# Stupid liberal idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 20, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086 "2011-04-20T15:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 247
**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:** [July 6, 2016, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4921 "2016-07-06T07:00:32Z")
FWIW, I partly agree with **adaher** in this debate. Radical Islam is a major Mideast problem. The Saudi regime is part of the problem, not part of a solution. Where **adaher** and the GOP go wrong is thinking that directing venom against Muslims would be helpful. :smack: And now, like wearing their cutesy American flags, pronouncing a certain phrase has become another of their childish badges. > [@eschereal](#): > > Iran has the best potential to be a positive force in the region. We should not be fighting them, we should be figuring out ways to get them on our side. Da’esh has, as far as I know, not made any significant efforts against Iran because they fear them. The US is stupid to portray Iran as an enemy, one of W’s worst assertions. The US fucked Iran over, the US should now try to fix the damage, rather than make more. _ **YES.** _ Over the past several decades the U.S. has passed up many opportunities to ally more closely with Iran, whose people have generally been pro-U.S. An Iran-U.S. detente would have been a major force for peace and stability, but the U.S. has rebuffed Iran continually, till now Iran is allying with Russia. It may not be too late. The treaty Hillary helped negotiate may improve U.S.-Iran relations (though of course the Republiopaths will just stupidly hate Iran even more if it’s linked to names like Obama, Kerry and Clinton). ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4922 "2016-07-06T08:49:32Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Burden? Pretty damned light one, if any. > **[Are GMO Food Labels Worth the Cost?](https://slate.com/technology/2014/05/gmo-food-labels-would-label-laws-in-vermont-maine-connecticut-increase-food-costs.html)** > > The impassioned quest to label foods made with genetically modified organisms is heading for the states. “Don’t think that it’s not coming to you,”... Probably not. It would require a major shift in our food infrastructure in order to segregate GMO and non-GMO food. > [@](#): > > 80% of Americans want it, but $226 million of Monsanto lobbying probably will censure the GMO labeling movement. 80% of Americans are dumbasses. > [@](#): > > Given that Monsanto GMO’d corn has been sprayed like crazy with Round Up, a persistent pesticide, I’d say GMO’d corn and corn products would be good things to avoid. And of course, organic food is _never_ sprayed with pesticides. Except all the times it is. And Roundup is relatively benign. > [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Then you should be proud to list them on the labels o your food products, as this law requires. Riiiiight. Because, you know, public opinion is so clearly in favor of GMOs. A whopping 20% of people don’t want a burdensome, expensive, and completely pointless law passed against them! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4923 "2016-07-06T08:55:47Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Ah, moral equivalence. Yet another stupid liberal idea. Aside from a few African countries which we’re not supposed to talk about because PC, what Christian nations impose the death penalty for being gay? Waitaminute - who said “we’re not supposed to talk about [them] because PC”? If anything, it’s the sort of US right-wing evangelical groups who have been fomenting anti-gay hatred in those countries - and certain people \ who actively promote the idea of Muslim exceptionalism - that don’t like us talking about those good Christian countries in Africa who persecute gays. “PC” has absolutely nothing to do with that. Calling a stupid conservative idea a stupid liberal idea does not make it so. > [@adaher](#): > > The Muslims who escaped the insanity are not part of the problem. But the fact they needed to escape shows the insanity is pretty normal over there. Glad to see you’re on board with letting Syrian refugees in! We knew you’d get there eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4924 "2016-07-06T12:01:59Z")
Just so I understand correctly- It’s not individual Muslims who are the problem, it’s Islam itself, right? Except we should be backing more liberal and tolerant and progressive Muslims, yes? So, liberal Islam good, conservative Islam bad? Maybe it’s not Islam that’s the problem, but the uptight, fundamentalist, intolerant, right-wing version of it. It interests me that the ones saying liberals aren’t speaking out enough about the dangers of right-wing theocracies are their counterparts in the USA, attacking those same liberals who are busy speaking out about the dangers of right-wing theocrats on a daily basis, regardless of their particular religious stripes and being called unpatriotic for their efforts. Just saying, maybe the people in the United States who most closely resemble the religious uptight nutters shouldn’t be suggesting that we’re not doing enough to eradicate people who think in uptight religious terms. