The Terror War Comes Home

For the first time in my life, I find that I am seriously considering
voting Republican in a presidential election. What has pushed me to it
is this report of shots being fired into a Bush-Cheney campaign HQ in Knoxville. TN.

It’s not the first shot fired at the Republicans. And it comes on top of a frenzy of anti-Republican hate speech that has been building even as Democrats have watched their electoral prospects sinking into a Vietnam-flavored quagmire brought on himself by the most incompetent and feckless candidate either party has fielded in thirty years.

We’ve seen three-year-old girls reduced to tears by Democratic thugs. We’ve seen swastikas burned into the front yards of those who dared to announce themselves Republicans. And all this from a Democratic left that poses as the champion of dissent.

This caps it. If Kerry is elected, the terrorists will have won.

UPDATE: As I was writing, Democratic protesters stormed and
ransacked
Bush/Cheney headquarters in Orlando. Some now face
assault charges.

UPDATE II: More
thuggishness
in West Allis, Wisconsin.

And these are the people who liken Bush to Hitler…

66 comments

  1. This is indicative of an overall decline into fear-mongering and ignorant, uninformed hatred on the part of the Democrat party. Just check out the MASSIVE difference between http://www.johnkerry.com and http://www.georgewbush.com for all the evidence you need. Kerry’s site represents nothing so much as flurries of hand-waving, innuendo, and an abyssmal ignorance of the facts, while Bush’s site demonstrates hopefulness, optimism, and proven results. I don’t like a lot of Bush’s policies, but being a security guy I am casting my vote to the only candidate whose team has demonstrated a dedication to the security of this nation.

  2. Umm. So the swastika-burning was done by Democrats, because Minnesota Republican Party officials *say so*? What kind of evidence is that? As for the second shooting incident you mention (first in time), it sounds like it was a plain old distractor for a plain old bank robbery.

    I guess I’m supposed to say something here like “If Bush is elected, the abortion-clinic terrorists will have won”, but in fact the Republicans are only interested in the religious right at election time (and a good thing too).

    Bah.

  3. It seems rather absurd to vote for the consistent Party Of Censorship just because the other guys have moved a little in their direction. That’s basically what you are saying.

    Yeah, hate-speech sucks. Which is why the Dems, who have less of it, suck less.

    Besides, as a Libertarian you should understand the tremendous benefits of having a President and a Congress from different parties, so the government does more infighting and less co-operative exploiting of its citizens.

  4. You mean people are only firing shots at a campaign HQ and not at Bush himself?

    I’m surprised that’s all that’s happening. Bush is a hated man. He’s an idiot, and he doesn’t deserve to be President again. He didn’t deserve it in the first place.

    While I agree that firing upon a campaign HQ is rather extremist, I can’t see how going down the path of ignorance just to show you disagree with the actions taken is going to make anything better. I’d say it’s a foolish decision.

    Even if I did agree with Republican viewpoints, there’s no way I would embarrass myself like that by voting for Bush.

  5. Maybe it’s just my sick sense of humor kicking in again to cushion me against the shock of this awfulness and stupidity but I could think of only one thing when I read this:

    “Demobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Neocons…”

  6. Apparently you can get close to Bush quite easily if you say you support him. This tells us that either no terrorists want him dead, or (more likely) the few who do are incompetent.

  7. Well if it makes things more even the Democrat’s office here in Oak Ridge basicly a suburb of knoxville was trashed just before the Repubs office in K-ville was shot up.

    Shucks this is East Tennessee if whoever it was had been serious – well it probably would not have happened at night.

  8. All you need to do is see the foamy mouth total lack of self control when if by the odd chance a conservative freedom advocate is allowed on campus past the objections of the blood stained leftist worshipers of the egalitarian religion that has butchered over 100 Million people in their drive for their egalitarian utopia.

    The behavior is often thuggish at best.

    Mousulini was a hard core socialist, a hard core leftist who was raised by hard core leftist parents and rose up thru the ranks of the italian socialist party
    He was the self labeled Fascist, and it was just another flavor of leftism.

    Hitlers National socialism was simply a less drastic alternative to the communists and can be rightly seen as the first incarnation of “The Third Way”

    The NAZI’s have recived their just measure of comtempt, but the further left, the communists get a pass even as their body count is many times worse.

