To the Republicans:

[hixx]

So, I work with a woman who is a far right Republican with a capital R. She's a really smart woman, an avid reader, funny, smart and honestly, she's one of the only really strong right wingers that I know and talk to. We can't even speak anymore about politics because we both get so angry. But I'm trying really hard to see where she's coming from, and because I don't want to be all Obama starry-eyed. I think that's dangerous, so I'm trying desperately to see this from all sides.

So I've been reading these right-wing websites and such. And then, and then I read total and complete ass-hattery like this, from AWR Hawkins at humanevents.com.

"Lastly, attention needs to be drawn to the fact that Obama plans to do away with “don’t ask don’t tell” and simply allow homosexuals to serve openly in the U.S. military (I don’t know how long “experts” believe it will be before we have gay bath houses on our military installations if he succeeds in this, but history teaches us they are sure to follow). "

And I get so angry and so confused and wonder is this really what people think? Are they really concerned that there are going to bath houses on military sites? REALLY?

I know we might have chased away a few republicans on this board, I hope not. Because I really need a republican I can talk to!

Are you really secure with Palin as a possible presidential candidate if McCain dies? Really? Or are you just excited because she's charming and can really rally it up?

Are you really for no abortion even if a 14 year old girl was raped by her father?

Are you really concerned about Obamas professional relationship with Bill Ayers?

I want to know if people are really concerned about this, or if they're just talking points being used to beat Obama.

Is this all just fluff and you're just really concerned about Obama's socialist leanings? That he wants to take from the rich and give to the poor? Because that I don't agree with, but I can understand that at least...the other stuff, its just so non-tolerant....I'm really struggling with believing that smart, educated, hilarious people believe the homosexuals are going to build bath houses on military sites!

Hixx

[JPanic]

The more drawn-out the election process becomes, the more I feel the same way you do. Are there any Republicans on this board? Or are there people who will feign being Republican just for the saking of pushing peoples' buttons? (like I do with Ryan Dolan sometimes - try it, it's fun!)

But as Election Day draws closer, these kinds of ridiculous statements are going to mount.

I come from a largely Republican small (well, small-ish) town. My own father's reasons for not liking Obama were, in order of which I shot them down:

1) "He's a Muslim". (No, dad, he's not. He just has a funny name that rhymes with Iraq Osama. By the way, Iraq is supposed to be our friend now - we invaded them, remember?)

2) "He's going to tax the sale of my house 26%". (No, dad. That's just an e-mail forward one of your buddies printed out at work. Here's a non-partisan fact check organization that proves why it's a hoax.)

3) "I just can't see a black president." (Oh. Here we go.)

The funny thing is, my dad has a lot of black co-workers and friends. We lived next door to a black family growing up, and their kids would always come over and play with my old toys and shoot baskets with me. He would always shoot the breeze with their patriarch about how busy things are at the tank plant.

And that's my only reference point for trying to understand a Republican-leaning mind. And it took me three tries to finally get down to the truth.

[Scol]

A great way to help you to at least start understanding the Republican (conservative) mind, is a short and very readable book titled Don't Think Of An Elephant by George Lakoff. He's a cognitive scientist who explores why people think the way they do. Even though he is clearly on the left, Lakoff is respectful of the right. He points out that we tend to think in frames and metaphors, and he breaks down some of the fundamental differences between liberals and conservatives.

Try it.

[Biddle]

Originally Posted by Scol

A great way to help you to at least start understanding the Republican (conservative) mind, is a short and very readable book titled Don't Think Of An Elephant by George Lakoff. He's a cognitive scientist who explores why people think the way they do. Even though he is clearly on the left, Lakoff is respectful of the right. He points out that we tend to think in frames and metaphors, and he breaks down some of the fundamental differences between liberals and conservatives.

Try it.

That sounds interesting. I think that will be my next read. Thanks for the recommendation, Scol.

Cheers,
COB

[Scol]

Sure. Feel free to call me Scott.

[davec]

I posted this in the last election, and pissed off some people, but I still feel this way.

I think that if you're a Republican, especially a pro-Bush pro-Palin Republican, you're either ignorant or evil.

I don't mean "evil" in the sense of Hitler, I mean evil in terms of the small evils of people who are okay with racism, with class opression, as long as they're on the top. These are the people who didn't bomb churches in Mississippi, but were real okay with black people not eating in their restaurants. Or evil in terms of, "I'm rich, fuck you." Or even just the kind of evil that says, "That's the way it's always been done, therefore I do it and it is good."

Or ignorant in terms of you simply don't know how to think and reason. All you need is an email that says, "Obama is an Arab" and you're like, "got it."

There's people like that on the left as well, so it's not like the left are all lawful good with an intelligence of 18. But I don't see how you can be actually reasonable and have basically good sense of morality and still think that Bush and Palin are what America needs more of.

Remember, fifty years ago strong percentages of Americans had opinions that we consider at least immoral at this point. Racist and homophobic opinions were the mainstream, so it's not like these people don't exist here. There's still a lot of them.

[kremidas]

Originally Posted by davec

it's not like the left are all lawful good with an intelligence of 18.

Liberals are known for higher charisma scores and bonuses in initiative against stupid people, though.

Oh, typical alignment for a liberal is definitely chaotic good.

[schaefe]

I listened to Lakoff's speech "The Political Mind" the other day on NPR. I believe it was a talk that he gave at a church in Colorado earlier this year.

I found it very compelling, and definitely made me think about how people's minds get "trained" to think of political viewpoints and issues in certain ways. I can understand why he is controversial, and not all other neurobiologists agree with his assertions.

For example, his main premise centered around two separate familial philosphies that strengthen your synapses around particular political mind sets. The first is the "strict father" construct, and the second is the "nurturing family" construct (guess which US political party belongs to which construct). Essentially, the strict father construct revolves around one central, overriding authority figure that knows the difference between right and wrong, and should be obeyed. The nurturing family construct is a open affair, with both parents providing the necessary support for the family, and viewpoints are shared.

I was listening, and thinking, "Well, I know where this is going". Then he essentially blended the two structures together in describing how people think about politics, describing how different synaptic pathways are strengthened or weakened by experiences and repitition.

What was most fascinating is how he outlined that conservatives have realized this (even if unconsciously), and have been using marketing techniques developed in thinktanks to help develop and strengthen those synaptic pathways for over the last 40 years. Progressives have not, as he felt at their core, Progressives find that type of process manipulative and dishonest.

I'm not sure if it is up on NPR.org or not, but if you can find it, check it out. I thought it was very interesting...