# Liberals, Progressives, or Democrats, can we get over 'The Democrat Party?' **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 24, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186 "2014-05-24T16:00:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/301 "2014-06-09T19:57:12Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > But if someone uses those terms, the intent is clear. The insulting picture they are trying to paint is clear. If you were Black or Japanese or Arab and I used one of those words, you and everyone else would understand how I am trying to slur/insult you. Not so with “Democrat Party”. Yes, there’s a clear distinction between “Democrat Party” and “boy”. A better comparison is to “Chinaman”, particularly if you know that “Englishman” is a widely used and acceptable piece of terminology. I would not blame someone for not realizing that “Chinaman” has offensive connotations, and I would not blame someone for not realizing that “Democrat Party” is (a) not the correct name, and (b) frequently and deliberately used as an insulting diminuitive. If you are informed of those facts and continue to deliberately use “Democrat Party”, however, then you are being a bit of a dick\*. What’s so hard to grok about that? \*Note: “BIT OF” a dick. It’s not a big deal, but it is a clear discourtesy. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/302 "2014-06-09T19:59:01Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > That a list of unacceptable words would make communications faster and more user-friendly. > > A list of acceptable words could be used later, after the list of unacceptable words becomes larger and unwieldy. You think you are being clever, but you are not. If you address someone as “Tim” and he says “I prefer to be called Timothy”, hey, no harm, no foul, honest misunderstanding. If you keep calling him “Tim”, you’re being a dick. Replace “Tim” with “Timmy”, and you’re being more of a dick. But that doesn’t mean he should introduce himself as “Timothy-not-Tim-not-Timmy”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/303 "2014-06-09T20:50:41Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > Or how about you put your big boy pants on, say whatever you want, but when shown that something you said is considered offensive or rude or a slight by someone who can also point out that they are not alone in feeling that to do something obviously revolutionary: Apologize and not use the term again. > > Is that so complicated and an unnecessarily massive affront to your ability to communicate? I’d like to point out that \*\*doorhinge \*\*posted in this thread since this post but somehow managed to ignore it. Yet he reiterated his silly request without commenting on the perfectly good solution I gave him to his issue. Either he didn’t see my post, or he ignored it intentionally because a simple and polite solution to his “problem” was not what he was looking for, not really. It’s much easier to complain about some undue burden on his communication and therefore make anyone around him the problem than to just take my advice above. This doesn’t seem like the most important issue one would want to martyr themselves about, but you know… ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/304 "2014-06-09T23:04:53Z")
Maybe we should all call doorhinge some other name that we know he won’t like, and act incredulous when he objects ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/305 "2014-06-13T22:42:10Z")
Did anyone else catch Eric Cantor’s speech upon losing his primary? He tried to repair bridges with his fellow republicans by saying that rifts within his party are nothing compared to between them and the “left and their Democrat…ic Party.” Am I the only one who thought he noticed a tiny pause where he almost said “Democrat” but caught himself? I very well may be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/306 "2014-06-13T23:31:24Z")
Have video of that? Now you’ve got me curious ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/307 "2014-06-14T00:30:25Z")
Hmmm, I found it [here](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/eric-cantor-primary-loss-congressman-announcese-stepping-majority-24097809?tab=9482931§ion=2808950) at around 12:15. I think I’m mistaken upon seeing it again: it looks like it’s just the slowness of a Southern drawl especially considering he actually does fumble over other words in the speech. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/308 "2014-06-14T17:41:15Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > Or how about you put your big boy pants on, say whatever you want, but when shown that something you said is considered offensive or rude or a slight by someone who can also point out that they are not alone in feeling that to do something obviously revolutionary: Apologize and not use the term again. > > Is that so complicated and an unnecessarily massive affront to your ability to communicate? > [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > I’d like to point out that \*\*doorhinge \*\*posted in this thread since this post but somehow managed to ignore it. Yet he reiterated his silly request without commenting on the perfectly good solution I gave him to his issue. > > Either he didn’t see my post, or he ignored it intentionally because a simple and polite solution to his “problem” was not what he was looking for, not really. It’s much easier to complain about some undue burden on his communication and therefore make anyone around him the problem than to just take my advice above. > > This doesn’t seem like the most important issue one would want to martyr themselves about, but you know… Martyr yourself all you wish. I’m not in a position to stop you and I wouldn’t try if I could. It never occurred to me that you would discover that I was ignoring your post without you doing some sole searching (looking down and examining your feet) as to why that might have happened. Assume that I strenuously object to your telling me to, “put your big boy pants on”. According to your theory, you would then be expected to apologize and not use the term again. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/309 "2014-06-14T20:27:23Z")
I see you can’t respond to the substance of my point. Therefore, I won’t be saying that to you. In fact, I won’t be saying anything to you. I made my point to observers and you’re not worth the time. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/310 "2014-06-16T13:44:12Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > I see you can’t respond to the substance of my point. Therefore, I won’t be saying that to you. In fact, I won’t be saying anything to you. I made my point to observers and you’re not worth the time. You want to dictate what people can say and some people refuse to give you that authority. I suggest that you make a list of words you want removed from public use and then compare your list to the lists of the other Ray Bradbury firemen-types. I have no idea what your combined lists could then be used for. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/311 "2014-06-16T15:59:18Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > You want to dictate what people can say I’ll stop you there with that strawman. I have no desire to dictate what anyone says. But I will tell someone when they say something offensive and if they apologize and/or simply stop using that language then there’s nothing more to be said. On the other hand, If they continue to use offensive language after they have been made aware that the language is offensive, then that says a lot about them. So by all means, say whatever you want! Just don’t be surprised that people start thinking you’re a jerk when you are acting like one. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/312 "2014-06-16T16:06:15Z")
I’ve mentioned this before, but the “I won’t be responding to you” works better when you don’t respond. Failing that, you could actually respond. That works well too. For instance - > [@](#): > > I will tell someone when they say something offensive and if they apologize and/or simply stop using that language then there’s nothing more to be said. > > On the other hand, If they continue to use offensive language after they have been made aware that the language is offensive, then that says a lot about them. So by all means, say whatever you want! Just don’t be surprised that people start thinking you’re a jerk when you are acting like one. If someone tells you they are offended by being told to ‘put on your big boy pants’, do you apologize, or not? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/313 "2014-06-16T16:13:29Z")
Since he has yet to put his big boy pants on, I see no reason to apologize. If he thinks I am a jerk for saying it, I think I can live with that. Because I don’t care what he thinks, just as you have shown that you don’t care that others think you’re a jerk based on how often you act like one, Shodan. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/314 "2014-06-16T16:19:18Z")
So you are expecting others to care what you think, but you do not extend the same consideration to others. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/315 "2014-06-16T16:31:57Z")
Did I say he had to care what I thought? He might not. He might care about what a group of people think, however. And even if he doesn’t, I can only control myself. Unlike what his strawman and your lack of reading comprehension suggest, I have no desire to tell others what to say or what to think. I will tell you what I think. You’re not obligated to care or even listen. And I suggest (and notice it’s a suggestion, not a requirement or demand) you not discuss extending courtesies to anyone when you have made it patently clear in your posting in this thread that you are quite content to be discourteous. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/316 "2014-06-16T16:52:47Z")
Pointing out inconsistencies is not discourteous. It’s what we do in GD. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186/317 "2014-06-16T17:00:01Z")
The two are not mutually exclusive, even in GD. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liberals-progressives-or-democrats-can-we-get-over-the-democrat-party/689186.md?page=15)