Article

2011-01-28 Home Front: Culture Wars

Lurid moonbat fantasies, and what they leave out

James Taranto, "Best of the Web" @ WSJ

America's liberal left is preoccupied with salacious fantasies of political violence. These take two forms: dreams of leftist insurrection, and nightmares of reactionary bloodshed. The "mainstream" media ignore or suppress the former type of fantasy and treat the latter as if it reflected reality. This produces a distorted narrative that further feeds the left's fantasies and disserves those who expect the media to provide truthful information.

In a Los Angeles Times op-ed piece, socialist author Barbara Ehrenreich defends socialist sociologist Frances Fox Piven, who has recently been criticized, most prominently by Fox News Channel's Glenn Beck, for advocating violence in the service of left-wing aims. Ehrenreich claims that Piven was merely urging "economically hard-pressed Americans" to "organize a protest at the local unemployment office." In fact, as we noted Monday, what Piven urged in the pages of The Nation was--these are her words--"something like the strikes and riots that have spread across Greece."...

The dishonesty of Ehrenreich's piece is shocking, but it isn't even the most bizarre thing about it. She begins by bemoaning the absence of grass-roots activism in America....Ehrenreich's explanation is America has become "a tyranny of the heavily armed." Americans don't get politically involved because they're afraid of getting shot. The implication is that if only the government would take away Americans' guns, Americans would be able to grab their Molotov cocktails and rise up against the government, or for the government, or something.

But wait. How has it escaped Ehrenreich's notice that the past two years have seen the greatest flowering of grass-roots democracy in America since the civil rights movement? We refer, of course, to the Tea Party movement. To be sure, you won't see any Molotov cocktails at a Tea Party gathering. You may see some guns--a normal part of life in most of America--but they will be borne lawfully and not used violently.

Since the Tea Party advocates individualism and not socialism, we may assume that Ehrenreich strongly disapproves of it (as does her pal Piven). But to bemoan the dearth of grass-roots activism in America without even acknowledging the Tea Party's existence suggests a detachment from reality bordering on the clinical....

Posted by Mike 2011-01-28 08:30|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ] Top

#1 How has it escaped Ehrenreich's notice that the past two years have seen the greatest flowering of grass-roots democracy in America since the civil rights movement?

1) It doesn't fit her preconceived notions of what a grass-roots protest movement would be (always, ALWAYS has to be leftist, because there's no other kind! Her colleagues in the sociology department are QUITE sure of that, and they simply CANNOT be wrong!), and 2) even more offensive, they won't quote her approvingly....or buy her overrated books.

Posted by Swamp Blondie 2011-01-28 09:01|| 2011-01-28 09:01|| Front Page Top

#2 America's liberal left is preoccupied with salacious fantasies of political violence. These take two forms: dreams of leftist insurrection, and nightmares of reactionary bloodshed.

Their enemy is America??? After scanning the article I said to myself, there's not enough therapy in the world to remedy what's wrong with the left. The left is completely bonkers.

Posted by JohnQC 2011-01-28 10:26|| 2011-01-28 10:26|| Front Page Top

#3 Why is it so hard for journalists to remember that their job is to tell the truth?

It's ironic that Taranto attempts to scold the "mainstream media" with a leading question based on false assumptions. Legitimate journalists only have an obligation to tell the facts. It's up to the consumer to decide what is the truth. Apparently Taranto has yet to contend with his own set of fantasies

Posted by DepotGuy 2011-01-28 11:25|| 2011-01-28 11:25|| Front Page Top

#4 Why is it so hard for journalists to remember that their job is to tell the truth?

Because the money/career path in journalism is writing clever and snarky opinions. If you write the truth, your career is going nowhere.

Posted by Frozen Al 2011-01-28 12:08|| 2011-01-28 12:08|| Front Page Top

#5 Because the money/career path in journalism is writing clever and snarky opinions.

Then the Burg should be in the money..

If you write the truth, your career is going nowhere.

..oh, that explains it. Time to hit the tip button this weekend then.

Posted by Procopius2k 2011-01-28 12:33|| 2011-01-28 12:33|| Front Page Top

#6 A prime example of the "Lurid Moonbat Fantasy" is the idea that the leftists can take over the major cities and force their will on the rest of the country. Modern cities are remarkable easy to kill since NONE of them are setup to withstand a siege. They get their food from the outside and have less than 1 week's supply on hand; they get their water from outside sources that are easily cut; and they get their electricity, natural gas, and gasoline from the outside, which are easy to deny them. Have a city like Chicago get cutoff from access to outside power and food (Lake Michigan could provide somewhat potable drinking water), and see how long they last, especially in the winter, in the cold and dark.

Posted by Shieldwolf 2011-01-28 16:48|| 2011-01-28 16:48|| Front Page Top

#7 I'm down for it, but can we start with Vegas?

Posted by secret master 2011-01-28 19:49|| 2011-01-28 19:49|| Front Page Top

#8 Have a city like Chicago get cutoff from access to outside power and food (Lake Michigan could provide somewhat potable drinking water), and see how long they last, especially in the winter, in the cold and dark.

Okay, I'm in! Let's do it!

Posted by Secret Asian Man 2011-01-28 19:51|| 2011-01-28 19:51|| Front Page Top

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