Althouse: "Have you noticed that the left’s nightmare is a small town where everybody sees and comments on whatever you do..."

June 3, 2012

"Have you noticed that the left’s nightmare is a small town where everybody sees and comments on whatever you do..."

"... but they try to turn every place into a small town where everybody sees and comments on whatever you do?"

ADDED: And they love diversity, but they're hot to run you out of town for nonconformity.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...: Have you also noticed how often they want to pin a big scarlet "C" on you.

Commit adultery and thereby devastate your spouse and throw your children into confusion? We'll, that's a totally private matter between the consenting adults, and who are you to judge?

Vote for a conservative in an election? Up against the wal,l you degenerate!; 6/3/12, 9:47 AM
cubanbob said...: If we are going to have disclosure then all should be disclosed starting who organizes, works for and funds the funds and the various groups.; 6/3/12, 9:48 AM
edutcher said...: George Orwell knew exactly what he was talking about when he created Big Brother.

The one thing Ann omits is the "How Dast Thou?" attitude encountered when you take a shot at their orthodoxy.; 6/3/12, 9:51 AM
Phil 314 said...: Shame, Shame, Shame; 6/3/12, 9:54 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: "Have you noticed that the left’s nightmare is a small town where everybody sees and comments on whatever you do..."
"... but they try to turn every place into a small town where everybody sees and comments on whatever you do?"

ADDED: And they love diversity, but they're hot to run you out of town for nonconformity.

Two words: San Francisco.

And yes - I noticed - and I'm never going back,...; 6/3/12, 9:55 AM
MadisonMan said...: A small town where everybody sees and comments on whatever you do is redundant.

All you need to say is A small town.; 6/3/12, 9:56 AM
Matt Sablan said...: Well, you see, they don't like small towns like that that they do not control. If it were a collective or, perhaps, a commune -- those would be cool. But small towns are not.

And, its not conformity when you're just wrong.

These are basic Truths(TM).; 6/3/12, 10:02 AM
Matt Sablan said...: As a less jokey aside, most people are against the idea of a small group of people who do not believe as they do, and having to interact with them on a daily basis. It is why the internet flourishes. You can find people who share your ideas, no matter how off the wall they are, there and never have to be judged.; 6/3/12, 10:03 AM
wildswan said...: there is a Harvard group which is telling people how their neighbors donated as a "study." I went to the link at the FEC and entered in Barack Obama. On July 31, 2008 and August 8, 2008 he donated $4600 to Hilary Clinton for President. the link is http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/advindsea.shtml; 6/3/12, 10:03 AM
locomotivebreath1901 said...: Liberal hypocrisy: it's not a bug, it's a feature.; 6/3/12, 10:04 AM
cassandra lite said...: Same as the '60s, when you had to conform to nonconformity. Or else.; 6/3/12, 10:06 AM
Frankns said...: Or ... have you evert noticed how the Left's notion of the perfect neighborhood resembles something out of the Cultural Revolution?; 6/3/12, 10:07 AM
wildswan said...: On 6/27/2008 Hillary Clinton donated 2300 to Obama for America.; 6/3/12, 10:08 AM
Scott said...: The ideology that dare not speak its name.; 6/3/12, 10:11 AM
KCFleming said...: Groupthink or death.

Well, yours anyway.; 6/3/12, 10:16 AM
Brian Brown said...: If you think these people are capable of waking up and seeing the error of their ways with facts or reason, I've got all of recorded human history to point you to demonstrating that will not be the case.

I mean really, does anyone actually think the left will say Oh yeah, Head Start doesn't work, lets cancel that program or we were wrong on Global Warming or Social Security is bankrupt, lets change it, etc?

These people do not, in any shape, manner or form, believe in individual liberty or the principles on which America was founded.

This is will end just as it always does, with lots of violence.; 6/3/12, 10:22 AM
Morgan Warstler said...: Letter I just sent to Harvard:

Folks, here's what is going to happen.

My side, the conservatives are going to find all Dem donors that work for private entities that are not law firms (they get told to donate) and send them letters saying,

"we intend to make your next donation known to your employer to verify you are in fact employed" etc.

