Have you ever noticed that leftists as a group are about the most intransigent people on the planet? Worse, they fail to recognize this trait in themselves and instead project it onto opponents in discussions.
I run into this often regarding politics. I’m a registered Republican and so am accused of being a doctrinaire fossil, unwilling, unable and unlikely to see the light as preached by leftists.
They, in turn, tend to view themselves as the soul of enlightenment, always making intelligent and informed choices based on facts.
Presumably, this would include the number the crazies rallying to support Hamas and chanting “death to America” on the streets of New York City earlier this week.
Or perhaps we should cite the leftists who are more likely to censor opposition than their counterparts on the right, or even opposition from their progressive ranks. Witness the recent actions at National Public Radio and an endless array of similar situations in which an individual has been ejected from the progressive mob for having the temerity to suggest the groupthink of the moment was not correct.
The topic of closed minds arose while my wife was visiting a friend Thursday, with the discussion turning to a local politician visiting the church Easter egg hunt my wife’s friend had organized and supervised.
A couple of church biddies, presumably on the political right, were outraged that this Democract showed up to hand out comic/coloring books to kids.
Pictures showed up on social media and the church hierarchy felt compelled to post they were not endorsing said politician.
Churches are supposed to be welcoming places, certainly for someone looking to be kind to the kids. But this guy was a Democrat, so no room at the inn, to borrow a Biblical reference.
Understand from this anecdote that I fully recognize some on the right suffer from terminal close-mindedness, too. It’s just not nearly as prevalent as it is among leftists.
Somehow, my name got dragged into the church discussion, as perhaps someone who as a Republican would be similarly hostile to the Democrat at the Easter egg hunt.
No, my wife said, for all my faults, I tend to vote for the person I perceive to be the best candidate. As noted here in the past, I can recite a litany of having voted for Democrats, including this guy.
Two active area Democrat officeholders I have voted for are Cambria County Commissioner Tom Chernisky and State Rep. Frank Burns.
In the past, when I would deign to try to educate leftist acquaintances on this philosophy of voting for the best candidate not for a party label, it was a fool’s errand. I’ve pretty much given up on that.
But, I do try to exhibit a degree of flexibility on issues beyond politics. Some people like dogs. Some like cats. I like them both.
As a car hobbyist, I am a Mustang guy. My first car was a Mustang and I’ve owned Mustangs for significant portions of my life, including two currently.
But I also wanted a C4 Corvette (Chevrolet, not Ford) and recently bought one. Flexibility.
A writer who once covered the Steelers for another newspaper, accompanied the media types and some team publicity people to a Polynesian restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., many years back. His order – a hot dog and French fries, with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
To borrow from the Seinfeld episode on being gay, “not that there’s anything wrong with that.” I just think sometimes it’s beneficial to branch out, push the envelope, and, when at a Polynesian restaurant, try some of the specialties.
Ralph Waldo Emerson put it best when he wrote: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”
Leftists, in particular, should take note.
Sam Ross Jr's site 