Partisan hate doesn’t help discussion

By By Ryan Good

Thursday, February 24, 2005

I hate labels. Labels force diverse people into large groups that don’t accurately describe their memberships. That said, on the American political spectrum I would consider myself quite liberal.

According to many loud-mouthed pundits in this country, these beliefs make me a whiny, bitter Communist filled with apathy for sinners. When did caring about my fellow humans make me any of those things?

These ideas stem from an alarming trend I’ve noticed lately. This problem is not limited to Washington or cable news — it has recently extended its reach to our campus. This trend is simple — it involves hating everyone. Well, maybe not everyone but certainly those different from ourselves. I’m not audacious enough to believe that this trend is limited to one side of the political spectrum.

The most recent example of this hate and degradation on campus has revolved around the soon-to-come appearance of Ann Coulter, best-selling author and conservative political commentator. Following the announcement, campus was secularized into those who couldn’t wait to see her and those who couldn’t believe she was coming.

The conflict between these sides climaxed recently when I opened The University Daily Kansan to the opinion page and read one of the more libelous pieces of propaganda I’ve ever seen.

I’m referring to Andrew Fray’s column on Monday, “Liberals fear Coulter’s appearance on campus.” A better headline for this article would have been, “I hate liberals, and I’m proud of it.” Fray states that he has become “increasingly numb to the incessant whining” from campus liberals who dare to question Coulter and are “acutely unaware of how their actions and words” affect the United States.

The last time I checked, our Constitution encouraged political dissent. Fray’s comments fit into the current political attitudes of many Americans right now. Pundits on both sides of the line have used outrageous ways to discredit the other side instead of civilly questioning the actions or statements of those with whom they disagree. Ann Coulter, Michael Moore and Rush Limbaugh, among others, are guilty of this.

Other Americans, like Fray, are starting to throw in their two cents as well. I recently stumbled upon a group on Thefacebook.com called Liberals Suck. Not a good start. The group claims, and I am quoting directly, “While the liberals were out getting PHD’s in English and sociology, protesting stuipid [sic] things, etc, the Alpha Males (conservatives) were out banging chicks, marrying into money, buying real estate, and starting business’ [sic], basically doing what real men do.”

In what way does hateful rhetoric help the United States? The answer is simple — it doesn’t. Perhaps writing things like this boasts these individuals’ egos, or maybe Americans really are just filled with hate.

I think that the answer is not nearly so simple.

The United States is a bipartite society. Citizens believe that you are right or wrong, left or right, and there is no in between. Our president has reinforced this mindset by telling the world that you are with us or against us.

When did life become so simple? I’ve never faced a problem in my life that had two easily discernable solutions. Why do we let finite dualities serve as our only model for political discourse?

The average person is smart enough to not fall into this trap. But those who buy into this philosophy tend to have the loudest voice. Don’t think that’s the right direction for our country to head in? Don’t agree with me that the hateful voices will continue to be loudest? Please, prove me wrong.

Good is an Overland Park junior in English, American studies and chemistry.

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