Which political hypocrite upsets you most, and why?

Question

That minister who opposes same-sex marriage yet apparently pays for gay sex on the side?

The environmentalist who drives SUVs and takes private jets across the country, wasting thousands of gallons of fuel?

The conservative talk-show host who is thrice divorced and abused prescription drugs?

The president who championed women's rights, but who harrassed women (and probably raped one)?

Does the hypocrisy of the advocate mean the cause is not worth supporting? Am I now free to support same-sex marriage, thumb my nose at global warming science, abuse drugs and accost women, because even the advocates can't live up to their own standards?

Or, do you feel differently about each case? If so, WHY?

Doesn't it all boil down to what you believe about these issues in the first place?

Answer 1

How right you are but hon, don't be too quick to judge . Here in America we are pretty quick to judge . we put someone we respect on a pedestal and are crushed when they can't live up to our expectations. Well maybe we better demand such perfection from ourselves before we expect it from them. And then when we are totally perfect in every way and only when we reach that level of perfection then we can judge them, but I know i make mistakes every day so I will never be totally perfect, thank god I wouldn't want to be the one to judge anyhow I am just not mean enought and I know how many times I didn't live up to my own expectations and I don't feel qualifyed to judge anyone, wouldn't it be a refreshing change if everyone was that forgiving.? oh well one can dream.

Answer 2

The minister who opposed same-sex marriage yet may have paid for gay sex is not, in that context, a hypocrite. He's paying for sex, not marrying the guy- that's a different hypocracy.

The "environmentalist" who drives SUVs etc is, to a mild extent a hypocrite. Does it upset me? No, I find it rather amusing.

The conservative talk-show host is as human as anyone else in this country. That he is divorced and may have abused drugs has little overall effect if what he is saying is accurate- if the host wasnt credible, they would find another host.

The President who "championed" rights for women didn't champion rights for women. He didnt champion gays in the military. He didnt champion much, really. Had some great speeches... Did that upset me? No, but I was greatly disappointed not only for what he did, but what he didnt do.

The hypocracy of the advocate does not mean the cause it not worth supporting. What it means is that the hypocrite has damaged his/her credibility- to what extent, only you can decide. The cause is still the cause, just as religion is still religion, abuse is still abuse, and wrong is still wrong. Do not be so quick to work in absolutes based on the individuals, but on the values the cause has to you in its level of priority in your life and those around you.

Not being able to live up to your standards is human- we are not perfect. Setting high standards means you have high ambitions for yourself to achieve, in other words, goals. Don't get caught up in semantics, they mean the same thing- just have different stigmas attached to them because of our culture.

All the name calling those above have done is illustrate a specific frustration. Likely they are also not living up to their own standards, just like you. If they are living up to their own standards, then there is nothing left they feel they can do which would indicate laziness, complacency, dispair, or depression. Happiness lies in the struggle to achieve more for yourself.

...as for the specific issues you have listed, marriage should be a religious event acknowledged by the state, civil unions should be a contract acknowledged by the state.

Environmentalism should be an incentive made by government, not a mandate because I feel that the rights of those who create the businesses are erroded when forced. Perhaps a public disclosure of how each company is doing to achieve environmentalism should be made so that the consumers may choose whether to seek business from that company or not.

I dont know why the host is thrice divorced and do not care. Celebreties have the difficult job of being celebreties and rooting through potential mates, all the while having their own flaws to deal with. Some people are attracted to public figures and may not be sincere in order to attract a public figure...the host could also be just as insincere using their celebrety status to attract. It works both ways.

The Fmr President was a hypocrite on multiple issues. Not that I am for gays in the military, but Ive made this point before- he did not allow for gays in the military, he removed the ability for the military to ask the individual if they were homosexual. While this may sound like a matter of semantics, the rules of the UCMJ clearly state that several acts associated with homosexuality are still illegal (or were last I had seen). That's just one example but Im not interested in bashing Fmr President Clinton.

If it were just the matter of what you believe then there would be no emotional contexts to politics. The play on words of "left" and "right" are a direct play on the human brain. Whether real or imagined, I often find that they represent just that.

Democrats seem to feel "X" while Republicans seem to think "X"...and even if they agree, they butt heads. The problem starts when one does not compromise with the other, and in recent history, that seems to be quite evident. So engulfed in what they want, neither has ever stopped to see that they both want the same thing- a better America. The name calling is a distraction and serves as nothing more than a wedge.

