Ulsterman has a post up discussing Mark Steyn’s observation that “the lamps are going out”. One commenter asks:
I am still scratching my head wondering why we permitted 20% of population to lord over us?.
Here is why: When “Conservatives” get it their authoritarian streak shows and the voters decide to try the other authoritarians for a while.
The Rs start in with “God told us how you should behave”. The rank and file right is generally more black hearted than the rank and file left. At the top they are all black hearted. I have had long discussions with a lefty friend on this and we both see it the same. The only saving grace of the right is that they can run the numbers. My friend agrees with that too. He prefers the warm heart. As an engineer I prefer those that can run the numbers. Neither of us has any illusions about current American politics.
We have two authoritarian parties in America. The only question this election brings is whether we will have – for a while – a Secular authoritarian Party in charge or a Religious authoritarian Party.
Americans have never been more afraid of liberty. “What if some one does something I don’t approve of? Horrors.” We will in time find out Jefferson was right.
“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it.” – Thomas Jefferson
Comments
15 responses to “The Lamps Are Going Out”
“The rank and file right is generally more black hearted than the rank and file left.”
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. -C.S. Lewis, hardly a libertarian.
Or was he? hmm.
The rank and file right is generally more black hearted than the rank and file left.
Sorry, no.
I’m hardly a conservative, but show me a totalitarian right-winger and I’ll show you three leftists who believe that anyone who doesn’t drive a Prius for Gaia is sub-human, deserving only of death. That’s not hyperbole, it’s the gist of something said to my face more than once. Heck, you don’t have to believe me, just look up the infamous exploding “Button” video.
Neil,
The right is just totalitarian about different things.
Drug prohibition which has caused our imprisonment rate to be the highest in the world. You mean putting people in prison for their personal habits isn’t totalitarian?
Tell me what universe you are coming from?
In any case for the rank and file lefty – they mean well. My experience with the rank and file Progressives on the right is a blackness of heart. Like those folks Jesus used to complain about.
What part of “sub-human and deserving of death” do you think is good intentions?
The rank-and-file right claims to mean well, too. They think that drug use is bad for the users. I think you are right to be skeptical of willful blindness to the actual results of policy. But are you really claiming the person on the left who says “the only reason Communism doesn’t work is because it’s never been tried” is somehow better than the person on the right who thinks “just say no” is the answer to everything? Are the tobacco prohibitionists of the left really that much better than the drug prohibitionists of the right?
Neil,
I’m thinking more of the folks who wish every body has enough to eat and a place to stay. Once so common we had a name for them.
Bleeding Heart Liberals.
Ever hear of Bleeding Heart Conservatives?
Me either.
Now I understand that they are clueless about how the world works and the best way to accomplish their goals. But so help me God their hearts are in the right place.
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Drug use is bad for users so instead of letting the use be its own punishment they tack on 20 to life.
They LIKE hurting people. But only for their own good.
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Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. Clive Staples “CS” Lewis
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In general you are correct though. We have to get rid of the Progressive Left and the Progressive Right. They are both killing us. Literally.
“We have to get rid of the Progressive Left and the Progressive Right.”
start dismantling the fed gov’t
They LIKE hurting people. But only for their own good.
Precisely the same motivation as the left. “Urban Renewal” that really means “Negro Removal”. Cabrini Green. Price controls. Capital controls. Speech restrictions. Not counting the Ukrainian famine or the Cultural Revolution.
The left has gotten away, literally, with murder for the last 100 years because people always say “at least they mean well”. After 100 years, it’s time to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Neil,
I agree. I’m focusing on the Right because they get more of a pass than the left even.
God and the flag seems to cover more sins than “have a heart”.
I agree. I’m focusing on the Right because they get more of a pass than the left even.
God and the flag seems to cover more sins than “have a heart”.
industrial strength stupid
new,
Glad you liked it.
I suppose it is a personal failing but I have no respect for Progressives on the Right. Less than for those on the Left even.
Ever hear of the Party of Small Government? An out and out lie. At least the Left tells the truth about what it favors – big government.
In their book, “The 10,000 Year Explosion,” Cochran and Harpending comment that we are descended from those who bent the knee.
Thanks to the neolithic revolution, we are evolved to submit to authoritarians of all stripes.
Bob,
Some of us didn’t evolve. Or at least not enough. I guess that would make me a throwback.
[…] Classical Values » The Lamps Are Going Out Americans have never been more afraid of liberty. “What if some one does something I don’t approve of? Horrors.” We will in time find out Jefferson was right. […]
[…] Classical Values » The Lamps Are Going Out Americans have never been more afraid of liberty. “What if some one does something I don’t approve of? Horrors.” We will in time find out Jefferson was right. […]