Sunday, August 16, 2026

What Do We Call People Who Are Friendly With Bigots

I know we've had years of propaganda telling us that only intolerant lefties wouldn't listen, respectfully and raptly, and without any disrespectful response, to their racist uncles ranting on Thanksgiving, but I am one of those intolerant lefties and I don't actually feel the need to put up with bigots.

Sure family is family and longtime friends are a bit like family. Some relationships are a bit complicated and you can't always untangle yourself. But there is no need, generally,  to be chummy with transphobes and islamophobes and people who eagerly advocate for policies to resegregate society.

There is also no need to be chummy with people who are chummy with them.

Contra the revolutionary view of the New York Times on speech, I do think shaming and shunning is good. So do they, of course, they just think that *you* should be shunned and shamed when you step out of line, but not people who actually matter like them and their friends.
For all the tolerance and enlightenment that modern society claims, Americans are losing hold of a fundamental right as citizens of a free country: the right to speak their minds and voice their opinions in public without fear of being shamed or shunned.