Blaming Trump, Incivility, Kashoggi, Kanye, Etc.
10/27/18
The Absurdity of
Blaming Trump for Everything
The Left (including media) are very presumptuous that Trump
caused one nut job to mail bombs to prominent Democrats, or another to shoot up
a synagogue. And that if only he changed
his tone, all would be well. They claim
to all be psychoanalysts or clairvoyants, attributing causes, although they are
equally sure the Bernie Sanders supporter who shot up a ball diamond full of
GOP congressmen was not Bernie’s fault. Of
course we know that widespread Trump derangement causes one to look constantly
for another reason to impeach him, however far the stretch, and to tout one’s
moral superiority, and demonize all
opponents.
My sense is that many or most Leftists/Democrats really don’t
know anyone who they are aware of who voted for Trump, or the real reasons –
partly because conservatives are often more reserved about it precisely because
of the uncivility and brutality of the Left.
And so they speculate, and often assume the worst. But let me give some of them a clue – I know
that I and all the conservatives I know are not motivated by some of Trumps
statements or mis-statements – I honestly rarely listen to his stump speeches,
etc. What gets me riled, and even angry,
is the daily barrage in the media of statements by Democrats and Leftist
pundits, inciting harassments (Waters, Clinton, etc.) and physical assaults on
prominent or even non-prominent Republicans, riots of Antifa shutting down free
speech (not of racists, but mainstream conservatives), and shootings of GOP congressmen. Those speak much louder and clearer than
anything Trump says. And the Left hears
from Trump what they want to hear, to support their narrative and objectives,
and they misstate or exaggerate it for
political capital.
Many conservatives like myself I am sure are at least as
offended and angered by these things as the Left is by Trump or
conservatives. And many of us no doubt
feel like harassing Democrats, or worse.
But fortunately, most of us have values and principles (often religious)
that restrain us, so that we don’t act out in knee-jerk fashion like
children. This is obviously not so on
the Left. And no, the GOP is not as
lockstep and fascist as the monolithic Left – e.g., under Obama, with no
compromises or bipartisanship in Congress, compared to the current situation.
Blaming Trump and excusing their own actions fits well into
the Left’s victim mentality and justification for any action, and lack of
taking personal responsibility for their actions. The media is totally unable to do so, feeling
completely justified in their obviously (and scientifically proven) biased
coverage, and its effects. Conservatives
don’t excuse any of these nut jobs, but the Left (e.g., Cuomo, Lemon) excuses
Antifa. They are just as self-righteous
as any extreme religious cult, and justify themselves as being morally
superior, and lumping all conservatives and those who support the Trump agenda
with miniscule nut-job groups or individuals.
But on the Left the mania and mobocracy are much more pervasive than
just Antifa.
Their moral judgments are based on ludicrous premises. E.g., anti-Semitism? With Trump’s clear support of Netanyahu and Israel? And his Jewish son-in-law, daughter &
grandkids whom he loves and has in high advisory positions? Nazism or White Supremacy or sexism? What evidence? They twist his words when he pointed out that
some illegal immigrants (like MS-13) are criminals – one reason to be selective
and control our borders, just like every other country does, and should. He said some, not all. Now we have a burgeoning caravan of some
15,000 on their way to rush and overpower our border guards. If allowed to succeed, that will be a repeated
tactic. Just one more reason to build
the wall. Convenient, also, that this is
at election time, when they are using this to rile up the Democrat open-border
base.
They accuse him of being a White Nationalist. He is white, and is a nationalist, but they
use the terms in the worst possible sense – as racist & xenophobic, and
uncaring. Nationalism, as many other
things, can be good or bad. Hitler was
more of a racist than nationalist -- he was actually Austrian, and used German nationalism,
or rather Aryanism, opportunistically
to achieve other ends. American
nationalism saved the world in 2 world wars, the Cold War, Korea, etc., and has
continued to benefit many other nations in many ways, including rebuilding
Germany & Japan. Good nationalism is
not aggressive, but looks out for its own interests with its people unitedly
working together. And also reaches out
to render aid to other nations – economically, humanitarian, defense, etc. American nationalism is not only white, but
black, brown, etc. E Pluribus Unum. This anti-white nationalism cause du jour of
the Left is just an extension of the Leftist talking points promulgated in universities,
etc. decrying our old white founding fathers, to justify tearing down their
entire system. Which will result in loss
of the rights and protections in the Bill of Rights, etc. But they are sure they have a better, more
progressive and socialist solution.
