SUGGESTATION

(via Liberal Conspiracy - casting the net. Cheers Aaron!)

I’ve not read the blog ‘Enemies of Reason‘ before, but this great post caught my eye.

I’m a liberal. In the US, according to stereotype, that should make me a peaceloving, cheek-turning, happy-go-lucky pacifist, who sees no wrong in anyone. Let me tell you this is not the case.

There are a few things which make me see the red mist. One is tailgaters. You’re driving along the motorway, and some twit drives up your exhaust pipe because, although you’re in a queue, he expects you to pull over and let him through. It takes a huge effort of self control to stop myself from hurting people that tailgate me. Another is … (relax Jherad, soothing thoughts), right-wing nutcases who leave nasty, idiotic, bigoted remarks on mainstream news comment/messageboard areas. I sincerely *shudder* to think what happen if I was to meet one of these ‘people’.

There. I said it. It sounds rather ridiculous - it is ridiculous, that I can get so wound up at the petty remarks of some dribbling subhuman fool, but there it is. Do these people really exist? I’m not sure I’ve ever met one in the flesh…

Perhaps there is only one explanation: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/

Apologies for the ramble - a little bit under the weather today!

In one of my first posts on this shiny new blog, I wrote that I was fed up with the obsession with ‘leftism’ and ‘rightism’ in politics. Now, admittedly, it sounds like a throwaway line, but I’d like to continue with that thought for a few sentences.

I’ve just read a little comment-is-free Guardian piece (a few days old, I’m slow) which notes ‘Libertarianism’s leftward shift’. Apparently because some Libertarians have left the Republican party in the US. Obviously if liberals were to join the Repubs en-masse, then that would denote a shift of Liberalism to the right. Right?

I have a big problem with broad political labels. One can spend hours trying to work out what the difference between a ‘Liberal’ and a ‘Libertarian’ is. Have fun with that… Are you talking about Liberalism in the US? Europe? Classical Liberalism? Neoliberalism? Chalk and cheese.

One thing I hope that can be agreed upon is that we all have a belief, to one degree or another, in the right to social freedoms for the individual. This belief transcends left/right divides - though those divides often dictate how freedoms are provided for (positive vs negative freedoms, society over the individual etc). Party politics however tend to focus more on socialism vs conservatism. What surprises me is that liberalism seems to be an add-on. Something nice to have on certain occasions, but not a core value. For me, Liberalism is the single most important quality I look for in a political party - other aspects combined may turn me off a liberal party, but one I deem to be illiberal, or outright authoritarian will never get my vote.

/end rant

Yeah, so ok. One more thing before I disappear for the weekend. Something for the odd stray to stumble upon in this dark corner of the internet.

Will someone please enlighten me on what the heck the fascination is with leftism and rightism? I mean seriously. I’m supposedly a left-wing liberal (watches the stumbler run screaming back into the woods), but I find myself having SO much more in common politically with the righty libertarians (waves to Mr E) than with the lefty authoritarians. Yeah sure, I know, wellfare state, taxes, etc etc. But the one thing guaranteed to piss me off is when I hear I’m going to be banned from doing X, Y or Z. Whether I’d actually do it or not.

/Rant off. I’m really going now. Maybe.