A place for me to pour out my rants without clogging the inboxes of my friends and family. Also a place to give info on myself and Mary, our family news and events.
Good vs. Bad---it’s a long one, folks
Published on March 26, 2006 By Rightwinger In Politics
Caution: Broad statements and vast generalizations ahead!


Good: The Rainbow flag, Iraqi flag, USSR flag

Bad: (Read: tacky) The American flag (and, really, any symbols of support for the nation and/or its present leadership or policies).


Good: Marx and Lenin, Mao and Castro (after all, they supported or fought in the Worldwide Socialist Revolution against the evils of Capitalism and the Imperialist Western Democracies)

Bad: Washington and Jefferson, Hamilton and Adams (they were white, male, Christian Capitalists who owned slaves)


Good: Questioning traditional American patriotism, ideals and values.

Bad: Traditional American patriotism (jingoist nationalism), ideals and values (oppressive, arrogant, intolerant and unfair).


Good: A solo Superpower United States, tail-tucked, neutered and firmly ensconced in the lap of the UN, while allowing tinpot, pissant tyrants to push us around.

Bad: A ballsy, impudent, "Imperialist" America that---can you believe it?--- actually takes the lead, ignores what other countries think, and moves to defend itself and its allies, and perhaps to spread its good fortune to other, less fortunate nations.
This is accomplished by toppling hostile tyrants and dictators and helping to form hopefully democratic, freedom-loving, peaceful governments with Capitalist economies. For shame.


Good: Enormous government with untold numbers of agencies and departments (requiring higher taxes) "serving" the people by wrapping their tentacles around virtually all aspects of their lives. This is expected and acknowledged to somehow remain conducive to "freedom".
(However, this is really only considered a good thing unless said government is headed by a conservative President who wants the ability to spy on religious fanatics who want to kill large numbers of Americans. Then it’s considered intrusive, horribly unjust, oppressive and Fascist.)

Bad: Smaller, less intrusive government (and lower taxes).


Good: Religion of any kind, except Christianity.

Bad: Religion of any kind, especially Christianity.


Good: Abortion of any kind.

Bad: Prisoner execution of any kind.


Good: Socialism; or, a (supposedly) strictly-regulated Welfare State, which happily hands out questionably-adequate sums of money (sums unofficially based mostly on race, gender and/or ethnicity), and yet somehow maintains a steady level of lower-class people who can’t afford to get off welfare and move above their station. This, in turn, has the unacknowledged benefit of keeping a steady flow of votes for Democratic Party candidates.

Bad: Capitalism, which expects able-bodied people to earn their own living, and to therefore be willing to work for a better life for themselves, their families and their communities. These people, though, will often begin to vote for more conservative candidates. We can’t have that.


Good: Ethnic, religious and social minorities, the economically and socially disadvantaged.

Bad: White, heterosexual Christians (especially males) with jobs.


Good: A Liberal Supreme Court, which will legislate from the bench, and impose laws favoring liberal views and opinions.

Bad: A Conservative Supreme Court that won’t.


Good: Feminism and women’s rights, pornography (this, because it frees us from our social/gender-imposed bonds and makes us question our roles….or something. Whatever. And besides, the First Amendment protects pornography, even though it’s degrading and harmful to women; so, we have our right to it! Fight the Man!).

Bad: Traditional gender roles.


Good: Complete freedom of the body, mind and spirit without imposition of traditional mores (giving us the solid, firmly-grounded concept of "moral relativism"). Homosexuality and sexual perversion. Who are we to judge what you like or dislike, right?
"It’s your thing; do what you wanna do!"

Bad: Outdated ideals---things like basic morality and decency based on social and religious concepts. The repressive idea of "Sin".


Good: Cars, SUVs, limousines, airplanes, consumer goods, on-demand light and heat for the home. Homes.
Animal Rights. Dolphins, the California Condor, the Snail Darter, the Elk, the Great Horned Owl. Edible food. Vegetarianism. Environmentalism.

