Apr 14 2009
Not A Conservative Anymore
People talk about tipping points. Today I have reached one with regards to the conservative movement and the GOP, due in no small part to the debacle started on the far right blogs regarding the DHS report I posted on earlier.
To my chagrin two things happened with this story which ended my desire to be associated with ‘conservatives’ (no matter how much sense their policies may make). The first was the unbridled and unsubstantiated attacks on the good people at DHS by folks like Michelle Malkin (who I rightfully called a ‘drama queen’). Malkin made some serious allegations today which crossed the line.
She claimed that the DHS report PROVES the good people at DHS are not only negligent in their duties to protect Americans, but that these civilian employees are also involved in an illegal activity to use the powers of the this nation’s security apparatus to oppress the political opposition of the sitting President and current Congressional leaders. These are serious charges involving serious crimes.
I have as much respect for the civilians spending their careers and lives attempting to protect this nation as I do for those in uniform doing the same thing. There is no excuse to slander the people of DHS by accusing them of crimes of negligence and abuse of office without solid proof. No matter how well these false charges fit the warped conspiracy theories of the paranoid and deluded
The second aspect of this incident that pushed me to this point was the fact just about every conservative site let these false charges against these good people go by. Instead, I got heat for the “drama queen” comment for supposedly attacking ‘a good person’. Well, that so-called good person slandered the real unsung heros of this war on terror. Her and her enablers are more concerned about getting their feelings hurt than about the mud they are slinging at those who stand guard over this nation.
That’s the end of that for me. I could never fathom the venom spewed by the far left against Reagan, and that is what forced me to leave the Democrat party for life. Now we have a similar problem in the depths of the conservative movement. I just cannot associate myself with people who would slander hard working people at DHS to fulfill some wild conspiracy fantasy - and not see a damn thing wrong with it! Their only cries of outrage are when someone calls them on their slander.
A line crossed which cannot be uncrossed. Ever. I wash my hands of these slanderers and their supporters who would sell out the people standing watch over all of us without any thought or regret. As someone said to me – see yah! And good riddance.
65 Responses to “Not A Conservative Anymore”
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Why am I not surprised?
[...] Charles Johnson. Then they went after AJ Strata. [...]
It’s like this, I have been there and done that and know exactly how you feel.
There is a difference between conservative Republicans, independent conservatives, and the far far far far….far right – where Malkin resides. They’re like the theme to the Addams Family, creepy, kookie…
I stay so very frustrated with this and am at the point where I don’t know how to fight them.
All I can say is welcome to the club.
SJR
The Pink Flamingo
Why people are nervous. Obama just appointed Rosa Brooks to an advisory position, high clearance, at DOD. She is very left wing, connected to George Soros, and defamed in the most personal way any and all policies of George W Bush as well as the man himself. Not a lot of info yet, doesn’t have to be approved. People are still trying to work out, who is President Obama, and where does he want to take this country?
I respect your decision, but I’m not sure what it exactly what it means.
Strata goes LGF. So sad, too bad.
1) I think your position on this is reasonable and correct.
2) I think you hit on one of the main problems that I believe we have in this country – we only define people in terms of their politics, not the policies. The principles behind the policies are important, but the party appellations no longer have any connection to principles.
I’ve been reading you a long time. You quit being a conservative a long time ago. but then you just said “ended my desire to be associated with ‘conservatives’ ”
that’s a different matter.
So, then, I’ll say goodbye to reading your blog. You’ve become something of a crank on this subject. It’s gotten tiresome. Best of luck.
Mark Maps
Michelle Malkin has always had a bit of a nasty streak in her. And a tendency towards hyperbole and paranoia.
But that being said, I’m not sure what the evidence is to support the contention that returning veterans could be radicalized into joining some nutjob militia type groups and carry out terror attacks. Did that happen after WWII? Korea? Vietnam?
Yes, McVeigh was a decorated Gulf War I vet but one such example does not a pattern make. But I was busy in the 90s. Were there other terror attacks carried out by Gulf War I vets?
I think the bigger threat might be the impact on urban gangs. There have already been some stories about that, Iraq War vets returning to the streets and gang violence. Not sure how widespread. And certainly that’s apolitical.
Anyway, off your topic. Just want to say that conservative blogs are showing a worrisome trend towards dumping on anyone who even slightly disagrees. And not just when it’s Kos Kids or whatever.
This Country feels like it did during the Viet Nam war, and after the murders of JFK and MLK. It feels chaotic, but the chaos comes from the top, orchestrated from the highest levels of government. People are scared, their energy is flying all over the place. We have a hugh financial crisis, people have lost jobs, homes, financial stability, life savings. On top of that there people manning agencies that are pushing all their favorite projects from the harm of CO2, to regulating gardens, to exposing torture of the last administration, to taking over health care, to spending money that the government can’t print fast enough, to firing CEO’s, taking over banks, our men and women are still fighting two wars and ships are being hijacked and it goes on and on.
