Westwood is quick to note that the comparison to racism doesn’t mean that partisanship is somehow worse than racism, more pervasive, or more damaging. It’s easier to see—and thus discriminate—against people based on their skin color than their partisanship, for instance. Moreover, political beliefs are a choice with moral implications while race is not. Judging someone on whether they support gay marriage, universal health care, or gun laws is far different from judging someone on the color of their skin.
