Make a guess about who wrote this about "leftists".

[LoZoccolo]

NOTE: If you've looked it up or know for sure, don't post in this thread. What I'm looking for here is who people think it might be based on who it sounds like. I will post the answer tomorrow, so there is no need to post it today.

Leftists tend to hate anything that has an image of being strong, good and successful. They hate America, they hate Western civilization, they hate white males, they hate rationality. The reasons that leftists give for hating the West, etc. clearly do not correspond with their real motives. They SAY they hate the West because it is warlike, imperialistic, sexist, ethnocentric and so forth, but where these same faults appear in socialist countries or in primitive cultures, the leftist finds excuses for them, or at best he GRUDGINGLY admits that they exist; whereas he ENTHUSIASTICALLY points out (and often greatly exaggerates) these faults where they appear in Western civilization. Thus it is clear that these faults are not the leftist's real motive for hating America and the West. He hates America and the West because they are strong and successful.

I know it could sound like a lot of different people, but make your best guess, and if you'd like, tell us why you chose that particular person.

ANOTHER NOTE: No, this is not a centrist attack-the-left post. If you think so, you may be very embarassed tomorrow when I post the answer and it's something supportive of your viewpoint.

FINAL MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: Please read the other two notes.

[Initech]

1. Sounds like one of Coulter's trademark rants

[emcguffie]

51. Well, I do not know.

But it sounds like either Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter. Natch. But there are others who think that way. Makes no sense to me, but they get their minds to do it somehow.

[Spider Jerusalem]

2. Okay, I know who it is.

Edited to change response, since you don't want the answer for some reason.

[LoZoccolo]

3. Self-delete! n/t

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. Er...because I have a nearly-eidetic memory...

and read this person's writings some years back (more out of curiosity as to what they had to say than anything else).

Note that I edited my response and I'm being elliptical here.

[LoZoccolo]

7. Heh I know, thanks!

I read it too and correctly guessed some other stuff about the person just from the text; remind me tommorow to talk about it if you want to know!

[saltpoint]

5. I'll let fly with a guess and say it was Bob Purkey, flagship right-hander

for the Cincinnati Reds in the early 60s.

[jonnyblitz]

6. I know who but i can't spell his last name so I won't say it.

:D

[Don Claybrook]

8. I didn't know who said it

so I looked it up.

Not to worry; I have no intention of spoiling your surprise. But I do wonder about your purpose, why you're posting this.

[Eric J in MN]

9. Sounds like Joe Klein of Time Magzine. NT

NT

[elehhhhna]

10. Wow. Rich or Larry "Bud" Mehmann?

lol I know who it really is

[uppityperson]

11. First guess Krauthammer, however you spell it,but not nasty enough.

Sounded like Krauthammer, except the words are too big and not nasty enough.

Searched and found interesting answer.

[niyad]

12. I know

[reorg]

13. well, my first reaction

was like the very first response in this thread.

Then I looked it up and remembered vividly when I first read this quote. These anti-Left stereotypes seem to be pretty pervasive. You have to hand it to the same source, though, when they say:

"some of our statements may be flatly false" ...

[Selatius]

14. I am not sure, but it would be somebody I'd have a difficult time relating

In such cases, I'd rather remove myself from the presence of that person. People are free to hold ideas however irrational they are. However, they are not free to attempt to impose their views on others despite their wishes.

[EFerrari]

15. Castro.

Why I think so, I have no idea. And am fully prepared to be embarrassed. :silly:

[JackRiddler]

16. I know exactly...

His manifesto was surprising and quite interesting at points. Not at all what I'd expected going in.

He had a lot to say about (his image of) the leftists but summed up conservatives in one quick comment as fools, because they cannot see the contradiction between their love of traditional values and their simultaneous devotion to the techno-"progress" that inevitably corrodes these values.

BTW Did you know he was once a subject of a CIA mind control experiment and given LSD, just like Allen Ginsburg? Now that is weird, and maybe a touch beyond weird...

[Emit]

19. Really?

CIA mind control experiment? Very interesting.

[johnaries]

17. My guess, Joseph McCarthy.nt

Oops! Looked it up, I was wrong. Good one, BTW!

[tkmorris]

18. I can't imagine what your motive is here

I won't give it away, but knowing who it was and taking it in context with everything else he/she has said it doesn't mean much. I mean, it contains grains of truth which are utilized to reach a false conclusion, which is to be expected considering..... damn, I can't say much without giving it away.

I can't imagine where you are going with this.

