The 'Neo-Con' Phenomenon

Return Of The Gods Web Site ^ | January 27, 2005 | William Flax

[Ohioan]

The "Neo-Con" Phenomenon

.... day dreams of grandeur--without understanding of how human societies ... actually function.

. . . we had never heard--or at least never paid enough attention to have noted--the term "neo-con," before the inauguration of George W. Bush in January, 2001. We understood that the President, who called himself a "compassionate conservative," was not really Conservative on many issues. But we took him at his word . . .

Our first notice of the "neo-con" phenomenon came . . . after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks . . . The first impression was of a misuse of language. On one thread, we made the naive comment that it really was not that helpful, in a discussion of the merits of ideas, to worry about how long the proponent of a particular viewpoint had had that viewpoint. We were taken to task by a self-identified "Neo-con," . . .

A couple of similar incidents followed. Self-identified "Neo-cons" told us, in effect . . . We got the message: "Neo-cons" were not about Conservatism. They were about appropriating the word, although not without the hope that it would draw support from some of those who had gotten on the Reagan bandwagon; those with little real understanding of the genuine Conservative values in the Reagan counter-revolution of 1980. It appeared that they were running a gambit; trying to highjack America's sudden preference for a Conservative identification, for a very different agenda; one with no semblance to the traditional political priorities of the American mainstream.

It was obvious that there was nothing "new" about the ideology being promoted. Yet, again, when we engaged the proponents on the basis that they were using deliberately misleading terminology, that their ideology was neither new nor Conservative; ....

[Ohioan]

The above is the start of our February essay at the Return Of The Gods Web Site. If it peeks anyone's interest, the balance of the article--too long to simply post in full, and use up Free Republic bandwith--is simply a click away:

The Neo-Con Phenomenon

We hesitated to post this, as perhaps too confrontational. But those whom it describes do not hesitate to post their positions here; so hopefully, a little balance will be beneficial to all.

[Ohioan]

Sorry about the formatting. In cutting a portion from the published article, and then cutting it down to the 300 word limit for the top box, I accidentally cut out the code to close the centering at the top.

The article, as it appears at the web site, is properly formatted.

[Ohioan]

Bump for February!