Quote Originally Posted by bae View Post
Zoebird - my experience is not defined by Google, or media personalities. I was referring to members of my own community, who have spoken such words, directly to my face. It is quite divisive and hateful. My wife has been shunned by two ladies in one orchestra she plays in, simply because she voted for a Republican candidate, and was accused of being racist for criticising Obama. Since I was "outed" as a Republican because of my educational effort to participate in the caucus process here, people who have been nice to me for over a decade won't give me the time of day.

It's sickening.
Yeah, that's not cool. I've had the same outcome with family members (reverse direction -- republicans refusing to talk to me, look at things from different angles, including alternative republican angles beyond fox news, etc; name calling, etc). You've heard me tell of it before.

But, I think we are talking about two different things.

Since this thread is talking about the overall perception of the republican party, we are talking about something that is cultural -- not necessarily individuated (though it plays out there too).

Looking at O'Reilly's statements, is it false to assume that republicans are racist, sexist white people? Because O'Reilly's statement is sexist and racist. We also know that the majority of republican voters were white.

Flip side, Republicans can disavow O'Reilly (and I think they should), and/or we can simply consider O'Reilly an entertainer not to be taken seriously (assuming republicans do not take him seriously), then I'm happy to bypass the statement the same way I blow off Jeanine Garofolo's statements (wherein she called Republicans "tools" and racist white guys and lots of other things. But I don't consider here a voice of liberalism or liberal news or what have you).

That being said, I think people have ridiculous lack of manners around these things -- no civility or decency. I'm sorry that you guys went through it. And, I'm sorry that I go through it too.

But I don't understand why people wouldn't be upset (republican or democrat) about what O'Reilly stated if he is considered a legitimate voice.