Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Don Quixote's of Our Era
http://streetlevel.townhall.com ^ | 8/20/07 | Darvin Dowdy

Posted on 08/20/2007 7:09:33 PM PDT by Darvin Dowdy

After a busy day of traveling recently on a business trip, I finally reached my hotel room where I immediately unpacked, ordered from room service, found the remote and plopped on the bed. Powering on the tube I found little. Until I happened upon, of all things, PBS. They had a bio of Theodor Geisel. Or as he is better known, Dr. Suess the children’s book writer. I never knew that he came up during the depression/ World War II era and that he was an extreme left-winger. But as I watched the documentary I was fascinated by one glaring fact. And that was the left leaning Geisel and his New York liberal associates were not only for WWII but were aggressive about it. Wanting to contribute in some way to the war effort. As was the case with "most" of the other factions, groups, segments of that particular society during that particular time period in America. And this really started to stick in my craw. "What a rip!", I thought. "Why can't we have that kind of unity in our present generation?" I asked myself. I found myself really coveting what they had and began the process of analyzing why our generation is so different. Because if you stack up the Nazi’s side by side with the radical jihadists it seems to me that our current enemy has at least an equally sinister purpose as the Nazi’s. Or more so. So the motivation should easily be there to unify against this enemy, shouldn’t it? Are Americans so different now than they were 67 years ago?

Of course there is little resemblance between the modern day U.S. citizen and the “Greatest Generation” of World War II, generally. There are many wonderful exceptions, however. But for the most part our present generation has different priorities. Over 9 million Americans enlisted in World War II. Nine million volunteers! Sixteen million served in that war. And today the U.S. Military has some difficulty making their recruiting goals and keeping their 1.43 million troop force (active duty )up to strength. And these valiant few are carrying far too heavy a load. Less than one half of one percent are carrying the load for all of us.

So why the lack of enthusiasm for this war we’re waging against an obvious evil enemy? Wanting to always think “good thoughts” about my fellow citizens I seem to only be able to come to one conclusion. Too many folks these days are in deep denial. They no longer have, lets call it a “higher power” or a long standing set of traditions or values to fall back on or to turn towards for answers or direction. As a result they’re delicate ego is constantly having to balance their id and superego. And as that becomes more and more difficult the ego becomes raw. Inflamed. Threatened. Again, I’m speaking of people here that are on their own. They have rejected the Father/Son/Holy Spirit. The Bible. All legend and mumbo jumbo in their view. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you. Ha! So we have this external threat to the ego. The id and the superego are battling for the ego’s attention. Like the little shoulder devil and angel that we see in the cartoons. The ego gets confused and blows a fuse! Out of this anxiety the ego deploys an ego defense mechanism. Like denial. Another defense mechanism is displacement. How does that work? Well lets use a recent event in history to demonstrate. Terrorists crash multiple jet aircraft into buildings on 9/11/01 killing 3000 innocent Americans. We’ll create a fictional 25 year old "single" male named Tom. Tom is deeply disturbed and horrified by the event. His superego tells him he must do something for his nation in its time of need. His id tells him there’s nothing he can do. Ignore it. Forget it. The inner conflict goes on for months. Years. Tom is afraid to stand up and help his nation. The anxiety gets to be too much and Tom breaks. A displacement defense mechanism is deployed because Tom can’t admit to himself that he is actually a coward. That admission of cowardice would damage his ego. Tom redirects his fears and emotions from the fearful object of the Global War on Terrorism towards something much less threatening. Something that he can handle and deal with. Even if its something that he must invent. Preferably something that can be made to look like a threat but , in reality, is not a threat. Something that Tom can fight against but that won’t fight back at him. Tom is looking to displace his need to be a responsible, courageous citizen of his nation, with something that is less fearful and difficult. Tom has taken the cowards “way” out. The “path” of least resistance. As have millions of U.S. citizens, out of fear and anxiety. Now all possibly on a fast track to mild psychosis. In this sense the radical jihadist has had a certain degree of success by his use of terror as a tactic.

