J’Accuse

There has been a lot of criticism of LewRockwell.com on FreeRepublic, an ostensibly conservative discussion site. Much good comes out of that site, including excellent coverage of the latest war. Patriotism is considered de rigueur there and many of those who post are quite conversant with the constitution.

Others have never heard of it. LRC is referred to by some Freepers as a "blame America first" site. They are correct in supposing that LRC writers including myself are not gushing over the Republican Party. It is flawed thinking however, to suppose that we are by default, supporters of the left and are not patriotic.

I’m tired of taking this on the chin, and for several reasons. First, I was myself fighting communists when many of these guys were potty training. I’ve seen Communism up close and personal – with me it’s not just dislike of a political system – it’s hatred for a devilish secular heresy and yes, I believe this heresy, this dreadful murderous communism has come to America.

Giving a blank check to government is the quickest way to find ourselves under the shadow of the gulag and that won’t be pretty. I base this conclusion on a consistent pattern of government support for policies that harm America.

So I’m firing back with an accusation or two of my own and for reasons that should be obvious I chose to title this after the famous case from the end of the nineteenth century where the French government protected itself by blaming an innocent man for an act of treason committed by another man, a man who was in government. They were afraid it would make the government look bad. What could be worse?

That innocent man, Alfred Dreyfus, was falsely accused of treason, and wrongly convicted and sent to Devil’s Island. A guilty man went free because of his support for a corrupt government. A writer named Emile Zola made this a cause celebre when he wrote J’Accuse , an indictment of the government – ultimately Dreyfus was released, but not before Zola was accused of libel and spent ten years in exile. Justice was not the issue – Zola had dared to question the government and government had chosen Dreyfus as a scapegoat which was to have been the end of the story in their minds .

Lets consider the issues and use the facts to consider if government deserves our unswerving support.

Government most certainly did not make America great. We are, or were, great because of what we as Americans did, what we built and produced, and what we believed. We as a people were fairly devout and honored God, family and country. We worked hard and earned money that we kept for our own families. When the government clinched its fist against the Southern states there was a fringe benefit – the income tax. American no longer had control over their own finances. World War I, that least necessary of wars, sealed the tax in gold and FDR brought us the glory of income tax withholding. Nixon took us off the gold standard without so much as a "by your leave." Are we truly free when these people can take our money and use it to finance an agenda of which we do not approve? Is it unpatriotic to state the facts?

At this point in time we are in a bad recession and a war simultaneously – Yet this recession would be over if government would stop stealing our income, and that the war would be over if we would start hitting the real targets. We are not living the dream the founders had for us – it has turned to a nightmare.

I’m supposed to unconditionally support the government whose school system teaches about homosexual perversion as natural but declines to teach American history. I didn’t make this up – it’s your government folks – I start complaining when you question my patriotism because I don’t support this kind of nonsense.

Thanks to Planned Parenthood, NOW, and other extremist hate groups, our society, encouraged by government muscle, slaughters over a million babies a year. Our schools have drugged over half, yes that’s half, of the male children that attend. The teacher’s unions, who just happen to own the Democratic Party, are a treasonous cultural Marxist organization and we have surrendered our children to their tender care.

We are often reminded that it is remiss to criticize government in time of war. What has government done with it’s freedom to strike at will?

In the Persian Gulf War we had the spectacle of US troops replacing the gold faucets on the Kuwaiti Royal Family’s bath tub while acting as security guards for George Bush I and his oil buddies but where was the threat to American security?

They lured the Kurdish resistance to Sadaam Hussein out in to the open with calls from Bush to "rise up against the tyrant." Bush then allowed Sadaam to slaughter them with his gunship helicopters. Meantime, we’re flying operations Iraq for violating the no-fly zone and have kept it up for ten years. It is just me? Can’t you see this is not only wrong but downright stupid?

Next stop Serbia where Christians were bombed to protect Islamic terrorists and drug dealers – people whom the government has characterized as our enemies and enemies of freedom it self. We still have soldiers in Yugoslavia protecting these bums as they purge Kosovo of Serbians – even though we supposedly went there originally because of the horrors of ethnic cleansing! All this murder and then it turns out there was no holocaust, no rape camps – it was all propaganda. I’m unpatriotic because I don’t fall for these shameful lies?

