An issue I will not write about

What a coincidence. A lot of people have been writing about something I vowed never to write about, as M. Simon Dave just did.

Sean Kinsell "wasn't going to post about it" but he finally did, saying that,

Today, you can't read any blog anywhere, it seems, without running into a discussion of [it].
I left a comment, and I see no reason not to quote my own comment, nor do I see any reason I should have to get into the exact merits of the underlying issue. (Plenty of others can, and have.) Here's what I said:
I have spent years explaining in detail what I don't like about social conservatism, and I have explained why I disagree with certain conservatives, and consider some to be so beyond the pale that they don't even qualify as conservatives. But it would be the height of arrogance to generalize about all conservatives because I can't stand (to name one example) Michael Savage. That would constitute unfair stereotyping -- precisely the sort of thing I call bigotry.

It takes a lot more time to spell out specific disagreements than to just create a big category and lump unrelated people together as "the right" but that's the way a lot of people think.

I'm against socialism, the war on drugs, the war on guns, the war on sex, the war on CO2, so I don't fit neatly into right or left, but as a libertarian I'm more right than left, although I am acutely aware that I don't meet the conservative litmus test. When it comes to voting, I hold my nose and vote for the conservatives. It gets a little tedious being considered a RINO, though. Or being told that you lack principles because you don't agree with other people's!

I can tell you what I think about any issue, but that does not solve the problem of what to call myself. To call myself a conservative would not be honest. Libertarian as a default position is about as accurate and honest as I can get.

I have said what I think and will continue, but I am too old for public tantrums. "Breaking" with "the Right" sounds melodramatic and histrionic.

I think that's all I really need to say about this.

MORE: As commenter Jim reminded me, Dave is not M. Simon! I should have looked at the name!

posted by Eric on 12.06.09 at 02:07 PM





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Hear, hear.

Dennis   ·  December 6, 2009 03:40 PM

It seems that today to be politically correct our values must change to the flavor of the day, every day if necessary.
Unfortunely most of the left do not even realize they have made a change because they do not remember yesterdays flavor.

Hugh   ·  December 6, 2009 04:09 PM

Just because one has a large microphone doesn't mean one knows what the hell one is talking about. That we subscribe additional wisdom to those with bigger microphones strikes me as troubling--it's the intellectual equivalent of assigning great wisdom to Britney Spears because lots of people know who she is.

William Woody   ·  December 6, 2009 06:07 PM

You must choose a team! You must! Because ... well, you must! Left or right! Good or evil! With us or against us! Paper or plastic! Shirts or skins! You can't choose "torn, shredded shirt" or "shirt loosely hanging off one arm." It's like Linus once said in a classic Peanuts: Sydney or the Bush.

Rhodium Heart   ·  December 6, 2009 06:59 PM

As a social conservative, I would like to point out that there are two (at least) varieties of us. The first wants to use every statute, ordinance, rule and regulation available to enforce our ideals. The second variety very much wants the major results the first variety does, but is awfully leery of using government force to accomplish any of them. I (and a lot of others) want to sound off and engage in peaceful polemics.
Okay?

Bleepless   ·  December 6, 2009 09:40 PM

Boy do I feel stupid. So Dave is M. Simon?
I agree with your comments on LGF. I will still look at it but disagree with a lot of it. Johnson does have excellent taste in music. It is worth visiting LGF just for that. Anything else is a plus.
Jim

Jim   ·  December 6, 2009 09:53 PM

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