Because "They" Aren't "Our" Enemy

I'm a bleeding-heart, liberal Democrat. Everyone that knows me, knows this. Yet, I work really hard to not deal in absolutes. I believe in looking at all sides of a story. I know from experience that my way is not always the best way. Lately, whenever I say or write anything that doesn't outright flame a right-leaning idea, my liberal friends come down on me. It's like a Pavlovian response. Even neutral statements are taken as "pro" statements.

It's easy to rationalize this reactionary behavior because the current occupant and his supporters are so full of Zeal and so unquestionably wrong, that even folks in the middle go running to the left to curse and spit at anything he or the religious right have to say.

At some point, we've got to stop reacting like victims. We've also got to stop looking across the isle at our fellow Americans and seeing enemies.

This is where my friends will tell me that we can't possibly let our guard down. They see it as a sign of weakness and pounce like a pack of wolves. Before we know it, we'll have Oliver Twist style workhouses, back-alley abortions, scarlet-lettered homosexual communities, grannies packin' heat & Latino ID cards.

This absurd vision is only matched by the vision of America that the far right has of a left-controlled America. We'll just call it 1960's-style Soviet Russia for the sake of brevity.

Don't get me wrong. Zeal must be matched with equal energy and effort. I believe that men like Mike Huckabee must not be president. I believe that Intellegent Design is the work of the devil! Seriously, I really fervently believe that Creationism as science (in all it's forms) is proof that the devil still weaves his sweet-poison into the minds of my fellow Christians. He tried the Crusades & the Inquisition; now his trying something more subversive...but I digress.

So, for the record all the following ideas are always good ones:

Fiscal conservatism is good for our country. The ideas of low-taxes, streamlined government and essential services need to be encouraged. The people spreading this concept are bold-faced liars, war-mongers and hypocrites, but that doesn't make the concept wrong.

Individual Liberty is essential foundation to our constitution. As are the rights to bear arms, the right to free speech and the right to privacy. Both sides of the fence constantly screw this up. The fact that a confirmed racist is leading this charge doesn't make this concept wrong. That's not to say that these rights should not have appropriate boundaries. Automatic weapons & the proliferation of concealed weapons is not a good thing. Hate speech is not a good thing. Getting too much privacy when you're both proliferating your guns and spewing hate...clearly not a good thing!

Standardized tests would in-fact be good for this country if they were designed and implemented by actual educators!

Wait, that was the liberal in me talking again. Well, since the liberal is out, let's talk...

Taxes, Social Services, Libraries & Schools are ALL good for our country. Seriously, this Republic for which I stand needs these services in order to continue to be the country for which I stand.

The separation of Church and State protect both the Church and the State. This should neither be treated as an excuse to kill Christmas NOR as an excuse to implement school prayer. This is also proof that "common sense" is a bold-faced lie. There's no such beast. There are no common sense solutions to the question of Church & State. The best way I know that this separation is working is that it's constantly being debated. This also covers the test of free speech.

I could go on like this for a while. My point, however, is this. Yes, point out when I don't know all the facts. BUT NO, stop looking at every idea that doesn't come from the approved list of liberals are being bad. Good lord, the Current Occupant is right about the need for a real guest worker program. *Gasp* I'm going straight to liberal hell for that one.

Closing Shot: As proof to my unwavering allegiance to the "click here to vote ALL Democrat" side, read this great blog post from Daily Kos called With God On Our Side. (Actually, add Daily Kos to your RSS feed.) My buddy NothingKnew linked it earlier today. Since this rant was partially brought on by him, I thought I would simply point out that he's generally right and that the blogs he reads are excellent.