The Paradox of Unified Control–How Conservatives Can Win Without Bush

Vanity | 1/31/2004 | Self

[Kevin Curry]

A district party conference was under way in Moscow Province in 1938. It was presided over by a new secretary of the District Party Committee, replacing one recently arrested. At the conclusion of the conference, a tribute to Comrade Stalin was called for.

Of course, everyone stood up (just as everyone had leaped to his feet during the conference with every mention of his name). The hall echoed with 'stormy applause, rising to an ovation.' For three minutes, four minutes, five minutes, the 'stormy applause, rising to an ovation,' continued.

But palms were getting sore and raised arms were already aching. And the older people were panting from exhaustion. It was becoming insufferably silly even to those who adored Stalin.

However, who would dare to be the first to stop? The secretary of the District Party could have done it. He was standing on the platform, and it was he who had just called for the ovation. But he was a newcomer. He had taken the place of a man who'd been arrested. He was afraid! After all, NKVD men were standing in the hall applauding and watching to see who would quit first!

And in the obscure, small hall, unknown to the leader, the applause went on — six, seven, eight minutes! At the rear of the hall, which was crowded, they could of course cheat a bit, clap less frequently, less vigorously, not so eagerly — but up there with the presidium where everyone could see them?

The director of the local paper factory, an independent and strong-minded man, stood with the presidium. Nine minutes! Ten! In anguish he watched the secretary of the District Party Committee, but the latter dared not stop. Insanity! To the last man!

With make-believe enthusiasm on their faces, looking at each other with faint hope, the district leaders were just going to go on and on applauding till they fell where they stood, till they were carried out of the hall on stretchers!

Then, after eleven minutes, the director of the paper factory assumed a businesslike expression and sat down in his seat. And, oh, a miracle took place! Where had the universal, uninhibited, indescribable enthusiasm gone? To a man, everyone else stopped dead and sat down. They had been saved.

That same night the factory director was arrested. They easily pasted ten years on him on the pretext of something quite different. But after he had signed Form 206, the final document of the interrogation, his interrogator reminded him: "Don’t ever be the first to stop applauding!"

* * * * *

Unlike Stalin, Bush is a genuinely decent, moral, well-meaning human being. He has done some great things and deserves respect, honor, and applause in consequence of that. He is also a flawed, as are we all. He is not merely wrong, but terribly wrong on some fundamental matters.

There are many among Bush's supporters who are too intoxicated with the cheap wine of hero worship to see the flaws, or too consumed by fear to speak their minds frankly and openly. President Bush is ill served by such. He needs our honesty--not our blind or silent worship.

Bless you, honeygrl, for having the courage to be among the first to stop applauding.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I have watched him for some time.

My, I am flattered! But if I told you what I really do, and who I work for, I'd have to kill you.

Sarcasm, sarcasm, see sarcasm..only sarcasm......No need to do the chicken.

:o

[Joe Hadenuf]

Keep dissembling. Joe. It doesn't hide the fact that you won't answer the questions.

vat question is dat mine comrade?

[hoosiermama]

Would we know your name if we heard it?
Have you ever had sex with that woman?
Well you're not Arnold are your initials MM?

[goodnesswins]

I've been thinking about "giving more" for the past week or so.....Jim's actions just made me increase our monthly contribution by 50%!!!

Dare you all to join in.....

[Maigrey]

Oh, please. Don't insult the gnomes.

I'd say more of the garden variety "corrupted drow" but that would demean drow elves also.

[Neets]

Umm, Kev, Honeygrl asked Jim Robinson to make her be gone.

And he did,

And she is.

You might look for her over at ElPeePee.

[olliemb]

The camera shot away so fast that I was left with my mouth open. Those Jacksons!!!

[nopardons]

I meant to watch , not play , but I never played football either. Now, just WHAT job do YOU have;do you actually have a job ?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Would we know your name if we heard it?

Yes

But I won't say.

Have you ever had sex with that woman?

Yes. But not that woman.

[gatorbait]

Well i would use Lawn Jockey because what's dumber than a lead figure? However, they have a negative ,and for some , racialist conotation and I'll be damned if I insult good men and women here getting to the brickheads.

[Peach]

So out of that entire post, you have one sentence saying Bush is moral, etc., but the rest is there and plain to see - you feel that people who actually admire and support this president are the equivalent of Stalinists.

It is one thing to have constructive criticism of various proposal/programs, but you just go from thread to thread bashing the president.

We will never ever have a president with whom we agree 100% and to think otherwise is insanity.

Without a strong national defense, there won't be a domestic program left in the country to talk about if we have another 9/11-style attack or worse.

There are good and valid reasons by I support the president and your analogy is greatly resented and I think you are disgusting for presenting it.

[Miss Marple]

Again, the question is this: Who pays your salary (not a specific omapny but a reasonably detailed description) and what is your job title?

AND, are you getting any money from George Soros?

[EllaMinnow]

?

[Jim Robinson]

Enjoy your new life over on LP. They're gonna love you.

[Mo1]

WOW .. this thread is big .. did I miss anything?

[Tamzee]

Bless you, honeygrl, for having the courage to be among the first to stop applauding.

What hysterical rhetoric LOL

If you can't see the difference between your childish applause story and the right wing not sabotaging Bush's re-election, then you aren't intelligent enough to be a conservative to begin with.

[Kuksool]

Mind flayer would be a more appropriate term.

[Peach]

Thank you so much. I just wrote him how disgusting I think his analogy was that Bush supporters are like Stalinists.

You are doing God's work in my view and I admire you.

[hoosiermama]

Great idea! I'll increase my monthly.Where do we increase the monthly?

Start a thread, Goodnesswins. Use post 712 and we'll start the movement. PUT it under activism or something that will stay up for awhile!