Are liberals really angry?

1. 56

   jamesrkposted 12 years ago

   Are liberals really angry?
   
   It seems that those that are politically liberal always appear angry. If I'm correct, why? If I'm not, then please explain why I'm missing the argument.

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2. 81

   Georgie Loweryposted 12 years ago

   Politically, I stand somewhere in the middle. As a result, I think that a lot of liberals AND conservatives are angry. At the very least, most people have forgotten that each is allowed his own opinion. It would be nice if folks could learn how to listen, too.

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3. 73

   pagesvoiceposted 12 years ago

   There's an old saying that perception is reality. Although you may believe liberals are angry, liberals think the majority of the right wing are the angry ones.
   
   Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and Glenn Beck are just three prime examples of pundits erupting in a daily diatribe against any and all thinking that is contrary to the extreme right. Moderates need not apply.  Then we have the angry Liz Cheney. Gretchen Carlson, the sneering and sarcastic Sarah Palin, Brit Hume, Laura Ingraham, Greta Van Susteren, Tucker Carlson and Steve Doocy, to name a few.
   
   The low point in anger happened during President Obama's first State of the Union address when Joe Wilson, republican from South Carolina shouted down the president with, "YOU LIE!" I have never seen such a public display of anger and disrespect for the Commander in Chief as I did that night. Wilson's outburst echoed in a new era of discourse and anger in American politics.
   
   Personally, I'm of the opinion that much of the "line in the sand" politicking and punditry is a direct result of the lucrative salaries these people earn (both right and left) by stirring the pot of fear. If life was copacetic then none of them would have any relevance. Accordingly, both sides of the aisle need to continually spew a dark cloud of animosity and repugnance over all of us in a never ending attempt to stay pertinent to their party.

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   1. 36

      ChristinSposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree and while they do all this to line their pockets everyone else suffers with more gridlock and things get done behind our back while we are busy "arguing" with each other.

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   2. 73

      pagesvoiceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You're correct in your statement. Division equals obscene profits for those who provoke. Unfortunately, the obedient sheep are then herded into corrals they otherwise would not have willingly entered.

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   3. 84

      M. T. Dremerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Well said. The disrespect among officials, and the ongoing gridlock, is an embarrassment to the United States' past and future.

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   4. 92

      Billie Kelpinposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Whoa there, my good hub friends. One exp. why I disagree:  I witnessed behind-scene work of legislators fighting for the rights of deaf people- tireless hours of listening, intense work hammering out of laws, fighting for passage .Truly dedicated!

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   5. 73

      pagesvoiceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The House has scheduled 239 days off for 2013. How does that equate to working tirelessly?

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4. 36

   ChristinSposted 12 years ago

   I don't go around generalizing whole groups of people.  I am passionate about causes that some consider liberal - feminism, equal rights for gay couples, not giving huge corporations tax subsidies, background checks for ALL gun purchases, etc.  If being passionate makes me angry then so be it.   
   
   The most angry people I hear though are not liberal at all - Limbaugh being a prime example of someone who regularly name calls and bullies people he doesn't agree with.  Then you have Glenn Beck and Ann Coulter who are also chronically angry and childish. 
   
   Those are individuals that speak for conservatives, but I'm not small minded enough to think they represent ALL conservatives - otherwise I'd have to assume all conservatives are stupid and angry, and that's not how I am. 
   
   I believe a lot of conservatives are misguided, but that doesn't make them "angry" or bad people.  Generalizing gets us nowhere..

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   1. 73

      pagesvoiceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      My perception is those on who are moderates look for negotiation and compromise. However, the extreme right and left stand solidly against one iota of discussing things civilly.

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   2. 36

      ChristinSposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, you have black and white but most of us I think fall into the massive grey areas in between - thankfully.

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5. 0

   Old Empresarioposted 12 years ago

   The happiest people in the world are usually stupid. Intelligent people can often come across as dreary or socially maladroit.

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   1. 73

      pagesvoiceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I disagree with you 100%. Where in the world would you ever come up with such an assessment? Perhaps it's people who perceive themselves as intellectuals, yet really aren't.  Please base your assessment on intellectual data.

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   2. 36

      ChristinSposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Well, I'd rather be socially inept or boring than stupid.  Most exciting people I know are intelligent though, nothing more thrilling than intelligent conversation, travel, being cultured etc.

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6. 80

   cprice75posted 12 years ago

   I would say some are really angry. I would also say that some conservatives are really angry. It's hard not to come up with this assessment after watching the talking heads from both sides of the aisle.

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7. 84

   M. T. Dremerposted 12 years ago

   I think that many public conservatives would like the general population to think that liberals are angry. It's a very real strategy wherein you do one of two things. Either you provoke them to attack first, thus forcing them to throw the first punch, or you accuse them of doing what you're doing, so that they can't then accuse you of the same thing later. The general public is kind of like the teacher that comes out at recess. They only see the aftermath of the fight, they don't necessarily know who insulted whom or who is right when they say 'he started it!' The unfortunate byproduct of this is that both sides are seen as liars because most people are too lazy to solve the mystery by rooting out facts.
   
   I run into this strategy all the time with the christian versus atheist debates. Atheists are a distrusted minority with no political power, yet if they say that there shouldn't be a religious display in a government building, then christians ask why atheists are so mean and angry. Not that I'm saying liberals are a minority, but the perceived anger in both liberals and atheists is primarily fabricated.

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8. 74

   TIMETRAVELER2posted 12 years ago

   Why in the world would anybody think that liberals are angry?  Why would you think any group as a whole is angry?  Personally, I'm beginning to think the entire country is angry because people are tired of losing their homes, jobs and health.  Now THAT is cause for anger...and it crosses all political lines, that's for sure!

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