I admit it, I stoop to name calling.  One, that is.  "Sheep".

It's the one time I find myself calling names, and you'll find it used on this blog.  I suppose I call it my little calling card.

But that's it.

Michael Medved was calling Libertarians a wide variety of names (including the stunningly childish "loser-tarians") today, presumably because he disagrees with them on some issues.  Just as the Democrats did with Joe Lieberman.  Just as virtually every other talk show host does.  Dennis Prager may be one exception, but that's about it.  Sean Hannity is terrible in this department -- he'll start name-calling faster than anyone (well, maybe outside of Michael Savage, who gets so angry and so abusive so quickly he's in a league of his own).  The group at Air America isn't any better overall.

Such behavior is regularly exhibited by people who are so paralyzed by their ideology that they cannot fathom that anyone would disagree with them on anything.  Their minds are so closed that any view that challenges their own is alien and could only be produced by someone who is either stupid or evil.  And these are the people I refer to as "sheep".  Both ends of the political spectrum, sadly, are full of them.

It's not even good strategy.  When I see Person A repeatedly attacking and insulting Person B, I'm much more likely to doubt Person A.  Seems to me that the best way to get your point across, the best way to convince, is to use nothing but logic, maturity and reason.  Why do so many talk show hosts and other partisans act like children so quickly, so often?

Our problems will not be solved as long as we sound like a seventh-grade school yard.  Until we decide to treat each other with a fundamental respect, even if (imagine this) someone disagrees with us.

The mere fact that I disagree with you on a given topic does not make me stupid, dumb, idiotic, or a loser.  Even my EIGHT year old knows THAT.

We think we're so civilized, yet we jump on the attack when someone utters a thought that differs from our own.

We have a long way to go, and I'm not holding my breath.