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“Extremist” is Not an Insult
The American Mind ^ | 07/06/21 | Glenn Ellmers

Posted on 07/06/2021 9:54:23 AM PDT by PoliticallyShort

In June, Joe Biden’s National Security Council released its National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism. The document absurdly but alarmingly claims that, out of all the fanatics who hate America and wish it harm, “the most persistent and lethal threats” are posed by domestic “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists (principally those who promote the superiority of the white race).” Other commentators have shown that this narrative about white-supremacist “extremists” is little more than crude propaganda—an attempt to hijack our entire national security and federal law enforcement apparatus as a partisan weapon of the Democratic Party.

That is certainly a dangerous development. But I want to take a different approach and put this discussion of extremists into some historical and philosophical perspective.

In 1964, when the prolific scholar and author Harry Jaffa wrote Barry Goldwater’s acceptance speech at the Republican presidential convention, he included a now-famous line: “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice; moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Though the crowd in San Francisco’s “Cow Palace” went wild with enthusiastic approval, the sentiment was condemned by all the official organs of establishment opinion. That didn’t bother Goldwater—or Jaffa. After all, it’s the job of political philosophers (and occasionally statesmen) to challenge the complacency of established dogmas. More surprising, however, was the reaction from some professors and academically trained philosophers, who claimed that the lines misrepresented or misunderstood Aristotle’s teaching on ethics.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanmind.org ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: domesticterrorism; extremist

1 posted on 07/06/2021 9:54:23 AM PDT by PoliticallyShort
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To: PoliticallyShort

Extremism in defense of Liberty is no vice.


2 posted on 07/06/2021 9:54:52 AM PDT by Little Ray (Corporations don't pay taxes. They collect them.)
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To: Little Ray

neither is racist these days- more times than not it just means you are unwilling to submit to group think on the left.


3 posted on 07/06/2021 9:57:36 AM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
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To: PoliticallyShort; Extremely Extreme Extremist

Ping!


4 posted on 07/06/2021 9:59:31 AM PDT by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper)
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To: God luvs America

When a mathematics, a good lawn, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich are ‘racist’ then the term is meaningless.


5 posted on 07/06/2021 10:04:45 AM PDT by Little Ray (Corporations don't pay taxes. They collect them.)
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To: PoliticallyShort

Nowadays, 70% of the population could agree with you, but your opinion could still be considered “extremist”. The new definition of “extremism” apparently is just “wrong-think”.


6 posted on 07/06/2021 10:07:30 AM PDT by rightwingcrazy (;-,)
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To: Little Ray

Don’t forget black holes:

Black holes are racist? Space is the final frontier for the woke on their mission to redefine the universe

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/527453-black-holes-racist-space/


7 posted on 07/06/2021 10:10:57 AM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
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To: PoliticallyShort; Extremely Extreme Extremist

I think one member will concur.


8 posted on 07/06/2021 10:11:26 AM PDT by cuban leaf (We killed our economy and damaged our culture. In 2021 we will pine for the salad days of 2020.)
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To: \/\/ayne

Ha! Beat me to it! :)


9 posted on 07/06/2021 10:11:47 AM PDT by cuban leaf (We killed our economy and damaged our culture. In 2021 we will pine for the salad days of 2020.)
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To: God luvs America

10 posted on 07/06/2021 10:27:44 AM PDT by fidelis (Defeatism and despair are like poison to men's souls. If you can't be positive, at least be quiet.)
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To: PoliticallyShort

Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice.


11 posted on 07/06/2021 10:29:17 AM PDT by Phlap (REDNECK@LIBARTS.EDU)
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

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