[cbstd]

A couple of weeks ago, a Republican functionary offered cash rewards for students to "turn in" professors at UCLA who were "liberal." This week there is a new book publsihed that lists 101 "radical" professors at colleges across the country. On Fox "News" anyone who dares disent with the current administration policy is a "traitor."

Why are Conservatives so scared of opinions other than their own? Are they so insecure in their positions that they need to squash the possibility that there may be an opinion other than their own?

We usually assoicate a single voice for an entire population with repressive regimes. Yet the first defense of Conservatives is that repressing dissent with help to preserve democracy. Could someone please explain that one to me.

Neo-Cons, I know you are lurking out there. Please tell us why rational discussion in a free environemt is so scary. As a Pinko, Tree-hugging, Hippie, Liberal Bastard I prefer to have a discussion with someone who I disagree with. We both learn more about a topic after an exchange of differences than by camparing similarities.

Let the light of freedom shine on all of us rather than the darkenss of conforming thought keep us ignorant.

Scott

 

[crxfisher]

I don't know if I want to open myself up to this one, but oh well. I can see good points on both sides, and I do prefer to stand back and watch an argument objectively from both opinions. I guess I would consider myself a conservative, but I'm really really not into politics. I listen to Sean Hannity a lot on the way home from work because he's on the station I listen to for traffic and weather, which I desperately need in Atlanta traffic everyday.

So, from Hannity's perspective I can tell you what the issue is. They (conservatives) aren't opposed to open expressions of free thought and ideas. What they are opposed to is liberal professors taking it out on conservative students. A lot of students are calling in saying that if they do speak up in class against a "liberal" professor, they end up getting targeted and their grades are affected. And a lot of times they are in classes totally unrelated to politics. They could be studying Calculus or Chemistry, or anything else, but their political views seem to hurt them in the grades. I try to look at it from both sides, but like I said, I listen to Hannity.

It's been a while since I was in college, but I do remember a couple of instances that I can relate to these situations. English 101, freshman year. Our professor gave us all a survey and asked us to rate this list of 20 items in most important to least important. It was a political litmus test. The one thing I remember the most was the item "Your relationship with God." After we all got done with the survey, he started a discussion going down the list to see who rated what as important. One question was "Who rated their relationship with God as #1?" Two people raised their hands. Then he asked "Who rated it as #20?" A bunch of people raised their hands, including the professor himself who proceeded to say how much he thought it should be at the bottom of the list. So what did this have to do with English 101? I still have no idea. That was a complete waste of my time an tuition money that day. But the professor did get a good look at who agreed with him, and who didn't.

Also Scott, I respect someone who likes to talk with someone of opposing views. I can't stand it when people just shut down and refuse to talk to someone who disagrees with them. There are way too many people out there like that.

I would also like to propose a question to the "liberals" out there. Why is it that they all want this war in Iraq to be a disaster? Why do they continually speak out against the President and fuel the fire of our enemies? I for one don't think we should be in Iraq, but I think it's incredibly stupid to tell our enemies that what we are doing is wrong, and to constantly hope that we fail. What's up with that?

 

[stick]

At least you guys have two distinguishable political parties in your country. Our Liberals and Conservatives here in Canada are pretty much interchangeable. LOL

 

[sneaky_pete]

I too have been listening to alot of talk radio lately.. I consider myself to be fairly political, In fact I am now trying to get re-registered as a libertarian. It is the closest "party" to what I believe... you might also want to look into them here

Anyways.. I wouldn't say the Republicans feel very threatened.. I would say they are more "fed up" with the Democrats and their incesant whining. It seems more and more the Democrats are more then willing to cut their own throats just to sideline, if only for a minute, any republican party platform..

Right now, to me the biggest story on the news should be the recent comments that AL Gore made in a speech he gave in Saudi Arabia, which to me was boredline treasonous. Oh no, what is the press so focused on right now? Cheney's shooting incident! It was a HUNTING ACCIDENT! no more, no less... but it just seems that to the liberals, it is something SO MUCH MORE then what it really was, and that was an ACCIDENT!

I loved the speech that Whittington gave I believe yesterday? He eloquently told the press what a bunch of dumbasses they were for making this into such a big deal... and he is right..

Another thing I would like to bring up, is how the Democrats are trying to smear the Republican Party by calling them a "Party of Corruption" and at the same time.. one of the democrating senators from louisianna is mired up to his ass in a corruption scandal of his own! It's the pot calling the kettle black right there! You can't come out and start name calling and saying this party is doing this, and they are a bunch of corrupt bastards, when you have people in your own party DOING THE SAME THING!