And it will be legal.

It is a MINOR cost to send letters to 10M people. That's what $5M?

And it will be called a study.

And we already know the effect.

You need to ask yourselves this question: do people care more about their neighbors or their job?

You should think through your actions Harvard.

---

It seems pretty obvioius will will occur sooner than later, mayube in the next month :).; 6/3/12, 10:25 AM
Toad Trend said...: "Liberal hypocrisy: it's not a bug, it's a feature."

Yep.

Tolerance and civility for thee, but not for me.

Liberalism in one lesson; John F. Kerry 'advocates' for the poor and downtrodden by supporting the demagoguery of the 'rich' while relocating a luxury water craft to another state so as to avoid paying a luxury tax.

Thanks for participating.; 6/3/12, 10:29 AM
Alex said...: When the socialist enterprise is at stake, by any means necessary.; 6/3/12, 10:32 AM
Saint Croix said...: I sent an irritable email to several Harvard deans and a couple of professors this morning. I really ought to brush my teeth before I send emails. I'm afraid I was kinda rude. ("Is your school sending this crap to Democrats?")

Definitely rude for the Sabbath. I can't tell you how many times I've failed to keep the Sabbath holy. Pretty much every single Sunday in my life. I'm going to be like Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny. "You were serious about that?"

Now I'm trying to remember if the judge in My Cousin Vinny went to Harvard or Yale. I think he was a Yale man.

bbady@fas.harvard.edu,
jcalhoun@fas.harvard.edu,
mike_smith@harvard.edu,
david_ellwood@harvard.edu,
minow@law.harvard.edu
dersh@law.harvard.edu

That's the Dean of the undergrads, the Dean of the school of government, and the Dean of the law school. And Alan Dershowitz just for funsies.; 6/3/12, 10:33 AM
Alex said...: I'm pretty sure garage mahal would be 100% behind "name & shame" because it's all about WINNING. When will you Republicans get it? If you don't win - you don't get the power.; 6/3/12, 10:33 AM
Alex said...: Now I'm imagining my political donations becoming known to my neighbors. That would definitely put a huge chill on things!; 6/3/12, 10:34 AM
Toad Trend said...: Alex

Yes, winning at any cost is another liberal hallmark. That's the lying, cheating and deceiving portion of the mindset. Its why there is histrionics over having to show ID at the voting booth.

If you listen, they will tell you themselves what they are up to and how they think.; 6/3/12, 10:36 AM
Unknown said...: Good observation.

Their idea of diversity though seems to have devolved to "one leftist black family" per block.; 6/3/12, 10:39 AM
Alex said...: DT2012 - they justify that Walker lied about his campaign. Therefore, they are justified in committing whatever crimes they want.; 6/3/12, 10:40 AM
Tom Spaulding said...: "It's not over until we win" - Russ Feingold (D), Statesman, former Conscience of the Senate.; 6/3/12, 10:42 AM
edutcher said...: Jay said...

If you think these people are capable of waking up and seeing the error of their ways with facts or reason, I've got all of recorded human history to point you to demonstrating that will not be the case.

I mean really, does anyone actually think the left will say Oh yeah, Head Start doesn't work, lets cancel that program or we were wrong on Global Warming or Social Security is bankrupt, lets change it, etc?

Of course not.

If they did, it would mean admitting they were WRONG, and that would mean admitting they're not as smart as they tell everybodye, not to mention each other and themselves, they are.; 6/3/12, 10:42 AM
Alex said...: At least the left gets it. IT's about winning, it's about power. Why should conservatives think any different? Do you know want control over your lives? What give that up to your enemies? This is warfare.; 6/3/12, 10:44 AM
Toad Trend said...: "...they justify that Walker lied about his campaign."

Sociopathology is ugly indeed.; 6/3/12, 10:48 AM
Calypso Facto said...: In that small town of Madison I note that the Walker signs were stolen from our business lawn, but the city leaves Barrett signs standing illegally in public right-of-ways.

