Wow! That's all I can say about John's post. Here's a teaser:
Whenever I get into a discussion with a Republican over how nasty conservatives have become over the past 15 years, I often get the "well you have Michael Moore" refrain.
Only problem is, yes we do have Michael Moore, and when did he ever suggest blacks are genetically inferior to whites (Republican David Duke), that Supreme Court justices should be assassinated (Republican Ann Coulter), and when was he ever indicted (Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, Scooter Libby, and oh so many more)?
He hasn't, because Michael Moore is someone conservatives simply disagree with, and that makes him per se hateful. Kind of like the Dixie Chicks, except they have boobs too, which makes it an even bigger crime in Republican circles that they have opinions.
I started thinking about all of this during the brouhaha this week with the Washington Post's ex-blogger who was a plagiarist and a liar, in addition to having some interest racial views about Coretta Scott King. I was trying to think of whether the top bloggers on the left were as dishonest and angry and hateful as the top bloggers on the right. And that got me thinking more generally. And what I realized was that across the board, the liberals who conservatives most hate simply aren't as hateful themselves as the worst the conservatives have to offer.
John puts into words something many of us on the "left" have felt. Now we need leadership with a precise message based on love and real compassion, someone that has a spine that will not back down or leave groups of progressives on the laundry line hanging out to dry so they can save their political asses, as has been done time and time again during the last five years.
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