# The Problem With The Left-Wing (polically) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 8, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514 "2016-04-08T02:48:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/41 "2016-04-08T19:06:18Z")
Most of the really stupid “leftist” stuff that I hear always seems to come from college students and college employees (staff, professors). You know, children who have just wandered out into the world, discovered bad things and are trying to make it not exist through the same “Mommy, make the bad man stop saying bad words” thinking of a coddled child. The older ones (professors, etc) are really just the same people, who never left the cocoon. Of course, that’s just a wild-assed generalization on my part, but seriously, I never seem to hear that kind of bullshit (Seriously, “micro-aggressions”??? Grow the fuck up!) among any of the liberal types I know or am generally aware of. I certainly don’t walk that path myself, and I’m pretty damned liberal. The hateful hate of the right, on the other hand, seems to come equally from a large number of them. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/42 "2016-04-08T19:31:20Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > So Hillary Clinton doesn’t matter. Gotcha. Not as part of the left, she doesn’t, because she isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/43 "2016-04-08T19:33:04Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I would dispute that. There are plenty of important current issues like same-sex marriages and racial profiling that are not part of wealth inequality. Yeah, but centrists and ordinary liberals can get behind those issues, they’re not essentially progressive or leftist. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/44 "2016-04-08T20:30:41Z")
Wow, projection. Never seen that from right ever before. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/45 "2016-04-08T20:35:38Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > They’re all in New Mexico? I’d say that, politically, the left wing is actually underrepresented in New Mexico. 😛 Except in Santa Fe of course… ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/46 "2016-04-08T20:39:24Z")
> [@XT](#): > > I’d say that, politically, the left wing is actually underrepresented in New Mexico. 😛 Except in Santa Fe of course… And Taos, I suppose…although that’s kind of its own unique brand of crazy. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/47 "2016-04-08T22:49:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You also have to remember that a lot of what you hear being said about topics like micro-aggressions and political correctness are exaggerated complaints from the other side. The ratio of conservatives attacking how outrageous the idea of micro-aggressions is to liberals actually supporting the idea is probably is around 100 to 1. It’s a trivial ripple that the right wing is trying to make a tsunami out of. No, it’s that the right wing has inflated what they mean to something beyond what they are. Micro-aggressions are just smaller bits of bigotry that add up. It’s the equivalent of the kid who’s “not touching you” over and over. Political correctness, as has been pointed out on this board several times, is just basic politeness, and not unnecessarily offending people. Other examples often used: trigger warnings are just content warnings, and we’ve had them for decades. Safe spaces are just places where people go to get away from the shittiness of the world for a while–and I’m sure you have a bunch of those yourself. No one freaks when a website says “no bigotry.” But if they say “this is a safe space,” people go apeshit. But they mean the same thing. Yes, college students sometimes take these good concepts too far. And the right wing then uses that as proof that this is what all left-leaning people think. But don’t go the other way and throw out the baby with the bathwater. Do the liberal thing and listen to other points of view instead of just discarding them. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/48 "2016-04-11T13:37:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > And you’re free to dislike flamboyant gay pride paraders all you want - as long as you don’t succumb to the illusion that they need your approval. Ooh, ooh, me too! Can I dislike flamboy-- oh, I guess I’m being a hypocrite if I’m jumping on my chair windmilling my arms… ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/49 "2016-04-11T13:45:30Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > This is the GREATEST THREAD EVER. It started with: > [@](#): > > nm The OP should have trusted his instincts. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/50 "2016-04-11T14:50:28Z")
If you’re 20, and a Republican, you have no heart. If you’re 40, and a Democrat, you have no brains. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/51 "2016-04-11T15:04:47Z")
Well, I appreciate the OP’s right-off-the-bat example of self-righteousness. Thanks for that. Good job! ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/52 "2016-04-11T15:07:19Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > If you’re 20, and a Republican, you have no heart. > If you’re 40, and a Democrat, you have no brains. If you’re any age at all, and you repost that astoundingly facile and stupid aphorism, you need to spend the rest of the day eating several bags of dicks. It’s fucking stupid, and all the cleverness it might once have had was wrung out over a century ago. Stop. . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/53 "2016-04-11T15:37:28Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > If you’re 20, and a Republican, you have no heart. > If you’re 40, and a Democrat, you have no brains. > [@andros](#): > > If you’re any age at all, and you repost that astoundingly facile and stupid aphorism, you need to spend the rest of the day eating several bags of dicks. It’s fucking stupid, and all the cleverness it might once have had was wrung out over a century ago. Stop. > . BTW, that is an epigram of uncertain origin but certainly did not originate in any form with Winston Churchill or Georges Clemenceau. One possibility is [Francois Guizot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Guizot) (1787-1874): “Not to be a republican at 20 is proof of want of heart; to be one at 30 is proof of want of head.” He mean “republican” as opposed to monarchist. A Frenchman of his time could I suppose be forgiven for souring on republicanism, considering what the French Revolution turned into. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/54 "2016-04-11T20:26:48Z")
That particular aphorism used to _totally_ piss me off, but not so much any more. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/55 "2016-04-11T20:52:16Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > That particular aphorism used to _totally_ piss me off, but not so much any more. Well that is appropriate since an aphorism is by definition a terse statement that expresses a truth. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/56 "2016-04-11T21:39:15Z")
Pardon me. I meant to say “aphorism,” as it is one of those lovely pieces of bullshit that seems awfully truthy but does not, in fact, express a truth. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/57 "2016-04-11T22:29:32Z")
You know who cries and whines about micro-aggressions all day long? The right wing. Only they don’t call them micro-aggressions. But seriously, what would you call getting upset because somebody didn’t say “Merry Christmas” to you? What would you call believing that Christians are a persecuted minority in America? What would you call getting upset because a flaming queen minced along in front of you? If just seeing a flaming queen prancing about makes you feel like the mincing sissy is being aggressive towards you, that makes you a whining crybaby. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/58 "2016-04-11T23:31:26Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > If you’re 20, and a Republican, you have no heart. > If you’re 40, and a Democrat, you have no brains. Said who? Churchill was an imperialist and racist and even _he_ wouldn’t vote for any member of the current GOP. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/59 "2016-04-12T02:47:59Z")
There certainly is an over-the-top fanciful segment of the gay community who wishes to push the boundaries at pride parades. That could turn a lot of folks off, and is probably to some degree counter-productive by reinforcing old stereotypes. \*\* But this is America, and I’ll be damned if individuals legally expressing themselves is anything other their right.\*\* (The gay community needs to understand that the above is as good as you will get from a lot of people. They aren’t your enemy just because they don’t want to see you dress up in ass-less chaps and prance about.) ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514/60 "2016-04-12T02:51:34Z")
The best example of what is being described in the OP is when liberals begin to consume their own historical icons for not being “pure enough.” Example: MLK was not exactly “pro-LGBT,” so let’s tear him down for not adopting 21st century views of gay marriage. It’s ludicrous and serves no purpose: just lefties getting their rocks off proving they’re more “pure” than everyone else. Snooze. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-left-wing-polically/751514.md?page=4)