Oh good. *is relieved* (I didn't think so, what with the brain-sharing and all, but...) Not that I have anything against Republicans per se (there are quite a few on my flist, including people who voted for Dubya. Twice.), but it's just something I find it very hard to wrap my head around.
Well I know of one person who voted twice, although she's calmed down by now. ;)
And I've not got anything against 'Republicans' as such (I like to read Andrew Sullivan f.ex.), even though it's a different POV to my own. Plus that label encompasses so many different things now, that it's a bit risky to use it.
One of my childhood heroes just died recently: Mark Hatfield was my senator growing up. While he was wasn't without flaws, he had genuine integrity and tried to do the right thing. It took guts to be a conservative publicly opposed to the Viet Nam war. I highly recommend his book "Conflict and Conscience".
I strongly think that it's healthy for a society to have opposing viewpoints, though obviously it's best to have those viewpoints respectfully aired. Good ideas come from all sorts of places, and refusing to acknowledge that fact is cutting our political culture off at the knees from any fresh ideas. And as far as I can tell both side of the spectrum are equally guilty.
though granted the tea party is nuts. No arguments!
One of my childhood heroes just died recently: Mark Hatfield was my senator growing up. While he was wasn't without flaws, he had genuine integrity and tried to do the right thing. Someone with integrity is always worth listening to. And thank you for the link to his obituary.
Good ideas come from all sorts of places, and refusing to acknowledge that fact is cutting our political culture off at the knees from any fresh ideas. *nods a lot*
though granted the tea party is nuts. No arguments! Heh. There are nutcases everywhere. The Tea Party are just particularly loud and scary...
I have a certain admiration for old-school conservatives. They have a philosophical coherence and discipline to their positions that I have to respect. Old school conservatives are hardly running the party, though.
To quote Ian Hislop (from Have I Got News for You - a long running news comedy quiz show), who was asked to differentiate between the different wings of the party:
'The American Republican Party is very, very right wing and The Tea Party is nuts!"
the riots didn't occur because of police cuts though. They occured because of police brutality.
edit// the solution isn't as simple as more/less police, we need a complete overhaul of the system which allows them to brutalize people without consequence.
Oh I agree it's not simple at all, but the fact is that once the riots broke out the police were unable to cope. And by yesterday it wasn't about police brutality anymore, it was just people running riot because they could.
this is true. but the situation was avoidable, so it didn't have to lead to the police not coping. There will always be less police than civillians, so you have to foster good relations between the two if you don't want mass rebellions.
I'm glum and grumpy too. (hugs) I keep swinging between hating people and my perpetual, undying optimism for them. -_-
Good Lord. Republicans are everywhere, even when they're called Tories. The willful arrogance is astonishing.
I was having a conversation with my delightful, yet tragically ;) Republican dad the other day. He was asking me what I thought about "all these accusations that Obama is a socialist and that's why we're in this mess." I told him that no, Dad, I'M a liberal. I'M the socialist Progressive. Obama is a Moderate Conservative. Just like you, Dad. That's the secret none of these clowns shooting their mouths off will tell you. So maybe you should show him a little support. He... wasn't quite sure what to do with that information.
The situation in London is the result of just that same sort of simplistic, catch-phrase thinking. It's the same story everywhere. We're so lucky to have all that we do amidst this chaos.
Good Lord. Republicans are everywhere, even when they're called Tories. The willful arrogance is astonishing. IKR?
I told him that no, Dad, I'M a liberal. I'M the socialist Progressive. Obama is a Moderate Conservative. Just like you, Dad. That's the secret none of these clowns shooting their mouths off will tell you. It really strange - because I do follow stuff in America and it's... bizarre. Over here we are perfectly aware of who's who. Tories are arrogant bastards who don't care about the working classes and like to privatise things. (Not saying that the other parties are exactly fabulous, but at least they're supposed to care. The Tories never even pretend.)
The situation in London is the result of just that same sort of simplistic, catch-phrase thinking. It's the same story everywhere. We're so lucky to have all that we do amidst this chaos. *nods*
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Once! Just the once! :D But you speak of my family, intentionally or not!
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And I've not got anything against 'Republicans' as such (I like to read Andrew Sullivan f.ex.), even though it's a different POV to my own. Plus that label encompasses so many different things now, that it's a bit risky to use it.
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I strongly think that it's healthy for a society to have opposing viewpoints, though obviously it's best to have those viewpoints respectfully aired. Good ideas come from all sorts of places, and refusing to acknowledge that fact is cutting our political culture off at the knees from any fresh ideas. And as far as I can tell both side of the spectrum are equally guilty.
though granted the tea party is nuts. No arguments!
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Someone with integrity is always worth listening to. And thank you for the link to his obituary.
Good ideas come from all sorts of places, and refusing to acknowledge that fact is cutting our political culture off at the knees from any fresh ideas.
*nods a lot*
though granted the tea party is nuts. No arguments!
Heh. There are nutcases everywhere. The Tea Party are just particularly loud and scary...
(And hugs for you - I hope you feel better soon.)
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'The American Republican Party is very, very right wing and The Tea Party is nuts!"
;)
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Damn I hope she's called on this. Live on TV. A lot.
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edit// the solution isn't as simple as more/less police, we need a complete overhaul of the system which allows them to brutalize people without consequence.
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Meh. *is glum and grumpy*
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I'm glum and grumpy too. (hugs) I keep swinging between hating people and my perpetual, undying optimism for them. -_-
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I was having a conversation with my delightful, yet tragically ;) Republican dad the other day. He was asking me what I thought about "all these accusations that Obama is a socialist and that's why we're in this mess." I told him that no, Dad, I'M a liberal. I'M the
socialistProgressive. Obama is a Moderate Conservative. Just like you, Dad. That's the secret none of these clowns shooting their mouths off will tell you. So maybe you should show him a little support. He... wasn't quite sure what to do with that information.The situation in London is the result of just that same sort of simplistic, catch-phrase thinking. It's the same story everywhere. We're so lucky to have all that we do amidst this chaos.
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IKR?
I told him that no, Dad, I'M a liberal. I'M the
socialistProgressive. Obama is a Moderate Conservative. Just like you, Dad. That's the secret none of these clowns shooting their mouths off will tell you.It really strange - because I do follow stuff in America and it's... bizarre. Over here we are perfectly aware of who's who. Tories are arrogant bastards who don't care about the working classes and like to privatise things. (Not saying that the other parties are exactly fabulous, but at least they're supposed to care. The Tories never even pretend.)
The situation in London is the result of just that same sort of simplistic, catch-phrase thinking. It's the same story everywhere. We're so lucky to have all that we do amidst this chaos.
*nods*
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