Hey Perlstein, Have you hugged your burqa today? Wear a burqa 24-7, until then as your queen -Teresa Peron said, "Shove it" (((( NO to GLOBAL misogyny ))))
Posted on 08/03/2004 12:09:31 PM PDT by dead
Opening Statement
Dear FRiends:
I once suffered two great frustrations in being a freelance political writer. First, the loneliness: you put an article out there, and you might as well have thrown it down a black hole for all the response you get. Second, the ghettoization: when you do get response, it would be from folks you agree with. Not fun for folks like me who reliish--no, crave and need--political argument.
Then came the Internet, the blogs--and: problem solved.
I have especially enjoyed having my articles in the Village Voice posted on Free Republic by "dead," and arguing about them here. The only frustration is that I never have enough time--and sometimes no time--to respond as the threads are going on. That is why I arranged for an entire afternoon--this afternoon--to argue on Free Republic. Check out my articles and have at me.
A little background: I am a proud leftist who specializes in writing about conservatives. I have always admired conservatives for their political idealism, acumen, stalwartness, and devotion. I have also admired some of their ideas--especially the commitment to distrusting grand social schemes, and the deep sense of the inherent flaws in human nature. (To my mind the best minds in the liberal tradition have encompassed these ideals, while still maintaining that robust social reform is still possible and desirable. My favorite example is the Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, author of the Serenity Prayer and a great liberal Democrat.)
Lately, however, I've become mad at the right, and have written about it with an anger not been present in my previous writings. It began with the ascension of George Bush, when I detected many conservatives beginning to care more about power than principles. The right began to seem less interesting to me--more whiny, more shallow--and, what's more, in what I saw as an uncritical devotion to President Bush, often in retreat from its best insights about human nature.
I made my strongest such claim in a Village Voice article two weeks ago in which I, after much thought, chose to say conservatism was "verging on becoming an un-American creed" for the widespread way conservatives are ignoring the lessons of James Madison's great insights in Federalist 51 that in America we are supposed to place our ultimate trust in laws, not men.
Finally, in what I see as the errors of the Iraq campaign, I recognize the worst aspects of arrogant left-wing utopianism: the idea that you can remake a whole society and region through sheer force of will. I think Iraq is a tragic disaster (though for the time being the country is probably better off than it was when Saddam was around--but only, I fear, for the time being).
I am also, by the way, a pretty strong critic of my own side, as can be seen in my latest Village Voice piece.
So: I'm yours for the day--until 7:10 pm CST, when I'm off to compete in my weekly trivia contest at the University of Chicago Pub. Until then: Are you ready to rumble?
Respectfully,
Rick Perlstein
Your detecting was off and apparently remains on the blitz.
SOMETHING had to change in the Middle East. Many would say the only thing that is going to save us from them as they become more technically advanced is total annihilation. And to tell you the truth, I think it might come to that.
I'm not one of these muslim bashers around here. I refuse to believe that "Islam is a Death Cult" and "All Muslims are evil". That is assanine. If it was true, we wouldn't be here today because there are 1.6 billion of them. Or, maybe they're the most undermotivated blood thirsty animals imaginable??
Anyway...Back to the point...SOMETHING had to change. Someone had to introduce Democracy into the Middle East. And while doing so, it didn't hurt that we took-out someone who would have LOVED to have helped get nukes to terrorists. Plus, Iraq is one of the less fanatical countries in the Middle East. So...It was an easy choice, especially when you consider the intell we had going in.
My problem with liberals concerning this issue is this...
They don't stand behind America...They stand behind their own thurst for power! Instead of siding with us in our stance against allowing terrorists access to armageddon type weapons, they stand with the "Poor oppressed Middle Easterners who just need to be understood". And God forbid that we actually admit that we need to change the course of radical muslims in the Middle East...If we had done that, the liberals would have been screeching "HOLY WAR!!!"
The way I see it is...
We either do this or nuke the place. Or, we eventually get nuked ourselves. And you damned liberals see that as well...But for some reason you won't side with us???
May God Bless President George W Bush for taking this stance!!!
I have NO desire to read your articles in the Village Voice. If you came here to advertise, you picked the wrong demographic.
1. Some argue the vehement criticism and anger towards Bush is visceral, motivated by more than strongly-felt policy disagreement. Some would say the vehement criticism and anger towards Clinton was no different, just coming from the opposite direction. Are they different sides of the same coin? What are your thoughts?
