# Stop villainizing people whose political opinions differ from yours. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 21, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286 "2016-10-21T22:54:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/21 "2016-10-22T06:31:09Z")
This election cycle, I don’t think vilifying people for their political beliefs is what’s going on. Debating Trump’s credentials as the mantel of the social conservative agenda is legitimate. Clinton’s hawkish foreign policy decisions and recent TPP change of heart is well worth discussing regardless of any voters past voting history. Our current America: The Reality Show extravaganza has no time for that at all. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/22 "2016-10-22T06:36:27Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > Are there studies that show that without doubt that there will be more economic disruption to the global economy if fossil fuel use continues along its current path than under the plans of various groups to try to curb its usage? Yes, I know there are some truly deluded people out there, but I think the issue there is that people are seriously concerned that the amount of economic disruption wanted by liberal-leaning groups in order to combat climate change will end up being greater than the potential disruption averted that would be caused by global climate change. > > Do we know for a fact exactly what will happen, and on what sort of time table? Will it be impossible for people to slowly realize that the coastal areas are not good places to stay and that they should move inland? Will there not be places that are currently not able to be put to productive use have potential uses arise because of the change in climate? There is a lot of land in the northern hemisphere that is unused simply because it is too cold and the growing season is too short. Has anyone seriously looked at how these lands might be exploited to make up for the loss of other areas? How do we know that it’s going to be 100% bad with no up-side at all? In this way, liberals are almost taking a too conservative view of things. They claim that the ecosystem will be unable to tolerate the rate of change of the climate because it normally does not change as drastically. But what proof do they have of that? Why do they favor the status quo so much? > > That said, I don’t know a ton about the issue. I don’t know if there are studies that say exactly what I’m wondering about, but the fact that I’ve been passively introduced to many climate change issues and have yet to see those facts be put heavily into rotation suggests to me that they truly have not been dealt with. I do believe that we should try to develop alternatives forms of energy, especially ones that try to harness as much energy as possible from the sun (solar and wind) as well as the moon (tidal). I recognize that fossil fuel use is unsustainable in the long-term, as it is impossible for there to be an infinite supply. I understand the concern about low-lying coastal areas being overtaken by the sea, and the terrible impact that will have. But I also think it’s possible, given what I’ve read, that those changes will be gradual enough that we don’t have to worry about forcing an economic solution besides the invisible hand showing people that coastal areas need to be abandoned and new land inland in the north can be opened up to development. First you need to be aware that it is not just liberals the ones that are worried about it. **Even conservative leaning scientists** already figured out that this issue should not had been politicized, but powerful interest groups managed to do so. > **[How to Avoid the Truth About Climate Change](https://bbickmore.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/how-to-avoid-the-truth-about-climate-change/)** > > I gave a talk called “How to Avoid the Truth About Climate Change” for the College of Science and Health at Utah Valley University.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with me, … Thinking that we will have time to adapt does grossly ignore the cost of that adaptation and ignores also that many other species on earth will not have time to do so. > **[Skeptical Science: Climate Myths](https://skepticalscience.com/mitigation-cheaper-than-adaptation-intermediate.htm)** > > Examines the science and arguments of global warming skepticism. Common objections like 'global warming is caused by the sun', 'temperature has changed naturally in the past' or 'other planets are warming too' are examined to see what the science... > [@](#): > > Avoiding Global Warming is Cheaper than Adapting > > The bottom line is that economists can’t even accurately estimate how much climate damages will cost if we fail to take serious steps to slow global warming. On the other hand, taking those steps can have a negligible impact on global economic growth. The IPCC report also makes the point that the longer we wait to reduce our emissions, the more expensive it will become. In determining that mitigating global warming is affordable, the IPCC used the following scenarios. > > > [@](#): > > > > ``` > > "Scenarios in which all countries of the world begin mitigation immediately, there is a single global carbon price, and all key technologies are available, have been used as a cost‐effective benchmark for estimating macroeconomic mitigation costs" > > > > ``` > > It’s important to