Conservative cruelty is weighing heavily
on Erick's head these days
Redstate Domo Erick Erickson has been taking unusually coherent stances on several issues of late and the front pagers as a group have been coming down very hard on the Ferguson police actions. However, a dairy posted today seems to be a much broader manifesto against the Mean, the Bigoted and the Stupid who have certainly taken hold of Erickson's party of choice.
In the past several months there have been three incidents that have solidified for me that my faith and my politics are starting to collide. While I am a firm believer in the idea of a conservative populism, I see a dangerous trend within the mix of unfortunate shrillness and hostility. That trend is playing out in the comments here at RedState and on social media.
Okay, so this fellow is very slow on the uptake but he certainly is right. If he wrote this in 1994 he might even deserve something. Also it would appear that fear of going to Hell may be his primary motivation but hey, whatever it takes. His list of grievances against his own commenters looks a lot like a Rec list here at Kos over the summer:
Christian conservatives (by Redstate commenters) were roundly assailed by other conservatives for daring to provide aid and comfort to children whose parents had shipped them across the border. Some could not distinguish between giving a child a teddy bear and supporting Mexican drug cartels. It was all one or all the other. In fact, many Christians, myself included, want expedited deportations and a secure border. But we also want to make sure the children, some victims of human trafficking, were taken care of, fed, and comforted.
But to some on the right, that is aiding law breakers. The anger and hysteria directed at conservatives engaged in private charity had all the makings of a leftist police state making us care about how we choose to spend our own money.
The second was bringing Dr. Brantly and his co-worker back to the United States. The number of angry calls into my radio program from well meaning conservatives, comments across social media, opinion columns, agreement thereto, etc. really boggled my mind.
The last is the present situation in Ferguson, MO. The rush to win a fight and lay blame instead of mourning a loss and praying for a situation just leaves me perplexed. The rush to “change the narrative” with bad facts to replace bad facts by some folks who keep the ichthys (Jesus fish) on their car unsettles me.
* Bold = my comment
Let me emphasize two points:
- This is not new. Erickson and his front pagers have been beating the drumbeat against the militarized policing and arbitrary police shootings since the murder of Michael Brown.
- This is very much faith based. Erickson has been writing a lot of really heavy handed, come to Jesus (literally) stuff this year making me think he is suffering from a genuine crisis of conscious.
We DFHs understand the hypocrisy of the religious right. Whatever your theological opinion we can all agree that Jesus dismissed the rich, the powerful, the warmongers while ministering to the poor, the ill and the meek. Yet evangelical Christians dominate a party that demonizes charity, empathy and forgiveness while pandering to the powerful and the intolerant. "Meek" is a pejorative right up there with "pussy" and "french" to today's Republican.
Late at night, when he can't sleep methinks Mr. Erickson may be haunted by his conscience. Plagued by his choices, he is looking for redemption just like Jerry McGuire, who CC'd his entire firm a values based mission statement after a particularly shameful night of douchebaggery. Judging by the comments to his mission statement, EE may receive equally shabby payback:
GUMBY2
Beck, the Pope, and Erick have a lot in common, I'm done with all of them.
SMLANDMA
Everything that happens that involves race the people running this country and the media look to scapegoat the whites (or white Hispanic). Everytime one of these stories appear, I hope beyond hope that it is not true. Why, because even this utterly false story has ignited people....
(snip)...the only loss I will mourn is the lost reputation of a man, who best I can tell, was honesty trying to maintain law and order in a town that cursed him on a daily basis.
CJELEPHANT
Really tired of these effeminate fake Christians like Beck and Erickson lecturing us all about the border.
the people streaming across the border are lawless thieves.
VOTEMOUT2012
Have found myself less and less coming to RedState for Conservative reading. Maybe Eric explains why. Glenn Beck Comes to mind....
Mind you, these opinions weren't universal. About half of the commenters were cautiously supportive but most had caveats and asterix' just to let you know that they only bought into this "'cause Jesus" or "cause Erick".
But I'll take it. It's a start. Thanks Erick and good luck with that.