Is there a purpose behind this orchestrated chaos? It feels like it. I don’t really know what it is, but for sure it brings the crazies out of the wood work. One gigantic problem would be enough to handle. I remember writing some time back it feels as if Obama has put his hand right into my livingroom and is directing every aspect of my life. I don’t like it.
I guess the long and short of what I’m trying to say is AJ, I don’t know who has threatened you and your family, I’m thinking it’s not personal, but people are grasping and it isn’t pretty.
DHS has limited resources and will direct their energies in the direction ordered by the President. Who he desire to search for right-wing fantics and ignore the problems posed by illegals that is his right. Obama is a far leftest and his energies will be directed that way. We on the right see thing differently and will oppose his activities. To us DHS is a tool of the left and should be treated as such. Of course they think what they are doing is correct, but I however do not and fear their efforts will lead us in the wrong direction and the real enemies of the state will avoid detection because of the neglect in certain areas. There is room for some disagreement. But should an incident occur, due to neglect they the Obama administration and those in DHS should be held responsible.
kathie:
“This Country feels like it did during the Viet Nam war, and after the murders of JFK and MLK.”
No, “This Country” does not feel that way. The nearly 70% of people who approve of Obama, who “trust” him, do not feel this way.
Only your little <30% crazies feel this way. You are a SEVERE minority. You are no longer qualified to speak for “This Country”, because “This Country” has rejected you, and people like you.
Show me one single poll that supports your opinion, and I will apologize publically. Otherwise, accept your minority status, and content yourself to wail in the distance.
Congrats, AJ. That was a ballsy move.
I am curious to see what this blog does over the next few weeks.
I registered with WordPress to leave this comment AJ.
I read your blogg quite regularly; much of what you post is interesting, thoughtful and informative. However, you have a unfortunate tendency to name-call and to be vicious with those you see thing differently than you do. This post is prime example of that vicious name-calling – and YOU call Michelle Malkin a ‘drama queen’! You should read this post, AJ, if you want to see a ‘drama queen’. Good Lord, man; get a grip! This post does not present you in a good light – it is NOTHING BUT HIGH DRAMA, and HIGH DUDGEON!
You really are following in the disreputable footsteps of Charles Johnson at LGF – and he is a laughing stock to all but his devoted, unthinking followers. LGF does not tolerate any dissent.
Of course, this is your blog, and you can post whatever you want, and you can make a public display of double standards all you want. You can ban certain commenters. After reading this all but hysterical post, I would not be surprised if you ban me. After all, I dare to take exception to the content and form of your post, and I express that.
I am sorry to see you post stuff like this. My opinion of you has fallen a lot recently, and may not be recoverable. I am sure you do not care about that – you do not even know me. And I do not know you, except through your writing on this blog. Unfortunately, I do not like what you have been displaying of yourself recently.
I agree with Mark Maps. Your blog has become tiresome, and almost uninteresting. And that is too bad. You have often had very interesting, thoughtful, informative things to say. But, this last post is a very, very, low point for you, but you have been nudging up to it for awhile. Maybe you should take an extended break, so you can get over the petty things that upset you so much.
kathie:
The biggest complaint everyone on the left keeps having about Obama is that he is doing exactly what he campaigned on. If you looked, I bet you could find your answer to what direction he wants to take this country.
AJ
Palin is the future of the conservative movement
whoops! she’s in your past, no more assoc with conservatives.
giantslor
You, Charles from LGF, Rick from Rightwing Nuthouse, and some others are emerging as the new conservative voices of reason.
Whoops! not “you” not a conservative.
GuyF
I am curious to see what this blog does over the next few weeks.
whoops! no difference, AJ’s been saying for quite some time that he’s not a conservative.
GuyF
you’re gonna be surprised. Kathie’s not in the minority.
“AJ
Palin is the future of the conservative movement
whoops! she’s in your past, no more assoc with conservatives.”
That was funny.
I consider myself a Republican, not “conservative”. I consider “conservatives” to be sheeple, to a large extent, who bandwagon with people like Malkin. My personal politics probably lean more toward libertarian (little “l”) than anything else. But I have been thinking for a long time that the “conservatives” are more destructive to the Republican party than helpful. Consider their choice of issues. I can rarely find a day on many sites without a religious, ethic, or abortion or gay rights post.
Those cultural issues are divisive. Rather than focus, like Reagan did, on issues that bind all Americans, “conservatives” tend to focus on issues that divide us. Republicans should be focusing more on “role of government” issues and less on social issues. People in socially liberal locations who might otherwise be for a strong defense, fiscal responsibility, and personal responsibility are afraid “conservatives” will attempt to shove various social agendas down their throat just as extreme liberals attempt to codify their social agendas.
