SquasheD

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“ I learned three things in Zurich during the war. I wrote them down. Firstly, you’re either a revolutionary or you’re not, and if you’re not you might as well be an artist as anything else. Secondly, if you can’t be an artist, you might as well be a revolutionary. I forget the third thing.”

Tom Stoppard in Travesties.

I don’t like the election season expectation that any candidates should denounce their radical acquaintances. Shouldn’t the ability to get along with people you disagree with be a positive thing? Bush gets criticized for surrounding himself with Yesmen. Obama gets criticized for connections people he disagrees with. Recently he’s even been criticised for having unsavory people support him.

In every other environment, listening to those who are dissatisfied and seeing what can be done to solve their problems is considered a good thing. Is there some reason why politics should be different?

And, for those who don’t think it should be different, are there some people who are so bad that mere association should be damning? What’s the standard there?