understand that our choices aren’t to either reduce carbon emissions or to do nothing. Our options are to either reduce carbon emissions or to continue with business-as-usual emissions that will cause accelerating climate change and damage costs beyond what we can accurately estimate. From an economic perspective, and from a risk management perspective, this should be a no-brainer. As economist Paul Krugman put it, > > > [@](#): > > > > ``` > > "So is the climate threat solved? Well, it should be. The science is solid; the technology is there; the economics look far more favorable than anyone expected. All that stands in the way of saving the planet is a combination of ignorance, prejudice and vested interests. What could go wrong? > > > > ``` > > " > **[Can animals and plants adapt to global warming?](https://skepticalscience.com/Can-animals-and-plants-adapt-to-global-warming.htm)** > > \A large number of ancient mass extinction events have been strongly linked to global climate change. Because current climate change is so rapid, the way species typically adapt (eg - migration) is, in most cases, simply not be possible. Global... > [@](#): > > A large number of ancient mass extinction events have been strongly linked to global climate change. Because current climate change is so rapid, the way species typically adapt (eg - migration) is, in most cases, simply not be possible. Global change is simply too pervasive and occurring too rapidly. > [@](#): > > B) A low-range optimistic estimate of 2°C of 21st century warming will shift the Earth’s global mean surface temperature into conditions which have not existed since the middle Pliocene, 3 million years ago. More than 4°C of atmospheric heating will take the planet’s climate back, within a century, to the largely ice-free world that existed prior to about 35 million years ago. The average ‘species’ lifetime’ is only 1 to 3 million years. So it is quite possible that in the comparative geological instant of a century, planetary conditions will be transformed to a state unlike anything that most of the world’s modern species have encountered. > [@](#): > > D) Past adaptation to climate change by species was mainly through shifting their geographic range to higher or lower latitudes (depending on whether the climate was warming or cooling), or up and down mountain slopes. There were also evolutionary responses – individuals that were most tolerant to new conditions survived and so made future generations more intrinsically resilient. Now, because of points A to C described above, this type of adaptation will, in most cases, simply not be possible or will be inadequate to cope. Global change is simply too pervasive and occurring too rapidly. Time’s up and there is nowhere for species to run or hide. Now why is it that not much of this has been put on heavy rotation? When you consider that groups like the Mobil Corporation fund PBS, and NOVA depends a lot on the Koch brothers the reason why it’s not should be more obvious than the less notice it gets in the corporate media. ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/23 "2016-10-22T11:03:03Z")
[QUOTE=glowacks;19719977 That said, I don’t know a ton about the issue. .[/QUOTE] Then why would you not try to find out who does know a ton about the issue? Why would you listen to anyone else who doesn’t? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/24 "2016-10-22T12:17:04Z")
I think it depends on what you mean by villianizing? Is calling out racism, xenophobia, homophobia, sexism villianizing? I agree there is no need to make it personal, or an excuse to attack another. But now is not the time for good people to hold their tongue lest they offend. Racism, xenophobia, homophobia and sexism all deserve to be called out. It’s the 21st century, it’s time for zero tolerance for some things. If you want to be a deplorable, or a hateful Christian, it’s your right, have at it. But do not expect the rest of us to watch quietly and not call you out for it. Expect pushback. Yes, it should be respectful, but it should never, ever be silenced, in my opinion! ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/25 "2016-10-22T13:27:51Z")
Some opinions that pass for “political” are in no way political. There is nothing political about religious bigotry, for example. It’s just fear and hate. Calling such a thing political is only a means to remove seriousness from it. “It’s just my political belief, I’m entitled to it.” It is not political, it is greater than that, it is dehumanizing, and those who believe it ARE villians. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/26 "2016-10-22T13:35:09Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I think it depends on what you mean by villianizing? > > Is calling out racism, xenophobia, homophobia, sexism villianizing? Put another way, do those things constitute a ‘political opinion’? I think it’s on the public at large to ask that, Republicans not voting for Trump need to answer. ‘Will you vote for Trump?’, is not as important as, ‘The majority of your party IS voting for Trump, why are they wrong?’. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/27 "2016-10-22T14:23:20Z")
If people want to stop being cast as villains, they need stop acting like villains and defending villains. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/28 "2016-10-22T16:41:29Z")