    The left in the USA must be utterly historically ignorant to paint the National Socialist logo in the yards
    of freedom advocates.

    The “Third Way” left in the USA are almost identical to Mousulini and Hitler with their softer brand of socialism
    and even seem to be regaining their outward visable hatred of Jews

    it is harder to ignore the actions of left-wing, pro-Palestinian
    militants on college campuses. At San Francisco State University
    a crowd of demonstrators assaulted a Jewish prayer minyan
    (gathered, in fact, to pray for peace in the Middle East),
    shouting “Hitler didn’t finish the job.” Their officially recognized
    campus organization circulated a poster showing a dead baby
    with the words “Palestinian baby meat–slaughtered according
    to Jewish rites.”

    Where did this come from ? http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/blood_libel.htm
    offers some clues.

    “We are socialists because we see in socialism
    the only chance to maintain our racial inheritance
    and to regain our political freedom and renew our
    German state.”

    “We are a workers’ party because we are on the side
    of labor and against finance.”

    “As socialists we are opponents of the Jews because
    we see in the Hebrews the incarnation of capitalism,
    of the misuse of the nation’s goods.”
    Joseph Goebbels, 1932

    The jews demonized, among other things, as “Evil Capitalists”

    Its the leftist thugs that are the NAZI’s today, they really are no different that the brown shirts of the 30s…

    Well thats the nationalistic socialists, there is also the Communist Party front answer thugs who marched in new york, they are International Socialists.

    Course to a freedom advocate, thats a distinction, without a difference.

    Raymond

  9. You’re going to vote for Bush because there are democratic idiots? Do you really think there aren’t republican idiots? Eric, there are idiots everywhere! Half (or more) of the population of this country can be easily classified as idiots!

    Eric, I KNOW you’re capable of rational thought, and I’m going to ask you: It is rational to vote for one candidate because some of the other guy’s supporters are stupid? No, it’s not. It doesn’t pass the laugh test.

    Vote for Bush, if you think he’s the better guy to do the job. Otherwise, you just let an imbecile tell you how to vote.

  10. I did vote for Bush in 2000, not because I’m a Republican (I’m not) but because I supported him on two or three key issues, mostly school choice and Social Security reform and also his non-interventionist stance on foreign policy.

    When 9/11 hit his view on foreign policy flipped 180 degrees, and so did mine. My hesitation about supporting him this year is nil. The stakes are too high for the future of the human race.

    Does that mean I’ll vote for the Republican in 2008? Hell no. I’ll do what I spent all the last two years doing–begging Democrats to please nominate someone sane who could appeal to the center. They couldn’t or didn’t. Instead they chose hatred and rage and irrational fearmongering of their own government in a time of war.

    My big hope is that Democrats get an ass-whupping so bad their noses bleed buttermilk this year, just so they grow the fuck up and offer us a decent, sane candidate and party in 2008.

  11. i am going to vote for bush, because i want to see a return to back-alley abortions. i enjoy the law invading my body. cavity searches for all! i want my doctors to not be able to perform medical procedures, not be able to prescribe medications, because they are politically incorrect. we definitely don’t want the common folk thinking for themselves.

  12. Speaking only for myself, it isn’t the actions of a few thugs on the side of the Democrats that clinch my vote.

    Rather, it’s the fact that KERRY HAS NOT DENOUNCED THEM. Just as he did not distance himself from any of the more obvious inanities of Michael Moore; just as he feels comfortable watching comedians slamming Bush as crudely as possible, and then claiming that they represent the heart and soul of America.

    You’re judged by the company you keep. And if Kerry does not make it clear that such thugs are not acting in his name, they will be perceived as though they are, fairly or not.

    respectfully,
    Daniel in Brookline

  13. You’re a fucking moron ESR, if what they do is not really in line with your views. Just because some morons ransack a place doesn’t mean the other side is right. Really, you should vote for me.

  14. Thank you ESR! I didn’t realize you had *that* *much* against the Republicans (http://news.bostonherald.com/election/view.bg?articleid=42681 no, it’s not at all related to ESR, but it is related to having a lot against the Republicans), but because you do, I know this isn’t a knee-jerk reaction.