Bad: Industry, construction, drilling for oil or mining to generate, create and/or fuel all of the above-listed amenities. Insecticides. "Kentucky Fried Chicken". Pollution (created, of course, by motor vehicles, industry, construction, drilling, mining…etc.).


Good: "Brokeback Mountain", because it destroyed barriers and positively portrays two men in a non-traditional, loving relationship. Socially relevant!
"V for Vendetta", because it portrays a heroic rebel terrorist fighting against an oppressive government led by evil ultra-conservatives. Timely!

Bad: "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe---The Chronicles of Narnia", because it is based on traditional Judeo-Christian principles and philosophy, and negatively portrays a female who practices a non-traditional religious belief. How stereotypical.
"The Passion of the Christ", because it spreads unhealthy, outdated notions. Also, it was produced by a Christian fanatic, who impertinently went outside the normal Hollywood avenues to get his propagandistic movie produced. And besides, it’s a serious movie about Jesus, man! C’mon! No satire? No parody? No car chases or gunplay?
I mean, Mel, baby----if you’re gonna show us all that blood, have somebody gettin’ a cap busted in they ass!

Good: Government-funded "art" and "artists", which produce cool, spectacularly talented and socially positive works. Works like a crucifix suspended in a jelly jar of the artist’s urine; a lithographed print of the Virgin Mary smeared with elephant shit, and a similar image of "The Last Supper", using Photoshopped images of centerfold models from porno magazines. Toy soldiers (green---symbolic, no?), twisted and melted into surreal shapes, then glued onto a picture of President Bush, to portray a disdain for US military forces and recent actions.
Push that envelope! Push their buttons! Make’em think!

Bad: Any possible hint of government funding or backing of religious (read: Christian) groups and/or ideals, and of munitions factories, which produce the weapons used by the hated US military to defend the rights of those groups, and even the above-mentioned "artists", to do what they do.

Good: The First Amendment, because it can be used by liberals to speak out about and against the evils of the United States and of Capitalism and Conservatism.

Bad: The First Amendment, because it can be used by those Capitalist Conservatives to defend the United States, and to expose the idiotic hypocrisy of liberalism and its outdated, disproven Socialist ideals.


I’m sure I missed some. Anyone care to pile on?






















Comments (Page 1)
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on Mar 26, 2006
I’m sure I missed some. Anyone care to pile on?

Umm... scanning my brain.

Nope, you got them all. Nice work!
on Mar 26, 2006
Is this supposed to mean something? Do you have an AI that writes this stuff? You realize that you are just a mirror for the Col, right? You don't help conservative causes by writing stuff like this, you make a joke of them.
on Mar 26, 2006
Nope, you got them all. Nice work!
---singrdave

Thanks.

on Mar 26, 2006
Is this supposed to mean something? Do you have an AI that writes this stuff?


It's supposed to be irony, Sherlock.
To point out how virulently anti-American their views often can be, and how their side often supports causes that don't lend support each other.
Feminism and porn, for example. Good for women, bad for women; but liberalism avidly supports them both. I wouldn't call Hugh Hefner and Bob Guccioni conservatives now, would you? Yet, feminists hate them.

And no, I wrote it myself, and I think it stands up pretty well for what it's supposed to be and do. Thanks for the criticism, though.

You realize that you are just a mirror for the Col, right? You don't help conservative causes by writing stuff like this, you make a joke of them.


I humbly disagree; first of all, I'm not a one-trick pony. I can write on different subjects, some better or worse than others; he can't.
Secondly, I will accept and think on some things their side offers up. He rejects out-of-hand anything that doesn't fit within his own narrow mind's eye.
If I'm his mirror, then I'm the lighter image. Much lighter.

It's not meant to be a deep, ponderous political statement. This was meant to be mildly humorous, yet still to stick it to'em a little bit. What's wrong with that? We get it all the time from people (much more talented than me) like Bill Maher, John Stewart and Wanda Sykes. Lighten up, Baker. Geez.
on Mar 27, 2006
It's piling up around here, though, Rightwinger. I'm not saying that you aren't capable of more, on the contrary, when I read something like this is seems like a waste. The same for Dr. Guy and a half dozen others.

