Hating stephen harper

Hate:

a :  intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury

b :  extreme dislike or antipathy :  loathing hate

What's the problem?

"Hate" is a strong emotion. And strong emotions are really felt by children. They can go from the depths of despair (their ice cream fell out of their ice cream cone) to intense joy (they got a new ice cream cone and the monkey behind the glass is doing something funny) in a matter of minutes.

When adults do that, we (obviously) call them "childish."

One can get swept along by their emotions. (The initial flush of excitement and joy and longing for a new romantic partner.) And we can later regret this. ("He was just another cheating, user asshole!")

Given their lower level of intelligence and emotional maturity, it is the right-wing that exhibits the more "emotional" sort of politics. They will hate their enemies more and love their champions ... well, perhaps "love" is the wrong word for it. But they'll get swept-up by enthusiasm much more easily. 

It's like what Al Franken said about Michelle Bachmann's love for the United States:

 As Franken noted, liberals love America like adults love their parents, while conservatives love America like a four year-old loves his parents. Liberals love America, but can emotionally and intellectually recognize that America sometimes takes an errant path and try to get back on course. This is the same way an adult child loves a parent. Conservatives, on the other hand, think everything America does is right, just as a young child thinks everything Mommy does is right even if Mommy is acting unwisely. And a four year-old will punch you in the nose if you ever say anything bad about Mommy.

But some leftists (not me) feel passionate because they feel themselves infused with a love of humanity in general; or the world in general; or life itself. They feel unashamed of letting themselves be ruled by these emotions. Love, compassion, pity, empathy.

Hatred though? No. Hatred is to be rejected. Hatred is what racists feel towards people with socially-agreed upon, but arbitrary differences. Hatred is what mentally misshapen, childish right-wing types feel. We don't want to be like that.

[And please, right-wingers or random concern trolls, what sorts of political animals are more prone to say things like this:

"Those Hispanic children are bringing diseases into our country. They're moochers and we have to ship them out."

"Listen! You just don't know these people! Black people in this state have two speeds: Slow motion and stop!"

"The 'First Nations' are all a bunch of lazy, entitled, whiners, mobilized by their corrupt leadership to guilt us into spending more money on them."

"So-called 'refugees' are all frauds trying to take advantage of us."

"We had a word for single-mothers: 'Sluts!' And we had a word for people who choose not to work: 'Lazy!' That's what single-mothers on welfare are: Lazy Sluts."

"Palestinians are death-worshipping animals who value their hatred of Jews more than the lives of their own children!"

It's always been right-wingers in my experience. Certainly some leftists (not me) can be accused of hating soldiers (for mindlessly killing defenseless civilians), cops (for trampling over people's rights) corrupt politicians (for protecting corrupt businesspeople) and corrupt business people (for putting short-term profit over the lives and health of human beings). (I only hate some of these people.)

Reading the above, one can discern an important truth: Right-wingers hate weaker groups. Left-wingers hate powerful groups.

Which brings me to my honest admission that I hate stephen harper.

I hate stephen harper because he insults and abuses the First Nations and makes their lives worse.

I hate stephen harper because his response to reports that our allies torture prisoners and rape children in Afghanistan is to cover it up.

I hate stephen harper because he deprives refugees in Canada of all medical care.

I hate stephen harper because he is a shameless tool for the oil industry and he deliberately silences scientists who produce inconvenient truths about global warming. (As well as about the destructive impact of capitalist practices elsewhere.)

I hate stephen harper for cheering on the slaughter of the Palestinians by the IDF in Gaza. 

I hate stephen harper for corrupting our elections.

I hate stephen harper for being the prime minister of the first government in the entire history of the Westminster system of Parliament to be found in contempt of Parliament.

I hate stephen harper for using a stolen majority government to ram through massive omnibus bills totally altering decades of public policy at one go with little discussion or debate.

For these and numerous other sins, t is entirely rational and healthy to hate such an individual.