I've been thinking about a lot of the talk going on about why Bush won. Most of those disappointed with the outcome attribute his win to ignorance and fear. He played to the fear of gays, the fear of terrorism, etc. The irony, however, is that it seems to me to be just the opposite. There is a site, www.sorryeverybody.com , where Americans post pictures of themselves holding signs for the rest of the world to see, apologizing for the election outcome. Many signs read "I live in a Blue State, please don't attack us!" or "Please have mercy: I voted for Kerry!"

By contrast, I have never feared or been anxious about being attacked, or been afraid of gay marriages being approved, and have never been driven by fear to vote for someone.

So as I was thinking about all this, I remembered my history lessons about why Hitler and the Nazis came to power in Germany. I learned that Hitler played on the fears and anxieties of the German people. The parallels being drawn by some of the talking heads are subtle; some others outside the mainstream press are less veiled: W and Hitler are grown in the same fear-mongoring garden.

So when I compare my own experience with what Mr. Pundit is TELLING me about my motives I conclude that he misunderstands my motivation. I then think twice about the historical evaluation of Nazi Germany.
And if I take "fear and ignorance" out of the equation, I come to a simpler conclusion: Germans wanted Hitler because they, like all of us, are bent toward selfishness and arrogance.

The thing about labeling Bush-backers "ignorant" and "fearful" is that it retains for the observer a kind of intellectual and emotional superiority. Ignorance implies a lack of knowledge, which leads to irrational fear. Psychoanalysis has been performed en-masse, and 51% of us are ignorant and crazy. But crazy people are simply ill, and ignorant people are just ill-informed. The argument is taken from a right v. wrong arena, and placed in the arena of education and therapy.

I am much happier to debate the moral and ethical merits of ballot decisions than I am willing to clinically observe my opponents on the therapy couch. We won't get anywhere if we just keep calling each other crazy rubes. Frame the arguments in terms of selfish v. giving, humility v. arrogance, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," or the roles and responsibilities of governments.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 08, 2004 02:46 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Mastedon Farm ]</font>