    It appears to me that people aren’t pro-Kerry so much as they are anti-Bush, and their “anti” tendencies have led them to ignore decent civility. How many Republican protestors were pulled out of the Democratic convention during Kerry’s acceptance speech? For that matter, can anyone find paralels to http://www.professorbainbridge.com/2004/08/indy_intimidati.html and http://www.professorbainbridge.com/2004/08/how_many_is_a_f.html)?

    It’s very telling to see how the people posting here can ignore the fact that these violent attacks are meant to intimidate and silence opposition.

    Kerry needs to denounce them before the blogs spread the news as fast as they handled Dan Rather’s report based on obviously false documents, and how they are currently handling Rather’s more recent report on “reinstituting the draft” (see http://camprrm.typepad.com/coyote_blog/2004/10/email_about_rei.html for instance).

  15. Third time;s the charm. Ran across an even earlier story I thought was interesting: http://www.professorbainbridge.com/2004/03/the_left_and_th.html

    Oh, and I loved anonymous’s “the Republicans want back-alley abortions” post, since by using such an absurd view, he doesn’t have to confront want the Republicans truly want, or how the Democrats have used promises backed by inaction to win elections for decades (such as Medicair and Social Security promises).

  16. Many people hate Bush because he lies. As an example, in the debate Bush said the UN gave Saddam one last chance to let inspectors in but Saddam didn’t let them in. HUH? Anyone remember Hans Blix?

    Many people hate Kerry because he won’t just come out and say what he believes, which is effectively equivalent to lying (but more cowardly). Another example from the debate, Kerry thinks we should not have invaded Iraq, but also Saddam was a threat that absolutely needed to be removed. HUH? WTF?

    So we can vote for the rich white lying asshole, or we can vote for the other rich white lying asshole. Great.

    We really should start considering Badnarik or Nader. Of course they won’t win (unless they can get into the debates – It worked for Jesse Ventura), but at least it will be a protest against the Republicans constantly lying to us (e.g., aluminum tubes) and the Democrats being unable to find a single decent candidate among their ranks.

    I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!! Go Badnarik!!

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  18. I am fucking surprised it took ESR that long.
    I don’t know him personally but , judging by the stuff he wrote, there is absolutely nothing lef that the modern Democratic party has to offer to people like him.

  19. So the swastika-burning was done by Democrats, because Minnesota Republican Party officials *say so*?

    Who would possibly be targeting the repubs? This is quite obviously the work of the nefarious whigs!

    one last chance to let inspectors in …

    Unfettered access. If they say “you must let us search with no conditions” and you say “here, you can look around all you like, as long as you are accompanied by my trusted guards (for your own protection, of course) and as long as you search only the inside of this empty kleenex box” … then you haven’t really agreed, no?

    Neither of them are a big prize. But I’d have to vote for the guy that is trying to defend the country, versus the guy trying to realize his self-appointed political destiny.

  20. ESR has been a Republican whether or not he knows it, since 9-11. After 9/11 he wrote something about one coalition, despite all of its flaws, being able to respond to the Islamic threat, and one being a joke. Until radical Islam is crushed, libertarian hawks will be part of the Republican coalition.

  21. Well, several comments here.

    First, I once considered myself a Democrat, then I started meeting actual Democrats. They are the most hate filled, self centered people I meet. They live in constant fear that someone somewhere has something they don’t, and that can’t be tolerated. This leads to socialistic practices, and an entitlement culture.

    For a long time I refused to vote for either major party for president, and nearly always chose democrat for local elections, now because of the words and actions of the Democrats I meet and I hear speak publicly, I will turn in a straight republican ticket, but can’t say so publicaly, because I work and attend a university and there have been attacks on conservatives here.

    A couple of decades ago, I do believe the Democrats had something, but now they have only hate. They can’t agree on what to do, all they DO actually agree on is that Bush isn’t it.

    Even I can agree that Bush sucks. Bush is like a bad case of jock itch. Kerry would be shoving a hand grenade down your shorts to cure it. Sure you won’t have jock itch, but your quality of life will suck in other ways.

