Thursday, February 14, 2013

Culture War

Via Billy

 


By Lee Congdon, Ph.D.
 
To few Americans is Antonio Gramsci a familiar name. That is to be regretted because the work of the late Italian Marxist sheds much light on our time. It was he who first alerted fellow revolutionaries to the possibility that they would be able to complete the seizure of political power only after having achieved "cultural hegemony," or control of society's intellectual life by cultural means alone. His was an incremental, rather than an apocalyptic, revolution-the kind, that is, that we have been witnessing in the United States, and the Western world generally, since the 1960s. With this in mind, we ought not to treat the contemporary "culture war" lightly; the fate of what remains of civilized life may well be decided by its outcome. 

Few Leftists now adhere strictly to the original tenets of Marxism, or even to those of Marxist Revisionism, but, what is every bit as dangerous, they, like Gramsci, often succumb to a temptation that appears to be irresistible to those who dream utopian dreams: the passion for negation that often shades into nihilism. Utopianism and nihilism may seem to be antithetical, but they are not; both derive from the same source-undying hatred of the world as it is. 

Much of contemporary American culture has as its aim the trampling of moral and aesthetic standards that were once all but universally acknowledged, even when they were being violated. With few exceptions, contemporary movies, television shows, and popular music portray Judeo-Christian morality as laughable at best and tyrannical at worst. To hear them tell it, America is in danger of becoming a theocracy governed by the "Religious Right." This despite the fact that the reigning culture is pagan through and through. It therefore assumes casual or impersonal sex to be the norm; feeds the public's increasing appetite for sexual perversion; depicts all fictional tyrannies as "right wing"; and pollutes the public square with scatological language. Only in rare cases are the purveyors of this "culture" challenged; and then, like the egregious Howard Stern, they pose as persecuted defenders of free speech and command even more money. Almost no one-Judge Robert Bork is an honorable exception-has had the courage to make the case for censorship, in part because of the widespread, but utterly mistaken, belief that there exists a "right of free expression" that is absolute. 

Another oft-repeated, but spurious, argument against censorship is that "you don't have to watch (or read or listen to) it." Others, however, do and even those who are not motivated thereby to commit crimes-think only of the Littleton, Colorado murderers-are coarsened by it and thus contribute to a further lowering of public taste, with what consequences for individual, often young, lives we have reason to know. Those who can endure a veritable torrent of linguistic vulgarity will find Tom Wolfe's recent novel, I am Charlotte Simmons, instructive in this regard. 

Following Gramsci, Leftists know that Christianity remains the greatest obstacle to their total victory in the culture war. "The civilized world had been thoroughly saturated with Christianity for 2000 years," the Italian had written; something, he insisted, had to be done about that, and something has. The de-Christianizing of America and the West that he advocated is by now well underway. Inspired by the anti-Christian French Revolutionary calendar, publishers now insist upon the secular "B.C.E." (Before the "Common Era"-whatever that means) rather than "B.C." and "C.E." (the Common Era) rather than "A.D." Booksellers, popular magazines, and television treat with respect anti-Christian screeds such as The DaVinci Code. Courts, including the Supreme Court, declare most displays of the Decalogue to be "unconstitutional." The media repeat the mantra according to which Islam is "the religion of peace" (daily evidence to the contrary notwithstanding), find nothing to criticize in Buddhism, and remain "non-judgmental" concerning scientology and other cults, while at the same time they portray Christianity as the religion of "crusaders," bigots, and yahoos. Members of the Christian clergy have themselves joined in the relentless attack on orthodox Christianity. 

Few thoughtful people deny that we are living in a time of decline. Judge Bork entitled one of his books Slouching Towards Gomorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline. Pat Buchanan recently published The Death of the West. The only question that remains is: Is the decline reversible? There are a few signs of hope, including the much commented upon challenge to the "mainstream" media presented by talk radio, bloggers, and Fox News. That is something, but not enough. Gramsci counseled his side to begin a "long march through the institutions," by which he meant the capture of the cinema, theater, schools, universities, seminaries, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and courts. It is past time to begin a long march in a new and better direction.
 
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(Lee Congdon is professor emeritus of history at James Madison University, and a member of the Board of Scholars of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy, an education and research organization headquartered in Gainesville, Virginia. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the author and his affiliations are cited.)

YOU CAN'T BAN EVIL: A BLACK WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE ON GUN CONTROL

Via Cousin Bill


Father killed in Miami home invasion robbery while protecting little girl


 Miami Gardens Car Wash Owner Killed Trying To Stop Robbery (VIDEO) | The Billy Pulpit | Scoop.it

 Well, I'm ready.  Be there today.

As she slept Tuesday night, a real-life nightmare unfolded in an 11-year-old girl’s home.

Two men, heavily armed, broke into her family’s Model City home, demanded cash and then shot Maurice Renard Harris, 36, several times as he tried to protect his family.

The killers, with bandanas covering their faces, then fled.

“These men are beasts,” Miami police spokeswoman Kenia Reyes said Wednesday. “A little girl was asleep when she was surprised by the gunfire. The father was just trying to protect her.”

Watching the whole thing: Harris’ wife of six years, Shakila Stewart.

“He meant everything to me,” Stewart said. “He was my provider.”

During an emotional news conference at police headquarters Wednesday afternoon, Stewart pleaded with anyone who might have information about her husband’s slaying to come forward.

“It would mean the world to me and it would give [our] kids closure,” she said.

