The Lapdogs & The Elites

Media, Neoconservatism, Politics, The Zeitgeist

In “America’s Open House,” I said about Tamar Jacoby (among other things) that she “squints at flesh-and-blood Americans; to her, America is a mere proposition, nothing but an idea.” I then demolished her assertion that [cop killer] Quintero’s illegality was irrelevant to his crime. You can read the one-liner that did her in.

Paul Gottfried, a brilliant scholar, once an active participant in American political discourse, wrote to warn me that, “After this insensitive invective against… TJ you’ll no longer be invited to neocon cocktail parties.”

Of course he was pocking fun at my popularity among the official thinking class. However, I missed the subtlety. Despair over politics and culture in this country occasionally (not often) takes a toll on my sense of humor.

The occasion was as good as any to ask him if the burlesque that is American politics doesn’t cause him to despair. Here we are, years after the fact, and the “elites” are only now discussing Iraq as a not-so-swell idea vis-a -vis terrorism, and the Bush administration as the less-than heavenly outfit Fox News said it was. Meantime, the prevalence in national discourse (conducted on cable) of “good looking” illiterates grows (and the book deals these incompetents get), while the demand for truly bright, principled, interesting people diminishes. Does this not cause him to despair?

I received this wise reply: “At my age I have ceased to despair but simply try to keep going. The liberal-neocon media won’t ask our opinions because we’ve been branded extremists, at least by the standards of permissible, sensitive views. All of this belongs to an historical process that neither you nor I can influence any more. Whatever the elites do or do not do is perfectly OK with the PEOPLE, as long as they get social programs, consumer goods, and instruction about what they should believe.”

The Lapdogs & The Elites

Media, Neoconservatism, Politics, The Zeitgeist

In “America’s Open House,” I said about Tamar Jacoby (among other things) that she “squints at flesh-and-blood Americans; to her, America is a mere proposition, nothing but an idea.” I then demolished her assertion that [cop killer] Quintero’s illegality was irrelevant to his crime. You can read the one-liner that did her in.

Paul Gottfried, a brilliant scholar, once an active participant in American political discourse, wrote to warn me that, “After this insensitive invective against… TJ you’ll no longer be invited to neocon cocktail parties.”

Of course he was pocking fun at my popularity among the official thinking class. However, I missed the subtlety. Despair over politics and culture in this country occasionally (not often) takes a toll on my sense of humor.

The occasion was as good as any to ask him if the burlesque that is American politics doesn’t cause him to despair. Here we are, years after the fact, and the “elites” are only now discussing Iraq as a not-so-swell idea vis-a -vis terrorism, and the Bush administration as the less-than heavenly outfit Fox News said it was. Meantime, the prevalence in national discourse (conducted on cable) of “good looking” illiterates grows (and the book deals these incompetents get), while the demand for truly bright, principled, interesting people diminishes. Does this not cause him to despair?

I received this wise reply: “At my age I have ceased to despair but simply try to keep going. The liberal-neocon media won’t ask our opinions because we’ve been branded extremists, at least by the standards of permissible, sensitive views. All of this belongs to an historical process that neither you nor I can influence any more. Whatever the elites do or do not do is perfectly OK with the PEOPLE, as long as they get social programs, consumer goods, and instruction about what they should believe.”

Letter of the Week: Security 101

America, Bush, IMMIGRATION, Republicans

[Chuck, who works in law enforcement, has sent this to BAB. Please note that the ideas expressed by writers on the forum are not necessarily endorsed by BAB. —ILANA]: Our author, Ilana Mercer, alerts all Americans to the impending doom that is awaiting us all, right around the corner. This is America’s last opportunity to change course. Ilana, a self-identified classical liberal writer, has a solid grasp of common sense logic as it applies to Security 101. Why is it then that our nation’s commander-in-chief, George Bush, is so constantly AWOL, and without a clue, on our sovereign nation’s security. America’s borders, language, and culture are all being slowly, but surely, eroded at an accelerated pace, while George Bush brushes up on his espanol. George Bush is determined to protect us from his ‘radical Islam’—in reality it is simply Islam—but there would be no need to go to other countries and make them more peaceful and tolerant if he would simply enforce a stringent and iron-clad immigration policy !! Some may feel that George Bush has left America’s doors dangerously wide open… How would you describe a neighbor if he were to not only to leave his front, back and garage doors wide open, but then profile for and invite bloods, crips, ms13, la razas, and reconquistas to come and have a Tupperware party in your living room. In George Bush’s mind, that neighbor would simply be a compassionate conservative, not an irresponsible idiot who has relinquished any right to serve as protector of his charges. I believe that George Bush and all sanctuary cities are guilty of treason and sedition. George Bush has and continues to violate his oath to protect our sovereign nation. I believe, as does Patrick Buchanan, one of our greatest patriots of modern times, that George Bush should be impeached for the inactions in honoring his oath and the complicity of maintaining open borders, and the destruction of our American social fabric. [Well, you’re giving him too much credit; public schools, universities, and media have helped a lot in expunging American literature, history, and founding principles from the minds of today’s moronic young.] …and if you want a twosome that will really wow, add Tom Tancredo to the ticket! [I hope he’s a free trader, unlike PB.] http://tancredo.house.gov/You can volunteer for America NOW (www.firecoalition.com, www.minutemanhq.com, www.grassfire.com), or postpone your actions until its too late. —Chuck

Timbuktu, Literally

Africa, Islam

In “Benedict the Brave,” I mentioned that “only one of the 98 Islamic countries in the world has religious freedom.” Readers inferred that it was Turkey.

Since when?

With an Islamist government itching to restore Islamic law, the army is entrusted to uphold secularism. Buddha! Religious freedom is a very fragile thing if it depends for its maintenance on a tug of war between these two arms of the state.

No, Turkey is not the religiously free, mystery Muslim country. It’s in fact quite an oppressive place—for the fanatics especially. According to Father Joseph D. Fessio, whom I mention in the piece, the honorific “religiously free” goes to Mali, “where Timbuktu is.” It’s in a desert, so you can hardly count it,” father Fessio added, with apologies to Malians.