It is not a good day for conservatives when folks like Charles Johnson leave the movement in such obvious disgust

I was asked what went wrong by one of my more ‘pure’ conservative readers (he loves to dig at this independent conservative centrist). What went wrong is the ‘true conservatives’ and their vitriol. Charles Johnson is very sharp and was an asset to ‘the right’. He is I think, on balance, a good person. What people should be asking themselves is how did a good person become so filled with anger.

Johnson clearly has lost his tolerance – which happens when you are around a bunch of intolerant people too long. As he disagreed on some subjects, the vitriol he received just poisoned his view of conservatives. His angry departure is a reflection of what he’s been experiencing. The intolerant folks burned out his tolerance. I have experienced it myself, I just have an easier time dismissing the jabs.

What Johnson forgot is there are a more centrist conservatives than ‘true’ conservatives. When he departed ‘the right’ he sadly turned his back on a lot of good people (Inhofe comes to mind). That is his problem and his mistake. It just makes this situation all the worse.

I agree with Johnson on many subjects. The big exceptions are Palin and AGW I guess. But I don’t throw people under the bus because I disagree with them. And I don’t try to tear them down personally (that’s intolerance in spades). The right is now justifying the snub by throwing more jabs at Johnson. Folks need to learn when to stop digging.

I also don’t group people and spread the sins and failures of a few across them all. It is why I remain a conservative and challenge the drama queens who call themselves ‘true conservatives’. I have not given up on Reagan’s big tent yet.

The fact CJ is both bitter and a lost cause is a reflection on the toxic characters in the far right. It is a sad day for ‘the right’ when you chase someone like Johnson out of the big tent. If this continues all the right will be is a bunch of purists in pup tent.