Okay, so, as usual, I was reading the Opinionjournal.com's Best of The Web Today, edited by columnist and author James Taranto, and I happened upon this story:
Jeff Morrissette, an "organizer" for the far-left group MoveOn.org's California chapter, claims to have discovered the Roe effect before we did. In an article titled "Red Babies, Blue Babies, Liberals Need to F--- More" (the link, which uses the actual obscenity in the headline--so be warned--is here), Morrissette says that "in casual conversation over the last decade or so I have been putting forth the theory that domination by cultural and religious conservatives is going to increase in coming generations simply by the fact that they are breeding faster"
After reading this blurb, I decided to follow the link and read the whole article. I noticed that the site Moveoncalifornia.com is calling Morrissette's article "satire." Here is how Dictonary.com defines the word "satire":
sat·ire Audio pronunciation of "satire" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (str)
n.1. A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.
2. The branch of literature constituting such works. See Synonyms at caricature.
2. Irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity.
Alright, that works for me, but I'm just not sure what Morrissette is satirizing; the fact that conservatives have more babies, or that liberals have less? Is it "folly," "vice," or "stupidity" to value family in general and children in particular, or is he referring to his fellow liberals who seem to be selecting themselves for exctinction?
Don't know about you, but I know which side I would rather fall on.
Personally, I think Morrissette's article proves two key points that conservatives have been emphasizing in recent months:
- Democratic leaders and hard-line liberals in general are completely clueless on the subject of values.
- Liberals like Morrissette have no idea of what a family is all about.
Here's a clue, it's not about f-----g! Creating and nuturing a family is about love, committment, and selflessness. First of all, the whole process of pregnancy is miraculous, and a journey unto itself. After your children are born, life changes completely.
And not just because your kids demand your full-time attention, but also because you love them with a deep and abiding love that motivates you to try and make the world a better place for them. I was talking to my new boss today (who used to be my old boss, but that's a different story), and she was telling me how much she was loving being a grandmother. She said to me, "they just give me so much joy!" I nodded my head in complete understanding and I didn't have to say a word; we both knew.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - spiderleaf
Truly sorry your mother passed, but you are just dead wrong about liberals and values.
Alot of liberals in the 70's chose not to have more than one child because they were concerned about the state of the planet (humanity's family) and over-population (my mother being one of them). Unfortunately for liberals, the conservatives in the south and midwest had no such reservations. Liberals are now starting to recognize this and to encourage larger families.
And you may not like the term f---ing to describe sex, but it is an act of sexual intercourse which is necessary for procreating (and has been added to the dictionary as a part of our common language now).
btw - isn't it interesting that the largest number of divorces occur in Red states... you know, the ones who value family so much...
2 - spiderleaf
oh... and I would assume conservatives would be on board with liberals having more children... more cannon fodder for the insatiable war machine.
3 - spiderleaf
okay, I can't let this truly insulting argument go...
One of your arguments is that liberals have no clue as to what it means to be a part of a family, and you use the example of the family gathered at your mothers bedside to stress the point. Do you not realize how ridiculous your assertions are? Do you truly believe I didn't feel immense pain and loss when first my father and then my mother passed away? Do you think my family didn't gather and cry and mourn and gain strength from each other? Or am I just delusional and don't really understand what family is about?
You may understand some things, but your ability to feel compassion for anyone who doesn't share your views is strikingly absent.
Quick comparison of "liberal" vs. "conservative" values in child rearing using two quite polarizing examples...
Chelsea Clinton - never once had a reported incident of getting into trouble. Graduated from top flight universities and now has a good job in NYC. She is an acomplished public speaker and travels extensively as a goodwill ambassador.
Okay, so now the Bush twins...
What is it they've acomplished other than getting drunk and partying again?
(I couldn't care less what the Bush twins do with their lives because it is theirs... unfortunately conservatives don't seem to have the same reservations when discussing liberal's children... and conveniently overlook all the faults of conservative children when it contradicts with their world view)
4 - JR
I'd rather die alone. Why would I want an audience? Sounds kind of narcissistic to me.
