The hate lasts forever

I’ve noticed you [1] getting more conservative. And I don’t mean that in a good way.

You see, over the last eight years I’ve actually become less liberal about a lot of things. You can argue that I’m more radical and outspoken about the things I do believe in and the causes I support. [2] On the balance, though, I’m more of a left-leaning moderate anymore. So if anything, my views should be closer to yours.

But they’re not.

You’ve become more conservative. And by that, I don’t mean "regurgitating FOX News talking points" – though you’ve been doing that too. I mean things like bashing poor people for their "wasteful ways" while the heating costs alone for your McMansion could feed them for a month. I mean things like being scornful about starving children while drinking your fancy coffee. I mean things like denying the breaks your social class and race have given you even while you talk about the social connections you have. I mean things like saying, without exaggeration, that someone fighting an addiction "deserves to die because they can’t be bothered to kick the habit." I mean things like judging people’s intelligence by how they pronounce certain words, while denying that you’ve got an accent. I mean things like using "homo" as a slur, for fuck’s sake.

It’s not political, really. I can’t even really excuse it as a way for you to justify what you have, and not feel responsible for others – though that would be bad enough.

It’s just hateful shit.

I expect it from politicians (on all sides, unfortunately). Hell, I even expect it from news commentators. But I never expected you – the real people I know – to start acting like them too.

I don’t know why you’ve been changing like this. Maybe you’ve always been like this, and I just didn’t notice.

I’m not asking you to agree with me. I’ve always enjoyed verbally sparring with you.

I’m asking you to be human again.

[1] This isn’t written specifically to you. It’s addressing parts of a whole bunch of people. But enjoy that nice fitting shoe.
[2] Anti-racist, GLBT rights, equal rights for women, and so on.