Legal Fiction: Why Do People Hate the Left
[...] Let's assume that the Left (or the fringes of the Left) actually did have some political power in a Kerry administration. What exactly is so distasteful about that fringe? Or more precisely, why is the Left's fringe less tolerable than the Right's fringe? That's the million dollar question. I'm sorry, but the Right fringe is fucking crazy, and I'm not sure why people who think like Drezner are willing to tolerate it.
This is a good questioning of both left-wing and right-wing fringes and why some in the U.S. are afraid of "the Left." It is noted that the left fringe's beliefs are far less offensive and extreme than those of the right fringe:
The Left's extremists fight for animal rights, environmental protection, racial/gender equality, peace, a bigger welfare state, against business, against nationalism, and so on.
While the right fringe:
[...] Is racist, xenophobic, militaristic, homophobic, and theocratic - oh yeah, and they want to do away with the social safety net that helps poor and working class people.
I found this article interesting as I don't think there is so much of a left fear here in Canada. People may think the far-left is a little too over-the-top, but nobody seems to be scared of them. While on the other side many Canadians seem to be very afraid of the far-right.
And for good reason.
Jeff, the assumption that the far right is worse than the far left is simply because you yourself lean left. As does the author of your quote I imagine.
I agree with you, I think the fanatical right is as scary as anything. And in reality, I think educated Americans do too. But for those people already leaning on the right, the leftist point of view can be equally scary.
They see fanatic liberals as trying to give all their hard-earned money to a bunch of lazy fucks who don't want to work. They see a bunch of pansies who aren't willing to stand up to people who are more than willing to kill our civilians. When it comes down to it, they just aren't willing to give people the benefit of the doubt.
Liberals base their entire set of morals on the fact that they are willing to give a person the benefit of the doubt. Innocent until all avenues of doubt have been exhausted. Non-violent until all other routes of diplomacy have been explored. And caring, about their fellow man, as if in all cases poverty and homelessness was just because of the system, and never a personal "choice".
The ultra-conservatives take what I consider a more cynical view of the world. In fact, to me the phrase compassionate conservative seemingly contradicts everything that a conservative is about with regard to social policy. That being said, I don't believe Bush is a conservative anyway, so what ever the hell he chooses to call himself is bullshit.
Ross,
Very good points all around. I would tend to agree with you that it all does depend what position you're coming from.
However, the question that was being raised by the author of the link-to article is why those who are more-or-less "center" politically are more afraid of the left-fringe than the right-fringe.
Good point, but when he starts calling the other side "xenophobic, racist, etc." you can't help but notice his own person bias.
Honestly, I think most Americans in the middle see both extremes as dangerous. The difference is probably that most Americans consider themselves religious, and the extreme right claims religion is on their side.
Maybe the question that should be asked is why people are afraid of the right?