Why labelling yourself and others with political 'sides' or 'groups' is moronic.

As soon as you label yourself or someone else as 'right wing' or 'left wing', you attribute all of the qualities of that political stance onto yourself, or them.

So, what's the problem with this?

All too many people are ready to say "I'm a conservative" or "I'm a liberal", and simply leave it at that. They stop thinking logically for themselves, and simply agree with what is said by a particular wing because they belong to it. I've seen it happen on these boards so many times I'm about ready to puke if I see it once more.

"He's nothing but an idiot liberal"... "He's a close-minded conservative"... hey, you know what? You're a moron who can't actually attack his arguments, and are instead attributing a political stance on him in the hopes of 'slandering' his points with a sweeping over-generalization.

Who the hell cares if you're a lefty or a righty, conservative or liberal? I don't care what the f*ck you are, as long as you're thinking for yourself, and not just agreeing with what you 'think' you should be because it's 'right' according to the political wing you want to belong to. You label yourself, and in doing that, you leave the assumption out there that you agree with everything that wing or group does... and frankly, neither the conservatives, nor the liberals should be proud of everything they've supported.

So shut the hell up, and start actually arguing a point, instead of taking the easy (and pathetic) way out, and labelling.

/rant.

No kidding! Oh well, I don't think that's as big of a problem as it appears on this board. The perceived problem mostly derives from Travh posting 10 times a day something maliciously derogitory about "liberals."

you gotaa be left wing to think like thaqt

I used to feel the same way and refused to call myself either a liberal or conservative. But I chose the conservative label simply because I tend to agree with the right more than the left. Why try to hide that fact?

It's not the people who choose labels for themselves who are ignorant, but those who attach deep meaning to such labels. For instance, I proclaim myself to be a Republican... but I'm pro-choice. I support gay rights. I voted for Gore in 2000.

I think that labels can be a useful starting point. The key is to leave your mind open after the label has been attached so that you can flesh out your concept of any given individual.

That's my opinion, anyway.

Originally posted by avrak
I proclaim myself to be a Republican... but I'm pro-choice. I support gay rights. I voted for Gore in 2000.


LMAO, with friends like this, who needs enemys?

Originally posted by avrak
For instance, I proclaim myself to be a Republican... but I'm pro-choice. I support gay rights. I voted for Gore in 2000.

I think that labels can be a useful starting point. Huh? :confused: :confused:

Generally the Dems piss me off. Flaming assholes like those of the klinton klan do nothing to redeem them. Al "bore" Gore has the flat affect of a Kansas prarie, and turns out to be a chronic depressive to boot. He's got nothing to offer other than having served as VP. Look how far that same title got Danny-boy Quale. I tend to support the Republican side of things but also am pro-choice & pro-legalization (or decriminalization at least) of recreational drugs. Regardless of what the history books, or anyone else may say, klinton was the worst president this fine nation has ever had. Whatever positve aspects there may have been to that particular administration have been permanantly overshadowed by the distasteful, irreputable tones & aftertaste the American public has had to contend with.

Yeah... life's full of surprises. To be honest, Trav, before I met you I thought that all conservatives knew how to spell.

Having read over Age's original post, though, I think I might have missed the mark -- I might actually agree.

People who vote the party line instead of voting their conscience upsets me... it's dumb politics. Those individuals don't want to take the time to get informed on all of the issues and come up with their own opinions, then see where the candidates stand.

Ya, I cant spell. Actually its more like I cant type, I type fast to try and get done, and make mistakes. I figured people on message boards were beyond using typos as weapons. And why do you think I vote the party line? I am a conservative, not a republican. There is a differance. If you are a consevative you are not pro life, pro everything like you. THere are plenty of liberal republicans, like george Bush.

Age… Just reading these few posts (except for Avrak's ones) makes me feel there you still have a lot of work to do !

BTW, people usually do not label themselves, and when they do it is not a big problem. I am much more bugged by people who tab other ones…

Originally posted by avrak
People who vote the party line instead of voting their conscience upsets me... it's dumb politics. Those individuals don't want to take the time to get informed on all of the issues and come up with their own opinions, then see where the candidates stand.

I've never understood that either, which is why I can't ever see joining a political party. I just refuse to believe that someone becomes automatically "correct" just by joining a party.

I don't think party line voting has so much to do with not being informed as much as it has to do with either "winning" (it's more important that my party beat your party, even if I end up electing people I disagree with) or making sure that the party "owes" you (like the unions always voting democratic so that the democrats will always do them favors).

I HATE LABELS, TOO, Age...

...but sometimes it ain't so easy gettin' rid of 'em... Way back in the Viet Nam War era, I arrived at a training class only ta be yelled at by a Master Sergeant... "Where's your NAME tag, airman?" he roared.

There's only one thing I could tell him: "Oh, that! I memorized it and threw it away..."

So ya see, I HATE LABELS, TOO, Age...

By the way, that Master Sergeant wuz a close-minded conservative...

Or, at least a clothes-minded conservative...

Everytime I saw him he looked... fatigued...


Toodles... :)

no wonder you didnt make it in the military

Now, now, Trav .. he did admit to being a zoomie, not a soldier.

I vote a**hole because that seems to be what we have running all the time.

"THere are plenty of liberal republicans, like george Bush."

george bush is a liberal republican? then what's a conservative republican?!?

Study hard, live a clean life, get a good education & a real job, and you too may grow up to be conservative.

Originally posted by es347fan
Study hard, live a clean life, get a good education & a real job, and you too may grow up to be conservative.
Or a liberal. Whatever suits you.

Originally posted by sputnik
"THere are plenty of liberal republicans, like george Bush."

george bush is a liberal republican? then what's a conservative republican?!?

There are very few conservative republicans left, unfortunatly they all seem to be more intereseted in votes than beliefs. George Bush panders to gays, minorities and all the same groups that the liberals do. That makes him a liberal republican.

Originally posted by Travh20
George Bush panders to gays, minorities and all the same groups that the liberals do. That makes him a liberal republican.
WTF??? Dubya has done more to strip gays and minorities of rights in ages. What's with this Defense of Marriage act, if he's so "liberal"?

Look at it this way...if you're a liberal, you get ripped on about your beliefs. If you're a conservative, you get ripped on about your beliefs. If you're christian, jew, muslim, gay, straight, man, woman, child, young, old, republican, democrat, independent, lazy, active, boring, enthusiastic, weird, annoying, stupid, smart, iraqi, american, german, british, french, capitalist, communist, facist.....or even just alive.....you get ripped on about your beliefs. Even if you pick to belong to something, you're gonna get your share of criticism one way or another.

travh, do you consider yourself a conservative republican? i'm guessing you do.
also, what do you mean that W "panders to minorities?"
just asking.....

I think Bush has reached out to traditionally democratic groups more than any republican before him. He's tried really hard to reach out to the hispanic community. (As an aside, I hate listening to politicians from both sides dusting off their high school spanish in lame attempts to reach out to people that for the most part speak english just fine). As far as gays go, he's tried a little bit, but ultimately he's limited in what he can do because he can't do anything that would cause the conservative christians to revolt.

"A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but a foolish man's heart directs him toward the left."

Ecclesiastes 10:2

:)