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Liberal Guilt: The Reason for Indulgences, Protests, and Policies

by Orlando 

 

What do The Dave Matthews Band and Coldplay have in common with the likes of Al Gore and John Edwards? They all suffer from liberal guilt. Coldplay, for example, funded 10,000 mango trees in India to make amends for their emissions in the production of their CD. The Dave Matthews Band has said it will offset 100% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from all of its touring activities since 1991. It is comparable to the medieval practice of buying indulgences to eliminate guilt. Al Gore and John Edwards are not only buying offsets but espousing guilt-based policies.

Shelby Steele describes this liberal guilt well in his piece “White Guilt”:

They struggle, above all else, to dissociate themselves from the past sins they are stigmatized with. When they behave in ways that invoke the memory of those sins, they must labor to prove that they have not relapsed into their group’s former sinfulness.

Here lies the root issue of liberal policies and actions. In other words, we have program after program of government funded “guilt offsets” to help relieve liberals of their shame-ridden past. Consider the war on poverty, social security, affirmative action, global warming, universal health care, and the countless other guilt-based agendas.

Guilt leads to blame. Their need to correct some perceived injustice means they must amend others actions as well—the louder the better so the world will know they are doing something about their supposed disgrace. Consider protests of the following: the Iraq war, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, the Patriot Act, Kyoto, “undocumented workers,” Bush policies, and so many more. Guilt, blame, guilt, blame—the same pattern over and over.

It is cognitive dissonance. Liberals assign guilt to oneself or, worse yet, to others who disagree with them. This allows them to circumvent feeling bad about themselves, or in terms they recognize—having a negative self-image. This, unfortunately, manifests itself into the myriad of government programs costing taxpayers trillions of dollars.

Because liberals are repeatedly offsetting their guilt, this leads them to be sanctimonious. P.J. O’Rourke puts it best:

The principle feature of American liberalism is sanctimoniousness. By loudly denouncing all bad things — war and hunger and date rape — liberals testify to their own terrific goodness. More important, they promote themselves to membership in a self-selecting elite of those who care deeply about such things. It’s a kind of natural aristocracy, and the wonderful thing about this aristocracy is that you don’t have to be brave, smart, strong or even lucky to join it, you just have to be liberal.

So, the next time you hear liberals espousing the “need” for a policy or program to “help the poor,” “save the environment,” or “help the children,” understand its root cause. It is their own inability to move beyond their own guilt-ridden self image.

Government Is Not The Answer

Government is not the answer to our problems, government is the problem. — Ronald Reagan

Immigration, stem cell research, health care, and the listings go on and on. These are the proposals put forth by the Democratic front runners and Congressional Democratic leaders. Inevitably, Democrats are calling on government to solve the problems of the American people. Have they forgotten the words of one of the most famous Democrats?

My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. — John F. Kennedy

People have asked me, “Why are you so opposed to government run social programs?” Would not I, as a minority, be more sympathetic to such schemes? To understand the reason behind my opposition, you have to understand my background.

I grew up on welfare. I was your typical at-risk child—broken home, parents with no education, minority, living in subsidized housing, gang infested schools, and plenty of government handouts. You would think I would be a cheerleader for the Democratic Party. Far from it. I lived in poverty and I came to realize that those handouts were not hand-ups. I saw those around me “gaming the system”—figuring out every possible angle to milk the local, state, or federal government out of more benefits. But for what? For nothing! I never saw one government program (and I was part of dozens) ever lead any friend, neighbor, or acquaintance out of poverty. It had the opposite effect…it kept them there…dependent…a welfare drug.

What changed in my life? One day I heard Ronald Reagan. He said:

We should measure welfare’s success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added.

and…

There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.

It was then that I realized that the only thing keeping me destitute was ME. Government programs do not instill hope and promise, they instill rules and regulations. Ronald Reagan was and still is right, “Government in not the answer.”

What Happens When Web 2.0 Meets Illegal Immigration?

Web 2.0 “refers to a perceived second-generation of Web based communities and hosted services such as social networking sites, wikis and folksonomies that facilitate collaboration and sharing between users” (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0). Illegal immigration is a huge issue with some 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants in the United States. What happens when Web 2.0 meets illegal immigration? It is called WeHireAliens.com.