[johnaries]

21. Isn't it obvious?

It sounds exactly like what many RW pundits are saying. Which means, they have the same mindset and belong in the same category as this person.

Hello! Duh!

[tsuki]

20. I remember reading this, and thinking WTF. I don't understand

this kind of Republican.

[Tsiyu]

22. He or she is describing a very "Christian" culture

Whether it's the writing of Rush or of some Democrat you think we'll all like, the person describing the left is describing one trait I admire: viewing one's own culture more critically than one views a foreign culture.

"Before you try to remove the speck from your brother's eye, you need to get rid of that huge beam poking out of your own eye."

In other words, you may think the other guy is blind, but you look like you're pretty blind yourself. And you can't really help the other guy with his small problems until you get some help with your very big problems.

To criticize the mystery critic further, I'll add that when America claims to be the best, and then says "Well, we're not as bad as country X even if we're not as good as Country B," they aren't REALLY the best, are they? So they need to shut up and get their own problems fixed.

The rest of this writer's words are hooey, but if they get your freak on, whatever...

[Armstead]

23. Sounds like David Horowitz

But that's probably too obvious, since the way it is set up seems like a trick question.

[liberalhistorian]

27. Nah, it's not hateful enough

for Horowitz-he actually makes Ann the Man Coulter seem tame by comparison.

[inthebrain]

24. My guess is ted Kaczinski

I recall hearing something to this effect. The writing style sounds like him as well.

[mitchum]

25. And you are correct

[eridani]

54. Anybody save any of those Kaczynski limericks from the contest?

The contest rules were that the limerick had to contain the words "Kaczynski" and "Lewinsky." The ones I remember--

There was a young woman Lewinsky
Who played on the flute like Stravinsky
'Twas "Hail to the Chief"
On this flute made of beef
That stole the front page from Kaczynski.

Lewinsky and Clinton have shown
What Kaczynski should surely have known--
That an intern is better
Than a bomb in a letter
Given the choice of how to get blown.

[Kurovski]

26. Mr. Benchley?

I kid because i love.

[jsamuel]

31. rofl

:rofl:

[TroubleMan]

32. LOL!!!

nt.

[Crunchy Frog]

42. .

:spray:

[welshTerrier2]

28. no idea but it's total crap ...

i don't care whether this was said by someone on the left, right or center but it's nothing but generalized bullshit ...

leftists tend to hate anything that's strong, good or successful? yeah, right ... when leftists are socialists and argue for human equality does this author interpret that to mean that leftists hate things that are good? does the author consider human equality something that is not good?

and the statement that leftists overlook wrongs when they occur in socialist countries is also bullshit ... where does this guy get this stuff? it may be hard for you to believe but i see no evidence that leftists are either more or less consistent in their views than anybody else ... leftists have their biases and faults just like people in the center and people on the right ...

and these sentences are totally psychotic: "Thus it is clear that these faults are not the leftist's real motive for hating America and the West. He hates America and the West because they are strong and successful." ... where's the research to back up that nonsense? ... i, for one, do not hate America; i hate what's being done to America in our names ... we need to reclaim the ideals on which this country was founded ... just because i see corporate tyranny corrupting our democracy does not mean i don't cherish the ideals most of us were taught as kids ...

if the author is a lefty, you have my official permission to quote me when i say he is totally full of shit ...

[Wonk]

29. He liked dark sunglasses and hooded sweatshirts and

sending bombs to universities in the mail (hint).

[welshTerrier2]

30. that macaroon???

the OP said: "you may be very embarassed tomorrow when I post the answer and it's something supportive of your viewpoint"

in what way is the viewpoint the author has "supportive of my viewpoint"??? what kind of crap is that?

this is the classic republican mantra: "why do you hate America???"

well, peddle it someplace else ... i hate the people who are corrupting America and turning it into a sewer ... you know, like neocons, and certain on-their-way-out Senators who said we shouldn't criticize the president ...

is it OK for leftists to oppose groups and people like that? is it OK for leftists to abhor the incredible waste in the Pentagon budget and the use of the military-industrial complex that famous leftists like Eisenhower warned us about? is it OK to not want to invade Iraq because we believed we were being lied to when many in our party thought we were extremists? is it OK for leftists to favor a balanced budget because that is the only fiscally sane policy? is it OK for leftists to believe that global warming threatens all life on the planet? is it OK to abhor those who would not provide 100% equal rights for each and every citizen including women, minorities, gays or anyone else who has received a raw deal?

you see, all of those criticisms and concerns are challenges to America to live up to its ideals ... as a "leftist", i cherish what our country could be and should be ... to say that i hate America merely because i see others trashing it is total garbage ... apparently those who wear hooded sweatshirts and those who choose to cite them as authorities on leftists just don't understand that ...

thanks for the big clues ... i think i've got it now ...

