"Hate her!" So said liberal activist and actress Susan Sarandon when asked recently about liberal Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
"Hate her!" -- two words that open a window into the unfortunate mind-set of many on the left and right.
A well-known self-described liberal Democrat in Hollywood once said that the thing that bothered him most about some of his fellow liberals was their "hate." It's not enough, he said, "that they disagree with Republicans and conservatives, but they have to hate them and hate everything they stand for."
A number of liberal activists have stated that they hate President Bush. Just hate him and hate all of his policies. On hardcover nonfiction best-seller lists, there are four books that spew varying degrees of outright hatred for Bush and conservatives. Hate is something that not only sells, but can now be packaged and marketed.
"Hate" is a strong, obscene and destructive word, and yet it is being uttered with more and more frequency by many on the left and by many who should know better. The crass and childish name-calling directed at Bush by candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination not only creates more hate and anger but should bring shame to those in that party who would choose statesmanship and honor over insults and partisanship.