5 - Matt Egan
Spiderleaf, agreed. Liberals are clueless about "conservative" values, which in their mind are the only values that exist or are important. David--is WAR a conservative value? Can you break down for me all of the "values" that liberals are "clueless" about?
You'll hear all of this BS about how Jenna Bush is teaching in an inner city charter school, and what a brave decision that is. Excuse my skepticism, but this is a completely orchestrated ploy by a fully orchestrated administration.
David--I have kids too. Conservatives don't have the market cornered on having fulfilling lives with their families. Your story about your mother is cheapened by your sanctimonious, self-righteous attitude.
6 - Steve S
Actually, people in blue states, which usually contain hubbubs of technology and major corporate centers, tend to wait until they are farther down their career path before having families. When you're in Skeetersville, Tenn. and you just landed the bag boy job, there isn't much left to do there but breed.
Seriously, David, you know me. The commenter formerly known as Boom. I had parental urges that drove me down a 5 year road of legal, medical and psychoanalytical traffic jams, but I presevered and did FAR more than most anybody has to do, all for the love of family and for creating a child.
And my daughter's family is denied the equal legal and social footing that your daughter automatically gets. And the reason I'm told is that 'man isn't supposed to lie with man'. This is the rationale used to deny families legal protection.
The best response to that, David, comes from your own words:
"Here's a clue, it's not about f-----g! Creating and nuturing a family is about love, committment, and selflessness."
Physican, heal thyself.
7 - JR
Seems like the people who have more children have less time to make money. Then they have to spread their wealth among more children, so each one gets less. And with soaring college costs, less money means decreased access to high level education. Which then lowers the income potential of the next generation, who have to spread that diminished wealth among their children, etc. Eventually, the individual wealth among the breeder population will drop below the threshold of survival.
Hey, if these people want to breed themselves into extinction, I say "Go for it, dumbf---s!"
8 - copygodd
every 20 minutes, another 3500 babies born. world population, over 6 billion and counting. don't really think getting pregnant qualifies as a miracle. in fact, looking at these numbers, it seems rather mundane and commonplace.
but then again, the wife and i have went the route of "deliberate childlessness" so what do i know...
9 - Temple A. Stark
Ah, but the crux of the matter is, who do we tell to fuck off?
10 - David Flanagan
Well, first of all, please note that I did not say ALL liberals, and I did not even for a second use the word Democrats in my post, except to point out that DNC leaders are clueless too. That is because most of my family (including my parents) are Democrats, and some of them are liberal, some moderate. Next to my sister-in-law, I'm the most conservative member of my family.
But Democrat or Republican, all in my family are strong on family values. And because Republicans in particular are willing to stand up for those values, many Democrats are crossing party lines to vote Republican. During the debates, whenever a values-related question was asked, Kerry constantly lectured on how he could not impose his values on anyone else.
We understood what he was saying. I believe one thing, but I don't act according to what I believe. In other words, we couldn't possibly know where he stands on anything.
Another example, during the campaign, Clinton called Kerry to say that he should come out in support of pro-marriage amendments in various states. Kerry refused. And states even with a majority of Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favor of the pro-marriage amendments.
And that is why the Democratic Party is struggling, because they are disconnected from even the majority of their own party members, people like yourselves who have sacrificed and committed yourselves to your families.
So why do you insist on supporting a party which refuses to support you?
David
11 - spiderleaf
Let's please not call the denial of civil rights "pro-marriage". If anyone was truly pro-marriage they have the option, no the obligation, to never get divorced. Imposing their beliefs on people who are not like them is not "pro" anything, unless it's "pro-discrimination"...
Let's call the ammendments what they are: anti-gay and anti-freedom.
12 - mf-blake
I don't remember Kerry being pro anything except pro-idiot. Didn't support homosexual marriage cause he didn't believe in it, nor did he support abortion. Makes him more of a moderate. Really there are no legit political figures supporting homosexual marriage. The ones who claim they do just want the homosexual vote.
13 - JR
So why do you insist on supporting a party which refuses to support you?
The Republicans are helping people raise families? By busting unions and deregulating the workplace so corporations can cut benefits and depress wages, forcing more parents to work longer hours for less?
Don't see the logic in that.
