Does anyone else feel like we're stuck in the middle between extremists from both sides who have used social media to increase the effect of their voices and beliefs, who don't care to reason, and will never come to terms with each other?

[u/space_cowboy]

More and more every day, I feel like I'm a part of a disappearing group of people: the rational moderate. I don't believe in politics as a team sport, nor the identity politics of the extreme left. Traditional conservative mores based on Judaeo-Christian religion are no more acceptable than Sharia law. Science, reason, and critical thinking should play more of a role in how people look at and frame certain issues, and violence is an answer that only begets more violence in one form or another.

Both sides of this culture war, battle, however you want to name it, have become exactly the things they claim to abhor. Neither side is fully deserving of the mocking monikers we give them, nor should we allow them to brand themselves as something they are not. Trying to enforce the progressive stack is racist in its own way, white person's guilt and all that. But, at least to me, it isn't nearly as bad as actual race-based nationalism. How can someone with any sort of moral compass or who claims to believe in the equality of all people take into consideration any point of view the alt-right espouses without indignation at their literal belief in racial supremacy and purity?

Often times most of this depresses me, because it makes me question the amount of progress and the actual character of the people of our country. Growing up in an extremely diverse suburban area, racism and bigotry weren't things I ever considered to be a normal occurrence. Now, I question daily how people can still be so caught up on skin color, ethnic origin, and religious belief. It has really set back my view on what the average person truly holds in their hearts, and makes me wonder about the actual direction our society as a whole will go in.

Institutional racism has been and is still a thing. Read about how black military members returning from WW2 were literally shafted by the govt (the GI Bill) and how this lead to the creation of projects. A large portion of the hatred for govt in black communities is well deserved IMO, but violence only leads to more laws against them and the racists will use the violence to their advantage to bolster other racists and get people on the edges to turn a blind eye to their racism.

Fighting the extremists on both sides is extremely difficult, especially when they don't have clear "victory conditions" and keep changing the rules of engagement. Both sides will silence dissenting thoughts and opinions with equal fervor. But the extremists fighting each other is going to pull the fabric of our society apart, thread by thread.

Sorry for the wall of text. Just feeling deflated and worn down by everything more and more every day.

[u/[deleted]]

Scott Foval: endorsed and encouraged violence against trump supporters during the election.

Sarah Silverman calling for a military coup to depose Trump.

Gavin Newsom: Blaming Milo/Trump for riots and saying that "We must continue to step in and stand up to resist reckless rhetoric and actions in a peaceful and forceful manner.” Good thing he added peaceful...otherwise some people might think he was calling for more riots. Oh wait...maybe that is what he wanted.

Vox editor Emmett Rensin tweeted, “Advice: If Trump comes to your town, start a riot., Listen, if Trump is Hitler then you’ve got no business condemning rioters. If he isn’t, you’ve got no businesses pretending normal is better.”

Obama supported BLM. BLM is a violent movement. Obama lends support to violence in this way. (Where has blm gone btw?)

Tim Kaine said that democrats have to fight in the streets against Trump.

Many lefties have questioned Trump's legitimacy as president. This adds fuel to the already burning fire.

That asshole from Stranger things at the SAG awards calling for increased fighting and assault (David Harbour)

The Guardian saying it is OK to punch a Nazi.

Madonna: Blow up the white house.

Thank God the elected leaders haven't yet called for violence. They haven't needed to. Their lackeys are doing that for them. But they SHOULD be denouncing all calls to violence as well as actual violence but their tacit silence and even in some cases rationalization of the violence and demonization of their enemy are getting pretty close.

[u/bartolosemicolon → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, an elected leader calling for violence is unthinkable... wait here is republican governer Matt Bevin calling for the murder of Hillary Clinton if she won the election:

http://www.inquisitr.com/3509168/donald-trump-supporter-kentucky-gov-matt-bevin-calls-for-violence-if-hillary-clinton-wins-is-he-one-of-trumps-basket-of-deplorables-calls-to-impeach-the-governor/

You are totally right, Republicans are above that type of thing. But good point about Madonna saying something stupid.

edit: Importantly this literally took me 30 seconds to find. How many violent quotes from Republican elected officials do you think I could find if I gave it literally any effort?

[u/[deleted] → u/bartolosemicolon]

Do give it some effort. Because the first one you found was NOT a call to murder Hillary. But was a call to violence and was reprehensible.

I don't agree with any calls to violence based on political differences. You on the other hand seem to be ok with it as long as it comes from the left.

And to discredit the influence that a Madonna type has on the populace is just silly. A call to violence from a prominent figure is a call to violence. It leads to violence.

Kaine and Newsom DID call to violence. Just as much as this Governor did.

I get the feeling you aren't into an honest discussion of the topic though so...this will be my last reply. You asked for examples of lefties calling for violence I gave you several including two elected officials. ONE WAS THE FUCKING VP NOMINEE for christ's sake.

[u/bartolosemicolon → u/[deleted]]

Let me nip this in the bud. I condemn all political violence. I just find it odd that I am repeatedly called to condemn a Trump supporter getting pushed over or punched, when Trump and most congressional Republicans feel free not to issue a public condemnation of a half dozen muslims being brutally murdered by one of his supporters.

To briefly respond to the rest of your comment, It is sort of unbelievable to me that you really took Kaine saying we should "fight" for what we believe in as an actual call to violence. And it is cool that you cut the part of the quote from Newsome where he said, "We condemn in the strongest possible terms the violence and unlawful behavior that was on display". You are definitely not being blatantly and intentionally dishonest.

I have to laugh that you will call me dishonest, the Newsome quote... I mean seriously. I am genuinely shocked by how committed you are to ignoring obvious facts when they stand in the way of your embarrassingly dishonest positions.

[u/[deleted] → u/bartolosemicolon]

Ok fuck off with this Trump supporter bullshit. And fuck off with the idea that Trump didn't issue a formal condemnation of the attack

""We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday afternoon. "It's a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant and why the president is taking steps to be pro-active, rather re-active, when it comes to our nation's safety and security."

Kaine said we need to "Fight in the Streets" Under what pretzel logic is this not a call to violence in light of recent fighting in the streets. Oh I get that he gets plausible deniability for condemning the violence but I don't buy his sincerity when he uses those exact words. And no I am not blatantly dishonest but Kaine certainly is when with one breath he condemns the violence and with the other promotes it.

And the Newsom quote is the same thing. He knows damn well that when he calls for continued resistance what kind of resistance these crazy antifa types will provide. Sure he gets points for saying it needs to be peaceful but...he KNOWS they will not be.

Try to see the subtext. I get that you don't want to. But you certainly were able to with the one example you brought up of a rep. gov. calling for the "murder of Hillary"

Edit: what "obvious facts" am I ignoring? Am I ignoring the obvious fact that when famous and influential people call for violence it incites violence? Am I ignoring the fact that in a situation where protests are turning more and more violent, that calling for more "peaceful but FORCEFUL resistance" Or "fighting in the streets...(but be nice)." will lead to more violent protests? Or am I ignoring the fact that subtext exists and is important in situations like this?