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4925 "2016-07-06T14:22:30Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Not every single one, but in the part of the world we’re talking about(Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestinian territories, Gulf States), You can’t just restrict the discussion all of a sudden to just part of the Muslim world. > [@](#): > > those nations are either under a radical interpretation of Islamic rule right now, or at war trying to prevent that from being imposed. Yes, and they also have sizeable minorities trying to prevent that. The commonality isn’t Islam, it’s instability. > [@](#): > > But sure, Turkey, Malaysia, and Brunei are just fine. > ’ Yes, exactly. And many more. The Islamic world is fucked up in many places, but you risk replacing the simplistic ideas you’re opposing with a new kind of simplistic idea, that all Muslims are radicals or that radicals are everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4926 "2016-07-06T15:21:00Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Iran has the best potential to be a positive force in the region. We should not be fighting them, we should be figuring out ways to get them on our side. Da’esh has, as far as I know, not made any significant efforts against Iran because they fear them. The US is stupid to portray Iran as an enemy, one of W’s worst assertions. The US fucked Iran over, the US should now try to fix the damage, rather than make more. Iran is a Shiite nation. If we want people the Sunnis hate to be a positive force in the region we’ve got Israel for that. Turkey makes just as much sense. Just let them reestablish hegemony in the region. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4927 "2016-07-06T16:50:53Z")
True, once Turkey finishes crushing the Kurdish movement beneath her benign heel, there will be that much more peace in the ME. The sort of peace one finds in graveyards. ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4928 "2016-07-06T18:19:20Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Burden? Pretty damned light one, if any. 80% of Americans want it, but $226 million of Monsanto lobbying probably will censure the GMO labeling movement. > > Given that Monsanto GMO’d corn has been sprayed like crazy with\*\* Round Up, a persistent pesticide\*\*, I’d say GMO’d corn and corn products would be good things to avoid. \*\* Roundup\*\* isn’t a pesticide, persistent or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4929 "2016-07-06T20:43:50Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > True, once Turkey finishes crushing the Kurdish movement beneath her benign heel, there will be that much more peace in the ME. The sort of peace one finds in graveyards. Iran isn’t any better as an option. Shiites controlling Sunnis is as provocative as Turks or Jews controlling them. Heck, Sunnis aren’t too happy with Sunnis controlling Sunnis, especially if they aren’t interested in jihad against non-Sunnis. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4930 "2016-07-06T22:12:59Z")
> [@](#): > > …especially if they aren’t interested in jihad against non-Sunnis. Which would suggest that the majority of Sunni _do_ favor violence towards Shia Moslems. You can back this assertion? For once? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4931 "2016-07-06T22:27:48Z")
> [@Batfish](#): > > \*\* > Roundup\*\* isn’t a pesticide, persistent or otherwise. I’ll let the experts opine on its persistence (though I quote from one source below), but _it is certainly a pesticide_. I suspect you meant that Roundup isn’t an insecticide, which is of course a _non sequitur_ in context. I’ve no idea if the following propaganda has been debunked … and neither do most of the people posting on the topic. [QUOTE=[https://www.organicconsumers.org/old\_articles/monsanto/roundup.php](https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/monsanto/roundup.php)] A recent study by eminent oncologists Dr. Leonard Hardell and Dr. Mikael Eriksson of Sweden, has revealed clear links between one of the world’s biggest selling herbicide, glyphosate (commonly known as Roundup, marketed by Monsanto), to non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a form of cancer - NHL. There are even requests for permits for higher residues on genetically engineered foods because they are highly resistant to herbicides, instead of reducing herbicide use, glyphosate resistant crops may result in increased residues. They are already on sale. Farmers knowing that their crop will tolerate or resist being killed off by the herbicides will tend to use them more liberally. … Glyphosate (Roundup) is one of the most toxic herbicides, and is the third most commonly reported cause of pesticide related illness among agricultural workers. Products containing glyphosate also contain other compounds, which can be toxic… Monsano’s advertising campaigns have convinced many people that Roundup is safe, but the facts just don’t support this. Independent scientific studies have shown that Roundup is toxic to earthworms, beneficial insects, birds and mammals, plus it destroys the vegetation on which they depend for food and shelter. Although Monsanto claims that Roundup breaks down into harmless substances, it has been found to be _ **extremely persistent** _, with residue absorbed by subsequent crops over a year after application. Roundup shows adverse effects in all standard categories of toxicological testing, including medium-term toxicity, long-term toxicity, genetic damage, effects on reproduction, and carcinogenicity. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4932 "2016-07-06T22:31:36Z")
> [@](#): > > 80% of Americans want it, but $226 million of Monsanto lobbying probably will censure the GMO labeling movement. California voters voted down a GMO labeling law, just a few years ago. Now, it’s true that the proposed law had problems, like limiting just what sorts of things would have to be labeled, but it was a start. I voted against it because it should have covered everything instead of carving out things that were not going to be covered. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4933 "2016-07-06T23:22:01Z")
