2006-09-06 10:34:49 · 7 answers · asked by Natalia J 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
1. The republican party has purposely been using things that motivate hate to win elections since the early 70s.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/architect/view/
In that documentary, Rove is quoted as saying his number 1 thing to use to motivate hate is gay marriage.
My point is that when a party for over 30 years constantly using hate propaganda against their opponent, this eventually has an ENORMOUS negative affect on society. The result is complete polarization with the 'us' versus 'them' syndrome.
2. Bush Sr. actually hired Bush Jr in 1988 to research the evangelical voter in order to determine how to 'sound' more christian. Bush reported back to his father a year later and told him flat out that if a person could win those ppl over, they would become president. Bush is also quoted as saying he was going to try this out on Texas = he ran for governor and won.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/view/
My point on this one is similar to #1:
By manipulating the evangelical vote, Bush had to appeal to them which is fine; but, he went too far. He didn't just try to appeal. He started using negativity about his opponent being Catholic. This resulted in a wave of what has now become the 'us' against 'the' syndrome once again where the republicans accuse democrats of not loving God.
3. The Iraqi War.
This one is self-explanatory but I would like to add that, the democratic side has become more angry than I have ever seen before. They are sick of being called unpatriotic for a war that everybody now knows was wrong. They are fed up with being called weak when clearly diplomacy should have been the first choice here. And they are feeling like Bush is taking their freedoms away.
This has resulted in hate... hatrid of republicans. Hatrid for the ppl that were dishonest and knew they were lieing. Hatrid for tax dollars making us guilty by associatoin because that money is used to kill Iraqis.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darkside/view/
2006-09-10 09:59:42 · answer #1 · answered by BeachBum 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1. The simultaneous blossoming of consciousness among religious and political progressives, combined with the recursive constriction of consciousness among political and religious conservatives.
2. The US currently stands at a crossroads, with strong feelings on both sides about which fork to take: further along the current fascist path toward world dominance and the restriction of personal freedoms, or embracing the revolution in consciousness and creating new models and new myths for the future.
3. Ignorance on the part of fundamentalists of every type: Christians, Moslems, Jews, Atheists, Vegetarians, Racists, etc. (and in listing these categories I mean a subgroup, not the entirety of the group) juxtaposed against the arrogance of those who have only begun to wake up and feel themselves to be superior.
2006-09-06 17:48:52 · answer #2 · answered by trident_of_paracelsus 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1) Talk show pundits masquerading opinion as fact.
2) The "film at eleven" mentality of major mainstream media that substitutes sound bites for substantive discussion and refuses to cover any issue of the day in the depth it really demands - it wouldn't leave enough time for Tom Cruise's baby pictures and "how your vegetables may be killing you."
3) The anger of many of the younger generation (a majority fo them liberals IMHO), which energizes them to characterize their political opponents as evil and immoral instead of just misguided or wrong. These younger activists control the de-centralized tools of today's media world (you're typing at one right now!) and pump up the anger and frustration level.
There are more, but I think these three, coupled with the great infusion of mass marketing money into both parties, account for the worst of the dialogue.
2006-09-06 17:40:54 · answer #3 · answered by AndyH 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The fact that many people are reacting to emotional manipulation, without actually looking beyond the surface of the issues.
The fact that it's easier to generalize and blame an entire party or an entire religion than to actually make distinctions based on individual behavior.
All symptoms of the same basic problem. Too many people are intellectually disinterested, and don't take the time or make the effort to actually think about the underlying issues.
2006-09-06 17:41:49 · answer #4 · answered by coragryph 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
1. The resurgence of evangelical Christianity and its close association with politics.
2. The growth of right wing propaganda media.
3. The perception of a culture war nurtured by 1 and 2.
2006-09-06 17:36:28 · answer #5 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Politics
Ignorance
Self righteousness/inflated self image
2006-09-06 17:37:27 · answer #6 · answered by TLJaguar 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1. under education
religion and bigotry fall under #1
2006-09-09 11:31:17 · answer #7 · answered by answerer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