By Larissa Lichty
I think that some days we put a great deal of emphasis on sore losers. However, there is unsportsmanlike conduct on the winners' side as well. Politics can emphasize this.
I am a registered Republican. I hold conservative values. I currently hold a 3.3 GPA and was accepted into college with a 3.7 high school GPA and an SAT score of 1330. I've got a knack for argument and a fairly reasonable knowledge of the world. I've got basic German, Irish and Russian language skills. Let's put it this way: I'm no genius, but I'm not stupid either.
Had I voted, I would have voted for John McCain. Many of my friends supported Barack Obama. I have listened to their arguments critically for months on end, without being rude or disparaging towards them or their views.
So I listened to a friend denounce all Republicans as delusional. I listened to him denounce McCain supporters that were disrespectful at Obama's victory speech and talk up the Obama supporters that exhibited only classiness at McCain's concession speech. I mentioned that I was a Republican, and he told me that I was delusional for supporting John McCain. I said nothing more.
Let's have something out on the table right now. This kind of behavior and these kind of comments are absolutely UNACCEPTABLE. I have never been the victim of this kind of behavior before. It's no wonder people get killed over politics. This is a democracy in which you are free to choose who you vote for without fear of discrimination.
I suppose, now that Barack Obama has won the election, all of his supporters are free to attack the character, intelligence, and freedom of anyone who did not support him throughout his campaign. How's that for a generalization, folks? Can the liberals say anything they please now that their side has won?This kind of behavior can ruin the perception of a leader. It certainly has shaken all of the positive things that Obama had going for him.
Here is an analogy that may assist in your understanding. Penn State just beat their opponent in a double-overtime high-stakes football game. A PSU fan then beats up a fan of the opposing team after the stadium has emptied out into the parking lots. No one would stand for that, I hope. Let's not stand for the winners attacking the losers after the game is won. There's no reason (irrational or rational) for it.
I am not a backwater hick who barely graduated and runs to the grocery on an International with four kids at home. And I am sick of being shut up because I am a conservative. I'm sick of being considered a backward, racist, fundamentalist Christian who hates on everybody for voting Republican.
I am in college with an eye toward government employment and graduate school (a Ph.D. program in European history and military history). I grew up in the country, but that does not make me stupid. I graduated from high school. I'm in college.
I wouldn't be caught dead driving an International if there was a John Deere available. I didn't get pregnant in high school. I never made fun of the three black kids in my high school, in fact they were usually friendly towards me and I to them. I am a Christian who believes that God loves all--the ultimate equal opportunity.
I believe in freedom and the right to shoot trespassers. I'm not delusional because I believe differently than you. In fact, anyone who has the nerve to say such a thing is perhaps the one who is delusional, stupid, and mean.
I have no respect for winners that have no respect for the other players. People that behave in such a manner should consider the meaning of civilized behavior.
I think that some days we put a great deal of emphasis on sore losers. However, there is unsportsmanlike conduct on the winners' side as well. Politics can emphasize this.
I am a registered Republican. I hold conservative values. I currently hold a 3.3 GPA and was accepted into college with a 3.7 high school GPA and an SAT score of 1330. I've got a knack for argument and a fairly reasonable knowledge of the world. I've got basic German, Irish and Russian language skills. Let's put it this way: I'm no genius, but I'm not stupid either.
Had I voted, I would have voted for John McCain. Many of my friends supported Barack Obama. I have listened to their arguments critically for months on end, without being rude or disparaging towards them or their views.
So I listened to a friend denounce all Republicans as delusional. I listened to him denounce McCain supporters that were disrespectful at Obama's victory speech and talk up the Obama supporters that exhibited only classiness at McCain's concession speech. I mentioned that I was a Republican, and he told me that I was delusional for supporting John McCain. I said nothing more.
Let's have something out on the table right now. This kind of behavior and these kind of comments are absolutely UNACCEPTABLE. I have never been the victim of this kind of behavior before. It's no wonder people get killed over politics. This is a democracy in which you are free to choose who you vote for without fear of discrimination.
