In Your Fair Minds Let This Acceptance Take

[mishalak]

Many a hand has been put to writing complaints these last few days and many another has been put to mocking those who are unhappy. Is this any way to manage a state? Should we not let raw wounds alone instead of putting salt upon them? In justice many of these complaints seem unjustified to me, but that does not justify insult. Instead patience, magnanimosity, and compassion should be watchwords, let them howl and rage as loud as they like. It is only meaningless sound just as in 2004 when the other side howled and raged about the foolishness and stupidity of the electorate.

Words do have meaning and I wish the conservatives would express their unhappiness without calling into question the patriotism and wisdom of liberals, but this is human. I forgive it as I would hope to be forgiven when I am intemperate.

Comments

[jcfiala]

Oh, I agree. I think it's a side effect of how long, and how divisive, and how much online back and forth there was on the election. People got *really* wrapped up in it. Unlikely most folks in our circle, I don't think it would have been _that_ bad if Romney had won - he probably would have done some things helpful that Obama isn't inclined to do, even. But for most folks, they get so wrapped up, their identity get slaved to the identity of their political candidate... and then it suddenly rips out during a four or five hour cresendo of exit polls and results by counties. And if you were on the winning side, it felt really good.

But... if you were on the losing side, it was like waking up to a Christmas stocking and finding a bag of coal. The polls and the pundits and the everything had been backing up in them for so long, and there wasn't really any good and easy way to let loose that pressure than to cry out to the heaven that damnit, even if they had lost, they were still right, and the other folks were losers who cheated and were idiots. And these days, when you shout like that, you do it on facebook, or you do it on livejoural, or wordpress, or tumbler, or... where-ever.

It's not very healthy, and I wonder if everyone should just take the day off from the internet the day after election day and just try to relax and return to their normal lives.

[mishalak]

I am not sure what I think of Mitt Romney. I have too often encountered in both business and politics people who could lie with a straight face to be entirely trusting that he was what he seemed to be. What he seemed to be was a person who was honestly and deeply wrong. I agree it would not have been *that* bad if he had won. Not Andrew Johnson bad or James Buchanan bad, but for me personally it would have been fairly negative in facing healthcare uncertainty again. Also the activist conservatives he likely would have appointed to the courts. Perhaps only Benjamin Harrison bad.

I also do not know what it feels like because I am mostly realistic with myself. Back in 2004 I was not as isolated as conservatives seem to be and so I was somewhat prepared for the loss. There was still the denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and (some) acceptance and I am just expressing a hope for the big time online liberals to go a little easier so the conservatives might get to the acceptance rather than getting stuck at anger and denial.

[bovil]

Conservatives are not isolated. They have a whole cable news channel dedicated to them. Of course, it's fostering the narrative of isolation and fear.

[mishalak]

Isolated from reality/differing points of view. One of the things that happened in 2004 was that I heard from lots of liberals, "I do not know anyone who voted for him?!" Same thing the other way this time. I knew a fair number of conservatives then and now, though probably fewer now as more friends and family move to the Democratic side.

[bovil]

I don't see a lot of "nyah, nyah! You lost!" aimed at general republican voters.

I do see some "How could you think that platform would win?" going on.

I see a lot of mockery of the Republican Rapeology Science Tour, and that collection of losers. Their supporters need to learn they aren't good human beings.

I see huge mockery aimed at the continuing attempts by conservative pundits to try to avoid responsibility for the loss. Let me engage in some. If the Republican Party is the party of independence and responsibility, they need to stop blaming hardworking Americans for their own failures.

And I'm sorry, but all those "makers" who want to "go Galt" and escape this Kenyan Muslim Gay Marrying Gun Controlling Medicine Socializing country by moving to Canada (home of gay marriage, gun control, single-payer health care and television comedies featuring and written by Muslims) deserve more mockery than the rest combined. Earth to Galt: there are no white English-speaking nations like that. They could give up English and try Russia, or they could give up white and try sub-Saharan Africa (except South Africa, where not everybody is loved, but everybody has rights).

[mishalak]

I have noticed a fair amount of negative exultation on certain blogs. On the gay/atheist blog Joe. My. God. (for example) he has been posting photos Republicans like the gay one who ran for Mayor of San Diego with a big "Loser!" Photoshopped over them as the elections become finalized. Celebrating a win by a much more reasonable candidate (and some quiet schadenfreude) is one thing, however the celebration of someone's loss seems a lot less classy.

Actually there is one English speaking nation that is against gays, does not have universal health care, does executions and other hardline punishments, does not tolerate drugs, etc, etc. The Republic of Singapore. Except for the guns thing and abortion being legal it is a Galt paradise. They probably would not even mind the lack of free speech.

I also think there really ought to be a Galt-ian paradise. Somewhere they can go to be away from the blacks, the jews, the homos, and more importantly from my point of view, away from people they might harm.

[bovil]

One would expect that from a blogger whose whole MO is "up yours, hypocrites!"

Singapore's ruling party is all about protecting the general welfare at the expense of individual rights. It's also not particularly Christian..

Nope, if you want a corrupt, English-speaking Jesusland, you have to go to the former British colonies in Africa.