Do you hate Bush?

[lwcon]

I always find it disingenuous when people who know what's going on in this country say they don't hate Bush.

What do you have to do to be worthy of hate?

Shouldn't you hate someone who causes hundreds of thousands of deaths on the merest of whims?

Shouldn't you hate someone who defiles what just might have been the greatest country on earth -- bringing in torture, theocracy, election fraud, abandonment of hurricane victims, and a massive transfer of wealth... to the most wealthy?

As for you, is "hate" too strong a word? Not strong enough?

Dick McDonald

Why is President George W. Bush so hated? Is it just a MoveOn.org scripted plot executed with precision by the Democrats and their supporters in the media, in Hollywood and on television? Is it because he wants to bring personal freedom and democracy to the world's people and the Mullahs of Islam, the dictators and kings and other tyrants like nanny-state socialists of the world propagandize their people that he is a terrorist? Are they mad because he freed 50 million people from religious and dictatorial tyranny in Afghanistan and Iraq? Just why are they so mad?

Headline:

Iraqi Shiites take revenge for slaughter of 215 — Police reportedly stand by as militias attack 7 mosques, burn Sunnis alive

Glenn Greenwald (re: why he hates the Bush administration):

I would say that an absence of hatred in the face of this conduct is what is irrational.

I'm not sure where the idea emerged that the only way to be "rational" is to be free of strong emotions — either be Mr. Spock or some out-of-control hysteric. I don't agree with that. I think rational assessments can lead to strong emotions — including hatred — and I documented why I think it's just in this case.

___

Hey, the liberal light is always on at the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Please stop by and say "hi!"

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Yes

[Karenca]

2. YES!!. nt

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Is this a trick question?

Will Agent Mike be knocking on my door if I answer truthfully?


O My! :hide:

[Christa]

4. Very much.

[wryter2000]

5. That's an interesting question

I didn't hate him until shock and awe. After that, I'd say, "define hate" if someone accused me of hating him. After Katrina, I realized I hadn't hated him before because my loathing went to a new and white-hot level. He honestly and truly doesn't give a f*ck about anyone but himself.

I still wonder about the definition of hate. Rather than consign him to the fires of hell, I'd like to see him on trial in the Hague.

For Agent Mike's benefit: I want justice to deal with him. Unlike him, I don't hurt people.

[badgerpup]

6. Does the pope shit in the woods? Is a bear catholic?

And what makes me angry is that this man has pushed me into a place where I HATE somebody that I have never (and the gods grant that I WILL never) meet.
:grr:
IMHO there is so much potential for destruction in hatred...it is such a dark and powerful force that it should not be impersonal.

Not sure if that makes sense...

[durtee librul]

52. Oh it makes perfect sense to me

...he is evil incarnate and I too am at a place where I never thought I would be about another human being (if I can call him that).

I passed his motorcade a while back and my first thoughts were of profound sadness that riding in that car was an individual who wielded such power and could do so much good for so many if he so chose.

Then as his car passed, I felt bone numbing cold fear that I was in the presence of pure evil and for the first time in my many years on this earth, I can unequovically say, I was petrified to be anywhere near him.

If I was to meet him, I'd probably spit on him. (and for Agent Mike, it would just be a little blob as my momma taught me SOME manners)

[scarletwoman]

7. I hold him in profound contempt. I find him disgusting and despicable, with no redeeming qualities

whatsoever. Is that the same as hating him? :shrug:

sw

[El Fuego]

8. YES. Sometimes hate is the only appropriate and necessary response.

[dchill]

23. Yes. Sometimes it's just a matter...

of self-defense. Of fighting fire with fire. God knows, he hates us. We just have to hate back, harder.

[Downtown Hound]

9. Yep.

I spend at least a combined 2-3 hours per day actively hating him, sometimes more.

[Pool Hall Ace]

10. Hate is such a strong word

but yes, I do hate him.

[MGD]

40. And sometimes it just isn't strong enough. nt

[ginnyinWI]

11. I think hatred is rooted in fear.

We hate something because we fear it. If the object becomes powerless or irrelevant, then the hatred can go away. Think about someone you've been very angry with and hated. Then think about whether they have some power to harm you.

The more he loses the power to cause harm, the less people will hate him. But for now, he still does have the power to cause harm!

