Open Thread

by Mary

Rachel patiently points out why the Republican charges of racism are so wrong.

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Her guest, Tricia Rose, pointed out that this could only come because people have so little real understanding about the real consequences of structural discrimination. And even more, it points to a problem in recognizing reality.

So how many conservatives get things wrong because they have little empathy for others and thus are out of touch with reality? Paul Krugman noted today that Roger Ailes might not be simply politically opportunistic, but also illogically paranoid. And Digby caught Sally Quinn believing that she too is the target of a vast terrorist conspiracy.

Perhaps this explains the reason Scott Lively¹ wrote an entire book that says homosexuals were responsible for the Nazi totalitarianism. Lively too turns day into night, because he accuses the victims of Hitler of being the perpetrators even though there is overwhelming evidence that homosexuals were explicitly targeted for death by Hitler's regime.

It is so nice to believe the injustice and persecution of some out group is justified when one feels threatened by them for some imaginary reason.

(1) Scott Lively is an evangelical who thinks homosexuality is the root of all evil and helped convince the Ugandans that they needed to deal with the danger which led to the proposed law to put homosexuals to death.