It isn't any of my business, but I am beginning to see the quality of Left-leaning articles overtaking the Right-leaning articles. You write what you want, it's none of my business, but it just seems that when there are so many valid targets, and so much talent to target them, stuff like this that can be so easily dismissed is a waste.
on Mar 27, 2006
It's definitely hyperbole, but still very cute and creative. Entertaining, Rightwinger.
on Mar 27, 2006
Entertaining, Rightwinger.
I trust you feel much better after this enema.

on Mar 27, 2006
It's definitely hyperbole, but still very cute and creative. Entertaining, Rightwinger
---Tex W.

Thank you, Tex.



I trust you feel much better after this enema.
---Steved

AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! Yeah, that's the stuff!



Baker, I get your pont, but the title itself begins with the words "For the fun of it", so it was for fun. Besides, you don't think some of the things I presented are valid targets? I mean, many of them DO see the American flag and symbols of patriotism and national support as tacky.
One of the very first articles I commented on when I came to JU was one by Myrrander, that said how the little ribbon magnets are tacky. Also, I remember seeing an episode of "Wife Swap" a while back where they swapped a conservative wife with a moonbat hippy. The con made the moonbat hubby put up an American flag, which he resisted, because he regarded them as "tacky".
Now, it's not meant to be entirely funny. I seriously think that a whole lot of them think this way. We see it every day.
If you can make them see it side-by-side, and in such a simplified manner, maybe some of them will begin to see their beliefs for what they are. Probably not, but hey, you knever know.
on Mar 27, 2006
The con made the moonbat hubby put up an American flag, which he resisted, because he regarded them as "tacky".


I reckon it's tacky as well. I know which country I come from; why on earth would I need a flag outside my house as a reminder to both myself and passers-by? It's as tacky as little plaster ducks, brown wall-paint and poorly painted sculptures. It's the blatancy and the sheer parochial nature of the gesture that makes it tacky, but it's also tacky because 9 times out of 10 you just know whoever's living there regularly says in conversation something excessively enthusiastic, probably in a hearty voice.

That and there's the whole, "I'm more patriotic than you because I have a flag and you only have good taste and common decency, nyer nyer nyer."

Of course I'm an aussie and only rednecks wear or associate themselves with the flag in my country; everyone else is either mildly embarrassed by its inclusion of the Union Jack or mildly embarrassed by the fact it's so closely associated with bogans and racial intolerance. Perhaps it really is different over where you guys live. You certainly seem to break it out for practically any occasion.
on Mar 27, 2006
Rightwinger, in his corner wearing Apollo Creed's colors from the original "Rocky" (the same shorts worn by Rocky in "Rocky" 3 and 4), glares across the ring at cacto. RW takes a deep breath and cracks his knuckles. He bounces a little on his toes and swivels his neck sharply, preparing to begin........

Well, cacto if MY nation had been founded and built by convict stock rather than wealthy, law-abiding, very intelligent, honorable and well-bred men, perhaps I'd be a little less than patriotic, too.
Is that where all the dumb names of cities, animals, rivers and such come from? They were so named by the moronic, illiterate dregs and castoffs of the Empire that got themselves purposely marooned on Penal Colony Australia?

See, we in America do, in fact, have more to crow about than most countries. Our country was founded from the ground up as a free nation, where people could do pretty much as they wished with their lives, not having to answer to a monarchy or dictatorship. It didn't have to evolve into that state; we were there from the very beginning, thank you very much. George Washington did not like being called "Your Majesty". He correctly pointed out that he was not a king, and was the first to insist upon being called "Mr. President".

The British Colonies that would be the USA overthrew (with a little help, granted) one of the largest, most powerful and skilled military forces in the world. We thumbed our noses at the King, and won. Twice. They burned our homes and government buildings and shelled our cities, but we won. Twice. That tacky flag was still there.