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Thanks for the great question, Shermy. I agree generally (though not comletely) that crtiicism of Bush from the left has MORE to do with policy than criticism of Clinton from the right, other things equal. For example, the accusations about Clinton being involved in Vince Foster's death had nothing to do with any policy I can think of. I'm interested for examples of lines of left criticism of Bush that have nothing to do with policy--or with deeper principles, like my criticism that conservatives have often defended Bush to me based on their contention that he's inherently decent person, no matter what policies he carries out.
Bookmark for dissection and a good old Bronx Cheer.
DING DING DING We have a winner..we all can agree on something....
"but how much Perlstein can a fella stand to read??"
Please delete this post...I posted it to the wrong person. Thank you.
bump for later reading. Thanks for posting this, dead!
Now I know why you like John Kerry.
Get a cable modem ~ it's fast, fast, fast. :)
But the Left was there in unanimously voting NOT to hold Clinton responsible for his Perjury and Obstruction of Justice, despite knowing Slick Willie is a Rapist (Broaddrick, others), a Mass-Murderer (see Waco, Kosovo) and a TRAITOR (see selling WMD secrets to the Chi-Coms). The DemonRAT Party forever embarrassed itself in kowtowing to the Clinton Administration and refusing to hold a blatantly GUILTY man responsible for his crimes against this Country!!
FReegards...MUD
What I saw in '94 was great chortling of the Liberals as they perceived that they were about to get a strong majority and would finally get control and make the people do this and that. Oh, yeah. Such happiness!
I don't see the Conservatives doing any such thing. What I see is Conservatives strung out over the 50-50 chance that we are going to go back to the Democrat majority and find our natural and Constitutional rights eroding at a rapid pace again. We are close to the razor's edge right now, and we could just slip right over and end up in either 1984 or Brave New World or Walden II, or all of those collectivist, socialist Utopias put together.
Like his belief that financial institutions and capitalism were bad? How he and Jefferson took pride in not understanding the basic concepts of finance while Hamilton had to push for a capitalist society.
You really wear your socialism on your sleeve... don't bleed on me commie.... your bleeding heart pumps black death.
"We're tweaking the system. You might find response time abysmal in the meantime."
I have the opportunity to challenge a young college age friend to think. We have been e-mailing our thoughts and politics for some time. He sent me a piece written by Howard Zinn. His choice of using Zinn was predictable in that it showed my friend's immaturity because Zinn is another equally predictable socialist/liberal who says nothing different, such as yourself Mr. Perlstein. I will use my letter to my misguided friend as a response to you:
I really appreciate your comments. I do, indeed, have a tremendous amount of passion for our country based primarily upon our need to protect the Constitution. Having lost many ancestors in the Revolutionary war who fought so bravely for our freedoms that we enjoy now, I feel a sense of duty to their sacrifices. I am equally concerned about what freedoms we will leave for other generations. So I guess it is fair to say I am a "passioniate Constitutionalist." The laws of this nation put forth by our forebearers have served us well. They have guided us through tumultous times, wars, the Great Depression, political upheaval, and past and current threats from different shores. These laws must be protected at all cost or we will fail as a Democracy. Be assured that there are forces on this planet that are intent upon destroying America and these forces do not always use missiles, guns and hand grenades. They use words to undermine our society. If you have any doubt, take the time to read the infamous Communist Manifesto written by the equally infamous but evil Karl Marx. Marx distinctly spelled out how we would be overcome in the Manifesto.
