Posted on 11/22/2021 6:19:21 AM PST by Kaslin
To be clear, though, from the outset, this article is not about me. It is about the question of what it means to be a conservative. I simply use myself as an example.
My question for consideration is this. If you have voted exclusively Republican for decades (including voting for Trump in 2016 and 2020), you are a staunch, Bible-based moral conservative on marriage and family issues, and you have consistently spoken out against the leftwing, Democratic agenda, how do you then become a “closet liberal”?
According to one commenter (with reference to me): “This writer is a closet liberal. He makes several stupid and false statements about Rittenhouse’s behavior. Kyle would be dead if he hadn’t been armed.
“And his absurd claim that a [sic] blacks receive harsher sentences is completely unfounded. Blacks have been committing violent hate crimes all over the country and, typically, they’re not even charged much less given harsher sentences. This writer is repeating fake liberal claims.”
So, you are a “closet liberal” if you write, “I don’t believe Rittenhouse should have been in Kenosha with a gun.” Seriously?
If you question the wisdom of a 17-year-old teen showing up in a very volatile environment with a gun, you are now a “closet liberal,” even though you agreed with the jury’s “not guilty” verdict? Is this the new definition of conservatism?
As for the allegedly “absurd claim that . . . blacks receive harsher sentences,” it appears the commenter failed to click on the link I supplied to a full-length article providing a meta-analysis of many years of study.
On second thought, though, because the article was published in the Washington Post, that would mean that, by its very nature, it is false. And that would confirm that, by daring to cite the Post, I must be a “closet liberal.”
Frankly, I find this kind of “reasoning” quite chilling, as if one must agree with every single rightwing talking point to be a true conservative. Or as if you cannot present another side of the story to be considered.
Unfortunately, I see this time and time again, which is why I draw attention to such comments: they are representative of a wider trend. And note also the racially biased nature of the comment concerning black criminals. Is that another mark of true conservatism? I certainly hope not.
But these days, even if you write countless articles debunking the “white supremacy” and “white privilege” narratives, the moment you say, “But there are racial disparities that remain in America, and we should do our best to address those,” you are now a RINO, a communist, a woke closet liberal, and worse. That kind of narrow-minded thinking should disturb those of us who identify as conservatives.
Really now, isn’t that what we always accuse the left of doing, namely, repeating the same mantras and talking points without nuance or balance? Is our side so weak that it can’t survive scrutiny or pushback or different points of view on secondary issues?
In response to my article calling for accountability for those who predicted or guaranteed that Trump would be reinstated to the White House in 2021, another commenter wrote, “What is interesting is how these RINO's like to avoid actually defending truth about the facts. So safe sitting on the fence and waiting to see which side is safe once the fence falls. Michael Brown is a coward of epic proportions. Rather than point out the fraud with the reams of evidence that abound, he chooses to hamstring those that hoped honesty and truth would prevail. How brave Mr. Brown is for his middle ground in avoidance of reality.”
This time, it appears that unless you say, “I KNOW THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN,” then you are not to be trusted. And obviously, you are not a true conservative. (For the record, I did not comment on whether the election was stolen in the article, other than to say I was hoping the courts would prove that it was stolen.)
And if you voted for Trump (twice) and yet say, “Don’t listen to the prophecies claiming he will be reinstated to the White House in 2021,” then you are a double-minded fence-sitter.
Of course, I’ve been on public record since January 6 that Trump would not be supernaturally (or even legally) reinstated to the White House during the Biden term, outside of the possibility of reelection in 2024. So, I’ve hardly been fence-sitting.
But nowadays, unless you encourage every hope and dream that somehow, fraud will still be discovered and Trump will be restored (before the 2024 elections), you are avoiding reality, taking a cowardly middle ground position, and are a RINO.
Ironically, in this very same article, I had written, “In this regard, a typical tactic would be to attack the messenger, in this case, accusing me of being weak. Or a RINO (I'm actually a registered Independent who votes Republican, based on conservative principles rather than party affiliation). Or approving of abortion (as if recognizing Biden as president makes me guilty of shedding innocent blood). Or lacking in faith. Or being unspiritual. Or whatever.”
So, I was fully expecting these kinds of comments and attacks. And they came in bunches, as predicted. As I had also written in the very next lines, “But that's the least of my concerns. In fact, it is not my concern at all, since I'm not writing this to gain popularity or support.”
