What I've learned in two years of writing a column (little Ceausescus at DemocraticUnderground.com)

Star Newspapers - Chicago ^ | Sunday, March 13, 2005 | Michael Bowers, Star columnist

[Chi-townChief]

I've been writing this column now for precisely two years. It happened rather by accident. In February 2003, I was angered by the frenzied, irrational opposition to a possible war in Iraq from those on the Angry Left.

I conceded there may have been no link between Saddam and 9-11. But I fumed when I heard them argue there was no link between Saddam and terror. And so I mentioned to my boss: You know, what if I wrote something about this for the op-ed page?

The boss said sure, give it a shot, and my first column appeared on March 2, 2003. I said today's pacifists are still brainwashed by the lessons of Dr. Spock, who taught Baby Boomers in the 1960s that violence is never the answer. Kids bullied on the playground are not allowed to hit back. Likewise, when bullied, America is not allowed to hit back either.

I believe this kind of thinking is contemptible. I still do. It's one of the main motivations of why I write.

But with that said, I have learned much in the past two years. One is that while I usually made good points, I often did it too meanly. I was under the illusion that to counter those who disagree with me, I had to smash them.

Now I know different. Now I look back at a few of my early paragraphs in embarrassment. Now I'm leaning toward the "Tuco" approach. I refer to the 1967 Clint Eastwood movie "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."

From the side, Tuco (he's the ugly one) fires a bullet at a cutout plywood target of a man. Nothing happens. Then Tuco stomps his foot. The top half of the target falls off the bottom half.

That's deftness.

Another shortcoming is that I've failed to make it clear that I really do recognize that not all liberals are nitwits. Some are. Too many of 'em. But others are decent Americans who just happen to disagree with the way George Bush gets things done.

If you are one of those decent liberals and I have gratuitously offended you at one point or another, then please accept my apology. Also write down this date. I may never write such a thing again.

Now, what's the difference between a nitwit liberal and an honest liberal? One remarkable test has arisen in just the past few weeks, as several nations of the Middle East have taken baby steps toward freedom.

Here is the test: What does the subject think about what is happening in the Middle East this spring? If he is as happy about it as I am, and if he's willing to concede that Bush might have got a few things right, then he deserves respect.

On the other hand, if he acknowledges no progress and still loathes Bush — then I am saddened to live in a country that contains such haters.

There's no shortage of the newly honest liberal nowadays. You can hardly open a newspaper or magazine without reading some fervid Bush opponent painfully acknowledging that hey, maybe the president wasn't so wrong about the Middle East after all.

But then there are the irredeemables. They remind me of Nicolae Ceausescu, the last communist dictator of Romania. In December 1989, the rest of the world had realized that communism was finally finished forever. But not Ceausescu. He strove to cling to power, and on Dec. 17, his troops murdered dozens of protesters in the city of Timisoara.

Romanians were furious. They toppled Ceausescu on Dec. 22 and put him and his wife before a secret summary court-martial. On Christmas Day, the couple were shot like dogs.

Now, we have new Ceausescus, who do not realize that repression in the Middle East is going the same way as communism in Europe.

One such Ceausescu is Robert Fisk, a British journalist who has made a living out of hating America and Israel. In Lebanon, he says, "democracy, if it comes, will be drenched in blood."

And then there are the little Ceausescus at DemocraticUnderground.com. I feel a little sheepish about quoting the miserable statements from this miserable Web site; it's almost like going to an insane asylum and writing down the crazy things you hear.

But, as Sun Tzu, the famous ancient Chinese general, wrote, a fundamental rule of war is know your enemy. So let me tell you some of the things they say at DU.

No Exit says: "'Freedom is on the march' in the Middle East, and fascism is on the sneak in the U.S. of A."

BullGooseLoony says: "If anyone tells you that our country is safer because of the war, they're lying."

Stephanie says: "'Liberating Iraq' is just as big a lie as 'finding the WMD' was. Bush Co. is in Iraq to establish a foothold in order to dominate the entire region and its resources. They have no intention of allowing genuine democracies."

Such ugly sentiments are depressing. They make me need a shower. But then I remember a few words from Frank Zappa, and I feel a little better. To paraphrase, he once said: The world isn't getting any smarter. Make stupidity work for you.

Bush is certainly doing so. It's one of the things that have allowed him to change the world. Soon he will be remembered along with FDR and Reagan.

Michael Bowers is a layout editor for the Star. Send e-mail to mbowers@starnewspapers.com.

[Chi-townChief]

Nice job once again, Mike.

[Chi-townChief]

CHICAGOLAND PING

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I said today's pacifists are still brainwashed by the lessons of Dr. Spock, who taught Baby Boomers in the 1960s that violence is never the answer. Kids bullied on the playground are not allowed to hit back. Likewise, when bullied, America is not allowed to hit back either.

