"He complained that the British authorities had been jailing journalists.... Vance also railed against the 'crazy' conviction last year of Adam Smith-Connor, a physiotherapist and army reserve veteran, who was fined £9,000 for conducting a brief 'silent prayer' protest in the legal 'buffer zone' around an abortion clinic in Bournemouth. He then turned to the Scottish government, which he said had been distributing letters to households near abortion clinics that warned residents they would be committing a crime if they prayed against abortion in the privacy of their own homes. 'Actually, the government urged the readers to report any fellow citizens suspected to be guilty of thoughtcrime,' Vance told the Munich Security Conference. 'In Britain and across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat.'"
Human rites are a liberal imperative. Good for Vance to call out the Loons in revisiting rhe wicked solution of progressive past, present, and forward-looking.
That fat ass German Defense Minister was insanely butthurt and whined about “democracy” like the fat ass bully that just got a fist drilled deep into his face. The absolute greatest thing about the Trump administration is they don’t owe any of these assholes ANYTHING other than payback, which will manifest as justice. I would give anything, including teasing places for my wife to experience this. It is literally the best thing that has happened in any of our lives.
One line that really struck me was “ if you’re afraid of your own voters, there’s nothing the US can do to help you.” I’m not used to hearing politicians speak so bluntly in such settings.
Vance is Trump with another 20 IQ points, twice the self-control, and half the vainglory. We are in good hands, and if the Deep State scum are thinking of assassinating Trump, they had better take care that they don’t get what they wish for.
tirade /tī′rād″, tī-rād′/ noun 1. A long angry speech, usually of a censorious or denunciatory nature; a diatribe. 2. A declamatory strain or flight of censure or abuse; a rambling invective; an oration or harangue abounding in censorious and bitter language. 3. A long, angry or violent speech; a diatribe.
Vance spoke calmly, clearly, and deliberately. He called out poor behavior on the part of some of our NATO allies, behavior that is in common with totalitarian regimes. Canceling elections, blocking political parties, and censoring your citizens is not the behavior of free countries. The Scottish government’s call for neighbors to inform on each other is reminiscent of the East German Staci.
Over the last 80 years, the US has spent trillions of dollars on defending the NATO countries, only to have them adopt the behaviors of the old Soviet Union. Perhaps it’s time for them to be responsible for their own defense, perhaps with the US as a partner, not the leader and designated financial sucker.
I watched clips of this speech on MSNBC. After listening to Vance pointing out five or six examples of Western European governments acting anti-democratically, the people in the newsroom said "this speech just declared the Administration's support for autocrats."
The only way this could have been better is if he'd been eating an apple through the whole speech. He knows he's right and he knows he/we'll never be forgiven for it.
Orwell described how permanent war could be used to distract from domestic conditions and repression. Makes me wonder if they really want the death and destruction to end in Ukraine.
Natalia Pouzyreff, the head of the French national assembly’s defence committee, said: “I thought he would speak at least about Ukraine and Russia. I could not believe he would speak about the freedom of speech in Europe and [single] out Germany and the UK.”
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said it appeared the US was trying “to pick a fight with us” instead of focusing on the war in Europe.
America is reprioritizing what it means to be an "ally". Democratic values matter, and we kinda let those slide in our foreign policy in exchange for pure corporatism. Vance is signalling that Yes, we want to continue to do business with you, but the American people are tired of carrying the defense burden of countries that treat their citizens as the enemy.
Countries like Germany and Canada go off the rails with confidence. The UK has seemed flustered and insecure for a couple of decades. They want to be cool, but don't know what to do. They passed Brexit when Trump was coming in the first time, but haven't had the confidence to do anything with it.
Perhaps this dope-slap from Vance will get some resolve into the UK.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
Absolute Chad. This is 100% what I voted for and I want to see more of it. Absolute course correction on foreign affairs from previous administrations.
Not to take anything away from Vance and Trump, but Milei was the path breaker. He’s been making these kinds of in-your-face speeches for a couple of years now. He showed it was possible to speak truth and survive, both literally and politically. The emperor has no clothes.
