There's an Internet meme that "liberalism is a mental illness". Another that says that "conservatives are evil."
No. Wrong. Stop it. You're not helping anything.
Liberalism is a political ideology, nothing more. Those who believe in progressivism/liberalism are not evil. Those who believe in conservatism aren't evil either.
The problem is that some - on both sides - find it easier to re-quote "talking points" than to spend time actually analyzing a specific policy in a rational manner. This isn't easy: it requires a deep understanding of historical and current affairs, examination of the full set of consequences of that policy (including "unintended" consequences), and measuring the policy's impact against human nature.
Human nature rules everything.
Not human nature as we would like it, but human nature as it has been throughout recorded history. Not geopolitical human nature, but individual human nature. The understanding of what makes people "tick": the various desires, foibles, and stubbornness that are all part of the human condition. The fact that, as we grow from children into adults, everything about us changes. That we form some behaviors as children that follow us into adulthood. That some "learned behaviors" stay with us, and others fall away over time. That it ALWAYS takes a deep trauma to force us to change - and sometimes even that isn't enough.
The "stubbornness" part of human nature means that, when faced with examples or evidence to the contrary, we very often "dig in our heels" and refuse to accept that evidence as valid. We dismiss that evidence immediately, or find some way to ignore the evidence. We don't want to admit to ourselves that we may not be perfect. That we may not have been absolutely correct.
That we may have been wrong.
It's hard to mentally admit - to yourself - that you were wrong. It takes courage to admit to others that you were wrong. Sometimes it takes more courage than some people have. Sometimes, rather than admit error, some people will lash out at those who have presented evidence that they are wrong.
Sometimes we attack the messenger because we don't like the message. Or because the message holds truths that we don't want to acknowledge.
Some find it easier to re-quote political "talking points" that they have "heard everyone say" than to stop and think about the true meaning behind those "talking points". And to question where those "talking points" are coming from. And who has been saying them. And what those people have to gain from saying them. Yes: some folks will twist the meaning of words to gain sympathy from those who don't pay full attention to what is really being said.
It isn't easy to spend the time to analyze all of the political ideological crap making its way to us through various forms of media. But it's important to think about it rather than making a knee-jerk reaction. If you think the message is wrong, make your case against the ideology you oppose. Explain why you think it is misguided, and present evidence.
But to dismiss an opposing viewpoint by calling it "evil" is disingenuous... and somewhat childish.
