On Offensive Comparisons

Look at that picture for a moment.  No rush.  Just look at it, drink in the details, think through the implications.

I cannot stress enough how insanely offensive that picture is.

It is saying that people who oppose gay marriage are like the people who opposed the civil rights movement.  It is drawing equivalency with people who wish to redefine the ancient institution of marriage, implying that they are somehow as oppressed as the people who had to use inferior facilities because of the color of their skin.

They are saying that judging someone for their actions is the same as judging someone for the color of their skin.  That being a homosexual, tied to the actions of the individual, is somehow similar to having a certain skin color, which is immutable.

Is this picture trying to tell me that homosexuals are being blasted by water cannons in the streets?  That they're being beaten by abusive police officers while dogs are unleashed on them to tear their flesh?  Is it telling me that they are being murdered and hung in the town square for all to see?

You bet.  It's drawing a moral equivalence between people who believe that government shouldn't and in fact, does not have the authority to redefine marriage and those who believed that people of color did not deserve basic human dignity.

Pictures like this are the result of leftism.  The left transforms every issue into a dichotomy of "being on the right side of history" vs. "bigotry."  By making the side the left disagrees with appear to be bigoted, it gives them a massive talking point which no one will disagree with, except those of conscience on the opposing side.

Because the left teaches kids what, rather than how, to think, they post and repost pictures like this without thinking it through.  Anyone who thinks about this image for a bit realizes the disturbing and disgusting implications at the core of its message.  The way it marginalizes the struggles of the civil rights movement by putting what amount to minor inconveniences on the same level as being treated as less than human is abhorrent.  Anyone should be repulsed at the idea of drawing this comparison.

The future seems scary from where I'm sitting.  Comparisons like this are becoming commonplace and people of traditional, Biblical mores are slowly being shunned and shoved to the side.

What effect do you think this mentality will have on liberty?

On Libertarians

Contrary to what the media would have one believe, the right is not a monolith. Thanks to the media, when people refer to the right, they generally refer to conservatives. They reference those of us who are both fiscally and socially conservative. Indeed, it is the segment of the conservative movement most often caricatured, if only because traditional values lack an effective messenger.

Then there are the libertarians.

That probably sounded really general and vaguely offensive...and you would be right.  Too many conservatives too easily throw around the term "libertarian" in a vaguely pejorative way without trying to understand what libertarians believe.  Indeed, many would find there is little difference between the two groups at their core.

Now, when I refer to libertarians, I obviously refer to the modern political ideology and philosophy.  This is the philosophy that believes in minimal possible government and maximum possible personal liberties without descending into anarchy.  Libertarians and conservatives alike are grounded on this belief when it comes to governance and living our lives. Thus, on basic philosophy, we agree.  Yet, for some reason, it is smaller issues and ideas, ranging from marriage to pot, that causes rifts on the right.

The question is, what are the precise causes of these rifts? I do not speak of the details of each issue, however. Rather, it is the mindset, the way each issue is approached, that must be understood.

Like any ideological group, there are many different kinds of libertarians.  Of all the political "camps," libertarians are the hardest to pin down (in my personal opinion).  Libertarians can hold positions that can be considered right and left.  Personally, I believe the real problem lies with those who personally adhere to a socially liberal belief system.

What many left-leaning libertarians do not seem to understand is freedom is not an end unto itself.  Liberty requires wisdom and self-governance to be used effectively.  Right-leaning libertarians understand this.  Let's take pot for an easy example.  "Conservatarians" (as some call themselves) may favor its decriminalization.  Even I kind of do, as someone who identifies as "conservative."  However, they still recognize its potential to be destructive to those who use it.  So while they believe it is not within the [federal] government's power to make it illegal, they simultaneously espouse not using it, recognizing the realities of its use.

