tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252281057777640341.post8588403017716811929..comments2023-05-02T04:06:30.049-04:00Comments on Occupy My Soapbox: Political Blaming and BigotryDianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11618735984588035526noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252281057777640341.post-81545573058286666282016-04-25T22:14:38.595-04:002016-04-25T22:14:38.595-04:00I think the pattern that you're describing is ...I think the pattern that you're describing is very real and I think it's rooted in the maintenance of the privilege hierarchy. The latest already marginalized group to be on the receiving end of prejudice is the trans* community in light of the bathroom legislation being passed or considered in certain states. The common thread in these prejudices seems to be a straw man argument. Like the immigrant rapist, the heterosexual sexual predator is being used as a straw man to justify denying trans* people a basic human right. This seems like a way for the people with the most privilege (white, heterosexual, gender-conforming, Christian men) to persuade people with less privilege to maintain the status quo because this highly privileged group is actually a minority. Convince people that planned parenthood sells baby parts and you take away power from women who can no longer get access to health care or contraception. Convince people that only crazy people commit mass shootings and keep guns in the hands of the white men who statistically have been responsible for most of these shootings. Convince people that religious freedom is under attack so extremist groups (only of the white Christian variety) can justify their bigotry. I might be completely off base here but I think everything leads back to a certain group of people being indoctrinated from birth to believe they are superior and doing everything they can to maintain that position.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03285218745848925974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252281057777640341.post-33160376731792968382016-04-25T09:51:10.124-04:002016-04-25T09:51:10.124-04:00Rick Spisak, I don't disagree with you at all....Rick Spisak, I don't disagree with you at all. What I've noticed is that politicians generally first project stereotypes/prejudices. Those "tax and spend" Democrats. Or "anti-regulation" Republicans. In truth, these are just generalizations and most folks, including politicians, take a more nuanced approach when considering policy alternatives. And this is the space that the Bernie Sanders campaign is living in. He has taken it no further. He talks about the "millionaires and billionaires". He is looking for a shift of power away from the "billionaire class". He does not say they are killers and rapists. He is not demonizing.<br /><br />But during campaign season, many candidates will take these stereotypes and any others they deem fit and use them more pointedly. "It's those overzealous regulators that are making it impossible for small busineses to compete and survive - that's why unemployment is so high. Undocumented immigrants only add to the problem." Now we're into the blame game. And from there it's a hop, skip, and a jump to demonizing. And we have seen this most clearly with Donald Trump.<br />Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11618735984588035526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252281057777640341.post-27904783457807806112016-04-25T05:06:44.037-04:002016-04-25T05:06:44.037-04:00I don't think your lumping in Senator Sanders ...I don't think your lumping in Senator Sanders with the haters, and demogoges passes muster. <br />He doesn't offer hate, he doesn't demonize them ad hominem, he denounces their control over the political process. <br />He points out as long as it is in the economic interest of politicians to carefully follow the road maps outlined by their lobbyist paymasters, we must expect they will remain deaf to the entreaties of their constituents and slavishly attentive to the whims of the oligarchs. <br />Former president Carter the radical "home builder" an intemperate supporter of one person one vote, has decried Citizen United and the corruptive influence it has over legislators. <br />While Cruz and Trump have trotted out slogans about "round ups" and "mass deportations" and Cruz has gone as far as to demonize those of different lifestyle and faith, you have instead heard Senator Sanders call for a realization that every voice must be heard and that the poorest and the most disadvantaged have the same right to clean air and water, and that their vote must count. (Respectfully disagree)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09854838040216466506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252281057777640341.post-37652545657949003872016-04-25T05:02:51.601-04:002016-04-25T05:02:51.601-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09854838040216466506noreply@blogger.com