I can speak a foreign language and never knew that I could!

[driver8]

How do I know?

Because everytime I mention "PNAC", "NeoCons", "Voter Fraud", "stolen elections", "loss of civil liberties"...people look at me like they don't understand a freakin' word I am saying. I know that I speak a little fast sometimes, but I have never been told that people cannot understand me.

So what's the problem? What language am I speaking? I would really like to know so that I can fix this problem.

[Fovea]

1. You were speaking 'high fascist' or 'Straussian'

and they speak 'low fascist' or 'Fauxian.'

[Drum]

12. that's very clever! nt

[Recursion]

15. This isn't Strauss's fault

The fact that Strauss's students are such moron's isn't an indictment of him (except as a teacher). Strauss's main philosophies were a (well needed, let me add) esotericism regarding a lot of Classical texts. For centuries people had been reading Plato and Aristotle and assuming

A) that is what Plato and Aristotle thought, and
B) that is what "the ancient Greeks" thought

When neither statement was true. Socrates hid a lot from Plato, Plato hid a lot from Aristotle, Aristotle hid a lot from us. Strauss was the first modern (for the most part) to step back and say maybe Plato and Aristotle (and Dante and Plotinus and...) couldn't say all they wanted to.

Out of this came some far-flung theories about people needing lies (or "myths") to sustain their civic virtue; but then again Jung and Campbell said the same thing. Strauss had some really bad students; they run our country. Strauss also had some really good students; a few of them were my professors. I'd prefer to blame the individuals to blaming Strauss; he merely pointed out the power of a well-crafted myth. They're the ones who went and did it.

[Fovea]

22. 'Plato and Aristotle couldn't say all they wanted to'

... and who is to say that the same is not true of Strauss?

When a whole cabal of graduate disciples 'are really bad students' it can mean that actually they were the inner circle, hearing what the professor could not say in academia. Eventually, hidden dogma reaches the street.

Why do I say this? I was in one such circle in another aspect of the discipline. It could be that the neo-straussians are a heretical sect similar to those who argue that Chaucer is dead serious 100% of the time.

I do not know the whole story, but then, regarding the lives of myth-makers, who does? I find problematic the entitlement and audacity of this group. And I am disturbed by the virtually Messianic fervor shown in its willingness to destroy the more's of statecraft in favor of a fantasy of empire. This sort of thing is more often inculcated than native to the beast.

Someone gave them the idea that they were the mythopoeic muthas for the job of giving a pseudo pythian patina to the current administration. And it certainly worked for a while. Such is the power of authority, and the reason fascists wear the flag and manufacture heroes.

But the mechanical jaw on the statue of Apollo is worn and sounds brassy and hollow, and the words make no sense, even when simply regarded as flow of dogmatic consciousness.

The original spinning curtain defense of Rove has devolved into a frantic sort of Brownian motion, a drunkard's walk behind the wheel of a fast car.

The failure of the NeoCons in Iraq, their dream lab means the apotheosis of Rand's 'objectivists' and the 'neo-straussians' however they became such petty tyrants is over. Their Muthos and 'news as narrative' can no longer encompass or engulf the shared reality of Anno Domini 2006-- The Rise and Fall of the Empire of Greed.

Who knows, we may be on the cusp of a brave new age, based on the value of honesty. Stranger things have happened, at least according to Ovid.

[Caoimhe]

2. I've found a curious thing

when around some people, all I have to say is PNAC and they call me anti-semitic. :puke:

I hear ya. Not enough edumacated merkins out there. But.. there are more now than ever before, just keep educatin them!

[magellan]

3. You're speaking Informed

It's used only in small pockets of civilization. I give it as much chance of gaining popularity as Esperanzo.

[acmejack]

17. Esperanto?

The International Language that Works! Bonvenon!!

[magellan]

20. LOL, exactly right!

I'm brain dead tonight. Thanks for correcting me.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. It's Election Fraud, Not Voter Fraud. :)

[Clark2008]

6. Correct.

Ann Coulter committed voter fraud - where the voter lies or does something else criminal in order to vote (or vote more than once).

Election fraud is when the voter is prevented in some manner of either voting or having his/her vote count.

[NewJeffCT]

5. Saw a wide load car today...

One of those cars that is in front of or behind a large truck carrying a wide load...

Only this car had a huge sign posted on the back that said something like "God Bless America & Save it from the ACLU"

My thought today was "why do we need to be saved from a group that defends our civil liberties?"

[driver8]

8. Those damned civil liberties just keep getting in the way.

How is Shrub and Co. supposed to completely destroy the country if people keep complaining about those stupid civil liberties?

America...love it or leave it.

[crappyjazz]

7. I have thought about suggesting

A FAQ for Newbies section on this board. I only found this place a month ago and that's when I first learned about the PNAC (Hey I'm Canadian, I get a bit of a pass on that one, don't I?) But the only reason I found about the PNAC was because someone had linked to a former post that related in detail about it for new members.

I still struggle with some stuff I feel to stupid too ask ... like what the hell is MIHOP and LIHOP? Some special section of a pancake house? Anyway, thankfully, this board is educating me and thousands others. In turn, I've been able to pass on interesting information to my co-workers, partner and other family who are like "wow, where did you learn all that?" :smoke:

Edited to fix my grammar ... or at least attempt to!

[dmr4567]

10. great idea about FAQ tool

I'd be a frequent visitor

[driver8]

11. Crappyjazz...welcome to DU! That is an interesting screen name...

what is "crappy jazz"?

Anyhow, I think that there is a "Democratic Underground dictionary" someplace -- I seem to remember seeing it.

You are right on about the things that we learn here. My father-in-law thinks that I make up half the stuff I tell him until he reads it in the paper a week or two later.

[stevedeshazer]

16. Welcome

MIHOP and LIHOP are terms that refer to the attacks of September 11, 2001.

MIHOP is an acronym which stands for, "made it happen on purpose". LIHOP is "let it happen on purpose".

Many believe that the government (specifically, the Bush administration) either ignored warnings despite ample evidence to the contrary (LIHOP) or actively participated (MIHOP).

The PNAC doctrine spells it out; that another incident such as the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 would be necessary for the PNAC-held US government to enact their plans to dominate the entire planet.

Did it just happen?

Was it allowed to happen?

Or, was it planned internally?

Many Americans are loathe to even consider that our government either ignored warnings (there is ample evidence that Bush was warned repeatedly), or worse, that the Neoconservatives facilitated it via their wealthy connections to the Saudi royal family.

Hope that made some sense. :)

[life_long_dem]

19. Great post. It makes perfect sense. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Welcome to DU

and don't worry, we all have had a steep learning curve

[El Supremo]

9. Well, Pentecost is just 10 days away!

[Avalux]

13. You were speaking the TRUTH.

Unfortunately, a lot of people don't understand it anymore. ;-)

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. If ** is so set on English being the "official" language, perhaps he

should demonstrate that he can speak it. Just saying.

[bluefish]

18. I know how you feel

Sometimes I wonder if people don't think and read.

[Generic Brad]

21. It's not your fault you don't speak "Moron"

[madokie]

23. The language of truth my friend

The one that scares so many
the one that so many run from