Vance wants action consistent with preservation of principles and principals. Was Palmerism under Wilson the right choice? Was Diversity under FDR ill-advised? Were Democrats wrong to lead McCarthyism? What is a human rite performed with Loving? Can we reconcile yin and yang? Can we abort the baby, cannibalize her profitable parts, sequester her carbon, and have her, too?
James K said... Not to take anything away from Vance and Trump, but Milei was the path breaker.
I have great respect for Milei. He’s doing great things to help his country. If there was any justice, he should receive the Nobel Prize for Economics, but we know that probably will never happen.
What President Trump is trying to do is at least an order of magnitude larger and more difficult.
A government that arrests and prosecutes people for silent prayer is a regime that has adopted the concept of thought crime, the non plus ultra hallmark of the most insidious, pervasive, and criminal form of tyranny. There is no reforming such a state, it must be thoroughly destroyed and rebuilt brick by brink, stone by stone.
Thr 76th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is fast approaching. NATO was founded to save Western Europe from Stalinism. Given Europe's police state suppression of thought itself, one must inescapably conclude that NATO has utterly failed in its primary mission. On 4 April 2025, the day that marks the beginning of NATO's 77th year, President Trump should announce our withdrawal from the Treaty and our abrogation of all duties and obligations pertaining unto. The whole of Europe isn't worth the bones of a single American boy. Let Putin be a conqueror. He can hardly be more repressive than the status quo führers like Keir Starmer running things now.
THE DAILY PROGRESS (Charlottesville, Virginia) carried Norman Dodd’s obituary in its January 30, 1987 edition. The tribute read in part:
Mr. Dodd’s earlier suspicions of a political and economic conspiracy were confirmed. During his research for this committee [the Reece Committee], the president of the Ford Foundation, H. Rowan Gaither, Jr. told him that some of the giant foundations, including Ford, were working under directives from the White House to so alter life in America as to make possible a comfortable merger with the Soviet Union.
The overarching point seems to be "We won't be lectured to, or shamed into anything, by people who don't even believe in freedom of speech, freedom of thought, or letting citizens vote on policies that affect their lives. Show us that you share our basic civic values or GFY." I agree with this 100%.
Why didn’t Biden send Harris to stop the war in Ukraine?
@Dave Begley, I dunno. Probably because by the time she left Ukraine the war would have gone nuclear? Just guessing based on what happened at the border after Biden put her in charge.
James K said... Not to take anything away from Vance and Trump, but Milei was the path breaker.
Milei is great, but I suspect even he would concede that Trump 45 helped him get his message across. And while I don't think he would concede it, Trump was helped by Brexit and Nigel Farage.
The Daily Mail had an article saying that Sweden's Carl Bildt and other Eurocrats foresee Russia invading the NATO countries in the future if Trump's peace talks are successful. That's not going to happen, so in that sense, censorship is more of a threat to the West than Russia. What Vance said needed to be said, but as threats go, there are other and bigger ones. They're related to wokeness and political correctness, but censorship is just the visible tip of the iceberg.
"Vance's speech was truly Churchillian-no less than the famous Iron Curtain speech daring the West to confront the danger of communism. Roughly 80 years later, Vance called allies to account for the growing threat not from foreign adversaries but themselves"
Comments older than 2 days are always moderated. Newer comments may be unmoderated, but are still subject to a spam filter and may take a few hours to get released. Thanks for your contributions and your patience.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Encourage Althouse by making a donation:
Make a 1-time donation or set up a monthly donation of any amount you choose:
Posts
44 comments:
Bravo
Progressives always seem to find straight talk confusing.
It’s a willful confusion.
Human rites are a liberal imperative. Good for Vance to call out the Loons in revisiting rhe wicked solution of progressive past, present, and forward-looking.
That fat ass German Defense Minister was insanely butthurt and whined about “democracy” like the fat ass bully that just got a fist drilled deep into his face. The absolute greatest thing about the Trump administration is they don’t owe any of these assholes ANYTHING other than payback, which will manifest as justice. I would give anything, including teasing places for my wife to experience this. It is literally the best thing that has happened in any of our lives.
