Lando 
Posted on 02/24/2005 7:42:59 AM PST by SmithL
As one of a handful of Bay Area conservative columnists, I'm no stranger to pushing buttons. Indeed, I welcome feedback from readers, whether positive or negative. I find the interplay stimulating, but I am often bemused by the stereotypical assumptions made by my critics on the left. It's not enough to simply disagree with my views; I have to be twisted into a conservative caricature that apparently makes opponents feel superior. They seem not to have considered that it's possible to put forward different approaches to various societal problems and not be the devil incarnate.
But in some ways I understand where this perspective comes from, because I once shared it. I was raised in liberal Marin County, and my first name (which garners more comments than anything else) is a direct product of the hippie generation. Growing up, I bought into the prevailing liberal wisdom of my surroundings because I didn't know anything else. I wrote off all Republicans as ignorant, intolerant yahoos. It didn't matter that I knew none personally; it was simply de rigueur to look down on such people. The fact that I was being a bigot never occurred to me, because I was certain that I inhabited the moral high ground.
Having been indoctrinated in the postcolonialist, self-loathing school of multiculturalism, I thought America was the root of all evil in the world. Its democratic form of government and capitalist economic system was nothing more than a machine in which citizens were forced to be cogs. I put aside the nagging question of why so many people all over the world risk their lives to come to the United States. Freedom...and democracy itself were all taken for granted in my narrow, insulated world view.
So, what happened to change all that? In a nutshell, 9/11.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Thanks, JJ! It's a delight for me to see Cinnamon published in the SF Chron. And, it's been marvelous to watch her grow in her writings skills over the years. She done good! :)
Lando
there is another conservative editor or columnist at the Chron.......she is regularly on Hardball but I can't remember her name but she is a very good writer too. I'll have to keep a look out for her unless you already know her name.......
Debra Saunders is their regular token conservative.
You're welcome.
This was certainly one of my favorite reads in a very long time.
yup.......thanks.......she also has alot of insight and I like listening to her though you don't hear her on any other network .......
I like Debra Saunders even when I don't agree with her. Also, keep your eye out for the Chronicle's Jennifer Nelson - a great conservative voice from the middle of blue country. She shows up every couple of weeks.
good job........quick question.....I am on the SF Bay Area ping list but is there another list someone mentioned earlier.....Drango said something about an SF chapter but maybe I'm on that already....only been posting since Nov so I don't have all the skinny........Thanks.......
Don't get to read Debra much, I canceled my SFChron subscription many, many years ago 'cause of their unrelenting bias. Nowadays, when they will throw free copies on all the driveways in the neighborhood, I call 'em up and threaten to call the cops if they don't stop littering my driveway. (No kidding)
I believe Citizen James is running the most current list...There are at least 3 other ping list but they are largely inactive as is the SF Chapter. (I think)
Bottom line is that keeping lists and running FReeps takes a lot of work and most of the workers have retired to their full time jobs.
bttt
thanks.....SmithL let me know the goods....just wanted to know if there was anything more organized.......we talked earlier this week.......thanks for the update....
I'm a USS Cole Republican... Clinton didn't do sh*t for this country.
Long time no ping. Bump! /Freeper language off.
Uh oh! Now you've done it. The unwritten rule is that the person who suggests the FReep has to plan and organize it! Have fun:-)
The local chapter of Protest Warrior is planning to be there. Might want to get signed up and stay tuned...
This is my story too. The only talk radio I ever listened to before 9/11 was NPR. After 9/11, it seemed like there was never any real news on NPR about what our government intended to DO about it. NPR went on endlessly about the tragedy of the towers, but stopped short at any political commentary. I started listening to people like Rush and Sean just to hear some real news as to what was going on with the government. Nowadays I listen to NPR on Saturday mornings (since I still adore "This American Life") but weekdays are for Sean and Rush.
She's right about the Bay area, too. We moved here in 2003, and I was stunned by the general animosity toward anything (or anyone) the least bit conservative. They love to label entire areas of the country, too. We came here from Texas, and as soon as new acquaintances heard where I was from, many of them immediately made nasty cracks about Texas. I wanted to backhand some of them, quite frankly, but figured that wouldn't help me fit in any faster. :)
If she's getting alot of foaming at the mouth emails in response to her article, here's part of the reason why:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1621813
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