Religion is another issue with me. A political party should be appealing to anyone. We have a lot of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Baha’i and all sorts of other religions in this country besides just Christianity and Judaism. When I hear people like Hannity going on about America’s “Judaeo-Christian” foundation, I personally find it embarrassing as it automatically alienates millions of Americans who come from other religions. Things like “Intelligent Design” taught in science classes are wrong. Fine, if you want to teach creationism in Social Studies as part of a unit on comparative religious studies, I don’t have a problem with that. But there are a lot of religions and they have their own traditions and many have different ideas of how we came to be. Teaching Christianity in the public schools is wrong. That is what our churches are for and there is no need for one to fear a party because it is going to attempt to shove its religious ideals (or lack of them) down our throats.
My problem with the social conservatives is the same problem I have with the social liberals. They want to legislate their version of cultural reality using the law to push their brand “isms” on us.
America is a very diverse place. Individual communities should be left alone to make laws that reflect their local culture. I am sick and tired of people attempting to use the federal laws or federal courts to force the entire country to have liberal or conservative values. Let the states, counties, and cities do that.
For example, one of the reasons I can’t support Bobby Jindal is his support of the teaching of Abrahamic creationism in the public schools. I personally believe in God, but I have no right to force those teachings on my neighbor.
Government is not our guardian. It is not our parent. It has a duty to be responsible with the public money it takes from us. It does not have a right to tell us how much we deserve or don’t deserve to make. It is not the responsibility of government to “take care” of us. When one is comfortable with the notion that their destiny is in their own hands, they resent being “taken care of” because that care generally means a loss of freedom. Just as in your parents’ home, when you get by with handouts from the government, they always come with strings attached. I would rather make my own way, thank you very much.
And I don’t need liberals telling me what I need to tolerate and don’t need conservatives telling me what is and is not “moral”. Mind your business.
Note:
“Mind Your Business” was the motto on the first American coin authorized by the Continental Congress.
[...] not spawn “hate” is living in the land of delusion, seriously. I agree with LGF and AJ Strata. I just can’t imagine people being so STUPID they do not know that hate exists in their [...]
oh, and one other thing. I am not so worried about that DHS report so much as what I believe some zealous partisans on the left will use it for. People who are, lets say, enthusiastic supporters of an agenda a bit more than a little left of center might use it as justification to intimidate and harass people. Sort of like the Gladys Kravitz’s of the world.
My fear is that some people on the left are going to use that report (and some will actually be genuinely scared by it) to “report” someone like, say, me … who might be a veteran, might have a (gasp) Republican candidate’s sign in my yard, and who might see a bumper sticker that opposes “big government” or promotes fiscal responsibility and somehow think I am a threat to their security or something.
This report is going to further divide people and rather than promote conversation and encourage debate about the role of government, seems to cast anyone who doesn’t favor “big government” as a potential public enemy. At least it could be read that way by your average Joe.
The report seems divisive and polarizing and could give idiots of extremes reason to ratchet up the level of lunacy.
Well put Crosspatch.
I’m not a Conservative, and was a Republican until the right forced me out due to my lack of “purity.” But this DHS report is an insult to veterans and Conservatives and a waste of the public money. Who ever the political hack is that wrote this seems to believe that the atrocities committed by a wacko veteran named Timothy McVeigh should be used to paint a very bad brush.
But, at the same time, the reception it has received is a bit excessive, IMO. The report focuses on the far right, not the Conservatives that work 9-5 and raise families. It’s not as if this report is the start of political oppression. There is a difference between conservatives and the “far right.” Just as there is a difference between liberals and the extreme left.
“There is a difference between conservatives and the “far right.” Just as there is a difference between liberals and the extreme left.”
I think a major part of that difference is that one can be conservative without feeling a need to make everyone else conservative. Or one can be liberal in their own judgement without the need to try to force everyone else to adopt their judgment as “correct”.
We have a situation where people seem to feel a need to “convert” the country to their standards. That could be for a variety of reasons. You might have people who are afraid of the world and feel a need to be “taken care of” or you might have people who are bitter about never getting any help in life and don’t want others to have what they never got. And I think both lines of thought pisses off the more well adjusted who neither fear life nor feel a need for vengeance. Seeing someone else live a different lifestyle doesn’t make me feel diminished in my own. But I believe there are people out there who are actually very insecure and seeing people making different choices makes them question their own choices and that might cause them discomfort. So they strive for “order” and want to make society “correct”. There is too much “black/white” (as in contrast) thinking.
It is as if politically we have become a nation of borderlines led by narcissists.
Conversion of convenience. You’ve looked at the polls and Obama’s performance and you are jumping off the sinking ship. I guess we’ll take you, maybe.
