Every Single One Of Us Is The Devil Inside
Dennis Prager explains what he’s learned in his attempts to understand leftist positions:
Many people who hold them are personally decent, some very much so — yet they hold positions that I believe increase cruelty (e.g., advocating withdrawal from Iraq); increase criminality (e.g., more lenient attitudes toward punishing criminals); hasten the decline of Western society (e.g., pushing multiculturalism); and undermine liberty (e.g., expanding government, passing more and more laws, taking away ever larger percentages of citizens’ money).
Gosh, when you lay it out like that, I feel grateful for Prager’s generous assessment of my personal decency.
They also panic easily (e.g., heterosexual AIDS in America, carbon dioxide emissions leading to global catastrophe); and the further left one goes, the more morally confused they are (e.g., the inability to label the Soviet Union an “evil empire”; the exaggeration of America’s flaws — it is sexist, imperialist, racist, homophobic — and the undervaluing of its virtues).
If I were a prayin’ man I’d get down on my knees and thank God that I live in a country that allows me to hold such dangerous viewpoints and express them publicly.
A lot of countries wouldn’t grant me that luxury, y’know. I mean, not during a time of war.
Yes, leftists grant criminals too much leniency while at the same time impeding liberty.
I’m glad to know people on the right don’t panic easily AIYEEEEE VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTER WAS TRYING TO IMPOSE TEH SHARIA LAW CALIPHATE GLARGLE BLUG FLUZZ MULTICULTURALISM IS SAPPING OUR BODILY FLUIDS GLORP SPLAT TO TEH BOMB SHELTERZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and also, recent violence in the Middle East (which has, up until just now, been a tranquil and idyllic region) means TEH RAPTURE IS UPON US!!!!!!!!! How could I forget that one?
This simply confirms my current theory: the wingnut mind is in a permanent state of projection.
Subconsciously, Prager knows that his paranoid, authoritarian views are vile, so he turns these feelings outward and accuses the “enemy” of the darkness that exists in his own shriveled soul.
Wow…good to see Prager adapting Larry Craig’s “wide stance.”
Shorter:
I know lots of liberals who I would consider nice people. Unfortuantely, they don’t practice the brand of moral absolutism, and sociopathic paranoia that I prefer.
Wow, that’s interesting. I’d love to say the same, but unfortunately every modern Bush conservative I’ve come across has been an utterly vile human being – and the policies they advocate (anything that maintains privelege and economic inequality, kneejerk reactionism, rank “IOKIYAR” hypocrisy, religious dogma and a love of war) only go to reinforce what reprehensible douchebags they are. Guess liberals are just nicer people, but of course that couldn’t have anything to do with their anti-privelege, anti-hypocrisy, anti-war political positions. Must be a coincidence.
Wait, the panic was only over heterosexual AIDS in America?
And it’s the left that is morally confused? Methinks the Prager doth protest too much.
The only purpose of columns like this is to relieve readers of any nagging feeling that their liberal colleagues and neighbors aren’t really as loathsome as the author normally portrays them, and that they might have a happier life if they stop attending his daily two-minute hates directed against them.
A quick, glib proclamation that liberals are sort of human may sting a bit at first, but innoculates the wingnut fan against such mild self-doubts as he might suffer. And since there’s nothing in the world they want to avoid as much as self-doubt (well, besides gay people and mass transit), it’s a price he’s willing to pay.
Yeah, conservatives never panic at anything.
Like the flour in the parking lot in Connecticut dropped by a runner/beer guzzler. No panic there.
Prager is such a bedwetting buffoon.
Old denny seems to have a pretty good handle on this. I wonder where he goes wrong?
“Panic easily”? You mean like these people?:
http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=8613
The New Inquisition:
q. What was the Soviet Union?
a. A very large communist state.
q. And….
a. It collapsed in the early 1990s?
q. And …it was a what-empire?
a. A what?
q. A blank empire…
a. Um?
q. Was it a good or evil empire?!
a. Well, the leaders did a lot of horrible things, but it is a bit more nuanced…
q. Say it was an evil empire!
a. Er…
q. Take him away, he’s a liberal!
Why does Prager think it matters what he believes?