    John Kerry is (whether he admits it even to himself or not) is a socailist. His entire family has been staunch socialists in Frnace for generations. The problem with socialists is that they confuse society with state, thus when a conservative objects to something being done by the state, the socialist assumes that he is saying it shouldn’t be done at all. Kerry seems to want a nanny state.

    Third, I too am sickened by the gross oppressive actions of the democrats lately. They recognize that they are loosing control, and are very angry. They haven’t even thought out their beleifs, they are just angry at the loss of power. I must be careful about how I speak at work and in class because I fear being attacked by a liberal.

    The College Republicans put up fliers for a discussion around campus. When most people put up fliers, they put up about 40-50. The College Republicians had to put up over 400, to have 3 left hanging at the end of the day. People found putting up the fliers were assaulted.

    Finally, I wish I could give adequate punishment to anyone who compares Bush with Hitler. Being transported back in time to Nazi Germany, as an ethnic Jew converted to Jehova’s Witiness, and suspected by the state of being a Homosexual. Preferably they should be someone that Dr. Mengela would take an interest in too. Once that’s done, they need to be asked if they still think Bush is as bad as Hitler. Too bad it isn’t possible.

  22. Sorry, Mark, ESR has made it clear that he doesn’t like the Republicans any more than the Democrats ( http://esr.ibiblio.org/index.php?m=200409#153 ).

    And, sorry Klaus, the Europeans haven’t thought like Americans for some time now. European politics involve several countries in close proximity to each other, so the interests of neighboring countries enter domestic policies much more often than they do in the US (with its two neighbors). Couple that with the many more political parties operating in any particular country than the two main parties in the US; the complete lack of European support for guns; the overwhelming support for managed economies (including the large welfare systems, number of government industries, and detailed labor laws); and the very different histories and cultures, and you may get an idea of where the differences start.

    Bush’s election in 2000 didn’t create the rift in cultures and thinking.

  23. “This is not a weird attempt to make you vote Kerry, honest please vote for Bush and Europe is free to develop a new and better policy, with Kerry as president this would be undermined.”

    Hehehe.
    Just like they did in Bosnia …

  24. For the record, I have never been to Europe, so my views are based on second-hand information from this side of the Atlantic.

    /* The problem with European politics is that they doesen’t speak with one voice
    */

    Truth be told, Americans don’t speak with one voice either. However, it is true that European politics include several small parties that form coalitions on the few points they do agree on. That isn’t seen in the US two-party system.

    /* BTW Germany is the biggest contributor of troops for the peace-keeping missions in Afghanistan and the Balkans (AFAIK)
    */

    I did not know that. From this side of the Atlantic, Europe some times seems very interested in volunteering US forces for missions in Africa.

    /* Europeans should be patient and let the USA do their ‘war on terror’
    */

    It is true that Europe has dealt with terrorism for much longer than the US. Perhaps that explains the difference of looking at the problem ( http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2004-07-25-1.html ).

    /* And, Max, what did you mean with ‘the complete lack of European support for guns’?
    */

    Perhaps a better example would have been the lack of support for capital punishment.

    However, I was simply referring to the shortage of gun nuts like ESR. Clearly, not all Americans agree with ESR on gun rights (or even if there is a right to gun ownership), but European countries seems to have less support for gun ownership than the US.

    /* In Germany the “the large welfare systems” is cut back, like in other european countries before.
    */

    I wrote that thinking more about France than the EU or Germany, or any other non-socialist nation in particular.

    However, the “large welfare systems” charge can be defended based on the definition of “welfare systems.” I understand that many European countries provide free university schooling for qualified students (and no schooling after age 16 for unqualified students). That, in US politics, would fall under a welfare system.

    /* Government industries ?
    */

    Even the US has government-run industries. This was a reference to things such as France’s train system (and, yes, I know New York has an extensive subway system, but does the NY subway’s employee manual affect as large a percentage of New Yorkers as France’s train system’s?)

    I recognize that Airbus is under WTO regulation, so it isnt a “government-run industry.”

    /* And ‘detailed labor laws’ may be very different in comparison to the USA, but that doesn’t make much difference for the economy according to some scientist.
    */

    I’m referring to France’s 35-hour workweek and similar laws.

