To Oscar H. Thanks for the response. This is my first foray in the "blogging" world, and it's strange to have readers I never heard of. Now to your critique: Of course people can be manipulated by more than simply fear-mongering. Lies work, too, as does bullying -- a different kind of fear. I think it's wonderful that you survived the attacks on NYC, that you still ride the subway, and that because of intellectual choices -- logic, reason, etc. -- you choose to support the Republican approach to the terrorism. Out here on the prairie, far away from obvious targets, there are people not so lucky as you, who are afraid -- who've been encouraged to be afraid by our leaders, and to stay afraid by people running for political office. Those politicians are found in both of the major parties, not just the Republicans. And I don't know what Republicans have been doing in New York over the past few years, but out here on the prairie they've been busy spreading fear of homosexuals wanting to get married, fear of public schools undermining "Christian" values, fears of foreigners turning Minnesota into a Spanish speaking country. So I admire your choices based on intellect, but to dismiss the fear-mongering because it doesn't affect you is pretty ignorant, I think. On it's path to destruction, the mob will carry a few skeptics and freethinkers with them.
Thanks for the response. This is my first foray in the "blogging" world, and it's strange to have readers I never heard of.
Now to your critique:
Of course people can be manipulated by more than simply fear-mongering. Lies work, too, as does bullying -- a different kind of fear.
I think it's wonderful that you survived the attacks on NYC, that you still ride the subway, and that because of intellectual choices -- logic, reason, etc. -- you choose to support the Republican approach to the terrorism.
Out here on the prairie, far away from obvious targets, there are people not so lucky as you, who are afraid -- who've been encouraged to be afraid by our leaders, and to stay afraid by people running for political office. Those politicians are found in both of the major parties, not just the Republicans. And I don't know what Republicans have been doing in New York over the past few years, but out here on the prairie they've been busy spreading fear of homosexuals wanting to get married, fear of public schools undermining "Christian" values, fears of foreigners turning Minnesota into a Spanish speaking country.
So I admire your choices based on intellect, but to dismiss the fear-mongering because it doesn't affect you is pretty ignorant, I think. On it's path to destruction, the mob will carry a few skeptics and freethinkers with them.