The Evolution Of The Liberal Mind.
I've always identified as a liberal libertarian, meaning I've worked for equality and for creating a social safety net for people who hit hard times, but I've insisted those goals be reached in a financially responsible way and with as little government involvement as possible. I'm unaffiliated with any political party, because I like to vote for candidates who seem to support my ideas and principles. None of the three largest political parties (Democratic, Republican, Libertarian) has consistently offered up candidates who I could feel comfortable with. As a result, I've campaigned for candidates from all three parties, including Barack Obama and Donald Trump. I've said all that because I expect someone will read this post questioning the liberal mind and immediately write me off as a "right-wing conservative", when in reality I've voted for many liberal candidates but can no longer do so.
Let me explain why.
Not so many years ago, the Democratic Party, and the liberals who occupied it, strongly believed in freedom, free speech, peace, and tolerance. When the GOP wanted to hand the internet over to big corporations, the Democrats demanded it remain open and free of corporate influence. Documentaries made by liberals exposed the power-grabs and corruption by Big Pharma, agricultural & chemical companies, and the military industrial complex. Wars were protested, especially Vietnam and Bush Jr's illegal invasion of Iraq. Liberals wanted everyone to live together in harmony, with mutual respect and dignity for all. All problems could be talked through. That's what intelligent adults do, right?
What happened?
Today, liberals are demanding censorship of the internet, books, movies, and even classic TV shows produced decades ago. Huge international companies are now being defended. I know people who used to attack Pfizer as an evil drug pusher who now label its critics as misinformation agents. The "live and let live" hippies of the 1970's now live in gated communities and have surveillance cameras watching every inch of their properties. The kind, gentle souls who thought Howard Dean could change America now practically froth at the mouth while yelling obscenities at anyone who dares to disagree with them. And war is now cool, or at least the horrors of it are completely justified as long as their chosen leader (falsely) claims the war is being fought for "democracy". But isn't that the same reason Bush gave for attacking Iraq? That reason wasn't good enough in 2003.
It's hard to wrap my head around how liberals have changed so much. The anger and intolerance I see from the left is especially disturbing. And the ignorance is overwhelming. Take a look at these Twitter posts:
How can Marmae believe such nonsense? Does this person have no knowledge of NATO's history? Is Marmae unaware that actual, real Nazi's are fighting for Ukraine? Is he/she ignorant of the fact that the United States and NATO nations start the vast majority of all wars?
Apokryf is also supporting the war, saying it's a "fight for the shape of the world". What is he trying to say? It sounds like an endorsement of the wealthy elite's New World Order. How does that square up with traditional liberal values?
Francesca has deluded herself into thinking Biden's war has brought respect to America, when in reality we're not respected anywhere anymore. The fact that other nations happily take our money doesn't mean they respect us.
Baldé wants every single person who voted for Trump "thrown behind bars". He doesn't say why. He doesn't mention due process. He just wants them locked up, you know, like they do in all totalitarian fascist nations.
The radical shift I've seen from Democrats and other liberals makes no sense. How can people be so easily manipulated into thinking war is peace, oppression is freedom, ignorance is strength, and corruption is okay as long as their selected leader is the one doing it? I voted for Obama once, but I backed off when I saw how fake he was. I voted for Trump, but I won't do it again unless he apologizes for the deadly vaccines he still brags about it to this day. I learn as I go along. But liberal America seems to have lost its critical thinking skills and now operates with a herd mentality, more like Star Trek's Borg than intelligent individuals.
They've become a cult. And an ignorant, hateful cult at that. I want no part of it.
