Ever Wonder...

Yeah, it's an old old song.  Sue me.  On second thought ... don't.

But have you ever wondered why the far left is so ... what's the right word?  Oh, sorry.  Correct.  What's the correct word?  (Can't say right as it applies to the far left.  They even HEAR the word 'right' and well...it ain't pretty.  Unless you say that they're 'right' about something.)

But that makes me wonder; if they're right about their stance, their politics, their anything, then why have so many of them silenced (completely silenced) the voices of those who DISagree with them?

I thought that Freedom of Speech applied to BOTH sides of the political divide ... right and left.  Call me pollyanna about this, but that's what I thought.

Now I know that "pollyanna" is also a derogatory word ... at least, it's turning into one.  It means somebody who expects people to act decently, despite strong evidence to the contrary.

And, in this, I am pollyanna.  I DO expect you to act better, I DO expect you to act in a decent and honourable fashion.  I DO expect you to listen to other viewpoints without belittling them ... or silencing them.  Are you listening, far-of-middle people on BOTH sides of the divide?

"Ted, a free society simply cannot exist in which certain subjects are labeled as 'taboo.'  Problems won't be solved without first talking about them in depth and passion.  Let's not make some joke of the Bill of Rights.  Let's make so certain we listen to all viewpoints, especially those with which we strongly disagree.  The two of us should know that best." (emphasis added)

Did you catch that?  "Let's make so certain we listen to all viewpoints, especially those with which we strongly disagree."  But it seems that those on the far left and on the far right have taken the "I'm right, you're wrong, so STFU" stance. 

This helps people ... how?  This helps improve things ... how, exactly?

Telling people to "Shut up!" without hearing them first? 

The sad answer is yes, the US has become that politically polarized.  I'm not denying that both sidesdo it.  However, according to a University of Michigan study, those on the far left do it far more often than those on the far right.  Here's the link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120053277483496183.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries

According to University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey Stone, "Liberals believe individuals should doubt their own truths and consider fairly and open-mindedly the truths of others." They also "believe individuals should be tolerant and respectful of difference."  Really?

Does that sound like Code Pink to you?  They '...consider fairly and open-mindedly the truths of others.'  Really?  At a Move America Foreward press conference, they tried to shout down the speakers!  They didn't listen to them.  They didn't consider what they were trying to say.  They tried to silence them.  That's FACT, folks.  FACT.

Granted, I know that some on the far right engage in similar tactics.  And there are those nutjobs on BOTH ends of the spectrum that believe that the solution is to kill others.  Don't agree with something they're saying?  "Kill them!"  Don't agree with what the writer of this blog is saying? "I wish he'd die!" 

OK..their EXACT words were "I wish somebody'd run your sorry ass over ... and over ... and over AND KEEP DOING IT YOU PEICE OF SHIT."

That from a person of "tolerance and diversity?"  Really?

Where was that person's 'tolerance' of difference (of opinion in this case.)  Where?  Where was that much-vaunted 'tolerance and diversity' this time? 

Or does it only apply to those you agree with?