[lwcon]

37. As a member of the reality-based community...

... I readily admit that Bush scares the shit out of me.

___

Hey, the liberal light is always on at the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Please stop by and say "hi!"

[dipsydoodle]

12. I think that

contempt and indifference express what I feel better. I recall learning once that love and hate are infact both positive emotions whereas bland indifference toward an individual is a whole differnt ball game - turns the individual into a non entity.

[jenmito]

13. But he's NOT...

a non entity. I DO hate him and it's because he has abused his power and in doing so has gotten hundreds of thousands of innocent people killed or maimed. If you don't hate someone like that, who DO you hate?

[dipsydoodle]

24. Hate is wasted energy.

There's not much that's constructive that you can achieve simply by hating someone and I'm sure he knows that. Maybe my viewpoint is just something which comes with age. :)

[jenmito]

34. Check my post #22 n/t

[frogmarch]

14. I despise bush

and his cronies with every fiber of my being. However, now that the Dems have the House and Senate, hating bushco no longer consumes my every waking moment.

[tblue]

15. For showing me the depth of my capacity to hate, yes. And I pity him, too.

[jenmito]

16. I have NO pity for him...

I reserve pity for people who DESERVE pity. Bush deserves none.

[tblue]

48. I pity his having not one redeeming quality whatsoever. What a waste of a life.

I pity him because he deserves absolutely nothing but contempt.

[mentalsolstice]

17. My momma taught me to never hate anyone, but...

...in this case I think it's warranted. So yes, I'll go on record and say that I hate Bush. And if that puts me on some kind of blacklist so be it!

[Pyrzqxgl]

18. At one time I thought I hated Nixon, & then Reagen

but they seem like cigarette butts in a beer glass compared to Bush (who is definitely a turd). I don't think I hate anyone, but I strongly disapprove of these Republican guys (most especially Bush) and I always will.

[elocs]

19. Hate consumes the hater and not the hated.

If I hate you does it hurt me or does it hurt you? If one hates Bush, what physical, mental, or emotional toll will it take on him more than it will on you? Will hating Bush make you a better person or have any effect on Bush?

[jenmito]

22. Hate can be constructive...

We can use our hatred of Bush to get out and protest or to try to get him impeached (for example) or even just to get the Dems. to perform oversight and investigations on him.

[LWolf]

36. Hate is not constructive.

It is not hate, but a passion for constructive ideals that drives the energy needed to create positive change. Opposition and action do not require hate. They simply require a desire to create change.

[jenmito]

42. I disagree...

MY hatred for Bush has inspired me to create positive change. If I felt indifferent, I wouldn't be inspired.

[LWolf]

44. I'm not inspired by hate.

I'm inspired by beauty. By empathy. By integrity, by truth. By interconnection. But not by hate.

I pity those who need hate to find inspiration. I'm sorry; that's not a criticism. It's a truth, straight from my heart. :-(

[jenmito]

45. I'm inspired by all those things, too...

as well as by hate.

[LWolf]

63. Then I am sorry.

I don't believe anyone ever left the world, or their world, a better place through hate.

[badgerpup]

64. Oh, I dunno...

People who have hated the status quo and worked for equal rights...
People who have hated what cancer or other diseases have done to their loved ones or to themselves...
People who have hated what was being done to the environment, and the fact that the 'endangered species' list is far too long and so are doing something to reverse the trend...

I'll agree that hate ALONE won't accomplish anything...and when undirected it's a dangerous, destructive hydrochloric acid of an emotion.
But it's like anger; a legitimate part of our emotional make-up and trying to pretend otherwise can get you all kinds of tangled up and confused when you actually experience it.
I hate. I wish that I didn't need to to so, but I do.

In my own defense I will say I only bring it out on really special occasions and it's NOT entire focus of my life.
I love, too...which takes up much more of my time and energy. </sermon> :silly:

[elocs]

39. Hate is never constructive. Those things can all be done without hate.

When you hate you lower yourself to the level of the object of your hatred. Hate mars and blurs good judgment. Hate is counterproductive. If or when there is impeachment and when Bush is not convicted, will your hatred diminish or increase? No, hate consumes the hater.

