Sometimes the Stereotypes are True.

All groups like to stereotype out-groups. Even those groups that pride themselves on tolerance engage in stereotyping of those they disagree with. For example, I notice that a common stereotype progressives tend to have of conservatives is that they are stupid. You saw this a lot in comments about President Bush and Governor Palin. I do not believe that you can become President if you are stupid and such a stereotype undervalues the fact that Palin became governor of Alaska without a lot of resources. I do not agree with those individuals all the time but that does not mean I have to think they are stupid.
But then there is Governor Perry. You know. Sometimes the stereotypes are true. Tonight during the Republican debate he forgot the government departments he wanted to cut. Yes you read that correctly. He is eager to cut governmental agencies but just do not know which ones to cut. Hope he does cut the wrong one by accident. You know we may want that department of defense to not be cut in case we go to war or something.
Yeah Perry reminds us that some people do exhibit the stereotypes of their group. I do not believe that liberals are smarter than conservatives. But a whole lot of them seem smarter than Perry. The task for those of us who want to be fair to others is not to look at the performance of Perry and then buy into the stereotype of conservatives. We have to remember that any stereotype will have people who fit them. Some women are bad drivers. Some poor people are lazy. But women are on average not worse drivers than men, and the poor are not lazier than the rich. So even if Perry is as intellectually challenged as we think this says nothing about conservatives as a whole. But that does not mean we have to stop having fun laughing at his mistakes.

Sincerely,

Trouble-Maker