Posted on 08/29/2004 9:18:37 AM PDT by Thanatos
By Mona Charen - 08/29/04
In their new bestseller, "Can America Survive?" Ben Stein and Phil DeMuth begin with a pointed contrast between the America of today and that of 1942. One starts the section with trepidation, since such comparisons are overdone and usually strained. But the authors handle it deftly. The result is a quite devastating insight into the liberal mind.
Imagine, Stein and DeMuth write (I paraphrase), that it is 1942. The United States has been brutally attacked at Pearl Harbor. Nazi Germany has declared war on us. The enemy is making progress on several fronts around the globe. At home, President Roosevelt "is attempting to rally the nation and fight back against the aggressors."
Now imagine, they continue, "that on college campuses, the main focal point of student rallies is whether or not the United States is acting in a racist manner by fighting back against the Japanese in the Pacific. ... Consciousness-raising sessions are held to explore the sensitivities of the Japanese and the Germans — to examine what in the American way of life might have been hurtful to those people, forcing them to turn to Nazism and imperialism and to fire upon the Americans who have ‘shamed' them.
"Every day newspapers bring a flood of articles about the Americans killed that day in the fighting, and a mass of hand-wringing about whether or not the men and women who died did so to promote a hidden agenda of Roosevelt's."
If modern liberals had been around in 1942, that is precisely the way things would have been, and it's sobering to reflect that if the nation had been so disposed during that dangerous time, the outcome of World War II might have been different.
This book is especially apt at this moment, because the man aspiring to unseat George W. Bush had such a large hand in making American liberalism what it is today. Some have dismissed the swift boat veterans controversy as a distraction. We've heard that Vietnam is as remote from the consciousness of Generation X and other young voters as the Alamo or Omaha Beach. Perhaps. But: a) young people need to learn their history; and b) Kerry's role as a war protester was quite simply dishonorable. He should not be permitted to pass himself off as the loyal soldier once again "reporting for duty."
Let's be clear. There was nothing dishonorable about opposing the war in Vietnam or any other war. But Kerry became the front man for Vietnam Veterans Against the War. With his New England wealth and Yale degree, he leant considerable prestige to that otherwise less-than-savory organization. And he used that influence not just to urge an early end to the war, but to defame and libel the other 2.7 million men who served in Vietnam.
His April 1971 testimony reveals a true modern liberal, impatient with the old benevolent view of America. "We rationalized destroying villages in order to save them," Kerry declared repeating the cliche (of doubtful authenticity) originated by reporter Peter Arnett. "We saw American lose her sense of morality as she accepted very coolly a My Lai and refused to give up the image of American soldiers who hand out chocolate bars and chewing gum. We learned the meaning of free fire zones, shooting anything that moves, and we watched while America placed a cheapness on the lives of Orientals."
Kerry has never repudiated that testimony (the more lurid parts accused Americans of cutting off limbs, randomly shooting at civilians, razing villages in a fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan and more). That is John Kerry's America. It is a land of racists; a nation that can "coolly" accept war crimes; a nation that has long since ceased to hand out candy bars.
Kerry's allies in the Democratic Party and in the press are today presenting an identical image of American soldiers to the world. They have reveled in images from Abu Ghraib and highlighted accusations of harsh treatment at Guantanamo. They've wildly exaggerated threats to civil liberties at home, while indulging in open speculation about the Bush administration's vulgar motives for taking the nation to war. As for the good American force is doing for the world and for us, you won't hear of it from the Democrats.
John Kerry played a leading role in curdling this country's self-image and, in a long senate career, he has rarely voted to defend the country. His salute is insulting.
Mona Charen is a nationally distributed columnist.
The essence of a liberal response to an act of terror is Jimmy Carter's response to the hostage crisis. Does anyone know what John Kerry said about this crisis---and Carter's response to it? Given how much Kerry hates America, I would imagine he was scathing in his criticism of the ill fated hostage rescue mission.
