Fwee Whetowic!

[mangosteen]

Of the many objectionable things that have come to pass during the current presidential administration, one of the most annoying is the army of people who can't debate their way out of a paper bag, but insist on accusing anyone who disagrees with them of being "un-American" or "a terrorist". Of all those accusations, the most odious retort by far is "Why do you hate America?" At that point, the debate is over. There's no point in reasoning when your opponent gets to that point. Ergo, a snappy response is called for.

Tell me yours.

[Poll #613176]

Query: Where do people get the idea that fellow citizens who share a different viewpoint are "un-American", anyway?

Comments

[mama-pipa.livejournal.com]

I am obviously less-skilled of a smartass than I should be. (sigh)

[mangosteen]

It's never too early to start. :)

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

To answer the query: unfortunately, the notion that "those who are not for us are against us" is very old. The Fallacy of the False Dichotomy appeals to fundamentalists, chauvinists, and lazy thinkers.

[aelf.livejournal.com]

It's a common thing (you can't be one of "us" because you have a trait/belief we don't understand/approve of/whatever). We're getting an upclose and personal view of it in the MD Senate race since we've got a black Repub candidate. But wait! He must not be "black enough" since he's a Repub ... it's fascinating to see how folks categorize things and deal with things that violate their categorizing-rules.

[vatine]

As regards your query, I blame HUAC.

[harlequinaide.livejournal.com]

Where do people get the idea that fellow citizens who share a different viewpoint are "un-American", anyway?

Probably from those guys who stole property, tarred and feathered, burned and shot people who disagreed with their political point of view. You know, the "Founding Fathers." Fully a third of the country didn't want to separate from England, by some accounts. Those people, who had the misfortune of being in the minority, lost all rights to their property and lives because of their political views.

What makes you think anything has changed? Only the names change, my friends, only the names.

OT:

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

Where did you get the quote that's on your icon? It looks like the Highlander (original)...

Re: OT:

[harlequinaide.livejournal.com]

Firefly, actually. Spoken by the character in the icon. :-) Feel free to steal, if you like it, lords know I did.

Wrong icon...

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

but I like the one from Mal as well. The one I saw said "You can't just open up the book of my life and jump in the middle" - something like that.

Re: Wrong icon...

[harlequinaide.livejournal.com]

I used a different one on the reply, actually. For lo, I am confusing.

Ah, right!

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

Okay, I was stuck thinking it was the wrong guy. Now that we identify the person in the icon, I remember the quote.

Thanks!

[tayefeth.livejournal.com]

I'll go one better. In a recent "community newsletter," the president of the community association accused someone who disagreed with her of "hating democracy."

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

My answer? Go so completely the other way that you might well baffle them. "Why do you hate America?" "It's a secular country. We should be controlled by the Seventh-Day Adventists." "We're not rich and successful enough. Execute anyone making less than $40,000/year." "There's not enough pollution. We need to burn more dirty coal." etc. etc.

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

And, in this vein, danger_chick is the winner.

[dr-memory.livejournal.com]

A very, very, very small point of order: as far as I know, the phrase "Why do you hate America?" originated in a Tom Tomorrow cartoon. It's a pithy and hilarious summation of a lot of the low-rent pro-war debating tactics that got employed in the run-up to the Iraq war, but it was a summary: no one other than Tomorrow (and subsequent left-wing wags furthering the joke) actually used the phrase.

[bouncingleaf.livejournal.com]

First thing he said, after he got to know me, he said: "You know you love the country. You love it. You come in and out of town on those trains singin' songs about different places and beautiful people. You know you love the country; you just can't stand the government. Get it straight."

-- Utah Phillips

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

We LOVE Mr. Phillips, and that in particular is a great piece. I'll make sure Mr. Mangosteen listens to it again.

[rekling.livejournal.com]

Hehe. I don't think I've ever heard anyone call him Mr Phillips before! I like it.

[cos]

Indeed, I think I've never heard that either! I've heard plenty of people just call him "Utah", though.

(and wow, LJ is acting weird today...)

[arfur]

I like Tim Robbins's response on the Colbert Report best:

Why do you hate the truth?