"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler
by Smitty
The previous installment to this occasional series had to do with ObamaCare. It noted the fact that the rest of the Christians in the country are lovingly taken to the mat and given a pacifistic thrashing by the Amish example of refusing to let Caesar operate in Divine territory. Continue reading Among the Reasons For Discomfort When Some Call the US a Christian Nation II →
Buckley might limit himself to the two most famous words of Rahm Emanuel, but the Media Matters mouthpiece blathers on for more than 1,200 words, playing the familiar (and dishonest) liberal trick of invoking dead conservatives to disparage living conservatives. This reminds me of something that Buckley once said to a liberal contemporary.
“Now listen, you queer, you stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I’ll sock you in the goddamn face and you’ll stay plastered.”
— Bill Buckley to Gore Vidal, Aug. 28, 1968
The insistence of the Left that conservatives today are not truly conservatives, but rather are “pseudo-conservatives” — i.e., that conservatism has been infiltrated and hijacked by dangerous extremists — is a smear that originated with Marxist sociologist Theodor Adorno and was elaborated by Richard Hofstadter. (See my article “Political Psychosis,” which quotes Buckley’s brilliant evisceration of the Adorno-Hofstadter thesis.)
We ought to call such accusations what they are: Propaganda, intended to deligitimize and marginalize opposition to the Left’s agenda. Boehlert may mislead fools (hello, Charles Johnson) but he doesn’t deceive anyone who has studied history. Buckley was himself smeared by such tactics, as were Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan and pretty much anyone else who ever dared stand up to the Left.
The specific target of Boehlert’s screed is James O’Keefe, whose Louisiana exploits have resulted in federal prosecution. Andrew Breitbart has defended O’Keefe against the various distorted accounts that have appeared in the media. Hannah Giles is also standing up for O’Keefe, as is Ben Stein. Whatever the outcome of O’Keefe’s legal situation, nothing the Left says is going to cause conservatives to throw O’Keefe under the bus, yet people like Eric Boehlert, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann keep yammering on as if their comments made any difference.
The same establishment media who studiously ignored John Edwards’ sex scandal as long as they could and the same leftist hacks who argued for Bill Clinton’s constitutional right to sodomize interns in the Oval Office now take it upon themselves to tell conservatives we ought to be scandalized because O’Keefe tried a hidden-camera stunt in a senator’s office.
Two words, Boehlert.
by Smitty
This end of the blog has no idea what Stacy is up to. There is a full-time job I go to, and I don’t check my personal email there. Thus, should there be a serious need to get ahold of me, you need to know my desk phone number. As a casual reader of this blog, it’s unlikely you have a serious need.
So, I get home and find out that Political Byline has requested help promoting Mike Bouchard for governor. It seems that Michigan could use more than an an abject tool in the statehouse. Fine.
Then I find out that there has been an increase in the aggregate Michigan blood pressure. The photographic evidence is less than pretty. I’ll just leave it right here and ask the Court of Public Opinion for recommendations.
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. . . .
Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
— Jeremiah 1: 5, 7 (KJV)
My 20-year-old daughter Kennedy is a college junior, majoring in early childhood education, and she works part-time at a daycare. At Sabbath dinner, she was telling us about a 3-year-old boy in her class who is nothing but trouble. Kennedy takes special interest in him because, as she says, “Somebody’s got to love him.”
What if Kennedy wasn’t there to give him that extra attention? What if she’d never been born?
Is that merely a hypothetical question? Because of Roe v. Wade, it’s not. Her existence is most definitely not a coincidence.
Kennedy, like every other person born in America since 1973, belongs to the Chosen Generation, a survivor of a holocaust that has destroyed more than 40 million lives that were never lived. Kennedy is conscious of the unique opportunity that each life represents, including her own life. Her fiance is surely not the only one grateful for her existence.
People are not just coincidental statistics, as Tim Tebow’s mother will remind America on Super Bowl Sunday. More than 120,000 people have joined Americans United for Life’s Facebook page in support of the Tebow ad. And Sarah Palin’s defense of the Tebow ad inspired a post by Rachelle Friberg at Conservative Girl With a Voice:
While I have always described myself as a pro-lifer, there was a time when I didn’t really have a strong opinion either way. Many of you may be wondering, “What made her change her mind; what made her garner the strong pro-life stance she has today?” My response is simple and can be summed up in four words: Sarah and Trig Palin. Before Sarah stepped to the forefront, I never gave much thought to the whole “abortion” debate. . . . My entire perspective changed when Sarah illustrated how wonderful giving someone life could be. Little Trig Palin represents how amazing an experience choosing life can be. This little angel has changed my whole perspective on the whole pro-life/ pro-choice debate. This little boy is a reminder that ALL life IS precious. . . .
Read the whole thing. Does anyone really think, then, that Trig Palin’s birth was just a statistical fluke? Do you believe that Sarah Palin’s selection as John McCain’s running mate was entirely random? Or do you suppose that there was some significance to this, and that the inspiration felt by Rachelle represents some greater purpose?
Coincidence? Yeah, just like the Sunday sermon at Da Tech Guy’s church in Fitchburg.
UPDATE: Ed Morrissey at Hot Air:
The ad asks people to choose life, not to ban abortion. . . . Tebow represents hope in the midst of hopelessness.
Hmmm. What does that remind me of?
“When a person chooses abortion they are saying they don’t have hope for the future, not for their child or for themselves.”
Just a coincidence, I’m sure.
UPDATE II (Smitty):
Graciously linked at Carol’s Closet.
As mentioned yesterday, I’m now soliciting contributions to the Shoe Leather Fund to help fund an expedition to Alabama later this week. Despite promising Mrs. Other McCain I wouldn’t make any more road trips before CPAC, there’s some Tea Party action happening down there in the Republican primaries, and I need to check it out. Early this morning I got an e-mail from a reader: Continue reading ‘Down in Alabama, You Can Run,
But You Sure Can’t Hide’ →
Retailing for $8.99, the 100-page glossy magazine, titled “Sarah Palin: Faith, Family, Freedom,” hit newsstands in mid-January and was jointly published by a fashion-publishing subsidiary of international marketing firm IMG and Imagine That Publishing. It will remain on sale through April 30.
The best parts of Sarah’s new magazine? Low-fat moose-meat recipes and a medical-advice column by Andrew Sullivan.
Oh, sure, the quote’s out of context, but you know Kristol sets the TiVo so he never misses a minute of Beck:
“I think he’s been doing all kinds of crazy stuff that risks destroying America.”
Hat-tip: Gateway Pundit, who provides the context.
The global warming “consensus” can’t possibly survive:
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pennsylvania (Reuters) – An American groundhog delivered his annual weather prediction on Tuesday, declaring that there will be six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow.
The science is settled. Don’t be a Groundhog Day denier.
UPDATE: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals claims the groundhog is being abused, and want him replaced by a robot:
“Make the compassionate decision to use an animatronic Phil and retire the live groundhogs who are used for Groundhog Day activities to a sanctuary. Tradition is no excuse for cruelty.”
At least they’re consistent. Fake groundhogs and fake boobs — yeah, that Pamela Anderson ad in the right sidebar is from PETA.
Also advertising with us is No Sheeples Here. Those sheep are real and they’re spectacular!