November 16, 2016

"Fear has won. We are all scared."

Writes Maajid Nawaz at The Daily Beast in "Keith Ellison Is a Muslim—and the Man to Lead the Democrats Into the Future/The Democratic Party leadership needs to learn from Hillary’s flop and Bernie’s message. One man stands out as the voice of tomorrow."
Fear has won. We are all scared. But as this mourning process moves from denial, to grief, and on to acceptance, we liberals, not just in the United States, but globally, must begin to consider how to regroup, reform, and resurrect.

That resurrection cannot come without a realization that the Democratic Party establishment has had its day. They blew it, big time....
Fear has won. We are all scared.

Remember when Democrats used to say ""The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"?

Was that only for when a Democrat got elected? When a Republican gets elected... go for full-out fear-mongering.

And, I know. I'm sure Nawaz would contend that it's Trump who scared everyone, and the anti-Trumpers are simply observing all the fear that he created. FDR, likewise, saw that fear existed and sought to do something about it. He didn't deny that there was fear, and he even stirred up fear, one particular variety of fear: the fear of fear.

IN THE COMMENTS: Larry J said:
I know something of fear. Back in 1976, I was a young paratrooper getting ready for my 8th jump. Something bad had happened on my previous jump. I narrowly avoided being seriously injured. Now, waiting for my next jump, my imagination kicked into hyperdrive. We boarded the plane and climbed, heading for the drop zone. Soon after the "six minutes" call, we were told to "Stand Up!". We went through the drill. "Hook up." "Check static line." "Check equipment." "Sound off for equipment check." And then we waited. My fear was building on itself and I briefly considered unhooking and sitting down. That would've been the end of me as a paratrooper. I looked ahead to the door and saw my battalion commander was at the head of the line. He was eager to go. In that, he taught me the true meaning of leadership. He got me to do more than I thought I was capable of doing. The green light came on, the jumpmaster gave the order, and we all went out the door. Once outside, it was fun again.

Fear builds on itself if you let it. You have to be its master or it will dominate you. Perhaps some of those snowflakes truly are afraid of Trump. Perhaps they've believed the exaggerations and created some of their own, letting their fear build like compound interest. They can give in to their fears or they can learn to face them. Of course, there are those who benefit from sowing fear in others. Whether it's the latest doomsday prophesy or, as in this case, fear mongering to gain political power, they're the arsonists lighting fear's fires. What you do with them is up to you. 

110 comments:

PatHMV said...

The left continues to try to portray the right and the folks who elected Trump as ANGRY and resentful. That's no it. We're just tired of the direction they seem to have been trying to take the country, and want to go in a different direction. That and fed up with this continued insistence that we're racist and sexist if we don't sign on to the left's political agenda 100%. But mostly we just have different approaches to the problems that face us.

The constant insinuation that we're "bitter people, clinging to [our] guns and [our] religion" is just another lie. One day, I hope, the left will see what they've been doing and stop. My hopes are not high, but that's what I hope.

Laslo Spatula said...

"But as this mourning process moves from denial, to grief, and on to acceptance, we liberals, not just in the United States, but globally..."

Lie back and think of Brexit.

I am Laslo.

Hagar said...

Besides being a Moslem, is not Keith Ellison also fairly famous as a crackpot?

Sydney said...

I don't think that Muslim and fear thing is going to work out too well for the Democrats. If they want to concentrate on fear, probably best not to put a Muslim in charge. Because deep in their hearts even leftists fear the Islamic agenda more than they fear "Christianists".

David said...

We are seeing a gigantic wave of projection by the moaning lefties. It would be funny if it weren't so dangerous.

David Begley said...

Keith Ellison has a long and troubling relationship with the Nation of Islam. This guy is the person to lead the Dems to more losses.

rehajm said...

After a week this is the emerging political strategy for Democrats. Part one: Hire professional protesters to organize and incite rallies that hopefully lead to 'violence', burn a few buildings in Democratic friendly police jurisdictions and call it 'racism'.

Part two: Parade leftie talking heads on the talk shows pointing to the statistical increase in violent episodes as all Trump's fault and proof of his illegitimacy.

Ignorance is Bliss said...


Keith Ellison Is a Muslim—and the Man to Lead the Democrats Into the Future

Makes sense. As President Obama said,

The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.

traditionalguy said...

Teachers take the students from where they are on into the next stage of learning a subject. They cannot assume students are ready to go on until they show that they have a knowledge base.