To the contrary, as I also wrote recently, I fully expect pushback like this and welcome it warmly. Bring it on! (My only request is that you read the article, and where it is helpful, check the links provided, before commenting.)
My concerns are with a particular definition of “conservatism” that adds certain qualifications to one’s orthodoxy. And I am concerned with the mindset that does not even consider the possibility that any opposing points of view could have any validity at all.
How is this “conservatism”? And how is this any better than the “woke” culture of the left?
When we cancel each other out because we do not demonstrate a sufficiently narrowminded, unquestioning loyalty to all rightwing talking points, we are in trouble.
Michael Brown is not a closet liberal; he’s now out and proud...
Yes! Next question.
bump
The article was all about you, Mikey.
Sensitive much?
Geez, what a whiner...
Yes, unless you *said* “the election was stolen” early when it mattered, you are not to be trusted. And yes, if you are worried about Kyle with a gun but not worried about rioters with guns, you are not to be trusted.
The gist:
So, you are a “closet liberal” if you write, “I don’t believe Rittenhouse should have been in Kenosha with a gun.” Seriously? If you question the wisdom of a 17-year-old teen showing up in a very volatile environment with a gun, you are now a “closet liberal,” even though you agreed with the jury’s “not guilty” verdict? Is this the new definition of conservatism?
***Yes, that IS closet liberalism. The kid was there to help a store owner from getting his livelihood burned to the ground, and to administer medical aid. But this armchair quarterback wants to question such wisdom. Similar exchanges of ‘wisdom’ happened here on FR.
The gentleman doth protest too much. . .He’s a closet dweller for sure.
what it means to be a conservative.
https://kirkcenter.org/conservatism/ten-conservative-principles/
I encourage everyone here to read it slowly and let your lips move.......................................
I’ve been accused of being a leftisture a couple of times. It’s kind of comical though because I left the Republican party because they’re not conservative enough for me. People sometimes confuse your questioning the validity of a story to you having a strong bias. Sometimes a bad story is just a bad story. And sometimes those stories come from the right. Intelligent people call them out even though the story may come from their own side. In fact if you have strong integrity you will especially call out the ones that come from your side.
I don’t think you should bring your AR 15 with you into the toilet is as far left as I can go. lol
Thge four felons who attacked Kyle should have all been locked up that night.
For their own safety and the safety of the rest of Wisconsin.
The author of this article is so deluded he doesn’t even realize that his opinions are actually exposing him as a leftist. He may truly believe he’s a conservative, but his opinions do not support such a belief.
Sounds more like a closet wimp. If someone is wrong about you, ignore them and move on.
old curmudgeon: A “right” to be there does not me it is wise to be there.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/news/4014195/posts?page=355#355
Rittenhouse found not guilty on all counts
11/19/2021, 11:06:52 AM · 243 of 405
Kevmo to old curmudgeon
“wise”?
Wisdom is vindicated by her children.
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To: Kevmo
You claim that you carry, but that in itself is “putting your head in the lion’s mouth” according to the libtards, so maybe you should follow their ridiculous advice and get rid of all your guns.
OK, I give up.
I have learned that the world is full of very smart people, much smarter than I.
They can out point you on anything you have to say.
A fool is a person who knows everything but knows not what to do with what he knows.
And with that thought, I leave you.
258 posted on 11/19/2021 11:17:32 AM PST by old curmudgeon (There is no situation so bad that the federal government can not make worse.)
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To: old curmudgeon
A fool is a person who uses a cliche without examining its meaning. In your case, “There is no fool like an old fool.”
352 posted on 11/19/2021 5:38:21 PM PST by Kevmo (I’m immune from Covid since I don’t watch TV.🤗)
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To: Kevmo
A fool is a person who uses a cliche without examining its meaning. In your case, “There is no fool like an old fool.”
I could not help it.
It just fit you so perfectly and your reply only confirms it
353 posted on 11/19/2021 5:45:56 PM PST by old curmudgeon (There is no situation so bad that the federal government can not make worse.)
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To: old curmudgeon
Hahahahah, you can’t even get past the “I know you are but what am I” phase.
355 posted on 11/19/2021 6:01:39 PM PST by Kevmo (I’m immune from Covid since I don’t watch TV.🤗)
That depends on where the toilet is located...
Dear Michael, what part of the second amendment do you not understand?
Mr. Brown doesn’t get that we are at war with Marxism. It’s not a time for reasoned analysis, it’s a time to fire all guns at the Marxist left.
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