Someone explain this political game to me-Left, Right, Rear, Donkey, Elephant, Lemur

[water]

What prompted this question was this article on CNN about Ann Coulter getting flak while making a speech at the University Of Conneticut. Specifically this:

"We encourage diverse opinion at UConn, but this is blatant hate speech," said Eric Knudsen, a 19-year-old sophomore journalism and social welfare major who heads campus group Students Against Hate.

<- What does a 19 year old know about anything? Especially one majoring in journalism?

So, is this guy right or left? Liberal or Conserative? Or just a moron? His first line implies that they encourage diverse thought, and yet he goes to a rally which sees a different view than his (I'm guessing), with the sole intention of making trouble? If you don't want to hear it why don't you just stay home and pretend it's not going on? I don't like Country music, so as a practice of that opinion I avoid going to concerts where the word "ya'll" may be used often, and I don't go boycotting Tim McGraw everytime a he releases a CD.

If the "left" is so "open to diversity" why are they so stalwart about removing God from the pledge and removing "Christ" from "Christmas"? Why can't they just ignore it? If a country song happens to come on the radio or TV I change the channel and watch something I like, simple as that. No one is cramming anything down anyone's throat, no one is forcing them to believe anything, why not just quietly say "I don't agree with that viewpoint" and then change the channel, walk away, make a promise to never shop at Wal-Mart again, whatever.

Conversely there's the "right" side constantly screaming about gay marriage, stem cell research, monkey knife fights, and two-piece swimsuits. Again, you don't have to believe in it, but don't chastize the people who do just because you don't have enough going on in your life and need something to spend your time on. If two people make eachother truly happy, and want only to be together and enjoy the benefits of marriage, that is entirely fine by me. Who am I to tell them that it's wrong. Do I think they should make a huge deal about it and skip around the office professing their gayness? No, it's their private life, and that's where it should stay. I don't see it as a threat to "proper" marriage, I don't see it as killing the rain forest everytime a gay couple is married. It is what it is.

So I guess my point here is the same as I've stated in other threads: We're all different, just accept the fact that not everyone is going to see things your way, you don't have the right change their minds, and you really can go on with your own life without making someone else's life miserable.

Everyone goes on about how "tolerant" they are, when in reality being tolerant is just not caring about how others live their lives, and being fine with your own.

 

[APRIL]

Too much content... overload.

 

[Syrup Beaver]

People that generally preach tolerance, in my experience, want everyone to conform to their ideals.

One phrase I don't hear anymore which I think is most appropriate for everything is "Mind your own damn business"

 

[Pandora]

Often times the left, who claims to be 'tolerant to diversity' is just as guilty for the intolerance they accuse others of. If they were so tolerant they would shut the f uck up with their protests and sit down and listen to other ideas and discuss/debate with the woman (which Ann tried to do). Problem is a 19 year old doesn't have a realistic understanding of the world and wouldn't be able to hold their own in a discussion with Ann. So instead they protest and call her a hate monger. It only reinforces their ignorance because they refuse to listen to anything that contradicts their current beliefs. (these are the same people that condem Bush for surrounding himself with yes men)

Prior to 911 I would have identified with the left/Democrats. Then 911 hit and I began listening to Neal Boortz (a conservative type). He said a LOT of stuff I didn't agree with, but he issued a challenge to his listeners. He basically said if you are a liberal, then you probably believe in free speech and listening to all sides of the story without passing judgment....then listen to mine, don't just turn the dial. After listening to him for a few months I had a better understanding of the conservative philosophy. It expanded my horizon an made me a lot more open to discussion than I ever was as a liberal democrat.

 

[JAXvillain]

bull moose party 4 lyfe