Which Islamic War? - the one between the Sunni and the Shia in Iraq or the one in Afghanistan and Pakistan aginst Al Qaeda? In the former case, we've got no hunt in that fight. Do we side with the Sunni or the Shia? In the later case I've heard NO ONE suggest we should surrender to Al-Qeada or Hezbollah for that matter, in fact Democrats have been struggling to get Bush to send more troops to Afghanistan by taking them out of Iraq..
6. Establish Islam as a State-Protected Religion with assistance by CAIR and government schools.
Ok, that's just ridiculous. Liberals and Progresses want protection from a state sponsored religion, y'know like the Pilgrims and the Quakers who were trying to escape the persecution of Henry VIII's Anglican Church. Or for that matter - the Taliban. Now I'd like to take my response a bit further, and rather than address the tit-for-tat points of Mr. Anonymous, consider exactly how anyone could come to believe such drivel. I understand of course, that these were merely boiler-plate cut-and-paste straw-man B.S. right-wing talking points. In understand that this person clearly hasn't been reading my blog, or it's crossposts on Dkos, Democratic Underground or OpedNews and hasn't seen what I've already discussed concerning The I-Mess or Immigration or Hate Crimes Legislation. (Cuz y'know... Facts are for Pussies!) It's clear that this just typical right-wing radio blather. I know that this is a form of Projection, making accusations of others that are simply fun-house mirror reflections of their own actual positions. (Liberlism is accused of being a "mental disorder", when in all likelyhood it is Rabid Neo-Conservatism that is based on abnormal pathology),
I know he's just a troll!.
I understand all this, but what I've always felt disturbing is how many people are more than willing to eat this stuff up and spew it right back out. Normally I wouldn't care, except for one thing - I'm pretty sure all these deeply deluded people vote!
As I've written before on Hating the Enemy, (namely Liberals) the leaders of the right-wing movement are not at all shy about telling us how they feel and who we should be hating.
Let's do a quick review (thanks to Media Matters) of some of the things that Republicans, including Hannity, regularly say about Democrats and Liberals.
Sean Hannity suggested that the DNC may have been behind the Abu Ghraib prison abuse photos, asking: "Was that a DNC plot too?" (The Sean Hannity Show, 9/10/04)
Laura Ingraham stated that Democratic Sens. John Kerry (MA), Joseph R. Biden Jr. (DE), and Barbara Boxer (CA) are "on the side of" North Korea leader Kim Jong Il because they were opposed to John R. Bolton's nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. (Hannity & Colmes, 4/11/05).
Ann Coulter on Bill Clinton, "he was a very good rapist" and "molested the help" and on Al Gore, "Before we knew he was clinically insane" - "He seemed kinda gay"
Bill O'Reilly says he doesn't do "personal attacks", except of course for when he does.
On The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly has referred to media writer and Fox News Watch panelist Neal Gabler as a "rabid dog" and said of New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, "How nuts is this guy?" O'Reilly also said guest Christopher Murray "sounds like a fascist" for saying that that public institutions should not display religious symbols and called former Public Broadcasting System host Bill Moyers a "totalitarian." Students at the University of Connecticut who heckled right-wing pundit Ann Coulter during her campus appearance there earned the title of "far-left Nazis" from O'Reilly. He's also called John Kerry a "sissy", and claimed that Bill Clinton would be welcomed as president by Osama bin Laden.
Jonah Goldberg has distorted comments by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), called syndicated columnist Helen Thomas a "thespian carbuncle of bile," and accused former President Jimmy Carter of engaging in a "mildly ghoulish exploitation of Coretta Scott King's funeral."
Then of course there's Michelle Malkin whose has claimed that "the vast majority of Hispanic politicians" believe that "the American Southwest belongs to Mexico;" has referred to certain Californian politicians as "Latino supremacists;" and characterized recent immigration protests as "militant racism" marked by "virulent anti-American hatred."
All of these people, are playing The Fear Card. Fear the brown-skins and the darkies. Fear the muslims. Fear the fags. Fear the ACLU. And Fear the Liberals who somehow have this crazy idea that America is supposed to be somekind of "Land of the Free" where all kinds of weird and different and disgusting people are supposed to be able to "Seek the American Dream" or some such nonesense.
John Dean has written about this strategic re-writing of Americas History in his book "Conservatives without Conscience"
In their efforts to present conservatism as an American tradition, conservatives have also reinterpreted the U.S. Constitution. One of the key elements of the Constitution is the establishment of a unique republic, in that a federal system would coexist with state and local governments. Before it was ratified many opponents attacked its progressive and innovative nature, for far from representing teh status quo, the Constitution was dramatically liberal.
James Madison defended it in The Federalist Papers by explaining that the founders "have not suffered a blind veneration for antiquity, for custom" but rather employed "numerous innovations... in favor of private rights and public happiness." Madison sid that "precedent could not be discovered," for there was no other government" on the face of the globe" that provided a model. Madison, the father of the Constitution, clearly saw his work as the opposite of conseratism.
