I was in my company breakroom yesterday. Fox News was on the TV

[mnmoderatedem]

yeah I know. But there was nothing I could do. I just walked in, and it was on.

Anyway, the discussion topic was a school somewhere in Texas who had an item in their lesson plan involving asking why America is so hated in certain parts of the world, ostensibly the Middle East. Part of the answer in the textbook was something to the effect of "the US does certain things that makes other nations angry".

Of course the Fox News model moderater had on a couple of guests, a rebublican Texas state senator (imagine that) and a crazy right wing lady who brought her resulting uproar to the local media, and thus was a welcome guest on Fox News regarding the subject. The only "analysis" they did on the subject mater was to all act aghast and infuriated regarding this incident. Figuratively waved their start and stripes and failed to ask the obvious quetion of whether there was any truth to the lesson plan. Not exactly fair and balanced (not surprising).

Why are conservatives so dead set and asking probing questions regarding our actions on foreign ploicy? Why the immediate gut reactions of frothing at the mouth and questioing the partiotism of anyone who dare suggest that our foreign policy, particularily how it pertains the the Isreal/Palestine situation, contributes to the situation we find ourselves in?

Is there some sort of sacred oath among conserviatives that this question shall never be asked? I don't get it...

[Scuba]

1. Frothing at the mouth is what teabaggers are best at.

[JoeBlowToo]

2. In their hearts they know they are wrong...

That's why they must never ever admit to anything.

For instance they must always blame the porr for their moral failings...never the greed of the ultra rich.

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is,
the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. - John Kenneth Galbraith

[LiberalLoner]

3. It is the authoritarian mindset. FOX news is the channel for rightwing nut job

Authoritarians.

[Richardo]

4. Al Franken said it best:

"...(conservatives) love America like a 4-year-old loves his mommy. Liberals love America like grown-ups. To a 4-year-old, everything Mommy does is wonderful and anyone who criticizes Mommy is bad. Grown-up love means actually understanding what you love, taking the good with the bad and helping your loved one grow. Love takes attention and work and is the best thing in the world. That’s why we liberals want America to do the right thing. We know America is the hope of the world, and we love it and want it to do well."

from "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them"

I've never read anything better.

[stevenleser]

8. I am now in the process of posting this everywhere!

Thank you!

[Richardo]

9. Avec plaisir!

If you'll pardon my French.

[Javaman]

5. They aren't dead set against asking the questions...

they are intellectually incapable.

Those types of questions are so beyond the bounds of their brand of thinking, that questioning anything the U.S. does it tantamount to treason in their minds.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. American Exceptionalism

It is that simple.

[el_bryanto]

7. The simple answer is that Republicans are stupid and jingoistic

The more complex answer is that they believe in a certain idea about America - i.e. the city on the hill, the last great hope of humanity, the last bulwark of civilization in a decaying world. There's elements of racism in this way of looking at America, but there's also the idea shared by many liberals in our history that we should do better.

The problem is that while we have done many great things as a nation and a people, we have done awful things as well, starting with our treatment of Native Americans, moving through Slavery, Denial of Civil Rights, horrific treatment of workers, and as noted above, our regularly awful and racist foreign policy.

When confronted with evidence that America has down horrible things, there are a couple of reactions. One is to say "That must not be true, because America is great." Pretty childish, but understandable. Another is to say "Gosh now that I know this I see that America is nothing but a hypocritical pile of turd." Also pretty childish, but again understandable.

A more appropriate response, in my opinion, is to say "Gosh reality is more complicated than I suspected. America has done some good things and some really awful things. I should work to keep America doing good things, and fight against America doing bad things."

Bryant

[librechik]

10. for one thing, they know NOTHING about geography, international relations or foreign policy

and they would prefer not to engage in discussions which reveal their stupidity. They just raise an uproar and find scapegoats to blame. That's usually all they are capable of.

Two, as fascist totalitarians, they are incapable of "questioning" authority, the authorities like Hannity and O'Reilly, who spew the soothing poison they love to hear, about how they are all good and God's favored, and how anyone different than they are is a devil.

And yes, they lay their hands on the Bible and swear to it every day.