I appreciate that, JQ.
Re-reading my own post above, I wish to acknowledge my overly general use of the word
liberal, in the heat of the moment. After a heated exchange with Darknight613 a few weeks ago, I really have intended to be more specific in my responses, and not inadvertantly or carelessly use generalizations.
And while I think my context in making remarks about liberals is clearly at a
specific branch of liberals, and I've said that clearly on many occasions across many topics, and the praise I've voiced for more moderate liberals like Joseph Lieberman and Joseph Biden as
productively criticizing the Bush administration, as opposed to scorched-earth rhetoric that blindly condemns the President by the likes of Kennedy, Dean, and Gephardt, often condemning Bush for (the primary example)
invading Iraq.
When in contradiction to the criticism unfairly aimed at Bush regarding Iraq, Hilary Clinton and many other Democrats were stating the need to invade and eliminate Iraq's threat
until March 2003. And as soon as WMD's were not found, Democrats began attacking the President for what
they themselves advocated until March 2003.
It's frustrating to see the press, which is statistically overwhelmingly liberal, not give Democrats shouting this rhetoric of
"miserable failure" and
"another Vietnam" and
"Where are the WMD's" the same scrutiny as what the Bush Administration says, where every slightest inconsistency of Bush is page one material.
And you really have to dig to find ANY news-source that reports the inconsistency of Bush's
Democrat attackers. Equal accountability would be nice.
Or equal weight given to the vastly under-reported evidence that supports Bush's case for war.
It's frustrating to observe all this, as a Republican, and not get a bit annoyed at the one-sidedness of it.
Particularly when the opposition here on these boards ratchets up the rhetoric and mockery.
But I really am making a
renewed effort not to respond in kind. And I realized today that I kind of fell away from that goal I set a few weeks ago, and I'm re-committing not escalating things here.
DtWB's trying !
Clearly, not ALL liberals use hate rhetoric, although I do see it frequently. But clearly not all, or perhaps not even MOST.
I admit to being a bit less sensitive to the potential overheatedness of
conservative rhetoric I read, both on these boards, and in conservative news and editorials. Again, precisely because I see it as usually
retaliatory, and equal time given to a viciously misrepresented and under-reported perspective.
But what I see as a measured response (of what I see in other conservatives, but more specifically speaking of MY OWN responses), is perhaps not appreciated as "equal time" and equal intensity by Democrats and liberals who read it, and ultimately is just contributing to an ongoing thermonuclear pissing contest.
And when I have a chance to step way from it for a day or two, I can see that harshness in my own comments more clearly LATER, than in the heat of the moment when I've just written those comments.
So in light of that, although I said already to Darknight613 on an earlier topic...
"Partisanship" topic:
http://www.rkmbs.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=217045&page=7&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
( And continued on the
"DO racists have lower I.Q's..."topic:
http://www.rkmbs.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=205705&page=6&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
And then came to a conclusion between us on the first two pages of this topic. )
...that I'd try to be less general when I'm typing long responses, I do tend to shorthand it as "liberal", instead of the "some liberals", or some longer and less sweeping use of the term. But I'm trying to be more conscious of it, and do it less, or ideally, not at all.
Obviously not all liberals agree on every point, and not all conservatives agree on every point. But the loudest and most inflammatory on both sides
--whether in Washington, or on the message boards-- tend to be the ones who get the most noticed, and stir the most reaction.
My apologies for my contribution to that escalation. I'll do my best not to in the future, and not to respond in kind (or in escalating harshness) to inflammatory remarks.
It's hard not to respond
personally to personal remarks, but hopefully I'll get better at being part of the solution, instead of part of the problem.
( I believe a row of Homers is appropriate. )