Check this out. While some might notice that Republicans and Democrats are tied for the generic Congressional ballot, what I noticed was that both the Democrats and Republicans LOST ground. The Republicans just lost less. 38% would vote Democrat, 38% would vote Republican. That leaves 24% looking for a party.
“She claimed that the DHS report PROVES the good people at DHS are not only negligent in their duties to protect Americans, but that these civilian employees are also involved in an illegal activity to use the powers of the this nation’s security apparatus to oppress the political opposition of the sitting President and current Congressional leaders.”
How “good” did you think certain people in the CIA, FBI, NSA, etc were when they were regularly leaking sensitive sources and methods information to the New York Times?
You don’t think that was a politically motivated effort to damage George W. Bush and his efforts to fight terrorism and win wars?
This document is not an indictment of your average Joe/Jo working at the DHS. But somebody there obviously has an agenda that goes far beyond their every day duties to “protect Americans”.
Gosh AJ I hope you rethink this after you cool off a tad. I am conservative and I am just fine not having Michelle Malkin be the end all of what Conservatives are
The report today was unfortunate because it will have just the opposite reult. That is increase the anxiety. Jonah Goldberg had some good calm posts on this at the Corner regarding the problems. Also the Powerline report I thought was pretty good. It was not just all crazy stuff. Again it is the nature of the web that things get shot around till they become clearer
Anyway I was noticing the conversation in the comments and I again it is depressing as both a Conservative and a Republican to see different factions of the party want to excommunicate each other from the party.
You know if social conservatives like me were not here it would be electoral Nivernia. Or if we coul djust get rid of those Libertatians, or the paleo conservatives, or those moderates etc etc etc.
It all gets tiring. You got 6 kinds og conservatives factions calling each other RINOS, moderates calling social conservatives extremist and everyone putting everyon else into some nifty little box
No wonder we lose and have lost the last two cycles. Everyone and I think we are all guilty of it have not been civil to each other and think it must be our way or the highway.
I really don’t know why we can’t just fight this out in a primary and then all come together. Like it is how it is suppose to work
“There is a difference between conservatives and the “far right.”
marksbbr , I gues the problem is the term far right is now used in such varying ways that it used by everyone that happens at that moment to oppose X’s views
I have no idea what the far right is anymore. It seems on forums that are poltical in nature I can be accused in the same day by some conservatives as being a moderate and by some liberals as being in the scary far right.
I used to think the far right were people like the John Birch society and we sort of went from there. Now it seems it includes a whole of groups that are all to the right of Senator Snowe
I think most of you have missed the timing and if you miss the timing
you miss the purpose. This how the Left operates. I know this.
I believe that today, 15 April, is supposed to be your Tea Party Day. I
guess there are maybe 2000 separate events scheduled across your
country to protest your President’s rapd dash toward the hard Left.
Now if I was in power, I would want to make sure that the news people
do not report on these events. So what I would do is throw up some other
big noisy issue. Here in London, whenever Tony Blair was in trouble,
he would raise the issue of the ban to hunting the fox. It worked every
time – until the law was passed and now cannot be used anymore, not
that trick anyways.
I think this DHS report is the big noisy issue to soak up the
attention of your press.
And even better, it has got you all fighting among yourselves. I know they
will be laughing in the white house this night.
And now anyone who turns up at a tea party can be called one of these
right wing conservatives.
See, it is simple. This is how the information control works. I think
you need to get used to it.
I agree with many here – Crosspatch – your my newest hero – spot on in many ways. In fact, I think Crosspatch is more indicative of the non-Obama voter (using an example) than many would suspect. I also spent time reading Jonah Goldberg as well as sights like Legal Insurrection and others. Sure, some like Ace make it black and white and funny but, I am watching Morning Joe right now and they have the headline on the screen REPORT WARNS RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM MAY BE ON RISE, then Mika reports it is due to an African American being elected , joe laughs, interrupts then it is suggested veterans could be vulnerable to recruitment… Joe is laughing, but Mika is serious (so far). ABC’s Stephanapolous reported seriously last night in his column- so I think some of us have a valid reason to be nervous, including Michelle et al. Mike Barnicle just said re the veterans – “I don’t believe that” see… THEY DON’T EVEN READ STUFF!!! HOW CAN THEY COMMENT IN STUFF? Joe is trying to turn it around – What would you have said if Bush had done this?
I live on a college campus. I get stuff in my yard when I put out my flag. I never put out political yard signs. This makes me re-think the flag.
The point is, the left is willing to jump in and start the innuendo…
I’m sorry you had bad email exchanges, AJ. I hope you have a better day today…
Make that “Crosspath You’re my newest hero “- it’s 6:20 am!!
lacegr,
Let me fill you in here on something – there may be truth behind that headline.