    /* We go much the American way – I don’t know if this is recognized in the US.
    */

    I recognize that Europeans have several policies that I like, even if they are different from the US. For instance, most European countries donate a larger percentage of their budget to developing countries.

    I also recognize that each European country has differing views on issues such as proper treatment of criminals.

  25. OK, now that I’ve thought things over …

    My earlier posts weren’t meant to imply that US policy is superior to European policy. My earlier posts *were* meant to imply that European thinks very differently from Americans.

    I could have done that better if I had chosen Great Britain. Great Britain gets accused of being too American by the Europeans, and too European from the Americans. That’s been going on since before Bush was elected President.

  26. I’ve admired ESR’s writing on hacker culture and libertarian positions for several years, while observing a few points of respectful disagreement. But today I felt stunned to read such statements as ‘If Kerry is elected, the terrorists will have won’ coming from him.

    I remember that Orwell once explained that “the lunatic atmosphere of war” had inspired him to assert that “pacifism is objectively pro-Fascist”. Perhaps a similar condition has impaired ESR’s writing, but I just don’t know. Time may tell. But as of today, I sadly admit, I must read ESR with much greater reservations.

  27. We as a society and individuals need to value much more than we do the capability and willingness to fight. Not so much from a standpoint of wanting to fight or to conquer but from a standpoint of having the capability and determination to protect yourself and the ones you love, should it come down to that.

    On September 11, it came down to that.

    As long as the Middle East remains literally in the dark ages with hatred and fundamentalism festering in its core, it remains a threat. The war in Iraq isn’t about oil nor is it necessarily about weapons of mass destruction. It is one step in a long-term strategy to defang that threat.

    That’s reality. Pacifism is a nice ideal to strive for, but as long as there are splodeydopes and mad mullahs about, and governments like Hussein’s Iraq to support them, there is no peace.

  28. I could be a republican too, if there were any republicans left in the Republican Party any more. It’s been overrun by evangelicals and neocons, who have chosen a soul-less idiot as their presidential candidate. The Libertarian Party is as close as you can get to real republicanism today.

    Certainly don’t vote for Kerry. His communist philosophy has killed hundreds of millions, and will kill hundreds of millions more if allowed to continue to exist.

    And if you enjoy the U.S.A. T.R.A.I.T.O.R. Act, the Taking Away Scissors goons at the airport, the Gestapo, er… Department of Homeland Sekurity, and H.R. 10, Son of the Traitor Act, and if you look forward to a string of future siblings, including roadside “papieren bitte” stops, by all means, vote for Bush.

    If you’re worried about “throwing your vote” away by choosing someone, e.g. Michael Badnarik, who might actually have a chance of cleaning up some of the organized criminal gang that Washington has become, I recommend that you vote from the rooftops this November. That would be much more productive than electing Kush or Berry.

  29. Sorry Bill, but your mischaracterizations of Bush don’t do anything other than make you look uninformed.

    There are fundamental differences between the security atmosphere in place today, and the security atmosphere that must always be in place in authoritarian regimes. For one, people aren’t denied the ability to travel based on their political views or activities.

    And, while I don’t know ESR’s feelings, after reading Badnarik’s Slashdot interview ( http://politics.slashdot.org/politics/04/09/20/1423219.shtml?tid=11&tid=219 ), I can’t imagine a less-informed politician.

    For instance “My plan for Iraq is a 90-day phased withdrawal concentrating on the physical security of the troops.”

    And how would he keep Iraq from decending into complete chaos after those 90 days are up? Put Saddam back in power?

    “For drawing down the US military presence in Germany, Korea, Japan and elsewhere, I’ve proposed a two-year timeline. …” Why does peaceful Europe get 2 years, and Iraq (where troops are needed) get only 90 days?

    Although he didn’t bring it up in this interview, I am aware that the Libertarian party wants to repeal limited liability laws for corporations and similar businesses. That is also pretty ridiculous, given the history of corporations and the historic alternatives ( http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=585687 ).

  30. “For one, people aren’t denied the ability to travel based on their political views or activities.”…tell that to the various peace protestors on the no-fly list. Google it if you don’t believe me.

  31. The absurdity of voting for either of the candidates from the State Party, regardless of the “D” or “R” sub-category, is that either way you lose. The only positive step is to vote for a candidate that you agree with.