The questions is simple. If America does not fight for the freedom and protection of others in different nations as well as the safety of our own, who will? France? No, their cowardice has been historical for centuries. Germany? This is a country who still revels in elitism and many people of Germany secretly enjoy the doctrine of Adolph Hitler. Spain? Lighweights who ran the minute they lost 200 people. China? They are still a Communist inspired country who continually stiffles their citizens, we should not forget the student uprising and massacre at Tinnamen Square as late as 1989. How about North Korea? George Bush nailed it when he included this violent country and it's psychotic leader in the "Axis of Evil." Moscow? They are riding a fence and could fall either way but I think it is important to note that leopards do not change their spots. Then there are the third world countries who are ruled by dictators fed by the United Nations which ironically we are now finding is the most corrupt organization in the world, i.e, the the scandalous "Food for Oil Program, which allowed people and children to starve while tyrannts such as Saddam Hussein were lining their pockets. As I see it, the biggest obstacle liberals must get over is that George Bush is our President, elected by the people through the laws of this Nation. Haliburton Oil has employed people worldwide and brought prosperity to many. Tell me what is wrong with OIL? The liberal mantra, "big oil, big business" is a tactic used by liberals to "piss-off" society. Big business has given jobs, healthcare, research, money, industry and prosperity to the world over. Tell me, where would we be without capitalism (probably captured somewhere in that idealic fantasty land of a song called "Imagine" written by Lennon, spelled differently from his predecessor) and while you are at it, remind me what "big business" did to deserve such hatred. Then explain the vast, vast wealth of John Forbes Kerry, over one billion dollars and his puppet boy Edwards who is nothing more than one of those thugs in suits Mr. Zinn refers to, known as a trial attorney. They do not have a clue what it is to understand the common man and don't be tricked.
Finally, occupation of other countries. Every country we have rescued and "occupied" has flourished and to shorten my lengthy response I will simply use one country as an example, Japan. I personally do not care about a handful of American soldiers who allegedley "abused" some Iraqi prisoners. They have been investigated, court-martialed and will be dealt with accordingly. The media has shamefully spent day after day diminishing our success with this silly non-story. There are so many more important issues yet, the media is stuck and can not move ahead. One would think that this is the only outcome of our recent and successful occupation of Iraq and hopefully the entire violent Middle East.
I do not wish to change anyone's political idealism, but I will take every opportunity to give balance to those who give too much credibility to a predictable Howard Zinn with an agenda. Catch phrases such as "a President who was not elected," "thugs in suits who do not care about the earth," "land taken from Mexico in 1848, (how far back does one have to go to incite?) all seem a wee bit hysterical and frankly grasping for a cause. Zinn's rhetoric and agenda is obvious in that he does not include Bosnia (we are still there) and Kosovo in his rant, very telling since those were war crimes committed by William Jefferson Clinton. Names and words he uses such as Haliburton, Bechtel, occupiers, social change, Viet Nam, and more,
all used in the same article tell me that the author is a radical socialist who despises this country and everything it stands for. He is one of those forces I mentioned earlier with a desire to disrupt our democracy with pitiful irrelevant issues used as code to tell our young such as yourself that we are an evil empire. I prefer to dwell on the vast good that America has brought to this world because of a basic need of "freedom for all," and unfortunately it comes with a cost. Conservatively and respectfully yours,
You're imposing your liberal philosophy on others. Liberals believe that the great unwashed must be guided by the enlightened wisdom of the elites. Conservatives believe that if you create the right environment, you can let the force of will of the Iraqi people take over. And so far it's working - the insurrection is mostly from the deposed Baathists, parasites who have lost their status as oppressors and want it back. The average Iraqi just wants a better life and a new car and a bigger house - the old market forces at work.
Hey Perlstein, Have you hugged your burqa today? Wear a burqa 24-7, until then as your queen -Teresa Peron said, "Shove it" (((( NO to GLOBAL misogyny ))))
Bravo. That bears repeating.
think Iraq is a tragic disaster
I agree. Do you/those on your side think that conservatives are throwing confetti and tooting party horns over the fact that we ended up having to send our troops over there as a last resort?
No. No more than parents are "glad" when they have to put their drug addicted teenagers in rehab as a last resort to stop them harming themselves and others. That, too, is a "tragic disaster," but a necessary one.
Finally, Mr. Perlstein, I don't know your background or what your childhood was like, but mine was tough (see profile), and people like me and my parents who "bootstrapped" it, have very little tolerance for liberal ideals. Finally, I have been involved in G.O.P. politics since I was a teen, and NEVER have I been asked to be a "backdrop" at a political event. Through my current job, I have begun attending both Democrat events as well in the last few months (hey, it's a living), and was asked by these democrats who don't know my political leanings to "be a backdrop" recently, because they thought my being hispanic would "make the speaker look good." That's about typical.
Then you just MIGHT use material gathered on this thread for a future article. Honestly, I was wondering how you could assure me you'd never use anything you learned here for a future article. You opened your introduction by expressing an almost Marx/Trotsky-ish compulsion to "study" us.
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