About Hate

I was searching for articles on Stephen Colbert at the WHCD and came across this article from the American Thinker

The Politics of Anger on the Left

America’s Left and the political party it calls home, the Democrats, have been seized by anger ever since the disputes of the 2000 presidential election, with its razor-thin margin, judicial intervention called forth by Gore, and the ultimate victory for President Bush. Intoxicated by the endocrine-like jolts of energy, the Left has become addicted to anger.

The Left has been self-administering a daily dose of derision, bile, and venom in an effort to keep its energy levels high in the face of a continued Republican hold on the presidency and Congressional majorities. But these are dangerous drugs. Whatever satisfying kick they provide, the side effects are so serious as to threaten the survival of the organism itself.

It goes on to Talk about some angry e-mails that columinst Richard Cohen got because he wrote that Stephen Colbert wasn't funny. He mentions that there was a time when some on the Right were like that with Bill Clinton but assumes that isn't the case anymore. It amused me so to think that there would be those that don't think the Right fringe is just as angry as the left that I just had to send an email to the writer. Here it is with his response:

Tuesday, May 09, 2006 9:00 AM
To: editor@americanthinker.com
Subject: re: Politics of Anger on the Left

I read with interest your article about the angry left. It did leave me wondering how you seem to not see this same anger from the right. I have listened to Al Franken read some of his e-mails which contain the same "raw sewage" as Mr. Cohen contends to have gotten.

I listened to the Washington Journal the other morning and heard an angry consevative call me a godless, no good baby killer. That is what all liberals and democrats are and they are ruining this country he said. Ramesh Ponnuru has a new book that calls my Democratic party, The Party of Death and Ann Coulter insults me everytime I see her on TV.So from my liberal, progressive, Democratic standpoint I can say I see the same thing from the other side too.

Thank you for your time,
Gingersnapp
Anytown, MO.

PS I am a stay at home Mom of three children who has never killed a baby, has never had a pair of Birkenstoks, never saw a latte let alone drank one, and I don't have an elitist bone in my body.

Thank-you for writing. I did specifically mention in the article that during the Clinton era many conservatives became consumed with hate. Certainly, some remain so angered, but, as the article pointed out, the left is particularly frustrated by the powerlessness it currently haves. And is self-sabotaging itself.

To me, the interesting point is that Cohen is liberal who strayed ever so slightly off the plantation, and received thousands of hateful emails. I am not aware of anything similar happening on the right. It could certainly happen, particularly if conservatives were out of power and equally frustrated.

How did you happen to see the article? Are you a regular reader, or is the article posted on a left-leaning site?

Thomas Lifson