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Am I "Unhinged"?
BrianWise.com ^ | November 4, 2005 | Brian S. Wise

Posted on 11/04/2005 4:59:39 AM PST by InDissent

In Dissent - Number Two Hundred Eight Friday, 04 November 2005 750 words

Michelle Malkin’s publisher has done something very smart with her new book, Unhinged – it has printed actual hate e-mails sent to Malkin, and the addresses from which they came, on the back cover. For those who haven’t yet seen the back cover, it’s worth a trip to the nearest bookstore. Malkin, a Philippino, is a called a wide variety of colorful things … you know, the kind of things a conservative would be chased out of town for saying, but for some reason can roll off liberal tongues without the slightest misgiving. (E.g., those black Democrats pelting another black man – Republican Michael Steele, Maryland’s Lieutenant Governor and candidate for US Senate – with Oreo cookies, referring to him as Uncle Tom and Sambo. Seen that story on Hardball yet?)

Malkin does mention Right-wing zealotry in her book, and on her website: “I’ll probably have to say this a million times, and those predisposed to attack the book (without reading it) will ignore it, but I do not argue that we on the Right have never gone overboard in political word or deed. The book is about turning [the mainstream media’s] conventional wisdom on its head and showing that the standard caricature of conservatives as angry / racist / bigoted / violence-prone crackpots is a much better description of today’s unhinged liberals than of us.”

There are angry, racist, bigoted and violence-prone conservatives, of course, but none of them perform on conservatism’s main stage. (Michael Savage may be the notable exception. He’s a kook, but he may have just enough listeners and has probably sold more than enough books to make some legitimate claim to that stage.) By and large, conservatism’s bad apples aren’t all that dissimilar from most of the Left’s bad apples, in that they’re relegated to writing columns no one reads and blogs no one sees … which sounded a lot like me when I thought about it. So I began thinking about the worst things I’ve ever said about the Left, wondering whether those things, when gathered together, make me “unhinged.”

Before going any further, you should know I’ve always suffered from Ann Coulter’s Disease, an affliction that renders useless the part of my brain responsible for self-censorship. Coulter’s Disease is why those close to me cringe when they hear relevant media has been looking at or speaking to me; they’re genuinely afraid I’ll end up on television or radio and ruin everything. (By the way, Coulter’s Disease tends to be much less charming when you’re not Ann Coulter, as my former editors at IntellectualConservative.com will tell you.)

For example, the last time I was invited to appear on a radio show, I was asked about the Abu Ghraib prison photos. If anything more sinister ever came to light I would scream for those responsible to be imprisoned and insist they never see another blue sky, I said, but what we had seen to that point was “no worse than a fraternity pledge clenching a Bing cherry between his butt cheeks and dropping it into a shot glass.” Good thing Media Matters wasn’t around back then. (Or was it? Who cares?)

The worst thing I’ve ever said about another public figure, in public, was about Bill and Hillary Clinton at a January 1999 round table impeachment debate. I explained: My ‘Al Gore in ‘98’ campaign wasn’t so much about sex or lies as it was about the 25th Amendment. How so? asked the moderator. Well, I doubt anyone as mentally ill as Bill Clinton can ever really be fit to serve as president. Not even in this political climate can we expect the Clintons to admit they’re swingers, though I think sophisticated people know it when they see it. Clinton wouldn’t have had to tell the grand jury they’re swingers, but he didn’t have to build complicated lies around Monica Lewinsky, either. That’s a tip-off; something’s wrong with him.

Combine this with some things I’ve written in this space – Arab terrorists only understand being blown to pieces and dogs barking at their crotches (ala Abu Ghraib); if Scott Peterson had performed a partial birth abortion on his wife and killed his unborn son, the worst charge NOW would have agreed to levy against Peterson would have been practicing medicine without a license; no one in their right mind would buy a stock if its dividend were based on action born from “outrage in the Arab street” – and I start hoping not to turn up in someone’s Conservatives Unhinged.


TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: bookreview; certifiedblogpimp; foxnews; malkin; michellemalkin; unhinged
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1 posted on 11/04/2005 4:59:40 AM PST by InDissent
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To: InDissent

Yes.


2 posted on 11/04/2005 5:02:49 AM PST by GVnana
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To: GVgirl

Ah-ha. Well, thank you.


3 posted on 11/04/2005 5:04:24 AM PST by InDissent
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To: InDissent

Michelle and Ann in the same paragraph. My beeber has been effectively stunned. (sigh)


4 posted on 11/04/2005 5:06:40 AM PST by paulcissa (Only YOU can prevent liberalism.)
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To: paulcissa

Brother, I'm right there with you.


