ATTILA'S LAST STAND

I'm not certain whether to applaud or mourn Attila the Hen's retreat from the blogging stage, but what is unfortunate for us is that she has selected some simplistic essay from Dr. Wilson as her swan song. Had she not mentioned its authorship, I might have mistaken it for a sixth grade summer composition, perhaps entitled, "Why I do so very much love my country, the United States of America."

There's nothing wrong with loving ones country, but combining childish adoration with gross omissions of fact, all to try and defend the weak proposition that no one else knows quite enough, or values quite highly enough, freedom and democracy, well, that's just outright dishonesty.

Al Franken once wrote about the different ways one can love ones country. Conservatives love their country as a child loves a parent. It is a powerful love, but they cannot see any wrong that their country might do. Obviously, there are times when a leader, or the passions of the people, may take a country in the wrong direction. The conservative will never be able to see this, and will not be able to correct the course. What's worse, the conservative, like a child, will attack viciously anyone he sees as critical to the country, much like MrArchieBunker and his ilk do.

The liberal loves his country as one adult loves another. The feeling is strong, but tempered by wisdom. If the nation is doing wrong, only someone who is truly patriotic can return it to the right path. The conservative will not see what must be done, and will pitch over the cliff's edge, taking the country with them. If you're reading this, and you're a conservative, you're probably thinking, "Hey, he's wrong about that! My country is doing the right thing! And he must hate America, to say something is wrong!" That's just what a child says, when someone insults his mommy.

You're a lot like James Q. Wilson, in fact. Wilson talks about the constitution, and doesn't even mention the Bill of Rights. He claim that Social Security is going bankrupt, when even the Congressional Budget Office says that merely repealing Bush's ruinous and lopsided tax cuts would easily cover the SS shortfall. For pete's sake, he calls Pakistan a democracy!

Attilla, come on. You can do better than this.

JC