Leftist libertarians, on the other hand, believe, like progressives, that society does not need a moral code to function.  At least, not a Biblical-based one.  They believe that liberty means being able to do whatever you want, regardless of the consequences.  As a result, there is no morally sound society to hold people back from their excesses.  Sadly, many libertarians who believe in the goodness of a Judeo-Christian based society still seem reluctant to directly advocate for well-balanced living.

That is the primary problem with libertarianism today and often what puts off conservatives from joining forces with them (and vice versa).  Without a morally grounded society, liberty can be just as dangerous as tyranny.  Indeed, without a well-regulated heart, one often becomes a slave to his or her own desires.  Those who despise tyranny place themselves under the tyranny of that which is unhealthy and evil.

This should not be taken as an indictment of all libertarians.  There are many fine ones out there, wonderful people who are merely advocates for liberty.  The problem lies in those who view liberty as an end as opposed to the means to an end.

For the point of liberty is to use it to live a prosperous and happy life, free of external constraints.

(Obviously, this particular piece is somewhat touchy and based entirely on my personal experience and observations. If you feel I've misunderstood or just disagree, feel free to leave a comment).

Preparing for Hatred

So, I've been spending the past couple of hours (I wrote this Thursday night, obviously) perusing my Twitter timeline and watching people batter Michelle Malkin repeatedly with misogynistic and racist slurs.  That woman is a true warrior.  She has learned not to care about the hate or the rape threats or the death threats.  At least, she does not let it show.  If only all conservatives could be like that.

But we can't.  Not all of us are in the trenches day in and day out, being told repeatedly that we are horrible fascists who want children to die and should go die ourselves.  Steven Crowder (remember, the guy who assaulted a man's fist with his face?) tweeted this out not long ago.

If most of us receive threats like this, we would be afraid.  We would not know how to react.  We would never have seen it or experienced it before.  We should not have to at all.  However, it happens and with increasing frequency.

You see, there is a bitter truth I think far too many people are afraid to admit to, whether it is for fear of offending people or being attacked: liberals are hateful.  No, I do not care that I am making a blanket statement and no, I will never care again.  It is irrelevant in the face of overwhelming evidence.  Time and again I have seen liberals spew vitriol at the smallest and biggest things.  Conservative women are whores who are going to be raped.  Black conservatives are Uncle Toms and niggers.  Supporters of Israel are Jew sluts.  We all deserve to die horrible deaths or should commit suicide.  Words like this, toothless though they likely are, can come from nowhere but a heart filled vitriol and bile.

Now, there are liberals out there who are not like this.  I follow a few on Twitter and know a few personally (I just had a pleasant conversation with one), but they are the exception, not the rule.  The hatred overwhelms those of good character and conscience who would never utter those slurs.

In the past year and after the election, in particular, we have seen a dramatic rise in hatred coming from the left.  It seemed that weekly some prominent conservative was libeled and viciously attacked for stating his or her opinion.  It has happened again tonight and will continue to happen as well.  In their arrogance, liberals assume their victories and "moral uprightness" means they will no longer be called out and challenged on their despicable views and behavior.  They take the filters off and what is truly in their hearts comes out.

Those filters coming off should tell conservatives everywhere that the game has changed.  These are no longer random events.  This kind of behavior is now the status quo.

We must be prepared.

We conservatives must be ready, willing and able to combat the hatred.  We must be warriors for our cause and be vigilant at the walls. We already recognize this combat will not be fun, but we must also recognize that it will come upon us eventually.  It most obviously affects those with a public spotlight already, such as the Malkins and the Crowders.

However, if we wish to defend our beliefs (and each other), then we must likewise be prepared to defend ourselves against these attacks.  It doesn't matter if you are a blogger, a student, a parent, a supervisor, a cashier; we must all be prepared for the anger and the vile behavior...and worse.  We will be tested and we cannot assume just because we do not garner much attention that it will not reach our doorstep one day.

The war of ideas will wear on us all.  We must be prepared to weather whatever is thrown our way.