Our government has been playing patty cake with these terrorists for years. As of three months before nine one one they sent hundreds of millions of our money to the Taleban and have yet to be called on it. They are now bombing the heck out of that same Taleban without comment on the former support extended to them. It’s unpatriotic we’re told, to bring that up.

We at lewRockwell.com have never suggested that the perpetrators of nine one one should get anything but grief. Somehow though, I keep asking myself what bombing Kabul did to further that endeavor? We did after all know about the camps and caves where the Al Qaeda organization could be found. Isn’t the shortest distance between two points a straight line? Not here in never never land.

According to WorldNetDaily.com our willingness to placate our "ally" Pakistan may have allowed bin Laden to escape with hundreds if not thousands of his terrorist gangsters. We heard on TV that Pakistan pulled out it’s own nationals who were fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan while the US unilaterally ceased fire. That’s weird enough for one war but wait there’s more: Al Qaeda may have taken full advantage of this cease fire to get out of Dodge but I’ll let you judge how true this is .

Our one "honest" politician, John McCain, explained on CNN that we had to fight expand the terror war and attack Sadaam Hussein or he would harm Israel. Excuse me, but since when is Israel a part of the United States?

I for one have supported Israel for a long time and that time is about over. Allies that involve us in constant warfare, such as England and Israel, are classic examples of silly Americans propping up socialist countries who want nothing more than to have us under their thumb. Their own cultures live on a thin edge since their socialist systems do not work without somebody to prop them up. Do you like supplying the cash and the shooters for a bunch of socialists? I don’t like it – not even a little bit.

We know with absolute surety that the WTC was taken down by Muslim extremists, mostly Saudis. Yet the "evidence" tape so widely touted by the government turns out to have been "doctored" to avoid embarrassing our Saudi "friends." They are not my friends so whom can they be talking about? And why are the thugs at the airport shaking down granny when they know damn well that seventy five year old white women have no terrorist connections?

Meantime, back at Propaganda Central we are deluged with pro-Muslim nonsense and horrified by having Ramadan celebrated at the White House. Did they ask you if we wanted to become a "multi-cultural" country or did they just decide unilaterally to destroy that nasty old Western European Christian heritage? A heritage by the way that has provided a safety net for minorities for several centuries.

Worldwide, where there are a lot of Muslims there is war and social disorder. And I wonder every day why my government has brought six million of them here to my country, where they are more apt to water down our existing culture than assimilate.

How about government support for the UN? Do the right wing conservatives who are clapping their hands each time new "smart" bomb film is released to the networks wonder why the government is selling our national sovereignty down the tubes to that bunch of clowns in their Halloween costumes? Our government pays most of the bills for an organization that wishes to destroy our sovereignty, and uses our money to do it.

Have you wondered why this government which you claim it is treason to oppose, has failed to defend your borders against one of the largest mass migrations in history? Or do you like having eight million illegal aliens living next door to you?

Do you wonder why George Bush has refused to investigate the crimes of the most despicable criminal to ever hold office, his predecessor?

The reason folks, is simple. The Republicans are up to their necks in it. It’s not about some individual – it is the apparatus. We have a huge government system staffed by people who have an agenda other than ours.

The Constitutional Republic has been stolen out from under us, and much of this conservative posturing is based on wishful thinking. I understand all too well how good it would feel to believe in the Republic again but pretending we are still the America of old is a form of denial. If we want America back we have a lot of work to do and we need to start thinking straight.

I accuse the American conservative movement of capitulating to the neo-cons and giving a despotic government a free pass to give our constitution the coup de grace and create the warfare state they have been longing for. Israel’s cause is now our cause – even though several hundred Israeli intelligence operatives are still being detained in the wake of the WTC attack – some of them arrested before 911 and some immediately after. Here is a link http://www.antiwar.com/justin/justincol.html.

