I somehow missed this as-usual outstanding piece until just now.
Regarding “conservative.” I’m gonna guess that somebody else threw in the word I’ve been using with increasing frequency for at least a year, maybe two. Today’s republican party is an insult to Lincoln, TRoosevelt, Eisenhower, and even Nixon. These people are straight-up fascists.
You have to wonder when "conservative" became a compliment. Where would we be if conservatives were always in control?
"Hey, Christopher, you-a no a-wanna go that way. You gonna fall of de earth."
You have to also wonder when being labelled "liberal" became a criticism. So much so that most Democrats no longer use that word. Instead, adopting "progressive" as their descriptor.
There are no doubt some conservative values that many of us share, just as there are some so-called liberal values that many of us share. The link below is to a test that defines whether you are liberal or conserivative, leftist or alt-right, or whatever. It is one of many such tests. I have taken it several times and, humorously, it has come back with me leaning slightly liberal at times and leaning slightly conservative at others.
I suspect that is probably true of most of us. Depending on circumstances and conditions, our views change. Or at least they do if we claim to be rational, thinking people.
I am of the belief that people are afraid to say what is really happening. The GOP is tied to the Evangelicals, that is their base. Then wealthy people, corporate America and hate groups. What do they represent in voting numbers? Maybe 25% of the electors. The media is also to blame for much discourse. They run opinions and stories without both sides being explained. There is a racial and religious war being waged in our country.
The good news is there are more of us than their are of them.
I refer to them as the GQP. These fanatics and exploiters are certainly neither Conservative nor Republican (Cheney and Romney and Kinzinger are about the last of those), and they are also no longer the GOP since the Party has wholeheartedly gone off the deep end too, they are all either fanatic adherents of Q or crass opportunists riding the wave of Q adherents for their own profit.
In my opinion, if there is that kind of insurrection, the military should be there with loaded weapons, ready to shoot to kill the insurrectionists this time. The military because they would be defending the Constitution and country against domestic terrorists!
Words like “radical” or “conservative” no longer seems to apply. It’s a jumble out there!!!
I was brought up on a “Conservative Synagogue “ and my father, a veteran who served in the US armed forces, was a lawyer who believed “my country right or wrong “.
My politics tend to be more “liberal”. I opposed the war in Viet Nam and marched in demonstrations for civil rights.
What would my father have thought of my “radical” behaviour, l will never know. He died before he turned 40, possibly a service-related illness.
My country right or wrong… what does that even mean?
We have to strive to protect the Democratic values we were assumed would last for more than 245 years!
Today we can take nothing for granted. We are at a crossroads where our basic freedoms are being threatened.
Our country needs us more than ever to insure that the future does not include the injustices of the past, nor the inequalities of tomorrow.
We must take good care of ourselves and each other, no easy task. Words matter- they are the forebears of actions.
I'm glad you served and I'm sorry that the home front is in such a mess right now. Remember Roosevelt's Four Freedoms: Freedom of Speech and Expression; Freedom of Worship; Freedom from Want; Freedom from Fear. Those are real freedoms, not the ones espoused by the right-wingers. It must be discouraging to see this going on, but if we don't stand up to these bullies that would be tragic.
Besides the word coup, I believe there is ample evidence to call it the Republican National Cult. An evil cult that seeks to destroy Democracy must not only be challenged, it must be defeated and disbanded legally, culturally and permanently. And if you think I'm wrong, just walk into a popular "conservative" gun shop, hear the rhetoric and watch the bullets and ammunition cross hands.
I somehow missed this as-usual outstanding piece until just now.
Regarding “conservative.” I’m gonna guess that somebody else threw in the word I’ve been using with increasing frequency for at least a year, maybe two. Today’s republican party is an insult to Lincoln, TRoosevelt, Eisenhower, and even Nixon. These people are straight-up fascists.
I’d like to see the definition across the the TV screens and Twitter and in newspapers
You have to wonder when "conservative" became a compliment. Where would we be if conservatives were always in control?
"Hey, Christopher, you-a no a-wanna go that way. You gonna fall of de earth."
You have to also wonder when being labelled "liberal" became a criticism. So much so that most Democrats no longer use that word. Instead, adopting "progressive" as their descriptor.
There are no doubt some conservative values that many of us share, just as there are some so-called liberal values that many of us share. The link below is to a test that defines whether you are liberal or conserivative, leftist or alt-right, or whatever. It is one of many such tests. I have taken it several times and, humorously, it has come back with me leaning slightly liberal at times and leaning slightly conservative at others.
I suspect that is probably true of most of us. Depending on circumstances and conditions, our views change. Or at least they do if we claim to be rational, thinking people.
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/quiz/political-typology/
Thank you for this article. I will reconsider my use of the word 'conservative' moving foward.
Agreed! We need a coalition of strong nice people who support each other & rotate our defense battalion as necessary:)
I am of the belief that people are afraid to say what is really happening. The GOP is tied to the Evangelicals, that is their base. Then wealthy people, corporate America and hate groups. What do they represent in voting numbers? Maybe 25% of the electors. The media is also to blame for much discourse. They run opinions and stories without both sides being explained. There is a racial and religious war being waged in our country.
The good news is there are more of us than their are of them.
I refer to them as the GQP. These fanatics and exploiters are certainly neither Conservative nor Republican (Cheney and Romney and Kinzinger are about the last of those), and they are also no longer the GOP since the Party has wholeheartedly gone off the deep end too, they are all either fanatic adherents of Q or crass opportunists riding the wave of Q adherents for their own profit.
I hope that there is. I don’t think it is right to fly the trump flag with the American flag.
That is so awful and truly insulting to every American. It breaks my heart.
With what should we replace conservative? How about Destructive or Disastrous?
In my opinion, if there is that kind of insurrection, the military should be there with loaded weapons, ready to shoot to kill the insurrectionists this time. The military because they would be defending the Constitution and country against domestic terrorists!
Words like “radical” or “conservative” no longer seems to apply. It’s a jumble out there!!!
I was brought up on a “Conservative Synagogue “ and my father, a veteran who served in the US armed forces, was a lawyer who believed “my country right or wrong “.
My politics tend to be more “liberal”. I opposed the war in Viet Nam and marched in demonstrations for civil rights.
What would my father have thought of my “radical” behaviour, l will never know. He died before he turned 40, possibly a service-related illness.
My country right or wrong… what does that even mean?
We have to strive to protect the Democratic values we were assumed would last for more than 245 years!
Today we can take nothing for granted. We are at a crossroads where our basic freedoms are being threatened.
Our country needs us more than ever to insure that the future does not include the injustices of the past, nor the inequalities of tomorrow.
We must take good care of ourselves and each other, no easy task. Words matter- they are the forebears of actions.
I'm glad you served and I'm sorry that the home front is in such a mess right now. Remember Roosevelt's Four Freedoms: Freedom of Speech and Expression; Freedom of Worship; Freedom from Want; Freedom from Fear. Those are real freedoms, not the ones espoused by the right-wingers. It must be discouraging to see this going on, but if we don't stand up to these bullies that would be tragic.
You said that very well. It is completely creepy and wrong.
As usual, Dan, you've put the words to a feeling I've had but had no words for.
Besides the word coup, I believe there is ample evidence to call it the Republican National Cult. An evil cult that seeks to destroy Democracy must not only be challenged, it must be defeated and disbanded legally, culturally and permanently. And if you think I'm wrong, just walk into a popular "conservative" gun shop, hear the rhetoric and watch the bullets and ammunition cross hands.