A lot of people are snickering about this pronouncement from Newt —
“I have two grandchildren — Maggie is 11, Robert is 9,” Gingrich said at Cornerstone Church here. “I am convinced that if we do not decisively win the struggle over the nature of America, by the time they’re my age they will be in a secular atheist country, potentially one dominated by radical Islamists and with no understanding of what it once meant to be an American.”
As Joe Klein said, “There is genius in this: no other human had located the secular humanist wing of radical Islam before.”
But of course, the imagined collusion of the communist-atheist axis with the Islamist-jihadist axis has existed in rightie imagination for awhile, even though it makes no rational sense to assume that jihadists would have anything to do with atheists, communist or otherwise.
But, y’know, it doesn’t matter. On the Right, the only classifications that matter are Us and Them. And if you ain’t an “us,” you must be a “them.”
It really is amazing the Newt, Haley and Michelle really think they’re presidential timber. Maybe they see the black guy do it and think, “Well, if he can do it, I can surely do it”. Even Trump, seriously. Good for Obama, bad for the slight chance that they could win and then we would be in serious shit.
Newt aught to concern himself more with the possibility contracting an STD.
Newt is what… 65, 66? That would be 55 years from now. Wow. Not quite sure what my point is, but it seems weird to be thinking that long term. You know, those grandkids could also turn out to be secular all by themselves because they see how stupid their grandfather is and how valueless he really is.
Newt’s ignorance aside, I fear that the kids around me today – let alone his grandkids – have an ever diminishing idea of what it once meant to be an American.
Moonbat, I think that today’s kids have seen a few generations glorify and live the American dream of Me, Me, Me. We haven’t asked anyone to make a sacrifice for anything in decades. We have glorified the wealthy and the business/corporate owners to the point where greed runs our country. While it’s fun to bitch about the kids, the most egregious are the adults of today, who in most situations, are kids themselves. Whole generations of people who don’t know how to be a parent. Friends of mine had a problem getting their teenage daughter to school on time, as in she was routinely HOURS late. Couldn’t get her out of bed. They literally couldn’t figure out what to do. When I gave my rather harsh assessment, they were shocked that I would really take away her car and not call her in excused at school. And these are smart, pretty decent parents. I think we have some major issues, but it’s not the kids, it’s the adults. Gingrich being one of the more egregious examples of the grown up child who thinks he can do whatever he wants without taking responsibility. Really Newt, you loved your country so much you cheated on your wife.
Newt would much prefer his grandchildren live in a country dominated by radical Christianists who have no understanding of what it once meant to be an American. You know, like now.
I don’t mean to be cruel by saying this. It’s just a fact..They are shallow thinkers. Not necessarily shallow people but, thinkers.
They understand only their worldview, or whatever one wants to call it. Everything else is just wrong. Even entertaining something else is a sin. It makes them the masters of herd identity. It comes from their authoritarian nature. As a result they lump all their fears together and it makes perfect sense to them. They really do live in an alternate reality.
They have already dismissed me and tens of millions of others as not real Americans. They harken back to the 18th and 19th century as the ideal. It truly did serve us well for some time. Now centuries later it is a far,far different world and things happen that would have never been anticipated, let alone even imagined, centuries later. Much is still applicable, including much that has been lost along the way(can you say Patriot act) but we need to claim the future not the past. I think we can actually be a far better nation than when it all started. That certainly isn’t the case now. Big money runs everything, pretty much around the world, and robs us and manipulates us at will. That power structure must come down for us to all have an opportunity at our highest ideals.
It sickens me to think that any child has to call that skeezebag “Grandpa.”
I still say that American men who make the statement about Islam taking over America insult American women. Unfortunately, I think the end of America will come when the last feminist dies. The young women of today haven’t known the sexism I grew up with; as a result, they could lose everything my generation fought for and won if they don’t look up from their computers long enough to see what is going on. The anti-secular thing is something I have seen most of my life; but, it had lessened some until the moral majority started organizing all the so-called Christians. Right now, I am very apathetic about the future of America after I die; but, I have no children. And, the number of stupid Americans seems to increase every day. Thank you, Fox News. Blogs like this one are about the only hope for a better future.
Radical Islam won’t have any chance in America anyway, what is it like 2% Muslim? Stamp out that religion crap along with Christianity. Secular atheism sounds good.
Oh, Bonnie! I concur. When NPR apparently thought I’d enjoy an interview with Phyllis Schafly while I was driving home from work yesterday, I just decided that was that. No more. WTF.
I suspect that if there’s a secular humanist wing of radical Islam, then there might be compassionate wing of rightious Christians.
But I wouldn’t waste my time looking for either of them.
“But, y’know, it doesn’t matter. On the Right, the only classifications that matter are Us and Them. And if you ain’t an “us,†you must be a “them.—
There are two distinct levels to the ‘Us against Them’ mechanism. On the obvious level you see it on big-button issues. There are stale old ones – burning the flag & prayer in school. Those aren’t turning out the brainless like they used to so they are cooking up new monsters under the bed to frighten the voting ignorant conservative masses. It’s easy to dismiss the antics as foolish. But beware.
