MacRanger discusses the conservative blogs vs. Bush article at CNN over at MacsMind. What has been neglected is the fact that there are right-of-center blogs (including some conservatives) who are backing the President.
Strata-Sphere is probably the most prominent. But one just has to look at Sister Toldjah, The Anchoress, and Big Lizards to see that there is another side to this issue. One can also look at syndicated columnists like Linda Chavez and Michael Medved or conservative media outlets like the Wall Street Journal's editorial page and the Weekly Standard.
And why is there division? Well, let's just say that people both sides have flipped off poorly-thought out comments. Linda Chavez has come in for particular abuse - and a lot of the comments aimed at her have crossed the racism line. Quite frankly, she had every right to lash out at her critics and fire off with a broad brush, and she had no need to apologize, because all too often, the abusive comments have stood at Townhall for whatever reason.
That leads to something else that must be said. Both Linda Chavez and Congressman Chris Cannon have shown to my satsifaction that there are some very questionable ties between major anti-immigration groups like FAIR and CIS and eugenicists. Eugenics is a long-discredited pseudo-science that is all too often used to justify the racist beliefs of people like David Duke and Jared Taylor.
What needs to be noted is that these concerns are not coming from La Raza, Jesse Jackson, or Al Sharpton. These are conservatives with track records to prove their conservatism saying there is a problem. And sadly, too many on the right seek to ignore that - and those who do raise questions are accused of smearing those who oppose the immigration bill - or they are called race-baiters.
I'm sorry, but trying to cover up the inconvenient truths about the background of FAIR and CIS is unacceptable. It seems that the notion held by some conservatives that the right should police its own has some sort of unspoken immigration exception. I am unwilling to go along with this. It is this refusal to police their own that has pushed me into the Wall Street Journal's camp on immigration. I am willing to up the ante from a "no confidence vote" and completely walk away from conservatism if it comes to that.
But it's time that the other side be heard and be given a hearing.
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3 comments:
It is relevant however to point out that even the left is split on immigration reform. While the media makes it look like the split is exclusively on the right, that isn't exactly true.
The only difference is the left isn't having the debate, in fact that is where I see the blogs vs Bush tragedy, the tragedy is in the liberal silence. While I am sure some would disagree, a liberal debate on immigration is just as relevant as a conservative debate, but alas only the conservatives are addressing the various issues in immigration reform.
Personally, I am not too worked up about the debate on the right. It seems to me to be better to have strong opinions and have them flushed out in the open with the merits debated, than the opposite, which would be to have a strong opinion on the left but blindly follow those leading the discussion without challenge.
I've never been in favor of 'comprehensive' bills on any topic from government though. I guess I have worked in government too long, because when I see 'comprehensive' changes to anything in government; it is almost always a red flag that results will fall well short of expectations, regardless of the merits within the specific plan..
A recent example you are intimately familiar with would be the DoD concept of Transformation, and the DoD reality of it.
Personally, I am not too worked up about the debate on the right. It seems to me to be better to have strong opinions and have them flushed out in the open with the merits debated, than the opposite, which would be to have a strong opinion on the left but blindly follow those leading the discussion without challenge.
The problem is that a lot of folks on the right are demanding that I pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain, and if I do pay attention to him, I'm a traitor to America.
Righteousness does not fear scrutiny.
Right. We slam the Left for not speaking against their more outrageous backers, likeover at DailyKos. We don't need rascists in this debate. this is about law and order, not white versus brown.
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