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.
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.