Wood Shed Time
I can name all kinds of reasons I dislike Democrats, ideologically and culturally.
I can't stand it when people assume that disagreement must necessarily come from stupidity or a lack of education.
I don't like wimps.
I have no tolerance for tolerance that is given only to designated minorities but denied to others.
I don't like people who wear hair shirts.
I think language helps to bind the country, and our language is English. I believe in assimilation, a melting pot, not a tapestry. I believe we have a right to control our borders.
I do have a problem with late term abortion.
I don't have much faith in government, don't think it is the only answer. My sphincter tightens when I hear the words "government program."
I believe we have a right to preemptive defense in certain circumstances. I believe in targeted assassination of terrorists and to hell with borders. I believe in a strong defense. I believe in American exceptionalism.
I cannot stand smug eco-scolds. Can't stand aggressive vegetarians. I despise PETA, NARAL and MoveOn.
I am self-employed, hardworking and ambitious. I like money. I'd like to keep more of it.
In so many ways, I should be a Republican.
I wrote a post a while back describing the three segments of the Republican Party. Money, Bombs and Jesus. I can understand the Money Republicans. I think they need someone keeping an eye on them, like they were a bunch of trouble-prone, pre-moral eight year-olds, but I get them.
I get along fine with the Bombs Republicans. I like flying missiles into Al Qaeda caves at least as much as the average Republican. Make sure that our fighters can always shoot down their fighters? Hell yeah.
There is a complete disconnect between me and the Jesus Republicans probably because I don't believe in Jesus. And because they spend most of their political energy trying to outlaw abortion and humiliate gays. I feel a bit bad calling them Jesus Republicans because I don't think they have much at all in common with the reputed historical Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible who bathed the feet of whores and said, "Judge not . . ." But I guess Jesus, if he's real, can take care of himself.
I have voted GOP in the past and can imagine doing it again. But not until they have been sent into the wilderness to suffer and contemplate and be cleansed of their sins.
I don't mean because of the war. Or the economy. I mean because of Atwater and Rove and Newt Gingrich. I mean the politics of personal destruction. The incivility, ruthlessness, relentlessness and utter lack of moral standards that have come to define the GOP.
The GOP, post-Reagan in particular, has become the party of slash and burn, slander and lie. They stopped playing politics some years back and now play a mean, spiteful, cynical, and ultimately un-american game.
The catalyzing event for me? The attempt to remove Bill Clinton from office. That was when I started making contributions to Democratic candidates. I remember it very clearly. They wanted to use the politics of personal destruction to undo the clear will of the people? Fine: that's when I start writing checks.
I can easily see a day when I'll vote Republican again. But not soon. And not without some time in the woodshed. The GOP needs to go away, think about what it has done, and come back when it is prepared to behave itself. Then I'd like to her what they have to say.
This entry was posted by Michael Reynolds, on
Tuesday, September 30, 2008.
You can leave your response.
10:21 PM
If it's who I think you're talking about, the whore washed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair and then spent a substantial amount of money [Judas noted it] on the nard that anointed his feet.
Beyond that, I think you make some legit points.
10:23 PM
BUT...Jesus did wash the feet of his Apostles on the night of the Last Supper. He told them that he was giving them an example so they also must do: those in leadership must serve.
6:59 AM
I should probably have included a disclaimer: Any seminarian turning to this blog for authoritative statements about the Bible is going to need more than prayer to get through his final exam.