Life used to be so much simpler. Once upon a time, as the song goes, "girls were girls and men were men," And back in those days, there were a certain breed of people known as "bleeding-heart liberals." Remember those folks? The ones who claimed that anything bad that happened in life was always someone else's fault, the result of "discrimination" or other "environmental factors?" The ones who argued -- the stereotype says -- that there was no need for anyone to take personal responsibility, since the explanation for bad behavior was always racism, sexism, or some other "ism?" Criminals? Why, they only do those bad things because society forced them into it. Minorities in bad shape? Centuries of ongoing discrimination, of course. And on and on.
Back in those days of yore, legend tells us, there was an intrepid bunch of tough-minded, hard-headed conservatives who fought this "bleeding-heart-liberal" view of the world. Against all odds, they urged people to put aside all this "political correctness" and to focus on personal responsibility.
But times sometimes change, and roles sometimes reverse. These days, what we hear almost every day is a bunch of people calling themselves "conservatives" yet engaging in the same thin-skinned behavior they used to accuse liberals of doing. Watching this sorry spectacle, people have even started to throw around the phrase "crybaby conservatives" to describe this type of behavior. Sadly for the once-proud conservative, anti-"PC" movement, the shoe sure seems to fit.
Currently, for intance, Republicans and Democrats in Washington, DC are busy arguing about federal judges. Senate Democrats have approved 195 of President Bush's 205 judicial nominees, but they claim the last 10 are too extreme and they shouldn't be approved. So what's the answer by conservatives? Fight it with logic, persuasion, or a unified caucus? Uh, no. How about a resort to liberal-like crying, whining, and moaning, in this case about "anti-Christian" discrimination? Bingo, you got it!
So, Democrats now aren't merely opposed to Bush's judicial nominees for political reasons; they're actually "against people of faith?" Oh, please! Does anyone seriously believe that the 195 Bush federal judicial appointees -- including church elders, devout Catholics and Protestants, even former missionaries -- who WERE approved by Democrats aren't people of faith? Does anyone seriously believe that most Democratic Senators aren't people of faith? Oh, but why bother with the facts when it's so much easier to just start accusing people of discrimination. That always works really well -- just ask the "politically correct" liberals!
Here's another one you may not have heard about. Most people know that President Bush's campaign to convince people to invest their Social Security money in the stock market hasn't been going so well recently. How can we be sure that Bush's proposal is in trouble? Because, predictably, the "debate" has now come down to the last, desperate tactic by conservatives - accusing Democrats of racism! That's right, President Bush has actually been telling minority groups that Social Security, created under FDR's New Deal and supported strongly by Democrats ever since, is racist, because whites live longer than blacks on average and thus blacks don't get a fair shake from Social Security.
Can you believe it - FDR and the New Deal Democrats were racists all along, and we never knew! Not only that, but apparently they're prejudiced against stupid people as well. That's right, according to President Bush, when Democrats argue that the stock market is too risky and that people might lose their retirement savings if the market crashes, they're really just saying that "'certain people' aren't smart enough to invest!" Once again, when conservatives run out of real arguments - which seems to happen quite often these days, by the way -- they just start whining about "discrimination."
Now, lucky us, the "crybaby conservatives" have come to Virginia with a vengeance! Recently, for instance, Tim Kaine has accused his supposedly "conservative" rival Jerry Kilgore of hiding behind slick attack ads while being unwilling (or unable) to say the same things about Kaine in person. Well, that must have hit a sensitive nerve with the "crybaby conservative" crowd, based on all their crying and moaning about discrimination.
What do we hear from Jerry Kilgore and his "conservative" allies these days? "Ooooh, Tim Kaine is making fun of people with accents! He's biased against people from my part of the state!" Seriously, Jerry, you really need take a deep breath -- maybe some smelling salts -- and calm down a bit before you hurt yourself. Have you EVER heard Tim Kaine say one word about anyone's accent? Of course not. In fact, if that accusation weren't so ridiculous it would be absolutely hilarious! Anyway, Jerry, we certainly don't want you to let the facts get in the way of a good whine about discrimination.
The only problem with all this whining and crying is that voters are getting sick and tired of junior-high-level politics, and especially of politicians who duck the real issues and have nothing to offer except more "crybaby" accusations.
Can you believe that in the greatest, most powerful country on Earth, that it's come to this? Self-proclaimed anti-PC "conservative" candidates crying to the media (the media!) because someone supposedly called them a bad name? Incredible. Given all the serious problems we've got right now in this country ($2.50 per gallon gasoline, anyone?), do we really need so-called "leaders" who would rather whine and moan rather than stand up and talk about solutions like grown ups? Sad to say, but we can't think of anyone who fits that description better than Jerry Kilgore does at the moment.
All I can say is this: thank goodness we've got an alternative to "crybaby conservatives" in Virginia this year. His name is Kaine. Tim Kaine.
- Steve Mellen