With conservatives it is terrorism. With liberals it is global warming. Both are being used to scare the populace and promote an agenda. Meanwhile, both sides accuse the other of being bad while using the same tactics against each other. So again, are the politics of fear being overused in our society?
2007-03-19 02:52:53 · 11 answers · asked by Bryan 7 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Bonnie: Not to take away from your position, but don't we also need to stop terrorism?
2007-03-19 02:59:44 · update #1
hichefheidi: I agree with your points on the war, but Iraq doesn't represent the whole of thinking on terrorism. Just as the Democrats did not create global warming, Republicans did not create terrorism. The similarity in the arguments is this. Global warming advocates state that it will kill everyone. The same is being stated in relation to terrorism. Not the same situations, but they share the same expected results for the believers without affirmative action.
2007-03-19 03:12:01 · update #2
Thanks Muse. I still don't know what really constitutes a Top Contributor, but knowing your writings, if you are a dumbbell, I would have to say that I share the same affliction.
2007-03-19 03:14:45 · update #3
hichefheidi: I can respect that completely Heidi. I have high regard for honestly stated opinions. Wasn't trying to challenge you, just explaining my thinking in making the choices for the question.
2007-03-19 03:20:32 · update #4
hichefheidi: I was thinking more along the lines of the radical extremes in these areas. I think we can all do more for the environment and we should. I also believe that terrorism is a threat and we should be vigilant against it. I don't believe in being overly influenced by scare tactics either way because they retard rational thought in general.
2007-03-19 03:25:37 · update #5
hichefheidi: Absolutelky agree on the debate point. I love good point/counterpoint discussions that stimulate the thought process.
2007-03-19 03:27:51 · update #6
This question is a no-brainer.
How different things are since statesmen like Winston Churchill.
Hey! Congratulations on the top contributor tag. I wondered why a dumbbell like me had one and you didn't.
2007-03-19 03:08:14 · answer #1 · answered by Overt Operative 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
the war in Iraq did not stop terrorism, nor will it ever. It is a tactic so it cannot really be rid of. All we can do is create situations to lesson it...give a deal that sounds better than the terrorists deal. And yes, I feel that fear is being overused...but dems didn't creats global warming, nor promote it. Al Gore narrated a movie about it. It hasn't cost us billions of dollars or thousands of lives. And the intelligence on global warming has been much more sound than the intel leading up to the Iraq war. I didn't want to compare the two, but am doing it for the sake of the question
EDIT: Repubicans didn't create terrorism (although it has escalated since the war) but they did create an unwinnable situation in Iraq. I don't know of any dems against the fight on terrorism, but Iraq had nothing to do with it. I should add that I agree both sides use these tactics, but I don't think those two examples are very good for illustrating this point. Just my opinion
EDIT 2: I wish this whole forum was full of these types of debates!
2007-03-19 10:03:32 · answer #2 · answered by hichefheidi 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Fear is always used in politics. Remember the fear that if 'progressives' were elected in the 1920s and 1930s, the Communists would have taken over. Remember the 'cold war,' and politics of containment. And when the communism fell in the 1990s we had to find a new enemy, & low and behold it was Islamic terrorism. Now, I'm not saying that there is not something to all three of these fears, but the one thing that is universal is that you could not question any of them. Remember 'judicial activism' on behalf of big business in the 20s and 30s. Remember Mcarthyism in the 50s and forward? Remember, 'If you're not with us, you're for the terrorists?"
And very few people ask "why."
And with global warming it's being put into a liberal / conservative dichotomy. There is global warming. It's a perfectly natural cycle in the earth's history. If you deny global warming, I must assume that you don't believe in evolution, and do believe in Intelligent Design. The only question about global warming is 'should we do something to slow it down?'
And very few people ask "why."
2007-03-19 10:42:25 · answer #3 · answered by jcboyle 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
First of all, global warming is not quite the political issue for liberals that it has been made into by conservatives. I'm a pretty typical liberal, and I think that our contribution to global warming is certainly something we should pay attention to and try to limit, but there are far, far more important issues in the world, in my opinion. And in the opinion of many, many liberals. Conservatives are the ones who have latched onto global warming and used it as a political weapon.
Now, to answer your question, yes. Too much is being made of fear in our world today. When people act based on fear, they don't act rationally. And it's very dangerous when the President of the United States acts irrationally.
2007-03-19 09:59:20 · answer #4 · answered by Bush Invented the Google 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The Patriot Act is the best example of the politics of fear being used to abolish the constitutional rights and freedoms of this country's people. While Global Warming proponents may be using a certain level of scare tactics as well...it will be business that suffers as a result...not the constitution!
2007-03-19 09:57:04 · answer #5 · answered by Super Ruper 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well the difference is Terrorism is real and Global Warming ( the Al Gore version) is a myth. So no, the Conservatives are protecting our Great Country and the liberals are trying to create hysteria, not just with Global Warming, but by doing whatever they can to undermine this administration at any cost.
2007-03-19 09:58:45 · answer #6 · answered by RUSH MAKES OBAMA CRY !! A LOT !! 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Fear is the strongest catalyst to achieve the goals of the ones that instill that fear. Take a look a Batman. He used fear to get the bad guys to bend to his will, and our government is doing the same today. There have been so many laws passed in the name of homeland security that have taken away our rights while we stand idly by and let it happen. Why? because we are afraid of the second choice, another attack on our country. The real question is was the attack meant to instill that fear so as to let the government obtan more power over the people. You would be surprised how many people in this country just let the government do anything without questioning it. It is our duty to question the government. It is our right to not live in fear especially from the etsablishment that is meant to protect us. Open your eyes!!
2007-03-19 10:01:08 · answer #7 · answered by Adam S 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Perhaps, but it's not a new phenomenom. Fear is a powerful motivator and people usually don't ask for too many details when they are afraid! It's a wonderful and effective tool to distract constituents who might ask tough questions and demand answers.
2007-03-19 09:57:58 · answer #8 · answered by fdm215 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Yes, but we still need to stop global warming.
2007-03-19 09:58:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Different politics -- same games.
2007-03-19 09:56:19 · answer #10 · answered by Jay 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