# I am so fucking sick of the way the left and the right talk to each other **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 20, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215 "2011-10-20T02:23:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/1 "2011-10-20T02:23:03Z")
Specifically, I have in mind words and phrases such as these: Republitard Tea Bagger moonbat Shrub Bushie Nobama Obamacare Messiah Annointed One crony capitalism “hope and change” used sarcastically fascist socialist class warfare wealth redistribution anything about Obama’s teleprompter If you use any of these phrases or memes in serious debate, you are not to be taken seriously. You cheapen and demean the entire political discussion. Our country is trying desperately to find its way, and we need to LISTEN to each other. If you truly believe that the other side’s policies are detrimental to America, then you should have plenty to say without resorting to meaningless bullshit like the items above. Please feel free to add your own to the list. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/2 "2011-10-20T02:29:21Z")
The “Democrat” Party. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/3 "2011-10-20T02:30:45Z")
“Santorum” ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/4 "2011-10-20T02:34:54Z")
What is wrong with "wealth redistribution’ ? It describes an act perfectly. It is not a slanted or emotional term. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/5 "2011-10-20T03:41:04Z")
I am in 100% agreement. The political nastiness drives me nuts sometimes, especially irrational generalizations that pidgeonhole all ‘‘X’’ unfairly. At this point I’d almost trade people behaving decently toward one another at the expense of having ‘‘my side’’ win. ---
**Author:** ![Da\_Mikster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Da\_Mikster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Da_Mikster)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/6 "2011-10-20T03:57:43Z")
The funny thing is, then they wonder why government is ‘broken’… no wait, they KNOW why it is… it’s that OTHER pig headed guy’s fault. I’m thinking steel cage grudge match.— Last one standing gets his mouf washed out with soap… or maybe his brain. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/7 "2011-10-20T04:01:21Z")
The moment we began to view the other side of the debate as the enemy instead of the opponent is the day political discourse fell apart in our country. Unfortunately, there are more than a few entities which thrive on this type of division, encourage it, and profit by it. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/8 "2011-10-20T04:07:28Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > What is wrong with "wealth redistribution’ ? It describes an act perfectly. It is not a slanted or emotional term. Because, like “tax and spend,” it’s a basic function of government and only partisans pretend that it’s some devious scheme of the opposition. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/9 "2011-10-20T04:08:06Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > The moment we began to view the other side of the debate as the enemy instead of the opponent is the day political discourse fell apart in our country. > > Unfortunately, there are more than a few entities which thrive on this type of division, encourage it, and profit by it. I wonder sometimes if this is an unintended result of the fascination with sports in North America. We’re trained from a young age to cheer for “our” team. “Our” sports team are the good guys - we boo the bad guys on the other team. The other team cheats; our team are honest. We boo the refs when they call penalties on “our” team. There are no shades of grey - you must remain faithful to your team, no matter what. This sports culture has made its way into politics, big time. ---
**Author:** ![Da\_Mikster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Da\_Mikster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Da_Mikster)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/10 "2011-10-20T04:10:13Z")
If you can dehumanize all the folks you don’t agree with, then their opinions (and rights, even the right to life) are automatically worth much less than yours. It worked pretty well in a certain European nation in the 30s… well, for the ones doing it… Trying to put an end to it DID pull the US economy out of the Great Depression, too… Depressing, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/11 "2011-10-20T04:12:32Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I wonder sometimes if this is an unintended result of the fascination with sports in North America. We’re trained from a young age to cheer for “our” team. “Our” sports team are the good guys - we boo the bad guys on the other team. The other team cheats; our team are honest. We boo the refs when they call penalties on “our” team. There are no shades of grey - you must remain faithful to your team, no matter what. > > This sports culture has made its way into politics, big time. I doubt it; Europeans are just as fanatical about sports, and more, in some ways, but they don’t have the same mentality about politics that we do. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/12 "2011-10-20T05:23:45Z")
I remain mystified why “Democrat Party” would be considered offensive. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/13 "2011-10-20T05:31:11Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I remain mystified why “Democrat Party” would be considered offensive. It may have something to do with a Republican mantra of a few years back: “There’s nothing democratic about the Democrat Party.” Or it may simply be that it’s primarily used as a pejorative by non-Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/14 "2011-10-20T05:31:56Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I remain mystified why “Democrat Party” would be considered offensive. Because it’s intentionally mis-speaking, in a show of disrespect and contempt, when referring to the _Democratic Party._ I find it hard to believe you weren’t aware of this. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/15 "2011-10-20T05:38:06Z")
