Posted on 03/03/2012 5:59:02 AM PST by Kaslin
“We are not the same. I equate Republicans’ political views with thoughtlessness, intolerance and narcissism. They’re neither kind nor empathetic.” The preceding words are a direct quote, written by Diana Wagman, a novelist, in an Op-Ed piece she penned for the Los Angeles Times, on February 21, 2012. Ms. Wagman, who describes herself and her husband as, “…both bleeding heart liberals”, related her tale of an inadvertent discovery of the political views of the couple who own a vacation cabin across the street from the Wagman’s own spread, in the Sierra Nevada, just outside of Fresno, California. Ms. Wagman described her shock when, after an evening spent playing poker and sipping scotch, she found, to her horror, that the aforementioned couple across the street were conservative-Tea Partying Republicans. Your humble Townhall correspondent assumed that the rest of this piece would become a rather commonplace “can’t judge a book by its cover”, missive, but at that point it spun off in exactly the opposite direction.
Ms. Wagman informed her readers that her across-the-street acquaintances were the perfect neighbors. They were pleasant, helpful, and friendly. As Ms. Wagman put it, “They are a lovely family: husband, wife, and four smart, funny, polite children. I was sure they were Democrats.” They were also an interracial family, with an African-American mother and a White father.
The trouble began when the Wagmans invited their new friends in for a final drink after the annual Camp Sierra Association poker game. The friends announced that they were members of the Tea Party, and for good measure, they added that the Tea Party was not racist because, they, an interracial couple, had been eagerly welcomed and accepted by their Tea Party compatriots. In Wagman’s own words, “…I was shouting, his wife was trying to calm him down, my husband was trying to calm me down, and our other friends-all Democrats- were trying to keep everybody from breaking the furniture.”
Ms. Wagman goes on to describe the downward spiral of the evening. She states that they argued about healthcare, welfare, Obama’s religion and citizenship, and the war on terror. Things soon descended to name-calling; “He called me a spoiled idiot and worse. I called him selfish, shortsighted and worse. It was awful, and it went on until after 3 AM.”
It is sad when friends sometimes fall out over politics, but it does happen. Thomas Sowell may have been correct in the late 1980s when he argued that political bickering masked deep divisions of a cultural and sociological nature, and that these divisions could never really be bridged. Be that as it may, in this particular case apologies were proffered, but not really accepted. “The next morning, they knocked on our door and we apologized to each other and laughed sheepishly…But my feelings about them are changed. I cannot respect them as I did before…I don’t want to be friends with someone who is a member of the Tea Party, or is a Newt Gingrich Republican. We are not the same. I equate their political views with thoughtlessness, intolerance and narcissism. I think they are neither kind nor empathetic.”
Ms. Wagman goes on to express her wish for conservatives: “If only they would all go live in Gingrich’s moon colony.” She then rattles off a listing of her certified liberal views and argues that they “…seem so logical to me…these are no-brainers to me, and it kills me that my neighbor disagrees.” She idly wonders if any number of bitter misfortunes, such as having a son killed in Afghanistan, a daughter turning up pregnant, or a sister announcing that she was a lesbian would change her neighbor’s opinions. She finishes her article by stating, “Next time I drive to our cabin, I’m going to make sure I take everything I could possibly need. I don’t want to ask my neighbors for help. I hope it’s their weekend to stay home.”
Let us hope that Ms. Wagman is speaking for herself, and does not represent the views and attitudes of the modern American liberal. It seems quite bigoted, small-minded and petulant to argue that simply discovering that the neighbors are anti-Obama Tea Partiers precludes the possibility of friendship, or even cordiality between their respective families. This is pretty incendiary stuff. Whatever became of the Hubert Humphrey School of “Happy Warrior” type liberalism?
The material point in this column is quite simple. Diana Wagman is likely the type of liberal who bemoans the polarized nature of our politics, the divisive state of our culture, and the vanishing of civility from our public discourse. Yet, in her Op-Ed piece she freely admits that she is a liberal and that she essentially hates Republicans because they are conservatives. Certainly Ms. Wagman would argue that Rush Limbaugh should be censored, that Ann Coulter is a national disgrace, and that George W. Bush was the worst President in American history. She does not consider these views over the top. On the contrary “they seem so logical” to her. (Perhaps these attitudes represent the worldview of regular readers of the Los Angeles Times.) It goes without saying that she considers hating conservatives to be quite logical, too. If Ms. Wagman really wants to pin the “polarizing” and “divisive” tails on the political donkey she can start with herself.