Unfortunately, all the Leftist ideas they promote have
always proven disastrous wherever enacted elsewhere. But hope springs eternal for them – they have
even greater faith with less basis than the most faithful of the religious,
whom they denigrate and scoff because of their faith. And their methods and objectives are truly
fascist and big-government/totalitarian.
Antifa is utter projection. The
Left’s cults of personality (Obama, Clinton, Mao, Ho-Chi-Minh, Stalin, Castro,
Chavez,…) are much more real than any Trump cult-like behavior they think they
see. Most conservatives often find Trump’s
brash style and some expressions distasteful, but have been pleasantly
surprised by, and heartily support him for, his principles and deeds. The Left are much more mesmerized by style (e.g.,
eloquent Obama), and care less about accomplishments (e.g., Obama’s lack
thereof).
I just discovered Scott Adams' blog & podcasts - I hadn't
realized how political he is outside of his Dilbert comic strip. But Dilbert
also shows his insights into the real world, which he shares in many political
podcasts in an entertaining way -- one interesting one here on how to escape
from Trump Derangement Syndrome by recognizing the various ways the Left twists
reality.
I shared earlier also another prescription -- the "Just
Walk Away" movement:
10/25/18
The Mail Bomber
The Left is anxious to blame the slate of bomb mailings to
prominent Democrats on Pres. Trump’s rhetoric, and continuing to call for toned
down rhetoric from Trump (but no one else). On the surface quite a change in
tone from Hillary – “we have to do everything we can to bring our country
together,” vs last week saying that civility can’t return until/unless they
regain power. Or maybe she really means they have to do everything they can to
win (so they can be more civil), and try to brainwash the “basket of
deplorables” so that we are "together?" They always think of
"compromise" as one way. There’s no concern on the Left when there was a very real (but unpublicized) recent ricin
mailing to Trump & Mattis, when celebrities speak of
assassination of Trump, raping the First Lady, blowing up the White House,
etc., but when they’re threatened…. And don’t forget the very real shooting of
GOP congressmen by a Leftist idealogue. And Maxine Waters' incitements.
But before jumping to conclusions on the mail bomb perpetrator,
here are some possibilities.
1. As the media imply, a nut job Republican, maybe tired of all
the un-countered attacks on Republicans and just lashing out, maybe to scare
them into toning down their attacks. But oddly, none of the bombs detonated, or
apparently were even made to detonate – either intentionally or ineptly.
Intentionally to just terrorize and not kill or maim, or earn him a death
sentence if caught. But there was a fair amount of effort made to make them
very close to functional, and with that amount of effort, if intended to
function, presumably the design would be tested, first. He doesn’t appear so
stupid as to not realize that. Unless really inept, why go to the trouble? Surely
he’d test first if risking a life sentence.
But another “coincidence” is this occurring 2 weeks before the
midterm election. Obviously, an effect of this in the media has been to place
all kinds of blame on Republicans, and win all kinds of sympathy for Democrats,
and anger by them. Which leads to the other 2 possibilities.
2. A cunning Democrat/Leftist wanting to make it look like a
Republican, to get exactly those benefits in the election. And to shift focus
and blame from all the attacks on Republicans lately, and say “See, the
Republicans are at least as bad.” And it wouldn’t be the first time Lefties
have been caught putting Nazi symbols on synagogues, or making false rape or
racial allegations for effect. Or otherwise misrepresenting conservatives. They
of course would be very careful to be sure the bombs would not actually
detonate,
because they revere those prominent Democrats.
3. A foreign meddler (e.g., Russians) just throwing chaos into
our election – against the party in power. Just as more (not all) of the 2016
social media attacks by the Russians were against the clearly favored Hillary –
some were also against Trump. They were also clearly attempting to sow racial
strife, and pit us against each other. And maybe with greater scrutiny on the
social media, they'd turn to another tactic. And they, along with much of the
mainstream media, appear to be doing a very good job of sowing strife. Although
the mainstream media seem more willing to continue to attack and blame Trump
than to think they may need to back off from their constant drumbeat of
negativism against Trump. They take no responsibility.
