I’m reproducing this comment to my last post (typically the abusive commenter timidly hides behind anonymity). I generally don’t post anonymous and/or abusive comments, but there are enough of them from Paul’s followers to make me even more convinced about the shrill little dog whistle they’re hearing. Here’s a particularly embarassing one:
I did hear Ron Paul was discriminatory. He wants to do away with neocons who are against American civil liberties. I guess that would be you. No wonder you don’t like Ron Paul. The question is, do you feel threatened enough to make up stories about Ron Paul, since he is your enemy
First there’s the ignorance and inaccuracy. Anyone who reads the post can see that I explicitly say I don’t find Ron Paul an anti-semite but rather likable. It’s certain of his less-than-brilliant followers–precisely like the one above–who are the stain on his campaign. Look at the lame attempt to make a joke about being “discriminatory”. And I should point out that although I’m a liberal internationalist and member of the ACLU, not a neo con, one has to wonder about just how metaphorical the commenter’s language is when he says Ron Paul wants to “do away” with neo cons.
Just what does “do away with” with mean? Is he speaking for Ron Paul? Is that the commenter’s view of “American civil liberties”, to “do away with” those who disagree with them? Which amendment of the Bill of Rights has that?
Is he perhaps betraying a subconscious wish to make “do away with” literally eliminationist? Sure doesn’t sound like an accidental slip. (nor does the venom in some of the other commenters’ remarks, bile not worth spreading).
Indeed, I think the comment above perfectly exemplifies the point I made about some not all of Ron Paul supporters.
You’ve certainly done Ron Paul proud.
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3 Comments
Flo:I find it hard to believe that this is from a True Ron Paul supporter.
Jul 17, 2007 - 11:00 pm R.W. Rasband:Looks more like someone just trying to cause Ron Paul problems. I see a lot of Ron Pauls supporters online and usually the comments are respectful and well reasoned.
Is Ron Paul still an active member of the John Birch Society? If so, that would explain a lot about his internet followers.
Jul 18, 2007 - 12:29 pm W. Hopkins:Of course Dr. Paul has followers who are abusive, less-than-brilliant, or otherwise inarticulate. Most of the population is in that category, at least some of the time. Most of the other candidates have their full share of them too.
Rather than pillory Dr. Paul because of supporters whom he doesn’t even know, why not look to the man himself?
He is thoughtful, attempts to back up his statements about the present condition with facts and historic precedent. He has a record in Congress of being easy to work with, always basing his position on the merits of the issues.
He has established a reputation of intellectual honesty and consistency far beyond any other candidate, as far as I can tell. He propounds the fundamentals the great majority of us espouse and wish to live under, whether “conservative” or “liberal” whatever those hackneyed terms may mean these days.
He is invariably polite in discourse.
What is not to like about him? And what is not to like about the view of government he is offering? Listen carefully to him. He fully understands the complexities. He is no Pollyanna.
With all due respect, perhaps you would review for us the candidate, and not so much the rabble section of his supporters. I for one feel far less threatened by rabble, however weird or off point they may be,than I do by stealthy fascists (all pejorative sense of the word aside, this is who seems to have the helm in Washington, these days).
Thank you for listening.
Jul 21, 2007 - 3:57 pm