Ross Douthat has a good read about how some in the media are depicting McCain-Palin rallies. I really just want to focus on the last paragraph:
But of course, everybody knows that conservative hate – especially when it comes from anonymous hecklers at massive rallies, or when it involves booing the press – is fascism come round again, but left-wing hate is just, well, kitschy and adorable.
Now, there is no excusing some of the vitriol that comes from conservatives. But I’ve been around enough liberals, especially in the last 8 years, to see that they can be just as hateful at their right-leaning sisters and brothers.
I know that many of my liberal friends will say their anger is justified, looking at the damage done during the Bush years. And they should be angry – but too often that anger devolves into a vile hatred of any and all things conservative.
What’s wrong with both liberal and conservatives is an appalling lack of civility towards each other- seeing the “other” as a human being and not the devil in an elephant or donkey suit.
I keep hoping one day for liberals and conservatives to learn to respectfully disagree with each other. Silly me.