Durbin and Democrats Not the Real Threat
By the time Senator Dick Durbin issued his flimsy and meaningless apology for equating American soldiers with Stalin, Pol Pot, and Hitler, it was too late. Damage to American resolve during this time of war had already be done. And certainly not unintentionally, nor for the first time, either.
It is useless trying to fathom the astounding character flaws that could compel a United States Senator, on the floor of the Senate, to spew such irrational slander, or make Democrat leadership comfortable in supporting his disgraceful tirade. True, it is hard to imagine a group more ignorant, irresponsible, and imprudent than Durbin and his party, but in reality he simply vocalizes what nearly every Democrat believes. Like the morally bankrupt Old Europe, and the fanatical Islamists we fight against, Durbin is only doing what comes natural to Democrats: tear down America at any cost, using a template that frames America as evil, destructive, and the crux of every problem in the rest of the world. And don't squander precious energy of emotion blaming Durbin and his party, either. We know who they are, what they think, and no amount of hand-wringing will ever change them, nor any exercise of rational common sense ever explain them. To clear thinking Americans, they are simply a breed apart.
However, if Democrats have enjoyed any success by always blaming America first, the responsibility lies ultimately with the president and the Republicans. Although it may be hard to believe, recent polls indicate this Democratic strategy has made startling progress in turning public support away from our struggle against Islamofascism, with nearly 60% of Americans now questioning the war in Iraq. How this has happened is no real mystery. During a time of supposed Republican ascendancy, the party has failed miserably in the battle for hearts and minds. Invariably, over the course of this war, and almost immediately after September 11th, the Democrats have been allowed to determine the course and content of every argument. They have met with little resistance, and become emboldened. Progressively eating away at the moral foundations of the conflict, they have been willing to say and do anything for political advantage, while the Republicans have consistently failed to counter with what should have been a very effective argument. In the past, when the party was in the minority, and when mainstream media was the only media voice, Republicans were able to excuse such incompetence and ineffectiveness. But now, in control of the White House and the Congress, and with an emerging and powerful internet influence, and a conservative message that beams out from phenomenally successful talk-radio, there really are not any excuses left. The only conclusion that can be drawn is terrifying in its implications both for the future of Republican leadership, and our nation's freedom: Democrats in Washington may be duplicitous obstructionists, but Republicans in Washington are cowards.
While the Democratic party has become a conclave of conspiracy theorists that make the John Birch Society look rational and mainstream, Republicans have allowed slander after slander to go unchallenged. Democrats have questioned the very integrity of our election process, charged the President with outrageous and seditious accusations, ignored the Islamic threat we now face, and have irrationally asserted a false explanation of why we have gone to war. They have stonewalled and delayed and road-blocked nearly every Republican initiative, and have pummeled Republicans with the most vile, despicable, and unprecedented invective imaginable. Durbin's Senate-floor speech is simply the latest in an unending stream of America-bashing from these people, and once again Republicans responded with typically tepid resolve, using words such as "unfortunate" and "ill-advised".
If there were any true men in Republican leadership, men who were more concerned about our nations survival than being invited to Georgetown parties, and who could recognize the seditious and destructive nature of the Democrats, episodes like Durbin's fecal-mouthed tantrum would be met with a wall of righteous indignation, from both Houses. Instead of a few Senators taking to the floor to soft-peddle Durbin's words with terms such as "unfortunate"or "ill-advised", all 55 should have lined up to demand his censure and resignation. They should have demanded time on every news program, taking the opportunity to declare Durbin and his willing Democratic allies as collaborators to the enemy. The leadership should have called a press conference, with all Republican representatives and Senators in the background, to harshly embarrass Durbin. Resolutions in both Houses should have been brought to the floor immediately, condemning anyone who would equate our treatment of savage Islamist murderers with anything that occurred in those other regimes, even on their best day, and our worst. All Republican members of the House should have marched to the Senate chambers, demanding to confront Durbin, daring him to repeat his filthy lies. And in a perfect world, where actions met with consequences, somebody would have waited for Durbin to exit the podium, and then bashed his teeth in.
Of course, Republicans have given as many opportunities as the Democrats have taken. As an example, relevant to Durbin's comments, the administration should have never agreed that non-uniformed terrorists captured bearing arms against the United States on the battlefield would be accorded Geneva Convention protections, not even required by the Convention itself. In past wars, when these individuals were discovered and taken into custody, they were not removed to a comfortable tropical detention facility where culturally appropriate food would be served by religiously sensitive military policemen. They were simply interrogated and shot. By lacking the will to win this war, Republicans have, time after time, given the Democrats ammunition to further erode our chances of victory. America cannot afford such leadership, and still survive.
The threat of losing our sacred way of life, and our ability to live under God-given freedoms, and to pursue our own best destiny is not so much dependent upon the radical leftists who reflexively hate America and blame her for the world's woes. Republican failure to marginalize these crazy-thinkers poses the substantially greater threat.
