Those Right-Wing E-Mails

I recently received one of those mass distributed e-mails with a snide right wing mantras about 'conservatives are for freedom; liberals want to take it away' with a series of banal examples (Unfortunately, I deleted it). On the face of it, one could just as easily contrive an inaccurate and misleading comparison from a liberal perspective. "Liberals believe women should have reproductive privacy; conservatives believe the government should be in your bedroom. Liberals believe everyone should be entitled to a working wage; conservatives believe corporations come before people. Liberals believe people should be free of religious tyranny; conservatives believe government should promote religion. Liberals believe people should have access to health care; conservatives sick people should die quickly. Etc...you get the picture.

But what's more revealing is that this message was ever sent at all. It is a common observation among many on the left that these crude, baiting, provacative stink bombs are invariably thrown into mixed company by those with cartoonish right wing agendas. Rarely, if ever, do you see or hear unsolicited liberals broadcast tirades or characitures. Perhaps that is because most liberals' interpersonal and social habits reflect their politics; with a strong dose of empathy, sensitivity and even just plain old good manners. That's why most don't pop off at a neighborhood party or e-mail their entire address book with some personal, simple-minded political spitball.

And maybe the lack of those traits are why these things always come from right-wingers. That's what these e-mails really say.