Why Do Conservatives So Quickly Abandon Their Own?

Cathryn Crawford

[Cathryn Crawford]

Isn't it true that a lot of the bashing of Bill Bennett is simply due to the fact that conservatives naturally rejoice in the misfortunes of their own? The ability of the conservative movement to abandon their own people when they are even slightly attacked by the liberal/media establishment is absolutely astounding.

Why are conservatives so quick to judge their own? Are we afraid? Are we so afraid of being tainted by a scandal that we will so easily turn away at the first sight of blood?

This is a serious and long-term issue among conservatives that deserves to be adressed.

[Cathryn Crawford]

I agree with you about the Lott and Bennett issues not comparing externally. Internally, however, there is a distubing trend not limited to just these two individual cases.
As conservatives, we are ideologically committed to a certian way of living. Now, we could get into the various branches of conservatism, and it would take all night long, but it basically, I think, boils down to our own morality, our sense of absolutes. Conservatives are people who believe in absolutes. Now, as conservatives, we (mostly) try to live moral lives. A lot of people will tell you that morality is relative, but again that boils down to absolutes. We believe there are some things it's absolutely wrong to do.
Now, we face a hard opponent - liberals. Liberals believe that there are no absolutes...in other words, you can never be sure of anything. Truth is what you make it, etc. You know what I mean. Anyway, when one of "ours" screws up or even gives the appearance of maybe sometime in the future screwing up, we turn our backs on them. Why?
Because our sense of absolutes has been offended, and because we know that the liberals will simply use our system of absolutes to point out that we are hypocrites if we allow a "conservative" to get by with anything.
What I am advocating is not lowering our standards, but being sure that we allow our humanity to have a say in our absolute system. We need to be sure of the facts before we condemn, and we need to be sure that we aren't being hypocritical in our condemnation of others.

Now if this is a load of crap, please forgive me, okay? Being only nineteen I know I don't have the miles you guys have but this has been my observation.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Yep...loud and clear. Debate is good!

[WomanofStandard]

I've often wondered the same thing. I see it here on FR when any news about a liberal city or state is posted. Comments like "they deserve it" or "good for them I hope they rot" are posted below an article that may express troubles in NYC. It seems to me that one would wish good on all people as a conservative, and while not admiring the fools of the left in these liberal places, still support the conservative Freepers in there instead of telling us if we had a brain they'd move out. After all, being in the great majority as we are we need the support and encouragement all the more instead of being told they hope our hometown goes to the trash heap. (My words here are a kinder version than some I've seen posted on FR.)

WomanofStandard....standing up for standards in a city that has few. (NYC)

[Cathryn Crawford]

I know what you mean. Conservatives eat their own.

[Consort]

The concept of a "Flawed Conservative" hasn't entered into the psyche or the lexicon of the GOP. It has, so far, been excluded from the realm of possibility.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Flawed...gasp...conservative...gasp...cannot..breath...brain...overloaded...gasp...smoke...fire...help...gasp...

[Tall_Texan]

I think we hate being shown that our political heroes have warts. It takes a great deal of personal courage to set oneself up as a paragon of virtue, as Mr. Bennett has so publicly done, because any misdeed - particularly what might be considered a moral failure, is bound to be amplified 100-fold. And there are underlying reasons.

1. Even a good many conservatives hate moralists. They despise people like Bennett or James Dobson or Dr. Laura who try to inspire others to do good things, particularly for reasons based on religion. Rather than acknowledge their own failures, people (and not just liberals) enjoy seeing others knocked down who hold out a higher standard than they, themselves, are willing to achieve.

2. In a political arena, even friends become foes during primary season or when trying to get closer to power. I have a great deal of respect, for example, for Dr. Alan Keyes. But, in the heat of a presidential primary, several Bush allies were willing to trash Dr. Keyes and Keyes, for his part, was willing to trash Bush. Particularly when one postures as the "true conservative" in a candidate forum, expect the knives to come out even when they agree on at least 80% of the issues.

3. Some just like the drama of watching famous people fall from grace. What Bob Beckel did, having to go public with his prostituion-through-the-internet sting, was no less legal than what Bennett has been accused of doing and yet many here were gleeful (myself included, to be honest) that Beckel's name was being publicly trashed.

I believe that spiritual darkness works the hardest against those whose morality is most greatly admired. It's not easy to resist temptation - don't let anyone fool you. And, like a vacuum, those who have power attract those who seek to corrupt it. So while I am saddened when people like Bill Bennett or Newt Gingrich fall short of the high moral ground they espouse, I realize that their fight is hard and their temptations are great and it is only human to fail at times. I try to recall all the good they have accomplished rather than let myself dwell on their frailties.

Now, politically, there may be reasons to shun someone who seems to have made themselves a lightning rod for attack. Trent Lott is a good example. What he said was morally forgiveable but it was not politcally forgiveable. He needed to be pushed offstage lest his comments be seen as tarring the entire party.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Very, very, very well said. Thank you.

[TLBSHOW]

Where are the FR 10 that Abandon Their Own tonight?

[democratsstealvotes]

I emphatically agree. He works for his money and if he wants to gamble (My husband and I do), that's his business--if it's okay with his wife. Conservatives sometimes need to get a life! Las Vegas is a blast!

[Consort]

We lost the benefits of a "useful façade" when Leave It To Beaver went off the air. Now we expect only perfect people to set the perfect example — and we will never find them.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Who are those...I've been gone, reading that other thread to which you posted this one.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Exactly. Let me know when y'all find the perfect conservative...I want to interview him for a piece I'll entitle "Everything I Ever Believed Was Wrong".

[TLBSHOW]

Don't worry about your age, you have the truth way above 85% of the freepers. As someone said you did back at Christmas time. I would say even more so now. :>) Kinda of like me. LOL

......
To: TLBSHOW

On this issue, Cathryn Crawford is right and 85% of FReepers are wrong.


18 posted on 12/23/2002 11:44 PM EST by Reagan Man
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/811562/posts

[Consort]

What would Linda Bowles have to say about this?

[Cathryn Crawford]

LOL...nice of you to say. We'll see.

Gosh, if I'm successful in writing, I can't wait till I'm 50 and y'all start dredging up all the things I've done! Wow! Now I know what I have to look forward to.

[Cathryn Crawford]

I don't know. What do you think?

[nopardons]

BRAVA and a hearty CONGRATULATIONS on getting it, no matter what your age is. :-)

[Cathryn Crawford]

Thank you very much. Ever since I read that comment on one of my previously posted articles about mushy brained college-students and my "not having the same milage" as certian senior Freepers, I have to use it as much as possible.

It's my contrary nature, I guess...;-)

[TLBSHOW]

If you keep up with the truth you will become the next Ann Coulter.

TRENT LOTT, call your office: Apparently some parts of American history can be sanitized and forgotten. Earlier this week, President George Bush issued a formal White House proclamation celebrating Kwanzaa.
http://www.anncoulter.org/columns/2002/122402.htm