Technology, Innovation & Telecomm

I have a lot of respect for Dave Winer. He’s a brilliant, creative individual who has done an enourmous amount of good work on the “personal publishing” front and in other areas. However, I have to take issue with a post he made on his blog “Scripting News”.

The post was entitled “Liberal is a Code Word“. His premise is:

“When someone uses the L-word in conversation, chances are 999 out of 1000 that they’re using it as a code-word to mean: weak, effeminate, misguided, powerless geek without morals.”

I disagree. Not that he isn’t right that sometimes that’s the implication of the use of “liberal” in a conversation. But it’s absurd to suggest that “999 out of 1000″ times it’s true.

What I disagree with even more is the notion that if you consider yourself “not conservative”, then you must naturally be balanced, caring, ecology-wise, tolerant, nuetral on sexual orientation, etc. He suggests that if someone cares about Terri Shiavo and is concerned that her death is a cruelty that we wouldn’t impose on an animal, we must be nut-jobs and louts. Please… Isn’t that the same generalization that he says his dinner-mate made about liberals?

Here are the facts:

1. Dave, with that post, you’ve just joined the ranks of those that you just derided. What an unbelievable, intolerant generalization!

2. The government *does* have a responsibility to protect individuals from cruel and unusual treatment at the hands of those who have fooled themselves into believing that killing someone is reasonable behaviour. There are too many associated facts in her case to simply state that this is a case of someone trying to carry out the wishes of a loved one. Not by a long shot.

3. This country and government *was* founded (like it or not) on religious principals of morality and overall behaviour. These principals permeate the writings of the founding fathers, whose wisdom is ignored when convenient by those that want to systematically remove all remnants of what we built this country on to start with. Worse, the same founding fathers get quoted to somehow justify distancing ourselves from those same principals. Just because an individual or small group of individuals *want* something to be ok doesn’t make it so. The point here is that the people of the USA give the government certain powers and like it or not, there will be decisions made with that power that go counter to what we want to do at times. Believe me, they make decisions that I don’t like every day. Telling families when they can pull the plug *does* come under their rule if the decision violates greater rules of decency and respect for life.

4. Making comparisons of conservatives to someone you don’t like has to be one of the worst forms of disrespect and intolerance I’ve ever seen. It’s a low blow and the last resort of someone who doesn’t respect differing points of view despite assertions to the contrary. I’m always blown away by folks whose premise is: “If you don’t agree with my point of view, you’re an intolerant louse the likes of “. So, if I disgree with you on some point and in fact agree with someone you don’t like, I’m an intolerant idiot. However, if you disagree with me you’re simply being the rational, reasonable humanist you claim to be. Interesting.

I know that I make generalizations all the time. Often it’s wrong. This one by Dave Winer is just way beyond reasonable.

1. 
   Diana Wade said...
   10:55 am - March 31st, 2005

   Go, Todd!
   One thing: this country was founded on Biblical principles, and was settled for freedom to worship Jesus Christ.

   Love,Mom

2. 
   tdwpgh said...
   11:44 am - March 31st, 2005

   Absolutely correct.