I Will Respect You Only If You Agree With Me
There are a handful of words that seem to mesmerize those who consider themselves liberal, progressive, or left of center in their world view. Some of these words are compassion, tolerance, equality, insight, respect, justice or any synonym of each. Many people who consider themselves on the left like to believe they represent these words and put them into action in their daily lives. That may actually be true on an individual level, but I would argue that the left as a group or as a movement often exhibits the opposite of these descriptions. This can be made absolutely clear by the recent treatment and attempted personal destruction of Carrie Prejean, the Miss USA runner-up from California, who when asked a question by pageant judge Perez Hilton regarding same-sex marriage, answered it honestly and personally in support of traditional marriage.
What has happened to this 21-year-old woman in the media and by those from the left who want to redefine marriage for the first time in history is one of the most disgusting and visceral assaults on someone’s dignity and personal life that I have ever witnessed. It’s even more shocking when you consider that she is simply a private citizen who took part in a beauty pageant and the public part of her life, being involved with the Miss USA organization, has traditionally been free from such political vetting. The night of the pageant Perez Hilton recorded a video blog about Ms. Prejean’s answer to his controversial question he imposed upon her. He openly mocked her calling her a “dumb bitch” and suggesting she didn’t even have “half a brain.” Her answer did not meet the specific criteria of compassion, tolerance and unity as viewed by Mr. Hilton. Yet how was his angry and vulgar response to her answer compassionate or open-minded and unifying in any way? There was no room for disagreement. Her answer could not be tolerated. Ms. Prejean probably lost the Miss USA crown because of her views according to pageant director, Shanna Moakler. The stifling of opposing views by the left is one of the most divisive movements in our country today. Please understand that it is getting to the point that if you express support for traditional marriage publicly you are subject to a kind of character assassination that is total and unrelenting. It also means that you better not take part in a beauty pageant such as Miss USA.
MSNBC joined the assault on Carrie Prejean when it aired a disgusting diatribe by Keith Olbermann and his liberal guest Michael Musto. These two men (probably twice Carrie’s age but with half the civility) insulted everything about her that was not related to her views on the redefinition of marriage. The entire segment was ad hominem attacks on her body and mind. It was immature, embarrassing hack commentary being, in the best sense of the word, hateful – a demonstration so thick in irony coming from the left that repeatedly calls conservative radio and television, hate-radio and hate-TV. Is there any right-wing parallel to Olbermann and guest’s vulgar personal attacks on a private citizen? Conservatives are far more tolerant of opposing views which is why they are usually less “offended” by them than the left. It is one thing to voice disagreement and entirely another to destroy a person’s reputation and character. The name calling and mockery of people who hold more traditional views is used as an end to the argument and a dismissal of the person’s decency, sincerity and even humanity. You’re stupid, a bigot and a homophobe. No further discussion of the topic is needed. How is this tolerant or compassionate? How is this just? How is this even insightful? It’s just mean, mean-spirited. I listened to the hosts of The Stephanie Miller Show on liberal radio network Air America use a pre-recorded sound drop to call Carrie Prejean a “Slut!” after some racy photos were released on the internet, without her consent, in an attempt to further discredit her and her views. The photos are nothing more than what I would expect from someone who models lingerie and bathing suits. They were barely any more revealing than what is shown during the Miss USA competition itself. When did the left take issue with risqué behavior? Why is Ms. Prejean unworthy of respect because of some Victoria’s Secret type photos?
My concern is not just about the assault on Ms. Prejean, though I feel sorrow for her. It is about the larger issue of liberty and freedom of speech and beliefs in America. We are a country that is often divided into two groups over many issues, liberal and conservative or left and right or Republican and Democrat. Whatever you label them there is an increasing amount of hostility towards those who identify themselves as on the right. I’m not just talking about hostility towards public figures such as commentators or politicians. These people expect criticism and receive it daily. I am talking about private citizens who are quickly and publicly thrust into the media’s attention and placed in the left’s crosshairs for a hasty destruction. Civility and decency are thrown by the wayside, even by major news networks. Joe the Plumber is another example. He was nothing more than a plumber trying to buy a local business when, in his own neighborhood, he questioned the left’s agenda and the policies of Barrack Obama during the 2008 Presidential campaign. Joe the Plumber’s personal life, his taxes, his marriage, everything was now open for season until he was taken out. He’s just a plumber who happens to be conservative. These examples seem endless. More name calling and mockery was also directed towards entire groups of private citizens who, on a rare occasion from the right, chose to publicly protest. They demonstrated against the high tax increases and unprecedented governmental spending and growth led by the new Obama administration. These demonstrations were called “Tea Parties” by the participants -a take on the Boston Tea Party from 1773. The left in turn disrespectfully called the demonstrators “Tea Baggers”, a term referring to a crude sexual act. Again this was done even on major news networks in TV and radio. Of course they were also called racists and insulted in many other ways, all several hundred thousand of them across the country. Respectful disagreement with the demonstrators was scarce.
There is a totalitarian element that runs deep in the left. You must speak a certain way and you must hold certain views or face serious consequences. The left knows they are better and kinder human beings than the right and their agenda need not be sold to the public for vote or approval. It can be forced through with regulations, speech codes, judges and the courts and it can be shouted through with the personal destruction of those who disagree, no matter who they are. Sadly tolerance, compassion, justice, unity and respect often suffer and die under these tactics.
In the end I am also left with one more question: How is Carrie Prejean’s personal position on same-sex marriage any different than Barrack Obama’s or Joe Biden’s?
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