Michael Gerson, the conservative former George W. Bush speech writer has some words of wisdom for conservatives and all of us really ahead of tomorrow’s Minuteman rally. First, he explains the appeal of the Minuteman movement:
The Tea Party movement, on the whole, seems to be an intensification of conservative activism, not the triumph of the paranoid style of politics.
But the birthers and Birchers, militias and nativists, racists and conspiracy theorists do exist. Some, having waited decades in deserved obscurity, hope to ride a populist movement like remoras. But there are others, new to political engagement, who have found paranoia and anger intoxicating.
That sounds about right. There’s a reason that the out-of-town crew of discontents who stormed Santa Clarita in January hadn’t appeared on the scene locally before. Such extremists were obscure, shunned and ignored and didn’t have an audience for their hateful message. Then when the economy goes south, unemployment rises, real estate implodes, they suddenly appear, ready to point their fingers at those who are unlike us.
And Roger Gitlin is their leader.
Testify Gerson!
At any time of social disorientation, conspiracy theories have an appeal. They provide a narrative for an apparently random world. They promise that one key can unlock every door.
And these theories contribute to social division. Opponents are not just wrong; they are secretive, ruthless and demonic. They want to overturn the Constitution, establish a police state, cede American sovereignty to a new world order, fight wars for the sake of Israel, carve out a nation of Aztlan in the American Southwest.
Right on the money Mr. Gerson. We had a pastor -a man of the cloth- in this town tell us illegals were not just lawbreakers but evil the last time this crew met.
Shortly after that, a man stepped up onto the stage and said that Bush/Obama wanted to destroy America and create a North American Union superstate. His solution to this mythical problem? Not dialog. Not discussion. Not compromise. “Buy guns, buy ammo,” he said.
While all this was going on, the protesters were harassing a Latino motorist, yelling at him to drive south until he got back to Mexico. At the microphone, they were calling him undocumented with no proof at all but the color of his skin.
This was the real context of our Councilman’s infamous cry. This was the time and place he chose to say what he said.
Someone should tell that to Bill Kennedy, who is either unaware of what really went on at that rally or is willfully ignoring it.
Weeks later, the out-of-town posse, upset that they were receiving anything but sycophantic coverage in The Signal, called for “SOB” journalist Jonathan Randles to be fired for his honest reporting on the matter.
These are the words and activities of patriots?
Here’s Gerson explaining what the real Republican and American position on immigration is:
Immigrants are not a bacillus; they are a source of values and vitality. And if they are not a source of future Republican votes, conservatives will be voted into obscurity.
In the weeks following the event, we saw much support for Kellar. But we also saw some courageous local Republicans like TimBen Boydston and Frank Ferry (yes I mentioned them in the same sentence) defy these vigilantes only to get hammered for it.
Look how hard local conservatives pushed back against Frank Ferry when Ferry acknowledged the simple truth that God doesn’t distinguish between American and Mexican, that true Republicans embrace immigrants, different cultures and smart federal policy. Ferry recognizes the dead-end road that is the Minuteman movement; why don’t Bob Kellar, David Gauny and George Runner?
Why do they genuflect to Roger Gitlin and his out of town mob?
Gerson continues on the topic of vilification of political rivals:
Our political system is designed for vigorous disagreement. It is not designed for irreconcilable contempt. Such contempt loosens the ties of citizenship and undermines the idea of patriotism. “How can we love our country,” asked Ronald Reagan, “and not love our countrymen?”
Never thought I’d quote the Gipper on this blog, but there you have it. Reagan wouldn’t have been caught at one of these rallies. Reagan wouldn’t have associated with people who openly debate whether the Klan are misunderstood kindred spirits or bad for the Minuteman movement.
Indeed, Reagan did the only sensible thing he could do when presented with the same problem we face today: he provided a path to citizenship for 1.7 million undocumented but hard working immigrants.
Will the rhetoric at tomorrow’s rally be different than the one in January? I’m not sure, but if anything the underlying anxiety about the economy and security masked as anti-illegal immigration have only intensified in Santa Clarita since the last rally.
Thankfully, it looks like the weather is set to dump on us all day.
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