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A puzzling America (Another Puzzled Liberal Via The Boston Globe)
Boston Globe ^ | September 20, 2004 | Roland Merullo

Posted on 09/20/2004 5:49:53 AM PDT by Lance Romance

A puzzling America

By Roland Merullo  |  September 20, 2004

FOR A LONG time now I've been pondering the reasons why conservatives decide to be conservative and liberals to be liberal. Part of the motivation for this pondering is rooted in the fact that I'm a left-leaning independent with a number of conservative friends. Some of these right-wing friends are close relatives, people I love dearly, people who still forward me nasty Internet jokes about Hillary and Bill with a certain kind of triumphant glee.

SNIP

Most liberals, on the other hand, appreciate life's gray areas, which is perhaps why left-wing radio has never been very entertaining. The strength of this embrace of ambiguity is that liberals see the world in all its complexity. The weakness is that evil, real evil, can sometimes become so abstract and multifaceted that it is not quite real.

Life, liberals believe, is meant to be pleasurable, God is forgiving if He exists at all, and it's important to think about others' feelings and motivations as well as your own. You might not like the idea of abortion, but it is important to allow people who believe differently to make their own choice.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: demslosingit; morallybankrupt
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Page 2 of 2 -- What liberals consider open-mindedness can seem wishy-washy when held up against the certainty of a right-wing opponent. At the same time, the right-wing opponent's views can appear simplistic. In this year's presidential campaign, the two sides have been trying to spin things accordingly: Kerry too thoughtful, Bush not thoughtful enough.

Mr. Merullo isn't puzzled, his brain is on Liberal autopilot, which prevents it from thinking at all.

At their essence, conservatives are on guard, bristling, armed with a righteous anger, prone to mockery of their enemies, sure of themselves, unwilling to criticize America, especially by comparing it to anyplace else. The attacks of Sept. 11 only confirmed their world view: We are constantly at risk.

Liberals are mannered, sensitive, armed with intellectual cynicism, self-critical, eager to learn from other cultures, wanting there to be no pain in the world. The attacks made them sad and angry, too, but their reflex was more pensive than vengeful.

What utter tripe.

I can see his self assured smile as he wiped the latte foam, sipped from a World Wildlife Federation cup, from his upper lip and typed these sentences. Undoubtedly he will be getting into a Volvo papered with numerous bumper stickers that lay out his political and philisophical views.

Any respectable newspaper wouldn't even publish this bilge.

1 posted on 09/20/2004 5:49:53 AM PDT by Lance Romance
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To: Lance Romance

The problem with liberals is their inability to address the world as it is, rather than how they wish it was.


2 posted on 09/20/2004 5:53:50 AM PDT by coconutt2000
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To: Lance Romance
Most liberals, on the other hand, appreciate life's gray areas,

Actually they troll the shadows and dark alleyways for illicit sex and crime....

There's nothing gray about that.

When I think of liberal, the first thing I think of is criminals and the bleeding heart low-class judges who repeatedly release the animals to prey upon our society.

3 posted on 09/20/2004 5:54:27 AM PDT by CROSSHIGHWAYMAN (anybody but Kerry)
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To: coconutt2000

Liberals are people who haven't grown up. They're still teenagers nursing a bad hangover.


4 posted on 09/20/2004 5:55:27 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: Lance Romance
Liberals are mannered, sensitive, armed with intellectual cynicism, self-critical, eager to learn from other cultures, wanting there to be no pain in the world. The attacks made them sad and angry, too, but their reflex was more pensive than vengeful.

Hasn't been to a lefty protest lately, has he?

5 posted on 09/20/2004 5:56:01 AM PDT by bikepacker67 (Sandy wasn't stuffing his socks, he was stuffing A sock.)
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To: Lance Romance

< bristle >


6 posted on 09/20/2004 5:58:47 AM PDT by TheBigB (Souveniiiirs, noooovelties, paaaarty tricks...)
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To: Lance Romance

Liberals are miserable who want everyone else to be just as miserable as they are...


7 posted on 09/20/2004 5:59:10 AM PDT by 2banana (They want to die for Islam and we want to kill them)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Lance Romance
At their essence, conservatives are on guard

And that Socialist waste of genetic material would do well to remember that.

Respectable Newspaper - isn't that an oxymoron? There ARE no such things - they're all Socialist.

9 posted on 09/20/2004 6:00:56 AM PDT by Old Sarge (ZOT 'em all, let MOD sort 'em out!)
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To: Lance Romance

I fail to see any "gray area" in 911.


