but if I have done, I think you misunderstand. I mean dumb as in passive, following the established path of least resistance WITHOUT that independent comparative analysis, simply receiving and responding to instructions from the programming forces who control you like a dumb terminal, because family and friends and social circumstances make you feel you were born to belong there in that group.

That's all party identity really is to most folks, all their citizenship and union card and school enrollment and church identities are. Marriage is like that for LOTS of people, just the next thing you're expected to do or avoiding something worse. Dumb.

Apparently that's all party identity was to MLK.

But that's not to say anyone --least of all you, Mole-- is dumb because your party identity (or union, religion, race, marriage) is thoughtfully chosen and essential to who you are.