Posted on 09/05/2009 12:41:21 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
It's no surprise that the right-wing nuts are going after Van Jones, the Bay Area activist who is now Obama's green-jobs advisor. The loonies have picked up on the fact that Jones was one of 100 people (along with Daniel Ellsberg and Paul Hawken) who signed a letter raising questions about the government response to the 9/11 attacks. It's actually not that radical a letter; Indybay has posted it here.
But what amazes me is how quickly people who aren't typically considered wackos have bought into this -- take, for example, the former wife of the mayor of San Francisco, who appeared on Sean Hannity's show to denounce Jones with some bizarre claims:
GUILFOYLE: Well, that' s a problem. When you say, is there a problem with the vetting process? Clearly he wasn't vetted. All they had to do was go and ask a couple of questions in San Francisco about this individual. You know there's a problem when he's not even wanted in the city of San Francisco where I come from. OK? HANNITY: That's a good point.
GUILFOYLE: That's a huge red flag right there. What is this man's qualification besides his anti-American theory? He's far left, radical.
HANNITY: No, he's a communist. I mean avowed.
GUILFOYLE: Yes.
CUPP: Self-avowed. Yes.
GUILFOYLE: Self-avowed communist. Why is he even in the White House? Is that the reward?
He's "not even wanted in San Francisco?" What? Van Jones is an icon in this town. Some people think he gets too much fawning press; nobody I know thinks he's unwanted.
And, um, self-avowed communist? Kimberly, that's so 50s. I know Van Jones, and I know some communists, and I can tell you that Van Jones -- for better or for worse -- is not a communist. Guilfoyle must know that, too -- in fact, there really aren't a whole lot of communists left, even in the Bay Area. In the 1980s, I used to see the Revolutionary Communist Party types at political events, but you hardly ever hear from them any more. Calling someone a communist these days doesn't even qualify as red-baiting; it's just nutty-mouth.
More:
HANNITY: All right. This is back in March of 2008. We examined this. He called on participants to take a pledge of resistance and "Not in our name will we invade countries, bomb civilians, kill children, letting history take its course over the graves of the nameless."
Now, I mean, we can keep going, look at the comment that he made about white polluters steering poison into black communities.
CUPP: Right.
GUILFOYLE: Well, this is an individual that doesn't have the qualifications to be in the bizarre job that he's in. And it just raises the issue here about these czars gone wild. This is someone who actually just doesn't even like the United States of America, wants to reshape it, remake it into something that we would not even recognize, and what's so wrong with this country that we have an individual like this coming in, meddling in our affairs that has no idea what he is doing, who really is traitorous in his comments against this country.
Actually, I spent several years of my life researching a book on the American environmental movement, which is now available in the remainder bins of finer used books stores here and there, and I can tell you that the question of environmental racism -- in this case, of white-owned companies dumping toxic waste in black communities -- is well settled. In fact, I was surprised to learn that chemical pollution wasn't entirely a class issue -- poor white communities got less poison than middle-class black communities. That's 20-year-old news.
I know these guys need ways to attack Obama, but come on, Kimberly: You know better.
At least, I guess, Newsom can always distance himself; isn't that what ex-wives are for?
Uhmm..how people in the world know an actual communist? Its not like saying "I know a Methodist".
As to this editorial: there is simply no refutation, no wrangling with Van Jones previous declarations from his anti-whitey quotes to his revolutionary quotes, to his preposterous claim first that he didn't know he was listed in this truther signatory ad to how now he doesn't believe in the ad's message. Redmond simply says, "This is ridiculous" while not refuting any of the charges made about Van Jones based on his own statements and speeches.
Redmond obviously would never inquire, just like the rest of the liberal media establishment, as to why Van Jones had never denounced over the last five years his name being attached to this statement since he now claims he is not in agreement. He can't say he doesn't agree with the signing statement and then not show that he denounced his supposed involuntary inclusion on the list. That's simply a question Van Jones could never answer because he did indeed support it - his actions and lack of reaction provide no other possibility.
“But what amazes me is how quickly people who aren’t typically considered wackos have bought into this “
Yes, foolish people - believing that Van Jones actually meant what he said and did what he was caught on tape doing. Don’t right-wingers know that they should only “buy into” what the San Fran elite tell us to believe?
Yeah, it really “weird” that we actually take Van Jones words seriously as opposed to this author’s mindless adoration of all things associated with 0.
Thats because they now call themselves community organizers.
Or "environmentalists"
I'm sure this is likely what the enlightened Mr. Redmond sees at the political events he attends. I love your "Tim Redmond - Ace Reporter" hat. It's quite the ensemble dude.
That's Tim Redmond on the right, with the ponytail. So who do you believe? The conservatives, or Tim Redmond?
This is what I'd call a "no-brainer," even before you start picking apart Redmond's argument. And once you start picking apart Redmond's argument, you realize that it can be summarized in five words: "Take my word for it." If you trust the Tim Redmonds of the world to vouch for Van Jones, you're too stupid to be a conservative.
And the “Fox All-Stars” actually think that Zippy is going to axe someone who is that kind of icon to the left?
I really don’t think so! He’s already made the lefties mad enough by offering to compromise on Obamacare. He needs them and their money amd will not further alienate them.
Says a radical.
From the comments: ;)
“Rick H.:
Not being able to recognize van jones for the kook that he is more or less brands you as a kook yourself.”
Thats because they now call themselves community organizers.
Or progressive, or liberal, or Democrat.
I remember back in the sixties when a number of leftist radicals were asked if they were simply commies. Of course they all denied it. As it turned out, a great many of them were actual communists. In short, they were communist liars.
They are only going to defend 0’s commissars.
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