BBC.COM
Actor Robert De Niro and Vice-President Joe Biden are the latest
to receive suspected bombs by post.
10/19/18
Kashoggi's now admitted
killing in the Saudi consulate in Turkey was of course unacceptable and
outrageous. And we need to demand civilized behavior from everyone, more
especially our allies. That said, with allies as with anyone, we need to avoid
knee-jerk responses that do not consider the details of the killing, including
who was ultimately responsible in the command chain, as well as strategic
regional interests, and even economic.
We don’t know
for sure what if any orders came from the royal family, whether it was an
interrogation or intimidation gone wrong, a torture with unintended death, a
rogue agent, or some kind of “fight” (he was clearly outnumbered, so hardly
fair). The Saudis seem to be laying blame on their intelligence chief, who may
be punished – hopefully not merely a scapegoat or fall guy for the royal family.
The Left seems
very emotionally quick to demand some of the harshest possible measures among
our options, without considering any of the foregoing nuances. A Leftist
colleague at work seriously even suggested possibly bombing them, though he
wouldn’t consider bombing Russia over even greater offenses (the Left often, in
typical cowardly fashion, is only hawkish and aggressive against those who pose
no threat – like Christians, but not radical Islamists).
This article
offers a more cautious, measured and rational approach. Clearly the Saudis play
a critical role in regional stability in checking Iranian expansion and
state-sponsored terrorism – the greatest state sponsor of terrorism. Iran has
increasing spheres of influence in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, etc., and pose an
existential threat to Israel. We do not simply undermine that and the lives of
millions of people, even if in the worst case the king directly ordered the
killing. While the Saudis are implementing gradual reforms, and are in many
ways more benign than many other Arab & Persian states, they are not a
Western democracy, and do still have some very different standards. They are
nowhere near as despotic and brutal as Iran or Syria. Or Russia, which has
killed many journalists. Also, we have had far worse allies in global
geopolitics – like Joseph Stalin, or “Uncle Joe,” as FDR called him. Sometimes
strategic expediencies (like the fight against Hitler) do not allow us to
always pick pristine saints as allies.
And it seems
hypocritical that the Left demands the harshest response to the Saudis, when
Obama dealt much more favorably with the much worse Iranian regime – sending
them $150 billion in cash in a midnight airplane (clearly he didn’t want that
public, that we became complicit with them as the world’s greatest state
sponsor of terrorism), or the incredibly bad Iranian nuclear deal. Or drew
meaningless red lines in the sand against Syrian chemical weapons use, or
basically did nothing in response to the Russians’ invasion of Ukraine &
Crimea. The Left has also criticized
Trump for being too friendly with our enemies, and dis-ing allies. Which Obama did in abundance, with less
reason – but somehow that was different?
It is interesting
to consider some of the possible or likely reasons for the Left’s great outcry.
One obvious one is merely part of the Resistance to Trump and any relationships
and alliances he is pursuing, including recent arms deals. They seem anxious to
attack with vigor anyone associated with Trump, for far lesser misdeeds. One
aspect of that is Trump’s “war” on the “fake news” journalists. The Left want
to claim he really is at war, and undermining freedom of the press – despite
there being no evidence of measures taken beyond legitimate criticism. But they
scream bloody murder to attack Trump. And of course the Left, of which the
mainstream media is often merely the propaganda arm, considers journalists
sacred cows. Even moreso a journalist at the most sacred Washington Post. So
they would be especially sensitive to assassinations of journalists, as in
Russia, also, though we never heard such outcries against them. But the Left
historically has loved and defended Communist regimes – until they are thought
to have colluded with Trump to overturn an election – of which there is no
evidence. Another typical Leftist target is great wealth, and especially
inherited wealth as in the Saudi royal family. They of course want to
distribute said wealth, and find abhorrent and reprehensible anyone or any
system standing in the way. And no doubt not the least motive for the Left's outcry is
its despisement of Israel, and desire to do anything to weaken its security
posture, which would include undermining the Saudi alliance.
