I really wish people would stop making fun of Palin (and Republicans in general), telling her she’s stupid, acting like she’s a ridiculous little fly that needs to be swatted.
Palin is a passionate person with drive and a lot of beliefs. No matter what you think of her intelligence, no matter how you judge those insidious beliefs, Palin is the kind of person who can get into office (proven…) and change the Constitution right before your very eyes…while you are over here, writing stuff like this and playing games.
This has always been a problem with Democrats, progressives, and intellectuals (and in this case it is most likely also a problem of sexism): we don’t see our enemies for who they are: passionate people with strong beliefs. We just think they’re stupid because their beliefs aren’t logical, can’t be argued, and can’t be proven with any kind of fact or statistic. We think that means they aren’t even worthy of our attention. But they are.
Individuals whose entire MO is based on passion rather than pragmatism are the scariest kind of people. You cannot reason with them. You cannot talk to them. You cannot have any kind of intelligent discussion with them and you cannot change their mind. Their minds are not open. Their decisions are already set in stone. Just watch any Fox news commentator interview a progressive or liberal. They always make us look stupid because we’re trying to argue facts in the face of chimera.
Well, wars are not won with statistics – wars are won with passion. And conservatives who believe things not based in fact, but based in faith and butterfly wings 1) cannot be argued down, and 2) have the power to inspire more passion. Republicans – and Palin – will get what they want by any means necessary.
You cannot consider a woman who will charge victimized women for their rape kits because the kits contain “the morning after” pill stupid. That’s Hitler kind of genius – for the end result of overturning Roe v. Wade.
You cannot consider a woman who wanted to ban only Daddy’s Roommate from the library stupid – because in the end, not allowing gays and kids of gays to see themselves reflected positively in media, and history will keep them from ever gaining the right to marry if they so choose.
Can we please stop spending our time pretending she’s silly, when she is the most dangerous person on the ticket this year? The only way to combat her and the Republicans is to show the people the truth behind their passions – to offer them a vision of the world under this kind of reign and ask them: is this really what you want?
And I know we’re thick: we’ve just spent 8 years having our civil rights revoked, having our social security taken away, having our taxes squandered, losing our young men and women to a pointless war, and being denied health care and jobs. REMIND US REMIND US REMIND US, of these things, and REMIND us that a $600 tax rebate at the end of the term of a fascist president doesn’t square us up.
SHOW us the promise of real democracy. SHOW US SHOW US SHOW US.
Tags: bush, evil, hitler, insidisous, intellectuals, liberals, mccain, obama, palin, passion v pragmatism
September 18, 2008 at 2:03 pm |
She’s beyond scary…she’s dangerous.
September 18, 2008 at 3:33 pm |
That’s what I said – she’s the most dangerous person on the ticket this time around.
September 18, 2008 at 7:22 pm |
Amen! I *hope* that people wise up about Palin, but it really should be about Obama and McCain. I’m counting on two things for the dems to win: a good showing by Obama in the upcoming debate, and Obama’s get-out-the-vote machine.
September 18, 2008 at 7:25 pm |
Melissa,
On one hand, I agree. Conservatives are often sincere, passionate people. So are progressives. And what we must strive for is an America that includes everyone, conservatives, too. If we don’t want that, we’ve just changed sides.
On the other hand, if we don’t laugh at the stupidity of arguments on both sides (Face it, we all already know which way we’re going to vote.) we’ll all go nuts before November 4.
Much is riding on this election, and those on both sides know it. But if the candidate we want doesn’t get elected, we get to try again in four years. America will last that long.
September 18, 2008 at 10:41 pm |
she is dangerous and scary, breathtakingly so and I’m not even in the same country.
September 19, 2008 at 6:28 am |
I agree that Sarah Palin is incredibly dangerous. The fact is, people love that passion Melissa speaks of–you, Melissa hit the nailon the head in factoring WHY she’s gotten as far as she has(Mayor, Governor–and gasp!–VP nominee).Progressives can ignite passion too, but it’s also true we tend to rely on scientific fact, and neutral sources more often than what I would call completely “blind” faith to make our positions. Unfortunately, as an example of what the USA believes en masse—”78% of Americans actually believe the story of Noah’s Ark”–this is a direct quote from Bill Maher on his “Real Time”, “You know, two of each animal… he even got little insects to f&*# . ”
So, uh, as a person of Faith who tends to see Bible stories(particularly Old Testament)as parables, or illustrations, and NOT “fact”, I think we Progressives have our work cut out for us–finding a way to EXCITE people using science (which I personally find exciting!) to prove our facts, and using our own passion about a given issue to fuel more enthusiasm for the causes we hold dear.
September 19, 2008 at 8:20 am |
So true!
September 20, 2008 at 8:23 am |
*Applause* Well said!
September 20, 2008 at 6:57 pm |
How right you are. Passion can be blind, just like love, but the danger quotient is much higher.Very well said.
September 25, 2008 at 8:49 am |
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