What's the difference? The left has its ideas, and the right has different ideas.
Most people are not obsessed with politics. So most people don't really pay attention to the way politics has taken such an ugly turn in America. But it's hard to deny that nothing short of hatred is being evoked in the political arena today on a daily basis.
When we see people picking up guns and shooting politicians they don't like, it's hard to deny.
So, what's driving this trend of rhetoric so hyperbolic and inciteful that it is actually being linked with violence?
What's driving the incendiary rhetoric is the loss of the presidential election by the Democrats, the de facto leftist party. Whether it's the leadership of the party and the movement or the shock-troop foot soldiers on the ground, they are apoplectic. They are beside themselves. Not only did they lose the election, but it caught them totally by surprise. Even eight months later, they have not figured out why. They can't look in the mirror and take responsibility for it. So, they make up conspiracy theories to explain it.
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In other words, they are detached from reality. It's a dangerous thing when people are detached from reality. Despite the evidence, they insist they were cheated out of power. They were the victims of foul play. The election was stolen from them.
That's the mindset of the left today. And they can't let go of it and, pardon an old Democratic political slogan, move on.
As a former leftist myself, I can tell you there's another distinct characteristic of this ideology. It is explained in a slogan of so-called "progressives" – "by any means necessary." I remember thinking about that even as a young leftist and wondering, "Anything?" Even then I knew I wouldn't do "anything" to advance the cause. It gave me the chills to think about it, even as I sported the button emblazoned with those words.
But let's look at the Democratic presidential candidate in 2016 – Hillary Clinton. Is there any doubt in your mind that she absolutely takes those words to heart? Is there any doubt she believes the ends justify the means?
No doubts in my mind.
And you can't help but notice the political violence – whether it's shooting up a Republican congressional baseball practice or rioting on college campuses – is pretty much all confined to those aligned with the left.
Think about that.
Name a conservative or libertarian of evangelical conservative who went out to hunt down leftists.
Difficult, isn't it?
And that's the No. 1 distinction between the left and the right in America.
The right hates ideas it considers destructive, counter-productive and evil.
But the left hates the people who represent the ideas they believe are destructive, counter-productive and evil.
Let me give you a personal example.
I have a very close relative who for eight years basically worshiped at the feet of Barack Obama. I couldn't understand it. He could do nothing wrong in the eyes of this close relation. We joked about it. We laughed about it. We even argued about it.
But not for one minute did I ever stop loving this close relative.
Again, as a former leftist, I can tell you it doesn't work like that for them. They believe the ideals are more important than individuals. That's why they have historically participated in purges and a form of secular ex-communication designed to keep people in line. Non-leftists don't do that. They cajole, they debate, they chide, and they argue, but then they have a drink together and laugh about how people can see things so differently.
They hate the evil ideas, not the people.
The left has always carried the hate over to the people – evidenced by more than 100 million deaths in the 20th century.
Interestingly enough, I'm happy to say, the close relative has become a big supporter of Donald Trump and has a whole new outlook on things – one that is much closer to my own.
It's a good thing we didn't kill each other, huh?
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