Anyone else ever notice some rightwingers use the phrase “I believe” and often really mean “I believe against all available evidence…”.
“One of the most often repeated liberal laments about American foreign policy under President George W. Bush is that America is more hated around the world than ever. As if a country being loved is evidence of its moral virtue.”
Well, maybe not, but it’s not exactly clear how “being hated” is evidence of whatever he thinks “moral virtue” is, and it surely makes it harder to do what we’d like.
I was also amused by his “conservative vs. liberal” child-rearing tips. Looking around at the offspring of prominent conservatives, I’m not sure that’s an argument I’d be making, were I him.
“undermine liberty….expanding government, passing more and more laws, taking away ever larger percentages of citizens’ money.” Hmmmm. Taxes = less liberty; waterboarding the fourth amendment = protecting our way of life.
Shorter Dennis Prager: “You can take my Bill of Rights, just leave me a little money for SUVs and gay prostitutes.”
“Anyone else ever notice some rightwingers use the phrase ‘I believe’ and often really mean “I believe against all available evidence…?'”
Ha, well yeah. That’s Wingnut Arguing 101. That’s all they do, fer Chrissakes.
Man Prager has to be one of the most ridiculous wingnut hack philosophers ever. Have any of his pontifications made even the least bit of logical sense? Not any of the ones I’ve read.
Let me guess … some of us are decent people, despite our lack of morals and our hatred of America, but our flaws outweigh our virtues and therefore it’s okay to shoot us like rabid dogs in the streets.
Where does he get off saying any actual loving of a country in this day and age is verboten? Dick!
Ok, if that’s the criterion, where do I sign?
It takes incredible hutzpa to write an entire column about how the “desire to be loved” is a fatal flaw of the left, particularly when one considers the frequency of all unintentional comings out of “family values” types lately.
Clutch414 –
Word. Somewhere a men’s room vice squad is missing its closeted wingnut.
Many people who hold them are personally decent, some very much so — yet they hold positions that I believe increase cruelty[…]
Luckily, many people who hold right-wing views are personally indecent, and thus their noxious positions on assorted issues are neatly harmonious with their public and private behavior.
Hey Prager! I GOT your Lefty right here!
You poor thing, I am sorry life has treated you so badly. I’m sure if we just sat down, …
Ahhhh, blow out your ass! Bigot!
Somebody needs to get the updated memo to Dennis.
The Soviet Union no longer exists.
Today, the Evil Empire is Iran.
Jeez, try to keep up, willya?
mikey
Funny how this kind of philosophical dabbling greeted with open arms by the right is utterly shot to pieces (e.g. Megan McArtle) by the left.
Ah, Dennis P. The git that never stops giving.
kiki: I know a few Bush Republicans who are not evil. I know one woman who voted for Bush twice because she is, essentially, a mother of small children who has bought 100% into the “EVIL MUSLIMS ARE COMING TO KILL YOUR FAMILY!!” meme that Karl Rove advanced so well. She is terrified, and believes that the BushCheneyRove approach is going to protect her from the boogeyman. Now, she may not be very smart, but she is not evil. In fact, she is an incredibly good friend and neighbor.
Not to say there are not those evil Bushites out there, but I suspect that a good portion of the 27% (or whatever the figure is today) are just scared shitless because they’re not able (not smart or informed enough) to parse world affairs intelligently.
OT, but has anyone started a gay conservative Outing Pool to predict the next GOP culture-warrior to be found blowing strangers in public restrooms?
I’m thinking Lindsay Graham (R-Ballcock) is the obvious choice, but the Republicans have an infinite capacity to shock and amaze, so I’ll go out on a limb and bet on Graham to place and Rick Santorum (R-Unemployed) to win.
Kind of like a horse race, only with anonymous gay sex in place of teh horses.
Ha!
I had to stop when I read the words ‘Dennis Prager’ and ‘learned’ in the same sentence.
Love. Tolerance. Compassion. These are the three demons you must slay to enjoy the freedom that comes with discipline, punishment and unremitting hostility.
I think someone’s copy editor needs to be fired…
Wait, the panic was only over heterosexual AIDS in America?
