An Open letter to conservatives
 

Of course, your miles may vary


Dear Conservative Americans,

The years have not been kind to you. I grew up in a profoundly Republican home, so I can remember when you wore a very different face than the one we see now. You've lost me and you've lost most of America. Because I believe having responsible choices is important to democracy, I'd like to give you some advice and an invitation.

First, the invitation: Come back to us.

Now the advice. You're going to have to come up with a platform that isn't built on a foundation of cowardice: fear of people with colors, religions, cultures and sex lives that differ from your own; fear of reform in banking, health care, energy; fantasy fears of America being transformed into an Islamic nation, into social/commun/fasc-ism, into a disarmed populace put in internment camps; and more. But you have work to do even before you take on that task.

Your party -- the GOP -- and the conservative end of the American political spectrum have become irresponsible and irrational. Worse, it's tolerating, promoting and celebrating prejudice and hatred. Let me provide some examples -- by no means an exhaustive list -- of where the Right as gotten itself stuck in a swamp of hypocrisy, hyperbole, historical inaccuracy and hatred.

If you're going to regain your stature as a party of rational, responsible people, you'll have to start by draining this swamp:

Hypocrisy

You can't flip out -- and threaten impeachment - when Dems use a parliamentary procedure (deem and pass) that you used repeatedly (more than 35 times in just one session and more than 100 times in all!), that's centuries old and which the courts have supported. Especially when your leaders admit it all.

Hyperbole

You really need to disassociate with those among you who:

* assert that people making a quarter-million dollars a year can barely make ends meet or that $1 million "isn't a lot of money";
* say that "Comrade" Obama is a "Bolshevik" who is "taking cues from Lenin";
* ignore the many times your buddies use a term that offends you and complain only when a Dem says it;
* liken political opponents to murderers, rapists, and "this Muslim guy" that "offed his wife's head" or call then "un-American";

History

If you're going to use words like socialism, communism and fascism, you must have at least a basic understanding of what those words mean (hint: they're NOT synonymous!)

You can't cut a leading Founding Father out the history books because you've decided you don't like his ideas.

Hatred

You have to condemn those among you who:

* call members of Congress n*gger and f*ggot;
* elected leaders who say "I'm a proud racist";
* state that America has been built by white people;
* say that poor people are poor because they're rotten people, call them "parasitic garbage" or say they shouldn't be allowed to vote;
* call women bitches and prostitutes just because you don't like their politics ( re - pea -ted - ly );

Written by Russell King

^^^^ Short version, the main link contains the whole letter with hyperlinks

http://rzhblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/strawman.jpg
ORLY?

Really.

Make sure you read it.

Makes sense as long as the liberals are receptive to receiving such an open letter. None of them are better than the other.

exactly

I agree. My grandfather always used to ask why there were so few horses in the world and so many horses' asses.

The ass has to fit the horse.

LOL
sounds like something my grandfather would say.

OMFG.

Now that I know that: Conservative = Evil and Liberal = Good - I will change my views. From now on I will be a liberal.

Thank God for Russell King. What a breath of fresh air. Hallelujah! I have seen the light!:rolleyes:

I hate when people use the terms "conservative" and "Republican/GOP" interchangeably, because I don't feel that most Republican Policats are terribly conservative anymore. I, in most cases, wouldn't vote Republican because they aren't conservative enough. Although, I'd be even less likely to vote Democrat.

Not to get in an argument with anyone but I disagree with the "fear of color". Originally it was the "conservative" party that supported the freedom of slavery. I don't believe you should associate racism with any party, a party doesn't decide color, a person is the one whos afraid of it. I will make it clear though that I do not agree with any "I am A Proud Racist" crap from any elected official.