So she wants to live a life of self sufficiency because she doesn't want to ask for her neighbors' help, but is perfectly willing to demand that same help for herself and everyone she wants to appear generous to with the IRS's guns. Apparently doublethink is alive and well in that walnut which she tries to pass off as a brain.
Liberals will start talking politics and liberal ideas right away; as in this story, they assume we think as they do. Conservatives will completely avoid politics and liberal ideas until we let them know our stand on the issues.
People like Wagman come close to making a SHTF apocalyptic upheaval sound like a good thing.
Most of her type would last only until the sushi and Grey Goose run out.
I have to agree with you. My wife and I had - operative word - good friends, neighbors, who live across the street from us. We did a lot together through the 1990s and even through the early 2000s. However, things began to change sometime in GWBs second term, as the vitriol and hatred spewed from the left-wing media. It soon became apparent that “we” and “them” was not going to work as they are very liberal; he’s a lawyer, she’s a public school teacher, ironically (or not) they sent both children through Catholic schools and Notre Dame. Now, with Obama and the extreme divisivness and hate, I want nothing really to do with them. The same holds for my wife’s family - her brothers and father (although I tolerate the 80 year old fool) who are knee-jerk democrats; and my sister and her demented second husband.
I don’t understand any of these people any more, how they can so strongly support Obama and his anti-American policies. My anger toward all Obama supporters is growing, and I think that’s a dangerous thing for me, and for the USA if my views are similar to those of other conservatives. The sad thing is, the rage stems from the vile views and intolerance of the left, and its promulgation in the so-called MSM.
I fear the USA is at a tipping point, to tumble off into the abyss.
Speaks volumes about the inherent biases of democrats, doesn't it? The most vile racists known are democrats. The most intolerant people are "tolerant" democrats.
Three words: pro, jeck, shun
That would only happen for a short while and then, suddenly, stop. Their society would collapse in short order - nobody around to do anything productive.
And yet confronted with facts that contradict Ms. Wagman's predjudice (an interracial Tea Party couple); she doubles down on her bigotry.
Amen!Well said, sir!
“I wonder what it was they were drinking?”
Things began to deteriorate when the the Wagmans broke out a bottle of Black and White.
It would seem that Diana Wagman is afraid of contrasting views. Like a child covering her ears so as not to hear anything that might prove her world view wrong. She is sure of her views because all her liberal friends agree with her and just can’t fathom another point of view. Her world view is reinforced by watching MSNBC, CBS and NPR. It would be too much of a shock (see article) to discover she is wrong.
We all know people like this lady. Deluded in their own self-righteousness, babbling about “tolerance” while being THE most doctrinaire, unforgiving person on the planet. Sowell is correct that it’s basically pointless to interact with people divided so much politically.
I understand how Wagman feels. I feel the same way about liberals. Can’t stand em, can’t stand to be around em.
No link at the article to the story on which he is commenting.
Very bad form, IMO.
But this is Los Angeles, and I have to drive wherever it's necessary for job possibilities and to the super-cheap grocery store miles away and to my therapy group, which is actually free but very far from home.
This kook is a writer. My guess is that the whole story was MADE UP. Makes for interesting reading.
It is par for the course for liberals to make up things like this. Most people won’t be able to do a fact check, so cliches and stereotypes are perfectly acceptable because they are furthering the cause of liberalism.
I also agree with those who don’t like to socialize with liberals.
There are basically two types of people in the world.
Those who want to be left alone, and the meddling busybodies who won’t leave them alone.
Wagman is in the meddling busybody camp.
I just want to be left alone.
I don’t care what the GBLFTXUSEOQ people do. It’s their own business. They can even proclaim themselves married and find some ignorant “minister” to marry them.
I don’t care if the Occupiers want to live in pee-stained, fecal-smudged clothes and stink.
Just don’t do it in my neighborhood.
Do it on your own time, on your own dime, and in your own place.
Don’t have a place?
NOT MY PROBLEM!
Just leave me ALONE!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.