The couple also have a 15-year-old son who was not home at the time of the invasion.
Her husband had no enemies, Stewart said. “Everybody loved him.”

Your actions are the actions of a rogue organization supporting tyranny

Via Cousin Bill


Stock Gun Photo - OlympicArmsAR15preban


Yesterday, we reported that Olympic Arms drew a line in the sand, refusing to do business with any state or law enforcement employees in New York until they reverse their recent gun control measures.

Now, Olympic Arms has drawn another line in the sand, calling out the Fraternal Order of Police when they were solicited to advertise in a FOP publication.

The following was posted to Olympic Arms Facebook page.

Olympic Arms was recently asked to advertise in the FOP Journal; the official magazine of the Fraternal Order of Police. It is well known that the FOP is a staunch supporter of Gun Control, had backed the AWB under Bill Clinton, and supports the current AWB under consideration that was introduced by Diane Feinstein. The FOP was actually accredited as being one of the sources that helped prepare the language of Gun Control suggestions that were forwarded by Vice President Biden. Below is a copy of our response to the FOP Journal:

Please forward this email to every major principal in your organization. Note, the post was reformatted to better fit this website.

AS:

1. The Fraternal Order of Police is on Congressional Record as having been a major supporter of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban.

2. As a matter of fact and record, the FOP is accredited with assisting VP Biden in formulating the language of the newly proposed ban

3. Additionally, as a matter of fact and public record, the FOP is in support of the newly recommended Assault Weapons Ban introduced by Senator Feinstein.

a. FOP representatives were actually standing on the Stage during the presentation as a sign of “support”.

THEREFORE:

Olympic Arms, Inc, manufacturers of AR15 type firearms, firearms that these legislators would call “Assault Weapons”, will not be supporting in any way, shape, form or fashion, The Fraternal Order of Police, any organization that represents, supports, takes advertising dollars from, spends advertising dollars with, is in anyway related to, any individual who is a card carrying member of, or any person or entity in any way associated with the Fraternal Order of Police. Period.

Henceforth;

- Be assured that Olympic Arms will not rest in its efforts to educate our customers, fans and followers the extent of the hypocrisy committed by the FOP and FOP Journal (fighting to outlaw the firearms produced by the very companies they now solicit for advertising dollars…). You can also be certain that we continue to make every effort to properly educate the firearms consumer in general, of the same.

- Additionally, we will make continued efforts at assure that ALL firearms manufacturers are aware of the FOP’s support to strip Constitutional Rights from Americans, and their support of further unconstitutional gun control legislation.

- We pledge to inform all of our customers the lengths that the FOP and associated FOP affiliates by proxy (which includes all your advertisers)are willing to go to in order to strip the American Citizen of their Constitutional Rights, while at the same time writing in exemptions to the same legislation to ensure that their members maintain those same rights they would have stripped from others.

- Your actions are the actions of a rogue organization supporting tyranny, not an organization sworn to uphold the laws of the land, to protect, serve and defend their constituencies.

Let it be know, that your actions are reprehensible and shameful.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/12/vp-biden-says-he-needs-cops-help-to-reinstate-assault-weapons-ban-and-much-more/
http://www.guncite.com/aswpolice.html

Sincerely,

Thomas A. Spithaler
Sales & Marketing Dir.
Olympic Arms, Inc.
Read the full article here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Olympic-Arms-Inc/1142649219307...

Rightwing Extremist Zoo Creatures Through The Regime’s Eyes

 Unknown

In the not so distant days before the Regime takeover, being an American Rhodie, speaking your mind and living your life used to be called “being an American”.  That was then.  This is now.  As you Rhodies have surely read elsewhere, we’re the object of pretty thorough Regime scrutiny (e.g., West Point). Because it’s useful to know what your adversaries think of you, I was reading about us today through the Regime’s eyes, specifically their 7 April 2009 “Unclassified/For Official Use Only” U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis Assessment’s Extremism and Radicalization Branch’s Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment. Now, this spectacularly balanced and insightful piece of intel has already been thoroughly evaluated (and skewered). But at a remove of several years, it’s aging well.

And it was just absolutely too irresistible to help DHS out a little bit by annotating their report on us – only, I assure you, for the most strictly “Official Use Only”.  This, readers, is going to be FUN!

“This information is provided to federal, state, local, and tribal counterrorism and law enforcement officials so they may effectively…preempt…terrorist attacks against the United States. Federal efforts to influence domestic public opinion must be conducted in an overt and transparent manner, clearly identifying United States Government sponsorship.”

OK. Try not to spit out your coffee through a mix of fear and chortling here.  Preemption is what they do with drones to American citizens with no due process, right? Glad we got that one clarified. I have to hand it to them – they don’t hide the eight ball about what they’re up to. Likewise, give the Regime credit for being WICKED OVERT AND TRANSPARENT about its efforts to influence domestic public opinion, because their efforts couldn’t possibly be more obvious. There is still some work to do about changing the NYT masthead to “New Regime Times”, because that will more “clearly” identify FedGov sponsorship.

Minus 86 rating for SOTU speech

Via Daily Timewaster

 

 Bing.com had a page up for the State of the Union speech tonight that let users vote every five seconds throughout the delivery of the speech. You clicked a radio button for either Democrat, Republican or Independent, and another for either male or female, and then were enabled to vote every five seconds. Your voting choices were "very negative," "negative," "neutral," "positive," or "very positive."

The continually updated graphs showed a line chart of the voting trends for each of the affiliations and both sexes. And here they are at speech's end; these are the overall summary graphs.