Jason Mrochek is managing a website that posts the names, address, and phone number of companies that allegedly hire illegal immigrants. He explains his website this way:

The biggest incentive for illegal aliens to come to the United States is to find work. If there are no employers willing to hire the illegal aliens, then the flood of illegal aliens will subside. So the purpose of this website is to expose “alleged” employers of illegal aliens. In this effort we need your help. First, if you know of a suspected employer of illegal aliens report them here.

Whatever you may think of this website, it fits the definition of Web 2.0. It is a network for collaborating and sharing of information in an interactive approach. In this situation, it invites reports by citizens who “out” employers hiring illegal immigrants. The site then lists the details of that employer and allows the user to search information by name, location, and a variety of other means.

It also has its critics. According to an article by The Arizona Republic:

“The virtual vigilantism of this Web site encourages anonymous informants and the trafficking of whispered innuendo. That is not characteristic of a free society that values due process and the right to confront your accuser,” said Farrell Quinlan, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry spokesman.

Mrocheck’s adventure into Web 2.0 technologies was born out of frustration. This led him to use Web 2.0 to tackle the illegal immigration problem. Again, according the The Arizona Republic:

The site was launched in February 2005 out of frustration with the federal government’s lack of worksite enforcement. Its goal is to pressure employers to stop hiring undocumented workers and, therefore, reduce a main incentive of illegal immigration. The site, funded by donations, now averages 750,000 to 1 million hits a month

Love or hate, agree or disagree, WeHireAliens.com, it is one clear example of Web 2.0 crossing into the world of illegal immigration issues. What political hot button is next on the horizon? Stem cell research? Abortion? Gun control? Only time will tell.

Listen to NPR’s take on WeHireAliens.com.

Memorial Day: A Veteran’s Perspective

I’m ashamed to admit that Memorial Day had little meaning except for a mini-vacation, a day off, BBQ, and picnic. That changed when I joined the military and served in the Gulf War.

I ran a command post during Desert Shield / Desert Storm. The night of January 17, 1991 was the day we went to war against Saddam Hussein’s forces. It is also a day I will never forget. I stepped outside my command post to watch fighter jet after fighter jet take off in the night to coordinates I had given them. There was a slight breeze in the desert air and the American flag illuminated in the background as more and more jets pushed their engines to afterburner. I have never felt more patriotic than at the moment.

My patriotism soon turned to terror as we received word of our first SCUD missile warning—the first of 86 SCUD missiles to be launched at U.S. forces and Israel. I immediately grabbed a microphone that connected me to the base warning system. I yelled into the mike, “SCUD alarm, SCUD alarm, SCUD alarm. Don mask and gloves and take cover.” I repeated that warning two more times. I immediately took a look outside to see 6,000 military personnel scrambling to put on their chemical warfare gear while dashing for the safety of bunkers.

The first Gulf War was a victory for U.S. and allied forces. We lost only 148 military personnel—28 died from a SCUD missile attack on an Air Force base in Dhahrain, Saudi Arabia. I knew some of those Airmen. They and the multitude of others who served our country did not die in vain.

More than 1.5 million American men and women who served our Armed Forces have died. One point five million–that is the equivalent of the entire country of Estonia. It is hard to comprehend. They did not die in vain. They died in service to our country. In return, we owe them and their families our greatest respect.

I urge you, if you haven’t gone to the Vietnam Memorial, please do that in your lifetime. It will change your perspective on what Memorial Day truly means. Also, if you get a chance, go up to a military man or woman and thank them for their service to our country. You see, Memorial Day is not just about a mini-vacation, day off, BBQ, or picnic—it’s about great people who served our great nation.

Representative and veteran Doc Hastings (R) of Washington puts it best:

Memorial Day remains one of America’s most cherished patriotic observances. The spirit of this day has not changed – it remains a day to honor those who died defending our freedom and democracy.

Note: If you would like to thank one of our brave men and women serving our country, here is a comprehensive military listing of links to help you: http://geckocountry.com/military.htm