Yet conservatives today continue to exploit xenophobia and paranoia of all things "progressive" all tucked up in nice neat American Flag wrapper of gingoism. Dean also argued that what currently drives the conservative movement is nothing less than Totalitarian Authoritarism. From his appearance on the Daily Show with John Stewart.
Dean: In dealing with that, in the Milgram experiments, where he brought people in off the street, and indeed found that he could get them to administer high voltage -- what they thought was high voltage, and it wasn't. I deal with that to show how people can set their conscience aside. In other words, how do people go into the CIA every day and carry out some of the orders for torture? How do people go into NSA and turn that incredible apparatus against Americans? This is a typical Milgram situation. I actually go beyond that to find the nature of the authoritarian personality that will follow a leader who is an authoritarian.
In Milgram it was shown that otherwise normal people would submit their own conscience to the will of an authority figure and would, if continually pushed to do so, administer a lethal level electric shocks despite the screams and protests of the intended victim. Compare this with the definition of a Sociapath.
Sociopaths are very egocentric individuals that lack a sense of personal responsibility and morality. They may be impulsive, manipulative, reckless, quarrelsome, and consistent liars. Sociopaths are usually unable to sustain relationships and have a total lack of remorse for their actions. The sociopath may also be very prone to aggressive, hostile, and sometimes violent behavior. This aggression may or may not lead to criminal behavior and often takes the form of domestic violence. Along with these other actions, sociopaths often engage in self-destructive behavior such as alcoholism or addiction to drugs. This, of course, usually worsens many aspects of the sociopathic behavior. Despite these previous symptoms, the sociopath may be an excellent actor, always appearing charming, calm, and collected. They usually have a normal or above normal intelligence level and good verbal fluency. It is these qualities that sometimes place the sociopath in leadership positions within their social groups and often make it hard to spot their "black side".
Essentially Sociopaths have no conscience, no morality as we would describe it. Whereas Dean discusses the ability for ones conscience to be selectively suppressed under specific situations and in regards to specifics types or groups of individuals when directed by a "trusted authority". Clearly, a true sociopath doesn't need to be directed by others - and frankly wouldn't allow it - yet their behaviors remain markedly similar.
We can see it in the way the Bill O'Reilly can be so charming at one moment and then a raging lunatic the next. We can see it in Douglas Feith as smilingly twists reality and facts regarding Saddam and Al-Qaeda into logical linguini. We can see it with Bill Kriston, Michelle Malkin, Katie O'Beirn and Ann Coulter. These people are the standard bearers of the right-wing. The "Authorities" to which many for which many of our fellow citizens are willfully neutered their own conscience in aquiesence to. Here's an example from Dr. Bob Altemeyer, one of Dean's primary sources, intoducing his new book - The Authoritarians.
For example, take the following statement: “Once our government leaders and the authorities condemn the dangerous elements in our society, it will be the duty of every patriotic citizen to help stomp out the rot that is poisoning our country from within.” Sounds like something Hitler would say, right? Want to guess how many politicians, how many lawmakers in the United States agreed with it? Want to guess what they had in common?
Or how about a government program that persecutes political parties, or minorities, or journalists the authorities do not like, by putting them in jail, even torturing and killing them. Nobody would approve of that, right? Guess again.
The idea that "All Men are created equal, and are endowed by their creator with inalienable rights" is lost on these people. All rights become optional, based on whether that person passes the proper litmus test. Maintaining Habaes Corpus is "giving terrorists special rights." Monica Goodling did "nothing wrong" when she attempted to achieve ideological purity within the Justice Dept, that's the way it should be. Tim Griffin did nothing wrong by systematically caging the votes of African-American Troops while their were serving in Iraq. Who said their opinion and vote should matter? War Crimes and Torture are good for our intelligence, that is if we did do the torture. Karl Rove is just so misunderstood. I need my tax money for the down payment on my second condo. The poor are just lazy and deserve what they get. Iraq had it coming. The President has the "inherent power" to do any damn thing he feels like. That Vanity Fair Media Whore Valerie Plame-Wilson had it coming too. Good healthcare is for those who can afford it. Whose Bin Laden, that Obama guy running for President? Free Libby! Climate Change is just a hoax and even if it's not we didn't do it - it was sunspots, or volcanos, or maybe all the animals in the rain-forest farted - so there's nothing we can do to stop it. Stop bugging me, I need to refill the tank on my new Cadillac Escrapade, anyone got change for $1000?
See, I can do The Running-Man (from the 80's) and the "Straw-man" too. I'm like Ambidextrous and stuff.
Born and Bred in South Central LA. I spent 12 years working in the IT Dept. for federal contractor Northrop-Grumman on classified and high security projects such as the B2 Bomber. After Northrop I became an IT consultant with the state of California in Sacramento and worked on projects with the Dept of Consumer Affairs and CalTrans, as well as projects for Kaiser Permanente in Oakland. Now living in Los Angeles with my own independant web design company where I operate the Truth 2 Power Online Radio Station.