THEFEDERALIST.COM
President Trump is facing an international crisis with no
obvious good fix. So his slow, measured approach is the right one.
https://thefederalist.com/2018/10/17/trump-is-right-to-be-cautious-with-the-saudis-on-kashoggi/
Hypocrisy Galore on the Left
The Left went wild when Kanye West visited the White House &
was vocal. Called a “token Negro” who can’t read, alluded to mental illness,
and that it demeaned the decorum of the office of president, etc. And that’s
with just one Black entertainer – there were several during the Obama
administration, including more hard-core rappers like Jay-Z, and also Beyonce,
etc. As if their political views were eloquent. And Bellafonte called Rice
& Powell “house slaves.” And don’t forget the venom against Justice Thomas
in his confirmation hearing. They all prove our (& Kanye’s) point, that
there’s a Black Democrat cult and plantation mentality, and if you dare to
break with the monolithic cult, you’re viciously attacked and dismissed, just
as if you left Scientology. Or Susan Rice’s GOP son attacked on campus. The party of tolerance? And while Kanye’s comments did
jump around, they made quite a bit of sense to anyone not “listening” with a
Leftist filter – they can’t seem to see any sense in any conservative thought,
and call us evil. And they complain of some mild profanity in the oval office,
after Clinton’s desecration w. Lewinsky, or Biden’s profanity after the passage
of Obamacare? Of course they can’t afford to lose much of their
victim-mentality minority base to regain power, and see the rising Black
support of Trump in the polls as an existential threat, worthy of every means
to counter, including character assassination – just as with Kavenaugh &
uncorroborated accusations.
Justice Ginsberg made a very politically charged (& unprovoked)
attack on Trump, and they complain that Kavenaugh’s comments, in the face of a
monolithic and unprecedentedly vicious Democrat attack, were too politically
charged? And speaking of Ginsberg, even atheist Leftists are probably praying
for Ginsberg’s life. One was even talking seriously about packing the court
when they get back in power – and we remember how that attempt turned out under
FDR. Careful – it could work both ways – remember Harry Reid’s precedent with
the nuclear option.
They continue to blame any and all uncivility on Trump. Hillary
says that you cannot be civil with a political party that seeks to destroy what
you stand for, and that civility will return when Democrats take back the White
House & Congress. Right. That’s why race relations etc. only grew worse
during the Obama administration. And it sounds very two-year-old – I’ll throw a
tantrum until I get what I want. Holder said “when they go low, we kick them.”
And we recall Maxine Waters’ incitement to get in Republicans’ faces and harass
them everywhere, and the many instances of that actually occurring. And some
physical attacks, as well with weapons, like the shooting of several GOP
Congressmen. They have complained that words have consequences in the past, but
we’ve never seen consequences like the unhinged Left’s, including Antifa, etc.
Just more Democrat graciousness and civility. Unhinged Democrats seem much more
prone to taking even figurative language literally.
We thought that trying to go back to high school to look at
yearbook comments of Kavenaugh was getting a bit much? Now there’s a clearly
Leftist 3rd grade teacher who recounted a Trump aide, Steven Miller, eating
glue in gradeschool! Oh, my goodness! The humanity! The unpardonable and
disqualifying sin! I confess to being guilty of that one myself in grade school
– well, it was mint flavored (and I was found out when it showed up on an X-ray
at the doctor’s office when I had walking pneumonia). There’s the end of my
political career. Just look how far they have to go to find any fault they can
to blow out of proportion. But they’ll overlook Cory Booker’s accuser, or
Clinton’s & LBJ’s & JFK’s sexual exploits while in the White House.
10/18/18
This man has some very
insightful & important things to say about the real origins of the
political uncivility around us, and how to correct it. Here's a short interview
describing the content of his book, "Them: Why We Hate Each Other, and How
to Heal" (also linked below) It describes the increasing disconnectedness
from family, neighbors/community, work relations & faith communities
leading to loneliness & unhappiness. He uses terms like "the
evaporation of social capital," and
"epidemic of loneliness" in America. Below is also a link to a review.
I've long felt that for
too many, politics is an ersatz religion (& family) -- regarded as the
ultimate cause & meaning in life, worth doing all for. I agree it's
important, but not the ultimate justification for any means.
CBSNEWS.COM
Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse says American's sharp
partisan divides were not created by the 2016 election. In his new book,
"Them: Why We Hate Each Other - And How to Heal," Sasse explores
America's loneliness epidemic, which he says contributes to divisive political
culture.
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