The truth gets uglier, day by day

Commenting earlier on another wordpress contributor’s blog I follow, whose post today is about honouring ‘Zero Discrimination Day’, I lauded the sentiments expressed about being fair-minded and tolerant and a seeker of egalitarianism. But then I wrote the following as the dual American/Canadian citizen I am:

“To address the overwhelming elephant in every single room right now, the question is one of how to respond. For decades, the liberal stance was one of– to quote Hillary/Michelle –“when they go low, we go high”, which only got taken as permission by the other side to go all the lower….and, let’s acknowledge one truth, there is no bottom to the proverbial barrel.

And now Americans are at the nadir of where low can take us (at least for now–get ready–there’s lower yet to come). And, again, the question becomes one of how do those wishing to genuinely listen to all sides, those not wishing to discriminate against even egregious views, respond when egregious views become not just discriminating, but viscerally threatening and dangerous?

Is it still that cherished liberal stance of ‘when they go low, we go high’?

We boomers ended a war back when we were in our 20s, and it sure wasn’t done by remaining stoically dedicated to high ideals. We occupied offices, shut down universities, clogged the streets, shouted, broke laws, went to prison, and became a threatening presence ourselves.

So now what?”

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