hey, i can post two days in a row if i want to

[katekat1010]

warning, political rant. i'm a lefty. lefty of lefty, ok?

While manning the County Democrat booth at the Italian Picnic and Parade (yes, really) I managed to get into an argument with someone who called himself a democrat (though honestly? he was what one can only call a conservative democrat, and maybe even not that).  He was trying to argue

Comments

[seldomifever]

Yay for lefty lefties! I'm with you 100%.

[katekat1010]

Yay indeed!! thanks darling - it's so good to be among friends, you know?

[mishloran]

I think that when people have strong opposing views, a quick chat or five minute (or even hours or days long) argument/discussion is not going to change their views, just upset and anger both parties involved.

But then I also think the best argument against the death penalty is that the system isn't perfect, and that sometimes - if only very, very occasionally - people are killed and then months/years/decades later it is found out that they did not do whatever it was that warranted their death. And the death of one innocent is surely a far greater injustice?

But we don't have the death penalty over here, so we don't really have to think about it.

[katekat1010]

Oh and he was raring for a fight, and i think i was too.

Sadly that one often doesn't work with the conservative people because they'd rather kill innocent people than have 'those murderers' on the streets (as if that was the only option). i've had that one used against me in years past, so sad, right?

you are lucky for that my dear.

[twilightofmagic]

Your hard left seems eminently reasonable to me. I was watching Bill Maher last night and enjoying his (and Jon Stewart for that matter) withering contempt for some of what passes for political discourse in the country. He always has such great guests and there's true, passionate, lively political discussion on his show.

[brutti_ma_buoni]

*g* Welcome to the rest of the world. You'd fit right in over here. Kinda mainstream, really.

Nationalism/patriotism is difficult, because it does obviously mean something to many people, and I don't despise that. But simple borders aren't all that divides us, and simple common citizenship doesn't necessarily mean we have anything else in common.

Also, I think the syllogism 'you're against the death penalty therefore you wouldn't fight for your country' is one of the dumbest things I've heard. How many countries have armies? All of them (pretty much). How many countries have the death penalty? A hell of a lot fewer. Let alone those who actually exercise it regularly, which is a whole lot less than that. Duh. You may well, in feeling that human life is important/sacred/key to our society, feel that war is a hideous thing to be avoided insofar as possible, but that isn't the same argument.

But you know that.

[missus_grace]

We can't take you anywhere, can we? ;)

I pretty much agree with you re: the death penalty. Although after reading a couple of comments from survivors of childhood rape over on booju newju I now believe that anyone who rapes a child really needs to rot in hell. I pretty much don't care how they get there.

*runs to lock up my children*

[katekat1010]

pretty much, no! :D

and hey, trust me, i do not want people who commit violent crimes (among them child rape for sure) anywhere near anyone else ever. EVER. but yeah, they can rot in prison, and a deity (if there is one) can sort 'em out after they die cuz i am totally not taking their lives, you know?

oh sweetest! *hugs*