So let me return to FreeRepublic.com and note that virtually every fact I’ve stated here has been stated there. Yet for some at least of the Freepers, there is a serious disconnect somewhere between getting the information and processing it. Some of those folks, and many conservatives nationwide, fail to draw the conclusions that are supported by the facts. We can not trust this government, we should not trust them, and we are running out of time where that will matter because there will be no recourse.

These same folks fuss about gun control – do they think Sadaam Hussein is the one imposing that upon us? Perhaps ATF is part of the "elite" Republican Guard about whom we once heard so much. Or was it those nasty Chinese? Did Osama Bin Laden frame an American citizen for a murder he did not commit – or was that the FBI?

That same FBI which conservatives wish to empower to work in even more secrecy is the one that did that. This violates common sense – it is down right pathological that any one could support those people.

I accuse American conservatives of shortsightedness, and of a lazy man’s approach to patriotism. Some of you seem to view the culture war as the media against us and our protector, George Bush. I should think by now you’d have worked through the connection between government and media. They share an agenda, they are implementing it and we are straining at gnats while swallowing some mighty big camels.

I accuse American conservatives of taking the easy way out – it’s fun to shout "Rah Rah" when the terrorists get a bomb on their heads – I like it myself. But to pretend that this government should get our unequivocal support is a dangerous fantasy. Just ask your child if he is allowed to mention the "C" word in his government school. You know – "Christmas?" Chances are he is not. That wasn’t some foreign aggressor who foisted the cultural Marxist agenda on our taxpayer-supported schools. Who is the real "enemy of freedom itself," if not those who are destroying it systematically?

I accuse Southern American conservatives of tolerating disrespect for your ancestors and your heritage, collaboration with a wicked and heathen occupier and abandoning your God given task of being the conscience of this Republic. If I am wrong – then explain to me why the flag of the Confederacy no longer flies in America? There was a time when even Northerners stood up for the flag, which as a shared memory had helped re-unite us after the War Between the States. Now the cultural cleansing is in full gear and our shame is that it has been successful.

I accuse conservative Christians of pursuing aims like the support of Israel and the Drug War which have hastened the collapse of our Republic. Blue Laws made it clear to everyone in America that you can pressure government to impose your will on other people. You have put social agenda ahead of the Gospel and your personal politics over the intent of the Republic. Time spent in pursuit of political goals from a pulpit is time stolen from Christ and His Gospel. Let the laymen handle it.

To the American soldiers who in the midst of all this insanity, are doing an ugly job that has to be done, I salute you all and wish you a Merry Christmas – and particularly Captain Larry and his Marines, and Major Kirk and his MPs. They are in Cuba and Kuwait respectively and they deserve better backup than they are getting from us. They are prepared to die for our freedom – shouldn’t we at least fight for it too, here on the home front?

To the enemies of freedom, and of Western Culture, I wish you confusion and despair, that you might see the error of your ways and we might be protected from the horrors you are unleashing upon us. I pray that God will fill you with His grace that you might have eyes to see and find true repentance and the joy of His salvation.

And finally, to the folks who murdered those people in New York – I hope that Santa comes down the chimney soon….

That's because LewRockwell is a bunch of Blame-America-First LEWsers.

Why are the people who question US foreign policy in the middle east called "The Blame America First Crowd," while the people who say that terrorist Afghanistan was created when the US left with the Russians are not? Sounds like they are blaming America as well. Isn't Afghanistan responsible for itself? Did we force them to set up a bunch of terrorist training camps? The "We Never Shoulda Left Afghanistan Argument" really smacks of some left wing/self hating/misdirected/specious/overcompassionate BS in my opinion, so it is really strange for me to hear "conservatives" repeat it so often. Aren't these the same people who always tell us we need an exit strategy. I guess the rules only fit when they need to.

Allow me to clarify: BOTH groups are B.A.F.ers. Anyone who blames America for terrorism inflicted on America is a BAFhole

Ok. So now tell me how we get to justifying the terrorist attacks, from a simple criticism of US foreign policy. It seems to me that no one, except for terrorists, is saying that the US deserved the attack because of our mid east policy. I think they are merely saying that our policy puts us in their crosshairs. That is, we can either change our current policy, or continue the current policy with extra vigilence from now on. To me, they are just taking the path of least resistance. So call them lazy if you want. America haters, I think, is a little strong.