One line that really struck me was “ if you’re afraid of your own voters, there’s nothing the US can do to help you.” I’m not used to hearing politicians speak so bluntly in such settings.
Teasing is trading of course.
Vance is Trump with another 20 IQ points, twice the self-control, and half the vainglory. We are in good hands, and if the Deep State scum are thinking of assassinating Trump, they had better take care that they don’t get what they wish for.
Vance is not wrong.
Stunning and brave!
It was not a tirade.
tirade /tī′rād″, tī-rād′/
noun
1. A long angry speech, usually of a censorious or denunciatory nature; a diatribe.
2. A declamatory strain or flight of censure or abuse; a rambling invective; an oration or harangue abounding in censorious and bitter language.
3. A long, angry or violent speech; a diatribe.
Vance spoke calmly, clearly, and deliberately. He called out poor behavior on the part of some of our NATO allies, behavior that is in common with totalitarian regimes. Canceling elections, blocking political parties, and censoring your citizens is not the behavior of free countries. The Scottish government’s call for neighbors to inform on each other is reminiscent of the East German Staci.
Over the last 80 years, the US has spent trillions of dollars on defending the NATO countries, only to have them adopt the behaviors of the old Soviet Union. Perhaps it’s time for them to be responsible for their own defense, perhaps with the US as a partner, not the leader and designated financial sucker.
As bad as the previous administration was in the US there’s some horrifyingly crazy stuff out of the mouths of pols in England and EU…
European leaders seek consensus - amongst themselves, against the people they rule over.
I watched clips of this speech on MSNBC. After listening to Vance pointing out five or six examples of Western European governments acting anti-democratically, the people in the newsroom said "this speech just declared the Administration's support for autocrats."
Gell-Mann effect manifesting in seconds!
JSM
Well, he's right.
The only way this could have been better is if he'd been eating an apple through the whole speech. He knows he's right and he knows he/we'll never be forgiven for it.
Orwell described how permanent war could be used to distract from domestic conditions and repression. Makes me wonder if they really want the death and destruction to end in Ukraine.
Natalia Pouzyreff, the head of the French national assembly’s defence committee, said: “I thought he would speak at least about Ukraine and Russia. I could not believe he would speak about the freedom of speech in Europe and [single] out Germany and the UK.”
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said it appeared the US was trying “to pick a fight with us” instead of focusing on the war in Europe.
remember The Olden Days?
back when The Left used to pretend, that they were in favor of democracy, and people?
In the Immortal Words, of SE Hinton: That was THEN, This is NOW
"It was not a tirade."
The Times. How the mighty have fallen.
America is reprioritizing what it means to be an "ally". Democratic values matter, and we kinda let those slide in our foreign policy in exchange for pure corporatism. Vance is signalling that Yes, we want to continue to do business with you, but the American people are tired of carrying the defense burden of countries that treat their citizens as the enemy.
I hope Vance's address helps.
Countries like Germany and Canada go off the rails with confidence. The UK has seemed flustered and insecure for a couple of decades. They want to be cool, but don't know what to do. They passed Brexit when Trump was coming in the first time, but haven't had the confidence to do anything with it.
Perhaps this dope-slap from Vance will get some resolve into the UK.
A speech about principles, about principals, about religion (e.g. democracy). A refreshingly frank, pragmatic review of life on Earth.
Fine but God doesn't listen to virtue-signalling prayers, especially from believers.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
Absolute Chad. This is 100% what I voted for and I want to see more of it. Absolute course correction on foreign affairs from previous administrations.
Not to take anything away from Vance and Trump, but Milei was the path breaker. He’s been making these kinds of in-your-face speeches for a couple of years now. He showed it was possible to speak truth and survive, both literally and politically. The emperor has no clothes.
Vance wants action consistent with preservation of principles and principals. Was Palmerism under Wilson the right choice? Was Diversity under FDR ill-advised? Were Democrats wrong to lead McCarthyism? What is a human rite performed with Loving? Can we reconcile yin and yang? Can we abort the baby, cannibalize her profitable parts, sequester her carbon, and have her, too?