Frankly though.. I dont much care for either party.. on the one hand you have the Reps who are in the pockets of big business.. and on the other hand you have the dems, who just dont know what the hell they should do... I currently have more faith in the republicans, because at least they are all on the same page.. the democrats are to busy in-fighting, and trying to get out of that wet paper bag that they are in.. they are all making themselves look like a bunch of cry baby retards who cant get their ish straight.

There are MANY MANY other things that we as a nation should be focused on at the present time, other then who is shooting who, and why, and was it an accident... and pointing fingers and name calling isnt doing anything to solve any of the REAL problems that are affecting us..

Anyone want to crap their pants? check out whats going on RIGHT NOW in California with the "emminent domain" land grab that we cannot currently do anything about! Thanks to our supreme court, my PRIVATE property isnt really mine anymore.. so long as somebody with more money would like to build a mall where my house sits!

Ok im done for now..

Sneak

 

[cbstd]

liberal professors taking it out on conservative students. A lot of students are calling in saying that if they do speak up in class against a "liberal" professor, they end up getting targeted and their grades are affected.

OK, this is a good example. Except Hannity can not document any of these occurances. It makes for a good story, but there is no reliable evidence this EVER happened.

Doesn't it bother you that mis-truths are such an important part of the Conservative agenda? Do the ends justify the means? Is it OK to deny basic freedoms that we claim to be fighting for?

Scott

 

[joshman]

Right now, to me the biggest story on the news should be the recent comments that AL Gore made in a speech he gave in Saudi Arabia, which to me was boredline treasonous. Oh no, what is the press so focused on right now? Cheney's shooting incident! It was a HUNTING ACCIDENT! no more, no less... but it just seems that to the liberals, it is something SO MUCH MORE then what it really was, and that was an ACCIDENT!

I agree with that for the most part. But I also remeber a similar scenario back in 1998 with the Lewinsky scandle. Conservatives were more interested in Clinton getting a job while doing his job.

 

[sneaky_pete]

I agree with that for the most part. But I also remeber a similar scenario back in 1998 with the Lewinsky scandle. Conservatives were more interested in Clinton getting a job while doing his job.]

You wont hear any argument from me on that point...

see both parties pretty much suck...

later'

Sneak

 

[crxfisher]

I too have been listening to alot of talk radio lately.. I consider myself to be fairly political, In fact I am now trying to get re-registered as a libertarian. It is the closest "party" to what I believe... you might also want to look into them here

I would listen to Neal Boortz more too, except that he's on in the late morning here on talk radio. I listen to him sometimes when I go out for an early lunch. I agree with him on a LOT of stuff, but some things he just seems way off. One of the best ideas that has ever come out is the "fair tax" idea. But unfortunately I don't think it will ever happen. If there was a Libertarian candidate who could guarantee a vote on the "fair tax", I would probably vote for them. I'd actually vote for any candidate regardless of party if they would do that.

 

[crxfisher]

OK, this is a good example. Except Hannity can not document any of these occurances. It makes for a good story, but there is no reliable evidence this EVER happened.

Doesn't it bother you that mis-truths are such an important part of the Conservative agenda? Do the ends justify the means? Is it OK to deny basic freedoms that we claim to be fighting for?

There are students that call in telling their stories about this happening. How can you say this is a mis-truth? I haven't read the book you mentioned, but isn't that supposed to be the documented evidence? How can you flat out say it never happened when people are coming forward saying that it has? I'm not saying either way because I don't know. I think the grade I got in that English class was a B, which was fine with me. I don't know if he graded my papers harshly or not. I was young and dumb and didn't care much about school at the time.

 

[downest]

One of the things both sides have to understand is that the media isn't working for the other side. I hate hearing the phrase "liberal media", if you actually watch/read/listen to news in this country, you would be hard pressed to find liberal bias on any mainstream news, with the exception of maybe NPR. As a liberal myself, I usually get my news from European agencies, where at least I feel they are a little removed from our domestic affairs and can look at them objectively.
I grew up being liberal, but surrounded by conservatives. After my parents were divorced when I was 11, my dad even became very conservative (something I blame on the media, namely talk radio). I get the opportunity to discuss (and argue) politics a lot when I'm home. I think the biggest problem right now is that not every conservative/republican likes the administration, in fact most that I know do not. For some of them, they never liked Bush, for others, it took the obvious lies (WMD, Al Quaeda, etc) about the war to change their minds. Despite this, we liberals group them all together, but we have to remember that there are different flavours of conservative. That's part of the problem with the polar 2-party system.

I think you fail to see is how different GWB is, historically speaking, from other republicans, even his dad. He is, at the very core, not really so much a conservative politician as his is errand boy for corporate robber-barons. His administration is simply a handmaiden to large business interest (Enron, anyone?) I wouldn't classify his administration as republican, conservative or anything other than corrupt.

Right on Mark.