There is a time and place for everything, including using both sides of the brain. Use yours. Vote.

Answer 3

Hypocrisy in general drives me nuts. But I have to say those that tend to the left are more prone too it. But actually the worst are those who claim to be in the "middle". In reallity, there is no such thing as a moderate republican, because those who claim to be are people who register republican, but vote down the line with democrats.
But to address your list I would say #4 is the one that bugs me the most because the huypocrisy was not limited to the single person, but also the groups the supported the same cause (NOW, etc.) blatantly ignored the issue.

Answer 4

The eco-nuts who banned DDT, resulting in the resurgence of malaria and other insect-borne diseases in 3rd world countries, and the millions upon millions of resulting deaths from a disease once nearly wiped out. Nice going, Rachel Carson - do you feel the weight of all those deaths on your head?

The eco-nuts who pushed through the Corporate Averege Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards that killed the large, rear-wheel drive car... and created the SUV / Truck market. So, while they were patting themselves on the back for having 'done something' they ended up putting more and bigger gas-guzzlers on the road, causing INCREASED fuel usage and overall WORSE gas mileage. Gee, thanks, guys - don't do us any more favors.

The Democrats who, in 2004, pushed a 30 years distant military 'hero', pushing his service as somehow relavent and meaningful, and have pushed any veteran Democrat politician as somehow significant. Yet 12 years and 8 years prior, they'd been quite indifferent to the hero and veteran status of politicians, saying that Clinton's draft-dodging and burning of US flags in foreign lands during Vietnam was immaterial, as was the combat veteran status of his 2 opponents, George HW Bush and Bob Dole. These same people who saw nothing wrong with Clinton's draft dodging also attacked George W Bush's National Guard service.

And to be fair, let's not forget the GOP Congress, who having gotten majority status by espousing smaller government and less spending, got themselves into trouble by expanding government and spending like drunken sailors. Who can forget last year when DeLay said they'd taken all the fat they could out of some appropriations bills - and the earmarked pork-barrel spending was still outrageous? Unbelievable!

Answer 5

Kerry upset me, but he's out of the picture now. I know this to be a fact. I'm very relieved. I upset most that people are just followers, and don't think for themselves. They just want to be accepted by others, and don't have the courage to use their brains to think things thru on their own. I understand we are under pressure from childhood on to conform, but my curiosity and common sense made me not conform, I had to stand up for what I thought was right and fair for other people. Not to hurt other people. I just don't understand why so many people follow like sheep. I think this is the most dangerous thing in our society. That people don't think for themselves.

Answer 6

Not go get off track - but I think you forgot to mention the greatest political hypocrite of all time - George W. Bush!

A man who campaigned on "I shall restore Honesty and Integrity to the Whitehouse" - then made an absolute mockery of this - and didn't!

A man who deserted during Viet Nam - and now insists that our troops "Stay the Course" - to a course that he himself did not have the guts to "Stay"!

A man who said - "War with Iraq will be my last resort" - then two weeks later invaded the country!

A man that said "I will capture Osama Bin Laden dead or alive" - then later said - Osama is irrevelent!

A man that said "I will fire anyone involved in this leak!" - then later not only didn't - but then added stipulations on to it that they had to be found guilty of a crime!!!!

A man that immediately after 911 said "Those who support Terrorists - are Terrorists!" - Then supplied Israel with the money, equipment, weapons, and munitions to comitt the terrorist acts of killing hundreds of innocent women and children in Lebanon and making refugees of over a half million people there claiming that they were "defending Israel!" And whose administration became involved in Rendition, Torture, and numerous Geneva Convention violations against humanity!

Not to mention the fact that he took an Oath to protect, defend, and up hold the Constitution of the United States of America - then not only "trashed" it by removing "Habeaus Corpus" removed - but called it a G-D piece of paper!

A man that claims that he is a Christian but disproves this with just about everything he says and does.

Lo siento!

Answer 7

Ted Kennedy, hes a hypocrite.

Answer 8

Right now, I am most infuriated by Rush Limbaugh - hypocrit and b*stard extraordinaire.

Thumbstrolls strike again. How is my answer not an answer to this guy's question??? Are you OKAY with what he said about Mr. Fox faking the symptoms of Parkinson's???

Answer 9

At some point in our lives all of us are hypocrites--some more often than others. It is part of our nature. However, some folks occasionally slip into this state; others make it their credo.

My personal favorites are self-righteous, religious hypocrites.

Answer 10

Kerry