Hence, too many of our fellow citizens have this personality disorder and as a result have invented in their own minds a fixed fantasy. They have imagined and created their own “bogeyman” and have openly challenged this non-existent phantom, Don Quixote style, knowing full well that it won’t retaliate with physical violence. At least they have that knowledge in their subconscious. Which is “the” prerequisite in their choice of an adversary, by the way. Examples: Blaming America for 9/11. Bush Derangement Syndrome (BDS). The “Blame America first crowd”. The continuous villainization of Dick Chenney and Halliburton. And the complete embracement of the Man-made Global Warming Myth. This “Global Warming/Sky is Falling” craze is probably the most common because it is densely populated with others of like mind. And it is headed up by a former Vice-President of the United States who, most likely, has a mental disorder himself. Having never come to grips with his loss in year 2000. Mr. Gore is only making things worse for himself, however. He’s digging himself into a deeper hole than he’s already in. Mentally. He has done our nation a huge disservice by distracting a large, weak minded portion of our population away from the truly serious issue of the Global War on Terrorism towards a non-issue. He has divided and significantly weakened our nation and one day he’ll come to realize what he’s done. And when that day comes it will be devastating for him. He’ll most likely not recover.

So how should we approach these looney nut-cases? Make fun of them? Call them names? That’s the common tactic used by our side. But not by me. No sir. You won’t catch me calling them looney nut-cases. In all seriousness, though, we should have sympathy/empathy towards them. Compassion. They could still be reached. Especially if they happen to be on their medication. We can’t give up on them. However, we can't let them determine the direction our nation takes, either. The scary part being that they do have a vote.

And to you "Tom's" who do know the true peril that our nation is in, recognizing the insidious enemy that we're up against and you continue to opt not to stand up (link) and defend her and do your duty, you deserve no respect. Darvin Dowdy http://streetlevel.townhall.com

"A coward dies a thousand deaths, a soldier dies but once" William Shakespeare

"...for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands." King David to Goliath, I Sam 17: 47


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: bds; dementalillness; denial; liberals; wwii
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

1 posted on 08/20/2007 7:09:37 PM PDT by Darvin Dowdy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy

I like that


2 posted on 08/20/2007 7:17:29 PM PDT by woofie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy

I was just watching a show debunking the conspiracy myths of 911...and a good question is why are these folks compelled to invent this stuff?


3 posted on 08/20/2007 7:21:29 PM PDT by woofie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy

—a great many of the pre-WW 2 left wingers didn’t have any problem with Hitler until he stabbed his former buddy Stalin in the back in June 1941——


4 posted on 08/20/2007 7:23:00 PM PDT by rellimpank (-don't believe anything the MSM states about firearms or explosives--NRA Benefactor)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy
"Are Americans so different now than they were 67 years ago?"

No...but the left is. Basically, what we have now is a civil war being fought with plowshares instead of swords.
5 posted on 08/20/2007 7:27:23 PM PDT by Old_Mil (Rudy = Hillary, Fred = Dole, Romney = Kerry, McCain = Crazy. No Thanks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy

Psycho babble is psycho babble whether employed by the left or the right. What exactly is an ego, an id, and a superego and where are they in the brain? Oh wait! It’s a bunch of Freudian mumbo jumbo that is as far from a Christian perspective of the person as you can get. Lets talk about lust, selfish desire and the sin nature, throw in a few words about cowardice and foolishness, maybe a little bit of sloth, and a lot about the rejection of God and his word in favor of the flesh and worldly desires. Then we can talk. That’s my ego talking right? My id wants a sandwich though, so I’ll stop now. If I pray before I eat I guess my superego has siezed control briefly . . . but I’ll get myself back. Then off to bed. Hopefully my trusty old id has some plans for that part of the evening.


6 posted on 08/20/2007 7:28:20 PM PDT by Greg F (Duncan Hunter is the conservative in the race.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rellimpank
You beat me to it, but I want to hop on board. The "American First" isolationists were largely socialists. Hitler had a non-aggression pact with Stalin. Hitler had conquered France. Hitler was close to conquering England. Everything was great -- socialists in American couldn't have been happier.

Then Hitler invaded the USSR and it seemed possible that Stalin was in trouble. The socialists in America started pushing real hard for the US to enter WWII. You know, to *ahem* help our friends in England. Pearl Harbor was a lucky break for them. They were thrilled that we had been attacked.