Well, duh. What’s there to panic about if gays, foreigners, or gay foreigners get AIDS? Every good wingnut knows they don’t count and just want to destroy America anyway.
yet they hold positions that I believe increase cruelty (e.g., advocating withdrawal from Iraq)
If we leave Iraq, we’d have to stop torturing brown people. Yeah, that would be cruel.
increase criminality (e.g., more lenient attitudes toward punishing criminals)
I’m betting Dennis supported the Scooter Libby pardon.
hasten the decline of Western society (e.g., pushing multiculturalism)
Should I be pushing white supremacy?
and undermine liberty (e.g., expanding government, passing more and more laws, taking away ever larger percentages of citizens’ money).
Homeland Security got a kick out of that one…
Kind of like a horse race, only with anonymous gay sex in place of teh horses.
Bareback racing?
I should know better than to read this stuff first thing in the morning. aaaaaaaaargh. What a condescending nitwit this Prager is…holy moly.
He got one thing half right. Canadian students traveling abroad often make sure — via a big maple leaf on their backpack, for example — to communicate that they are Canadian, not American. But that is because of America-hatred, not because foreigners love Canada.
Hey Denny boy, many Americans also travel with the maple leaf on their luggage. I guess it helps to be from a country that isn’t lording it over the rest of the world, threatening wars, dropping bombs, assassinating leaders, engineering coups, all in the name of we want what you have, we’re going to take it, and we’re better than you. Yeah, I seem to remember bullies like this from my childhood and they were universally despised too.
Obviously the thing to do if you want to be loved isn’t to advocate compassion, responsibility, and cooperation. You just need to cruise for dudes in a public toilet.
So…
Racism in America is exaggerated, but also multiculturalism will “hasten the decline of Western society.”
Right. Just wanted to set that straight.
And tonight he sleeps in Lileks’ spare bed. A carefully placed pillow at 3am and you could be our hero, Jimbo!
OT: I see another Flock of Seagulls is afoot.
Why do all R arguments boil down to “you L’s just aren’t tough enough to join us tough guys in the tough-guy club”?
This level of overcompensation is almost an art form.
…taking away ever larger percentages of citizens’ money…
Far better to spend ever larger percentages of our children’s money. Paying off our debt will teach ’em discipline.
Funny how this kind of philosophical dabbling greeted with open arms by the right is utterly shot to pieces (e.g. Megan McArtle) by the left.
Megan has just deleted a lot of comments from her blog. Apparently pointing out how deeply flawed her position was is “uncivil”.
When I’m looking for insight into what lefties think, I turn to Townhall.
When I’m looking for tips on cooking, I turn to Jose Canseco.
Car care? Whoopi Goldberg.
Medical advice- Yanni.
Carpentry- Pat Sajak.
etc
etc
*sigh*
I wonder if Dennis Prager can also tell me about the nature of life on Mars.
It’s a godawful small affair
to the girl with the mousy hair
Bareback Race Betting? Zsa, that’s brilliant.
Whittling down the field would be the true task.
But I think I’d go all in on Rove. My chances may not be very good, but what a jackpot I’d win!
I just don’t understand what should be done with me. I am clearly a problem leading to all the ills the world has to offer, yet I can’t be re-educated and I run around existing all over the place.
t4t, you might want to consider betting the quinella on Rove and Jeff Gannon, although we’re all pretty sure it would be Gannon, umm, “finishing on top” if you know what I mean.
Anyone else want some of this? The next conservative closet case to be outed? Ralph Reed? Jonah? Ari Fleischer?
You can even play it safe and bet a box on one or more of Mitt Romney’s sons being hauled up on charges for “shucking the corn” in a porta-potty at an Illinois county fair. That one is pretty much a lock.
it’s the freakiest show
a different brad:
And when I’m looking for insight into Greek art, I turn to ChristianNewsWire.com.
Has Ken Mehlman been actually “outed” yet, or hasn’t he been caught fishing for tube snake yet?
Yeah, the worrying about heterosexual AIDS line leaps out, as does the blather about the Soviet Union being an “evil empire,” still one of the most overly-simplistic lines I’ve ever heard in politics, and the rightwingers friggin’ still love it…
When I’m looking for insight into what lefties think, I turn to Townhall.
