Motley Moose – Archive

It snowed for twelve hours last night and today. It was almost a blizzard. The snow came down at the rate of one inch per hour. The wind was strong enough to push it sideways. By the time it ended, we had almost ten inches on the ground. That’s a lot of snow. And, a lot of shoveling.

I started shoveling as soon as it stopped snowing. Apparently, some of the other people on the street were waiting for the same moment. Shovelfuls of snow were flying up and down the street. The next-door neighbor and I exchanged waves and then buckled down to work.

Snow shoveling is a lot of work. It is very easy to over-do it. Since I’m older and badly out of shape, I make a point of taking lots of breaks. During one of those breaks, I leaned on the shovel and watched the neighbor work. He was like an automaton. Snow was flying everywhere. The thought crossed my mind that he had better slow down or he would give himself a heart attack.

Shoveling is strictly brute labor. It doesn’t require much thought. That gives you plenty of time to think about other things – anything but the cold. Just before I took that break, I had been thinking about the discussions on the Moose. Several thoughts that I had been mulling over recently came together at that moment.

If my neighbor suddenly collapsed would I hesitate to rush to his aid if I knew he was an evangelical that opposed gay marriage? Would it matter to me if he had voted for Bush/Cheney twice? Would I stop to wonder if he belonged to some hate group, like the KKK. Would it matter if the neighbor was a different color? Of course not – he’s a fellow human. That’s what it all comes down to in the end – our fellow humanity.

Dehumanizing an opponent is an old tactic. It allows soldiers to kill the enemy without remorse. It allows normally placid societies to approve the firebombing of civilians. It is used to justify slavery and discrimination. It is also used in less violent ways, such as demonizing political opponents.

One example of dehumanizing an opponent can be seen in the political battle over same-sex marriage. The religious right has continually demonized gays. They are called perverts and compared to pedophiles. They are viewed as sinners who are condemned to hell. This makes it easy for others to discriminate against gays.

The problem with our political discourse is that all sides use the same tactic. Labeling your opponent is the first step in the process. Examples of negative labeling abound, even among those who are supposedly on the same side on most issues.

During the Democratic primaries, Clinton supporters called Obama supporters fan boyz, kool-aid drinkers, cult members, etc… Obama supporters reciprocated by calling Clinton supporters Clintonistas, PUMAs, racists, and other more vitriolic names.

Another example of the same tactic can be found in the current debate over same-sex marriage. Just as the religious right demonizes gays, they, in their turn, are quick to label anyone who opposes same-sex marriage as bigots, homophobes, religious nuts, or hate-mongers.

The name calling from both sides makes it extremely difficult to talk together without anger. It makes it almost impossible to sit down at a table with the other side to discuss rational options. The two sides can stand there and shout epitaphs at each other until they are blue in the face and it won’t change a thing. This way only brings frustration and anger.

Obama is trying another way. He’s treating his opponents with dignity and respect. He’s reaching out to people who seriously wonder if he is the anti-christ; people who fear his liberal stances; ones who have called him a socialist, a Marxist, and an empty suit. This is a big change in Washington.

When Warren offers his prayer it will be to ask for his god’s support for a President who is strongly pro-choice. A President who is committed to ending DADT and repealing DOMA. Can anyone really call this politics as usual?

Obama has not disrespected the LGBT community with this choice. What he has done is to change the playing field. He promised change. He promised to talk to everyone, no matter what views they held. He promised to bring everyone to the table in a search for consensus. The invitation to Warren is a big step in that direction.

I wonder what would happen if we stopped calling each other names and started treating each other with a modicum of respect? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I suspect we are about to find out.