Imagine the fear in the students who find they are disconnected from a needed knowledge base. But that is where the Democrat PR Firms called The Media have taken them and dumped them. And it's scary.

So they are going all out today branding Britebart with evil names in hopes no one learns where to find the missing knowledge Base by clicking there.

What if they do and read and hear Milo and the free people? The world could awake from its trance, lose its fear and be free to enjoy the pursuit of happiness.

dreams said...

Watch this video of Larry Summers on CNBC this morning, beginning at 1:52, these liberals live in a bubble.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/larry-summers-trumps-economic-plan-is-ill-designed-and-harmful.html

TrespassersW said...

Did anyone ever ask Obama about those who slander Christianity?

Laslo Spatula said...

There are those who always fear others being free.

I am Laslo.

Lucien said...

Roosevelt's inaugural address concluded that sentence with "nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance". He was telling people that the conditions existed for recovery from the depression if only they weren't too scared to take positive action. The purported fear of the left now is something completely different. Of course, if you came into the country illegally or remained in it illegally, then you may have to face the consequences of your action and conscious decision to do so. Being afraid of that is rational.

Bay Area Guy said...

The Leftist Mind

1. The polls convinced me that Hillary would win, and I was HAPPY.
2. But Trump won
3. So, I am shocked, upset and AFRAID
4. I will therefore go join thousands of like-minded folks in protest. He is not MY president
5. Some of the protests devolve into riots and property damage, and personal injuries.
6. But that is not my fault, because I am AFRAID, and Trump is making me AFRAID.

MadisonMan said...

The fear and anger is mostly on the left -- they have been cast out of power, deservedly -- and don't know how to get back. Adrift at sea, powerless, with no clear idea on how to get back to shore.

The NYTimes tries to cast the angry as the people on the Right, focusing on the very small minority that is always there, and always angry.

Laslo Spatula said...

The applicable Dylan:

So don’t fear if you hear
A foreign sound to your ear
It’s alright, Ma, I’m only sighing

I am Laslo.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I saved this quote, but I neglected to remember the author (a commenter here.)
Hope it's ok that I quote you...

The big lefty meme:

"I am afraid of you, therefore you are immoral and must yield your strength to me so that I may change reality to accommodate my needs."

CJinPA said...

Try to think of the last significant GOP victory that was not portrayed ominously...

1980 Reagan's Election
1994 GOP Wins House Majority
2010 Tea Party Midterm Victories
2016 Trump's Election

My whole life, every significant GOP victory was portrayed as a defeat for America. Interesting, no?

Larry J said...

I know something of fear. Back in 1976, I was a young paratrooper getting ready for my 8th jump. Something bad had happened on my previous jump. I narrowly avoided being seriously injured. Now, waiting for my next jump, my imagination kicked into hyperdrive. We boarded the plane and climbed, heading for the drop zone. Soon after the "six minutes" call, we were told to "Stand Up!". We went through the drill. "Hook up." "Check static line." "Check equipment." "Sound off for equipment check." And then we waited. My fear was building on itself and I briefly considered unhooking and sitting down. That would've been the end of me as a paratrooper. I looked ahead to the door and saw my battalion commander was at the head of the line. He was eager to go. In that, he taught me the true meaning of leadership. He got me to do more than I thought I was capable of doing. The green light came on, the jumpmaster gave the order, and we all went out the door. Once outside, it was fun again.

Fear builds on itself if you let it. You have to be its master or it will dominate you. Perhaps some of those snowflakes truly are afraid of Trump. Perhaps they've believed the exaggerations and created some of their own, letting their fear build like compound interest. They can give in to their fears or they can learn to face them. Of course, there are those who benefit from sowing fear in others. Whether it's the latest doomsday prophesy or, as in this case, fear mongering to gain political power, they're the arsonists lighting fear's fires. What you do with them is up to you.

Henry said...

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"

That's logically consistent, if you are running against fear.

Clinton forgot to fear fear itself.

Fear won.

She should have feared fear itself.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I find that allusion to the work of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross to be offensive, but it would be wrong of me to wish for something genuinely bad to happen to him to set him straight.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Roy Jacobsen said...

Did anyone ever ask Obama about those who slander Christianity?

No need to ask. Here is the full paragraph from President Obama's speech:

The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam. But to be credible, those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of Jesus Christ that are desecrated, or churches that are destroyed, or the Holocaust that is denied.

So he appears to be an equal-opportunity opponent of free speech.

Paco Wové said...

Saw this on the Internets recently:

The Democrats haven't been so upset since the last time we freed their slaves.

Paul said...