I suppose, now that Barack Obama has won the election, all of his supporters are free to attack the character, intelligence, and freedom of anyone who did not support him throughout his campaign. How's that for a generalization, folks? Can the liberals say anything they please now that their side has won?This kind of behavior can ruin the perception of a leader. It certainly has shaken all of the positive things that Obama had going for him.
Here is an analogy that may assist in your understanding. Penn State just beat their opponent in a double-overtime high-stakes football game. A PSU fan then beats up a fan of the opposing team after the stadium has emptied out into the parking lots. No one would stand for that, I hope. Let's not stand for the winners attacking the losers after the game is won. There's no reason (irrational or rational) for it.
I am not a backwater hick who barely graduated and runs to the grocery on an International with four kids at home. And I am sick of being shut up because I am a conservative. I'm sick of being considered a backward, racist, fundamentalist Christian who hates on everybody for voting Republican.
I am in college with an eye toward government employment and graduate school (a Ph.D. program in European history and military history). I grew up in the country, but that does not make me stupid. I graduated from high school. I'm in college.
I wouldn't be caught dead driving an International if there was a John Deere available. I didn't get pregnant in high school. I never made fun of the three black kids in my high school, in fact they were usually friendly towards me and I to them. I am a Christian who believes that God loves all--the ultimate equal opportunity.
I believe in freedom and the right to shoot trespassers. I'm not delusional because I believe differently than you. In fact, anyone who has the nerve to say such a thing is perhaps the one who is delusional, stupid, and mean.
I have no respect for winners that have no respect for the other players. People that behave in such a manner should consider the meaning of civilized behavior.
So let me get this straight...
Based on your narrow experience with a handful of Obama's supporters, you decide to chastise all Obama supporters for being sore-winners.
And yet you find generalizations to be bad--things against which you must defend yourself?
You're a Republican, but I don't automatically assume that you're a "backwater hick who barely graduated."
The purpose was to criticize those who behave without thinking. That does not include everyone, which seems to be the assumption, but is actually limited to those whose behavior is unacceptable. The example provided was an Obama supporter, but that is far from a limiting statement. Be careful that you don't read something into this (or anything else) that isn't there.
Generalizations are not bad, but they are extremely dangerous. Many people are not taught to handle generalizations carefully and critically. As an historian, I find them misleading: Russia was not as backwards a nation in World War I, for instance, as is often assumed by scholars and laypeople alike. It is perfectly logical to defend yourself or anyone else from being generalized.
I must have misinterpreted the last sentence of this paragraph. Please explain.
"I suppose, now that Barack Obama has won the election, all of his supporters are free to attack the character, intelligence, and freedom of anyone who did not support him throughout his campaign. How's that for a generalization, folks? Can the liberals say anything they please now that their side has won?This kind of behavior can ruin the perception of a leader. IT CERTAINLY HAS SHAKEN ALL OF THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT OBAMA HAD GOING FOR HIM."
"It" in the final sentence refers to "this kind of behavior" in the previous sentence. "It" as used in the final sentence does not refer back to "all of his supporters" in the first sentence, because the sentence would not make sense. Nor does "it" in the final sentence refer to "the liberals" in the fourth sentence of the same paragraph. Pronouns, as a rule, refer back to the most immediate previous subject unless otherwise specified in the context of the text.
Now that the language is clarified, I'll say this: The all-caps sentence is a personal view of how a behavior (refer to subject) affected my view of Obama's politics and leadership (refer to predicate). The thought had nothing to do with how the majority of Obama's supporters "won" the election.
Provo! Provo! Provo!
My highest compliments to you Larissa Lichty and also to Heather Smith on your article in this past York Sunday News (Viewpoints).
Its young individuals like you both that allows me to have great hope for the future of this country. Your points of view was right on. And I know you both took flack for this point of yours. See, I know how liberal York College is since I use to teach there back in the 90's.
I truly hope Congressmen Todd Platts saw both of your view points. For I would highly recommend for him to consider you both for an internship with him. We need strong patriotic supporters like you both.
Allow me to personally point out that I re-registered to independent this past year for I was so upset with our selection for President in the Republican party. If it would not have been for Sara Palin, I was not going to vote this year and it would have been my first time missing since after President Nixon.
I will continue to pray for both of you that you achieve your goals in education and obtain your dreams.
Sincerely,