Nice Guys (and Gals) Finish Last

Are we liberals doomed to failure? Probably, because, simply put, we're too nice.

We respect others' right to their own opinion, and in so doing allow a platform for right-wing hate mongers, who then refuse to allow us the same courtesy.

We embrace diversity, and in so doing allow intolerant bigots to thrive.

We believe that Americans still value freedom and democracy, and in so doing we are dismissed as irrelevant by the power elite who control the republican party, who violate every last shred of ethical behavior in order to secure their power.

We believe in freedom of religion; that we are free to worship as we choose or not at all, and in so doing, allow religious zealots to enforce their religion upon the rest of us through legislation, in full opposition to the wishes of our nation's founders.

We believe in freedom of speech, and in so doing allow free reign to the venomous, hate-mongering, fear-mongering, lying, manipulative, demagogues of the radical right - the neocons - who have usurped conservative politics and replaced it with fascism.

The very definition of liberal is one who believes in liberty, in freedom, which unfortunately invites freedom for both good and evil. We welcome all to the table, and those who would subdue us take their place, and proceed to take ours as well.

The neocons, now in control of the republican party, possess the Darwinian advantage of nature's other successful predators: single-minded focus, clarity of purpose, unrelenting resolve to eliminate all competition through any means necessary. They are well aware of this advantage. To them the end justifies the means. To them, ethics are merely an annoyance requiring less and less attention. They still are inconvenienced by the need to placate their supporters by claiming exclusive ownership of “moral values,” knowing full well that it is a wildly subjective phrase. Their Christian supporters hear what they want to hear and assume their own values are being referenced, which could not be further from the truth.

The republicans are now the mighty flesh-eating dinosaurs, ruling their world without mercy. Liberals are the tiny mammals scrabbling through the underbrush, eking out a niche in the dinosaurs’ hostile environment and hoping to survive.

It took a lot of evolution, but they did survive, didn’t they? Let’s hope it doesn’t take another world-wide cataclysm to free us from their tyranny.