the question the Left has been shouting into a hostile, echoless wilderness for the last 20 years:
"How does any decent person remain a Republican with this kind of crap?"
Which is strictly rhetorical, of course -- Sullivan damn well betcha knows the answer to his own question. Knows that his Party spent the last 30 years carefully and meticulously building its electoral machine on a Base of the ignorant, the hateful and the thoroughly indecent, while people like Sully -- high from huffing Reagan’s jock and Thatcher’s panties -- eagerly helped to mix the mortar and lay the brick.
They were the acolytes of the Phuquetard Buddha (Also known as the Guantanamo Buddha, first documented by yours truly here a couple of years ago), living in the Perfect, Eternal, Conservative Now.
Because he is still very much a True Believer, Sully is not capable of looking Conservatism square in eye and seeing that Dubya and McSame are not its aberrations, but its apotheosis. He has shaken off some of the lesser, uglier doctrinal teachings of his faith, but still clings fiercely to the abstract, rapturous purity of its core dogma and will probably never be able to wrap his head around the fact that Ayn Rand's little wingnut terrarium is not a heroic creed, but a moral spider hole for misanthropes, rich degenerates and rich degenerate-wannabes.
It is gangsterism's safe-house where they can find constant reassurance that:
1. “The common good” is an evil delusion
2. Looking out for "the least of these" is a Socialist plot.
3. Looking out for Number One is next to Godliness.
4. And therefore the rules of courtesy, reciprocity, tolerance and prudence are strictly for suckers.
Conservatism – whatever it advertises on the box or promises from the pulpit – is a cult of rich and powerful solipsists deciding that any rules they make up for themselves are OK as long as it makes them a fat profit and that rest of humanity are merely expendable extras in their awesome, members-only circle jerk.
The Age of Dubya was not an accident or freak of circumstances, but the inevitable outcome of the ideology of people like Andrew Sullivan, and in the Age of Dubya, one can either be a Good American or a Good Republican, but one can no longer be both.
17 comments:
Regrettably, Mr. Sullivan is intellectually ill-equipped to comprehend your argument.
A deep curtsy to you, Dg,
I'm so glad I bopped by before bed.
You've outdone yourself (and them) again.
I loved/grokked/feared your expose when I first read it.
“Peace comes from within. Which is why we need bunker busting nukes to get at it.”
There is no imaginary place down the timestream where the consequences of doing immensely reckless, stupid things might catch up with us.
“Whatever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings…kill it immediately and sell its children for beer money.”
-- sayings of the Phuquetard Buddha
And now, you have grown more trenchantly concise and pithily accurate, while they have been nakedly detailed as the thugs they proudly proclaim themselves to be.
seeing that Dubya and McSame are not its aberrations, but its apotheosis.
never be able to wrap his head around the fact that Ayn Rand's little wingnut terrarium is not a heroic creed, but a moral spider hole for misanthropes, rich degenerates and rich degenerate-wannabes.
gangsterism's safe-house
Looking out for Number One is next to Godliness
Conservatism – whatever it advertises on the box or promises from the pulpit – is a cult of rich and powerful solipsists
Can this be the people's prose poem?
To the terr'ists?
You rest our case.
Suzan
"In the Age of Dubya, one can either be a Good American or a Good Republican, but one can no longer be both."
Learn it.
KNOW it.
Spread it.
Cross-stitch it on a Sampler.
Blog it every day.
Until we outnumber them.
Or, at minimum, out-vote them (and their Diebold machines).
Thatcher’s panties?
wasn't that an 80's Conservative Glam Band?
or am i thinking of Concrete Thong?
Your list of 4 points also sums things up quite tidily.
Man, I've got to say, I only recently have become aware of your blog, but it's fast become one of my favorites. You have an amazing talent for prose. Thanks for existing!
"...Dubya and McSame are not its aberrations, but its apotheosis."
Very well said. The entire entry is worthy of any news paper's editorial page.
Keep it up.
Brilliant.
Nicely stated. I may borrow your 4 points (with ref).
All America needs to look evil in the eye is a mirror. Sadly it is job #1 for your media to keep everyone from ever discovering just how ugly you are as a nation. Watch this Documentary on the case of Omar Khadr from CBC and try not to be sick. Then tell me that these people aren't war criminals.
Thank you for this. Well done.
I think you misunderstand the thrust of Ayn's philosophy, but I cannot disagree with your analysis of the conservative thought process.
Honestly, I think old Ayn would be appalled by how things are going. Her essential philosophy was an opposition to using the term "common good" to strip people of their intellectual property and the right to control their own destiny. She was reacting to her youth in Soviet Russia and how people were destroyed by the Communist system. Did she over-react? Perhaps, but she still needs to be understood within that context. whether or not she was a crazy old bird, applying "Randist" to McCain is like applying "Communist" to Obama. Neither is an accurate assessment.
Beyond that though, you are, as usual, correct about Conservative movement and the inevitable unraveling of their ideology.
Boo Yah, D.
It reminds me of what my favorite science teacher, a biologist, in college told me about the scientific mindset and the rational school of thought in general: "the evolution of life was not some random chance event of lightning striking some briny sea but instead it was the inevitable result of the conditions that preceded it. Its called being rational. Sully should try it sometime.
OFF-TOPIC: Once again, the state of Georgia is preparing to execute a man whose guilt is very doubtful.
Appeals can still be made to the state board of Pardons and Paroles via
http://action.aclu.org/savetroy
I think Sullivan would much rather have wanted to wear Thatcher's panties.
Short, sweet (n sour) and to the titanium-and-acid tipped point. Hat tip, Driftglass.
This whole Right-Wing-Nuts-Just-Can't-Face-Reality stuff came home and personal to me recently --
I have a dominatrix, ever-cranky and very very very old aunt who has proved to have ears full of shit and a cranium fulla concrete, when it comes to facing the real world after the year 1688.
I stopped talking to the matriarch auntie when she started barking at me (at a family member's funeral, no less. Jesus!) for not agreeing with her over "whatta nice lady" that Sarah Palin twat is.
Vomit. I have since let a nice little Catholic school educated, dutiful cousin of mine (nephew of hers) take over interactions with the fatal radiation dose auntie. (She is CONVINCED the Good Trained Boy has been corrupted by Evil Me, as he has now flipped indecisive ass to Obama.)
So I learn last night that this brain dead matriarch in my alleged gene pool is now reacting to Obama's lead, 2-to-1 poll advantage over McCrazy, and almost lead-pipe-cinch win prospects with ....
More Old Fart Bullshit!!!
1. No facing Reality after Year 1688 ... or 1948 ... or 1968.
2. Not even wanting to be on "the winning side" ... whatever.
Just screaming over the Deep End, and claiming we'll see how "that one" fails in the next four years. Yes, indeedy, we will.
Whenever I read the comments of Reasonable Humans (either here or at other blog sites) who plead that We Must Not Give Up On the Stupids -- We Must Keep Trying to Persuade Brain-Dead Trogdolytes Among Us to Listen to Reason -- I always think:
How Farking Futile
Andrew Sullivan is one of those. My moronic aunt is one of those. Those fright-wig sputtering scum-sucker attendees at McPalin rallies these daze are some of those. They are ass-deep on Fox News; knee-deep on CNN.
Just cannot fix Stupid.
Me -- of the 28-year membership with ACLU and every humanist, liberal, leftie org around -- thinks it is Pitchfork and Purge Time.
I know. I know. V. Bad. But it is a thick stew nourishing a rich fantasy life.
Bring on the guillotines! Pitchforks at wholesale!
Post a Comment