I’ll leave it at that
Why couldn’t the headline read “Political Extremism on the Rise?”
Tempest in a tea pot.
Because this is an alert out to law enforcement and they needed to point to those groups of concern.
Why can’t conservatives think before they speak?
Here is the deal – there is a REASON it is vague, and it is not to go after malkin. She’s just not worth anyone’s effort. There are ongoing activities inside the government which caused this report to be made less specific.
The report needed to tip off law enforcement and not tip off others and impact these activities. Guess what – the drama queens made sure that failed. Now certain groups are aware of certain interests. Let’s hope this doesn’t screw things up.
Want to know something? These facts are well known by the same conservative bloggers I broke ranks with. Malkin has been made aware of this, she is hiding it from her readers. She slandered the good people at DHS, accusing them of negligence and abuse of power, and she knows her claims are false. She just is not going to apologize for her mistake. So far none of them are, but I am not surfing their sites today.
She was even admitting she has no idea who was behind this report and was asking those with contacts to find out (probably to stalk them into confessing to be democrats or Obama voters). The fact is she threw out those charges against the people at DHS without any evidence or thought.
So I ask you, why can’t conservatives think before the react?
[...] Actually, I think people should be let in on a few more details known to conservative [...]
I dunno AJ. What I seem to be hearing from you is creeping acceptance of Obama’s policies because you don’t like the tone on the right.
I’m a classical liberal, not a ‘conservative’ in the traditional sense, but my enlightenment values, which coincide pretty closely with those of the Founders, put me in decidedly ‘conservative’ company these days because ‘conservatives’ — for all of the (what seem to me) idiotic emphasis on social policy — are the only ones who seem to care about economic liberty, without which political liberty cannot exist. Speaking of political liberty, I sure don’t see much sign of support for that on the left either. What I see there are people who are much more into more control of other people’s lives and more control of other people’s money. I also see people on the left, and that includes almost everyone in the Obama administration, who are not seriously concerned about America’s defense.
A bad combination. I think you’re making a very short-sighted choice. I think you should reread (or read if you haven’t) The Black Book of Communism, Alan Bullock’s Hitler and Stalin, the Chang and Halliday biography of Mao Zhedong, Amity Schlaes’ The Forgotten Man, Karl Popper’s The Open Society and Its Enemies, and Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom. Toss in a little Locke, Adam Smith, de Toqueville, and both the Federalist Papers and the opposing Anti-Federalist.
If you do, I think you would see that the problem really is not about ‘conservatives’ but about liberty. The modern left in this country, and that includes the current Democratic Party, is about control and power, and they have been corrupted by its vision at least since Wilson. Prohibition was mostly a Democratic cause, after all. Control. And, much of the New Deal was about control – many of its architects were socialists, even Marxists. Power corrupted the Republicans to a degree, as well, and because their principles included economic and political liberty, they have (rightly) been slammed for it.
Today, I think we indeed stand at a cross-roads between liberty and, ultimately, tyranny. It will begin as a soft tyranny, in which only the “far right” you despise are attacked, but it will end no better than any other tyranny; especially as those who support the left also support weakening of the United States and increasing the power of international institutions which are run by the corrupt and power-hungry. It’s human nature. And, power tends to fill a vacuum.
Well, good luck with the left.
Yeah right Cato,
I just recently supported finishing the job in Iraq and keeping the NSA-FISA changes in place that Bush established after 9-11. Until Obama showed up I never saw the light in these issues!
GImme a break.
Today I break with people who use words they do not understand. The tyranny I experienced was from conservatives who cannot admit they were wrong and lash out at anyone who disagrees.
You’re unreasonably dismissive of my fundamental point. There’s nothing wrong with finishing the job in Iraq – though it is unclear Obama really wants to – or keeping the NSA-FISA changes in place. Where the disagreement in foreign policy lies is in attitude towards the United States and the rest of the world. Even if you can, as I do, support policies the administration undertakes that are consistent with policies you supported under the previous administration, that does not mean that the overall foreign policy posture is acceptable — as I would argue given the debacle of the recent apology trip to Europe and the weak response to Iran’s imminent acquisition of nuclear weapons demonstrate it is not.
Moreover, while defense and foreign policy are critical – if we are to maintain our liberty – the greater issues with the current administration revolve around economic liberty, taxation, and, ultimately, political liberty. I would love to find some common ground with the Democrats on any of these issues, but there really isn’t any any more.
If you think the ‘tyranny’ of conservatives who cannot admit they were wrong is crushing, you have no idea what tyranny really is.
Pot. Kettle.
Drama. Queen.
