Posted on 12/15/2002 9:24:08 AM PST by Chi-townChief
I read with great interest and dismay guest Daniel Zanoza's column under "Another Viewpoint."
Like many of the infamous labels that the Republicans are fond of using, I am not sure what a "social conservatism" is since Zanoza's article is none too descriptive in those terms. Like Bush's "compassion conservatism," it too has the sound of an oxymoron.
To me it signals that Zanoza and others of his ilk are in reality antisocial, just as Bush's compassion conservatism has little or no compassion for the social problems that are plaguing the country, but rather a deep non-conservative raw compassion for going to war with Iraq.
In his column Zanoza does not explain in any detail the ideology of social conservatism; therefore, I will assume by all the behavioral evidence I've observed that it is anti-environment, anti-affirmative action, anti-labor, anti-women's rights, anti-gun control, anti-public schools, anti-welfare and anti any government program or funding that might help the downtrodden and particularly people of color.
Who are these social conservatives? I dread to think that in reality they are a composite of neoconservative groups such as the NRA, the far right Christian Coalition, would-be members of any of the military supremacist groups and probably champion such neocon personalities as Limbraugh, O'Reilly and Krauthammer who are fraught with antediluvian rhetoric that aims to drive this country backward 200 years.
And if the Bush administration gets its way, which seems likely with the Homeland Security Act, then we will be well on our way.
Zanoza accuses the Democratic machine of being to pervasive; just wait until Bush gets his homeland security operation in action. The act will give any government agent or agency, security-related or not, free access to all your records, personal and otherwise. They will have free reign to tap your telephone read your mail, e-mail and essentially enter your home without warrant. Now that is pervasive, putting the First Amendment in great jeopardy.
I cringe whenever right wing Republicans attempt to link the Great Emancipator to what now passes as the Republican Party. By Republican standards today, President Lincoln would be cited as a left wing radical and possibly even cited as a traitor.
During the civil rights battles of the 1950s and '60s when the Dixiecrats were formed to fight against civil rights and stood in defiance of government-mandated desegregation, the Republican Party prostituted itself by opening its arms to the Dixiecrats. They embraced their causes and turned over the party's leadership to the Dixiecrats who today disguise themselves as Republicans.
As a Democrat and social liberal, I will do all I can to further progressive social issues involving education, women's right to choose, universal health care, protection of the environment, gun control and what will soon be left of the First Amendment.
HERBERT BROWN Park Forest
The problem is that most of these programs and funding don't help the downtrodden or people of color. That's why they still live in slums, despite billions of dollars being sent in to aid them. Until "social liberals" are willing to discuss what works and what doesn't work, there isn't much room for a conversation here.
You say that like it's a bad thing.
Geez, another glaring example of the neo-conservative bias in the mainstream media... |
Actually, I almost have half an ounce of respect for this twit for at least admitting he's a Marxist intent on the destruction of the country.
In the early '50s, when I best knew it, Park Forest was a mecca for up-and-coming young business capitalist types. It showed absolutely no socialist tendencies through to the early '60s and then the community began rapidly changing.
It means being able say "Merry Christmas" at work.
Someone who's been hanging around certain FR threads, obviously ;)
Are you talking Klutznik (sp?) ??
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