General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHoly shit! New York Magazine doesn't pull any punches: Ron Paul Is a Huge Racist
By Jonathan Chiat
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/12/news-bulletin-ron-paul-is-a-huge-racist.html?mid=twitter_DailyIntel
<snip>
Around four years ago, James Kirchick reported a lengthy story delving into Pauls worldview. As Kirchick writes, Paul comes out of an intellectual tradition called paleolibertarianism, which is a version of libertarianism heavily tinged with far-right cultural views. The gist is that Paul is tied in deep and extensive ways to neo-Confederates, and somewhat less tightly to the right-wing militia movement. His newsletter, which he wrote and edited for years, was a constant organ of vile racism and homophobia. This is not just picking out a phrase here and there. Fear and hatred of blacks and gays, along with a somewhat less pronounced paranoia about Jewish dual loyalty, are fundamental elements of his thinking. The most comparable figure to Paul is Pat Buchanan, the main differences being that Paul emphasizes economic issues more, and has more dogmatically pro-market views.
<snip>
Theres way, way more of this in Kirchicks piece. The slight complicating factor is that Pauls newsletter was unsigned, so even though it purported to express his views, he can plausibly deny having authored any single passage personally. But the general themes of white racial paranoia are so completely pervasive that the notion that they dont represent Pauls own thinking is completely implausible. It is possible that another contributor could have snuck in a line here or there that did not reflect Pauls thinking, but they couldnt have set the consistent ideological line for his newsletter. Paul may be a dissident from the main thrust of Republican policy-making but this is not because hes more tolerant or more sensible than the leaders of the GOP. Its because hes crazier.
There are a few excerpts of the Paul newsletter in Chiat's brief piece. Here's one:
Kirchick's article is at TNR -- I no longer have a subscription so can't access the whole article. But for those who do, here's the link:
Angry White Man: The bigoted past of Ron Paul.
I'm so used to seeing political speech couched in double-talk & veiled innuendoes, I was amazed to see anything this blunt!
(Oops....ETA link to the Chiat article)
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)fishwax
(29,149 posts)butterfly77
(17,609 posts)Paul started gaining momentum with the uninformed somebody would finally get around to telling everyone who he really is, which many of us already knew.
The so called Mainstream media isn't worth a damn its a game for them and another book for all. Rand Paul is even worse but apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
I knew some were on his ass when he began talking about black people being imprisoned like he really,really gives a damn..
abelenkpe
(9,933 posts)Thank you for posting the article though. Ron Paul and his son are the creepiest scariest people in politics. Total fascists.
If he gets the nomination I will be sick. I know most people say that will never happen.....
Anatos
(179 posts)in the phrase "vile, delusional Paulites".
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Not always a fan of Chait's but he gets my thanks for telling it like it is. I thought this stuff was more common knowledge than it is. It needs to be.
gateley
(62,683 posts)step with him may very well hold the same views.
Today, they're saying that Ron Paul's numbers slipped after last night's debate because he was the only one who was against bombing Iran.
I've always found it interesting that I share some of the same views he does, but for totally different reasons. I'm nice, he's not.
mucifer
(23,538 posts)frogmarch
(12,153 posts)republicanz.
I hate racists.
ChadwickHenryWard
(862 posts)The impending race war? It's like having Charles Manson running for President. Wow.
fishwax
(29,149 posts)otohara
(24,135 posts)huge red flag!
grantcart
(53,061 posts)immoderate
(20,885 posts)--imm
DeathToTheOil
(1,124 posts)Funny how they only want liberty for some and not others, ain't it?
Ferret Annica
(1,701 posts)He talked about the newsletter in the last Republican debate disclaiming ownership of the hot button verbiage.
I was aware of this, and I welcome Dr. Paul becoming a front runner so this issue can be fully vetted. If there is much fire at the other end of this smoke, he will pay for it in support, so I am not too much worried about it.
I worked for Basic Rights Oregon when the Oregon Citizen's Alliance (OCA) turned homosexuality into a hot button wedge issue and we put the light of day on them and shut them down. So I have faith that if these writings turn out to reflect Ron paul's thinking, it will come out.
This forum does not like 9-11 being an inside job that the NeoCons, the Bush Administration, and possibly the israeli Government being responsible for to create the false flag that started the never ending wars since nano thermite blew up the World Trade Center and put a missile into the Pentagon.
So I won't tell you directly why I am cynical about President Obama's silence and my wondering what's up with that. But this mention should be enough to clue you in why I am underwhelmed and not much alarmed over these newsletters.
I believe there is something seriously wrong with this country. And we need a new independent investigation to feret out the truth on many things.
I really like President Obama, but the people who took power in the 9-11 coup are ruthless, so who knows how they have influenced the maintenance of a thin veil if plausible denial about what is happening.
Who know why we do not have the truth about JFK's murder, and the truth about the first coup attempt Prescott Bush was involved in when FDR was president, but I want to give you a post with a big enough shadow of my paradigm of belief to subtly show you why I am systemically alarmed and suspicious about what is going on.
I want the GOPer to win the nomination most likely to remove some of the control the NeoCons have on things and I want the truth out.
I have focused many posts on my alarm about the new laws allowing indefinite detention, torture and legal redress for of and for American citizens. now you know in a better why this is so.
Until I see more truth come out, I am done voting in the presidential race under most circumstances because too much truth is being with held on too many things.
In any event, that's for sharing, and i appreciate that you all care about this country and respect that. I do too.
Have a great holiday this month, and may we survive the next year and beyond.