At a different level, there’s the most brilliant, organized and malicious campaign against American democracy that the country has faced since the Alien & Sedition Acts were passed by John Adams. The voting rights of students are under attack. Voting rights of people who are not property owners are being questioned. The rights of the worker to organize. The right to BE a citizen of the US – even if you were born here. These are happening and they are NOT being discussed. Behind the curtain the man pulling the levers is moving to the big prize. Irrevocable immunity from taxation. That’s the game. And they are winning.
Doug,
I suggest we suspend “Godwins Law” for the duration of this “Long Economic and Political War.”
It can be reinstated once the battles are over.
What say the rest of you?
“Newt aught to concern himself more with the possibility contracting an STD”
Excellent point, but you know he only fucked around on his cancer riddled first wife because he was so preoccupied with saving the republic, he only cheats because he loves this nation so much!
I’d like to know what Nuet is prepared to do to stop the secular atheists (my hand is raised) along the Islamists from taking over? Does he want to outlaw such behavior? Someone should ask him. But of course Nuet doesn’t really give a rat’s ass about this subject it’s all about getting a good result in Iowa. I’d wager he really has no intention of actually winning anything he just wants the spotlight, if he gets enough PR it will extend his swollen head pundit career for a few more years. I mean what other skill does this waste of oxygen really have?
Sounds like Newtie is auditioning for the lead in a remake of The Handmaid’s Tale:
“The Handmaid’s Tale is set in the near future in the Republic of Gilead, a country formed within the borders of what was formerly the United States of America. It was founded by a racist, male chauvinist, nativist, theocratic-organized military coup as an ideologically-driven response to the pervasive ecological, physical and social degradation of the country. Beginning with a staged terrorist attack (blamed on Islamic extremist terrorists) that kills the President, a movement calling itself the “Sons of Jacob” launched a revolution, ousted Congress, and suspended the U.S. Constitution under the pretext of restoring order. Taking advantage of electronic banking, they were quickly able to freeze the assets of all women and other “undesirables” in the country, stripping their rights away. The new theocratic military dictatorship, styled “The Republic of Gilead”, moved quickly to consolidate its power and reorganize society along a new militarized, hierarchical, compulsorily-Christian regime of Old Testament-inspired social and religious orthodoxy among its newly-created social classes.”
ronspri wrote:
I don’t mean to be cruel by saying this. It’s just a fact..They are shallow thinkers. Not necessarily shallow people but, thinkers.
They understand only their worldview, or whatever one wants to call it. Everything else is just wrong. Even entertaining something else is a sin. It makes them the masters of herd identity. It comes from their authoritarian nature. As a result they lump all their fears together and it makes perfect sense to them. They really do live in an alternate reality.
I saw a terrific movie the other day, I AM. It’s autobiographic – about how a successful, well-off Hollywood director (he did a lot of funny movies, Ace Ventura, Bruce Almighty…) – woke up to the shallowness of his life, and how he began a quest to find out why the world is in such a mess and what could be done about it. He took a film crew on this quest, and interviewed people like Thom Hartmann, Noam Chomsky, Desmond Tutu, and others.
A great deal of the movie deals with the way science has come to understand how we’re all connected at a very deep level, and how we really are wired to be our brother’s keeper. Identical to what every serious spiritual teacher has talked about throughout recorded history. In other words, how science is validating much of the basis for the liberal worldview. It isn’t a political movie, but it has political implications.
I quoted ronspri’s succinct comment above to talk to one point that’s sort of known but which needs to be more universally understood, and the movie discusses this. When people are afraid, they can’t think. The whole basis behind conservativism – despite all their protests and defensive reactions to the contrary – is fear, which shuts off the mind’s ability to think – hence the shallow conclusions we’re treated to by the likes of Newt and everyone on that side. It’s all about fear, and not about thinking. That’s why these people sound like unread idiots and why they have no humor (unless someone is suffering).
The movie ends very hopefully, because if we really are all deeply interconnected, then every good act, no matter how small, has an effect. This is why it’s called “I AM” – an unfortunate choice IMO, given the Judeo-Christian associations with that phrase. Everyone should see this film (I hope to see it again today), but it will probably be hard to find, even in the larger metro areas – but do check the (dreadfully slow) website’s schedule to find a screen near you.
moonbat,
Maybe it’s not just fear by itself, but a fear to really think about who they are.
Because if they could think about themselves, really think, they’d realize what shallow, craven, hateful, ignorant souls they possess compared to others around them – unless, of course, those others are of the same ilk. And that’s where the herd mentality comes in.
Their hatred for others is really just a projection of their hatred for themselves.
Need I mention all of the closeted homosexuals in the Anti-Gay movement as an example?
Anyone notice that in every recent interview Newt has begun every one of his ‘answers’ with “I’m 67 years old.” This is Newt’s way of assuring us that since he’s allergic to Viagra, by default, he’s going to keep it in his pants in future.
Have I been banned from this site? My latest comment didn’t make it on. Just asking.
Oh no, of course not. Sometimes the spam filter bounces stuff without my knowing about it. I see that your comment uses the word v * i * a * g * r * a, and that will get them bounced.