25 August 2005
Are You An Extremist?
Bill O'Reilly takes a lot of heat from both sides of the ideological spectrum. However, Mr. O'Reilly would be a fan of Freedom & Progress, (if someone told him about us), for we also reject those prone to extreme thinking. This is not to suggest that Mr. O'Reilly and Freedom & Progress are in agreement on every policy issue. Surely we are not. However, we both are able to spot blind dogma from miles away, even when such dogma holds itself out as informed opinion.
In Mr. O'Reilly's "Talking Points" of 24 August 2005, he enumerates a list of indicia that one is an extremist. While the list is surely not meant to be exhaustive, two points hit close to the heart of Freedom & Progress.
• And if you agree with everything President Bush has done, you're an extremist.
• And if you think everything he's done has been wrong, put a big 'E' on your forehead as well.
Freedom & Progress has never been able to comprehend how individuals, who hold themselves out as free-thinkers can agree with the President, no matter how inconsistent his actions are. Conversely, Freedom & Progress is perplexed at how other "free-thinkers" automatically dismiss Mr. Bush, no matter what he says or does.
For instance, during the 2000 campaign, candidate Bush specifically rejected the concept of "nation building" and/or using the United States' military for humanitarian reasons. During this time, Freedom & Progress disagreed with candidate Bush on this subject, as progress dictates that the advancement of freedom, human rights and the elimination of genocide are causes worth fighting for. At the build-up to the Iraq War, when President Bush invoked humanitarian objectives relative to the removal of Saddam Hussein, Freedom & Progress applauded the President for the courage to change his views, while others who backed previous humanitarian military missions opposed the President, simply because it was this President who advocated this new mission. On the other side of the aisle, many who were deficit hawks in the 1990's are absent from public criticism of the President for his great silence on the exploding deficits of today.
Freedom & Progress seeks out true free-thinking Americans to be bold enough to assert their independence from dogma and extremism. As Mr. O'Reilly opines, "[E]xtremists have a neurosis. They really don't want to hear anything other than the conclusion they've arrived at, no matter what the evidence suggests."
Be free to reach your own conclusions and form your own opinions. And if you can link this Mr. O'Reilly, please feel free to do so.
In Mr. O'Reilly's "Talking Points" of 24 August 2005, he enumerates a list of indicia that one is an extremist. While the list is surely not meant to be exhaustive, two points hit close to the heart of Freedom & Progress.
• And if you agree with everything President Bush has done, you're an extremist.
• And if you think everything he's done has been wrong, put a big 'E' on your forehead as well.
Freedom & Progress has never been able to comprehend how individuals, who hold themselves out as free-thinkers can agree with the President, no matter how inconsistent his actions are. Conversely, Freedom & Progress is perplexed at how other "free-thinkers" automatically dismiss Mr. Bush, no matter what he says or does.
For instance, during the 2000 campaign, candidate Bush specifically rejected the concept of "nation building" and/or using the United States' military for humanitarian reasons. During this time, Freedom & Progress disagreed with candidate Bush on this subject, as progress dictates that the advancement of freedom, human rights and the elimination of genocide are causes worth fighting for. At the build-up to the Iraq War, when President Bush invoked humanitarian objectives relative to the removal of Saddam Hussein, Freedom & Progress applauded the President for the courage to change his views, while others who backed previous humanitarian military missions opposed the President, simply because it was this President who advocated this new mission. On the other side of the aisle, many who were deficit hawks in the 1990's are absent from public criticism of the President for his great silence on the exploding deficits of today.
Freedom & Progress seeks out true free-thinking Americans to be bold enough to assert their independence from dogma and extremism. As Mr. O'Reilly opines, "[E]xtremists have a neurosis. They really don't want to hear anything other than the conclusion they've arrived at, no matter what the evidence suggests."
Be free to reach your own conclusions and form your own opinions. And if you can link this Mr. O'Reilly, please feel free to do so.
# posted by Publicola @ 5:36 PM 
