Just something I've noticed

[eibbil_libbie]

There seem to be a lot of hypocrites around lately, or maybe it's just my definition of the word.

How can you preach tolerance and love for Group A with one side of your mouth while preaching hatred and rage for Group B.

And, relatedly, how can you accuse person C of spewing nothing but lies, while not holding person D accountable for his/hers.

Like I said, maybe its just me.

Comments

[rainpuddle13]

I was thinking the same exact thing last night while watching my twitter feed. I was getting extremely angry at the hatred and intolerance being shown by these so called "liberals".

This is why I mostly keep my political beliefs to myself. I'd be stoned to death by these people for having the gall to think or believe differently than they do.

[eibbil_libbie]

And I'll probably end up regretting saying even this much.

[fluoresce]

I don't have to tolerate intolerance. This idea that all opinions are held equal is not the case. I don't have need to accept or tolerate my oppressors when they're doing everything in their power to ruin me. That's false equivalence.

[eibbil_libbie]

Comment deleted because I answered my own question.

[fluoresce]

I'm actually going to answer you anyway, not because I want to get into it or harp on you, just because I see that sentiment a lot, and it's really frustrating. I need to get this out of my system.

On a lot of topics, opinions are just opinions and everything carries the same weight. Oh, I think Captain America is the best Avenger, but you think the Hulk is! Okay, fine, nothing you preferring the Hulk does impacts me in any way, so who cares. But on a lot of issues that impact people's lives, especially social issues, opinions don't exist in a vacuum. Someone not believing in gay marriage equals voting for a candidate who's against gay marriage equals direct action preventing me from getting married. I don't need to accept that just because it's someone's opinion, especially when it's something that actively hurts me. I don't have to tolerate intolerance when that intolerance directly correlates with people wanting to take my rights away.

Someone absolutely has the right to their opinion on any issue, someone can BE as anti-gay or any other opinion popular or not, but everyone else also has the right to call them on their bullshit as loud and as often as they want.

[eibbil_libbie]

I'll say this for the record - I would love nothing more in this world than to be able to dance at my cousin Lea's wedding if she were finally able to marry her partner of 9 years, or raise a toast and embarrass hell out of my friend Jeff if he could marry his partner of 15 years, Alan.

But this goes beyond that (and to be quite honest, that's not entirely what the first statement above was addressing.)

The point I was trying to make was that yes, you have a right to your stance on that issue, or any issue just as the opposing side has to theirs. Social issues don't live in a vacuum, no, but in a sense, it's like bookkeeping. What's true on one side, has to be true on the other.

Side A calls bullshit, Side B calls bullshit. Zero gain. Well, no, not zero gain. Just a lot of anger and rhetoric being thrown around until the issue is so polarized there's no room for middle ground anymore. Just a lot of people yelling and an eventual devolution into a society of "us" versus "them" rather than two groups willing to find a neutral zone.

[ceilidh]

This idea that all opinions are held equal is not the case.

Exactly. There is no need to give equal time to things like "I don't believe in global warming" because there is no need to BELIEVE in it. It is a thing that is happening whether you believe in it or not.

And I'm tired of the media giving lunatics equal air time over things like "do women really get pregnant when 'legitimately raped'" or saying people getting food stamps are 'stray animals' (we're on food stamps right now because my husband can't find a full time job and I'm in grad school and my stipend is less than minimum wage, so fuck these people that are all DRUG TESTS WELFARE BLAH BLAH BOOTSTRAPS, and oh by the way my GTF job doesn't count as 'work' for the 'work requirement' even though I'm teaching and grading and advising just like a goddamn professor) and I'm tired of it.

[stinaleigh]

There is a lot of that going around everywhere these days, not just politically. And your points are valid for all sides of the political spectrum.

It makes me kind of crazy and I try to call people on it, and try not to do it myself. Please call me on it if you notice me doing such.

*hugs*

[eibbil_libbie]

And this is about as far as I ever go talking about anything like this because the rage lately is so intense, you say one thing someone doesn't agree with and it's dog pile time. They were just two points I felt the need to make.

I will - but I've never seen you post anything like that *hugs back*