I always love a “compare and contrast” anecdote to show the leftist bias that constitutionalists, conservatives, and we members of the military face.

Let me share a recent story.

I was in the Commisary on post (Fort Wainwright, AK) and noticed how empty the shelves were.  I asked a man who was stocking things why this was so, and he told me that due to the cold snap (it’s been -20*F to -40*F for over two weeks now) it affects the trucks coming North.  Then he tossed in, (from memory) “Oh, and those dock strikes due to the OWS folks.”

I made a dismissive and disparaging remark as to the OWS crowd (something like “Those idiots”) and he responded “Well, those OWS folks are brave, and the fact is they’re right.”

I am not exactly what you’d call verbally shy and asked him how disrupting everyone else’s lives, causing property damage, delaying shipments in ports (more a union thing than OWS, but, whatever), was “brave or right” – and in fairness I tossed in that I did agree with some of OWS premise as to greed, but asked how making my life more difficult was helping them.

He was also certainly not shy about sharing his view (in the middle of the aisle, in a rather proud and loud voice) that Republican & capitalist greed was the problem, and standing up for the poor was good.

I told him I agreed that anyone standing up for the poor or wrong was good, but that capitalism and not socialism was the answer, and maybe if the Tea Party had acted as the OWS folks had acted they would, rightfully so, be branded as violent, discordant, and the MSM would be pointing this out.

Well – yea, at this point his eyes lit up and he asked me (a white guy) how I could possibly support a group of white racists who supported corporate greed and a racist agenda.

I asked simply : “What did they do that is racist?  What do they support that is racist?”

His reply: (Paraphrasing and from memory) “You ever SEE a picture of the Tea Party?  It’s a bunch of rich white older folks who long for the bad old days.  They’re a bunch of racists.”

(btw – not for nothing, but the guy I was talking to was white too – and working for a corporation to boot)

Not taking the bait I replied: “Um, the OWS crowd was mostly white, more so than the demographics of the US, and the great majority were college educated and most had jobs …. so …. aren’t THEY racist, if you’re applying the same criteria?”

He replied “Oh no, if you saw the pictures of the Tea Party rallies on TV, it was all white people.  The OWS crowd was diverse.”

Of course it never occured to him that if the MSM had SHOWN non-whites at Tea Party rallies, and been honest at the blatant hatred in the protest signs in the OWS crowd his perception wouldn’t have been so lopsided.

But, I was shopping with my wife, and wasn’t going to keep this discussion going.  I decided to show him some respect, and said:

“Well, clearly we won’t agree on this, and that’s ok – but it is good that we can have an open discussion to air all points of view.  It’s healthy.”  – I know, kind of lame, but I was trying to de-escalate and disengage.

His parting words: “At least you’re not like most conservatives …. they just want to silence anyone they don’t agree with.”

@@@@@@@@@

It was not lost on me that here in “Conservative Land” (the military is more conservative than the general population) he felt quite free to call white conservatives racists, and bemoan how “we” would silence him.

Meanwhile – back at Camp Reality: I’ve seen in academia and in circles that are far more liberal, that it is the opposite that is true.  Had I brought up conservatism, Christianity, the Tea Party or … well, whatever that shortly after that conversation the word would be spread that I had “said something racist” or “sexist” or “non-PC”.  The actual specifics would never be mentioned, because, well, there would be none, but I would then be targeted.

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What does this have to do with manners?

Simple : I believe in free speech, in the honest and open exchange of ideas, and in fair play.

In many dealings with those on the left I have seen self-justification, the ends-justify-the-means, outright dishonest representation of a discussion or a person, and codified methods of silencing dissent.

I defend those people – and I don’t regret it.  I defend the OWS protester who craps on a police car (and then hopefully gets charged), or the liberal academic who misinforms people as to the millitary or history, and I defend the race-baiter or feminist hate monger who labels me for being white, or heterosexual, or Christian, or wearing the cloth of my nation.

I do this because my word means something.

Oh, and by the by – on average the rate of education amongst military members versus the general population (as John Kerry found out in his presidential bid) shows we are slightly more educated.  It would feel so wrong of me to crow that fact as to ascribe some kind of superiority over anyone – it smacks of elitism. 

IMO – those that need to stand on my neck to make themselves feel taller or superior are the ones who have a smug inferiority complex that they need to be able to do an honest introspective assesment on.

Sorry my post rambled.  Got to your site from Ace and really do like it.

Be well Ma’am,

With abiding respect,

SSG B

It’s why the Left still likes to “bomb” their enemies. They are relatively confident that they can control the air war and the airmen in it. They are not so confident of a ground war.

 It’s not enough for an individual to know “how to attack” the enemy, i.e. Islamos. You also have to pay attention to your home court, otherwise your defense will be saturated and you’ll be dead before you can fight anyone.

 Fencing was originally the art of utilizing both offence and defence, in the original English spelling.

Currently, Bush’s two wars have set those plans back by at least 2 decades. With the rise of Petraeus and other combat command rated individuals, they are in a position to promote only those they deem qualified to make war on behalf of the United States of America. It’s one of those aspects part of the shadow war people aren’t commonly aware of. A game strategy set in centuries, not years.

They’d named a submarine after Carter, you know.