Sunday, August 29, 2010

A Morning Cup of Krauthammer

Charles Krauthammer is one of my favorite columnists/commentators.  He has a way of digging through the dirt clods and tailings of our national debate and plucking out the rough diamond at its center.  His column on Friday, published in the Washington Post, is an excellent example of his prowess with the pen:

 The Democrats are going to get beaten badly in November. Not just because the economy is ailing. And not just because Obama over-read his mandate in governing too far left. But because a comeuppance is due the arrogant elites whose undisguised contempt for the great unwashed prevents them from conceding a modicum of serious thought to those who dare oppose them.

Meanwhile, at the WSJ, James Taranto intruduces a great new word:  oikphobia!

The British philosopher Roger Scruton has coined a term to describe this attitude:  oikophobia. Xenophobia is fear of the alien; oikophobia is fear of the familiar: "the disposition, in any conflict, to side with 'them' against 'us', and the felt need to denigrate the customs, culture and institutions that are identifiably 'ours.' " What a perfect description of the pro-mosque left.

What a perfect description of the yapping far-left in general, nipping at the ankles of the American majority like a pack of chihuahuas wired on instant Folger's.   The bad news?  This loud pack of oikhuahuas is firmly ensconced in Washington, trembling before the world in supplication and peeing on our national rug every time they're startled.

We'll fire a bunch of them this November, and 2012 is right around the corner. 

22 comments:

  1. I haven't read much of Krauthammer's writing- or really much of anything lately- but this was certainly worth checking out. The way the left (and the media) manage to take a broad range of the US population- people of various backgrounds, faiths and political beliefs- and group them all under the label of "bigots" is quite striking when contrasted with their inability to use the term "radical islam" to describe groups that are unmistakably united in the above ways. If you haven't before watched the video of Eric Holder- linked in the "inscrutable motive and indiscernible belief" line of the article- please do so; Holder's repetitive use of the phrase "a variety of reasons" is just... well, it would be laughable if not so depressing.

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  2. I did not have a chance to read the WSJ piece by Taranto yet (heck- it took me half an hour just to compose my first comment). Does he offer up a pronunciation for oikphobia?

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  3. Hey, it's AM42! Welcome, welcome, so glad to see you here.

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  4. Alphie, good to see you. Always room for an old friend.

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  5. Both columns were excellent, and quite explanatory of things already known to those who don't depend on the general media for their information.

    Is Alphie really AM42? Welcome in any case, whether new friend or old.

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  6. "...those who don't depend on the general media for their information."

    My son told me yesterday that "If AP reports it, it must be true." I did not think of the doctored photos at the time. I didn't really say to much as I knew he would not listend. He told me that I am "ideologically blind."

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  7. Dances, "Is Alphie really AM42?"

    Well that's what his email address says, so it's either him or an identity thief:)

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  8. Amy Fortoo! How wonderful! Good to see you, Alphie! :)

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  9. I think it's me, but it's been so long I'm not really sure. Didn't mean to confuse anyone, but I needed a better nick; AM42 just seemed too alphanumeric. Was going to go for Amy Fortoo, but... it seemed a bit girly for me. Just a bit. I really wanted to go with Johnny Foo, but apparently some guy has that as his real name. Lucky bastard.

    I haven't spent much time online (blogs, news, politics) in the last year or so. Heck, I don't think I've spent any time at all this enitre year. Just too much else going on. Decided to dip my feet back in the interpool this week and did a bit of lurking around the old haunts. I heard a rumor that this is where all the cranky old farts- and brilliant young ladies- are hanging out these days.

    Anyhow, it's a lovely place you have here; thank you all for the warm welcome. It's good to see some friendly, familiar faces again. I'll try to poke in from time to time and not be too much of a stranger.

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  10. "...and brilliant young ladies- are hanging out these days."

    Why do you think I am here?

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  11. "cranky old farts- and brilliant young ladies"

    If we had revolving titles this would be one.

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  12. Aww, thanks.

    Of course, I'm still trying to figure out into which category each of you fit : P

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  13. I'm so happy to see you, Alphie, big hugs to you!!

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  14. This is why I thought it was you ~
    "I did not have a chance to read the WSJ piece by Taranto yet (heck- it took me half an hour just to compose my first comment). Does he offer up a pronunciation for oikphobia?"

    Woohoo!
    img:"http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/floranista/happydance.gif"

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  15. "Of course, I'm still trying to figure out into which category each of you fit : P"

    Ooh, ooh, can I be a cranky old fart, pleeease?

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  16. Well, I don't know (yet) how to do rotating titles, but check out the caption under the picture of the kitchen table, top sidebar. LMAO! It's perfect! :))

    Thank for the inspiration, Alphie and Fay!

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  17. "check out the caption under the picture of the kitchen table, top sidebar. LMAO! It's perfect!"

    And brutally true, as well.

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  18. yippee! Alphie's here! And that caption's perfect! :-)

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  19. Wow, a short week of lurking... a handful of comments... and I already have the honor of a front-page caption. I don't know what to say.

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  20. DWT- "Ooh, ooh, can I be a cranky old fart, pleeease?"

    I'll think about it. You're going to have to work on the cranky part though.


    And florrie... how could you have *not* known it was me?

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