Why Does the Political Right And Left Feel the Need to Demonize Each Other ?

[Darth Richard II]

54 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

There are plenty of people who are right of center who have long since abandoned the Republican party.  Perhaps that is what Garovorkin was driving at, “political right” and “Republican” are not coextensive terms.

Yeah giving his posting history, I highly doubt that. If someone who didn't post every random stoner question as a new topic and also who doesn't try to sea lion every political thread started this, sure...

[Seli]

4 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

No.  But is everyone who sees themselves the slightest bit right of center the equivalent of a neo-nazi?

Of course not, that is the reason many demographics that are right-of-centre (religious people with immigration backgrounds, religious people with african american backgrounds, small business owners with immigration backgrounds) vote for the democrats. They are not vilified and can find a place under the big ten. The problem is that their only other real option in the US political landscape excludes them, because it has clearly become a nationalist cultural supremacist party.

[GAROVORKIN]

7 hours ago, Shryke said:

Depends if they are Republicans or not.

You are aware that the  left has produced ist share of Monsters in history? Joseph Stalin being the worst of them. 

[GAROVORKIN]

6 hours ago, Darth Richard II said:

Yeah giving his posting history, I highly doubt that. If someone who didn't post every random stoner question as a new topic and also who doesn't try to sea lion every political thread started this, sure...

You've certainly done a bang up  job of Godwining this one Darth.  

 

 

[OldGimletEye]

7 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

No.  But is everyone who sees themselves the slightest bit right of center the equivalent of a neo-nazi?

I don't think so.

But, I have little patience these days for those who are a bit right of center who do "both sides" or are not willing to admit that both the Republican Party and mainstream American conservatism have gone completely batshit cuckoo.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

1 hour ago, OldGimletEye said:

I don't think so.

But, I have little patience these days for those who are a bit right of center who do "both sides" or are not willing to admit that both the Republican Party and mainstream American conservatism have gone completely batshit cuckoo.

I'm happy to admit that.  What I see, however, is that frequently, not always, those who espouse a view that is right of center are lumped in with the Republican party and "mainstream conservatism".  Those who are right of center do the same, they refuse to intellectually engage with those on the left.  They condemn them not for what they say or what they offer but because... they are coming from the left.  There's something of a "you're with us or you're against us" going on in American politics.  

[OldGimletEye]

1 hour ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

I'm happy to admit that.  What I see, however, is that frequently, not always, those who espouse a view that is right of center are lumped in with the Republican party and "mainstream conservatism".  Those who are right of center do the same, they refuse to intellectually engage with those on the left.  They condemn them not for what they say or what they offer but because... they are coming from the left.  There's something of a "you're with us or you're against us" going on in American politics.  

After watching almost 20 years of conservative buffoonery, I’m just not in the mood to say:

"Now people, people, let’s not bicker and argue about who killed who."

[Jo498]

3 hours ago, Let's Get Kraken said:

What similarities do you think Joseph Stalin has with the modern left?

not much, but neither does Hitler have much similarities with the US Republican party. (Although the latter merits the description "right" more clearly than the Democrats merit the title of a "left" party). I don't know if this corollary to Godwin's law has a name but a reductio ad Stalinum is as silly as a reductio ad Hitlerum.

[aceluby]

4 hours ago, GAROVORKIN said:

You are aware that the  left has produced ist share of Monsters in history? Joseph Stalin being the worst of them. 

What a great joke!

[Shryke]

17 minutes ago, Jo498 said:

not much, but neither does Hitler have much similarities with the US Republican party. (Although the latter merits the description "right" more clearly than the Democrats merit the title of a "left" party). I don't know if this corollary to Godwin's law has a name but a reductio ad Stalinum is as silly as a reductio ad Hitlerum.

Sure he does. Both of them supported nazis marching in the streets.

Fucking check mate.

[Kalbear]

12 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

There are plenty of people who are right of center who have long since abandoned the Republican party.  Perhaps that is what Garovorkin was driving at, “political right” and “Republican” are not coextensive terms.

Are they voting out Republicans? If not, they might as well be.

[Jace, Extat]

40 minutes ago, Shryke said:

Sure he does. Both of them supported nazis marching in the streets.

Fucking check mate.

Oooooooh he wasn't REAAAAAADY!!!!

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

17 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

Are they voting out Republicans? If not, they might as well be.

What do you mean?  Refusing to vote for Republicans isn't good enough.  They need to vote the way you believe they should vote?

[Jace, Extat]

5 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

What do you mean?  Refusing to vote for Republicans isn't good enough.  They need to vote the way you believe they should vote?

When one option represents a clear and present danger?

Yes. Get over yourself. Do the right thing.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

20 minutes ago, Pony Queen Jace said:

When one option represents a clear and present danger?

Yes. Get over yourself. Do the right thing.

Hold on, when have the people you oppose politically not presented a "clear and present danger"?  They want to do things you believe will be damaging.  Doesn't that mean those who don't agree with you always present a "clear and present danger"?  

If you don't mean that please clarify as to what you mean by "clear and present danger".

[Jace, Extat]

4 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Hold on, when have the people you oppose politically not presented a "clear and present danger"?  They want to do things you believe will be damaging.  Doesn't that mean those who don't agree with you always present a "clear and present danger"?  

If you don't mean that please clarify as to what you mean by "clear and present danger".

The president of this country is owned and operated by a hostile power and openly desires dictatorial powers. The Republican Party protects him, and it's media wings are Gaslighting the public into a vegetative state only to be roused in the battle against the evil Libtards.

You don't like that? Don't call yourself a Republican.

I'm not here to make you feel better about your country club condemnation of Trump while you do nothing. You're a grown ass man, you know that in SC withholding your vote means nothing. Voting Democrat probably means nothing too, but at least then you could have the right to look in a mirror and not puke.

[DanteGabriel]

Jace, Scot doesn't call himself a Republican, but he'll wring his hands and deplore polarization and plead for equal consideration of both sides until the floodwaters swallow us all. 

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

5 minutes ago, Pony Queen Jace said:

The president of this country is owned and operated by a hostile power and openly desires dictatorial powers. The Republican Party protects him, and it's media wings are Gaslighting the public into a vegetative state only to be roused in the battle against the evil Libtards.

You don't like that? Don't call yourself a Republican.

I'm not here to make you feel better about your country club condemnation of Trump while you do nothing. You're a grown ass man, you know that in SC withholding your vote means nothing. Voting Democrat probably means nothing too, but at least then you could have the right to look in a mirror and not puke.

I've never been a Republican.  I've never called myself a Republican.  I call myself right of center politically.  

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

2 minutes ago, DanteGabriel said:

Jace, Scot doesn't call himself a Republican, but he'll wring his hands and deplore polarization and plead for equal consideration of both sides until the floodwaters swallow us all. 

No, Trump needs to be stopped and removed from office if possible.  

[maarsen]

I think Samuel Johnson was wrong. Patriotism is the second last refuge for a scoundrel. Demonization seems to be the last. The Republican party as we knew it is dying. Any time any political party has people from the looney fringe in charge, it is because the moderates have deserted that party. Demonization is the baseline response for these type of people. It isn't just Trump. His closest competitor, Ted Cruz, apparently likes to dress is armour and practice with a sword because he really thinks he will be called to  hand to hand battle with the antichrist. I can't imagine that he thinks Democrats will be standing shoulder to shoulder with him. The Republican party was going to elect a looney no matter what. The Dem's have been bending over backwards trying not to demonize the opposition because that makes you look as silly as they are. 

Normal political parties don't demonize each other, looney fringe groups do.