I call myself a quiet patriot. Having been a partisan for both the Left and the Right, I know why people come to the beliefs they do. All of us partisans, elected officials and staffers have our own vision of Utopia America. Part of mine is that:
1) America is the land of Second Chances and re-birth. This is why I am a Conservative. Everyone sins, but we are all human. And since only G-d is flawless, redemption should always be available for those who follow through. America is redemption.
2) Anyone in America can rise as long as s/he can do the job. period. End of story. If any of my family or friends (very few Ivy's among them) decide to run for office or start a company, I will support them. If they rise and become even more successful, G-d bless 'em. Palin started as a Mom on a PTA board who became a Vice presidential nominee -- isn't that the American story?
Well, according to Andrew Sullivan, still a citizen of the Crown (that's UK folks), that is not his America. Let's look at what Andrew Sullivan's America looks like (and remember, he is not a citizen):
A) Gay marriage and Gay rights -- I'm not a social Conservative, but I understand his views here. This is not why I hate him.
B) Caste System in America -- Like Palin, many of us could not or did not go to an Ivy College. In Andrew Sullivan's America, if you never went to the Ivies, then you shouldn't run for office or be in public life. After all, he went to Oxford and Harvard, so he knows better then you in your hometown.
C) Attacking Woman and families are fine -- After all, this Blogger did not stand up when Andrew Sullivan attacked Trig or when David Letterman went after Willow and Bristol. According to this Blogger, you see, if there is an R next to the elected woman officials name, it is fine to attack their family. No one on the Left stands up and says it's wrong. Even though that right wing nut, Speaker Tip O'Neill wrote on page 35 of his book, All Politics is Local, to never attack families under any circumstances. There were no asterisks or pauses. Just "No attacking families," If Andrew Sullivan and David Letterman are allowed to attack Palin's family, I think it gives the Right the right to attack Malia and Sasha.
D) If Sullivan supports a candidate, no dissent is allowed. See this post by Andrew Sullivan. And to think, for 8 years we heard "dissent is patriotic," Strange how things change.
E) On Foreign Policy, it's OK to talk about democratizing the world, even report about it, but the President should do nothing. And our ally, Israel? Give it to the Palestinians. How is that different from the view of President Ahmadinijad. This is why he is not a citizen of the US, he talks and writes and never lifts a finger for his fellow man. This is why I hate him.
E) Woman should not be in office -- Sullivan found fault with Ferraro (first Woman VP candidate), Senator Clinton and Governor Palin. If you're a woman, Sullivan thinks you should stay home. How is that different from the Taliban? I support any strong woman (especially a Republican one), he does not.
F) Courts know better then Legislators and Democratic Presidents know better then Congress -- neither of which are Conservative views. Aren't you happy that in Andrew Sullivan's America, your vote does not matter?
When Andrew Sullivan forced Governor Palin to step down by his continual (and unrelenting) attacks (Had he never read Churchill's quote: "In War, Resolution; In Defeat, Defiance; In Victory, Magnanimity," Obama won and was inaugurated on January 20th, where is the magnanimity?), he brought America one step closer to his vision of America.
I do not want to live in Andrew Sullivan's America. Neither should you.
UPDATE: 7/9/09 12:30PM PST: I actually contacted The Atlantic and asked they can please tell Andrew Sullivan to cool it. He did for a few minutes. I wrote back saying, I will move on if he apologizes to the Palin family, in person. If they unanimously agreed to his apology, so would I.
Remember, Andrew Sullivan calls himself a "Christian," but does not turn the other cheek. Look at how he treats Palin.
I think this is an interesting post, as always. First of all I am sorry to hear about your plague year problems rearing their ugly head. I can understand how frustrating those things can be. Second of all, I think you have made some good points not only about Palin but about left/right relations in general. It's pretty sad, but it is true.
ReplyDeleteyou really shouldn't use palin as an example of a good politician (she's barely a politician) considering how much work she actually did, the amount of corruption she supported, and her inability to answer simple questions on the campaign trail (remember when she openly said she wouldn't answer a question during the VP debate)
ReplyDeletethe fact is that attacking men and woman alike is the same and people shouldn't make distinctions. Here in America, voters care way too much about personal things that have nothing to do with their abilities as politicians.
Obama's daughters and puppy? not important
Palin spending tons of government money on herself and getting someone out of his job for disagreeing with her? Pretty important.
Palin also said that we need more children like Trig right? Was she serious?
http://wormed7600.wordpress.com
While I love the links, I have no idea what you're talking about.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the free PR though.
Octobia,
ReplyDeleteLet me direct to your comment at Paliaphobia -- I discuss why I was offeneded about her being attacked (Page 35, All politics is Local, Tip O'Neill), and your reaction?
Nothing about her kids.
Nothing about about going after the kids.
By remaining quiet on that subject, it seemed there was a tacit endoresement of anyone in politic attacking kids.
You seem smart, why must you be blind?
JSF, my overt disapproval of your DEATH THREAT does not imply a tacit endorsement of anything.
ReplyDeleteI think advocating violence against any public figure is a violation that so far trumps dissing politicians' families that anything else you might have to say is cast in the shade by it.
I am shocked that you -- or any one who purports to be a civilized person -- would stoop this low.
Can YOU possibly be so blind as to not see what you are advocating? If a sick fool acts on your suggestion will you just wash your hands? Hasn't the world had enough violence for you yet?
This Octobia's second Comment:
ReplyDeletehttp://img18.imageshack.us/img18/7610/missobamaspeaceniktshir.jpg
This is what your warm-hearted, loving and compassionate right-wing associates are writing and posting.
Care to comment?
Octobia,
ReplyDeleteLet me answer your first two questions here (Your Plague year/Partisan question gets it's own post).
1) Regarding Sullivan. Ever read a "A Dream Deferred?" What happens when you spend 3 years trying to contact a guy telling him to cool it?
Did no one on the Left say "Trig Trutherism is wrong," No one stood up. I used to be the guy who puished for comity. But what happens when comity is not returned by the folks attcking your beliefs?
No one on the Left stood up to Andrew Sullivan. No one. If my radical comment can get him to think twice, great. I have an email and a Blog, he hasn't contacted me that what I said was wrong. If he wants to, I'm still here.
But remeber Octobia, there were books, plays and writings (without shame) about assasinating the former president. That opened the door to this type of rhetoric.
Again, no one on the Left stood up and said "writing about assasinating presidents you don't like is wrong,"
Since that rhetoric was used to help gin up the Liberal base for campaigning in 06 and 08, why should the Right be excluded from using it?
2) Something we Bloggers on the Right have to deal with are Mobys and trolls. And here is good example of who is inciting whom:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/07/daily-kos-racist-nutjob-caught-in.html
I have yet to see voices of both sides show up in Steve Benan's Blog or the Daily Kos. From the looks of it, they come to our side and play the role of Dick Tuck and expect us to smile.
No more.