If the past is any indication of the future, Republicans simply do not have the stomach to do so.
It is useless trying to fathom the astounding character flaws that could compel a United States Senator, on the floor of the Senate, to spew such irrational slander, or make Democrat leadership comfortable in supporting his disgraceful tirade. True, it is hard to imagine a group more ignorant, irresponsible, and imprudent than Durbin and his party, but in reality he simply vocalizes what nearly every Democrat believes. Like the morally bankrupt Old Europe, and the fanatical Islamists we fight against, Durbin is only doing what comes natural to Democrats: tear down America at any cost, using a template that frames America as evil, destructive, and the crux of every problem in the rest of the world. And don't squander precious energy of emotion blaming Durbin and his party, either. We know who they are, what they think, and no amount of hand-wringing will ever change them, nor any exercise of rational common sense ever explain them. To clear thinking Americans, they are simply a breed apart.
However, if Democrats have enjoyed any success by always blaming America first, the responsibility lies ultimately with the president and the Republicans. Although it may be hard to believe, recent polls indicate this Democratic strategy has made startling progress in turning public support away from our struggle against Islamofascism, with nearly 60% of Americans now questioning the war in Iraq. How this has happened is no real mystery. During a time of supposed Republican ascendancy, the party has failed miserably in the battle for hearts and minds. Invariably, over the course of this war, and almost immediately after September 11th, the Democrats have been allowed to determine the course and content of every argument. They have met with little resistance, and become emboldened. Progressively eating away at the moral foundations of the conflict, they have been willing to say and do anything for political advantage, while the Republicans have consistently failed to counter with what should have been a very effective argument. In the past, when the party was in the minority, and when mainstream media was the only media voice, Republicans were able to excuse such incompetence and ineffectiveness. But now, in control of the White House and the Congress, and with an emerging and powerful internet influence, and a conservative message that beams out from phenomenally successful talk-radio, there really are not any excuses left. The only conclusion that can be drawn is terrifying in its implications both for the future of Republican leadership, and our nation's freedom: Democrats in Washington may be duplicitous obstructionists, but Republicans in Washington are cowards.
While the Democratic party has become a conclave of conspiracy theorists that make the John Birch Society look rational and mainstream, Republicans have allowed slander after slander to go unchallenged. Democrats have questioned the very integrity of our election process, charged the President with outrageous and seditious accusations, ignored the Islamic threat we now face, and have irrationally asserted a false explanation of why we have gone to war. They have stonewalled and delayed and road-blocked nearly every Republican initiative, and have pummeled Republicans with the most vile, despicable, and unprecedented invective imaginable. Durbin's Senate-floor speech is simply the latest in an unending stream of America-bashing from these people, and once again Republicans responded with typically tepid resolve, using words such as "unfortunate" and "ill-advised".
If there were any true men in Republican leadership, men who were more concerned about our nations survival than being invited to Georgetown parties, and who could recognize the seditious and destructive nature of the Democrats, episodes like Durbin's fecal-mouthed tantrum would be met with a wall of righteous indignation, from both Houses. Instead of a few Senators taking to the floor to soft-peddle Durbin's words with terms such as "unfortunate"or "ill-advised", all 55 should have lined up to demand his censure and resignation. They should have demanded time on every news program, taking the opportunity to declare Durbin and his willing Democratic allies as collaborators to the enemy. The leadership should have called a press conference, with all Republican representatives and Senators in the background, to harshly embarrass Durbin. Resolutions in both Houses should have been brought to the floor immediately, condemning anyone who would equate our treatment of savage Islamist murderers with anything that occurred in those other regimes, even on their best day, and our worst. All Republican members of the House should have marched to the Senate chambers, demanding to confront Durbin, daring him to repeat his filthy lies. And in a perfect world, where actions met with consequences, somebody would have waited for Durbin to exit the podium, and then bashed his teeth in.
Of course, Republicans have given as many opportunities as the Democrats have taken. As an example, relevant to Durbin's comments, the administration should have never agreed that non-uniformed terrorists captured bearing arms against the United States on the battlefield would be accorded Geneva Convention protections, not even required by the Convention itself. In past wars, when these individuals were discovered and taken into custody, they were not removed to a comfortable tropical detention facility where culturally appropriate food would be served by religiously sensitive military policemen. They were simply interrogated and shot. By lacking the will to win this war, Republicans have, time after time, given the Democrats ammunition to further erode our chances of victory. America cannot afford such leadership, and still survive.
The threat of losing our sacred way of life, and our ability to live under God-given freedoms, and to pursue our own best destiny is not so much dependent upon the radical leftists who reflexively hate America and blame her for the world's woes. Republican failure to marginalize these crazy-thinkers poses the substantially greater threat.
If the past is any indication of the future, Republicans simply do not have the stomach to do so.
posted by Mark Outland at 1:59 PM
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