I find this trend to blame an entire group for the actions of an individual or subset of that group puzzling. Personally, I usually don't expect someone else to assume responsibility for something I've said or done. Nor do I think that others should be expected to explain or accept responsibility for something I've said or done.
Some of this is simply laziness, it's easier to dismiss something or someone because they belong or associate with group X,Y,orZ so therefore they must believe or accept certain things. Some of it could be a desire to subsume individuals into the group. But in my opinion , it's mostly just a convienient rhetorical cudgel. We've just recently seen one more in a string of democrat elected officials caught in some form of sexual misconduct, yet I don't see any significant push to tar everyone on the political left with the sins of the Weiners of the world.
I guess I just don't understand this desire to spread responsibility and blame any further than the individual who's words or actions are in question.
4 comments:
If we were like our leftist opponents, we'd be demanding they denounce the Weiners of their party with every incident that is exposed.
What I tend to hear is something like, "He's just an outlier and doesn't really represent...". Of course, when the shoe is on the other foot, they would like to pretend that whoever they latch on to represents the entire GOP.
What galls me is the implication that NOT criticizing bad behavior means support. Then, as you said, when the shoe is on the other foot...
Not only not criticizing bad behavior, but not engaging in the rabid, expletive filled, vitriol laden, broad brush attacks, apparently equals unqualified support. What's more amazing is that condemning people's bag actions and agreeing that things are wrong still qualifies as support for what/who you condemned.
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