Wednesday, July 13, 2005

On Discerning Your Elbow From Your Gluteus Maximus

 
Of the traitors and quislings in World War IV, Norm Geras says:
     So there are apologists among us. They have to be fought - fought intellectually and politically and without let-up. What is it that moves them to their disgraceful litany of excuses? This is doubtless a complex matter, but here are a few suggestions.
First, he says, there are those who see the terrorist murderers [my term] as an environmental hazard. Like killer bees, maybe. So this is the deal: you don’t disturb their nest, they don’t bother you. As he says, more or less, that’s one lame explanation.

Then, there are the America bashers:
    ...people for whom the discomfiture of the US is number one priority, who would therefore have been happy to see the Americans bogged down without reaching Baghdad and toppling Saddam Hussein, who have openly spoken their support for an Iraqi ‘resistance’ committing daily crimes against the people of Iraq.
Finally, there are what Mr. Geras (and I) would term the confused:
    ...there are others not of this ilk and who would be horrified and outraged - and rightly - to see themselves described as indulgent towards such ugly and murderous forces, but who employ the tropes of blame-shifting and excuse-making nonetheless...
In other words, this third group, this tertium quid, is more properly known as that group which cannot tell its ass from its elbow. They want to appear enlightened about the local political infighting while refusing to take sides because of their superior omniscient perspective. At least that’s my take on Mr. Geras’ view of this group — you know, the chattering classes, as in “Blessed are the sincere.”

Sincerity be damned, this is war, and it will be won by those on the side of truth, liberty, justice... and, oh, yeah, the Anglic Way — of which the American counterpart is just one via.

But don’t tell Superman.


hat tip: Roger Simon

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