Victor Davis Hanson: Cracked Icons, Why the Left has lost credibility

NRO ^ | 12/17/2004 | Victor Davis Hanson

[bowzer313]

"If the moralizing Left wants to be taken seriously, it is going have to become serious about its own moral issues, since that is the professed currency of contemporary liberalism."

As much as I admire Hansen, I find that Jacques Barzun has a much more compelling critique of the liberal left and a much greater understanding of the moral degeneracy of modern liberals and the utter collapse of the entire liberal project that has held sway in the western world for so long. Hansen still seems to want to reform the left, for whatever reason I can't understand. Barzun recognizes that the liberals of today are pure evil; their influence should be destroyed altogether.

Read "From Dawn to Decadence" by Barzun, a recent book. Or "The House of Intellect" and "The Use and Abuse of Art", written in the 1950's, the heyday of modern liberalism. Barzun has had these monsters pegged for a very long time. I think Barzun has a broader and more far-ranging mind and perspective then Hansen, and that's saying a lot.

[ttdriver]

Just a thought for some of you. Part of my job is that of a meeting planner. In 2005 (for the second time in five years) VDH will be the lead speaker at my annual meeting. Believe it or not, he is a better speaker than he is a writer. He will, simply "transfix" an audience. I'm certainly not "shilling for him", but he's very good at what he does. So, if you're in the business of putting on meetings, conferences, etc. he's an excellent choice.

[OXENinFLA]

All the standing ovations for Kofi Annan cannot hide the truth that the Oil-for-Food scandal exceeds Enron. Indeed, Ken Lay’s malfeasance never involved the deaths of thousands, while cronies siphoned off food and supplies from a starving populace. The U.S. military does not tolerate mass rape and plunder among its troops, as is true of the U.N. peacekeepers throughout Africa. There can be no serious U.N. moral sense as long as illiberal regimes — a Syria, Iran, or Cuba — vote in the General Assembly and the Security Council stymies solutions out of concern for an autocratic China that swallowed Tibet. Millions were slaughtered in Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur while New York bureaucrats either condemned Israel or damned anyone who censured their own inaction and corruption.

OUCH!

[metesky]

bttt

[Mo1]

.

[Tolik]

You can shill for him anytime. I am envious. Post his remarks at your conference, will you? Thanks

[Tribune7]

It should be required that any Moslem seeking immigration be required to specifically declare that those parts of the Koran supporting violence against non-believers or apostates are not the will of God.

[Ichneumon]

SLAM DUNK!

[headsonpikes]

A trenchant piece, even for VDH.

[RottiBiz]

Outstanding!

[Willgamer]

Lunchtime (PST) bump.....

[KC_Conspirator]

They could start by accepting that the demise of many of their cherished beliefs and institutions was not the fault of others. More often, the problems are fundamental flaws in their own thinking — such as the ends of good intentions justifying the means of expediency and untruth, and forced equality being a higher moral good than individual liberty and freedom.

This is a polite way of saying "Stop hating America".

[swilhelm73]

bttt

[doubled]

Could you please add me to the ping list?

[DaveCooper]

BTTT

[CGVet58]

ditto-bump, Lando... VDH is one of America's Best & Brightest, a voice of clarity and light that cannot be hidden.

[wita]

Good start, the word is RENUNCIATION and It must apply not just to parts of the Koran, but ALL of the Koran and Mohammidanism! If the roots are bad, the tree is good for nothing but to be hewn down and cast into the fire. Renunciation is the only way to protect ourselves from further messes created by the true unbelievers.

[Tribune7]

It's not a religous test I want imposed, but an acceptence of our Founders' civic values which is reasonable request to make of one seeking residence here.

I haven't read all the Koran -- when I tried it seemed a mind-numbing waste of time, much unlike when I picked up the Bible for the first time -- but I'll assume there are parts of it that don't contradict American principles and if they want to believe that, fine.

[Tolik]

Added to the VDH ping list. Thanks

[sauropod]

read later