Understanding Liberal Thinking
Most liberals have long believed that they are intellectually superior to conservatives, but I'm sure they will be suprised to hear me, a conservative, agree with them. I have no choice, however, but to admit my inferior intellectual capacity. What other explanation can there be for the fact that I am completely unable to comprehend liberal thinking?
A recent example of liberal wisdom which remains far beyond my understanding comes from Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL). The Senate's second highest ranking Democrat, speaking on the floor of the U.S. Senate, reprimanded Amerian troops at Guantanamo Bay by comparing "the action of Americans in the treatment of their prisoners" to "Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime -- Pol Pot or others -- that had no concern for human beings."
Now, I've been trying to understand this comparison, but my conservative mind, with its complete lack of capacity for nuance, has thus far simply not been up to the task. Bear with me as I try once again to work my way through the Senator's line of reasoning. I really want to understand.
OK, let's see...
Nazi prisoners: 9 million murdered - Jews; mentally or physically handicapped men, women, and children; political enemies; and other undesirables. - Rounded up from their homes, businesses, etc.
Gualg prisoners: Nearly 3 million dead during the Stalin reign - political opponents, perceived political opponents, peasants, and all other "enemies of the people." - Rounded up from their homes and villages.
Pol Pot victims: Nearly 2 million dead - Men, women, and children; doctors, teachers, religious leaders, anyone suspected of disloyality. - Forced at gunpoint from cities into the countryside.
Guantanamo prisoners: Less than 600 prisoners - 0 dead - Captured on the battlefield.
No, sorry, I'm still not seeing the similarity, but let me continue to try.
Nazi victims faced: Poisoning; chemical burns; rusty nails and glass rubbed into wounds, their skin used to make book covers and lamp shades, being shot in the head at point blank range, being used by guards for target practice, starvtion, disease, electocution, and gassing.
Gulag prisoners faced: Death from overwork, starvation, disease, and execution.
Pol Pot victims faced: Death from overwork, starvation, disease, and execution.
Guantanamo prisoners face: air conditioning turned down too low, air conditioner turned off, three "culturally appropriate" meals per day, doctor visits, exercise periods, pens and paper provided for letter writing time, religious needs met (Koran provided, prayer time observed), and...what's this? - extremely loud rap music.
OK, I think I finally understand. It's the rap music! Just because these Guantanamo prisoners have killed or tried to kill Americans, just because they are committed to jihad, that is no reason for us to force them to listen to rap music! Shame on us!
A recent example of liberal wisdom which remains far beyond my understanding comes from Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL). The Senate's second highest ranking Democrat, speaking on the floor of the U.S. Senate, reprimanded Amerian troops at Guantanamo Bay by comparing "the action of Americans in the treatment of their prisoners" to "Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime -- Pol Pot or others -- that had no concern for human beings."
Now, I've been trying to understand this comparison, but my conservative mind, with its complete lack of capacity for nuance, has thus far simply not been up to the task. Bear with me as I try once again to work my way through the Senator's line of reasoning. I really want to understand.
OK, let's see...
Nazi prisoners: 9 million murdered - Jews; mentally or physically handicapped men, women, and children; political enemies; and other undesirables. - Rounded up from their homes, businesses, etc.
Gualg prisoners: Nearly 3 million dead during the Stalin reign - political opponents, perceived political opponents, peasants, and all other "enemies of the people." - Rounded up from their homes and villages.
Pol Pot victims: Nearly 2 million dead - Men, women, and children; doctors, teachers, religious leaders, anyone suspected of disloyality. - Forced at gunpoint from cities into the countryside.
Guantanamo prisoners: Less than 600 prisoners - 0 dead - Captured on the battlefield.
No, sorry, I'm still not seeing the similarity, but let me continue to try.
Nazi victims faced: Poisoning; chemical burns; rusty nails and glass rubbed into wounds, their skin used to make book covers and lamp shades, being shot in the head at point blank range, being used by guards for target practice, starvtion, disease, electocution, and gassing.
Gulag prisoners faced: Death from overwork, starvation, disease, and execution.
Pol Pot victims faced: Death from overwork, starvation, disease, and execution.
Guantanamo prisoners face: air conditioning turned down too low, air conditioner turned off, three "culturally appropriate" meals per day, doctor visits, exercise periods, pens and paper provided for letter writing time, religious needs met (Koran provided, prayer time observed), and...what's this? - extremely loud rap music.
OK, I think I finally understand. It's the rap music! Just because these Guantanamo prisoners have killed or tried to kill Americans, just because they are committed to jihad, that is no reason for us to force them to listen to rap music! Shame on us!
posted by Bryan Alexander | 10:45 PM
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