Glenn Greenwald hits the nail on the head with this article on the absolutism that the most fervent in the Republican party hold for their worldview, in spite of evidence that would contradict it or cause a otherwise rational individual to alter their view on certain issues.
This isn’t to say there are confined to just one political party (liberal-progressives certainly have some as well), however, I see them more concentrated in the GOP and this was true even when they controlled both the legislative and executive branches of government.
There is though, one instance when such dogmatism appears to collapse:
For all the mockery over empathy, look at what happens to right-wing figures in those rare cases when they become personally affected by the ideology they advocate. They quickly abandon it. Dick Cheney objects to the injustice of gay inequality because his daughter is burdened by it. Nancy Reagan deviates from social conservative dogma to become a leading advocate of stem-cell research because she suffered through her husband’s Alzheimers. Jane Harman instantaneously transforms from Surveillance State authoritarian to raving civil libertarian upon learning that her own telephone conversations were intercepted by the government. They advocate their views up until the point that it begins adversely affecting not only others, but also themselves.
Read the whole piece. You’ll be glad you did.
Related articles
- Gingrich on Sotomayor’s Empathy – Once More with Feeling! (firedoglake.com)
- Steve Schmidt’s Family Values (slog.thestranger.com)
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