[dkural]

Someone who disagrees with your policy does not make them a douche. This is the beginning of illiberal politics: If you are not with me, I will denigrate your person and declare you an enemy. The left wing of Europe was running at full speed towards Stalin / USSR for most of 2nd half of 20th century. It's easier to name-call than to govern.

[vanderZwan]

> Someone who disagrees with your policy does not make them a douche.

Devil's advocate: he never said the parties in question were douches because they disagree with the privacy policy (although in this context it's certainly reasonable to assume it was implied). There's plenty of valid reasons to call the members of the PVV a bunch of douchebags, for example; especially the part where it's a populist party that thrives on insulting everyone else.

[borispavlovic]

You're doing exactly the thing that you're accusing of -- labeling. Just because you disagree with left parties' policies you're labeling them they were running towards Stalin and USSR, which is also not very logical since Stalin died in 1952.

[dkural]

TL;DR version: I use it as an example to illustrate why it's bad to generalize.

More: I don't disagree with left parties policies - I am a Democrat, and would most likely for left-wing parties in most of Europe (or whoever is less xenophobic). I am against tyranny on the left or on the right. I don't like people who support the denigration / dehumanization / oppression of those who they disagree with and marginalize an entire group of people. I can cite you dozens of statements made by the likes of Jean-Paul Sartre, Arthur Scargill, Jan Myrdal, Doris Lessing, Andre Gide, Bertold Brecht, and other lesser known political leaders intellectuals in Western Europe (that is, the part not invaded by Soviets thanks to US intervention), that is supportive of Stalin / supportive of USSR. I am stating a fact, not using slurs.

I am also critical of the right (or anyone, really) that support dictatorial/oppressive governments in Latin America and the Middle East. I am pro individual freedom, liberty, and dignity. I am against people being enslaved either by their own state, or by an exploitative economy through the invisible chains of debt.

[Someone]

For those who have history exam tomorrow: 1953.

[pyre]

Well, the USSR is dead and gone too. Maybe that statement would have been better as the idiom "going the way of the do-do bird?" </sarcasm>

[unethical_ban]

He used an example. He didn't call every left-wing party literally Communist. Classic HN pedantry.

[timonv]

There are some parties / persons in Dutch politics who refrain from healthy discussions and just money grab with popular and sometimes hate inducing statements. It so happens that they disregard any privacy, as well. I call them douches, and I'm very happy and confident to do so.