I call it the Incubus Virus, which invades the systems of willing hosts.
It should be identified early in the growth of a person, and when they have had time to mature, college level, if they have not changed, as GW Bush did not, they-everyone of them, should be put in a place where they cannot hurt either themselves or anyone else for the rest of their lives.
There should be only one death penalty" For those which lobby with gifts and those who accept the gifts.
Hate is an emotion that destroys the hater. I only felt it once in my life for a few hours and let me tell you I never want to feel that way again. There are some people I do not like but then it works both ways I suppose. Hate is selfish. The person who hates is doomed to make the same mistakes over and over and nothing is ever their fault. They are limited in emotion and reason. Remember emotional IQ tests .Many in this category are incapable of abstract thought and love to hid the ugly emotion behind God and religion. They are truly weak and afraid of everyone and I also feel sorry for them because they do not understand how to help themselves. They get pleasure from hurting others and never apologize unless caught in the act and not always then. They are the elepahants in the china shop. Breaking whatever they touch.
by
cluelessfl (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 184 comments)
on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 4:21:32 PM
So both progressives and conservatives use mental illness as a meme/synonym for bad behavior, how nice for those of us with psychiatric labels, to be hated by both sides or at the least associated with the worst behavior. Conservatism isn't a disease of the mind nor is liberalism, neither is either a virus. Those of us will real illnesses and viruses (AIDS anyone?) don't particularly like being associated with all the wrongs in the world. I don't think it's clever to call people whose opinions and actions mentally ill anymore than it is for kids to say "that's so gay". Please stop.
But I'm not just randomly making this claim, Dr. Bob Altemeyer has done quite a bit of work on this in relation to the Authoritarian Mindset. John Dean has written specifically about this, using Dr. Altermeyer work, in "Conservatives without Conscience" Clearly it's not exactly the same as someone actually sufferring from a mental disorder, and I make this clear in the article, and more detailed study needs to be done but there are indeed some parrallels.
<>Vyan
by
F. Vyan Walton (65 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 12 comments)
on Monday, May 28, 2007 at 10:11:16 AM
Here's my take on this entire problem. You see, you have posted several factual observations that clearly illustrate the 'logical' insufficiency of conservatives. The problem is they will never read posts like this. They will never engage in direct, intellectual argument where facts can be used to deduce positions and with the use of logic correctly identify the truth.
For them, the Socratic method was some faggy Greek guy who was ugly and no one listened to anyways because he was a liberal.
That about sums it up.
by
e m (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 19 comments)
on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 4:24:39 PM
However, I have a somewhat different take on the Conservative personality.
While some of our political leaders certainly fir the picture of the sociopathic personality, (Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzalez, et al), when you look at the plain old garden variety Republican, I submit that you will find something quite different in play – plain old FEAR.
These are people who are deeply afraid. They are afraid of change, afraid of complexity, afraid of a universe in which not everything can be answered in black or white.
Those who threaten their well defined universe receive aggression. “Liberals,” academics, journalists, minorities – all are different from the Conservative and are thus to be feared and attacked.
My article, “It’s All in the Brain,” explores my own analysis of the neurological basis for the conservative personality.
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Sherwin Steffin (14 articles, 24 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 81 comments)
on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 7:16:44 PM
Dems Repubs Jews Christains Muslims and other Groups
It doesn't matter what group you belong to, if the top of your pyramid is occupied by psychopaths [ASD, sociopaths, etc.], you will be taken in a direction not of your choosing. This is what has happened. Clean your own house. Do what you can to prevent others from doing in your name, that which you would not do, whether in education, church, state, or country. Then your world will become a better place. More on this subject is said here at the recent Lie, Steal and Murder commentary at http://GreatRedDragon.com. Respectfully, Edward Ulysses Cate
by
Edward Ulysses Cate (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 217 comments)
on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 7:34:02 PM
To liberals and progressives the conservative mindset does appear to be socio-pathological. However, as a neuroscientist I think the evidence shows that this is a normal human behavior. Humans are highly tribal in nature and the vast majority of them tend to be authoritarian followers. This has probably been bred into people over thousands of generations. The tribes that were more hateful and revengeful probably triumphed over those that were peaceful.
In the modern world their behavior seems bizarre, illogical and nonproductive, but in the context of warring tribes that need to be whipped into a frenzy by their authoritarian leaders, it makes a lot of sense. This is also why sports pits people against each other so feverishly even if they are not personally participating.
So blame it on the leaders more than the followers. The leaders know exactly what they are doing, the followers are just ditto-head dupes. For the leaders, it is simply a matter of divide and conquer.
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John R Moffett (79 articles, 14 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 596 comments)
on Monday, May 28, 2007 at 6:14:32 AM
Thank you. I also believe it is somewhat "normal", just as the underlying elements behind alcoholism are fairly normal and common. Authoritarianism is exactly on point.
Vyan
by
F. Vyan Walton (65 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 12 comments)
on Monday, May 28, 2007 at 10:14:29 AM
