Post: Why Bernie's Scandinavia argument doesn't work

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Why Bernie's Scandinavia argument doesn't work

By Donna
April 30, 2022 3:26 pm
Category: Politics

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Many years ago I was talking to a conservative about how democratic socialist nations like Norway, Denmark, and Sweden had the happiest and most prosperous populations on the planet. He answered, "That's because they don't have many Blacks".

I think his response sums up very well why conservatives are opposed to socialism in the US. I think most of them would be onboard with socialism if benefits could be restricted to people they felt deserved them.

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Comments on "Why Bernie's Scandinavia argument doesn't work ":

by HatetheSwamp on April 30, 2022 3:37 pm

You definitely do like to think the worst of people with whom you disagree.
by Donna on April 30, 2022 3:42 pm
I don't take pleasure in it because in this case, it's my late dad.

There was even disagreement on the left over the issue of whether or not undocumented immigrants should be covered by Medicare For All.

You have a real hard time handling the truth. You wallow in denialism.
by HatetheSwamp on May 1, 2022 6:37 am

You've mentioned your dad from time to time over the years, but it never sunk in that he was that aggressively bigoted.

I'm sorry to hear you had to grow up with that. It explains how you might, from time to time, project unwarranted evil on conservatives as a whole group.
by Donna on May 1, 2022 8:27 am
From what you've posted about your dad it sounds like he was equally bigoted.

I've never contended that all conservatives were racists. What I've contended is that most racists are conservative.

I forgive people from our parents' generation who are racist because they were raised to believe racist ideas. That kind if indoctrination -- social, political, religious -- is difficult to overcome.
by HatetheSwamp on May 1, 2022 8:49 am

By your dad's standard, my dad wasn't racist. We lived in a town that was 100% white, predominantly German, some Anglo-Saxon.

The big churches were German Reformed (now United Church of Christ) and Lutheran. There were very few Catholics.

Dad rarely even saw a black person and he never was comfortable around black people. But, I never heard him say the word, nigg*r.
by Donna on May 1, 2022 9:41 am
My dad never used that word either. His dad did, though.
by HatetheSwamp on May 1, 2022 9:58 am

Where I grew up, when I grew up, people would say the word and not mean it disparagingly...when I was young. It was sort of slang for Negro. But, I am a geezer.

Times have changed.
by Donna on May 1, 2022 10:50 am
The "N" word was despicable back in the day, too. You're in denial of their racism.
by HatetheSwamp on May 1, 2022 10:54 am

You love to judge, ain't, po...Donna.

I'm talking about a time when you were not yet born...ABOUT A CULTURE WITH WHICH ARE ENTIRELY AND PERFECTLY IGNORANT. PERIOD!

Period!
by Curt_Anderson on May 1, 2022 11:05 am
I will be 70 this summer. For my entire life the N-word was considered offensive and demeaning. My late father who would be 95 now didn't use that slur (at least in my presence) although he had the usual prejudices of his day. We didn't know any Black people growing up. I was in college when I had my first Black friends.
by HatetheSwamp on May 1, 2022 11:25 am

For my entire life the N-word was considered offensive and demeaning.

Well, ain't you grand.

Where I grew up, the population was, is even today, very ethnic German. In my little village, even today, nearly half, maybe fully half, of the population doesn't speak English as a first language. Among many who speak English primarily, you, as an outsider, would have difficulty understanding because of the accent and peculiar idioms.

Y'know, in Nineteen Eighty-Four, after the story ends, Orwell includes a separate section on the manipulation and fascist control of language. And, he's being frighteningly prescient about Western progressives today.

Certainly, the N word is offensive these days. It has been for decades even here. I haven't heard it for about 50 years and if someone would say it today here, now, it would be offensive.

But, for you Blue MAGAs to judge everyone everywhere by you and your life experience? That's sanctimonious, insensitive and offensive.

You are who Orwell warns about.
by Donna on May 1, 2022 2:02 pm
All you do here is project.
by Curt_Anderson on May 1, 2022 2:17 pm
HtS sanctimoniously chastises us for being insensitive and offensive to those who are insensitive and offensive.
by HatetheSwamp on May 1, 2022 2:23 pm

No. pb's simply pointing out that you're judging people by you and your time. Nothing more.

Mark Twain used the n word numerous times in Huckleberry Finn. Neither Twain nor Huck were racists.
by Curt_Anderson on May 1, 2022 2:30 pm
HtS,
I sincerely apologize if I insensitively offended your 19th century sensibilities.
by HatetheSwamp on May 2, 2022 4:18 am

No problem, Curt, just so long as you understand that the notion that when you, in your time and place becomes the focus of everything, you have the roots of xenophobia.

But, honestly, it's more obvious to me all the time, that today's progressives need to pass judgment. You all do it. As naturally as you breathe.

You live in this moment. You seem to judge all things by yourselves in the here and now...as is the case with this dialog.

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