Republicans Don't Have a Ton of Empathy for Strangers

[TygrBright]

By Peter Miller

http://www.vice.com/read/republicans-dont-have-a-ton-of-empathy-for-strangers

...
In 2011, Portman went on an antigay tirade during his commencement address at the University of Michigan law school. Instead of reading Dr. Seuss and telling those kids to wear sunscreen, this guy boldly subverted audience expectations by ranting about homosexuality for no clear reason. About a hundred law grads walked out on their own graduation ceremony in protest.

So, why the change of heart? Naturally, it’s because Portman learned his son is gay. Portman just wants his kid to have a good life, you see. That’s great and all, very touching, but don’t forget: back in Portman’s salad days of homophobia, he knew about people like his son. He just didn’t give a shit about them.

This isn’t an isolated incident, either. Former Vice President Dick Cheney ran on a platform of anti-LGBT bullshit in 2000. Then, in 2004, he announced that he was switching sides on the issue, after learning his daughter is a lesbian. They say his mechanical heart grew three sizes that day.

Well-stated.

appreciatively,
Bright

[cvoogt]

1. It's an "out of sight, out of mind" mentality

Similar to very young toddlers who have not yet learned object constancy, except in this case it is a lack of objectIVE constancy. So, many Republicans are strong in the "helping the neighbors / community" department (as well as church etc), but as for helping strangers who are a) not your neighbors, b) not in your community, and especially c) different from you ... not so much. Poverty? NIMBY seems to be the answer.

[fleur-de-lisa]

2. Yeah, I have no respect for anyone who changes his/her mind and/or heart . . .

simply because he/she was personally affected by it. They never admit that they were simply being bigots.

I do, however, give credit to PBO because of his stated reasons for 'evolving', but not these fuckers. The President didn't have a personal motive for changing his opinion, unless you count the influence of his daughters, which is totally legitimate in my book. My daughter has opened my eyes on more than one occasion when I was being obtuse.

So, fuck them and their change of heart! I don't buy it. It's only because their families are affected. Assholes!

[Salviati]

4. Exactly, while I'm glad that Cheney and Portman don't hate their own children...

... I'm not about to give them much credit for it either.

[fleur-de-lisa]

5. Good point . . . at least they don't comdemn their own childrren! - n/t

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Republicans don't have a ton of empathy. Period.

Actually, they don't have an ounce of empathy.

[Skittles]

6. I truly believe it is the major difference between conservatives and liberals

liberals tend to care about OTHER PEOPLE

[nikto]

7. It's not Republicans per se...

...so much as it is CONSERVATIVES.

In 61 years of life, I have yet to find ANY positive, life-affirming,
non-evil aspect of Conservatism.

Zilch.

[truebluegreen]

9. Yup. Although modern Republicans are certainly firmly in the grasp of conservatives.

I remember Thom Hartmann challenging a conservative on his radio show to name one piece of legislation proposed or passed by Republicans solely for the benefit of their fellow Americans.

Needless to say, he couldn't think of any.

[truebluegreen]

8. They are incapable of walking in others' shoes.

It is only when their own shoes pinch (reality bites!) that they gain a glimmer of understanding. Like all the people who hate the ACA, until a family member needs it.

Selfishness personified = conservatives.

[Rozlee]

10. Boy, you've got that right.

My ex-daughter-in-law got on extended Medicaid in West Virginia after years of having been on the spotty care of the state's terrible indigent healthcare system. Now, everyone up there is counting the days until October when they can enroll. She laughed and told me that she'd told them that it was great except for the microchip implantation. It doesn't appear to have fazed them much as they see how she's finally getting medications and medical care she couldn't before.

[truebluegreen]

13. It does no good to try to reason with them, does it?

So I guess we just have to keep pushing for, and passing, laws that benefit everyone, and hope that they'll get it after the laws go into effect.

<sigh> Makes me tired, a bit, but nothing like talking myself blue in the face!

[blkmusclmachine]

11. .

.

[markpkessinger]

12. It's rather akin to Sen. Ted Cruz . . .

. . . asking the government to expedite relief to the people of West, Texas after he called Hurricane Sandy relief "pork" and voted against it.