When I’m looking for tips on cooking, I turn to Jose Canseco.
Car care? Whoopi Goldberg.
Medical advice- Yanni.
Carpentry- Pat Sajak.
That reminds me of some old joke or other that I read once, something about: Heaven is where the chefs are French, the lovers Italian, the mechanics Swiss, the police British and the automakers German; whereas in Hell, the chefs are British, the lovers Swiss, the mechanics Italian, the police German and the automakers French.
I’m not sure why, but it does.
That’s just some kinda special. Those two snippets contain more projection and hypocrisy then i can comfortably wrap my head around. I’m going for a taco.
Re: Jeff Gannon’s boy toy
Who had the aouthority to give special priviledges to Jimmy/Jeff. Upthread someone mentioned Ari or Karl. True they both would have that authority but Ari left and the priviledges continued. Karl I don’t think is that stupid or reckless but when it comes to sex who knows.
An assistant press secretary would probably have authority to pull strings to give press credentials. My vote goes to assistant press secretary under Ari and later press secretary Scottie as prime receiver of Jimmy/Jeff’s man love.
Is there life in Dennis Prager’s head?
These nice, decent liberals that Prager claims to know. Does he talk to them? Or does he get his ideas about what liberals think from political geniuses like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh and Gary Ruppert?
. . . and he resigned a couple of months after the story broke if I remember correct. Interesting?
zsa said,
August 29, 2007 at 19:06
OT, but has anyone started a gay conservative Outing Pool to predict the next GOP culture-warrior to be found blowing strangers in public restrooms?
Mr. Elaine Chao, errr I mean Senator Mitch McConnell.
Does anybody but me remember the rumors about Jack Kemp?
The denunciation of liberal child-rearing tactics is a very special touch — the underlying message being that his readers don’t even have to feel compelled to be nice to liberals’ children because they’re all brats anyway, thanks to their liberal parents. They’re just part of the liberal scum too, only smaller.
This guy is Ernst Rohm with a Wally Cox makeover.
Hoosier X said,
August 29, 2007 at 23:04
“Does anybody but me remember the rumors about Jack Kemp?”
I never heard them, but he still is the only person to ever run on a Presidential ticket who has actually seen O.J. simpson naked.
MCH – that reminds me of another one
Canada was supposed to have French culture, British government and American know-how.
And ended up with French government, American culture, and British know-how
>Anyone else want some of this? The next conservative closet case to be outed? Ralph Reed? Jonah? Ari Fleischer?
WHY is no one lining softbody Denny Hastert up to the gate for this race??
Title for an unwritten piece on the Christian Right, the GOP and “the love that dare not speak…” – “Holy Rollers & Glory Holers”
hmm…Prager makes no mention of of Bush’s mad grab for power, super spy powers, torture, bloated budget deficits, the huge intrusive size government has turned into since Bush took over, or the fucking fact that the mere invasion of Iraq led to the death of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of Americans….
And now he’s concerned about Iraq…if we pull out? A little late…damage has been done.
I love it now how Republicans are trying to turn back the clock to simpler times…to “small government, freedom, and fiscal discipline”.
Too late. You had your shot and you squandered it. You grew government, spent with reckless abandon, turned a blind eye as the Constitution was violated, and let unprecedented amounts of freedom slip away such as the suspension of habeas corpus of the fucking old standard of having to go to a judge to get a warrant.
[…] for “shorter” shamelessly stolen from zsa’s comment at Sadly, […]
WHY is no one lining softbody Denny Hastert up to the gate for this race??
Oh come one! He was a high school wrestling coach! How could he possibly be gay?!?
WHY is no one lining softbody Denny Hastert up to the gate for this race??
Oh come one! He was a high school wrestling coach! How could he possibly be gay?!?!1!
Ok, I don’t pretend to be able to understand the dynamics of gay romance, but I’m not freakin BLIND either. Johnny Depp? Hot. Tupac Shakur? Really hot.
Denny Hastert? Are you kidding me? The dude looks like a poorly constructed strip mall. I submit it doesn’t matter if he’s gay or straight, he ain’t getting any from anybody. And probably a good thing, he looks like a candidate for a fatal orgasm…
mikey
Now mikey, don’t be getting all looksist on us.
Look at this happy couple!!1one!!
You KNOW they got busy in the men’s room after they shed those lab coats.
Bad linky! Bad!
Denny and Shrub, M.D..
Hastert’s too easy. I think the thrill is in figuring out who will burst out of the closet to surprize us.
Hastert’s Closet is like a dorm closet the day after a bender in college.
Hanging open with the pr0n hastily strewn about…
Now Alberto Gonzales, that dude’s a bit fay, isn’t he?
The thought of Denny Hastert engaged in sexual acts would send even Dread Cthulhu screaming in gibbering madness through the nether realms.
Slate has a reenactment of what happened between Craig and the police officer in the airport bathroom.
A dark horse, but clearly a contender.
Somewhere a men’s room vice squad is missing its closeted wingnut.
This is the best bumper-sticker-worthy wordset I’ve read today.
has anyone started a gay conservative Outing Pool to predict the next GOP culture-warrior to be found blowing strangers in public restrooms?
Just follow the trail of repressed hypocrites who’ve been at the forefront of “sanctity of marriage” or any anti-gay legislation. There’s your pool.
Prager makes a good point. I fully expect him to begin criticizing the American right wing the next time it begins claiming that its crazed, irrational policies are morally necessary because only they truly love America.
yet they hold positions that I believe … hasten the decline of Western society (e.g., pushing multiculturalism);
I am so beating the shit out of the next pizza-delivery guy that I see.
zsa,I’ll take that action on Lindsey Grahm,but,will he cover the spread.Youvebeenagreatcrowd!Huckleberry Hound is an actual “Blue Dog”if you know what I’m sayin,I don’t Know what I’m sayin,but you know what I’m sayin,You Beautiful Bastards!!! I stole that….
yeap the worst part is that we liberals actually built the society where lil’ dennis prager is allowed to talk horsehit and not be killed.
Bare-back betting: I’ll put a tenner on Justice John Roberts (standing behind his plastic wife and kids)…
I actually went and read the article, and then waded through the swamp of comments. Man, I’m amazed that some of those folks are still upright and breathing, they’re so blindingly dumb.
There’s lots of “Liberals love Satan!” and “Liberals eat babies!” comments. Okay, not those actual comments, but lots of comments claiming to ‘understand’ where liberals are coming from. And you know what? Not one single commenter offered the suggestion of simply asking.
That’s right: they all claim to know what liberals believe in, but not a damn one of ’em has ever bothered to ask. At least, never bothered to ask and then listen.
No, I take that back: there was one, possibly two, sensible person/people there. You know, someone who actually used logic and reason rather than invective. Brave folks, they were, given that they got pelted with the rotten fruit that was being aimed at the (largely absent) liberals.
The best part? Several of them bemoaned the fact that liberals don’t believe in logic or facts. And this was after one of the wingnuts took a sensible person to task for also making sweeping generalisations by claiming that ‘most people overseas don’t like the US’. Some folks just don’t get the difference between making something up out of your head, and actually asking lots of people what they think. Somebody cited a Singaporean taxi driver as evidence that everyone does too love America.
No, I lied: the best part was someone saying that peer review was evil and elitist and whatever else.
Excuse me, I have to go wash off the slime. I may be there for some time.
However these wingers dress it up, what they’re really arguing for is a return to the era of Lochner and Plessy, pretty rough times in this country’s history. I would like to see just one of them admit it openly.
Hi Friends,
I realize some of you don’t believe in dating, but many of you do, so I’d like to give you the opportunity to share your tips and what you’ve learned about dating. Maybe someone can learn from your experience.
Cheer”s
Datingdisciples.com
I believe in carbon dating, meself. But then I’m one!1! of them pointy headed intamallectuals.
Well, yeah, Vivek. Who cares if them GAZE die?
I’m pretty much dated. Hell, Boston is my favorite band!
mikey
Whenever the talk here turns to global warming, sooner or later a liberal leftist will bring up peer-reviewed articles. The reason they do that is because leftist academics at the top love peer review. Those of us at the BOTTOM hate peer review and think it’s unfair and corrupt.