Nawaz is a pussy... not the grabbing kind, just the weak kneed liberal kind.

Bill said...

The beginning of a long, overwrought post I saw on Facebook this morning:

The Knock at the Door
We are here again. Night has fallen. It is 1933.

Mike Sylwester said...

Remember when Democrats used to say ""The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"?

You never should quote Franklin Delano Roosevelt. After all, he interned our country's Japanese residents during World War Two.

The Japanese-Americans who are in the Democratic Party are there not because of Roosevelt, but in spite of him.

Bob Boyd said...

This Brit is right when he says the Dems blew it by clearing the way for Hillary, but his assumption Bernie would have done better is highly debatable to say the least.
And that seems to be the basis of his argument the Dem party should move even further left. It seems to me the Dems are in trouble high and low and they don't have a much of a bench because they purged moderates and promoted lefties for the last 16 years at least. That was a big problem for Hillary. She couldn't satisfy her young lefty base and attract the middle of America at the same time.

dbp said...

The new Democratic catchphrase: The only thing we have...is fear itself.

Etienne said...

Home of the Brave

Well, except for those in fear...

Ignorance is Bliss said...

AprilApple said...
I saved this quote, but I neglected to remember the author (a commenter here.)

Clayton Hennesey

( Quick tip: you can google search for the quote ( in quotation marks ) followed by site:althouse.blogspot.com and it finds it no problem )

Michael K said...

The NeverTrumpers are almost as bad as the lefties. Now, we have alleged libertarians whining about the debt.

[Donald Trump] has no plans to reduce the drivers of our future debt," says Mercatus Center Senor Fellow and Reason columnist Veronique de Rugy, "and these are Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid." While it's still too early to suss out the details of Trump's plan, the fact that he "has no plan to reform entitlements shows that he's not serious about the current situation."

There is this thing called "getting the economy growing again." I used to pay attention to her.

He's been elected 8 days and they are still counting votes.

Mike Sylwester said...

A couple months ago, the ubiquitous word was dark. All the pundits pontificated that Trump's presence in the political scene was dark.

Now the word that they all parrot is fear.

If you have read one of these Scientific Progressive pundits, then you have read them all.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Fear has won. We are all scared.

Boo!!

:-D

AllenS said...

I'm starting to be disappointed in Trump. I could have swore that by now I'd be able to start shooting people.

rhhardin said...

They're scared people will say what they notice instead of being intimidated into silence by leftists in charge.

If Trump can do it, who's next?

MAJMike said...

They're only worried about their phony-baloney jobs.

Curious George said...

"Keith Ellison Is a Muslim—and the Man to Lead the Democrats Into the Future"

Allahu Akbar!

Laslo Spatula said...

"...a realization that the Democratic Party establishment has had its day. They blew it, big time...."

Captain America: You know Billy, we blew it.

I am Laslo.

MikeR said...

I didn't see one word about how Keith Ellison is _competent_. Just a description of being black, and Muslim, and progressive. Today and Tomorrow's Democratic Party.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Watch the first 6 minutes of this.

Podcast With Glenn Loury and John McWhorter.

Fear - it's trumped up on the left. They hide behind it to commit assault.

Michael said...

There are more comments on social media, always written in all caps (the signature of crazy people), that have the words scared, terrified, afraid, alarmed, panicked.

I have never been happier.

Roughcoat said...

The left continues to try to portray the right and the folks who elected Trump as ANGRY and resentful. That's no[t] it.

Actually, that is it -- at least for me. I am angry and resentful of the left and what the left has done to our society, culture, republic, and civilization. The left has been waging a war to the knife against us, against people like me (which includes, evidently, many of the people who post here). The left has been engaged in a ruthless and tyrannical pursuit of domination. So here's the thing, you lefties: you should be afraid of us. Because turnabout is fair play. And I'm going to do my best to fair play you into oblivion. I'm after your destruction. You've proven that you're an infestation that will show no restraint much less mercy in your pursuit of power and domination. I'm going to return the favor, good and hard.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Thanks - Ignorance is Bliss. and Clayton Hennesey.

jaydub said...

Maajid Nawaz is so terrified of Trump that he pens an article in the Daily Beast announcing "fear has won." Has it? Would someone who is really afraid of Trump be drawing this kind of attention to himself? I'm raising the bullshit flag on this one.

mikee said...

Larry J, your description of the effect of leadership on those being led is wonderful.

I have had good leaders, bad leaders, and mediocre leaders. The best of them inspired great performance by their own actions and their high expectations of others. The worst of them demonstrated that the only thing of importance to them was themselves.

