tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post4706030310358582794..comments2024-03-29T08:36:39.917-04:00Comments on Daniel Greenfield / Sultan Knish Articles at DanielGreenfield.org : The Liberal Uses of RaceDaniel Greenfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13575285186581875356noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-69476563581432406852012-02-15T22:04:58.169-05:002012-02-15T22:04:58.169-05:00Power and Privalidge, baiting, manipulation, those...Power and Privalidge, baiting, manipulation, those who would sell their souls, It is hard to comprehend the Democrat mindset, or those that rush to war for economic gain knowing it won't be their children dying, or economic rape, knowing they have hedged the bet in their favor, "Evil", where does this behavior come from?Greg RNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-67187239713781228092012-02-15T21:24:06.683-05:002012-02-15T21:24:06.683-05:00Wonderful! As clear and concise analysis of libera...Wonderful! As clear and concise analysis of liberalism as I have ever read.Keliatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10065269001128979990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-60182773047564970582012-02-14T21:33:41.536-05:002012-02-14T21:33:41.536-05:00Geoffrey Brittain, the term "Ideology" h...Geoffrey Brittain, the term "Ideology" has a precise meaning that is correctly used in this article. It is frequently used incorrectly to denote a political program such as, for example, the Tea Party program. Marxism is a classic Ideology and all it's offshoots. Geert Wilders calls Islam and Ideology. A political program touting small government and individual liberty is not Ideology.Andy Texannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-81621334891728738762012-02-14T12:31:31.552-05:002012-02-14T12:31:31.552-05:00Overall, your take on this issue is, I believe acc...Overall, your take on this issue is, I believe accurate and insightful. <br /><br />I do however take issue with the categorical statement:<br /><br /><i>"The purpose of any ideology is power. To gain power the ideology must impose its notion of a crisis and its view of a solution as the right and natural one."</i> <br /><br />I would change that but a bit too; The purpose of any <i>revolutionary</i> ideology is to gain the power to effect desired change. To gain power, a revolutionary ideology must convince enough people that a crisis does in fact exist and that its solution is the right and natural one. <br /><br />In support of my view, I would offer the following rationale; the American revolution was a reaction to the reality of an English monarchy which <i>had</i> grown tyrannical. The founding fathers certainly advanced an ideology (the logic that extends from an idea or premise) but in fact their 'crisis' was not an artificial one, England <i>was</i> acting tyrannically toward the American colonies, though many Americans, including John Adams, initially resisted recognition of that crisis. <br /><br />So to be accurate we cannot say that the <i>purpose of ANY</i> ideology is power (for its own sake). <br /><br />The Tea Party's ideology arguably does not seek power to impose but rather <i>to gain liberty from</i> the oppression of liberal regulation that has led us away from our Constitution. They seek a return to the core principles of our Constitution. <br /><br />They do recognize that a crisis exists but have no desire to continue that crisis once addressed. In fact, once reformed, most Tea Party members simply want to get on with a life free of government interference. <br /><br /><i>Every</i> ideology's purpose is NOT to seek power. Some simply don't want others to control their lives.<br /><br /><i>"Political tags – such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth – are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire."</i> - Robert A. Heinlein .<br /><br />So, as Heinlein's observation implies, those who seek power in order to control others will champion ideologies which seek to maintain an illusory crisis in order to maintain and even increase their power. <br /><br />Those however who do not wish to control others or be controlled by others will support ideologies which do not seek to falsely create and maintain a crisis to further control and power. <br /><br />Thomas Jefferson saw it clearly long ago; <i>"“Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties:<br />1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes. <br />2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depository of the public interests. <br />In every country these two parties exist, and in every one where they are free to think, speak, and write, they will declare themselves.”</i> –Thomas Jefferson to Henry Lee, 1824. <br /><br />Nor, are those who seek to control always of ill intention. <br /><br />The great Senator Daniel Webster knew of it and warned of 'good intentions'. <i>"There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters." - Daniel Webster</i> <br /><br />In fact, those who wish control out of good intentions are the worst of all; <i>"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims, may be the most oppressive."</i> C.S. Lewis <br /><br />Thanks for a fine and insightful post.Geoffrey Britainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01663224962346593872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-11786146197219246232012-02-14T01:00:17.565-05:002012-02-14T01:00:17.565-05:00thank youthank youDaniel Greenfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13575285186581875356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11368628.post-39482909490509838082012-02-14T00:41:14.015-05:002012-02-14T00:41:14.015-05:00"Islam’s Groundhog Day" is an awesome bi..."Islam’s Groundhog Day" is an awesome bit of writing, Sultan.Fat Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09554029467445000453noreply@blogger.com