The American Spectator

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Moderate Schmoderate

2.12.08 @ 12:01AM

HAGAR THE WISE
Re: Eugene H. Methvin's The Magnetic Magic of Moderation:

Ahh, the magic of moderation! Mr. Methvin would have us believe that all America wants is to sit in the squishy middle and overthrow the reign of the mighty totalitarian El Rushbo; perhaps hanging from his heels on Ariana Huffington's front lawn. Hey Mr. Methvin, consider the ideological purity offered by the left and their various mouthpieces which paint W as Hitler, America as villain, capitalism as inherently evil, (I could go on for 2 or 3 pages dealing on the "moderation" being offered the leftist/socialists that currently pass for the Democrat party). That's some moderation we can expect from Hillary or the neophyte Barack.

Mr. Methvin, consider the moderation offered by Senator McCain during the vote on W's tax cuts. Was it moderation for McCain to use classic, Democrat, leftist class warfare rhetoric to express his displeasure rather than providing thoughtful arguments against it? Was it moderation by McCain when he referred to me and millions of conservative (and other) Americans as xenophobic racists for speaking up against "comprehensive" immigration reform? This exercise could go on but I think I make my point. It is one thing for McCain to be on the other side of an issue, it's another thing altogether for my friend the Senator from Arizona to vilify in the same manner as his friend the Senator from New York or his friend the Senator from Massachusetts, or his friend the Senator from (pick a state, pick a dem) those of us who adhere to conservative principles, believe in the inherent goodness of America, find class warfare rhetoric a socialist exercise, believe in true immigration reform, (this is ironic) a moderate view of the so-called climate crisis, are not interested in having terrorists brought to America so John Edwards and his crowd can make fortunes getting the filth currently housed at Gitmo a nice settlement from the government for the agony of living with appropriate meals, weight gain, Harry Potter books, rooms that may be a little too hot or a little too cold, music that may be too loud. Again we could disagree but in McCain's rhetoric El Rushbo and I are the same Neanderthals in his eyes as we are in the eyes of his friend the junior Senator from New York.

As Hagar the Horrible once said when he was asked if moderation was a good thing, "only if you don't overdo it."

Yes, I will vote for Senator McCain this fall, because his friend the Senator from New York and his friend the Senator from Illinois are socialists and would further drive this nation into that failed abyss. And yes, I will continue to listen to and support Rush, Laura, Sean, Mark et al because it will be more important than ever to stay engaged.
-- Stuart Reed
Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan

Mr. Methvin thinks that "voters are now driving the candidates toward the Moderate Middle." In his view, the candidates will spurn the "extreme blocs" and appeal to the majority of the electorate. He makes a foray into the Bible and finds a comparison between Moses and John McCain, and between Joshua and Rush Limbaugh.

Methvin's scriptural understanding is, shall we say, of moderate quality. He appears to be missing some important information. I've forgotten a lot of my Sunday School training, but I do seem to remember that opposing Moses was a lot worse than opposing Joshua.

For instance, anyone who opposed Moses could be swallowed up by the earth, bitten by poisonous snakes, burned with heavenly fire, or stricken with disease. True, Joshua authorized the execution of Achan and his family, but that was for a secret sin that led to disaster, not for public rebellion against Joshua.

Thus, Methvin's attempt to paint Moses as a moderate like John McCain, and Joshua as a supposedly strict Taliban-type rightist like Rush Limbaugh, is utterly preposterous. It's true that Joshua went through the Promised Land and thinned out all of the Canaanite precincts, but prior to this Moses was canvassing in the Transjordan -- with equal results.

Of course, this appears cruel to our enlightened age, and it would be if it were just Moses, or Joshua, or the Israelites making the decisions. Nevertheless, I believe it's recorded somewhere that God was the one who commanded the destruction of the Canaanites.

Isn't this the trouble with liberalism? It wants the history of Israel without God, but without God, the history of Israel appears repulsive. Remove God from the picture and the Israelites were little better than Islamo-fascists.

Moreover, if Methvin wants to repair to monkeys as a standard for how we should behave, then he should eat bananas and bugs, and laze about all day instead of writing absurd essays.

But, strangely, I agree with Methvin's larger point, badly made though it is. Conservatives like Rush Limbaugh (and Ann Coulter) are cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

Now, I honor Rush, but I have to say he's being inconsistent. He told us not to sit out the 2006 election for the misguided purpose of teaching the Republicans a lesson, but he's essentially doing what he advised us against in 2006.

I also worship at the altar that is Ann Coulter, and when she glances at me knowingly from the TV screen, during interviews, I'm as captivated with her as Britney is with Sam "Svengali" Lutfi.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, John McCain, Islam, Books, Constitution, Law, Supreme Court, Iraq, Israel, NATO, Conservatism, Immigration