Kieth Ellison is a leader - if you want to be led to dhimmitude and socialist totalitarianism. In that case, he will do what a lot of Democrats want. Let them choose him, and let the market decide if anyone else wants that.

Somehow I suspect former President Obama will have a much larger role to play in the Democrat Party than anyone now suspects. What else is he going to do, start a charity and peddle influence?

mikee said...

Larry J, your description of the effect of leadership on those being led is wonderful.

I have had good leaders, bad leaders, and mediocre leaders. The best of them inspired great performance by their own actions and their high expectations of others. The worst of them demonstrated that the only thing of importance to them was themselves.

Kieth Ellison is a leader - if you want to be led to dhimmitude and socialist totalitarianism. In that case, he will do what a lot of Democrats want. Let them choose him, and let the market decide if anyone else wants that.

Somehow I suspect former President Obama will have a much larger role to play in the Democrat Party than anyone now suspects. What else is he going to do, start a charity and peddle influence?

damikesc said...

I've noticed that no Dems, still, have asked their partisans to stop rioting. Obama hasn't, Hillary won't. Ellison won't either. They have abdicated their position of authority in the US as thoroughly as possible.

The left continues to try to portray the right and the folks who elected Trump as ANGRY and resentful. That's no it. We're just tired of the direction they seem to have been trying to take the country, and want to go in a different direction. That and fed up with this continued insistence that we're racist and sexist if we don't sign on to the left's political agenda 100%. But mostly we just have different approaches to the problems that face us.

It's almost funny since THEY are the ones rioting and destroying stuff in a near week-long temper tantrum tacitly supported by the DNC.

There is this thing called "getting the economy growing again." I used to pay attention to her.

In their defense, the debt has always been a massive concern for the Libertarians. I really don't like the idea of a massive infrastructure bill, but if it includes fixing and modernizing our embarrassingly old and fragile electrical grid, I'll give it a shot.

Quaestor said...

"... Because deep in their hearts even leftists fear the Islamic agenda more than they fear "Christianists"."

I see no evidence of that. If one judges them by words and actions one must conclude the opposite. Keep in mind that Keith Ellison was a leading voice in the Bush did 9/11 bullshit market.

Besides, this seeing into hearts thing doesn't belong in politics. We just witnessed how insidious that can be. If the Democrats weren't so enamored of seeing into hears they never would have nominated Hillary. In fact the Clinton campaign of 2008 would have booed off the stage.

AllenS said...

I don't live that far from the Twin Cities of MN. I've followed (somewhat) Keith Ellison for quite a while, because he's in the news, and he always tries to be relevant. If he's one thing, it is a constant name changer. He's more than likely, a Muslim in name only.

AllenS said...

... and he isn't using any of his Muslim names now. Fraud.

khesanh0802 said...

Same kind of madness that brought Obama to office and look what that did for the Dems and the country. I have nothing against Ellison other than he is young, inexperienced and a career politician. It appears that Nawaz missed the part about what happened to career politicians this year. It will be another 6 months before the Dems really face the facts of the damage that has happened since Obama, Reid and Pelosi undemocratically rammed through Obamacare. Until the Dems face the reality that this is a centrist country they will continue to underperform. Millennials will grow up and become middle class citizens who will not find the call for endless increases in taxes very attractive.

The "fear"is nonsense. The wimps believing their own propaganda. Unless you're an illegal immigrant there is very little to fear from Trump's administration - unless you break the law in some other way. Are they afraid that they may have to get a job or that they may have to be responsible for their own actions? Those are probably the greatest fears in that crowd.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
buwaya said...

Actually Farrakhan / Nation of Islam sort of supported Trump.
Or didnt oppose him.
A very interesting development I thought at the time, but not made much of in press commentary.
This may be yet another factor affecting black turnout that no pundit has caught onto yet.

Laslo Spatula said...

From 'The Community of Color Gazette':

"Man of Color Overheard Telling People They Are Overreacting"

Kirk Jackson, a Black Man of our Community of Color, was overheard at his local bar saying "Get a grip, people. You're all acting like a bunch of crybabies and pussies."

Tyla Lane, bartender at the Backside Blackside Bar, confirmed Mr. Jackson's statement.

"People in the bar are all crying about how they're all afraid and sh*t. Kirk just got tired of hearing it, that's all."

Kirk Jackson added to his statement.

"People's acting like it's the end of the world. When people busted the window of my 1982 Ciera I didn't go all crying and sh*t. F*cking pussies, you feel me?"