[jenmito]

43. Again, I disagree...

I don't feel lowered to Bush's level at all. If Bush is impeached, whether convicted or not, I'll feel pleased. Maybe hate consumes SOME people, but not me. I kind of LIKE it.

[elocs]

46. Well, hate away if it trips your trigger. Bush can be impeached without it.

Unfortunately, no amount of hate will convict Bush, but good luck with the hate thing since it has served humanity so well throughout history.

[jenmito]

49. Thanks. I will...

I hate Bush and I love when he lost the Congress. That in itself made my hate worthwhile. :D

[TankLV]

67. blah blah blah...

gee - I'm sorry that we are as "perfect" as you are!

Yes, the abstract philosopy of your argument is great to teach others - but we've SUFFERED directly for too much of his EVIL to remain in the abstract and neutral.

It's like somebody who is always happy to tell a depressed person to "just get over it"...they truly have no clue...

[stellanoir]

20. Look. . .

what if you determined that he thrives on hatred. . .?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3569357

Sure I loathe what he's done, his deceitfully destructive nature, but I see him as pathetically unenlightened.

Hold on. . .I'll fetch another link to explain.

Here. . .
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=245&topic_id=29524

See. . .from a metaphysical point of view, he's an ego inflated "fire starter" albeit one of the more destructive ones throughout recorded history.

[dchill]

21. I have a limited supply of hate...

but Bush qualifies to receive a healthy dose of it - even though he has what seems to be quite a stash of his own.

[tularetom]

25. If he was on fire I wouldn't pee on him

to put him out. But I don't think I think about him enough to actually hate the little dipshit.

[Kali]

26. Nah, but like a lot of Jesus' supporters, I'm not real fond of.

[TheCowsCameHome]

27. I hate one-answer questions.

So senseless, aren't they?

[WritersBlock]

28. I truly didn't think I could hate another human until he came along. Things changed. n/t

[OneBlueSky]

29. I don't hate Bush, because I try not to hate anyone . . .

besides, he is not the moving force behind all of the BushCo crimes and misdeeds -- which I most certainly DO hate . . . I also hate the role he's played in facilitating those transgressions, even if it's been only as a puppet for the real corporate/government powers that are actually running things . . .

[styersc]

30. I do not hate Bush or anyone else for that matter.

Additionally, people who vote or make decisions based upon emotion rather than logic are not reliable. Emotions wax and wane, disciplined thought make for momentumn and long term change.

[Warpy]

31. I hate the rich man's mindset

You know, the one that says they're a species apart from the rest of us and that the rest of us are their natural slaves and worthy only of bare subsistence (sometimes not even that) while they are entitled to multiple palaces and the best the world has to offer. They deserve it, in other words, and we don't.

That's what I hate, and I truly loathe it. It's the root of all the true evil in this world, especially as it's co opted religion in its service.

I don't waste my hate on human beings.

[Pushed To The Left]

32. No. But I do hate his politics and the politics of the far right!

I don't hate the people on the far right, but I DESPISE hardcore conservatism as a philosophy and think everything that can be done to defeat it should be done!

[qwlauren35]

33. So many words...

I think I've lost the energy to hate him. It just doesn't buy me anything.

And I'm finding it more productive to cheer for the new Congressional majority, and let a positive voice in that direction attempt to drown out the din from the Madman in the WhiteHouse.

To be honest, I'm enjoying watching so many Republicans scrambling to distance themselves from him.

But to be honest, the words "embarrassed and ashamed" usually came to mind whenever I think of Bush.

Bush-type people exist all over America. But he didn't get to the presidency by a 1-man coup. If he did, then yes, I would hate him. Unfortunately, he got to be president because of a lot of very hateable things working in concert. And why he got to STAY president is not worth discussing here.

I'm old, tired and cranky. At this point, I figure hating Bush is about as useful as making donations to the Ross Perot for President campaign of 1992. Maybe it made sense to do so once, but it definitely isn't where I want to put my money or energy right now.

[LWolf]

35. No. I don't hate. On principle.

I believe that hate is destructive. Just as destructive to the hater as the hatee. So I don't hate. That is not disingenuous. It's a matter of principle.

Nothing that anyone does, ever, will ever be worthy of hate. Because hate is unworthy of a principled person, from my perspective.