Then, our ancestors set about meticulously building what eventually became the greatest, most free, richest, noblest and most powerful nation in the world. Some say in the history of the world.
It's a nation that has been there more than once and in many capacities, to save the rights and freedoms, and even the very lives and property, of millions upon millions upon millions the world over.
We've willingly, time and again, offered up the lives, blood and bodies of our own to save other nations. We even helped save Australia, my friend. You'd be bowing to the Emporer right now if it wasn't for us. The Battle of the Coral Sea. Look it up. But we don't want your thanks, just your friendship.

People come here from all over the world for a better and fairer life than they had at home. They go to other countries, too, yes. But how many other countries can boast that they so openly welcomed immigrants and so freely made them a part of the fabric of their nation and its identity? Its strength and spirit?


That flag we fly is flown for pride, yes.....pride in our accomplishments as a nation and as a people. We're very proud of our history and of each other.

Call Old Glory "tacky" if you want, that's your right. But just know that it flew over not only the ruins of Ft. McHenry and the burning Preisdent's Mansion (the White House), but of Vicksburg, and of Atlanta. It was there over the ruins of both Imperial and Nazi Germany, Facist Italy and Imperial Japan.
It was the first foreign ensign to fly, for a while, at least, over the blood-soaked soil of North Korea. It flew over the embattled provinces of South Vietnam and the sands of Kuwait and Iraq, and is now there again.
It has flown over the soil of countries too numerous to name, during operations of rescue and missions of mercy.

So, other nations don't love their countries the way Americans do, huh? Well, maybe that explains why we've had to come save so many of your asses so many times.
on Mar 27, 2006
So, other nations don't love their countries the way Americans do, huh? Well, maybe that explains why we've had to come save so many of your asses so many times.


It's not about loving my country. It's about being extremely public about doing so. I love my country, but I see no good reason to wave flags about it. Instead I try and do what I can to make it a better place for everyone. A flag isn't enough.

But I think you took me too seriously. In the frivolous spirit of your article I wrote a frivolous reply. Where'd your sense of humour go?
on Mar 27, 2006
But I think you took me too seriously. In the frivolous spirit of your article I wrote a frivolous reply. Where'd your sense of humour go?


Where'd yours go? The first paragraph, in italics, was kind of meant to show that I wasn't being completely serious. Sorry if you took the whole thing cold and hard; it wasn't meant to be.

And no, a flag isn't everything. It's what's behind that flag that matters. But there's nothing wrong at all with showing love of country.
on Mar 28, 2006
Sorry if you took the whole thing cold and hard; it wasn't meant to be.


Well you did start out with calling me and my ancestors convicted criminals and move on from there, which is a common anti-Australian attack path for Americans ignoring their own past to knock Australia's (we were both penal colonies if you've forgotten).

But there's nothing wrong at all with showing love of country.


No, there's nothing wrong with it, but just like any public display of affection it always seems so terribly lower-class, dontchaknow. And naturally one wouldn't want to look like a peasant would one? That's what the descendants of criminals and foreigners do, curse their horrid ignorance of America's saving grace!

Or somesuch. I don't think this is going anywhere anyway, so I'm leaving it there.
on Mar 28, 2006
Is this supposed to mean something? Do you have an AI that writes this stuff? You realize that you are just a mirror for the Col, right? You don't help conservative causes by writing stuff like this, you make a joke of them.


Since you seem to have missed it...it's called "sarcasm".
on Mar 28, 2006

It's piling up around here, though, Rightwinger. I'm not saying that you aren't capable of more, on the contrary, when I read something like this is seems like a waste. The same for Dr. Guy and a half dozen others.

Thank you for the mention Baker.  But I believe your recall is somewhat selective.  And if someone wants to write a satirical article, why blast them?  Ignore them if you want.  JU is a large enough pond that everyone can splash and play without having to wallow in the waves of others.

You seem off your game of late.

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