October 31, 2004

tweedy snobs

John Derbyshire:

THE ECONOMIST endorsing Kerry? Feu! Listen:

"Still, on social policy, Mr. Kerry has a clear advantage: unlike Mr Bush he is not in hock to the Christian right. That will make him a more tolerant, less divisive figure on issues such as abortion, gay marriage and stem-cell research."

So being in hock to the modern left makes you non-divisive? Looking the other way while arrogant leftist state judiciaries re-define marriage is not divisive?

The "Christian right" isn't some gang of desperadoes holed up in a cave in Idaho; we are a vast swathe of the U.S. public. How "tolerant" will John Kerry be towards *us*?

There is no cause to be surprised, though. THE ECONOMIST has more positions an American conservative will disagree with than otherwise: on immigration, capital punishment, same-sex marriage... practically any social issue, in fact. This is a bunch of tweedy snobs, remember, whose understanding of U.S. society has some quite large gaps

The spin we've been subjected to on who is "divisive" makes my head spin. One lefty judge declares gay marriage OK, despite all our history and the wishes of the majority, and instantly anyone who disagrees is "attacking our ancient constitutional rights."

And Kerry is not divisive? Electing a Commander in Chief in wartime who is loathed by most of our military (for good reason) is "not divisive?" Being "pro-life" is "divisive," but being "pro-choice" is somehow not? How goofy.

And how important is it to be "non-divisive" anyway, if that means accepting things that are stupid or wrong? I think non-divisive is used here like "non-partisan" is usually used: conservatives should compromise their principles and agree with Dems so they can be praised as "non-partisan."

Hey, I got a real crazy contrarian idea. Why don't you Democrats, for a change, support your country and your President in this time of difficulty and war? And we will praise YOU as "non-divisive," and "non-partisan." For a bonus, we'll even call you "unifiers." Won't that surprise everybody!

Posted by John Weidner at October 31, 2004 8:59 PM
Weblog by John Weidner