I think they are merely saying that our policy puts us in their crosshairs.

Guess what: Our existance puts us in their crosshairs. The fact we are prosperous puts us in their crosshairs. The fact we are (well, were) free puts us in their crosshairs. The fact we do not embrace Islam puts us in their crosshairs.

That is, we can either change our current policy, or continue the current policy with extra vigilence from now on. To me, they are just taking the path of least resistance. So call them lazy if you want.

I can agree with this. Lazy, and extremely short-sighted. Neville Chamberlain, watch out -- there's a new kid on the block.

America haters, I think, is a little strong.

Never called them that. I will, however, continue to call them Blame-America-First holes (BAFholes).

Ok. So now tell me how we get to justifying the terrorist attacks, from a simple criticism of US foreign policy. It seems to me that no one, except for terrorists, is saying that the US deserved the attack because of our mid east policy.

You are correct, but you must remember you are arguing with party-line Republicans, not conservatives. This thread is very typical. Most negative responses are from posters who did not even read the article.

You are also correct in that no one other than the terrorists are saying we "deserved" the attacks. Our foreign policy is one of the main reasons for the attacks, not just the fact that the terrorists are Islamic. There are many, many other rich, industrialized quasi-capitalistic countries who should be in their "crosshairs" as well, but nothing has happened to them.

Its very scary to see Americans being divided over this. But, its probably a godsend for the totalitarian government thats just getting reved up. I had a bad feeling that once GW became president, there would be some issue arise or event happen that would allow the "masses" to label any "conservative" who disagrees with the official government position as a "extremist wacko". I could have never envisioned this, though. Now you have liberals and conservatives "brought together" by lies and deception ready to put anyone who disagrees with the countries new direction in front of a military tribunal. This couldn't have worked any better if it was planned....

Guess what: Our existance puts us in their crosshairs. The fact we are prosperous puts us in their crosshairs. The fact we are (well, were) free puts us in their crosshairs. The fact we do not embrace Islam puts us in their crosshairs.

When are the terrorist bombings scheduled to begin in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, Sweeden, Finland, Netherlands.......?

After all, they are all prosperous, somewhat free and don't embrace islam. They should have all been reduced to rubble by now. That Bin Laden guy must be slow or something.

When are the terrorist bombings scheduled to begin in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, Sweeden, Finland, Netherlands.......?

Are you saying that Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, Sweeden[sic], Finland, and the Netherlands are anywhere as prosperous as us? And are you saying that they are as prominent as us?

Russia was a contender, once, but they collapsed. We are the biggest boys in the block, and Bin Ladin et. al. are very jealous.

The United States is not one of the top five richest countries in the world. Im not sure if we are even in the top ten. Our standard of living is also not in the top ten.

Gross Domestic Product, Billions of Dollars and Year of Survey (Repeated figures are figures from various compilations and sources):

