Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts. Founded by Mark Kleiman (1951-2019)
Moore voters, in their own words.
Come for the race relations were great until President Obama, and the all-the-women-are-lying. Stay for the bonus Soros quotes.
There is one consolation: The average age of the voters expressing unfortunate views.Younger people will create a better America.
Author: Harold Pollack
Harold Pollack is Helen Ross Professor of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. He has served on three expert committees of the National Academies of Science. His recent research appears in such journals as Addiction, Journal of the American Medical Association, and American Journal of Public Health. He writes regularly on HIV prevention, crime and drug policy, health reform, and disability policy for American Prospect, tnr.com, and other news outlets. His essay, "Lessons from an Emergency Room Nightmare" was selected for the collection The Best American Medical Writing, 2009. He recently participated, with zero critical acclaim, in the University of Chicago's annual Latke-Hamentaschen debate.
View all posts by Harold Pollack
3 thoughts on “Moore voters, in their own words.”
I'm not going to watch this. Of course, that means I'm in my snooty bubble not caring what the real Americans of the heartland think, but so be it. I'm sure, however, that since Repubs are constantly telling their voters to get out of their bubbles and try to listen to and empathize with liberal elites from Texas (like me) it won't be long before someone reaches out to me. Right? I'll join you for a NASCAR race, you join me for my "We Were Eight Years in Power" book club. (But in this case you have to actually read the book before you're allowed to hate it.)
But really, I'm not going to watch this for the same reason I haven't delved too deeply into the more disturbing cases of sexual harassment — I know a lot of people suffered badly; I'm sufficiently horrified and outraged without knowing the details. But the other reason is that the Golden Rule forbids me from thinking the worst of my fellow human beings. So, in the case of the video, I can assume it's horrifying, while at the same time keeping enough of my innocence to continue believing that people are really good at heart. Maybe someday, some of the folks in the video will remember the Golden Rule too.
Southerners, and Evangelicals, were acting out like this when I was a kid. I don't remember much that happened before the Civil Rights Act passed, though I do remember being aware of it from dinner table conversations. I remember being horrified that Baptist preachers, including the pastor of the largest Baptist church in the world, were openly, angrily, fervently saying that blacks were not allowed in their churches. How could that be? It seemed to me, even at nine years old, that it was one thing to say that you didn't want blacks in your restaurant, or didn't want to be "forced" to hire them, but quite another to close God's house to them. That had nothing to do with federalism or liberty and everything to do with rank bigotry. (When I heard the Sermon on the Mount, I imagined that the Pharisees must have had southern accents.)
Someday, we won't be fighting about this stuff. I wonder what we'll fight about instead.
I am thankful that there are people in this country like you, snideissue. Intellectually I know that some of them are "for turnin'". Some can be convinced to vote for our side. And y'know, it would be a crime to not try to convince them. I can't bring myself to do anything other than hate them, but it is important and valuable to the cause, that some are willing to reach out to them. <sigh>
What do you even do with this? My default hope today is that those on the margins of these people's social circles, those less interested in politics, and those who have retain reasonableness and sanity will be able to persuade. I'm reminded of the yeoman's work that moderate Muslims do in their communities under assault by radicalization. I fear those of us on the outside can only influence them, with hopes that it will somehow make it through.
I'm not going to watch this. Of course, that means I'm in my snooty bubble not caring what the real Americans of the heartland think, but so be it. I'm sure, however, that since Repubs are constantly telling their voters to get out of their bubbles and try to listen to and empathize with liberal elites from Texas (like me) it won't be long before someone reaches out to me. Right? I'll join you for a NASCAR race, you join me for my "We Were Eight Years in Power" book club. (But in this case you have to actually read the book before you're allowed to hate it.)
But really, I'm not going to watch this for the same reason I haven't delved too deeply into the more disturbing cases of sexual harassment — I know a lot of people suffered badly; I'm sufficiently horrified and outraged without knowing the details. But the other reason is that the Golden Rule forbids me from thinking the worst of my fellow human beings. So, in the case of the video, I can assume it's horrifying, while at the same time keeping enough of my innocence to continue believing that people are really good at heart. Maybe someday, some of the folks in the video will remember the Golden Rule too.
Southerners, and Evangelicals, were acting out like this when I was a kid. I don't remember much that happened before the Civil Rights Act passed, though I do remember being aware of it from dinner table conversations. I remember being horrified that Baptist preachers, including the pastor of the largest Baptist church in the world, were openly, angrily, fervently saying that blacks were not allowed in their churches. How could that be? It seemed to me, even at nine years old, that it was one thing to say that you didn't want blacks in your restaurant, or didn't want to be "forced" to hire them, but quite another to close God's house to them. That had nothing to do with federalism or liberty and everything to do with rank bigotry. (When I heard the Sermon on the Mount, I imagined that the Pharisees must have had southern accents.)
Someday, we won't be fighting about this stuff. I wonder what we'll fight about instead.
I am thankful that there are people in this country like you, snideissue. Intellectually I know that some of them are "for turnin'". Some can be convinced to vote for our side. And y'know, it would be a crime to not try to convince them. I can't bring myself to do anything other than hate them, but it is important and valuable to the cause, that some are willing to reach out to them. <sigh>
What do you even do with this? My default hope today is that those on the margins of these people's social circles, those less interested in politics, and those who have retain reasonableness and sanity will be able to persuade. I'm reminded of the yeoman's work that moderate Muslims do in their communities under assault by radicalization. I fear those of us on the outside can only influence them, with hopes that it will somehow make it through.