hate" back in the days of Gingrich. When they spent millions of dollars to try to bring down a legally elected president. Clinton was not a radical leftist by any means, but they thought of them as the enemy.

[SudieJD]

29. NO

Because the repub's are speaking their minds and hearts. Who could ever be friends with people like this? If they truly believe what they say, they are evil people that don't deserve respect.

Sudie in MN

[Kipepeo]

30. I don't know

I think as long as hate-mongers like Rush and Hannity populate the airwaves they will stoke the Conservative hatred of Liberals. They bring out what is worst in people: a complete arrogant hatred of the "other" without any reason or justification. But the arrogance is staggering.

I think it's only been these past 2 years or so that I've seen Dems I know get to that angry point, but with Dems it's a more justified anger. It's righteous fury and frustration...I think that's a different kind of anger because it's based on reality, reason, and it's a reaction to events. Anger from the "reality based" community if you will.

I don't think we can ever get rid of the 1st kind of anger (the Repuke blind hatred) until we throw the hate-monger leaders like Rush out on their bums. :) But the second kind of anger is something that is specific to time and place...it's dependent on facts, it's reasoned, it's not irrational, so it can be dissipated.

Does that make sense?

[bearfan454]

31. No

I hate repukes.

[mmonk]

32. I've never really hated

but now I despise the other party for the damage to my country.

[Dark]

33. It depends on the conservatives.

If you go to certain message boards, all you read is unadulterated hatred of liberals. Idiots who seem to think that the free market works perfectly, and that liberals are all socialists who want to force thirteen year-olds to have sex and abortions all day while allowing homosexuals to run rampant in day care centers.

This hatred cannot be undone, because these people refuse to listen to anyone other than themselves.

But other conservatives are more moderate, and understand that liberals simply disagree with them. They don't hate us, but they don't like us either. They can be convinced to at least not vote for neo-cons.

But I doubt that they will ever join our side.
I think the division Dubya created will last a very long time. The unity of 9/11 is history.

[hiphopnation]

34. Great Question

One that you'll not find addressed here often. Some usual responses are "Sure we can as soon as "they" (fill in the blank for "they") stop being *ssholes." And I fall victim to it as well.

We liberals like to think of ourselves as an inclusive, open-minded, accepting group of folks who welcome and accept all types of debate and discourse, as long as it remains civil. When it doesn't we can tend to be as ugly as "the other side". But you're right, it gets us nowhere. But it also speaks to a larger divide in our country that, as some here have argued, may not have truly gone away after the Civil War. It was just pushed way, way down. And in times of great strain and true tests of the countries mettle like the depression and the two world wars the country has come together like never before. But the rift is still there.

But there's a fundamental flaw in your question and that is that you split this great debate into two sides and two sides only. I wonder why that is?

As the old axiom goes, in every story, there's two sides, and then there's the truth. I think it a systemic problem of the polity that we view most issues as "them and us", "black or white", "with us or against us". Certainly we can all name the one person who is woefully afflicted with this narrow view of the world.

I would also take issue with your statement that you may never be able to trust "conservatives" again. Firstly, never say never. Second, I don't think that it is "conservatives", per say, that you have a problem with. I would argue that most self-ascribed "conservatives" in this country do not align themselves with the fascists currently occupying the executive branch of our government. My father is a "conservative" and he's voting Kerry. I know he's not alone. Don't make the mistake of deomnizing "conservatives". Most of them are honest, decent, hard-working people who are just trying to get by like you and I. They may display a certain ignorance that irks you deep down but *most* of them are good people. Your problem is with fascists and oligarchs - like the current residents at 1600 Penn.

To sum up, I have only recently had my eyes opened to the need for third and fourth party voices at the table of national politics. (and local - don't forget, all politics is local!) I now see that it is instrumental to the survival of the republic. This serves the public discourse in so many profound ways. At the very least it helps to inject other points of view that the main Two Parties may not have thought of while at the same time taking some of the steam and vitriol out of the current extremely bitter and partisan exchange that we currently witness. I think it can help to keep things more civil and perhaps bring back an era of compromise.

Of course, if all right-thinking people do not band together with the common, unified goal of ousting the fascists in the White House everything I just said may very well be moot.

Good luck and thanks for the thread. :thumbsup:

[Sinnerman]

36. Need Help Understanding why 5 of 7 polls show......

Bush up and only 2 show tied.
And what the F**K what's going on in New Jersey, Michigan, & Hawaii

We should have nailed these states back 2 months ago

Are the repukes just cheating

[sister moon]

38. Ignore the polls, they are flawed and can't be trusted

and they are presented to us by a biased media to boot! They are CRAP! Their sample leaves out HUGE chunks of the population who WILL be voting this time.

[Willy Lee]

37. This is what I think.

Those on the FAR RIGHT and teh FAR LEFT will never never be able to come to terms with each other. I truly hope that there is hope for everyone else, tho. Say there are roughly 50% dems and 50% republicans in the country (not Bush/Kerry supporters but dems/reps). I have 2 neighbors that I really like but they are republicans. One of my coworkers I really like, but again, a republican. I have a sister that is one also. I am jsut not ready to write off half of the US population as the enemy.

Blast away if you must.

I hope some peace can be made.

"A house divided against itself cannot stand"- Abe Lincoln

[patrice]

40. There have to be some real, honest-to-god Conservatives around . . .

in the first place.

Not these pseudo-Conservatives.

Liberalism should be integrated with honest Conservatvism.