RED AND BLUE RECONSIDERED (Johnny Walker a "Right Wing Zealot??")

"The Daily Dish" ^ | 11 December 01 | Andrew Sullivan

[MoJo2001]

One email has really got me thinking. The best point of those who disagree with my earlier post on Walker/Spann is that Walker wasn't/isn't really a lefty. He's actually a right-wing religious zealot. Here's the case: "Maybe I missed something, but I am not sure how a religious fundamentalist and zealot like John Walker is an embodiment of the American Hating Left. He is a right wing religious nut just like the guy arrested here in Cincinnati last week for sending fake anthrax to abortion clinics. While you may be correct that his permissive parents and his multicultural context may have produced him (sounds like something some right wing nut case would say about homosexuality, right Andrew?), what it produced was a right wing Islamic religious nut who hates the West and America for its decadence (which he enjoyed and benefited from) and sin, just like his brothers on the right wing Christian extreme (like maybe Tim McVeigh, who was a Catholic to boot?). Let's at least be honest that Walker represents some of the worst of American permissiveness and multiculturalism, while being the embodiment of right wing religious fanaticism. I think we all get caught on this one." This strikes me as pretty smart. What it misses, though, is that Walker actually rebelled against Catholicism for being too strict when he was younger. I think he was attracted to Islam as much by its exoticism as by its strictures. I think we have a classic case of being brought up with really permissive parents in a really permissive culture. You want to rebel, but your authority figures approve of 'rebellion' so you have to find some sort of anti-liberal rebellion. Islam fits the bill perfectly. Hip-hop was a mite too predictable and you can imagine his parents almost approving. The extremism with which he pursued his rebellion is probably inexplicable out of psychoanalysis. But the link between his chosen lifestyle and the culture in which he was born is still valid, I think. - 12/11/2001 07:25:31 PM

[MoJo2001]

If you have the chance, check out his website to read all of it. He begins the discussion regarding the NY Times column comparing Jihad Johnny and Michael Spann. This is just one of the letters written to Andrew.

When I first read this, I was laughing very loud. However, I do believe that the Liberals are trying to point this on the Right Wingers because they can't bear to blame the true source: Johnny Walker. He and his parents are the ones to blame for his predicament.

Also, could someone explain to me how exactly Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, or Barbara Walters seem to feel complete sympathy for this guy and yet, he's considered a "right wing zealot"?? He's not a right wing zealot? He's a "traitor" to America and his parents are a member of the Liberal mentality for rearing children. I just knew they were going to start blaming this on us sooner or later! As usual, do you find it funny how they always have to put SEX in the conversation when they are trying to prove a point?? Good grief!

[MoJo2001]

PING

[Dan from Michigan]

McVeigh WAS NOT A CATHOLIC. DAMNIT.

[Lazamataz]

The left would try to blame the right for a cloudy day, if they could.

That dog don't hunt.

[seamus]

Here is an eloquent rebuttal to this loopy theory from Shelby Steele of the Wall Street Journal.

Click here

[unojook]

DITTO .............

[Bahbah]

It bears repeating. McVeigh was Not a Catholic. Thanks, Dan.

[Map Kernow]

This is a leftist "compartmentalizing" of Johnny Walker. As an American citizen waging war against the United States in a textbook example of treason, he's simply an "idealist" targeted by "neo-McCarthyites," who should be defended in a civilian court, not tried as a belligerent. But as an Islamic fundamentalist, he's a "right-wing religious zealot" that leftists can distance themselves from and even use as a club to beat their "religious right" domestic enemies with.

[billhilly]

So send the little snot noses to Fork Union Military Academy. It is a lot cheaper than cleaning up after them when left unsupervised. Can you possibly imagine what the uproar would have been if he had found Daddy's .32 and shot some poor bastard?

[okiedust]

Just another fundie, I guess. Who'd a thunk it? He was not on a spritual journey, he was doing the same thing that Dylan Kelbold and Eric Harris were doing: Living in a fantasy world and acting it out.... Young, disfunctional and angry. There's nothing more nor less to say about that.

[Dan from Michigan]

I have no idea about Nichols. McVeigh was raised Catholic, but became Agnostic.

And my response to other countries feeeeeeeeeeeeeelings....they sure as hell like our money.

[BunnySlippers]

McVeigh WAS NOT A CATHOLIC. DAMNIT.

Once a Catholic always a Catholic ... many people have "dead-bed" conversions or coming back to their religion. But if you are baptized Catholic it cannot be taken away from you. That's why a priest gave him the Last Rights at McVeigh's request. (BTW, I am a Catholic although it had no bearing on this answer per se).

[Bikers4Bush]

He's the worst kind of traitor. One that's still alive.

[BunnySlippers]

It bears repeating. McVeigh was Not a Catholic. Thanks, Dan.

How do you become "Not a Catholic"? You can renounce Catholicism and always come back to it. Even people who murder and on Death Row are Catholics and are recognized as such by the Church.

[TiaS]

First of all, I'd like to preface my remarks by saying, we are a nation of laws -- if we don't like the law we should change it, not break it. People really scare me when they consider sending "fake anthrax" in the mail to an abortion doctor as some sort of insane behavior without even the slightest disapproval of the of what the doctor is doing when he snuffs out the life of an unborn baby.

[aomagrat]

He's a stinking filthy traitor. Who cares if he left or right winged.

[Bahbah]

Dear BunnySlippers, it's not like having blue eyes or being short. Sometimes people reject a religion that they embraced or maybe were just raised in.. I don't know if McVeigh did embrace the Catholic religion. Watch "Dead Man Walking". There was no salvation without true repentance. If you are lying, God knows. Sorry about the wordy response.

[Bahbah]

Oh, by the way, I have a pair of moosie slippers. I get funny looks when I open the door and forget that I have them on. Hehe.