My Brush with the Leftists

2/2/2007 | rochester_veteran

[rochester_veteran]

My Brush with the Leftists

Commentary by rochester_veteran

I've been a freeper since that late 1990's. At first, I was a lurker and I started posting back in late 2001. I credit Free Republic, amongst others, to showing me the light and breaking the spell that liberalism and leftism had over me.

Back in October, 2006, I joined the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reader Forum. One can comment on local topic, business, sports, editorials, etc. I've enjoyed participating in alot of the topics and it could be a lively place.

Lately, I've been jumping in and defending President Bush and the fight against the jihadists and have had some eye-opening encounters with leftists. I've read accounts on Free Republic about fellow freeper's experiences with the leftists and I've read stuff from DU that was linked off of posts and comments. It's one thing reading about it and it's another thing having a discussion with leftists about the United States, President Bush and the war against the jihadists. Wow, I found that the leftists really do hate the US, all that it stands for and they have a "special" hate for our President!

Here's an example of a discussion in the "Editorial" part of the Forum titled, "Hang tough, Senate, Bush's bid to water down a war resolution should be rebuffed." Here's a link to the discussion:

Hang tough, Senate, Bush's bid to water down a war resolution should be rebuffed

There was a poster that was trying to engage me in discussion, comparing President Bush to Stalin and Hitler! Check it out and read some of the hate the leftists have for our country and what it stands for. If you want to join in on the discussion, you need to sign up for a username and password, but it's free. Join in if you'd like because we could use some "sane" commentary from people who love our country.

Democrat and Chronicle Discussion Forum Registration

[rochester_veteran]

Please feel free to comment. This has been a real eye-opener for me!

[Shimmer128]

Thanks, marking this for later

[BenLurkin]

leftists really do hate the US

Bump.

[PGalt]

Thanks for your service and continued service to this great nation. We are fighting a war on many fronts. You may be in a skirmish, alone, but you are doing a good job. Reinforcements may arrive. If not, consider yourself a scout, a reporter, the canary-in-the-coalmine for as long as you want. Thanks for your efforts.

[rochester_veteran]

Reinforcements may arrive. If not, consider yourself a scout, a reporter, the canary-in-the-coalmine for as long as you want.

LOL! Thanks for your encouraging words! Yes, I do feel like I'm on recon here and it would be nice if Air Cav. would come in as a reinforcement! :-)

[aimhigh]

Good work. Just don't expect liberals to be influenced by truth. They value feelings over facts.

[JimRed]

I was confused by the exchange; the timeline starts at the bottom and the most recent posts are at the top. But I read most of it before checking the time stamps.

[rochester_veteran]

I was confused by the exchange; the timeline starts at the bottom and the most recent posts are at the top. But I read most of it before checking the time stamp

The format is like that when you view the actual editorial article, the latest comment appears first. Check this for timeline format:

Hang tough, Senate, Bush's bid to water down a war resolution should be rebuffed

I really do appreciate you checking this out! Man, it really surprised me how the leftists loathe the US and all that it stands for.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

I'm glad that you have seen the light and are calling them leftists, not "liberals".

[rochester_veteran]

Good work. Just don't expect liberals to be influenced by truth. They value feelings over facts.

Yeah, I'm really not trying to convert anybody. I can't stand it when the only comments are from people who hate our country. What really gets to them is when I heap praise upon the President! It smokes out the folks with BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome)! They come on like Charles Krauthammer described:

" How do you know if you, or someone of your acquaintance, is affected by BDS? In its most severe manifestations, the mere mention of Bush’s name – or even an innocuous news photo, such as Bush talking to the leader of Somewheristan – can ignite instantaneous outbursts of spittle-flecked, vein-throbbing, voluminous anger. Attempts to engage in normal debate become impossible and, in some situations, even dangerous. Even in less violent forms, BDS can overwhelm sufferers with incapacitating depression." :-)

[rochester_veteran]

I'm glad that you have seen the light and are calling them leftists, not "liberals

Yes, "leftists" is more accurate. BTW, check out the latest comment by the guy who compared President Bush to Stalin and Hitler. He's using the typical leftist attack of questioning our sanity!

" Why don't all of you on the right do some introspection, instead of looking for someone else to hate, or another war to start. Seriuosly. Most of you need psychiatric help."

Leftist attack on conservatives

[dinasour]

Check it out and read some of the hate the leftists have for our country and what it stands for

But don't question their patriotism.

After all, hating your country and everything it stands for is patriotic, too.

[DarthVader]

"I can't stand it when the only comments are from people who hate our country. What really gets to them is when I heap praise upon the President!"

I've had it with them too. I have people who I used to do active business with behave in such a way and I took all my business away from them and went elsewhere.

[buschbaby]

Just don't expect liberals to be influenced by truth.

You are so right! Did you see Whoopy Goldberg on Bill O'R last night? She basically told him the facts didn't matter it was how she and other liberals felt that was important. I about fell outta my chair when she admitted it.

[rochester_veteran]

One of the observations I've made with this experience is how the leftists call all those who disagree with them "haters", when the leftists are the ones with the BDS spewing all the hate! Another thing I noticed about leftists was how they try to discredit those who disagree with them by questioning their sanity... where have we seen that one before (hint: Bill and Hill!).

[lowbridge]

and they have a "special" hate for our President!

Only because he is a Republican. They'll hate the next Republican President, whoever he may be, just as much or even more.

There was a poster that was trying to engage me in discussion, comparing President Bush to Stalin and Hitler!

Standard operating Procedure. Nixon and Reagan were also compared to Hitler (though comparing Bush to Stalin is a new one on me). Every Republican politician has been compared to Hitler.

[Revolting cat!]