> [@Batfish](#): > > \*\* > Roundup\*\* isn’t a pesticide, persistent or otherwise. **septimus** got this, but yeah, it totally is. Herbicides are a subset of pesticides. ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4934 "2016-07-07T00:19:56Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I’ll let the experts opine on its persistence (though I quote from one source below), but [I\*\*]it is certainly a pesticide\*. I suspect you meant that Roundup isn’t an insecticide, which is of course\*\* a _non sequitur_ in context. > > I’ve no idea if the following propaganda has been debunked … and neither do most of the people posting on the topic. > [@andros](#): > > **septimus** got this, but yeah, it totally is. **Herbicides are a subset of pesticides.** Right you are. Never heard it used that way. Ignorance fought for now. (My ignorance WILL fight back.) Bolding mine of course. _Exits sheepishly_ ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4935 "2016-07-07T00:54:56Z")
Scientific American sums up the evidence on the possible Roundup/cancer link pretty succinctly: > **[Widely Used Herbicide Linked to Cancer](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/widely-used-herbicide-linked-to-cancer/)** > > The World Health Organization's research arm declares glyphosate a probable carcinogen. What's the evidence? ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4936 "2016-07-07T02:20:12Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Given that Monsanto GMO’d corn has been sprayed like crazy with Round Up, a persistent pesticide, I’d say GMO’d corn and corn products would be good things to avoid. Then companies who care about your business can choose to cater to your understanding of science or lack thereof. If you’re worried about pesticides in corn, genetic modification has led to a 95% decrease in pesticide use in corn 1996 to 2010. Probably an even larger drop by now. See DOIs 10.1126/science.341.6147.728 and 10.1126/science.341.6147.730 . If you’re worried about particular pesticides and want them labeled, that’s a different questions with a different cost benefit analysis. The thread I mentioned is here: [Why GMO labeling is a good idea - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=786583) ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4937 "2016-07-07T05:25:54Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Iran has the best potential to be a positive force in the region. We should not be fighting them, we should be figuring out ways to get them on our side. Da’esh has, as far as I know, not made any significant efforts against Iran because they fear them. The US is stupid to portray Iran as an enemy, one of W’s worst assertions. The US fucked Iran over, the US should now try to fix the damage, rather than make more. thats the new stupid liberal idea of the day. Iran is a terrorist regime and a prime example of regressive radical Islam as its governing philosophy. Don’t give me this “its Shiite and ISIS is Sunni so lets team up with Iran” BS: Iran arms and funds other anti-American groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and reputedly helped Al Qaeda at times. There is no other way to interpret “Death to” X-country, be it America or its allies, ANY of them, including its Jewish one, as anything other than what it is; a death threat. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4938 "2016-07-07T06:27:21Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s the third provocative article by a liberal writer this week alone, along with Rauch’s argument that we have too much democracy and transparency and a Vox writer saying the Revolution was a mistake. > > I think all three articles are wrong, but I wouldn’t call any of them stupid. The arguments are intelligent and they make good points. I haven’t read the Atlantic piece yet but both the article I quoted and the Vox piece you mention are essentially #hottakes based on high-school history and superficial analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4939 "2016-07-07T11:19:04Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > thats the new stupid liberal idea of the day. Iran is a terrorist regime and a prime example of regressive radical Islam as its governing philosophy. Don’t give me this “its Shiite and ISIS is Sunni so lets team up with Iran” BS: Iran arms and funds other anti-American groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and reputedly helped Al Qaeda at times. > > There is no other way to interpret “Death to” X-country, be it America or its allies, ANY of them, including its Jewish one, as anything other than what it is; a death threat. This is the kind of incisive in-depth understanding of Iranian culture and politics we’ve come to expect from modern conservatives, which is why GOP Congresspeople like Tom Cotton keep getting embarrasingly schooled on the basics of international and domestic law and diplomacy by the Iranians. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/4940 "2016-07-07T11:38:12Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > thats the new stupid liberal idea of the day. Iran is a terrorist regime and a prime example of regressive radical Islam as its governing philosophy. Don’t give me this “its Shiite and ISIS is Sunni so lets team up with Iran” BS: Iran arms and funds other anti-American groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and reputedly helped Al Qaeda at times. > > There is no other way to interpret “Death to” X-country, be it America or its allies, ANY of them, including its Jewish one, as anything other than what it is; a death threat. Good job dismissing and ignoring the tens of millions of Iranians who hate their governments and have no wish to harm the US or Israel! God forbid we actually reach out to these people… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=246) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=248)