No diversity of thought allowed!; 6/3/12, 10:49 AM
Ann Althouse said...: If you quote a comment that we have to delete, you might get deleted too. Sorry when that happens.; 6/3/12, 10:52 AM
Alex said...: I mean thank god all the left does it engage in intimidation tactics. I mean no death camps... yet.; 6/3/12, 10:56 AM
Big Mike said...: A little bit of sophistry from MadMad.

And a statement ("George Orwell knew exactly what he was talking about ...") from edutcher that is absolutely true. Orwell had served with the communists in the Spanish Civil War, and was disturbed by how far the official line diverted from reality. As he put it, units that had fought bravely were denounced as cowards while units that had never been anywhere near the battles were given credit for victory.

We've been seeing "newspeak" and "doublethink" coming from the left ever since Bush won in 2000, and only sunshine can disinfect it.; 6/3/12, 11:04 AM
Toad Trend said...: AA

No problem, I understand and recognized the stereotypical bigotry.; 6/3/12, 11:07 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Serious question.

How many of you actually live in a small town or have lived in a small town. I mean REALLY small. Less than 5000 people? Less than 10,000?

In a really small town people tend to 'mind their own business'. Not that they aren't aware of what you are doing and how you are living. Will people gossip, sure.

However, like the Japanese culture, when you are in close proximity to others you develop ways of getting along while keeping privacy barriers up. If you are living in a group of (in my case) less than 1000 people as neighbors, it is even more important to keep the peace. Live and let live.

Because if you know what THEY are doing, they know what YOU are up to as well. So....unless someone is in trouble or there is something bad or abusive going on, everyone just minds their own business.; 6/3/12, 12:07 PM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: I love different points of view and even edgy modes expression.

It would seem that using a clichéd and cartoonish stereotype to say that the same type of overgeneralization is at work in Professor Reynolds' characterization of the "left" does not count as the sort of edgy mode of expression that Professor Althouse claims to love.

Fascinating.; 6/3/12, 12:17 PM
Alex said...: Mitchell....

It would seem that using a clichéd and cartoonish stereotype to say that the same type of overgeneralization is at work in Professor Reynolds' characterization of the "left" does not count as the sort of edgy mode of expression that Professor Althouse claims to love.

Fascinating.

Notice there was no content right there, just some lame attempt to slam Althouse & Glenn Reynolds.; 6/3/12, 12:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Judging from your following entry, the small town they have in mind is Peyton Place.; 6/3/12, 12:25 PM
n.n said...: For purposes of economic and political leverage, they embrace diversity of features, while rejecting diversity of thought.

They are opportunists first and foremost. They embrace their own individual dignity, while denigrating others as they classify them by their incidental features.; 6/3/12, 1:17 PM
wyo sis said...: Probably it's true that really outspoken radical liberals won't change, but you have to wonder if everyday liberals look at these things and think their leaders are going too far. I'm conservative, but some of the things national conservatives say and do make me cringe. If a conservative group sent out a letter like the one Althouse got I would really reconsider my options.; 6/3/12, 2:15 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: “We always imagine eternity as something beyond our conception, something vast, vast! But why must it be vast? Instead of all that, what if it’s one little room, like a bath house in the country, black and grimy and spiders in every corner, and that’s all eternity is? I sometimes fancy it like that.”
“Can it be you can imagine nothing juster and more comforting than that?” Raskolnikov cried, with a feeling of anguish.
“Juster? And how can we tell, perhaps that is just, and do you know it’s what I would certainly have made it,” answered Svidrigaïlov, with a vague smile.

That reminded me of this.; 6/3/12, 3:54 PM
shirley elizabeth said...: Small towns where everyone can see what you're up to just makes me think of Miss Marple.; 6/3/12, 5:43 PM
tim in vermont said...: I live in a town of less than 500 people, and let me tell you, you just can't replace friends if you anger somebody. The last thing you want to do is be the guy who said something bad about somebody's friend whose friendship you value. Same with flipping people off while driving.; 6/3/12, 7:09 PM