(though comparing Bush to Stalin is a new one on me)

Yes, indeed it is new, but a good answer to that might be, "Well, but Paul Robeson loved Stalin!"

[lowbridge]

FROM THE APRIL 30, 1997 ISSUE
The Daily Beacon.

Misinformed liberals tainting meaning of 'hate'
DAVID TIPTON
Junior, Electrical Engineering

---

Esteemed readers, words mean things.

You might say, "Of course they do. How else would we communicate?" Increasingly, our communication is becoming garbled because certain words are being redefined.

As I examine our current political climate, I am distressed by a very powerful word that is being redefined in a totally political context -- hate. I understand that language is constantly evolving and that many words today don't have the same definitions they did years ago, but this word is different.

The word hate is being used by the intellectually lazy to attack and silence those who oppose them. And it works too often.

Webster's defines "hate" as "to have strong dislike or ill will for; loathe; despise." This is not the politically correct definition. The politically correct definition is "a failure of someone to disavow their own beliefs and totally accept yours."

We no longer have an honest debate on many issues in America. When liberals are out-pointed in an argument, they start calling conservatives racists, bigots, sexists, homophobes, extremely extreme extremists, closed-minded and intolerant, among other things. Afterwards, it is impossible to get a word in edgewise with falling prey to a barrage of personal attacks.

That's the easy way out. All you have to do is hop on a white horse, pronounce condemnation on your opponents, and then ride off into the sunset. It doesn't require any mental exercise, since all you have to do is throw epithets at someone. If you're called on it, you simply condemn your opponent's issue-oriented analysis to be exactly what you're doing to begin with. Without any evidence, you pronounce them to be evil people. You can accuse them of engaging in hate speech and even encouraging the bombing of buildings.

The intimidation factor is painfully evident. People don't want to be considered hate-mongers and want to be considered compassionate, so in order to avoid sticky entanglements, they just go along with the flow. The whole hate/compassion misuse by the left is having a chilling effect on the debate they claim they want to foster. People are so scared of being called bad names they go along with whatever the pet issue of the day is.

I am constantly amazed at the power words like racist, bigot, sexist and so on, still have even after as much misuse as they've been through. If you disagree with affirmative action, you're a racist. If you're against homosexual marriage, you're a homophobe. If you think women in combat is a bad idea, you're a sexist pig that still expects women to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. People who say this never stop to examine the fact that maybe, just maybe, it's conceivably possible that hate isn't a factor.

That's what this whole issue centers around -- people's intentions. As long as the intentions match those of the politically correct, you don't have to do anything else. And the intentions are so good, anyone opposed to them must be a hate monger.

Esteemed readers, I don't care nearly as much about people's intentions as much as the results of their actions. The intentions don't have nearly the effect on people's lives as the actions do.

How do you show that you care? Simple. RIBBONS. Yes, ribbons can do everything. Why, they can even cure AIDS. Why else do people at all those Hollywood ceremonies wear red ribbons and brag about how much awareness they've raised? Because they care. That's all you have to do -- wear a ribbon and you automatically care. You are now a good person, if you wear a ribbon and keep your mouth shut. (I don't know what to think about all the people who stapled blue ribbons to those poor, defenseless trees.)

I know real hate when I see it. All too often, standing on your principles is decried as intolerant because the left can't stand anyone disagreeing with them. Those who lack the courage to stand up for what they believe in are praised by the left, while people who won't roll over are told to be more open-minded, more compassionate, less hate-filled.

I found a maxim several years ago that sums up what I think of that. "An open mind is like an open window -- both are good, but you put a screen over the window to keep the bugs out."

If you listened to the left, America is the most hate-filled place in the world. Whites hate blacks. Gentiles hate Jews. Men hate women. The rich hate the poor. Conservatives just hate everyone, regardless of race, gender or creed. All this hate finds its contrived roots in the minds of certain liberals who don't understand what true hate really is.

Dissent is not hate. There's a crucial difference. I wish some of the politically correct would learn that.

[VeniVidiVici]

Every Republican politician has been compared to Hitler

Ford was a bumbling idiot, Reagan was a cowboy that would get us all killed, Bush Senior was a liar and his family were intertwined with the Nazis (or some such trash), Dan Quail was just an idiot (not bumbling), and G. Bush II is a monkey, nazi, liar, stupid, etc. (take your pick).

Just gotta keep thinking that these are the people that think the likes of McGovern, Clinton, Feingold, Bawney Fwank, Ted "Liquor Me Up", and on and on, are gods.

Sick bunch of people actually. Watermelons come to mind. Or tomatoes.

[rochester_veteran]

I am distressed by a very powerful word that is being redefined in a totally political context -- hate.

Thanks for sharing this article with us! It rings true. So often, I hear "hater" being used against those who disagree with the leftist line. I really became aware of this listening to the local radio. There's a long established rock station in Rochester, NY, with the call letters, WCMF, 96.5 on the dial. WCMF has a morning show hosted by a radio personality whose on-air name is Brother Wease. I used to be an avid listener of both WCMF (they play classic rock) and Brother Wease, but more and more, Wease used his morning show as a bully pulpit for his leftist beliefs. Anybody who would call in and disagree with him, he would call them "haters". Same goes for anyone else who had political or social beliefs that differed from his, he would shout them down and call them haters.

Another ploy used by the left is questioning the sanity of those who disagree with them. The Clinton administration used this ploy as well. Check out the post from the leftist who was totally trashing our country and comparing President Clinton to Stalin and Hitler. In his last post, he ends it by telling those of us who were defending the President and our country that we need psychological help! Click on the link below and you'll see it. Also, trace back in the thread a bit and read the loathing these people have for our country. I wonder how deep that loathing is and whether they would cooperate with our enemies.The posters name is hiraga, but further back, there are others who share their loathing for the President and our country:

Deluded Leftists