I am a moderate. If I lived in Europe I’m not sure whether I’d be aligned with a left-of-center party or a right-of-center party. I like to think I’d be one to “bridge the gap” and propose centrist compromises. But the U.S. is not Europe. We have one party that pursues centrist policies and one whose only overriding doctrine is bat-shit insanity. It’s silly to pretend that those who vote Republican have the slightest clue, or that their opinions are based on anything but ignorance and vileness. That would be like a a 2nd-grade teacher who, faced with an outlier like “2+2=3,” declares “Well, let’s respect Billy, maybe he’s half-right. Let’s say 2+2 = 3.5.” ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/29 "2016-10-22T17:41:34Z")
No. I don’t have a problem for people who vote republican in general. I have partisan streaks, and I sometimes am rude but I try to be respectful. However Trump is a whole new animal. As far as I’m concerned, the majority of people who support Trump can be divided into two camps. 1. Those too clueless, ill informed, or plain dumb to realize how destructive and unqualified he is. 2. Those who realize his is destructive, unqualified, dangerous, etc but are so blinded by partisanship that they will support him anyway. I never felt that way about Romney, McCain or Bush. I don’t feel that way about 99% of republican senators, governors or representatives. I don’t think most people who supported Kasich, Cruz, Jeb, etc. were either stupid or amoral. I disagree with the policies of Romney or Kasich, or thousands of other GOP politicians. But I did not think they were dangerous and deeply unqualified the way Trump is. I disagree with most GOP politicians, and I disagree with most GOP voters on the issues. But before Trump, I never questioned their morality or intelligence the way I do now. But I do feel that way about Trump and his supporters. This is a whole new political animal. Trump is a mentally unstable petty dictator who only cares about feeding his own ego. The idea that an informed, moral person could support him is beyond me. That doesn’t mean you have to support Clinton, but Trump has given off too many red flags too fast. Even if Clinton wins (and she probably will) the fact that 50 million people think Trump is qualified to be president says a lot of bad things about our country. It says a lot of adults are ignorant or amoral. In my view, most Trump supporters are either extremely dumb and ignorant, or they are totally amoral and will side with whoever has an R next to their name. This election will really change how democrats view republicans, because only about 20% of normal republican voters are going to choose to sit this one out or vote third party. The other 80% will fall in line. If a moral, competent republican were picked to be the presidential candidate, he would probably garner 60-65 million votes. Trump will probably garner 45-55 million. I have a respect for those 10-20 million republicans who choose not to vote for Trump. But not for the rest. The idea that the OP is proposing, no matter how dangerous or destructive a politician is we should all try to get along, is wrong. Getting along is nice and all, but not when getting along means a deeply ignorant narcissist who has a track record of targeting his enemies by any means necessary is running for president. As Goldwater said, “Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/30 "2016-10-22T17:44:17Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > It’s silly to pretend that those who vote Republican \*\*have the slightest clue, \*\*or that their opinions are based on \*\*anything but ignorance and vileness. \*\* There are 55 million registered Republicans in the country. Many of them hold college degrees; some of them doctorates. Many of them have been involved in academics or careers pertaining to business, political science, technology, aerospace, engineering, economics, history, etc. Some have worked in the State Department. Some have served in the military. Some work in health care. Some work in tech start-ups. Some work in education. Some work in agriculture. Some have traveled extensively abroad. The elderly generation of Republicans has lived through many different presidential administrations. Some are very low-income, some are very high-income. Some live in cities, some live in rural areas. With all due respect, when you say that Republicans don’t have the “slightest clue,” or that their opinions aren’t based off of anything but ignorance…maybe the ignorant one is you. Certainly some or even many are ignorant, but plenty are not. The one making broad generalizations here, is _you_. The one painting with a broad brush, is _you_. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/31 "2016-10-22T17:46:48Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > There are times when it is impossible to accurately portray the oppositions position without seeming insulting. It is entirely possible. Imagine if a pro-lifer says, _“Pro-choicers believe that a fetus does not qualify for personhood rights, or, even if the fetus does, that the mother’s interests override the fetuses,'”_ vs. a pro-lifer who says, _“Pro-choicers are baby killers.”_ In both instances, the pro-lifer is saying what he or she considers to be true and accurate, but the way it is portrayed comes across very differently. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/32 "2016-10-22T17:49:35Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > So, I’m supposed to be nice to a political movement that promotes violence, denies climate change and has not said if they are are going to respect the outcome of the democratic process? How’s that supposed to work? You are supposed to promote the false equivalency that is famous among low information voters that ‘both parties are equally bad’. Sure Trump is being sued for raping a 13 year old girl and has shown a total lack of the emotional and mental qualities necessary to be president, but Hillary deleted some emails. Ergo, to low information voters, both are equally bad. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/33 "2016-10-22T17:50:53Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > There are 55 million registered Republicans in the country. Many of them hold college degrees; some of them doctorates. Many of them have been involved in academics or careers pertaining to business, political science, technology, aerospace, engineering, economics, history, etc. Some have worked in the State Department. Some have served in the military. Some work in health care. Some work in tech start-ups. Some work in education. Some work in agriculture. Some have traveled extensively abroad. The elderly generation of Republicans has lived through many different presidential administrations. Some are very low-income, some are very high-income. Some live in cities, some live in rural areas. > With all due respect, when you say that Republicans don’t have the “slightest clue,” or that their opinions aren’t based off of anything but ignorance…maybe the ignorant one is you. Certainly some or even many are ignorant, but plenty are not. The one making broad generalizations here, is _you_. The one painting with a broad brush, is _you_. Sorry, but ever since Ben Carson appeared it is clear that being bright in one matter does not guarantee that on a vast number of other important issues a good number of them will not have a clue. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/34 "2016-10-22T20:32:38Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > You are supposed to promote the false equivalency that is famous among low information voters that ‘both parties are equally bad’. > > Sure Trump is being sued for raping a 13 year old girl and has shown a total lack of the emotional and mental qualities necessary to be president, but Hillary deleted some emails. Ergo, to low information voters, both are equally bad. Got it. I guess I should say some nice things about them, then. The Trump supporters who plotted the terrorist bombing in Kansas sure do seem enthusiastic; and the Republican legislators who push through laws intended to prevent black people from voting sure are hard working in their subversion of democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/35 "2016-10-22T20:37:42Z")
\*\*Stop villainizing people whose political opinions differ from yours. \*\*No. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/36 "2016-10-23T09:28:39Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > There are 55 million registered Republicans in the country. Many of them hold college degrees; some of them doctorates… > With all due respect, when you say that Republicans don’t have the “slightest clue,” or that their opinions aren’t based off of anything but ignorance…maybe the ignorant one is you. Certainly some or even many are ignorant, but plenty are not. The one making broad generalizations here, is _you_. The one painting with a broad brush, is _you_. Many Americans pay little attention to politics; party alignment for them may be based on accident or vague memory. I myself was aligned with moderate Republicans in my early adulthood. I hardly paid attention to partisan politics until the excesses of Gingrichism. But in this election, many Americans\* including a large majority of Republicans\* will vote for Donald Trump. Please tell us what you think of these Trump voters, **Velocity**. Are they well informed, with or without doctorates? Should their opinions on political matters be given equal weight as that of citizens who _do_ have a clue? ETA: A sincere “hats off” to all Republicans who vote for Hillary. But those who do vote for Trump are worthy only of contempt, whether they “have doctorates” or not. Prattling a list of a dozen different occupations these vile or misinformed creatures have doesn’t change that. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/37 "2016-10-23T10:26:56Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > As Goldwater said, “Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue” Except that there comes a point where extremism undermines and even destroys the liberty it is supposed to be defending, and immoderation in the pursuit of justice ends up being thoroughly unjust. It all depends on how you define “liberty”, "justice, “extremism” and “moderation” - and that question remains despite any resounding sound-bite (don’t forget - it usually takes a degree of hollowness to create a resonance). ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/38 "2016-10-23T13:54:37Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Except that there comes a point where extremism undermines and even destroys the liberty it is supposed to be defending, and immoderation in the pursuit of justice ends up being thoroughly unjust. > > It all depends on how you define “liberty”, "justice, “extremism” and “moderation” - and that question remains despite any resounding sound-bite (don’t forget - it usually takes a degree of hollowness to create a resonance). I think Trump’s base is [right wing authoritarians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_authoritarianism). Certain articles have found authoritarianism is a strong predictor of support for Trump: [http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/donald-trump-2016-authoritarian-213533](http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/donald-trump-2016-authoritarian-213533) However there was research questioning if authoritarianism was specific among Trump supporters. However, even that study found authoritarianism was high among Republican voters and low among Democratic voters. So irrelevant of whether the above info is true, authoritarianism is a major trait among modern republican voters. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/03/09/trumps-voters-arent-authoritarians-new-research-says-so-what-are-they/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/03/09/trumps-voters-arent-authoritarians-new-research-says-so-what-are-they/) [![](https://paulinevetuna.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/psych-traits-of-supporters-of-candidates-2016.jpg?w=604) ](https://paulinevetuna.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/psych-traits-of-supporters-of-candidates-2016.jpg?w=604) So you’re probably why it matters. It matters because right wing authoritarians (RWAs) generally are not compatible with liberal democracy. Liberal democracy is founded on concepts like minority rights, a working government, representative government, etc. Deep down, RWA types do not share these values. They really don’t even care for democracy, as can be seen with how hard the modern GOP is trying to suppress the vote of anyone who disagrees with them (voter ID laws, abolishing early voting, making voter registration harder, etc) as well as how some of them are promoting the idea that the only reason they lose an election is due to fraud. RWA personality types are more supportive of a draconian police force (just so long as they target people the RWAs consider themselves superior to, ie minorities), they suppress the votes of those they do not agree with, they blindly support war, etc. These are people whom a significant minority think terrorism and violence is an acceptable response if they do not get their way at the ballot box. Right wing militias are becoming a serious problem. These people need to be demonized. RWA types are the kinds of people who give birth to the KKK, who suppress minority rights, who help military juntas and fascists come to power. I have no problem with moderate republicans like Kasich or his supporters, and I have no problem with libertarian republicans. But RWA types can pose a major threat to democracy and order if they are allowed to get out of hand. Terrorism, anti-democracy activities, oppression of women and minorities, paramilitary groups, brutal policing, etc. are all traits that RWA types tend to support. People talk about the threat that Islamic Jihadists pose, but those people are arguably just the RWAs of their culture. In the US, the RWA types are Trump supporters, abortion clinic bombers, militia members, people who call for ‘second amendment remedies’ when democracy doesn’t give them the results they want, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/39 "2016-10-23T13:59:42Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > So you’re probably why it matters. It matters because right wing authoritarians (RWAs) generally are not compatible with liberal democracy. Liberal democracy is founded on concepts like minority rights, a working government, representative government, etc. > > Deep down, RWA types do not share these values. They really don’t even care for democracy, as can be seen with how hard the modern GOP is trying to suppress the vote of anyone who disagrees with them (voter ID laws, abolishing early voting, making voter registration harder, etc) as well as how some of them are promoting the idea that the only reason they lose an election is due to fraud. RWA personality types are more supportive of a draconian police force (just so long as they target people the RWAs consider themselves superior to, ie minorities), they suppress the votes of those they do not agree with, they blindly support war, etc. > > These are people whom a significant minority think terrorism and violence is an acceptable response if they do not get their way at the ballot box. Right wing militias are becoming a serious problem. > > These people need to be demonized. RWA types are the kinds of people who give birth to the KKK, who suppress minority rights, who help military juntas and fascists come to power. Preach, General Clark! (yeah, I know, you’re not him) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286/40 "2016-10-23T14:42:10Z")
We can disagree about taxes or budget priorities without being disagreeable. But you can’t take offense when you back a candidate who is an openly racist, bigoted, xenophobic, ignorant, bombastic, warmongering, misogynist sexual predator and are vilified for it. You can be an asshole without supporting Donald Trump, but you can’t support Trump without being an asshole. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-villainizing-people-whose-political-opinions-differ-from-yours/769286.md?page=3)