Values gone haywire: Conservatives and their misplaced moral indignation

[babylonsister]

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/6672

Values gone haywire: Conservatives and their misplaced moral indignation
by Dennis Rahkonen | Apr 10 2007

Bill O'Reilly came perilously close to popping brain vessels when he went nuts vs. Geraldo Rivera over "illegal" immigrants a few nights ago.

Not having seen a full-blown, crazed rant in quite awhile, I was definitely entertained.

But then I started thinking.

How can some souls risk a stroke by raving about the purported evil of hungry people without documentation crossing an imaginary line on the continent's face in a desperate attempt to put food on their tables -- and deem it a heinous crime -- but remain mute over the staggering international illegality, and monumental ethical travesty, of George Bush attacking Iraq without provocation or honest cause?

And then occupying the destroyed country forever, as terrible death rates endlessly mount.

Sure, the political Right's moral selectivity is largely manipulation for partisan purposes, but it's also how conservatives actually feel.

It's the same thing with their bizarre fetus fetishism.

more...

[unpossibles]

1. because they are racists?

seriously. It's hard to get indignant about starting a war in some other country full of brown people they may have to kill. At the same time, letting brown people into the country is a sin, and letting white people not have babies (through contraception and abortion) is also a sin, because it means them brown folk will outnumber the white folk. Also a sin.

Capital punishment? It's mostly brown people who get killed, so it's ok.

Katrina? check.

Social Security and medical insurance? Ok, this is more about class than race, but they are related. I guess in their minds a rich black person is better than a poor white person, obviously, especially if they can buy their loyalty with positions of power and threats (like Bush calling Gonzo "Fredo" which to me was a subtle threat to not turn on him or he will meet a similar fate).

Is there an issue dear to the right that does not fit this?

Evolution? That means those brown folk are related to those white folk. Can't have that.

Yes, I know I am oversimplifying, but I don't think I am by much.

[Demeter]

2. There's Probably a Few More Wrinkles In This

Teritoriality: my violating your living space is okay, you violating mine isn't.

But get real--expecting ethics and altruism and empathy from stone(head)s is asking too much!

[unpossibles]

4. I know. I liken it to the Reptilian Cortex (or R Cortex conveniently enough)

which is the ancient part of the brain responsible for territorial aggression and other Republican behaviors.

;)

http://www.psycheducation.org/emotion/triune%20brain.htm

[valerief]

3. These wingnut media noisemakers wouldn't have an audience if it

weren't for the White House and the military mess halls.

[Rydz777]

5. Iraq and Mexico

I agree with you completely about Iraq, but the Mexico situation I think is complicated.There is a long urge in American history to absorb both Mexico and Central America (e.g. "William Walker, President of Nicaragua.") NAFTA was a move toward economic absorption of Mexico and has resulted in the mass migration of poor campesinos who found they could not compete with the North American agro-conglomerates. The migration has also robbed Mexico of much of its own work force. Entire villages have been depopulated. One way take over a country is to criple it economically and then transplant a large part of its population.