What is so threatening about civil rights for others who are different

[KakistocracyHater]

from you? One question I'd like Dems to ask whenever anyone starts the hatefest about homosexuals, other races(apparently not white to the gop), that old minority-women. Ever notice that when Republicans are in the wh everyone is more or less at each other's throats? Does that really make people feel safe, or that there is not enough of anything to go around & so they get vicious? So how is it that people come to the erroneous conclusion that repubs will be strong on security-especially when Bush chickened out & ran to his TX ranch when all that pre-9/11 chatter was heard? What would it take to connect people's emotions to reality?

[SlipperySlope]

1. I need a definition

How is a "civil right" different from a "right"?

[Totally Committed]

2. The loss of power by the Paternalistic WASP Rich Old Guys

is what they're afraid of. They want to make sure no one has the upper hand but them. Keep the poor poor. Keep women underpaid, over-worked, and pregnant whether they want to be or not. Keep Corporations on top... not small business -- too many women and minorities own them -- just the big corporations owned by men that look, talk and think like they do. Keep their money all to themselves and get as much of ours as possible. Keep our kids undereducated so they actually have kids to go off and fight their wars... I mean, why educate someone you need behind a gun for you? Keep religion front and center in all things, but THEIR religion only -- all those commandments to keep the little people guilty and repentent... "God helps those who help themselves" is their Golden Rule, because "doing unto others as they would have done unto them" is just too much work, and might involve actually helping someone, and if God helps those who helps themselves -- well, no more of those pesky safety nets that take away money that their grandchildren's grandchildren will never be able to spend.

This system is rigged FOR the Paternalistic WASP Rich Old Guys and against everyone else. That's the way they want to keep it. It is our duty to see they are not able to keep it.

TC

[AmandaRuth]

3. having boosh in office makes the religious wrong feel emboldened. Once

they kick the gays completely back in the closet they will start the full frontal assault on women. The only thing they go after when a democrat is in the WH is the democrat in the white house, witness the Clinton witch hunt and October surprise.

The only thing that will wake some people up is a unbiased media who reports the truth in combination with hitting rock bottom and having to actually live in the world the right wing is trying so hard to force on us.

[Popol Vuh]

4. The only person

who feels threatened by someone different than himself having equality -- is a wolf of intends to me you his meal.

That's my opinion..

[stillcool]

5. Way back when...

during the 2000 election debacle...my husband...referring to republicans said...it's all about race. I was horrified that he would say something so callous. That was my naivete. At the time, I was under the impression that race and sexual orientation were non-issues. I mean, who thought that way anymore?
My mind has been hammered since, trying to figure out who are these people, that speak such bile..and how come nobody has beaten the living shit out of them? In my world, you just don't say stuff like that, and walk away untouched.
At various points since 2000, I have gone full-tilt on missions to make sense of all this insanity, and you have summed it up nicely... "Connecting emotions to reality" is the name of the game. It's all advertising all the time. They create the reality, and it's always about divisiveness. Whether it's Iraq/Iran, or Guatemala, or wherever they want to get a foothold...keeping the different factions fighting let's them gain control.

[MadMaddie]

6. Thank you for pointing this out.....

I have been wondering the same thing myself. While the Republicans are attacking gays, blacks Race-Baiting(Bushes SOTO statement-that highest % of aids cases are among blacks and funding needs to be appropriated for medication-What the hell does that have to do with the state of the union?)

The Democrats need to reframe the argument and ask "Why is Bush attacking tax paying Americans" That should be the argument. The Democrats need to attack Bushes claims that he is protecting Americans. He can't have it both ways-He can't attack fellow Americans and then claim to be working to protect them...or is he only working to protect those Americans he deems worthy...

I hope this makes sense....

[gulliver]

7. Here's a guess at a partial answer.

Some people don't like to see anyone not like themselves getting anything good. You get Republicans in power and most people who aren't wealthy start to suffer. They damned sure aren't going to stand by and watch a bunch of minorities' lives improve. People who are being punished by a Republican economy tend to want to punish other people. Republicans offer scapegoats for that purpose. Ergo, the minorities take the punishment deserved by the bought-and-paid-for Republican leadership.