Bob Ellis, a fellow patron at the bar, disagreed with Mr. Jackson's remarks.

"Kirk, he thinks he knows everything 'cause he's old. He doesn't see how sh*t is going to change real bad this time."

Mr. Jackson responded to Mr. Ellis' statement.

"Bob, he thinks he knows sh*t because he reads the Internet. The boy needs to grow up and get a pair, you know what I'm saying?"

When informed of Mr. Jackson's latest statement Mr. Ellis had this to say:

"Get a pair? I got the biggest you ever seen, old man. I could take you out back and whup your ass for saying that sh*t."

Mr. Jackson responded to Mr. Ellis' latest statement with an invitation.

"Try it, boy. I'll beat you down like a prison bitch. You wanna go out back, let's go out back, Brother."

Mr. Ellis rejected Mr. Jackson's invitation.

"Whoah. I didn't mean to start anything, man. Sh*t is just f*cked up, you hear?

So there it is: a Story of Change in our Community of Color. For more stories like this please read 'The Community of Color Gazette'.

I am Laslo.

Clayton Hennesey said...

Things like the fetishization of Steve Bannon and the promotion of Keith Ellison leave one almost believing that the Democrats have formally adopted a program of self-loathing self-punishment as penance for losing.

"We are sorry, so sorry, President-elect Trump. We concede Hillary was not enough, could never be enough to debase us to the extent we truly deserve. Will you accept our humble offering of Keith Ellison as a small token of our ongoing self-sacrifice?"

mockturtle said...

Lie back and think of Brexit.

Good one, Laslo! ;-)

mockturtle said...

The Democrats have lost their shit. Totally.

Anga2010 said...

Q. What should we be fear.
A. Fear itself.
Begging the question.

Curious George said...

"mikee said...
Somehow I suspect former President Obama will have a much larger role to play in the Democrat Party than anyone now suspects. What else is he going to do, start a charity and peddle influence?"

Probably right, and the left has handcuffed themselves against Obama who is responsible for the decimation of the Democratic Party, who had the greatest Federal and State electoral looses in modern history. I mean we have heard over and over that challenging his in any way is racist.

Browndog said...

What needs to be addressed immediately and forcefully is the panic and fear these leftists are instilling students.

I'm not talking about the College Snowflakes-

I'm talking about the elementary, Middle, and High School students.

khesanh0802 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rick said...

Hagar said...
is not Keith Ellison also fairly famous as a crackpot?


Ellison was (is?) a local leader in the Nation of Islam, a political cult.

Ellison claimed on live TV George Wallace was a Republican.

Ellison referred to 9-11 as a "Reichstag Fire", implying it was committed by the American government.

Ellison advocated on behalf of murderers Mumia Abu Jamal, Sharif Willis, Assata Shakur, and Kathleen Soliah/Sara Jane Olson excusing their murders for political reasons and pretending they are/were political prisoners.

Ellison organized anti-semitic speeches, supported the speakers, and made anti-semitic comments himself (like "Jews are the most racist white people").

So to sum up he seems a fairly typical left wing activist.

khesanh0802 said...

@Mockturtle To pick up from another thread: Last night I was fantasizing Jim Webb as Secretary of Defense. He's got the brains, courage and experience to be a good one. He is a former Marine so I would have to give him a break!

When I Googled Webb to check my memory of his USMC status I came upon a 24 minute old CBS headline: " Will Jim Webb be Trump's Secretary of Defense?" I sure hope the answer is yes.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

There's a hideous monster scaring the kids. The monster is the DNC-Media-Academic complex. Here comes the monster again. It's now looking at us and saying, "Stop scaring the kids!"

Wince said...

Billy: I'm scared Poncho.

Poncho: Bullshit. You ain't afraid of no man.

Billy: There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man. We're all gonna die.


Birches said...

A bunch of well off people are the ones going on about fear. This is so ridiculous. How patronizing!

Quaestor said...

What else is he going to do, start a charity and peddle influence?

I see Obama as one of our more lazy presidents. Consider the number of national security briefings Obama has attended in relation to the rounds of golf he has played.

The next two years are going to be tumultuous for the Democrats. They have no leader of national stature that has a hope in hell of uniting what remains of their constituency. Ellison is trying to fill that void, but he will fail. As a Muslim he'll have an uphill battle with women.