    That is why I am voting Badnarik.

  32. Dennis, there are well-known problems with the no-fly list. One of the biggest is that (to avoid a racism charge) the list only includes names without identifying information such as race.

    The fact that peace protestors share their name with people on the no-fly list isn’t proof positive that they are prevented from traveling because of their political activities.

    In fact, the no-fly list (and the photo ID requirement to get on airplanes) doesn’t come close to a “no-travel list.” People denied acces to airplanes can still legally drive to where they want to go, or ride a bus, ship, or train, or walk, or get there however they can think of. We don’t have checkpoints throughout the country preventing all travel without papers.

    There is a difference.

  33. Salam, I terrorist (if you are an FBI agent snooping this is intended as humor).

    I like Bush. He’s good man. We fundamentalists agree to help each other out. We attack 9/11, he attack Iraq. Sharon help too. BJP in India big disappiont. Hindus too peaceful, not enough gun.

    We miss commies. They good for recruit. Please re-elect Bush. Maybe he invade Iran. Our recruit be bigger then, enshallah.

    Peace and freedom are bad. We need your American right to bear arm in Iraq. All country need right to bear arm. Without arm, killing difficult. Knifes too slow. Can only kill one infidel at a time.

    Please, please re-elect Bush. We promise trade oil for gun. Our children don’t need food. We don’t want fat Mcdonald kid, we want strong jihad warrior.

    Allah wah akbar. Bush wah akbar kamen.

  34. Jeff, you are totally right man. That was the worst fake terrorist imitation ever. The guy should have admitted how Kerry has all these business connections to family members of terrorists. I saw it on FOX news yesterday, so its got to be true. Can you really trust a guy with business connections to terrorists families?

    Omar, your comic is so lame. The lesbian doesn’t even have any breasts. Oh I get it, she’s Janet Reno. Ha ha, it’s funny.

    And Max’s point is bang on. Besides, peace protesters should be happy, air travel is really bad for the environment. It’s unsustainable, uses lots of fossil fuels and causes plenty of other mumbo-jumbo that environ-mentalists believe in.

  35. Max Lybert said, “People denied acces to airplanes can still legally drive to where they want to go, or ride a bus, ship, or train, or walk, or get there however they can think of. We don’t have checkpoints throughout the country preventing all travel without papers.”

    Rome wasn’t built in a day. They’re working on it. Believe me, they’re working on it. I predict that we’ll have regular highway “papieren bitte” and car search stops during the next president’s term. This will especially be true if Bush gets elected, since the conservatives won’t fight him as much as they would Kerry.

  36. Well, Bill, we both agree that “regular highway ‘papieren bitte’ and car search stops” would be a bad idea.

    However, the no-fly list isn’t a “regular highway ‘papieren bitte’ and car search stops,” so bringing that concept up is a bit of a red herring. Of course, the argument is that once you start down that slope, …

    But there is no reason to believe that accepting the no-fly list today requires American citizens to put up with “regular highway ‘papieren bitte’ and car search stops” in the future. Unlike the courts, we can use some common sense in what kind of things we are willing to put up with, and what kind of things we won’t stand for.

    And for the record, the no-fly list is pretty lousy. It is nothing but a list of names, and that allows even Senators to be flagged (but that isn’t proof that the government is trying to prevent, say, Ted Kennedy from flying [ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/08/20/MNGQ28BM1O1.DTL ]). But, how many people would be willing to fly on an “privacy guard” airline that refused to follow the no-fly list in order to get customers? It may be lousy, but it’s better than what we had.

  37. “Could the no-fly list morph….”?

    Surely you jest! Travel from Lake Placid, NY south on 73 to I-81. Shortly after you hit 81, you’ll run into a Customs stop well within the US borders, and well south of Plattsburgh. I’m sure that if you breathe funny you’ll be targetted for further scrutiny.

  38. Nelson, I used to live in California, where the Mexican border check is in Temecula (about as far north as LA, not near the border at all).

    I never considered the check an issue because (1) they were looking for something other than “papers,” (2) they often shut down when traffic was heavy, and (3) anybody with half a brain knew routes that didn’t include the checkpoint.

