CPAC

I read a study recently (can't find it again, sorry) that said people who don't pay attention to the news at all are just as informed in world events as people who only use 24 hour news channels as their single news source. Fox's viewers are some of the least informed. I'm going to blame this on Fox's tendency to tell its audience that no other news source can be trusted because they're all liberals. And thus, this single source gains a monopoly on the minds and ideas of its audience. When someone is open to more than one source, ideas and opinions thrive, and so does overall knowledge of a topic.

When all that conservative misinformation and propaganda gathers into one place, you get CPAC -- the Conservative Political Action Conference. It's almost like an anime convention, but for racists, homophobes, and opportunistic charlatans.

You got your racism:

Can we save our generation from Obama zombies, he asked. He answered himself by borrowing the president’s campaign slogan: "Yes, my brothahs and sistahs. Yes we can!"

You got your homophobia. I'm so glad (and honestly surprised) that this guy was heckled, but then again, this audience was young and college-aged. I hope Meaghan McCain isn't a fluke, and a lot of the younger republicans nowadays really are becoming more moderate. It's too bad they don't know they're actually liberals.



It's a pretty compelling argument:

"If something isn't natural, then it's bad; that's why I oppose art, education, medicine, and the refrigeration of food. I know what "natural" is and you don't, because only I have the authority to define it. But so I don't seem like an arrogant prick by saying that, I'm going to project my opinions onto "natural law," but I really mean God. God's saying these things, not me! I don't understand why you're all getting so mad at me, I'm only a tool of God's will! I am a tool!"

If it didn't make me so furious, I would've laughed at that lady repeating "freedom of opinion" after he had finished. Racists and sexists have a freedom of opinion too, but that doesn't mean they're not revolting sacks of shit who should be tolerated in any way. I hope he dies alone, and since this aired on national television, I'm sure he will.

Here's some more of this guy's crazy antics. He threatens an openly gay conservative with violence when he starts to lose an argument, and then calls him "intrinsically evil" to his face. The most disturbing thing of all is that he's able to convince himself he's on the right side.

And of course, who can forget our favorite manipulative jackass? In his speech at CPAC, Glenn Beck

• Calls progressivism a "cancer" that was "designed to eat the Constitution."
• Claims there's no difference between progressives and communists.
• Bashes, of all people, Theodore Roosevelt. You know, one of the greatest presidents in history? He started the progressive cancer!
  
• Basically argues in favor of political and cultural genocide. Progressivism must be "cut out of the system. [. . .] You must eradicate it. It cannot coexist."

He somehow manages to cram this all into this short 8 minute segment. You can watch all of this insanity its own context if you really want to. This went on for an hour. I don't want to seek out the rest.




The John Birch Society was a sponsor of CPAC this year. Back when the Cold War was in full swing, its founder Robert Welch called President Dwight D. Eisenhower a “conscious, dedicated agent of the communist conspiracy.” Yeah, that same Dwight D. Eisenhower who whooped Nazi ass in World War II and basically saved the world. Welch also said that the U.S. government was “under operational control of the Communist party.” On its website, the Birch Society describes its mission as to

“warn against and expose the forces that seek to abolish U.S. independence, build a world government, or otherwise undermine our personal liberties and national independence. The John Birch Society endorses the U.S. Constitution as the foundation of our national government, and works toward educating and activating Americans to abide by the original intent of the Founding Fathers. We seek to awaken a sleeping and apathetic people concerning the designs of those who are working to destroy our constitutional Republic.”

I really hate people who pretend in their own little way that they're above partisan dick-waving by saying that there are just as many crazy people on the left. Perhaps there are, but not a single one of them is mainstream. You never heard about any "truther" groups (who say George Bush was behind 9/11) sponsoring the Democratic National Convention. This is really insane shit, and it is mainstream. These people believe Barack Obama, liberals, progressives, and basically anyone who isn't a Republican, is actively attempting to "destroy our constitutional Republic." They literally think the president is trying to destroy the very the country he leads. And Republicans are taking their money.