Empathy Training for Liberals: A Primer on the Conservative Mind

[Amaryllis]

This article has the BEST framework for how to talk to conservatives/ republicans about the need for election reform, written by a republican computer security expert.

Check out Herrin's website. The whole thing is incredible.
www.chuckherrin.com

Empathy Training for Liberals: A Primer on the Conservative Mind, From the Inside of One.

Chuck Herrin, CISSP, CISA, MCSE, CEH

American, Voter, Republican – In That Order

Author's note: **As of right now, 11-23-2004, there is no conclusive evidence that massive voter fraud took place, but there is overwhelming evidence that the weaknesses in our voting system could have allowed it. I hope it didn't happen, but the simple fact is that whether it did or not, our election systems, particularly those using DREs, appear to have been designed specifically to allow fraud, rather than prevent it. Who put these systems in place, and what is the real current state of e-voting? Read on, gentle surfer, and I'll do my best to tell you.**

Back when I was in college, I joined a fraternity called Pi Kappa Phi. From the rumors circulating the campus to this day and the surveillance tapes probably still making the rounds on Kazaa, I’ve been told that I had a good time during my tenure there. Now, the reason that I mention Pi Kappa Phi is because it is unique among fraternities in that we have our own Philanthropy. Where most Greek organizations would raise money for the Red Cross or United Way, we had our own group called PUSHAmerica. PUSH stood for People Understanding the Severely Handicapped, and one thing that we used to do is build Handicapped-Accessible Playgrounds for kids, which was a lot of fun and very much appreciated by the community. Another thing we did was go through something called “Empathy Training”, which usually involved going completely blindfolded for a day, or taping several fingers together to simulate motor skills difficulty, or spending a weekend in a wheelchair. This was less fun than spending your Saturday outside building ramps, but for a young man it was a real eye-opener, trying to live “a day in the life”. As a result of this “Empathy Training”, all of a sudden those old Helen Keller jokes weren’t so funny anymore.

Without drawing the analogy that Conservatives are Severely Handicapped ( Hey! Remember, I’m one too :-) ), I would like to offer some insight into how the Conservative mind works for you Liberals out there, so that perhaps we can stop Demonizing each other (Nazi! Fag! Fascist! Pantywaist!) and open meaningful channels of communication. I think we’re more alike than most of us realize, and we have real problems that affect all of us, regardless of what party we decided to sign up with. Since I’ve been a conservative Republican for FAR longer than I’ve involved with electronic voting, let me try to answer one of the biggest questions that you liberals have been asking me since I posted the HackTheVote info. That question is:

“Why won’t the Conservatives admit that the 2004 Presidential election was stolen?”

More:

http://www.chuckherrin.com/LiberalEmpathy.htm

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[Downtown Hound]

1. Wow! An honest Republican. Who'd have thought?

[Amaryllis]

4. I have actually met quite a few of them! And Herrin gives us a great

framework from which to talk to them about election fraud.

[Eloriel]

2. I rather liked his

advice to conservatives about us liberals on the subject as well. In fact, I liked it a whole lot better.

[Amaryllis]

6. I am curious about why you liked it so much better?

[marions ghost]

3. thank you Amaryllis

Chuck Herrin has a lot to say and I hope he keeps sayin it.

[Pooka Fey]

5. Good post.

[Straight Shooter]

7. bush gives Republicans a bad name; Herrin repairs some of the damage

Kick for a worthwhile article.

:kick:

[Amaryllis]

10. I wonder if the shoe were on the other foot (Dems doing the fraud)

how many Dems would be out in the trenches fighting the way Herrin is?
How many of us would care enough to really fight to the level we are now? Interesting to think about...I would always work for fair elections; however, one thing that motivates and keeps me obsessed with this is knowing we will never win another if the computer fraud issues aren't dealt with. He makes some very thought-provoking points.

[Bill Bored]

8. Anyone want to tell him it's Election Fraud he's talking about

not "Voter Fraud?"

Be nice though, he's a good guy!

[New Earth]

9. w00t

thank you for pointing that out! i get tired of doing it myself :hi:

[Moderator]

11. Amaryllis

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.


Thank you.


DU Moderator

[NationalEnquirer]

12. Sounds like a pretty honest assessment.

If the shoe were on the other foot?... I mean look at Washington state.
But anyways, this guy is pretty much right. He makes more sense than many posts I read here on DU.