[Vision2020] The KKK and the Tea Party

Tue Apr 3 11:37:44 PDT 2012

Donovan -- In short, I'm afraid you're wrong.

I come from a devoutly Democratic family and, at 51, have always identified as a Democrat.  But even in my fairly short political life, I remember a good and noble GOP that I would have gladly argued politics with while holding with a respect I'm largely unable to grant today's Tea Party/Religious Right Republican establishment.  My decidedly partisan father and grandfather spoke with respect for Eisenhower, Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooks, Connecticut's Lowell Weicker, and New York Mayor John Lindsey.  Even Gerald Ford, and not because he was a gem compared to the crook he replaced.  My husband's grandparents were conservatives in the truest sense of the word -- they respected individual liberty, loved their country, farmed land they knew had to be carefully stewarded (some would say "conserved"), and felt honor and duty in paying reasonable taxes for the maintenance of schools, parks, roads, and hospitals, as well as a social "safety net" for the poor.  They worshiped God with dignity and wouldn't have dreamed of reviling those in other parties as "un-Godly."  They exhibited tolerance and unparalleled decency and generosity toward their communities, and while we probably disagreed on more points of public policy than we agreed on, theirs was a Republicanism the country could be proud of.

And, in the same way that as a Christian, I feel shame for the inexcusable offenses of the Church in history, I acknowledge and feel shame that Democrats in the South not only sat out but tried to prevent the progress of the civil rights movement.  Sure, there were conservative Republicans who did as well -- but if Democrats today are going to try to take the social, moral high road, we'd better acknowledge the errors of our own party at the same time.  The reality is, the grotesquely combative behavior of the Blue Dog Democrats in the '50s and '60s is the same thing we current Democrats hate in today's version of the majority of the GOP, and we'll be hypocritical and impotent in our objections until we own our own ugly past. 

There is no one-party monopoly on intelligence, morality, and patriotism.  I believe, and believe strongly, that a liberal Democratic agenda is better for my country than a conservative Republican agenda, at least as defined by today's rhetoric and standards.  But that's not because it's "Democratic" and therefore good, or "Republican" and thus bad.  Rather, it's because the progressive social agenda I believe in -- strong but lean defense, a comprehensive safety net for the poor that encourages their empowerment, civil rights and an end to discrimination both de facto and de jure, protection of the environment, individual liberty and governmental transparency, and a unionized, well-educated workforce that testifies to the strength of our public schools -- is more likely,  however imperfectly, to be brought about by the Democratic party.  But my loyalties are to my vision of what's best for America.  Give me a political party that can achieve that and they can call themselves Space Cowboys or appropriate the Strawberry Pop-Tart as their mascot, for all I care.

I'll continue to criticize today's GOP with fervor, and I'll criticize Democrats who go off the deep end as well.  But it's simply not true that there aren't any good Republicans.  History is full of them, and their memory and the testimonies of those alive now are collateral damage brought upon us by the reckless, divisive Tea Party/Religious Right element that has taken over the GOP today.  We Democrats have our own ugly political history, and we don't always have our moral act together, either.  

Keely
www.keely-prevailingwinds.com

Date: Tue, 3 Apr 2012 06:12:37 -0700
From: donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
To: hearseboy85 at gmail.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] The KKK and the Tea Party

What are you talking about? The Republican Party hasn't changed at all since your were born. When has the Republican Party not been full of a bunch of anti-gay activities? Was there a time? If so, please give me those dates. Has there been a time when Republicans were for Women's Rights, aside from pre-1930s? How about worker's rights and unions? Were they ever for that? I don't think so. How about civil rights? As I recall they opposed the civil rights act of 64 and 65, and every one since then. Republicans have long been supported by the KKK and people with the beliefs of the tea party since before you were born. 

The Republican Party hasn't changed at all. But hopefully, people do, and they see the error and hatred of the Republican Party as being a backward, ancient party trying to push and force the ways and thinking of your great great great grandfather onto everyone else.

Has the Hank Johnson I went to UI with changed his beliefs that being anti-human and carpet bombing all our enemies is wrong? Or is he just reaching the point of maturity that maybe humans are something we should cherish and protect. Republicans didn't just start rejecting you, Hank, they have always rejected you, me, and anyone that is in the least bit different and not wealthy and white cultured. Hank, did you ever quit smoking? Hope you did. And I hope you have reached the point of maturity to realize that liberals are not all Pot smoking gray haired hippies as you wrote in your column for the Town Crier. Democrats are average people trying to make ends meet in life and liberal to Republicans means someone that has a sense of reason, a heart and believes in civil rights. I use to be a Republican, but then I got an education. 

Donovan Arnold,

Proud Democrat since 1995

From: "Henry D. "Hank" Johnston" <hearseboy85 at gmail.com>
To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
Sent: Monday, April 2, 2012 9:32 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] The KKK and the Tea Party

Folks, I'm not one to chime in here often, but I've gotta say that the section about what the KKK stands for sounds awfully close to some of our local tea party candidates running in this "Republican" primary.  I use quotation marks around the work Republican because I, a person has considered myself lifelong Republican, have been railroaded from the local party for calling them out for their antics.  I'm seriously contemplating and reviewing my beliefs before I decide to renounce my affiliated Republican registration with the county clerk. 

Its sad, because I was once considered the right-wing of the UI College Republicans, a group that was closely aligned with the Latah County GOP.  Now, I'm considered a liberal in the Latah County GOP.

Just my thoughts.  I like to think that we (meaning me and my more moderate friends) can take the party back.  But I do fear that it may be too late.

Henry 
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 List services made available by First Step Internet,
 serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
               http://www.fsr.net
          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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