Do you have to hate someone to disagree with them? No.

Do you have to hate someone to vigorously oppose them? No.

Do you have to hate an action to disagree with it, oppose it, or intervene to block it? No.

Do you have to hate what your conscience won't allow you to support? No. You just have to oppose it. You don't have to hate it.

Do you have to hate to accomplish good things? No. You just have to value good things.

Shouldn't you hate someone who causes hundreds of thousands of deaths on the merest of whims?

No. You should stop them, and prevent them from more harm. That doesn't require hate, but diligence and action.

Shouldn't you hate someone who defiles what just might have been the greatest country on earth -- bringing in torture, theocracy, election fraud, abandonment of hurricane victims, and a massive transfer of wealth... to the most wealthy?

No. You should stop them, prevent them from more harm, and get to work cleaning up the mess. That doesn't require hate, but diligence and action.

Hate, in my opinion, is destructively self-indulgent. I think we can accomplish more if we focus on what we want to achieve and let go of whatever gratification we get from hating.

[Trajan]

57. Well Spoken ....

I completely agree .... Hate is poison ....

[enough already]

38. With a passion n/t

[Bad Penny]

41. hatred is too lenient for the little troll

[fuzzyball]

47. No, cuz I do not hate anyone!!

I learned that hate only saps your strength & eats at your
brain. It is unproductive. It is much better to have a
positive attitude towards one's own beliefs and spend the
precious energy in pursuing your goals and ideals.

[Vidar]

50. Hate isn't a stronge enough word.

[Clarkie1]

51. "Ain't no time to hate" - Robert Hunter. nt

[Elidor]

53. Hate is not a strong enough word

I despise the motherfucker.

[BikeWriter]

55. That is a good try, Pard.

[BikeWriter]

54. HATE is an inadequate word...

[Trajan]

56. I despise him .....

Hatred is wrong for me .... I want my human 'soul' cleansed of hatred ....

I just aint a hater type ....

[Oeditpus Rex]

58. Not really

I can't stand him. I consider him grossly, criminally incompetent. And I just think he's an ass.

But he's not the one behind all this mess. He's just the figurehead.

[Skittles]

59. I fucking despise that bastard

I don't think much of anyone who ever voted for that piece of shit either

[lwcon]

60. Well, that was cathartic!

I understand that hate is corrosive and often disempowering. I'm not particularly recommending it.

The "don't get mad, get even" philosophy is, of course, a more reasoned response.

But as much as I don't admire or advise hate, I'd be a liar to say that I didn't feel it when faced with big-league evil of the sort we've seen these past six years.

How do I feel about Osama Bin Laden? Hate 'im. How do I feel about George Bush? Ditto.

I think sometimes it's cathartic to admit that, but then it makes sense to move on and figure out how to help get our country back. The election was a good start, but we have miles to go before we sleep.

___

Hey, the liberal light is always on at the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy. Please stop by and say "hi!"

[kentuck]

61. I hate what Mr Bush stands for...

greed, arrogance, deceit, disregard for the law, etc...

[watercolors]

62. YES, YES!

enough said

[Gloria]

65. Yes, with all my being. Nonstop for the last 6 years.

[TankLV]

66. Is a repuke a WAR CRIMINAL?! YES - of course!

It might be nobler in some abstract sense to not "hate" anyone, but I'm sorry if some don't like it if I'm no so "noble" as them...

[mitchum]

68. Yes, I hate him

[otohara]

69. With A Passion

he's a horrible person!

[Codeblue]

70. yeah

I never wanted to hate ANYONE let alone someone I don't even really know. But one day I was talking to my mom about the state of society and I said "I hate them" (meaning the whole administration).

She replied "No you don't. You don't hate anybody." So I lost myself in a trance staring out the window and thinking about all of the things they've done that have fucked up everything. Right then, I felt that all hope for my future was gone and I was completely helpless to change anything.

Then, the strangest feeling came over me. Something I had never felt before swelled up and overwhelmed me. It caught me so off guard that I came out of my trance and realized I had just for the first and only time, experienced hatred. I knew it was hate, it was more powerful than any emotion I've ever felt. It scared the shit out of me.

But now I know there are people in the world that are capable of eliciting true hatred in me.

[RobbinsdaleDem]

71. Yes!