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Ultimately, there is only black and white, but they mix freely and liberally in the real world. Joel Send a noteboard - 21/11/2011 11:38:34 PM
Since nothing and no one is devoid of either, all is both, and appears gray, but we must remember always that our choices remain only black or white.
I saw everyname mention a battery thrown at a cop (which makes OWSers as dangerous to public safety as the average Philadelphia sports fan, not that that is a compliment,) and I obviously do not condone or approve the threatened retaliatory violence in that other open letter, but apart from that, is this anything more than

"You are un-American and suck!"

"No, you!"

Indeed.

I can only shake my head at the (American) tendency of extreme views here, either by calling the protesters all jobless hippies or by applauding their brave selfless efforts to make it a better world. As always, the truth is not as black and white. But why bother with shades of grey, they just aren't as much fun as calling the other side names, I suppose.

I think it largely a symptom of the two party system, which encourages left and right to play to their base for the sake of turnout (despite partisanship driving GENERAL turnout ever lower as the process disillusions ever more people.) For the electorate as much as the elected Jim Hightowers quip is more true now than ever: The only things in the middle of the road are yellow lines and dead armadillos. That can be simplified as "everything in the middle of the road is either dead or yellow." Moderates and Independents are much discussed, but that is because roughly 40% of the country is always precommitted to each side; as long as they show up on election day they will balance out and make the remaining 20% the decisive factor, but reaching out to that 20% too much runs the risk of alienating the 40% who MUST show up to make victory even possible. That usually leaves moderates and independents seeking the least radical candidate, because there is none that truly represents them; in a two party system, no candidate can afford that.