10 posted on 09/20/2004 6:03:08 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Lance Romance
Another Liberal congratulating himself on his own ignorance; it is clear why these people cannot be trusted with the leadership and for sure; security issues of our Country.

They refuse to recongize evil or an enemy.

11 posted on 09/20/2004 6:03:13 AM PDT by cricket (Don't lose your head. . vote Republican. . .)
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To: Lance Romance

"God is forgiving, if he exists at all."

Somehow I get the feeling that this guy has never picked up a Bible.


"The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish"
-Deuteronomy 28:22


12 posted on 09/20/2004 6:03:37 AM PDT by scuret (Oh is that latte too hot? Because its not near as hot as...)
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To: Lance Romance
This is clearly garbage.

What makes me laugh is the constantly repeated falsehood that being decisive means that someone is not "thoughtful".

Why is being a vacillating, blown-by-the-winds tergiversator considered to be evidence of giving matters great thought? It seems to me that someone whose opinion is constantly changing with the wind has failed to think deeply and thoroughly on a matter. Such a person thinks superficially, not deeply.

I cite again the example of Lincoln. Most people consider him a deep thinker - "With the thoughts that I'd be thinkin'/I could be another Lincoln/If I only had a brain!" etc. - yet he was singularly unwavering in purpose.

He was willing to compromise on any matter except the Union. He was willing to make any sacrifice to preserve the Union. Rather than be swayed by the demands of the Black Republicans, the Copperheads etc. he stuck to his guns and was not afraid to offend any faction if he could thereby save the Union.

He is loved and hated to this day, but no one calls him stupid or thoughtless because he was unbending on his one big idea.

13 posted on 09/20/2004 6:05:50 AM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
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To: Lance Romance

-"Most liberals, on the other hand, appreciate life's gray areas..."-

Those gray areas are created by lefties in the first place to protect themselves from being decisive.

Typically, he compares conservatives to an image of a guy sitting on his front porch with a shotgun, waiting to pick off the "weak" passersby, and the "liberals" with one of caring for animals and peace for all.

Get a clue, gray-brain.


14 posted on 09/20/2004 6:07:27 AM PDT by AmericanChef
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To: scuret

This guy reminds me of this verse:

Romans 1:22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools


15 posted on 09/20/2004 6:08:11 AM PDT by kb2614 ( You have everything to fear, including fear itself. - The new DNC slogan)
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To: Lance Romance

What an appallingly clueless display of self-congratulation.


16 posted on 09/20/2004 6:08:38 AM PDT by Mamzelle (Pajamamama)
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To: Lance Romance
"embrace of ambiguity" <--- this writer truly has no clue...
17 posted on 09/20/2004 6:10:27 AM PDT by fhlh (polls are for topless dancers)
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To: Lance Romance
Crystals, hugs, kisses, metawhatevers, understanding, ghosts, spirits, loving and not eating animals, being one with a tree, listening are all fine and dandy...but when you have someone who just slit and cut off the head of your "soulmate" and children and is now sticking the knife into your "all knowing undertsanding heart" all that crap don't fly.










18 posted on 09/20/2004 6:10:56 AM PDT by Dallas59
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To: goldstategop

Liberals can't stand for someone to be happier than they are. This is bad because many liberals in positions of authority are deeply unhappy. Clearly this must be someone else's fault. Yes! It's those evil conservatives or the poor unfortunates (read, stupid, but useful). They must do everything we tell them and then the world will be peaceful and happy. If only we would listen and do exactly as they say. Even when we follow down their path and it doesn't work, it is clearly because we great unwashed did our jobs poorly.

This is all about using others to try to feel good. The problem is that after all is said and done, they still don't like what they see in the mirror each morning. And this is supposed to be our fault?


19 posted on 09/20/2004 6:10:57 AM PDT by saveliberty (Liberal= in need of therapy, but would rather ruin lives of those less fortunate to feel good)
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To: Lance Romance

What a self-serving pile of junk. So liberals are more sensitive and caring, reluctant to hurt others, conscious of causing pain, etc.?

Yeah, that would fit Carville, Begala, Kennedy, Daschle, Byrd, Cleland, McAuliffe, Gore, Franken, etc. to a "T,", wouldn't it.

And those kind, sensitive souls at the NAACP who ran the car dragging TV commercial during the last election.

Please.


20 posted on 09/20/2004 6:11:08 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
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