Never trust the Left.

7 posted on 08/20/2007 7:30:24 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (The broken wall, the burning roof and tower. And Agammemnon dead.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: rellimpank

Yep, the Communist Party USA actively protested in the streets against going to war against Nazi Germany.

Woody Gutherie’s “This Machine Kills Fascists” slogan only got applied to his guitar AFTER America got in the war. Until then the Nazis offered just another brand of socialism.


8 posted on 08/20/2007 7:30:45 PM PDT by weegee (NO THIRD TERM. America does not need another unconstitutional Clinton co-presidency.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: rellimpank
You are right. Look at Life or Time or any of the popular magazines from about 1936 to 1939. Hitler was a dapper gentleman, a smart dresser and a lady's man with charming manners. He was a visionary doing what needed to be done to restore the German nation, unfairly victimized by the winners of World War I.

There were a number of Dan Rather wanna-bes who went over to interview him and wrote flattering articles. Even Neville Chamberlain woke up before our left-wing press did.

9 posted on 08/20/2007 7:33:07 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy

I highly recommend looking at Geisel’s war cartoons:

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/Frame.htm

It is impossible to reconcile his Left wing views to the present Pacifism of the modern radical left.

Many of Geisel’s cartoons could be thrown on the modern editorial page as indictments of the anti Iraq war attitude.

It is one of the best examples of how the Left has fundamentally changed to the Old Right of the 1930s.


10 posted on 08/20/2007 7:38:27 PM PDT by lonestar67 (Its time to withdraw from the War on Bush-- your side is hopelessly lost in a quagmire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy

I am a ham,
I am,
No the ham is Spam,
I am a sham,
I am.


11 posted on 08/20/2007 7:53:23 PM PDT by ontap (Just another backstabbing conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: woofie

Because like michael moore, they have found there is a niche of suckers will to give money for this nonsense.

(what was that old movie where survivalists find out their fearless leader is heavily invested in the stock market?)


12 posted on 08/20/2007 8:01:46 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy

BTW I though Don Quixote was a good man...


13 posted on 08/20/2007 8:03:08 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Greg F
Ouch that was brutal!

And yet you have a point.

Interpreting and then vernacularizing an explanation for the liberal mindset ain't all that easy though.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

14 posted on 08/20/2007 8:05:48 PM PDT by expatguy (New and Improved ! - Support "An American Expat in Southeast Asia")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy
"The Don Quixote's of Our Era"

Is it the 3rd grade or is it 4th grade, where most learn that the apostrophe denotes possession, not plurality?

15 posted on 08/20/2007 8:21:56 PM PDT by Redbob (WWJBD - "What would Jack Bauer Do?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy

“Are Americans so different now than they were 67 years ago?”

In a word: abso-effing-lutely.


16 posted on 08/20/2007 8:45:14 PM PDT by Jack Hammer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

I can’t believe so many here aren’t knowledgeable of the Socialists/Communists pseudo-patriotic push for American intervention strictly for the purpose of saving Stalin’s butt. They began infiltrating shortly after the Wilson era (if I recall) and by the time FDR was dealing with Pearl Harbor many were occupying some of the highest positions in government. Alger Hiss, anyone?

Their philosophical descendants are alive and well - and still occupying the highest positions of our government.


17 posted on 08/20/2007 8:53:12 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: weegee

In an American Masters segment on Woody Guthrie they mention how Pete Seeger and the Weavers, devout socialists, were anti-war only until Hitler attacked Stalin and then they turned 180° and were doing tours for war bonds. Sometime later they were outed as commies an the tours stopped.


18 posted on 08/20/2007 9:01:29 PM PDT by moreisee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Darvin Dowdy
Something to keep in mind is that many on the "hard left" in the US during the 1930s and 1940s weren't 100% for the war until Hitler violated his non-aggression pact with Stalin, and attacked the Soviet Union. Only then did they become supporters of the war.

Mark

19 posted on 08/20/2007 9:01:54 PM PDT by MarkL (Listen, Strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lonestar67

PM was a hard core pro-Stalinist publication. It supported the war effort only because Hitler threatened the Soviet Union.


20 posted on 08/20/2007 11:07:39 PM PDT by iowamark
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson