Online, liberals far less tolerant than normal people

IBD Editorials ^ | March 13, 2012 | ANDREW MALCOM

[Kaslin]

Not exactly shocking news for those exposed to them for years, but the respected Pew Research Center has determined that political liberals are far less tolerant of opposing views than regular Americans.

In a new study, the Pew Center for the Internet and American Life Project confirmed what most intelligent Americans had long sensed. That is, whenever they are challenged or confronted on the hollow falsity of their orthodoxy -- such as, say, uniting diverse Americans -- liberals tend to respond defensively with anger, even trying to shut off or silence critics. (i.e. photo above of President Obama reacting to Boston hecklers.)

The new research found that instead of engaging in civil discourse or debate, fully 16% of liberals admitted to blocking, unfriending or overtly hiding someone on a social networking site because that person expressed views they disagreed with. That's double the percentage of conservatives and more than twice the percentage of political moderates who behaved like that.

[NYpeanut]

A quick skip down any metropolitan newspaper online could have convinced anyone. Nothing nastier than a commie.

[servo1969]

[Baynative]

Go to any discussion board and you will quickly realize two things:

(1) Liberals will inject politics in discussions about anything
(2)When they reply to disagreements they will almost ALWAYS resort to name calling. Everyone they don't agree with is; too stupid to understand, inbred neocons, homophobes or, racists.

[pallis]

I have to admit that I’ve grown as intolerant of militant socialists as they are of me, maybe not as rude, but equally, if not more, intolerant.

[irgbar-man]

“Bottomline, this study is obviously racist.” Legit poll reported gleefully tongue-in-cheek.

[arderkrag]

Well, yeh. “We’re open-minded, except when it comes to judging anyone with principles” is the liberal mantra.

[listenhillary]

It is tough to find liberals who are willing to rationally discuss any issue.

[heartwood]

Why not post the Pew Center article?

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Social-networking-and-politics/Main-findings/Social-networking-sites-and-politics.aspx

It’s kind of annoying to read phrases like “the hollow falsity of their orthodoxy” in something purporting to the news. Skip the sermon and get to the facts.

[Billthedrill]

I could add a (3) to that one - if you express a view that isn't easy to attack via fact they devolve routinely into a "you're only saying that because," ad hominem. For example, I state that I don't like 0bama because of the 5 trillion dollar increase in national debt that he brought with him and the reply is "you're only saying that because he's black and you're a racist." I state that Hilary is a foreign policy neophyte and the reply is "you're only saying that because you have a problem with strong women." It's as reliable as the sun rising in the East.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Liberal “progressives” are the Mothers of all HATERS.

[Tzimisce]

Yep

[Incorrigible]

Bump

[YHAOS]

"liberals far less tolerant than normal people"

That's why they don't qualify as normal people.

[Chode]

do I really have to say it???

[Ditto]

Not exactly shocking news for those exposed to them for years, but the respected Pew Research Center has determined that political liberals are far less tolerant of opposing views than regular Americans.

A bugaboo of mine perhaps, but we misuse the word, "liberal.'

Hubert Humphrey may have been the last 'liberal' of note in this country. I disagreed with him on many issues, but I always respected him and trusted him. But he was the last of his kind in national politics.

Today, liberals are scarce indeed and there are none left in national power. The Democrat party has been taken over by radical hard core leftists who are the most intolerant people on earth.

The people we are fighting now are not 'liberals.' They are hard core leftists and pogroms, persecution and death camps are not beyond their imaginations. They are dangerous people.

It would be nice if we still had 'Liberals'. Sadly, we don't.

[svcw]

I have blocked two people on FB both Ron Paul supporters that became unhinged. They were sending me dozens of private messages a day as well as continually posting on my wall.
I asked them both to stop and the string of crap that came back was more than I needed.
So block block blocked.......bye bye
The liberals on my list, pull back if you ask.
I love lively discussion but I will delete your posts if you start name calling and out right lies rather than disagreements.
So I guess I am intolerant. Oh well.

[murron]

i love the headline.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I agree with the distinction between “liberal” and “normal”. Yes, liberals are abnormal. Quite.

[Rusty0604]

The liberals at work do the same thing. One of them called me a Nazi when we were discussing healthcare, and I just cheerfully replied that it was funny he called me that because the Nazis actually forced national healthcare in Germany, to which he made some remark about guns and I replied that they also took guns away from the people.