Among women there is a rapidly growing political tendency which can be called post-feminism. These are women who are still concerned with matters relating to economic opportunity and reproductive rights but are uneasy with the feminist label. Older members of this group, Camille Paglia comes to mind, still use the descriptor in the vain hope of wresting something honorable from the likes of Rebecca Schoenkopf, but younger women are less and less likely to even identify themselves as feminists per se. That doesn't mean they are at all friendly to the kind of servility Islam demands. Far from it. The post-feminists are much more likely to openly condemn the burka and sexual predations of Bill Clinton than the most securely tenured professor of "Wimins Studies" at Vassar. Consequently I predict that Ellison will rapidly fade in his bid for influence, closely followed by the non-entity formerly known as Tim Kaine.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

I've been telling the bed wetters they should be scared. I've heard KBR has put out bids to built camps in Louisiana and Texas.

mockturtle said...

khesan posted: @Mockturtle To pick up from another thread: Last night I was fantasizing Jim Webb as Secretary of Defense. He's got the brains, courage and experience to be a good one. He is a former Marine so I would have to give him a break!

When I Googled Webb to check my memory of his USMC status I came upon a 24 minute old CBS headline: " Will Jim Webb be Trump's Secretary of Defense?" I sure hope the answer is yes.


When Trump's campaign emailed me a survey on cabinet posts, I suggested Webb as Secretary of Defense. I added, 'Yes, he is a Democrat but he'd be good'.

Rick said...

Backstory on Ellison.


Louis Farrakhan's First Congressman

Peter said...

"Fear has won. We are all afraid."

Perhaps, but, can you own your own fear?

Did Trump somehow make you afraid, or is it just your own imagination running out of control?

Surely the relevant question isn't whether you're afraid, but whether you're threatened. Are you? By what?

DanTheMan said...

>>Try to think of the last significant GOP victory that was not portrayed ominously...

>> 1980 Reagan's Election

Exactly right. My wife's family were crying on election night in 1980, because, as every Democrat knew, Reagan was going to start a nuclear war with the USSR. Reagan was insane, and the only real question was WHEN he would destroy civilization.

Her parents scared the hell out of their children, and blamed a Republican. Sound familiar?



mockturtle said...

Ellison. LOL! The Dems can find more ways to commit suicide than a squadron of kamikaze pilots.

CJinPA said...

What needs to be addressed immediately and forcefully is the panic and fear these leftists are instilling students. I'm not talking about the College Snowflakes- I'm talking about the elementary, Middle, and High School students.

I serve on a local school board, and on Monday night, for the first time ever, a student speaker used the word "micro-aggression."

I politely gave the young lady a brief history of what such talk has done to college campuses. Yes, school kids are influenced by this.

FullMoon said...

Larry J said...

I know something of fear. Back in 1976, I was a young paratrooper getting ready for my 8th jump......

My fear was building on itself and I briefly considered unhooking and sitting down. That would've been the end of me as a paratrooper......
I looked ahead to the door and saw my battalion commander was at the head of the line. He was eager to go.......

The green light came on, the jumpmaster gave the order, and we all went out the door.


There can be no courage without fear. Some people expressing "fear" of Trump convince themselves they are courageous for facing it and overcoming it. This is one reason to have little respect for protesters and rioters. Few seem to face real consequences. The pros in the crowd know how to create the most chaos while staying out of harms way.

Sebastian said...

"Fear builds on itself if you let it." Except leftist "fear" is just manufactured outrage. It doesn't "build on itself"; it is carefully nurtured for political ends.

Keith Ellison is perfect for the Dems: how could middle America possibly reject a leftist Muslim? Because shaming the yahoos worked out so well the first time.

But it does illustrate their dilemma: unadulterated leftism is one of their few options to bring coherence and passion to the party after the Clinton debacle, even though cooler heads will realize that it could be disastrous.

Achilles said...

@Larry J:

At jump school the air force sent one of the members of their running team. She run the 2 mile in around 10 minutes and wasn't even really trying. Our first jump at jump school she lawn darted and broke both ankles.

The scarier story was being on ground detail and watching one of my friends jump out and his chute cigarette rolled. He had to deploy his emergency.

A lt. wore those stupid ankle braces they give us and he snapped his leg mid shin right at the top of the brace when he landed on the runway on an airport seizure.

For "legs" out there if you static line jump don't reach for the ground with your feet. Keep your knees bent and muscles loose.

lgv said...

Once again, faced with lousy choices, the Dems will solidify their move to the left. I can understand not choosing Howard Dean, but this will only alienate the groups they lost even further. Hard core Dems and leftists will be happy, but you have to get a slice of the independent middle to win.

tim in vermont said...

