Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ignorant Arrogance
MSN Slate | 11/05/2004 | Gary

Posted on 11/05/2004 3:17:02 PM PST by gbchriste

The election results reflect the decision of the right wing to cultivate and exploit ignorance in the citizenry. I suppose the good news is that 55 million Americans have evaded the ignorance-inducing machine. But 58 million have not...The error that progressives have consistently committed over the years is to underestimate the vitality of ignorance in America. Listen to what the red state citizens say about themselves, the songs they write, and the sermons they flock to. They know who they are—they are full of original sin and they have a taste for violence. The blue state citizens make the Rousseauvian mistake of thinking humans are essentially good, and so they never realize when they are about to be slugged from behind...They know no boundaries or rules. They are predatory and resentful, amoral, avaricious, and arrogant. Lots of Americans like and admire them because lots of Americans, even those who don't share those same qualities, don't know which end is up. Can the Democrats appeal to such voters? Do they want to? The Republicans have sold their souls for power.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:
Well I've never blogged before but I can't hold back any longer. This outrageous diatribe by Jane Smiley (Why Americans Hate Democrats—A Dialogue The unteachable ignorance of the red states) shows conclusively that the Democrats just don't get it. This is exactly why they continue to drive more and more American's farther to the right. There are millions of people out here who are sick and tired of being classified as idiots for holding to views that were considered perfectly normal just a generation ago.

I'm an educated technical professional, masters degree in software engineering, former military officer and trained linguist. For the 35 years of my adult working life I've gotten up every day, gone to work, sacrificed time with my family for the sake of career and country, paid my taxes, gone to church, and helped my neighbor whenever I could. I've never attacked, belittled, scorned, insulted or discriminated against anyone because of their race or gender. I've treated everyone I've lived near or worked with with respect and common courtesy. I'm an informed citizen who studies and researches the issues of the day, from both the left and right perspectives. I pride myself on knowing and understanding our governmental and political processes. I read and re-read the Constitution every few months and make it a point to retrieve and study U.S. District and Supreme Court opinions so I can understand and filter through the B.S. that comes from both sides. In short, I consider myself to be a better than average citizen and neighbor.

But because I believe we should not just blithly eject the 5000 year old institution of marriage (or allow unelected judges to do it for us), the Democrats consider me to be ignorant and hateful.

My kids can't get so much as a tooth filled or have the school nurse give them an aspirin without my signature. But if I want to be informed before my daughter gets an abortion, they will accuse me of condeming all women to the back alley and the coat hanger.

Slavery and Jim Crow were awful and shameful legacy's. And while you don't have to look very far to find a racist idiot, I believe that individual merit and not the color of one's skin should determine your opportunities in life. For that I'm equated with the KKK.

I hold strongly to the faith of my fathers and their fathers before them. And although I eagerly discuss my faith when anyone asks, I've never imposed it on anyone who was not a willing audience. But because I believe that both private citizens and public officials should allow their faith to inform their public acts, the Democrats call me a religious fanatic and equate me with the Taliban.

I did not grow up wealthy. I'm the grandson of poor and destitute European immigrants and the son of a high school drop-out share cropper. Yet my parents saw to it that I was educated and I spent 35 years clawing up the career ladder, 20 of it paying my way through college and graduate school 3 hours at a time while holding down a job and raising a family. As a result, I bring home a high 5-figure income that took me 35 years to achieve and I would prefer to keep more of what I worked so hard for for myself - thank you very much. But the Democrats will equate me with some robber baron who became "rich" by stealing and exploiting the down trodden who must have his ill-gotten gain stripped from him and his heirs.

In fact, about the only qualities I seem to possess these days that might be equated with ignorance are sudden outbursts of uncontrolled rage that border on an urge to commit physical violence. I can't seem to quite put my finger on the impulse but it seems to occur everytime I read another piece or hear another Democratic talking head call me "ignorant"

1 posted on 11/05/2004 3:17:03 PM PST by gbchriste
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: gbchriste

Unbelievable! Well actually I guess not. Liberal intellectual snobbery knows no bounds. These people are so blinded by their elitist nature that they will never learn.


2 posted on 11/05/2004 3:19:56 PM PST by big'ol_freeper ("Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought."-Pope JPII)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gbchriste

Amen, gb!


3 posted on 11/05/2004 3:19:59 PM PST by Trainfish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: big'ol_freeper
This is good. The liberals are finally asking why we hate them.
4 posted on 11/05/2004 3:22:24 PM PST by Ukiapah Heep (Shoes for Industry!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: gbchriste

Jeepers, all that common sense, hard work, education, kindness and tolerance. There must really be something wrong with you. I just can't figure out what it is. ;)


5 posted on 11/05/2004 3:23:50 PM PST by Bahbah (Proud member of the pajamahadeen)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gbchriste
If this is "ignorance," then I'll take it any day of the week . . .


6 posted on 11/05/2004 3:24:29 PM PST by Alberta's Child (I made enough money to buy Miami -- but I pissed it away on the Alternative Minimum Tax.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gbchriste

I heard this on Rush today. I thought it was pretty entertaining. Smiley is twisted.


7 posted on 11/05/2004 3:30:24 PM PST by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gbchriste

From the grandson of a share-cropper, you are right on. I cannot stand the arrogant lefties much anymore either. I am a nice guy but everyone has their breaking point.


8 posted on 11/05/2004 3:31:03 PM PST by vpintheak (Liberal = The antithesis of Freedom and Patriotism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gbchriste

"Why Americans Hate Democrats"

Interesting...does this mean that Americans aren't Democrats and, more importantly, Democrats aren't Americans?


9 posted on 11/05/2004 3:33:52 PM PST by beelzepug (tag not to be removed under penalty of law except by consumer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gbchriste
You eventually grow accustomed to the "labels".
You have expressed my sentiments very well!

Welcome to FR!

GE
10 posted on 11/05/2004 3:36:28 PM PST by GrandEagle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gbchriste

Today Maureen Dowd and Thomas Friedman both ran columns blasting Bush and his supporters for - among other things - opposing gay marriage. They seem to have forgotten that Kerry and Edwards also said they oppose gay marriage, and that the states should decide on the issue. Well, eleven states decided against it, by wide margins, yet this result - totally consistent with what Kerry and Edwards proclaimed - is denounced as a "jihad", intolerance, bigotry, etc. So I can only conclude one thing: Kerry and Edwards were lying. If their own supporters denounce people for taking the same position that Kerry and Edwards took, there must have been a tacit awareness among the Dems that the public position of Kerry and Edwards was a ruse.


11 posted on 11/05/2004 3:46:21 PM PST by Steve_Seattle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: big'ol_freeper
These people are so blinded by their elitist nature

And yet they call US "arrogant." Ah, the Party of Tolerance and Diversity. The irony is completely lost on them.

12 posted on 11/05/2004 3:49:23 PM PST by shezza (We will not tire, we will not falter, we will not fail.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson