David Brooks, the male counterpart of dolphin-hugger Peggy Nooners, may be functionally retarded:
Republicans generally like Westerns. They generally admire John Wayne-style heroes who are rugged, individualistic and brave. They like leaders — from Goldwater to Reagan to Bush to Palin — who play up their Western heritage. Republicans like the way Westerns seem to celebrate their core themes — freedom, individualism, opportunity and moral clarity.
OK, here's where I lost it. I'm pretty sure he was going to make a point, but I just couldn't read anymore. Anyone who uses the words "republicans" and "moral clarity" in the same sentence w/out a bunch of caveats and snide remarks is just asking for a major synaptic meltdown by discerning readers. Drop Palin in there, and call wealthy Connecticut fratboy Gee Dubyah a fucking cowboy... yep, whoops, there go a few more of my brain cells combusting.
4 comments:
I'm no fan of crazy Repubs, and while true that "moral clarity" does not belong in that sentence - you really should read the rest of the article. Brooks is actually very critical (for him) of Repubs, and makes some valid points. I wouldn't dismiss it too hastily. It's not a valentine to the GOP, that is for sure. We're just not used to hearing from MODERATE Repubs anymore. They're an endangered species.
Wayne was a bigoted racist who hated blacks, Indians, and the Chinese.
Goldwater was a war monger who wanted to nuke everyone who didn't see things his way. Reagan was a thieving bastard who worked for the wealthy. Bush and Palin are just fucking idiots.
These are the people who the Rethuglicans want to emulate. And the wonder why real taxpaying workers don't trust them.
"Republicans like the way Westerns seem to celebrate their core themes - freedom, individualism, opportunity and moral clarity" - and sneer at the kindness of other states that give them all their hard earned tax money while getting nothing in return.
There. Fixed it.
Yes Brooks is a remarkably sane Republican and the column was good. However Maru as usual you are right to call the moral clarity nonsense.
What Brooks is talking about as represented by cowboy movies is the type of "moral clarity" in which there were "bad guys" and "good guys" -- which is more like moral simplistic unreality than clarity -- actually.
So, yeah, totally a Repug delusion that they have, or anyone can have, "moral clarity." Life just ain't like that, and the notion that it is leads directly to Abu Ghraib where we are "justified" because "they" are all "bad guys" and of course, we aren't. So anything we d is right. "Moral clarity" a la Brooks and John Wayne does not exist.
But Brook's column provides interesting insight into how "moderate" republicans labor under the delusion that they are sensible, normal people who deserve to be taken seriously. In comparison the Glen Becks and Michele Bachman's -- maybe. But not by much.
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