14 - spiderleaf
Could someone please explain to me so I understand, exactly how allowing gay marriage undermines or weakens my marriage of almost 11 years?
I would think either my husband or myself cheating or beating the hell out of each other would be far more damaging... or am I missing something?
15 - mf-blake
It cheapen's marriage as a whole.(Not hole) Say no to the homo. We've already taken sodomy laws off of most law books what next? It's plain wrong and disgusting.
16 - mf-blake
About the other part, yes you are missing something.
17 - Steve S
But Democrat or Republican, all in my family are strong on family values. And because Republicans in particular are willing to stand up for those values
But that is misleading, David. See your next comment:
whenever a values-related question was asked, Kerry constantly lectured on how he could not impose his values on anyone else
See? We have gone from 'standing up for those values', to 'imposing values'.
This is precisely what makes you a conservative. It isn't about defining family values to you, it is about imposing family values. Let's be clear in the terminology.
What are the 'family values' that Republicans have a lock on, that you insist that Democrats and/or liberals don't have? Would one of them be love? Nope. Love isn't a requirement for marriage. Would it be commitment? Nope, you aren't seeking to punish swingers. Would it even be pro-life? Nope. Because you aren't seeking to stop that woman from giving the child away, when she brings it into the world. You could care less (from a legislative standpoint) if that child immediately goes into an orphanage.
David, I challenge you to give me a specific family value that the Republicans want to impose (your own choice of words). Define one of these family values please.
You always go on about how Republicans are pro-family and Progressives aren't. One specific example please.
18 - Steve S
David says:
My mom lived a life of incredible strength, and....she left a host of loving children and grandchildren behind to carry on in her place. And for all you clueless liberals out there .....THAT is family!
David says:
That is because most of my family (including my parents) are Democrats, and some of them are liberal, some moderate
and then you write a post glorifying Republicans for family values, using the above comments as substantiation.
19 - mr.blake
and don't do drugs!
20 - Eric Berlin
I'm not going to wade into the values debate here -- that's going on well enough without me.
I'd like to go back to the original post, however, to refute the point of Mr. Morrissette's article. Red states may be growing in population right now, allowing for a current conservative majority, but the clock is ticking... and they know it.
Immigrants to the United States tend to vote Democratic. Young people tilt slightly to the Dems as well. The White Majority, in a relatively short period of time, won't be anymore.
Pat Buchanan, wacky though he is, realizes this. During the '04 campaign he bemoaned the state of the electoral map and its growing solid-Blue state base: "California? Gone. Illinois? Gone."
Why do you think his runs for president were based upon tighter immigration controls?
Eric Berlin
Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash
http://dumpsterbust.blogspot.com
21 - spiderleaf
thanks mf-blake for clarifying that I just need to say no to homo. explains a lot. ;)
one last thing about gay marriage and then I move on, I swear...
See, it really gets me that conservatives who rail against gay marriage and claim that they have a lock on values are the same ones who turn a blind eye when one spouse is beating the shit out of each other, as if that is just part of the deal when you walked down the aisle.
I personally think that is far, far, far more damaging to a healthy marriage then two males (or females) sharing a loving, caring home.
But hell, what do I know... I'm just a libruul.
22 - mf-blake
Trust me I've never turned a blind eye to anything like that. I was forced to take a stand against a friend for choking his wife with a damn phone cord. Besides there is statisically as much domestic violence in gay relationships as in straight. It's an apples and oranges issue. They both have a different, but severe set of long term consequences.
23 - mf-blake
Here is one of many, many resources. That old "better than beating the shit out of each other" mentality is a cop out. Traditional marriage didn't come to the divorce rate that it is at overnight. It's really not as bad as it could be seeing how long traditional
has been around. There is no excuse for subsituting one negative for another.
http://www.lambda.org/DV_background.htm
24 - Eric Berlin
How did this turn into a gay marriage discussion (I think)?
25 - spiderleaf
guess all of humanity is f----d up eh.
that's a really horrible story with your friend... must have been difficult to deal with.
thanks for the link... are the same types of support systems in place, do you know (i.e. hotlines, shelters, etc.)?