Who tends to blame "groups" based on the actions of a few extremists?

[Just Me]

Poll question: Who tends to blame "groups" based on the actions of a few extremists?

On edit: decided to "tweak" a bit.

[Ignoramus]

1. Your question is invalid

Everyone does.

[TahitiNut]

9. Not "everyone" but ...

... certainly not compartmentalized according some political posture.

[Ignoramus]

11. I think we all do

You can't decide to be smart. You can't decide to be aware. You can't decide to be wise. It's a process that you can encourage in yourself.

Advocacy is another matter.

A better question is:

Is it liberal or authoritarian to blame populations for the actions of extremists?

[Stand and Fight]

13. That I can agree to.

Your question is right on point.

[Just Me]

14. You can choose to place responsibility on those whose actions are,...

,...repulsive without attaching responsibility to those "associated" with such people. I don't blame ALL Republicans for the actions and policies of the BushCo/neoCON regime. They are fellow Americans doing the best they can,...just like me. Why would I encumber them with the GUILT of those who are exploiting them?

[FormerRepublican]

2. Hey...

...they locked the other two threads. I know you're riled, but you might want to give it a rest so you don't get banned or something.

Time to yell at the cat...!

[Just Me]

16. I made the mistake of being too specific.

I made the mistake of being "reactive" rather than rational. Not this time.

You really believe I would be "banned"? :shrug: Why?

[Stand and Fight]

3. Wonderfully ironic thread and poll.

If you answer either one of these you are performing the very action that you are accusing either liberals or conservatives of doing. Needless to say, I will not vote. Liberals and conservatives are guilty of this, as the thread clearly illustrates.

[bonito]

10. I saw that too.

[Ignoramus]

12. Ding

Excellent point.

[Just Me]

15. I "tweaked". Now, honestly,...which tends to persecute the "many",...

,...based upon the actions of a few assholes? Stand back and wage your perception, overall.

[slackmaster]

4. My answer = Extremists of all stripes

Most people fall between the extremes of any kind of political dimension - liberal/conservative, libertarian/authoritarian, right/left, etc.

People on either end of a spectrum become ideologically blinded to the middle. Extreme libertarians see all authoritarian-leaning people as extreme. Extreme conservatives see all liberal-leaning people as extreme.

It's all pots and kettles no matter which way you want to divide people up.

[LaurenG]

7. Agree nt

[TaleWgnDg]

5. The answer to this query . . .

.
The answer to this query is w/i the question itself. (Pulling out Webster's Dictionary) Note that the word "liberal" is defined as:

"tolerant; broad-minded; not literal or strict . . . "
Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second College Edition (1983)

.

[Stand and Fight]

6. See my reply to thread, #3. n/t

[Just Me]

18. Which explains,...what?

Are there "wrong" answers? :shrug: If so, explain how and why.

[the_spectator]

19. That is one of a number of definitions of "liberal" -

and a good one too. But to be historically accurate, when people first began using the words "liberal" "liberals" and "liberalism" to describe ideas and people who supported those ideas, it came directly from the definition which means basically "related to or concerned about LIBERTY(freedom.)"

[Just Me]

20. No. I reject engagement in the neoCON revisionism of history.

Those bastards actually assert that they are "former liberals" which is complete and total bullshit,...an out-n-out LIE.

I'll be damned if I'll allow those dictators to re-define reality for me.

"Liberal" has pretty much ALWAYS meant "tolerance", "thinking", "imaginative", "pluralistic", "open" and "progressive".

[the_spectator]

23. You're right that Liberal means tolerance, thinking, imaginative,

pluralistic, open and progressive. Very much because "liberal" DID mean "a supporter of liberty" when the word was FIRST used politically -- 1700s and 1800s.

[Just Me]

25. ????

What does the word, "liberal", mean to you,...right here and now? Moreover, what is the point you are alluding to in that post?

[fishnfla]

8. i do it all the time, its fun

makes life simple too

[Just Me]

17. Really. Please share.

Especially the "its fun" part. I'd be very interested in knowing that.

[Just Me]

21. Share????

Please, do.

[Stand and Fight]

22. Now that you tweaked the question, I have to answer:

CONSERVATIVES

They do have a greater propensity for blaming groups based on the actions of a few extreme elements.

[Just Me]

24. Thank you.

I will not deny that there are those who fall within the broad umbrella of "liberal" and actually stand on the extreme edge of that umbrella. However, the box of "conservatives" certainly contains far more extremists who discriminate against all others who fail to "buy" and/or "adopt" their ideology than the pluralistic/multi-cultural liberals and progressives.

[Just Me]

26. Is this a "bad" poll?

If so, please advise how I could have made it better.

[TaleWgnDg]

27. Uuummmm, this is DU. Not some scientific establishment . . .

.
Uuummmm, this is DU. Not some scientific establishment. Just tell the discontented to lighten up, s'all. After all, we all know that:

Neo-Cons suck . . . big time! Not just some of 'em but all of 'em.
Now, don't you *feel* better? Good.

.

[slackmaster]

28. You didn't allow for alternatives like "neither", "both", or "other"

No political philosphy can immunize a person who subscribes to it from ordinary human failings like overgeneralization, bigotry, guilt by association, etc.

Certainly some world views like those of KKK members inherently carry those traits, but IMO there is nothing in either liberalism or conservatism (as I understand the terms) that forces an adherent to judge all members of a group by the behavior of its most dogmatic, extreme, or outspoken members. I see extreme conservatives and extreme liberals indulging in that practice all the time.