I'm glad to see someone else pick up on just how badly Dr. Spock ruined this nation.

Spock taught an entire generation (or its parents) that it was OK, in fact desirable, to be selfish, spoiled, hedonistic brats.

He is the father of the modern liberal movement and I hope he burns in Hell even as we speak.

[68skylark]

Good column. But his quotes from DU are hardly representative -- he's cherry-picked just a few of the most mild quotes, and some of the very few quotes that don't make reference to bodily functions.

[68skylark]

He is the father of the modern liberal movement and I hope he burns in Hell even as we speak.

To quote a movie I always enjoy: "Lighten up, Francis."

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Ah, I'm better now, I just needed to spit that out once today.

[Dudesdad]

Democracy came to this country covered in blood too - the blood of Patriots.
Freedom isn't free of cost.
This is something the liberals will never get.

[roaddog727]

Fine read.

[bert]

.....But not Ceausescu.....

Au contraire mi amigo (a little frog/mex lingo)

One of my favorite historical events brought to us by TV was what I think of as the "Ceausescu Moment".It was a moment of unmistakable historical truth plainly visible to those watching the events unfold.

Ceausescu and his entourage were out on a balcony where he expected to greet the belligerent crowds, a la Beruit last week, smile grandly and wave his hand and all would be well. The crowd would be cowed and show they loved him. It did not happen. The resultant crowd roar was from disapproval and off with his head slogans.

The "Ceausescu Moment" came. The look of dismay and chagrin and understanding clearly indicated that the man knew it was over and that he was in serious dodo.

Within hours he was stood against a wall and shot.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Good article. Thanks for sharing. I loved this:

"The world isn't getting any smarter. Make stupidity work for you."

Whoever came up with DU certainly saw the truth in that, LOL! Those people are absolutely certifiable.

And yes, President Bush will be going down in history as one of the Truly Great ones of our time. Hope I'm still around to see that come to fruition.

[kitkat]

It wasn't just Spock. It was a whole generation of child psychologists who wrote such books.

[FReepaholic]

...He is the father of the modern liberal movement and I hope he burns in Hell even as we speak...

Or, if he's reincarnated, may he be getting the crap beat out of him by a bully and his pacifist mother won't let him hit back. (he'd be 7 now)

[1john2 3and4]

After reading all the descriptions here at FR, I never wanted to 'go there'....but once, the day President Reagan died, I did, figuring it would be a good 'test case'...for decency, you know.....

1. The 'need a shower' comments are correct.
2. I will never go there again.

Hate damages the vessel in which it is held far more than the object on which it is poured. Their hate is completely toxic, and void of all that is just, right, or good.

[Peach]

Osama bin Laden and Saddam worked together for over a decade. Even the Clinton administration linked the two when a federal indictment against OBL mentioned specifically his working with the Iraqi regime.

This link has hundreds of articles, going back to the 90's, which show the links between Saddam and OBL.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1327993/posts

[jocon307]

"...the "Ceausescu Moment".

Well do I remember my friend asserting that Romania would never stop being Communist, that Ceausescu was just too severe a dicatator. About 2 weeks later he was dead. It was a great example of the harder they come, the harder they fall.

[texasbluebell]

I'm glad to see someone else pick up on just how badly Dr. Spock ruined this nation.

I was thinking this very thing just yesterday, myself.

That Dr. Spock was responsible for the worst aspects of the Baby Boom generation.

May he rot.

[RBroadfoot]

'The "Ceausescu Moment" came. The look of dismay and chagrin and understanding clearly indicated that the man knew it was over and that he was in serious dodo.'

I think you meant "serious doo-doo" rather than a seriously extinct bird ...

but, in light of this article, maybe it should be spelled as follows:

"DU - DU"

[Brian Allen]

Great piece -- great post -- thank you.

This guy is me.

BUMPping

[hosepipe]

[ Bush is certainly doing so. It's one of the things that have allowed him to change the world. Soon he will be remembered along with FDR and Reagan. ]

He obviously knows nothing about FDR...

[RBroadfoot]

Even Michael Scheuer, aka Anonymous, accused Iraq of supporting Al-Queda objectives, including the development of chemical and biological toxins, during the 1990's in his book titled Through My Enemies' Eyes.

One needs only to see how the MSM cherrypicks from Scheuer's writings to prove the anti-Bush (and anti-American) bias of the MSM. Sure, Scheuer is no fan of the neo-con strategy for the Middle East, but his books are also scathingly critical of Clinton's passivity. His books are a great place to get facts, but Scheuer is kind of short on solutions other than just killing terrorists, which is pretty good as far as it goes. The neo-cons take it to the next level with their optimistic assessment of the universal desire for liberty and democracy. Time will tell whether it works in the Muslim world, but it takes a sick mind to root for the neo-con strategy to fail.