There is something both funny and pathetic about people who will make hypocrites for themselves just to make hypocrites of their opponents.
He takes leftists to task for being hypocrites since “they believe in helping the oppressed, but they don’t help us even though we are oppressed by the popularity contest know as ‘peer review’!”. Um, since when have Conservatives been for “affirmative action for the unpopular”? Since when have Conservatives agreed with coddling the opinions of the unpopular and wrong, or the idea that “everyones point of view needs to be respected”? They mock “liberals” for this kind of whining all the time and then turn around and do it themselves!
peer-reviewed articles
Or for the Vitterites, pee-reviewed articles.
Boston is my favorite band!
The holy triumvirate of spaceship-on-the-cover bands: Boston, Journey, ELO.
I’d be dating myself if we started talking about the dinosaurs of rock.
But that’s okay, since I’m a pretty cheap date.
The Mississippi Queen’s over in the next thread.
The Mississippi Queen’s over in the next thread.
What, would that be a Mountain of ignorance?
mikey
Hey, a while ago I made myself a CD for self-deafening purposes and I am loving Pentagram. The first time I heard Forever My Queen I was just baffled at how heavy and stupid it was. Hilarious and completely satisfying rock.
The Mississippi Queen’s over in the next thread.
I don’t know what you mean.
I don’t know what you mean.
This is one of those jokes that is not a joke really because it makes no sense, but everyone who loves the song starts imagining the intro cowbell and thinks “fuck yeah!” and ignores the fact that I’m really saying nothing.
Hang on a minute—let’s do little false-equivalency cleanup here. Journey had their moments (“Anytime,” mainly), and Boston had a few more than that, but neither was fit to carry ELO’s shiny metallic space-fabric jock.
Aargh: “>a
That would be a big fat guy to the West of the mountain.
And, of course, we all want more cowbell. Which is one of the bands I still play quite a bit.
Just for the record, I really did look at the preview that last time and it somehow posted wrong. Ahem. “>A
Oh, I get it. HTML; left carat; etc.
“A little false-equivalency cleanup.” There. Sheesh.
[slinks away]
Righteous Bubba: I was referring to the second half of the first line of the song. It didn’t work.
Can’t hear you. Too much cowbell. And shame.
I thought the Mississippi Queen was Trent Lott …
I get such a kick outta gasbags like Prager. The same wingnuts he’s preaching to a choir full of, see mealey-mouthed over-wordy blobs like him, right there with the DFH’s in their pecking order. They’d just as soon skin him as look at him.
I wonder if Dennis knows that and that’s why his message is so narrow? “We’re your friends… We won’t harm you after the
revolutionelection. I’m not one of the BAD people who towed away your trailer. Those people look, talk and dress like me but aren’t me. People like me are important to your future!”Is it possible? He’s propagandizing the unwashed masses with the Jedi Mind Trick as a form of both self-protection and a defensive strategy for limp-wrists that’ve never done a lick of work in their lives except for either pushing pencils on a desk or writing a whole host of, ‘Let’s you and him fight’ articles for over 30 years while the majority of the wingnut brigades are blue-collar and hate office types by the bushel.
L.S./M.F.T. like your handle.
L.S./M.F.T., I like your blog, even though I don’t get the acronym (hey, my excuse is (a) I’m Australian, and (b) I’m a cat). Damn fine writing there, that man. Carry on.
The initials refer to a brand of cigarettes and its’ slogan:
Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco
Hell yeah, LS, rock on, m’man. We gave too much too soon, and we got nothing but a laugh and a cry. Too many regrets, and not enough I’d really change. Now? Maybe we can help them understand, a little.
Maybe not….
mikey
“One of the most often repeated liberal laments about American foreign policy under President George W. Bush is that America is more hated around the world than ever. As if a country being loved is evidence of its moral virtue.”
Well, maybe not, but it’s not exactly clear how “being hated” is evidence of whatever he thinks “moral virtue” is, and it surely makes it harder to do what we’d like.
“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” – Proverbs, 16:7
So what does it say when a man’s ways makes even his allies to shun him?