An Observation

[browngirl]

On one stated reason for the US election outcome.

This week I've seen many repetitions of the statement that Trump won because people who have been called bigots flocked to support him, that by accusing people of bigotry the Left drove them into Trump's camp.

In my experience, people frequently equate "had bigotry pointed out to me" with "OMG YOU JUST CALLED ME A BIGOT". Because people pointed out bigotry to them, Trump's voters decided the reasonable response was to go even harder on all the forms of bigotry he offered them. They decided that their hurt feelings were more than sufficient reason to attack and oppress other people (one list of many) or at least support those who promise to.

And now we liberals are supposed to seek common ground (which no one is exhorting his supporters to seek, by the way) by apologizing for pointing out bigotry and promising not to discuss it, or at least that's the advice I've seen this week.

I do not think I will.

Comments

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

But they're Very Important. They're the REAL AMERICANS.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Ow, I'm afraid you're right.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

Mind you, this is school of
(1) George W. Bush's impression is that diplomacy is when other countries do what you want, and
(2) Republicans complaining that President Obama wasn't being bipartisan because he didn't do everything Republicans wanted and only what Republicans wanted.

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Yep. And hell no.

[hillarygayle.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid you're exactly right. :( "Find common ground," when used by conservatives in the US, is essentially code for "stop having your own opinion and just do what I want you to." Not discussing bigotry is definitely not going to do anyone any good, and I don't think any of us should take that route.

[sabotabby]

Don't you know that calling someone a bigot or a rapist is the worst thing you can do to a Real Person? Worse than actual violence visited on People Who Don't Count?

[branna.livejournal.com]

With you 100% on this.

There is a lot of rationalization going on right now by people who would like to hide their heads in the sand. It isn't our job to make them comfortable. If anything, it is the opposite.

[moon-custafer.livejournal.com]

This seems like the way the villains in Gotham City occasionally claim that they only became criminals because Batman exists.

[temima.livejournal.com]

What bothers me was that it wasn't an insult, it was a warning.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

NOPE. Fuck those guys.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

Got it in one. I lost someone to exactly this dynamic.

I think a lot of the other side doesn't understand the distinction between "You are a bad person" and "You are behaving badly." I am very careful to employ the latter over the former, as much as possible.

I believe very few people are actually "bad."

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[thistlerose.livejournal.com]

Yeah, nope, sorry. I see way too many people blaming everyone except the real culprit in all this: the people who actually voted for a demagogue. There are plenty of people who are struggling financially, who managed not to vote for the Nazi-endorsed candidate. I won't be complacent. I will be angry.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

The seeking common ground is especially annoying. The refs (= the media) have been played well and truly. Everyone knows the GOP is all no-compromise, so they don't even get asked any more. That this is unhealthy should be obvious. I'm not sure why and how it isn't.