Blowing Smoke - Michael Wolraich [173]
h
“Liberal Fascism.” My favorite quote from the book: “[Rudolf] Hess would bring his own vegetarian concoctions to meetings at the Chancellery and heat them up like the office vegan with some macrobiotic couscous.” Hess is surely rolling in his grave. (Jonah Goldberg, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, from Mussolini to the Politics of Change [New York: Doubleday, 2007]: 386.)
i
“Deep seeded hatred for white people.” A moment later, Beck backtracked: “I’m not saying he doesn’t like white people.” And then forwardtracked: “I’m saying he has a problem. He has a, this guy is, I believe, a racist.”
j
“Arugula and roast beef sandwiches.” Arugula, of course, has long been the leafy green of choice among basement-dwelling anticapitalist nut jobs, but the radicalization of roast beef is a frightening turn of events that should alarm beef lovers and cattle farmers across the nation. What’s next? Marxist corndogs?
k
“I invite all my friends to watch.” Facebook says: “18,639 people like this.”
l
“Fat camp.” O’Reilly returned the backhanded compliment, noting that he has “no beef with moderate liberal Americans who hold sincere beliefs and do not traffic in hatred,” unlike “George Soros and some of the loons on NBC.”
m
“Boston Tea Party.” The costumes are also different. While the original tea protestors in Boston dressed as American Indians, today’s Tea Party participants are more likely to don colonial garb. The gatherings sometimes resemble tours of the Liberty Bell and Constitutional Hall except that the Ben Franklin imitator carries a sign that says “NO Pubic Option [sic].”
n
DISCLAIMER. By reading THE FOURTH QUESTION, you agree that the author is not liable for any damages resulting from your reading of THE FOURTH QUESTION, either silently or aloud, including, without limitation, cleaning costs, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. THE FOURTH QUESTION: What specific job is the president asking me to do?
o
Jim Greer resigned several months later amid accusations of financial mismanagement. As he left, Greer blamed right-wing opponents for sabotaging him on account of his support for moderate governor Charlie Crist. These opponents may have been concerned that Crist would facilitate Obama’s socialist indoctrination of America’s children. (Jane Sutton, “Florida Republican party chairman quits amid splits,” Reuters, 5 Jan. 2010, http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60458520100105.)
p
“Unprecedented address.” Actually, the address had been “precedented,” once by Ronald Reagan, who educated kids about the Boston Tea Party, “America’s original tax revolt,” and twice by George H. W. Bush, who informed kids that saying no drugs “won’t make you a nerd.” (Ronald Reagan, “Remarks and a Question-and-Answer Session with Area Junior High School Students,” Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, 14 Nov. 1988, http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1988/111488c.htm; George Bush, “Address to Students on Drug Abuse,” The American Presidency Project, 12 Sep. 1989, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=17509.)
q
Oliver Cromwell’s Puritans later burned down the Globe and outlawed theater in all of England. They also banned Christmas trees (too pagan), caroling (too Catholic), and nativity scenes (too idolatrous). Now that’s a war on Christmas.
r
“Not even Superman.” Wertham did not present his views on the physics lesson offered by a red-suited man who rides a flying-reindeer-drawn sleigh to the home of every Christian child in the world within twenty-four hours, bearing gifts for each one. Nonetheless, Wertham’s work influenced the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency to subpoena comic book publisher William Gaines. Though the subcommittee did not blame Gaines for any crime, the negative publicity forced his company into bankruptcy.
s
By 1976, Falwell had changed his point