Author Topic: Enemies Of The People (Read 1240 times)

Chosen Daughter · « **on:** March 05, 2018, 01:12:38 am »

Enemies Of The People

By Rod Dreher â€¢ March 2, 2018, 10:15 AM

Last night I watched â€œPaper Heads,â€ a 1995 documentary about Communism in what was then Czechoslovakia. It mixed propaganda films from the regime with testimony from people who had been tortured in communist prisons, or whose relatives had been abused in some way by the state. It was a crude but very powerful film. All that talk about brotherhood and shared prosperity and justice concealed cruelty, injustice, and murder of those who stood between the Party and Paradise.

The most chilling part of the film, at least to me, were the clips of the 1950s show trials. The rhetoric from the judges and prosecutors, and the narration by the state media announcer, denounced the accused as traitors, parasites, enemies of the people, and so forth. And these poor people, dignified but clearly in terror, confessed to their â€œcrimesâ€ and received the death penalty. Only in this way could the workerâ€™s paradise be built, or so it was claimed by the communists in the film.

Just now I read David Brooksâ€™s column today about how progressives are winning the culture war. Brooks had recommended earlier a moderate approach to advancing gun control, beginning with treating gun owners with respect. He now concedes that he might have been wrong about that. Excerpt:

.....

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/enemies-of-the-people/

Please remember to excerpt.

txradioguy · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2018, 11:11:07 am »

Conservatives didn't "self-marginalize". We were told we weren't needed and thing like values morals and fiscal responsibility and strong borders were outdated and we needed to get with the times.

The GOP marginalized us...and in the end the entire country will be the worse for it.

Right_in_Virginia · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:11:21 pm »

Quote from: txradioguy on March 05, 2018, 11:11:07 am

Conservatives didn't "self-marginalize". We were told we weren't needed ....

You can't spin this. You self-marginalized by embracing the BS mantra: "Vote your conscience". You took your marbles and went home.

Those remaining said ... fine, we'll do it without you. And we did.

Just move on.

txradioguy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:15:32 pm »

Quote

Ideally weâ€™re going to be together,â€ he said. But then he said: â€œI think weâ€™re going to win even if weâ€™re not together. There are some people I honestly donâ€™t want their endorsement

Sanguine · « **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:24:38 pm »

Quote

...Two things have fundamentally changed the landscape. First, over the past two years conservatives have self-marginalized. In supporting Donald Trump they have tied themselves to a man whose racial prejudices, sexual behavior and personal morality put him beyond the pale of decent society...

OK, I'm not a big fan of DJT, but where does this "racial prejudices" thing come from? I just don't see it. And, no, he's not beyond the pale of decent society. I imagine he's pretty much the norm for much of society.

Quote

...While becoming the movement of Dinesh Dâ€™Souza, Sean Hannity and Franklin Graham, they have essentially expelled the leaders and thinkers who have purchase in mainstream culture. Conservatism is now less a political or philosophic movement and more a separatist subculture that participates in its own ostracism....

"Dinesh Dâ€™Souza, Sean Hannity and Franklin Graham"? What's wrong with them? They are separatists? I think they are all fairly upstanding, moral people in an standard, not-so-moral culture.

jpsb · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:27:37 pm »

Quote from: Right_in_Virginia link=topic=306584.msg1622679#msg1622679 date=1520259081

Just say thank you and move on.
[/quote

LOL, That will be the day.

Right_in_Virginia · « **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:33:23 pm »

Who/what are you quoting in post 5 @edpc

edpc · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:33:29 pm »

Quote from: txradioguy on March 05, 2018, 11:11:07 am

Conservatives didn't "self-marginalize".

Consider the source - David Brooks, aka Captain Pantscrease. What would he know about conservatism?

TomSea · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:34:17 pm »

I've supported Bush, Romney, McCain, it may not have always been my first choice but I'm not whining about it and pushing some also-ran who probably could not have won.

TomSea · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:35:48 pm »

Quote from: txradioguy on March 05, 2018, 11:11:07 am

Conservatives didn't "self-marginalize". We were told we weren't needed and thing like values morals and fiscal responsibility and strong borders were outdated and we needed to get with the times.

The GOP marginalized us...and in the end the entire country will be the worse for it.

I guess one doesn't like seeing ISIS defeated, religious liberties returned to the people, record employment levels and a booming economy. We all have a right to our opinion alright.

TomSea · « **Reply #10 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:36:41 pm »

Quote from: Right_in_Virginia on March 05, 2018, 02:11:21 pm

You can't spin this. You self-marginalized by embracing the BS mantra: "Vote your conscience". You took your marbles and went home.

Those remaining said ... fine, we'll do it without you. And we did.

Just move on.

Time to see these people as largely being irrelevant as well.

endicom · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:38:15 pm »

Quote from: Sanguine on March 05, 2018, 02:24:38 pm

OK, I'm not a big fan of DJT, but where does this "racial prejudices" thing come from? I just don't see it.

Nor do I. What benefits all, benefits all.

TomSea · « **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:45:36 pm »

The original article is clearly an editorial and American Conservative is a website originating with Pat Buchanan from what I understand. I think American Conservative in ways, is not too great of a website, Pat's pulling back a little from his Putin admiration. Article should be excerpted as well.

edpc · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:48:23 pm »

Quote from: Right_in_Virginia on March 05, 2018, 02:11:21 pm

Those remaining said ... fine, we'll do it without you.

Let me be the first to congratulate you on the bang up job delivering the VA State Legislature and 2016 electoral votes to conservatives.

Restored · « **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:49:24 pm »

"First, over the past two years liberals have self-marginalized. In supporting Bill and Hillary Clinton they have tied themselves to people whose racial prejudices, sexual behavior and personal morality put them beyond the pale of decent society..."