Jim Webb must know damn well that if he hadn't been cowed by the DNC, he would be President Elect right now.

tim in vermont said...

Bernie wasn't cowed.

Roughcoat said...

Very mixed feelings about Jim Webb. Trump can do better.

tim in vermont said...

The Dems are becoming the Green Party. I don't know why Jill Stein bothers.

Rick said...

tim in vermont said...
Jim Webb must know damn well that if he hadn't been cowed by the DNC, he would be President Elect right now.


Not true. Core Dems reject Clinton because she's (incorrectly) seen as too moderate. Webb never would have drawn enough support to win the primary.

Etienne said...

In the military we had a funny saying: "That guy is having a bad day."

Which usually meant "that guy" was dead or severely crippled.

The other saying was: "As long as it isn't you, it's a good day."

It's kind of a selfish thing, but emphasizes the fact that we have no control over what finally kills us.

As Patton said, "Death may be more exciting than life." At least the Bible tells us so.

Jupiter said...

I really, really, really, hope that all their fears are more than justified.

But I have my doubts.

buwaya said...

Whatever Webbs qualities, he is a lousy politician. Low energy as Trump would say.

furious_a said...

Battlespace prep:

Democrats email blast "fear and anger" talking points.
Rump media go with "fear and anger" angle.
Democrats email blast "people are feeling fear and anger" talking points.
Rump media go with "people say..." angle.
Democrats email blast "we must not live in fear and anger" talking points.
Rump media go with "Republicans must..." angle.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

William said...

I think if Democrats choose Ellison, the choice will be meant and interpreted as a fuck you to white working class voters. Those are the ignorant pricks who elected Trump, and it's about time the Dems brought forward a spokesman to tell these jerks how stupid and bigoted they truly are.

furious_a said...

Bernie wasn't cowed.

Ahem, Ned Stark was trotted out only once to pledge allegiance to Joffrey. Bernie was the Court fool.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

Once again, faced with lousy choices, the Dems will solidify their move to the left.

It's who they are. They'll have to go through at least one presidential election cycle before anyone even remotely capable of pretending to be a centrist will have any influence in the party.

A few Democrats are calling for reaching out to disaffected white working class voters, but that means giving up that delicious feeling of moral and intellectual superiority. Even worse, it means giving up on Globalism and, as President Obama has told us, Globalism is inevitable.

I came upon this clip by chance on youtube yesterday. I think it captures leftist thinking on nationalism quite well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZltSUBw_hW0

Note the WWII era Marine uniform is called a "costume" and is treated with "silent contempt." People wearing that uniform died due to outmoded, barbaric beliefs that will be left behind in the future.

The really amusing thing though is that Gene Rodenberry, the creator of the original Star Trek and leftist himself, was a B17 pilot during WWII.

There is no doubt that JFK could not get nominated for president in today's Democrat party. That's why all party hacks and the MSM colluded to get Hillary the nomination. She might be corrupt and have less charisma than a rutabaga, but she could pretend to be centrist after winning the nomination, and who else would a Democrat vote for? Trump!?!?

Turns out they could.

furious_a said...

If you do not master your fear, Fear will become your master -- the Sphinx.

Matt Sablan said...

Could we just move them through the anger phase?

Owen said...

Sebastian: "...But it does illustrate their dilemma: unadulterated leftism is one of their few options to bring coherence and passion to the party after the Clinton debacle, even though cooler heads will realize that it could be disastrous."

Word. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

To expand on that just a bit: if your platform consists of independent (and competing) planks, each being an interest group with a tastily specific agenda that you can speak to, you may achieve short-term success. But then the planks begin fighting with each other (sorry for the bad image, my Metaphor Manager (TM) is malfunctioning) and you end up with a lot less than you thought, and all of it unstable.

Compare that approach with one based on finding common ground to protect Core Values and address Deep Problems. Automatically you get your "planks" to align with each other. Rivalry there will always be, but it is much, much better directed.

IMHO.

Matt Sablan said...

"My whole life, every significant GOP victory was portrayed as a defeat for America. Interesting, no?"

-- Heh, skipped "selected not elected."

This is why, though, I don't worry too much about these protests. These are exactly what we'd have seen if Romney won, I think. Maybe not to this scale, since they've had four more years to strategize/prepare, but I'm sure we'd be hearing about racist Romney ginning up fear in immigrant communities just like this.