Well, if I may clarify, I remain mystified why anyone would consider “Democrat Party” to be offensive. I can imagine someone saying with the _intent_ of being offensive, but why would any rational person _take_ offense? It would be like someone from a foreign culture calling an American “an elephant six!” which perhaps in _his_ culture is some super-deadly curse, but the American should just be mildly bemused. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/16 "2011-10-20T05:44:48Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I remain mystified why “Democrat Party” would be considered offensive. It’s like deliberately mispronouncing someone’s name, just to needle them. How about from now on I call you “Byron Ekers”? What do you mean your name’s not “Byron Ekers”? What’s wrong with being called “Byron Ekers”? It’s not like “Byron Ekers” is offensive! Why are you so sensitive? Byron Ekers I like the sound of that! From now on, you’re Byron Ekers. If the other person doesn’t object they look weak. (“Ha ha, I get to pick what your name is and you can’t stop me!”) And if they do object they look petty. (“Why are you so sensitive? It’s not like I’m insulting you!”) It’s an obnoxious junior high tactic. Of course, some people do say “Democrat Party” without intending to be obnoxious. Those people are merely dim. If you know so little about politics that you don’t even know the names of the parties, your opinion is pretty much worthless. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/17 "2011-10-20T05:52:02Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I wonder sometimes if this is an unintended result of the fascination with sports in North America. We’re trained from a young age to cheer for “our” team. “Our” sports team are the good guys - we boo the bad guys on the other team. The other team cheats; our team are honest. We boo the refs when they call penalties on “our” team. There are no shades of grey - you must remain faithful to your team, no matter what. > > This sports culture has made its way into politics, big time. This is an interesting comment. I was thinking the rise in popularity of team sports was correlated with a rise in nationalism as well. The Olympics would be the obvious example of the marriage of the two. It seems like nationalism really hit it’s stride around the time of the Civil War. Which is around the time Doubleday “invented” baseball. Think about after 9/11. Some of the more elaborate ceremonies were tied to sports. I guess man has a very clannish nature ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/18 "2011-10-20T05:55:59Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > It’s like deliberately mispronouncing someone’s name, just to needle them. How about from now on I call you “Byron Ekers”? What do you mean your name’s not “Byron Ekers”? What’s wrong with being called “Byron Ekers”? It’s not like “Byron Ekers” is offensive! Why are you so sensitive? I think I would be an idiot to let myself get baited so easily, and I daresay a Democrat is an idiot if he lets _himself_ get baited that easily. If you want to say “Byron”, be my guest. > [@](#): > > If the other person doesn’t object they look weak. (“Ha ha, I get to pick what your name is and you can’t stop me!”) And if they do object they look petty. (“Why are you so sensitive? It’s not like I’m insulting you!”) It’s an obnoxious junior high tactic. Well, what does that say about the person who falls for it? > [@](#): > > Of course, some people do say “Democrat Party” without intending to be obnoxious. Those people are merely dim. If you know so little about politics that you don’t even know the names of the parties, your opinion is pretty much worthless. Heh, and I won’t be baited by this, either. I await someone who can explain the reason in more rational terms. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/19 "2011-10-20T06:07:52Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I think I would be an idiot to let myself get baited so easily, and I daresay a Democrat is an idiot if he lets himself get baited that easily. See, it’s just like I said. I objected. So now you get to use the “Why are you so sensitive?” line. Yay. You scored a point. Well done. > [@](#): > > I await someone who can explain the reason in more rational terms. You honestly don’t understand why deliberately calling someone by the wrong name is insulting? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2011, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215/20 "2011-10-20T06:27:33Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Heh, and I won’t be baited by this, either. I await someone who can explain the reason in more rational terms. Back when the controversy first started about naming sports teams after Native Americans, I told a friend of mine that I didn’t understand why names like “Washington Redskins” would be offensive. He said that if you want to know whether a name is offensive, you don’t ask the person who said it, you ask the person who is being talked about. This is a thread in favor of civility in politics. Whether you understand why “Democrat Party” is objectionable, who not just take their word for it? If it’s such a trivial matter that no one should take offense, then it’s trivial enough that no one should be deliberately getting it wrong. In a nutshell, call people what they want to be called. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-the-way-the-left-and-the-right-talk-to-each-other/600215.md?page=2)