by sujigu Wed Oct 26, 2011
I am the type of person that really likes to understand where the other person is coming from. I try to figure out other people's world views and try to get a construct of their belief system and how they relate to their outside culture. It's just a natural inclination. After hearing about the recent Tea Party threat to not hire new people, and possibly close their own businesses, I reacted as many on the left do, with derisive laughter. No, it's not nice. But you have to admit, the irony of your opponent threatening to boycott themselves to spite you is delicious. Does that make me a big bad liberal elite who thinks his own world view is the only viable one? Well, to be honest, I've never made that assertion. I just think that people saying stupid things is funny. But, it gave me pause to consider what I like to call "Conservative Persecution Complex." Let's begin our discussion with a quote:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Great piece of liberalism here. You can write or say whatever you like without fear that some tyrant is going to throw you in jail or create some law to otherwise damage you for saying/writing something he/she doesn't like. In fact, to be honest, our country has an excellent track record, all things considered, with maintaining this ideal. The ACLU has defended the constitutional rights of Neo-Nazis, White Supremacists, and the rest of their ilk. We have long, drawn-out court battles when this tenet of our society is threatened, even if we might abhor the people we are defending.
It seems that conservatives like this idea too, but they don't seem to understand that when they say/write whatever they like, other people are completely free to criticize them. The local Tea Party chapter that put this out were up in arms at how liberals were close minded and hateful. Liberals only have a single world view that they deem correct, and they destroy all others. Obama, the evil Kenyan Muslim tyrant that he is, was impinging on their right to free speech. What I wish they would get is that they say whatever they want on their blogs, in their mailers, on their forums, etc. They pretty much say some of the most harsh, vitriolic things against the leader of the free world, and they are not throw in jail. Congress has passed no law that curtails their right to do that. There are no government troops rapelling through their windows, carting them away to FEMA camps. They got criticized for their remarks, but in their minds, verbal dissent is equivalent to being waterboarded, at least according to Gov. Brewer. The act of hearing something that they don't agree with is somehow tyranny.
This factors into such much I hear from the conservative side of the aisle. They live in a world of oppression, where all outlets of information, and society itself, is somehow out to get them. I sometimes hear about Christian persecution. How are you persecuted? Churches have millions of dollars, are organized and efficient, and they have charismatic leaders that reach across the entire country. They have sway over large swathes of the population, are allowed to pray even at legislative hearings, and are free to break off into denominations however they please. When someone says that you cannot use passages from Leviticus to prevent other people from marrying, that's an "all out assault" on your religious liberty? What? Reminding you that the government cannot favor your religion is akin to persecution? There was a time when Christians were persecuted, but it involved throwing them to the lions.
Oftentimes when I talk to conservative friends and point out a flaw in their logic, they act like I've killed their parents. I mean seriously, you get knicked on the arm and you wail that someone's lopped the entire thing off. It's like a built-in slippery slope.
Another good example is Hollywood. I was reading about this book that was a "tell all" about the liberal bias of Hollywood. Did I miss something, or isn't Hollywood a private venture? I understand not wanting bias in NPR, or publically funded broadcasting stations. Yet conservatives rail against Hollywood. I guess because of its stature, it has some sort of responsibility in terms of representing multiple sides of an issue? However, since it's private, the executives and scriptwriters don't really have to do any of that. It's their movie, it's their distribution system, it's their business. You don't like it, go form your own Hollywood (which the Tea Party has attempted, only to find out that colonial America based dramas aren't that exciting.) The fact that this guy "revealed" their bias was meaningless.
Does anyone else have experience in this regard? Is my analysis flawed? Do they not get to say and do whatever they want, however they want, and the only negativity they face is perfectly natural criticism from people that don't agree with them? Do they not understand the flip-side of free speech, and the responsibilities that come with freedom? Am I missing something?
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