5 posted on 11/04/2005 5:08:43 AM PST by InDissent
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To: InDissent
" ... Michael Savage may be the notable exception ("angry, racist, bigoted and violence-prone conservatives"). He’s a kook, but he may have just enough listeners and has probably sold more than enough books to make some legitimate claim to that stage."


Yeah ... perhaps 8 million listeners may be just enough.



6 posted on 11/04/2005 5:10:51 AM PST by G.Mason (As I post explicitly for my pleasure, you will excuse me, won't you.)
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To: InDissent
... (E.g., those black Democrats pelting another black man – Republican Michael Steele, Maryland’s Lieutenant Governor and candidate for US Senate – with Oreo cookies, referring to him as Uncle Tom and Sambo. Seen that story on Hardball yet?)

Actually, it was the WHITE, democrat Maryland Senate President, Mike Miller, who called Steele an Uncle Tom. Here is an article about it.

Only in the race-baiting politics of the democrat party is such a remark allowed, understood and forgiven.

7 posted on 11/04/2005 5:12:41 AM PST by Nomorjer Kinov
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To: G.Mason

Well, I was being facetious there, of course, but 8 million is higher than the number I remembered - and therefore, worse than I expected.


8 posted on 11/04/2005 5:13:31 AM PST by InDissent
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To: InDissent

Ahem, we are not DU. We have certain rules to maintain the civil tone around here. Ann Coulter has clearly been mentioned, there needs to be photos. IIRC Michelle Malkin is also covered by the Ann Coulter Rule.


9 posted on 11/04/2005 5:17:57 AM PST by magslinger (At the end of the day the only truly educated people are autodidacts.)
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To: InDissent

...There are angry, racist, bigoted and violence-prone conservatives, of course, but none of them perform on conservatism’s main stage. (Michael Savage may be the notable exception....

Savage speaks the truth, so they have to assasinate his character. He's never advocated violence, racism or bigotry.

Damned squishy spineless pseudo-conservatives.


10 posted on 11/04/2005 5:18:20 AM PST by the gillman@blacklagoon.com (Ugh!)
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To: Nomorjer Kinov

In my haste to make room I cut out a line that made the paragraph in question clearer. I was referring to an earlier incident but, yes, you're right, and I thnk you for pointing it out. Will re-insert that line sometime today.


11 posted on 11/04/2005 5:22:30 AM PST by InDissent
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To: magslinger
Ahem, we are not DU. We have certain rules to maintain the civil tone around here. Ann Coulter has clearly been mentioned, there needs to be photos. IIRC Michelle Malkin is also covered by the Ann Coulter Rule.

I'm curious why folks here that mention photos do not just post the photos thenselves in the reply they are using to ask someone else to post them???

Rules are rules, but why don't you lead by example. ;) :)

12 posted on 11/04/2005 5:23:45 AM PST by ajolympian2004
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To: magslinger

Um, yes, of course. A thousand pardons. Someone please post a Coulter pic. Thank you.


13 posted on 11/04/2005 5:23:52 AM PST by InDissent
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To: InDissent

The author invokes Ann Coulter's name, but hasn't taken her writings to heart. In "How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)" she wrote "Don't surrender out of the gate". Six out of seven paragraphs are either self-flagellation, or attacks on the mythical knuckle dragging conservative stereo type.

The validity of one's point is not increased by seeking an equal footing with the opponent, especially if one must slander oneself to do so.

Grade: F.


14 posted on 11/04/2005 5:26:52 AM PST by Jack of all Trades (Never underestimate the speed in which the thin veneer of civilization can be stripped away.)
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To: InDissent

This will always be the best photo of Ann Coulter until the end of time...

15 posted on 11/04/2005 5:27:14 AM PST by ajolympian2004
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To: InDissent

bttt


16 posted on 11/04/2005 5:29:36 AM PST by Eagles6 (Dig deeper, more ammo.)
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To: Jack of all Trades

Oh, Lord. I'd have thought most people can separate light-hearted self-flagellation from the "I hate myself and want to die" type. Alas, no. Lighten up a little.


17 posted on 11/04/2005 5:29:57 AM PST by InDissent
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To: ajolympian2004

Brilliant! And I thank you.


18 posted on 11/04/2005 5:30:30 AM PST by InDissent
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To: InDissent
Malkin, a Philippino

**************

Isn't Malkin an American?

19 posted on 11/04/2005 5:33:10 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: ajolympian2004
Agreed. Two of the greats in that picture.

Now, if I could only get Ann to eat a cheesburger or two...
20 posted on 11/04/2005 5:33:11 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (Darwinism is a belief in the meaninglessness of existence - R. Kirk)
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