I’d be amused if it weren’t so sad. ‘Conservatives’ are those who support conservative principles such as what our founding fathers actually wrote in our constitution. All the blathering going on trying to group, label and categorize ‘people’ is what the left does. Conservatives stand for individual freedoms and responsibilities, believing that hard work, passion and dedication to building a product or service which will benefit the general populace and leave their children a ‘better place’ than they had will be rewarded. Those that choose not to have those ambitions will do fine, but probably not as good, but probably good enough for them for their efforts put forth. The left has been working on ‘trashing’ that concept for decades by ‘changing’ the meaning of words, so much that words/labels and such really have no meaning. Equal outcomes for unequal effort is an impossibility in the human condition, yet THAT is their utopian dream. I believe I can predict what will happen today with the ‘tea parties’. The left will infiltrate every major event with paid ‘protesters’ (our tax money hard at work). They will be there to hold ‘less than civil’ signs and cause trouble for those ‘genuine protesters’ there trying to bring light to the oppressive future being built for our children. The DHS report and the timing of its release are all part of the plan. All of the networks and ‘news’ people will focus on the ‘trouble’, and blame ‘conservatives’ and the Republican party in general. Depending on how much ‘trouble’ is reported (more than likely it will be greatly exaggerated, if there is any ‘trouble’), this will be used further to forward an agenda of gun control, and other ‘restrictions of freedoms’ all the while ’solidifying’ the myth of the ‘evil’ conservative mind set. It’s soooooo predictable and sucking lots of people in, even AJ. This Nation is in for some really hard times. This is very sad.
AJ, get a grip. Take a break or something. I know that I am going to miss your thoughtful posts…bye.
The problem with the right is they conflate over the top comments from the lunatics on the left and assume the hard working protectors of this country agree and accept those labels.
Can’t be anymore clear about this. DHS is not targeting conservatives, they are looking for threats.
Just because liberal lunatics can’t tell the difference has no bearing on the people standing guard. And to equate the two is an insult to those tirelessly working to stop attacks.
When you folks are done sullying the people doing the tough, scary work than maybe my respect will return for your causes. But never before then. This is no better than the leftwing attacking NSA for their good work protecting us.
Army Mom, this Marine Dad can only remind you what who will be standing guard if the fringes do attack this country from within.
AJ, I’m a CONSERVATIVE and very proud of it. I think your confused. You go back and forth way to much for my taste. I used to enjoy your post. Not so much anymore. Your too wishy washy for me. You left the conservative party, well, I’m living your blog. Go ahead and delete my name and password. Lisa Mora—California I’m out of here!!!
You’ve been looking for an excuse to do this for more than a year. I suppose you found one. Enjoy your time on the left, as you will be embraced with open arms.
So, out of curiousity, when did DHS release their report on left-leaning violent radical groups? did I miss that one?
AJ has every right to separate himself from the people that he can no longer respect or support. But walking away from conservatives is not the same as walking into the arms of the left. In fact those comments support his reason for walking away. There is a problem in the Republican party and among the conservatives about going after people who don’t align with your views and beliefs 100%. The beauty of the political process in this country was that you could associate/belong to a party who had a majority of the same beliefs and views. It was never expected that you had to fit with the mold perfectly. That is where the purity issues come into play. And I agree with AJ if the only thing that people can respond with is that he called someone a name (not even a bad name – we call people drama queens for a variety of reasons) rather than focusing on the fact that yes there are SOME people in DHS that may have an agenda against conservatives, but to lump all of DHS into that is wrong. DHS covers a lot of government workers and agencies, and I know that 1. they weren’t all involved in the creation of this idea or document and 2. that they don’t all support it.
By a show of hands who has actually read this document themselves????
Crosspatch,
I agree with you 100% and there is no way that I could have explained as well as you. Especially on this:
And my family and I agree that you do not need to force someone to believe you beliefs and views, that everyone is entitled to their own.
Raising my hand here.
I’ve read through it three times as a matter of fact.
Even used a highlighter on it.
The problem with this report, as I stated yesterday, is the broad, sweeping generalizations. The net the report casts could, arguably, be used to ensnare anyone who didn’t vote for or has vocally opposed the policies of Barack Obama.
Note the key word there.
Could
I’m not bashing anyone at DHS for the good work that they do.
I am, however, questioning the motivations behind this report and raising the red flag to say “Hey, this looks like potential trouble to me.”
Yes, there are people at DHS that have political motivations. The same is true with the IRS, CIA, DOD, DOS, and every other gov’t department, whether federal, state, or local.
I’m not being hysterical.
I’m not being melodramatic.
I’m not confused about whether I am different than Timothy McVeigh, as I was accused of being yesterday.
All I am saying is that this report includes anyone who dares to oppose Obama.
It covers those who oppose abortion.
It covers anyone who is purchasing guns or ammunition in anticipation of a shortage of those products.
Another troubling thing about this is that this is not the first time these sort of broad generalizations have been put out there.
