User:Concernedresident/dehumanization

This is a work in progress. It'll be a more general article on dehumanization or one that focusses on Conservapedia's use of this nasty approach. I think that we'd benefit from having a more general article, with perhaps CP being a subsection. Comments are welcomed.

Conservapedia: Dehumanization

Dehumanization is the process by which a group of people are characterized as being inferior. This is typically done by assigning negative and sweeping characteristics to a targeted group, and may encompass anything from direct statements to subtle jibes and inference. The specified characteristics most often resemble a caricature of the targeted group, similar to the way in which anti-Semitic cartoons would depict jews as being ugly and evil-looking men.

Dehumanization is by no means the sole preserve of Conservapedia, let alone conservatives in general. Christians are dehumanized when the actions of a minority, such as fanatical anti-abortion activists and homophobes, are described as being characteristic of Christians as a whole. Although atheists draw the greatest ire from Conservapedia's upper echelons, Christians expressing liberal viewpoints are readily added to Conservapedia's McCarthyesque list of enemies.

Conservapedia employs this approach in order to create a demonized group of people labelled as as liberals.

Conservapedia's definition of a liberal would be broader than most, and can be summed up as follows:

"Anyone who disagrees with the site owner, Andrew Schlafly."

Isn't this article dehumanizing the editors of Conservapedia?
This is a serious question to consider, since all groups are capable of this. Are Conservapedia article provides a more broad overview of the site, but it's reasonable to note that it's very difficult to remain as an active Conservapedia editor without providing at least tacit support of the editorial stance. People who dissent from Schlafly's views are quickly weeded out, and the site is sufficiently small to render it improbable that editors could be unaware of Conservapedia's agenda. A glance at their main page would at any given time reveal a litany of vitriol aimed at liberals.

Creating a polarized world view
Dehumanization creates a more solidly defined them and us divide between any two groups. In the case of Conservapedia the two competing groups would be conservatives and liberals. In reality conservatives and liberals have broad range of views, and many can find agreement on certain issues. This, however, is complicated. Conservapedia prefers to view the world through the eyes of a vintage cowboy movie, in which the good guys wore white hats, and the bad guys always wore black.