This is why the left should moderate their language; because maybe this is a legitimate anti-Trump protest. But, it sounds, looks and feels exactly like any generic "Republican We Don't Like Won" protest.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

I just realized that I'm old enough to remember when people on the left talked about how the Internet would enable people to bypass the corporate media and communicate directly, allowing them to overcome the entrenched interests and bring about change, as a good thing.

Matt Sablan said...

Ron: Same thing as with the Tea Party, when the left thought that grassroots movements to throw out incumbents was a good thing. Once the other side used their talking points/strategies to get better results for a different kind of politics, they realized that, instead of a grassroots movement, it was "the politics of hate and division."

hombre said...

Keith Ellison is a perfect choice for today's Democrats and for tomorrow's Republicans. Wait and see.

As for fear, Trump voters are not snowflakes. Like all liberals, this guy is projecting. Angry? Perhaps. Concerned? You bet! But Peggy Noonan hit one out of the park when she noted "we are being patronized by our inferiors."

We are tired of it.

Big Mike said...

Note to Maajid Nawaz, there's a lot of fear going around. Sean Trende has noted that in last week's election evangelical Christians made up 26% of the electorate but gave 81% of their votes to Donald Trump, versus 23% of the electorate and 78% for fellow evangelical Christian George Bush in 2004. Wait! Trump? Mr. Womanizer? Got 81%???

Trende thinks it's because the Christians were scared. Trende lists examples of why they are afraid and rightly so; I recommend you go read the article (which starts out as a point by point takedown of The Emerging Democratic Majority by John Judis and Ruy Teixeira so you have wade through some "this is what they wrote" and "this is why it seemed plausible" to get to "this is why it failed, miserably, in 2016).

If Nawaz thinks that the right thing to do is double down on that fear by

Ignorance is Bliss said...


Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. --Yoda

Of course, the dark side is the quick way to power, and the left is perfectly happy with fear, anger, hate, and suffering, if it will bring them power.

Bruce Hayden said...

Keith Ellison may be the worst possible choice for DNC chair that the Dems could pick. Or, at least close. Every time he went on TV to represent his party, we would be reminded by his race that the Dems are the party of BLM cop killers, and by his religion that they are also the party of Islamic terrorists. And, by his sex, that they are no longer the party of women.

Webb may get be a good one to reach across the isle with. Dems have been doing that with the Defence post for awhile now. We shall see.

Not maybe mentioned here, but apparently Ted Cruz spent five hours in Trump Tower, an hour apparently with Trump himself. Only post I can see him seriously considering is AG (he would do well at Solicitor General, with his SCOTUS record, but I don't see him giving up his Senate seat for it). A lot of people seem to think that he would do a credible job of draining the swamp that the DoJ has become after eight years of Obama, Holder, and Lynch.

Roughcoat said...

Flynn would be a good SecDef.

Larry J said...

coupe said...
In the military we had a funny saying: "That guy is having a bad day."

Which usually meant "that guy" was dead or severely crippled.

The other saying was: "As long as it isn't you, it's a good day."

It's kind of a selfish thing, but emphasizes the fact that we have no control over what finally kills us.


The best example is from the movie "Full Medal Jacket" where the Marines are saying farewell to their dead.

mockturtle said...

Bruce, why not Cruz for SCOTUS?

Big Mike said...

Finishing my thought ...

If Nawaz thinks that the right thing to do is double down on that fear by putting Ellison in as the public head of the Democrat party then she doesn't really get what America is all about.

rehajm said...

Of course, the dark side is the quick way to power, and the left is perfectly happy with fear, anger, hate, and suffering, if it will bring them power.

Well than, what is time again?

richardsson said...

What Bruce Hayden said about Keith Ellison. Here we go again. It's back to the future. If Hubert Humphrey fails, why not try George McGovern? Except McGovern was actually a likeable guy.

Anonymous said...

Blogger richardsson said...
What Bruce Hayden said about Keith Ellison. Here we go again. It's back to the future. If Hubert Humphrey fails, why not try George McGovern? Except McGovern was actually a likeable guy.

11/16/16, 4:02 PM
---------------------------------

Fer Gawd's sake, lets not try and talk them out of it. It will be fun to watch.
If Ellison doesn't get it, he can cry 'racism' and 'islamophobia'.

JamesB.BKK said...

"If Trump can do it, who's next?"

Marine Le Pen. This will break the back of the Euro-leftist EU project and the goal of a few controlling superstates (or just one), to which no voting majorities ever agreed.

BN said...

Lazlo: "There are those who always fear others being free."

Because they have "nothing left to lose", right?

Anonymous said...

When being a victim means you win, people will claim to be afaid of everything.