What happened to us?

[Kevin Spidel]

My venting on the entire situation. It hits close to home because I have left politics because of the hate on both sides... now a friend lies in the hospital because of hatred and others dead.

“…intimidation has no place in our representative democracy. Such acts only make it more difficult for us to resolve our differences.” – Rep. Gabrielle (Gabby) Giffords, April 23rd 2010.

But here is the thing about labels, society needs them to understand what they don’t understand. I never called myself extreme. In fact, I am a strategic thinker and know my views are not the majority view point of the American people. I love diversity in thought and vision of America. I come from an apathetic family that votes Republican if they even vote – but you know what? I love them just the same. I left the political scene years ago because of the reality that the human condition needs conflict in discussing ideas, and I grew tired of the hate, on ALL sides.

The rest here: http://www.voicesofarizona.com/2011/01/09/what-happened-to-us/

[TheKentuckian]

1. Unrecced upon the "both sides" happy horseshit.

[stray cat]

2. You mean hate isn't prevalent on DU? Degree of it differs but hate is there on both sides

[Kevin Spidel]

6. Thank you

We need to admit we as a community on the left also hold anger toward those on the right (extreme). We must end the anger. Anger does not belong in public discourse. It is not a rational argument. It is an emotion void of constructive meaningful debate.

[EFerrari]

10. Anger is not hatred, neither is indignation.

And both are reasonable responses to wrongdoing.

[EFerrari]

11. No, hatred is not prevalent on DU. n/t

[EstimatedProphet]

14. Sure it is

Stray cat spreads it all the time.

[TheKentuckian]

13. The Reich has earned my hatred and it will only be abated when they change

There is quite a distance between righteous anger and murderous and/or greed driven rage.

They kill us and take food off our tables and fucking morons can't wait to chime in about some name calling and such.

[Kevin Spidel]

5. Thanks for proving my point!

America needs to excape the us vs them mentality. No matter who is us or who is them. We need to act as civil minded people who belive in community over being righteous. This is about being responsible for each of our own bias and judgements of others.

[TheKentuckian]

12. There can be no "community" absent righteousness only slaves and masters

with the slaves silently suffering their state.

This "tone" and content is fucking stupid as the wealth is funneled to a few, rights denied, wars of destruction rage on, and opportunity stolen as we are presented the bill.

Every time some fools demand unilateral disarmament and to accept that criminals are decent folk with disagreements.

No fucking way. This is about stopping monsters driven by fear of other, insatiable avarice, a black hole's hunger to consume all within its reach, and authoritarianism.

It is us versus them and has been for decades. Look at what they do and want to do and stifle this lame ass bullshit.

They wish to starve those who cannot care for themselves, they wish to murder women and children as they sleep because they are brown and in the wrong place for profit, they wish to make labor toil for nothing, they wish to use religious text as a guide to rule us, they wish to turn our environment into a shitpile, they fight to expand poverty, they labor to halt equality and to strip mine natural rights and you want to pretend we are on the same side? What the fuck are you smokin?

[handmade34]

3. if there is "hate on both sides"

that is the time to engage more fully to help right the wrongs, not run away

[TwilightGardener]

4. Dumb. There might be hate on both sides, but there isn't talk of shooting--or actual shooting--

by both sides. Nope, that's pretty one-sided, in fact.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. There is hate on both sides, but *degree* of hate is nowhere near where it is

on the right. You'll have to work harder to convince me of that.

On your greater point, we agree. It's a tragedy.

[Bluerthanblue]

8. we are all responsible- to

the degree that we respond with anger, hatred, vengeance and violence rather than making the choice to LIVE the way we know to be 'good' and 'just'.

I agree with the poster who encourages you not to run from what is happening, but I also understand that sometimes the best we can do is to pull away, at least temporarily.

I'm SO far away from being the person I wish to be,- and am not trying to preach or claim to be 'above' any human flaws .

Is it wrong to encourage each other to work towards a better world for everyone?

We ARE all in this together.

K&R

[Kevin Spidel]

9. amen!