The state of Missouri put out a very similar report not too long ago. That report includes the “Don’t Tread on Me” Gadsden Flag as a militia symbol.
I’ve got one of those flying on the front of my house at this moment.
The timing on this report was, without question, centered around today’s Tea Party events. It was put out there in order to discourage people from participating.
Well, it won’t intimidate me.
The Founding Fathers sacrificed, bled, and died for what they believed in. They built this country and made it the best place in the history of the world.
I know what I believe and I will not be swayed from it.
The people behind this report and the people in the White House are laughing to themselves today. They are watching the people on the right devour one another. They’ve created another distraction and rather than focusing on them, we’re focused on one another and we are putting our energies into tearing one another down.
Folks, I am reminded of the words of Ben Franklin at the signing of the Declaration of Independence:
We’ve got to get ourselves together, focus on what is important, and recognize the perilous place in which we find ourselves.
With apologies to Martin Niemoller:
They came first for the right-wing militia extremists, and AJStrata said nothing because he wasn’t a right-wing militia extremist.
Then they came for some more right-wing militia extremists, and AJStrata still said nothing because he wasn’t a right-wing militia extremist.
Then they came for AJStrata, told his neighbors that he were a right-wing militia extremist, and his neighbors said nothing because they weren’t right-wing militia extremists.
Then they came for AJ’s former neighbors, and there was nobody left to speak up for them, not that any decent person would speak up for some right-deviationist Trotskyite militia extremist thoughtcriminals anyway.
GuyFawkes,
You should pay attention to your own comments better.
70% of the people who SUPPORT Obama not 70% of the country. Obama does not have a 70% approval rating. So there is not a severe minority.
Oh and by the way, we do still get to speak, thats why we have Congress. Just like you got to still speak when Bush was elected. Grow up and quit being so childish. It just makes it easier to laugh at you.
Well, there is this but it only mentions left-wing extremism in the context of cyber attacks.
But a couple of things. First of all, this report was not meant to be public. It says U/FOUO which means “Unclassified / For Official Use Only” and “For Official Use Only” means that while it is unclassified, it is not to be distributed generally. A report designed for public release would have probably been a bit more polished and attention made to how things might be phrased. In other words, a public report might have undergone a different editing/review process.
Secondly, take a close look at the title of the document. It says:
“Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment”
I don’t doubt that to be true. We have a government that is basically taking control of private concerns through bailout cash in exchange for a controlling equity position and then not allowing those concerns to repay the bailout cash to get the government off their backs once they have the cash. You have the President for all intents and purposes firing corporate CEOs, you have the Treasury Department regulating how much people can make in salary and you have state Attorneys General going after people who have broken no laws with veiled threats if they don’t voluntarily return compensation that is their rightful property by contract agreement.
So you can say we have an “extremist” government, or a government taking “extreme” actions. And this could very well serve as a catalyst to cause the more extreme right-right to get organized as it tends to validate some of the things the extremists say about the government. It can make some people think “wow, I thought those guys were crazy but the stuff they have been warning about is coming to pass”
These actions aren’t as likely to cause left-wing extremism because the actions of nationalization of major corporations pretty much ARE left-wing extremism.
Just a 71 years geeze… USMC… I enjoy most of your posts but sometimes this blog just goes off the rails with shrill rants… I suggest you re-read your stuff & analyze what you have said as you do with your more rational writing…
And… as you said to GuyFawkes… “…Grow up and quit being so childish. It just makes it easier to laugh at you…”
.
Whew… I cringe… what adult mind logic compels you to speak to people like that?
.
I think the internet frees us to say things we would never have the guts to say person-to-person…
“I think the internet frees us to say things we would never have the guts to say person-to-person”
Sadly, so true.
How childish! I just started to read this blog after a link from LGF, yesterday, I blog that is very unchildish, whether you always agree with Mr. Johnson or not, he’s at least rationale.
First, no one cares if you are a liberal or conservative. It doesn’t pour milk on my cheerios or anyone else’s for that matter. With a limited time to read, I try to pick blogs that have interesting conservative bents.
I enjoy conservative blogs that rip conservatives because I believe that the left are children and shouldn’t be criticized for that very reason and the conservatives need to take the hard road to truth.
We have our wackos like the left and ours wave the red flag at any sight of government intrusion. This political hyperventilation, however, does serve a purpose in that it allows the more main stream conservatives to be aware of potential issues and to have ideas on how to handle them if they become more mainstream.
But words, mere words causes this blog to hyperventilate as well? Please! Try to understand who are the canaries in the mine and who are the workers.
There may be many fine people in the DHS, but it doesn’t mean that the DHS can’t be overbearing through inaccurate uses of its real or imagined power. I don’t believe the hysteria on the right extreme is too out of line when a left leaning (155 degrees) administration publishes a document lamenting about possible abuses from right-wing groups that haven’t occurred in over 10 years! Why print the stuff?
