Respect for the Left by Michelle Nevada Jun 10, '04
Members of the left-wing, in both Israel and America, are disrespectful of the Arab population as a whole. In fact, I would have to add, those who make excuses for the brutal activities of the Palestinian people are bigots. They will try to convince you otherwise, but what I am saying is true.
You see, true respect comes from holding others accountable for their actions. When you hold someone accountable, you are making the assumption that the person is just as capable, intelligent and sophisticated as you are. When you refuse to hold that person accountable, when you make excuses for bad behavior, you are showing that you do not believe that person is capable of the same level of behavior that you would expect from other members of society. In other words: by excusing the brutal actions of Palestinian terrorists, the left-winger is saying, "They are too incompetent, stupid and backward to understand the proper way to act in a civilized society, and are not capable of learning these things, so we should excuse them."
These are also the same groups who think that members of ethnic minorities, poor people and disabled people should never be held to the same standard as "middle class white folk", because those people are "disadvantaged" and - by the left-wingers estimation - apparently can never improve, as they are fundamentally defective people. The "poor them" philosophy of the Left keeps the poor and the disadvantaged down by refusing to provide them with the respect and accountability they deserve.
The right-wing, however, refuses to see people as "disadvantaged". They see people as people, worthy of respect, love and honesty. Those who hold others accountable for their actions do this out of respect. They would expect nothing less from others than they would expect from themselves. They do not make excuses; they make opportunities. This is the essence of respect, and the opposite of bigotry.
I learned this lesson from my sisters.
My sisters have been working with disabled people for over 20 years, and they have taught me a lot about respect. I've learned from them that respect for others is not as easy as it might seem. It is very hard work.
You see, most people think "respect" is something you give. In the case of a disabled person, many people think that "respecting" a person with a disability means that one should ignore everything they do that is negative and praise everything they do that is positive. Many people make excuses for the poor behavior of a disabled person: "she is probably in pain," they will say about a rude woman in a wheelchair, or "he just doesn't know any better," they will say about inappropriate comments by a man with Down's Syndrome, or "he probably doesn't have any place to get a shower" they will say about a mentally ill homeless man who stinks. But clearly, this is not a respectful attitude toward the disabled person. One who ignores or excuses poor behavior is basically saying, "Those poor people! They just aren't as 'human' as I am, so I will not expect as much from them." Treating disabled people, or any other group of people in the population, as if they are incapable of proper civil behavior is not respectful; it is patronizing.
A patronizing attitude can lead to poor education ("The poor dears just can't learn as well."), stigmatization of the population ("She just doesn't understand, so let's leave her alone.") and negative stereotypes ("Those people always stink.").
True respect is not given, it is earned, by both sides. Respect requires commitment and action, not wholesale passive approval. When one respects another, the respect is mutual and sincere. If someone needs help, help them without excuses, and then demand that the person act in a way that is respectful and proper toward others.
For example, when a homeless person comes into my sisters' office smelling like they need a bath, my sisters don't ignore it. They say, respectfully, and kindly, "Do you know that you smell very badly? I can't talk to you in my office when you smell like this. Can I help you find a place to get a shower and some clean clothes, and we can meet after that?" This is not disrespectful. This is caring and honest. I have seen homeless people break down in tears with honest gratitude and say, "I had no idea that I smelled badly! That must be why no one wants me around them!" I have seen lives change from homeless to wage-earning, and from lonely to married - all because my sisters have been frank and respectful to this population.
Isn't it time that we recognize the patronizing, bigoted behavior of the left-wing toward the "disadvantaged" and the "Palestinians" for what it is? Shouldn't we name the behavior, in a respectful way, and suggest that the left-wingers begin to act as if all people are deserving of equal respect and accountability? I refuse to believe the left-wing is too incompetent, stupid and backward to be held accountable for their actions, and I sincerely hope that, with frankness, we can help them to understand and combat their propensity toward bigotry.