Suddenly, it got preachy. Liberals argued that those things were "personal matters" and therefore irrelevant.

Trump is no different than the Clinton crowd. He's just a more vociferous azzhole.

txradioguy · « **Reply #15 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:52:28 pm »

Quote from: edpc on March 05, 2018, 02:48:23 pm

Let me be the first to congratulate you on the bang up job delivering the VA State Legislature and 2016 electoral votes to conservatives.

And since then all of the special elections where Dems have made gains as well.

txradioguy · « **Reply #16 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:54:33 pm »

Quote from: TomSea on March 05, 2018, 02:35:48 pm

I guess one doesn't like seeing ISIS defeated, religious liberties returned to the people, record employment levels and a booming economy. We all have a right to our opinion alright.

ISIS isn't defeated...religious Liberties haven't been returned to anyone...and if you haven't noticed...the stock market has been in the tank for the last couple months...due in large part to the Liberal spending Trump is approving.

You're entitled to your opinion...but that doesn't mean you get to continually and blatantly lie about the facts.

skeeter · « **Reply #17 on:** March 05, 2018, 02:58:18 pm »

Quote from: Sanguine on March 05, 2018, 02:24:38 pm

OK, I'm not a big fan of DJT, but where does this "racial prejudices" thing come from? I just don't see it. And, no, he's not beyond the pale of decent society. I imagine he's pretty much the norm for much of society.

"Dinesh Dâ€™Souza, Sean Hannity and Franklin Graham"? What's wrong with them? They are separatists? I think they are all fairly upstanding, moral people in an standard, not-so-moral culture.

The writer was quoting David Brooks.

This article is about alot more than the last election - the cultural war has been going on alot longer. Social conservatives were pretty much pushed out of the party after Reagan, by the same factions and for the same reasons they're now trying to marginalize Trump supporters. They've been at it since at least 1962.

Right_in_Virginia · « **Reply #18 on:** March 05, 2018, 03:37:07 pm »

Quote from: edpc on March 05, 2018, 02:48:23 pm

Let me be the first to congratulate you on the bang up job delivering the VA State Legislature and 2016 electoral votes to conservatives.

Hey, little man .. I did more than my fair share to help win the election for Donald Trump ,,,, which is the topic of this thread.

If you want to have a conversation about how we're fixing voter fraud in the Commonwealth .... send me a PM.

In the meantime, it would also help if you'd send an electable conservative our way.

@edpc

Right_in_Virginia · « **Reply #19 on:** March 05, 2018, 03:38:13 pm »

Quote from: txradioguy on March 05, 2018, 02:52:28 pm

And since then all of the special elections where Dems have made gains as well.

See my reply to @edpc .... the same goes for you @txradioguy

edpc · « **Reply #20 on:** March 05, 2018, 03:49:55 pm »

Quote from: Right_in_Virginia on March 05, 2018, 03:37:07 pm

I did more than my fair share to help win the election for Donald Trump ,,,, which is the topic of this thread.

Yeah - like I said, good job delivering VA. Actually, the topic of the thread and article is cultural progressivism. If people believe Trump is a conservative and not a progressive, if not an outright democrat in disguise, there's probably not much hope for true conservatives anymore.

"In many cases, I probably identify more as Democrat," Trump told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in a 2004 interview. "It just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats than the Republicans. Now, it shouldn't be that way. But if you go back, I mean it just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats. ...But certainly we had some very good economies under Democrats, as well as Republicans. But we've had some pretty bad disaster under the Republicans."

https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/21/politics/donald-trump-election-democrat/index.html

Sanguine · « **Reply #21 on:** March 05, 2018, 05:19:24 pm »

Quote from: Right_in_Virginia on March 05, 2018, 03:37:07 pm

Hey, little man .. I did more than my fair share to help win the election for Donald Trump ,,,, which is the topic of this thread.

If you want to have a conversation about how we're fixing voter fraud in the Commonwealth .... send me a PM.

In the meantime, it would also help if you'd send an electable conservative our way.

@edpc

RIV, I know this will fall on deaf ears, so I'm not addressing it to you. Please just ignore this.

As for sending an electable conservative "your" way, we did. Turns out y'all didn't really want a conservative, and went with a left-leaning populist instead. However, that's over and done with and thank God we don't have Clinton in the Whitehouse, but don't tell us that we need to send an electable conservative your way when you don't even understand conservatism.

Night Hides Not · « **Reply #22 on:** March 05, 2018, 07:10:20 pm »

Quote from: edpc on March 05, 2018, 02:33:29 pm

Consider the source - David Brooks, aka Captain Pantscrease. What would he know about conservatism?

+1

Night Hides Not · « **Reply #23 on:** March 05, 2018, 07:15:32 pm »

Quote from: TomSea on March 05, 2018, 02:35:48 pm

I guess one doesn't like seeing ISIS defeated, religious liberties returned to the people, record employment levels and a booming economy. We all have a right to our opinion alright.

There are a couple of bakers who disagree with you, as to religious liberties.

3% GDP growth = a "booming" economy? Give me 4% and we can talk.

Trump was handed an economy that was meandering along. His tax cuts added a positive bounce, to be sure.

Juicing the economy is over a trillion bucks in deficit spending, quite a departure from where Trump said on the campaign trail he'd balance the budget in five years.

Better than Hillary as Prez? Of course, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

truth_seeker · « **Reply #24 on:** March 05, 2018, 07:29:16 pm »

Quote from: txradioguy on March 05, 2018, 02:54:33 pm

...the stock market has been in the tank for the last couple months...due in large part to the Liberal spending Trump is approving.

The facts? The DJIA was 17,888 on Nov. 4, 2016. It is now about 24,800. Down from a late Jan. 2018 peak of about 26,600. (That 1,800 point net correction is entirely normal)