Don't be a Hater

There is a person who periodically comes up to me at church to tell me the latest of what that “d**ned Obama” is up to and how he intends to destroy our country by making it into a dictatorship. This person is under the mistaken assumption that I am a Republican (because of course, Christian equals Republican, right) and also is under the mistaken assumption that Romans 13:1-2 doesn’t apply to them or to this administration.

There is another person in my life who loves to talk about Sarah Palin and how stupid she is and how she would have destroyed America. Another cornered me periodically over the last few years to tell me what an idiot president Bush was. He loved to speak of George W as if he was a low IQ bumbling fool who was being controlled by dark forces within the Republican party.

I am an avid listener of talk radio when I am driving. I bounce around the dial, trying to catch multiple sides and hear the differences in how they understand issues (not just listen, but to actually hear). I try to listen to them all from Randi Rhodes to Rush Limbaugh and just about anything in between. For the record, I prefer those in-between. I am not a Republican, nor am I a Democrat, although I have both during periods in my voting life. I am an independent and truly believe that both parties are poor representatives of our country because of the radical polarization that has occurred.

As I listen to talk radio as well as the well-intentioned people around me, I have become more and more convinced that this polarized hatred for the other side prevents any really useful dialog. These people speak of the opposing political party with venomous hatred, as if the other side is actually an enemy and not just fellow Americans with a different point of view. There is this sense of disbelief and anger that someone just might have a differing opinion and still be an American.

I have observed that there is even a pattern to this. Those on the conservative or ‘right-wing’ like to attack someone as if they are evil-intentioned and out to turn America into a dictatorship, like some sort of modern day Darth Vader. They like to show themselves as strongly moral and protectors of all that is right with this nation as if they were Captain America. Left wingers like to attack the intelligence of the other side as if they are all wide-eyed, bigoted bumpkins who cannot tie their own shoes, like a cross between Jed Clampet and Archie Bunker. They try to bring themselves across as well educated saviors of the little guy, kind of like Jesus if he went to Harvard. The problem with all of these characterizations is that they are one-dimensional and never really address the real people or issues involved.

As I listen to President Obama, I have to conclude that he is well intentioned and truly believes that his policies are best for this nation. I cannot believe that he has some evil plot to destroy America. I am not a fan of many of his policy ideas but I cannot fault him for his sincerity.

I also am not a fan of George Bush. I believe our entry into Iraq was wrong, but it wasn’t all his doing (lest we forget all those congressmen and women who voted to go in also). However, he is obviously not an idiot. In fact, I have to believe that he is a very intelligent person. I do believe that he purposely uses his southern accent and colloquial manner of speaking to disarm people and make them underestimate him. But, there is no way he could have the education that he has or reached the position he did if he really was truly that dumb.

In debate, these types of insulting attacks are called Ad Hominem attacks. Ad Hominem is a weak tactic used by those who are unable to clearly discuss the issues at hand. It is only effective when your audience is not educated on the issues. This type of attack is unfair and below us as a society.

It is time for us as a nation of people to stand against this. If you are a Republican, fight the issues, present evidence, but don’t resort to outlandish conspiracy theories and innuendo. If you are a Democrat, argue your point, show them where they might be wrong, but don’t use childish name-calling. Both sides need to also point out what is right with the other and present options when they disagree. Even more, voters need to educate themselves and actually vote with their beliefs and not just party-line, even if that means you vote for a candidate who is (gasp) of the other party.

Let’s bring our political ideas out of grade school and remember that ‘sticks and stones my break our bones but names will never hurt us’

P.S. I have said it before in my blogs and to anyone who discusses politics with me. I believe the ideal setup for our government that will benefit all Americans is as follows:

A congress that is made up of every part of the political spectrum from the far right to the far left and all the shades in between.

A president that is of the opposite party than the one that is currently in control of Congress

A supreme court that is very strictly constitutional and very cautiously conservative on how they interpret the constitution. (That’s conservative as in careful, not conservative as in Republican).

This setup keeps our politicians in check and allows every position to have their voice heard without one group overwhelming the other.

Now, get out there and vote for what you think is right, but vote educated and actually take the time to listen to the other side.

And don’t be a hater.