[LoZoccolo]

35. Your freaking out is unjustified.

I knew someone would do this.

[welshTerrier2]

39. you say that with no explanation?

why are you maintaining in the OP that your mystery author supports the views of leftists when he clearly does not?

why not respond to what i wrote about why the author does NOT REPRESENT my views instead of categorizing what i wrote as "freaking out" ... you make an ad hominem attack without addressing the issues i raised ...

if you want to refute what i wrote, please do so ... but please don't just "hit and run" with your undocumented "freaking out" allegation ...

thank you ...

[LoZoccolo]

40. I guess I have to explain now.

why are you maintaining in the OP that your mystery author supports the views of leftists when he clearly does not?

I don't. I was saying that of the entire post (including the guessing game surrounding the quote) and it's hidden point, not of the quote.

No, this is not a centrist attack-the-left post. If you think so, you may be very embarassed tomorrow when I post the answer and it's something supportive of your viewpoint.

In this sentence, "it's" is a pronoun for "post".

For future reference: when someone tells you that your freaking out is not justified, that means you should go back and reassess some of your assumptions about the situation and whether or not freaking out is an appropriate response. I thought you'd do that, that's why I didn't give you an explanation.

[welshTerrier2]

44. thank you for your explanation and civil tone

i'll be interested to see your post that is "supportive of my viewpoint" ...

[LoZoccolo]

47. The answer has been posted today.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1906105

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LoZoccolo]

34. You are reading all sorts of things into this and my posts...

...that you shouldn't.

They used to call this "knee-jerk liberalism".

[SmokingJacket]

36. Sounds like Rush Limbaugh.

Though slightly less outright nuts. Only slightly.

(It's not even worth arguing with statements like these -- they're so obviously flawed -- but I'll do it anyway. As a "leftist," I love white males (um, males of all kinds), I think of myself as good, strong, and successful, I love America and want it to be less bloodthirsty and aggressive, and make no excuses for aggressive bloodthirstiness in anyone. So shaddap!)

On Edit: Hahaha! I found the author -- very funny! So one of our country's most totally certified loonballs is basically feeding the rhetoric of the extreme right! I love it!!!

[AX10]

37. Joe Klein?

Sure sounds like him.

[LoZoccolo]

38. The answer has been posted today!

If you'd still like to make a guess at it, feel free to go ahead, and after you do you can check your answer against the real one here!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1906105

[Stinky The Clown]

41. Ted Kazinski(sp?) the Unabomber in that nutter rant he sent to the NYT

How do the ravings of a loon have any real meaning? His world was almost entirely in his own Luddite head.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

45. I suppose the same can be said about Rush Limbaugh

Or at least something very similar

[tblue37]

43. I know.

But as per your request, I ain't sayin'. Some people will be very surprised--and appalled.

[Contrary1]

46. Sounds like Adolph Coulter to me. n/t

[endarkenment]

48. Google not a concept?

Gee that was tough. So was the point that we are supposed to be embarrased by the mutterings of the unabomber?

[Kurovski]

52. I think the point was that many right-wing pundits sound similar

to the author in question.

It's a bit like the online quiz, presented a while back that asked which statements were from Ann Coulter, and which were from Adolph Hitler.

All for a bit of "fun", and a brief respite from the dreary yoke of BushCo's endless steamrolling of democracy, decency, and common sense.

Edit: Using google would constitute cheating.

[The Wielding Truth]

49. Could be anyone who has no sense of reality. hmmm ...the west....

Tony Blair? or successful..... Hitler?? There is no date on this so the point of reference is unknown so it could have been said pre-Iraq deception. I give up it's too open for me to make a reasonable guess. I'll be awaitin' the answer.

[LoZoccolo]

50. The answer!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1906105

[eridani]

53. Whatchu mean, "America"?

Is "America" our ruling elite, for whom our military exists only to make the world safe for dollar-a-day labor and cheap resource extraction? Or do the rest of us poor saps who just live here have some claim to the title?

I think it was Clinton who once said that whatever was wrong with America can be fixed by what's right with America. In that sense, our sociopathic rulers are wrong, and the rest of us are right.