So both sides demonize each other as radical extremists, both to energize their own base and ensure moderates are terrified of their opponents. The result is a truly vicious circle in which politics becomes ever more polarized: I say you raped my dog; you say I raped yours after I killed it, etc. etc. Small wonder more people than not skip every election save presidential ones.
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An Open Letter to All People with Nothing Better To Do - 20/11/2011 10:49:21 AM 1761 Views
Huzah! A man chooses and a slave obeys! *NM* - 20/11/2011 10:56:42 AM 533 Views
How much violence has there actually been? - 20/11/2011 12:35:54 PM 896 Views
Re: How much violence has there actually been? - 20/11/2011 12:44:00 PM 957 Views
Because it's easy. - 20/11/2011 12:49:02 PM 861 Views
I think it's great that student loans can't be discharged in bankruptcy. - 20/11/2011 06:27:27 PM 778 Views
Completely agree. *NM* - 20/11/2011 07:44:10 PM 599 Views
Asian parents have the right idea - 20/11/2011 08:49:39 PM 903 Views
because that's not a huge generalization of an entire race... - 20/11/2011 09:05:26 PM 847 Views
every pakistani, indian, viet, chinese, cambodian person I know (and thats a lot) .... - 20/11/2011 09:27:34 PM 874 Views
I had a lot of asian peers in class growing up with parents who were not like that - 20/11/2011 10:35:45 PM 877 Views
You has? Sorry...it was too good to pass up. *NM* - 20/11/2011 10:40:48 PM 485 Views
lol! oops! *edit* fail. *NM* - 20/11/2011 10:42:33 PM 504 Views
I understand that, and agree to a certain extent. - 20/11/2011 11:53:30 PM 838 Views
Well... - 21/11/2011 05:39:09 AM 808 Views
Hm. Those are all very sensible points. Food for thought. *NM* - 21/11/2011 06:06:24 AM 436 Views
To take it a step further - 21/11/2011 02:36:49 AM 800 Views
I agree 100%. - 21/11/2011 05:41:40 AM 739 Views
they are. - 21/11/2011 06:55:27 PM 782 Views
Ultimately, there is only black and white, but they mix freely and liberally in the real world. - 21/11/2011 11:38:34 PM 765 Views
HUZZAH! Very well said. - 20/11/2011 01:20:48 PM 789 Views
"There are plenty of jobs and pay"... Do you read the news? *NM* - 20/11/2011 12:42:30 PM 502 Views
Yep, there are lots of jobs... - 20/11/2011 05:49:58 PM 891 Views
there ARE plenty of jobs - 20/11/2011 06:14:30 PM 909 Views
Excercise in creative thinking... - 20/11/2011 06:45:49 PM 890 Views
Take an economics course. Learn about structural unemployment. - 20/11/2011 11:50:40 PM 818 Views
*NM* - 21/11/2011 05:13:39 AM 493 Views
I'm sorry dude, but there ARE jobs. - 20/11/2011 07:21:21 PM 875 Views
but what kind of jobs? - 20/11/2011 08:08:58 PM 696 Views
"My plastic surgeon" WTF Aisha - 20/11/2011 08:36:13 PM 933 Views
Im a nurse - 20/11/2011 09:24:14 PM 813 Views
job that pay money - 20/11/2011 08:57:55 PM 857 Views
lets face it. all the jobs you just mentioned are jobs illegals take - 20/11/2011 09:35:07 PM 844 Views
Re: lets face it. all the jobs you just mentioned are jobs illegals take - 20/11/2011 10:29:16 PM 790 Views
Re: lets face it. all the jobs you just mentioned are jobs illegals take - 21/11/2011 12:19:52 AM 899 Views
That's a shitty situation - 21/11/2011 12:24:20 AM 756 Views
While it is true that the plural of anecdote is not data... - 21/11/2011 12:34:35 AM 676 Views
no I realize that - 21/11/2011 12:57:06 AM 653 Views
First of all, I worked at a dairy and have a friend who busses tables. - 20/11/2011 10:32:39 PM 823 Views
Thats a big problem, Aisha - 22/11/2011 06:42:18 AM 762 Views
Not in Michigan. *NM* - 21/11/2011 05:11:40 AM 474 Views
...I feel like you've been getting all of your information from TV News. This isn't about bills. - 20/11/2011 04:35:13 PM 814 Views
Better question is have you been to any of them? - 20/11/2011 06:42:02 PM 934 Views
I may need to be more concise about something - 20/11/2011 06:53:58 PM 860 Views
Re: Better question is have you been to any of them? - 20/11/2011 07:00:30 PM 727 Views
Wait...you think there is a problem with courts treating corporations as persons? - 20/11/2011 08:33:43 PM 781 Views
You know what he meant. - 20/11/2011 09:32:59 PM 842 Views
Pretty sure the inception of corporations was not 1886. - 22/11/2011 05:45:31 AM 807 Views
You do realize... - 22/11/2011 06:01:47 AM 768 Views
Almost anything CAN happen. - 22/11/2011 07:43:31 AM 805 Views
You're right. I will hand you your ass on this one. If you give me gloves before touching it. - 23/11/2011 02:26:35 PM 808 Views
That looks a little shaky. - 23/11/2011 05:42:39 PM 833 Views
Funny how once we as a society used protesting for non personal gain ... - 20/11/2011 08:49:37 PM 887 Views
I love this post. *NM* - 20/11/2011 09:06:49 PM 483 Views
Good post - 20/11/2011 09:13:12 PM 840 Views
Then why don't the unemployed ... - 20/11/2011 10:36:36 PM 750 Views
The UN is clearly out of touch with reality. - 20/11/2011 10:44:44 PM 839 Views
"There is no right to work"? - 22/11/2011 05:50:30 AM 828 Views
Also, do you even have a job yet? *NM* - 22/11/2011 06:02:11 AM 456 Views
Ikke ennĂ¥. - 22/11/2011 07:28:27 AM 811 Views
A simple no would suffice. *NM* - 22/11/2011 07:32:27 AM 518 Views
Well, that was little more than a simple no. - 22/11/2011 07:57:11 AM 736 Views
So do you think there is no cause whatsoever for protest? - 21/11/2011 03:31:04 AM 835 Views
Re: So do you think there is no cause whatsoever for protest? - 22/11/2011 04:15:30 AM 807 Views
I am also not Dan. - 22/11/2011 06:08:06 AM 696 Views
Re: So do you think there is no cause whatsoever for protest? - 22/11/2011 06:47:25 AM 895 Views

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