tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post3300737306705805722..comments2024-01-02T18:05:23.666-06:00Comments on Streak's Blog: Extending grace to a Tea Party thugStreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01443433745929880701noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-8214074570560090232010-10-31T18:26:25.736-05:002010-10-31T18:26:25.736-05:00That makes sense; it seems to be a combination of ...That makes sense; it seems to be a combination of unshakable faith that no bad consequences can ever come from actions taken without malicious intent, and a desire not to be asked to think about unpleasant things. I don't think there's any meaningful way to engage that if you're expecting obvious results. There's no good way to respond to "Stop making me think about uncomfortable things, because life wouldn't be fair if I ever had to leave my comfort zone. If life were unfair, it wouldn't be worth living."leightonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07821884432248870789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-31496199232410902132010-10-30T16:32:55.107-05:002010-10-30T16:32:55.107-05:00I guess I actually believe in rationality. I have...I guess I actually believe in rationality. I have experienced a bit of it in conversations with students and friends and family. Deescalation can work. We are often trained as kids to escalate and respond to anger with anger, and shouting with shouting. It is often amazing how responding to anger and shouting with calm questions can do wonders. <br /><br />So, I think she did an amazing thing, and something worthy of the history of non-violent response. But I fear that those on the right are, and many of them are doing this unintentionally, encouraging irrationality and anger. I have seen it. I have seen it in distant relatives who seem to have decided that because they are conservatives they should be angry and leave rational and civil discourse behind. I don't see them responding out of anything rational, and that includes their faith--the very faith they have often preached to me. <br /><br />I guess I see a special toxicity of religious fundamentalism coupled with white anxiety coupled with male rage that will end up like this more often than not. And that makes me very sad.Streakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443433745929880701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-77530805103371648542010-10-30T16:27:05.057-05:002010-10-30T16:27:05.057-05:00I'm not sure I've ever had that faith; I d...I'm not sure I've ever had that faith; I don't get the sense that we have ever been collectively very reasonable. Do you think she should have been stronger in her language? I think we would be screwed if everybody responded to violence like this, but I do like this particular letter at this particular time and think it works because it's so unexpected.leightonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07821884432248870789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-29861328854531120542010-10-30T12:48:37.494-05:002010-10-30T12:48:37.494-05:00I hope you are right, Leighton. I am losing faith...I hope you are right, Leighton. I am losing faith in Americans' ability or willingness to reason.Streakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443433745929880701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-23690535720194026472010-10-30T11:14:42.697-05:002010-10-30T11:14:42.697-05:00Some of my friends are not terribly convinced this...<i>Some of my friends are not terribly convinced this approach will work.</i><br /><br />It depends on what you mean by "work." If "working" entails helping her assailant see that what he did was wrong, then I don't think it's reasonable to expect her letter to do anything of the kind. He's already invested too much of his ego in the allegation that the entire incident is her fault, and direct contradiction is far more likely to make him double down than to provoke a change of heart.<br /><br />But as an effort to get apolitical people to pay attention to what's going on, and to remind people who oppose what passes for tea party policy that thuggish vigilantism is not, in fact, the right way to do politics in this country, it's a good piece.leightonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07821884432248870789noreply@blogger.com