Yes, Liberals Are Judgmental Too

I would like to remind fellow liberals that we too are judgmental creatures. We are all human, so we cannot escape our biases. Yeah I know, sometimes we like to think we are the clear thinkers, and that we are above bias, but think about it, doesn’t that sound just a bit self-righteous? And isn’t that the kind of pious thinking we rail against when it comes to conservative thought? My hope is that most liberals realize this, and I think that might be one of the differences between liberals and conservatives, and yes, that sounds self-righteous too, with just a touch of condescension added in for good measure.

Maybe I’m only speaking for myself, but I also think many liberals have a healthy level of self-doubt on the really important issues. Now hear me out on this. We do not lack principles, but we do internally question and re-question our opinions and our beliefs, and we do so even when we face frenzied opposition from conservatives. And I think this constant evaluation of our beliefs is why we are liberal in the first place and why we are indeed more tolerant.

Yes, liberals can be judgmental of conservatives, and some liberals might even say horribly offensive things about conservatives, and I’m not making excuses for that. But when was the last time liberals pushed for legislation that would condemn an entire group of people?

When was the last time liberals condemned people for being hungry? — That would be conservatives, passing legislation in states like Florida, requiring people to pass a drug test to receive welfare benefits like food stamps.

When was the last time liberals condemned people for being out of work? — That would be conservatives, who are against extending emergency unemployment benefits because they say it’s a “disincentive” to finding work. Remember, the employment rate is still almost 7%. But when you are busy judging people, you don’t let a little thing like reality get in the way.

When was the last time liberals judged people based on their sexual preference, or their sex lives in general? — That would be conservatives, particularly Christian conservatives, and this is an area where they tend to display the most self-righteousness. And it would be bad enough if it just stopped there, but of course we still have dozens of states with same-sex marriage bans.

We are all human, and therefore we cannot entirely escape bias, but what we can do is be self-aware enough to avoid supporting legislation that would condemn others. Maybe I’m the last person anybody would listen to when it comes to Jesus, as I’m not at all religious, but I can’t help myself, because when it comes to all the judgment and condemnation coming from the Right these days, especially in the form of legislation both federal and state, this weird little question sometimes pops into my brain: What would Jesus do?

Would Jesus require a drug test to feed the poor? Would Jesus tell people they are lazy because they can’t find a job that doesn’t exist? Would Jesus judge people who are in love because they are of the same sex? I think everyone knows the answers to these questions, based on what we are led to believe of Jesus (whether Jesus was real or not). So then I just have one question of conservatives: Would Jesus approve of your condemnation of fellow human beings?

Jesus weeping

Politics

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