James K said...
Not to take anything away from Vance and Trump, but Milei was the path breaker.
I have great respect for Milei. He’s doing great things to help his country. If there was any justice, he should receive the Nobel Prize for Economics, but we know that probably will never happen.
What President Trump is trying to do is at least an order of magnitude larger and more difficult.
The Corrupt Soviet pro-censorship Democrat Party in America - are losing their minds.
Soviet Britain - you will go to jail for praying.
NYT headline: "Vance implores Europe to Accept Extreme Parties."
LOL.
A government that arrests and prosecutes people for silent prayer is a regime that has adopted the concept of thought crime, the non plus ultra hallmark of the most insidious, pervasive, and criminal form of tyranny. There is no reforming such a state, it must be thoroughly destroyed and rebuilt brick by brink, stone by stone.
Thr 76th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is fast approaching. NATO was founded to save Western Europe from Stalinism. Given Europe's police state suppression of thought itself, one must inescapably conclude that NATO has utterly failed in its primary mission. On 4 April 2025, the day that marks the beginning of NATO's 77th year, President Trump should announce our withdrawal from the Treaty and our abrogation of all duties and obligations pertaining unto. The whole of Europe isn't worth the bones of a single American boy. Let Putin be a conqueror. He can hardly be more repressive than the status quo führers like Keir Starmer running things now.
Why didn’t Biden send Harris to stop the war in Ukraine?
Soviet Britain,
THE DAILY PROGRESS (Charlottesville, Virginia) carried Norman Dodd’s obituary in its January 30, 1987 edition. The tribute read in part:
Mr. Dodd’s earlier suspicions of a political and economic conspiracy were confirmed. During his research for this committee [the Reece Committee], the president of the Ford Foundation, H. Rowan Gaither, Jr. told him that some of the giant foundations, including Ford, were working under directives from the White House to so alter life in America as to make possible a comfortable merger with the Soviet Union.
https://www.jewworldorder.org/u-s-soviet-merger-requires-charter-schools-for-a-one-world-global-planned-economy/
The overarching point seems to be "We won't be lectured to, or shamed into anything, by people who don't even believe in freedom of speech, freedom of thought, or letting citizens vote on policies that affect their lives. Show us that you share our basic civic values or GFY." I agree with this 100%.
Well said JD, well said.
Why didn’t Biden send Harris to stop the war in Ukraine?
@Dave Begley, I dunno. Probably because by the time she left Ukraine the war would have gone nuclear? Just guessing based on what happened at the border after Biden put her in charge.
James K said...
Not to take anything away from Vance and Trump, but Milei was the path breaker.
Milei is great, but I suspect even he would concede that Trump 45 helped him get his message across. And while I don't think he would concede it, Trump was helped by Brexit and Nigel Farage.
JD Vance spoke of improving lives.
How dare he.
The only lives that need improving are the lives of most powerful - Like the Crook Biden family.
The Daily Mail had an article saying that Sweden's Carl Bildt and other Eurocrats foresee Russia invading the NATO countries in the future if Trump's peace talks are successful. That's not going to happen, so in that sense, censorship is more of a threat to the West than Russia. What Vance said needed to be said, but as threats go, there are other and bigger ones. They're related to wokeness and political correctness, but censorship is just the visible tip of the iceberg.
The Muslims are conquering England. But the English won’t revolt against their government. Their best were killed in the wars or came to America.
You begin by selectively using censorship as a tool to silence your political opponents, in the end censorship becomes the only tool available.
Turley:
"Vance's speech was truly Churchillian-no less than the famous Iron Curtain speech daring the West to confront the danger of communism. Roughly 80 years later, Vance called allies to account for the growing threat not from foreign adversaries but themselves"
Indeed.
Post a Comment
Comments older than 2 days are always moderated. Newer comments may be unmoderated, but are still subject to a spam filter and may take a few hours to get released. Thanks for your contributions and your patience.