Country	bill$94	bill$95	bill$95	bill$94	bill$95	bill$96	bill$90	bill$90
Algeria	37	38	39
Argentina	278	285	271
Australia	324	332	342	332	352	373	326	339
Austria	221	226	231	161	166	172	172	176
Bangladesh	27	28	29
Belgium	262	268	269	208	214	222	204	208
Brazil	610	626	657
Bulgaria	37	38	38
Canada	517	530	542	594	622	645	598	612
Chile	53	55	59
China	2461	2523	2759
Colombia	71	73	76
Congo(Kin)	5	5	5
Croatia	19	20	20
Cuba	22	23	23
Czech Rep	94	96	101				24	26
Denmark	173	178	170	106	112	118	139	142
Egypt	44	45	46
El Salvador	9	9	10
Ethiopia	5	5	5
Finland	121	124	119	83	92	97	125	131
France	1452	1488	1521	1116	1157	1199	1234	1260
Germany	2079	2131	2172	1608	1675	1736	1750	1781
Ghana	6	6	6
Greece	87	89	91	121	127	134	88	90
Hungary	64	65	66				31	32
India	299	307	326
Indonesia	172	177	189
Iran	158	162	158
Iraq	NA	NA	NA
Ireland	NA	NA	NA	57	62	69	54	61
Israel	83	85	91
Italy	1025	1050	1082	1069	1115	1148	1124	1157
Japan	4981	5106	5153	2652	2752	2925	3144	3191
Kenya	7	7	8
Korea, N	21	22	21
Korea, S	380	390	425	507	565	619	334	364
Kuwait	28	28	30
Luxembourg	NA	NA	NA	12	13	14	13	13
Malaysia	71	73	81
Mexico	254	261	237	728	698	751	302	283
Morocco	33	34	32
Netherlands	373	382	391	289	307	325	308	315
New Zealand				58	61	64	48	50
Nigeria	94	96	95
Norway	121	124	128	95	99	107	133	138
Pakistan	57	59	61
Peru	51	53	57
Philippines	71	73	77
Poland	188	193	209				61	66
Portugal	98	100	103	119	124	130	71	72
Romania	91	93	99
Russia	93	95	76
Saudi Arabia	121	124	128
Serbia-Montenegro	NA	NA	21
Slovakia	18	19	19
Slovenia	21	22	23
South Africa	124	127	131
Spain	525	538	554	538	561	587	515	529
Sri Lanka	12	12	13
Sweden	207	212	219	155	166	171	226	235
Switzerland	302	309	316	170	177	181	226	228
Syria	45	46	50
Taiwan	243	249	264
Tanzania	4	4	4
Thailand	147	151	163
Turkey	153	157	167	320	350	383	165	176
United Kingdom	1058	1084	1110	1032	1047	1096	1013	1040
United States	6932	7106	7247	6716	7030	7388	6005	6147
Venezuela	71	73	75

RANKING, IN ORDER:

UNITED STATES
JAPAN
CHINA
GERMANY
FRANCE
UNITED KINGDOM
ITALY

Facts are stubborn things, aren't they?

Facts are stubborn things, aren't they?

Not if you dig a little deeper than the surface.

Your list is a little dated, and also it is nothing more than GNP, which is basically a guage of how big a country's economy is. I think you should give some weight to per capita GNP, which factors out population size. Another one is PPP (purchasing power parity) which takes cost of living into account.

These are from the CIA World factbook 2001 (1999 data):

GDP
1. US
2. China (chicom notorious for overstating gdp)
3. Japan
4. Germany
5. India
6. France
7. UK
8. Italy
9. Brazil
10. Mexico

Per Capita GNP
1. Luxembourg
2. US
3. Singapore
4. Switzerland
5. Monaco
6. Norway
7. Belgium
8. Denmark
9. Iceland
10. Japan/Austria

PPP you'll have to get from World Bank or somewhere, but I can tell you that the US does well, while northern European countries and Japan tend to slide down the scale for the simple fact that collectivism ain't cheap.

But getting back to the original point, do you have any reason to doubt the reasons the terrorists themselves give for attacking America? I don't know that I would take out all of Mecca, but I certainly would not be happy with Saudi (or even UN) troops on our soil to protect us from a Canadian invasion, for example.

You've posted facts basically supporting my position, and I thank you for it.

But getting back to the original point, do you have any reason to doubt the reasons the terrorists themselves give for attacking America?

Simple: Palestinians claimed they would be peaceful if only Israel would make all these major concessions.

Israel made most of those major concessions.

Palestine began one of its most bloody terrorist attack periods.

Terrorists lie.

You've posted facts basically supporting my position, and I thank you for it.

Simple: Palestinians claimed they would be peaceful if only Israel would make all these major concessions.

Israel made most of those major concessions.

Palestine began one of its most bloody terrorist attack periods.

Terrorists lie.

------

My point is not that we can get these terrorists off of our backs by meeting their demands. No way. Negotiating with terrorists encourages terrorism just as appeasement encourages aggression. We must completely destroy them now without remorse or hesitation. My guess is that we could have avoided this. I am a firm believer that lying with dogs gets you fleas everytime. Too bad we can not go back in a time machine to see if I really am right. I look at our troops in Korea and I know that they are, in general, not welcome there. If a country can not even appreciate our help, then why should we be there? What is in it for us? Why is it our job to police the world and then get little more than spite in return?

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