To wonder where the normal people are?

[wherearemypeople]

I went to a broadly leftwing but not political event the other day. At one point an anti racist man shouted out "never mourn a Tory", which struck me as pretty pro-violence in the month that Ann Widdecombe was murdered. Then a trans performance poet had trans flag painted bricks to remind people of the stonewall riots and said that sometimes people needed more persuasion, and mentioned Wes Streetings constituency office being damaged.

I used to be solidly left wing but would never condone violence. I'm just wondering where normal people are who are neither like the ones just mentioned or Tommy Robinson fans.

Name changed just in case the woman who runs the event comes on here.

Can’t believe I’m about to quote Jacob Rees Mog but when you’re right you’re righ. Saw an instagram clip of him saying people on the right think people on the left are wrong but people on the left hate people on the right and the left have a real intolerance problem so I can’t say I’m surprised.

No - the terms scum and vermin are extremely scurrilous, insulting and extreme. You often hear that trip about someone having something up their arse, implying stuffiness or pomposity- it’s fairly mild really. And accusing someone of being pompous is hardly like calling them scum.

Plus - it’s one thing for a politician to have a go at another politician- see M Thatcher and the savaged by a dead sheep remark - but labelling part of the electorate or in fact anyone from an opposing party as vermin or scum is of a different order.

Trope, not trip.

Autocrrect is definitely scum!

I can’t bear R-M but I think that’s true. In fact - I think he’s quoting another source. It does seem true that the right merely think the left are wrong, while the left actually hate the right with a vengeance.

See, I disagree. I think “pathological confidence trickster” is bloody appalling so we’re going to have to agree to differ.

I think I've always been left-leaning normal. Been nudged over towards the right in recent times, but certainly not to extremes. Sadly my DH, never previously interested in politics at all, must have read a random article about Kier Starmer a year ago and then another and another, until all of his algorithms fed him more and more. Now all he watches is GB News and YouTube right-wing "journalists" and grifters, slags off the government and refers to boat people. He's not in far-right territory, but he's not far off. He gets so irate about it all I do is nod and smile.

I have attempted to assert a central opinion or argument but get shouted down, so I don't bother anymore. I hope he tires of it soon.

I blame social media.

I think there is a vast difference between politicians sniping at each other and normal people sniping at them. Politicians know each other and it’s more similar to bitching at school or the world’s most unregulated workplace.

Ordinary people actually have more need to be represented in policy than to whinge about personality but that isn’t how human beings operate, of course.

Thinking we know politicians personally and looking for faults of character or lapses in their agreement with ourselves individually so we can be offended is nuts - the faults alare irrelevant if they can unite and govern a country. There seems to be some weird belief that a politician must agree with everybody in all ways and it is not possible. Nobody should be killing politicians, or harassing women’s meetings, or firebombing their houses, because they disagree with their ideas.

Should we be allowed to complain endlessly about politicians? Yes. Should we think that complaint is grounds for trying to hurt or harass either politicians or others we don’t agree with on individual policies? Obviously not.

I would call that “robust language “ of the sort you get in Parliamentary debates. Do you remember when…was it Alan Clark ..was accused of being “economical with the truth” because you’re not allowed to accuse someone of lying in the Houses of Parliament?

if I said you were a nasty spiteful woman (which I’m very much NOT saying!😄 ) that wouldn’t be nice but calling you an effing cow or a bitch would be totally out of order. I think it’s that kind of difference, but as you say, we may have to agree to disagree.

You wouldn’t be the first to call me the latter! I’d actually be more upset at being called a nasty spiteful woman because that’s the complete opposite of what I am - or at least I think so. 😉

I'm sure you're not a nasty spiteful woman!!

I don’t think so but of course opinions might vary!