    I currently live in North Carolina where we have random checkpoints set up on most holidays. I think they’re looking for drunk drivers, but they only ask to see your license. I always thought this was dumb, because anybody with half a brain can see the flashing red lights about a mile up the road, and can get around them. This was recently ruled to not be an unreasonable search by the Supreme Court.

    When a vast series of expensive-to-man “regular highway ‘papieren bitte’ and car search stops” is proposed, I’ll be first in line to oppose it. However, border checks, the no-fly list, airport customs checks (which I’ve also gone through), and drunk driving aren’t the same as the checkpoints Bill is predicting Bush will impose on all of America. As I said in my previous post, a pathway may exist from these points to “regular highway ‘papieren bitte’ and car search stops,” but America has refused to walk more popular paths to destruction in the past, and I don’t believe this time would be any different.

  39. The vodkapundit article was somewhat reasonable, yours wasn’t. You’re basically trying to dig up dirt on individuals like other commenters have said above. The actions of individuals are not directly related. You’re trying to create a split between the Democrats and the Republicans that is similar to the male/female split. Both candidates are twits.

    p.s. Don’t you think the terrorists have already won.. I mean.. think about it. The U.S. is not in anyway isolationist. Just like a computer system or it has multiple vulnerabilities.

  40. Eric, I respectfully read your “Ten reasons I’m Not Conservative…Liberal” some time ago.

    Now that I see this, I am amazed. Pleasantly amazed–but still amazed.

    On the side, I have been thinking about the response that President Bush gave (in the last debate) to the question about homosexuality.

    He said that he had no idea whether homosexuality was predetermined or not, and deflected a shame-attack from Kerry by talking about the respecting individuals, regardless of their sexual preference/behavior.

    I was surprised. Democrats, who unofficially hint that they are the “party of tolerance”, had their candidate trying to shame a lesbian woman (Mary Cheney) in a conservative, religious family. Republicans, often derided as having too many “hate-mongers” of all stripes, had their candidate talk about respecting individuals, even if there is a personal disagreement about their lifestyle.

    I feel like a large portion of the political/media elite are strapped to the ceiling, pointing to the floor I’m standing on, and saying that is the “up” direction.

    Maybe you’re down here with me, for different reasons.

  41. All I have to say is that it is a good thing for fetchmail, et al, that you do not waste your critical thinking skills on politics. Too bad the time still has to be wasted though.

    Any chance we could get a personal “state of the open source movement” posting from you? A direct one with just that subject? What really interests me is not your political misgivings, but your view of where we’ve gone in the last three years with this – and what we can do better – and also a reality check on the rift between open source and free software, and some constructive ideas on how to repair that rift. I realize you’re more on the side of business with this, but could we see your input? Even if in the form of a rant against people who whine and cry because you say “we”? Are you still the president of the OSI? Or have you finally been able to hand off that yoke?

  42. Steve H-

    Mary Cheney is an out lesbian. She is a public figure (she’s in charge of the VP’s campaign). Her party is, through the so-called “Defense of marriage act” and other actions, attmepting to woo the bigot vote. Please explain why it’s wrong to point out that there is a contradiction here? Pleas explain why the Kery campaign should NOT let bigoted voters know that the Republican Party’s apparent support for bigoted policies is at its core an empty political gesture, aimed at them?

    Bigotry is unethical. Aggressive politics is not. If aggressive politics was wrong (and if Bush were an ethical person), Karl Rove would have been unemployed a long time ago.

  43. CD318, I think you’ve neatly wrapped up physical attacks in a neat label (“aggressive politics”). I don’t see how that makes it right.

    Oh, and while I know Raymond doesn’t support the Defense of Marriage Act, I think you ought to look into its history a little. Specifically the fact that Bill Clinton signed it.

    Wait, that’s not news. The news is that Bush brought up a political hot potato that Kerry disagrees with most Americans on. That, however, is “aggressive politics.” That is something I put up with, physical abuse isn’t.

  44. Go on Eric, vote for Bush, you know it’s what you’ve always wanted. It’ll be like at the end of 1984, when Winston Smith realises he always loved Big Brother.

    Just promise me you’ll announce it on your blog when you do.

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