Here’s why. We know that the government can do very little proactive work against any of these right-wing groups and that most of these right-wing groups are extremely logistically impaired to do anything anyway, so the only reason to release the report is for political purposes. A spoil of victory if you will. A fun gig at the other side. A stirring of the pot.
But should the fine people at DHS be used for political purposes? Maybe a little bit. It’s only human to expect some of it. But you shouldn’t be surprised when or canaries squawk about it.
So, under that guise, doesn’t a more rationale response from you require a laugh? Or at the very least thanks, but no thanks comment?
Gill,
Where you and I part company is I disagree those keeping watch should be used for political purposes or smeared without evidence.
If you can’t make your argument with mature, reasoned arguments just admit you are in over your head and bow out.
CP
Things like “Intelligent Design” taught in science classes are wrong.
Really? what would you teach in science class? the ‘theory of evolution’? isn’t it just ‘theory’ and not fact?
I see no conflict in evolution and intelligent design. In fact I think evolution was designed very well.
AJ
DHS is not targeting conservatives, they are looking for threats.
The soliquy was not written by the DHS, it was written by a leftie liberal with an agenda. Seems that agenda is working where it is getting moderates and further right swinging leftward. It was only posted using the cover of the DHS.
DJ
But walking away from conservatives is not the same as walking into the arms of the left.
small difference in walking ‘into their arms’ and walking strongly toward them. When your ‘team’ is faltering is when you’re supposed to roll up your sleeves and go to work, not cave.
and one point:
and just why is no one focusing on the fact that the DHS soliquy referred to ‘Right wing terrorists’? Didn’t the Obamites do away with that word? or is it only Americans that are terrorists? Should they be concerned about Bill Ayers, a self confessed domestic terrorist?
Toes192
And… as you said to GuyFawkes… “…
Grow up and quit being so childish. It just makes it easier to laugh at you…” .
Whew… I cringe… what adult mind logic compels you to speak to people like that?
HaHa, Toes if you know GuyF, he won’t take offense at that. He knows he’s childish. He intends to be.
MagicDog, I cannot speak for AJ, but he’s not jumping a sinking ship. We’re all in the same ship here. The S.S. United States of America, and Obama’s spending spree is the iceberg.
Why should anyone decide they should support Obama because of his approval ratings?! Most of the people here think for themselves, and don’t let pollsters think for them. Remember, even Bush was this popular this time in 2001. Now, he is derided by many.
AJ,
Always wishing you the best, and always reading your blog! You do great work here whether you call yourself “conservative” or “independent”. It’s just a name, and it means different things to different people.
Although I think the whole “purist” thing got a little out of control on your part….
a little critical thinking on my part made me realize that no matter how you saw it…..I was still “center-right”; not “center-kook”.
So, I hope you can look past some of the voices you are troubled by and continue to support the “good fight” for American values (no matter where they come from). None of us will agree on all issues in the exact same way. However, it is people, like you, who move back and forth on issues, that shape the country the most. So, I hope you don’t feel too frustrated.
I’m with you on 90%. That may not make us “political twins”; but it makes us “political brothers” for sure. Go where you need to go to find political peace. I support you.
Thanks Frogg, that means a lot to me.
Still, not a conservative, probably never will be again. I have to live by my personal standards, and the right has gone over the cliff.
Conservative alliance forming on both sides of the Atlantic?
excerpt:
Before Hannan´s video shocked the viewers in the United States, he had already made some waves within European politics. Armed with his knowledge of the French and Spanish languages, he has closely followed the political atmosphere in Europe and, particularly, in Spain, a country where several hundreds of thousands of British citizens live and also vote. Hannan specifically asked those British living in Spain to get out and vote conservative in the next European elections this coming June. Hannan´s point was that as Brits in Spain are one of the least represented communities in Western Europe (most of whom are conservative), the importance of voting is particularly relevant. The interesting aspect in Hannan´s position — as well as in the position taken by the Tories in the Conservative Party in England — is the clear attempt to form a new conservative bloc of parties within the European Parliament. David Cameron has already given formal notice of his intention to leave the “European People´s Party” grouping to set up a conservative bloc: the “European Conservatives,” a political group in the European Parliament that will attract members from the Czech governing party — Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek’s Civic Democrats (ODS). Topolanek, who commands particular influence because his country holds the EU presidency, recently asserted that extra spending was “the way to hell”. Others likely to join Cameron´s organization include the Polish Law and Justice party (PiS), Spain´s Alternativa Española (AES), led by Rafael López Diéguez, and several other political parties from Romania, Bulgaria, and other Baltic states that have become uncomfortable with their existing affiliations.
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/3864
Read the whole thing! Very interesting.
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