This month, Randy Kelly, Democratic mayor of St. Paul, endorsed President Bush, urging Minnesotans to "stay the course. The commmon good will be better served on the path we're on than with and abrupt change of direction, especially one paved in part with political hatred." The mayor cited an "I hate Bush" bumper sticker he'd recently seen as evidence of this political hatred. Who knew an "I hate Bush" bumper sticker could do so much good?
J.T. Elliott
Bozeman, MT
It was a pampered, privilidged liberal northeastern elitist.
We all know that Pearl Harbor was a case of mistaken identity, and that we went to war with Japan for it's rice. Germany was forced to declare war on us to protect poor Japan from American aggression. It was a sad moment in American history.
NO MORE WARS FOR RICE!
(Racism a snide blast at the liberal hypocrisy and not intended to be implied as actually held by the poster...)
Nope, our entry into WW2 was a good thing.
I just finished Stein's book and his opening chapter about "Imagining It's WWII" is much longer than quoted here by Charen and it completely fantastic.
His book is an absolute primer for debating the leftists and I highly recommend it for freepers who don't feel comfortable entering into debates. This will give you the confidence.
Stein is concerned we are headed for a civil war and wonders where it will all ends. He truly believes most leftists have gone insane.
Roosevelt wisely forecast that we would have to go to war with the Axis. Americans volunteers, e.g., the Flying Tigers, went to China to fight the Japanese alongside the Nationalist Chinese; this is well known. I just learned recently through a friend whose father fought in China beginning in 1939 that we had active duty sailors and soldiers fighting in China! His father was on a Navy ship with Chinese insignia sinking Japanese ships. This was classified for many years. IMHO, this was a good plan. The isolationist politicians were so strong that the Axis might have overrun Europe, Asia, and Africa before America entered the war; it would have been too late. Yes, Roosevelt tried to provoke the Japanese; it was necessary and proper. Did we sucker Saddam into invading Kuwait? IMHO, yes. Was it a good idea? Yes.
Whenever a commentator says that some independent group is "distracting us from the REAL ISSUES," he means they're distracting us from the issues the candidate HOPES will distract you from his CHARACTER.
I don't know ... who was the president at that time again?
FDR, Truman and Kennedy were nothing like today's liberals and you know it.
FDR - Internment camps for the Japanese
Truman - Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Kennedy - Tax Cuts for all Americans, including the wealthy.
On the other hand, FDR's administration, up to the vice president, was full of Soviet a**-kissers. And lets not forget that Truman proposed a nationalized health care system all the way back in 1948.
That is why another FReeper and myself have devoted all our free time to getting these stickers out to folks so they can get visibilty to the CONSERVATIVE WORKING PUBLIC. When a motorist sees it, he realizes the grassroots nature of SBVFT, as we are doing what Reagan did - TAKING THE MESSAGE DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND BYPASSING THE LAMESTREAM MEDIA FILTER!
Get your own "EXPOSE KERRY'S FRAUD SWIFT BOAT VETERANS FOR TRUTH" STICKER!
The sticker serves 3 purposes:
1 - Shows visible support for "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth" to passing motorists, (encourages our side discourages the libs).
2 - Gets the swiftvets.com website visible to the public, so they can and find out more about 'Hanoi John' Kerry.
3 - Circumvents the lamestream media BIAS filter!
Made by fellow FReeper disabled vet who has a bone to pick with Kerry, like we all do!
Large (24" Wide 12" Tall) $20 (like mine above)
Small (12" Wide 6" Tall) $10
Profits go to SwiftVets.com
Ping your FRiends, let 'em know about this!
FReep mail / private reply for details on how you can get one for your vehicle!
However the liberals of OUR AGE, would have found any reason to justify the actions of ANY POWER that opposed the United States and did whatever act against it's military and civilians (as in the attack on Hawaii). Anything to further their agenda of self hatred of America........
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
