Rod Dreher’s challenge

Predictably, some student is calling for George Washington University to change it’s name, and, also predictably, The Washington Post published it.

Rod Dreher gives his opinion about it, and issues this challenge.

My challenge to you is to find a single prominent liberal commentator who forthrightly denounces this repugnant crap. They can’t do it, even if they think it, because they are terrified of the radicals in their midst.

This seems to be the case. The crazy fringe of the left has the rest of the left by the soft parts, and people are scared to speak against them.

16 thoughts on “Rod Dreher’s challenge”

  1. Since when do politicians have the obligation of denouncing the opinion of “some student”? Now I can see why Republicans should denounce the crazy talk of some of their own, such that of Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, not to mention that crazy guy who held the very office of president. That is not only crazy talk, but often potentially dangerous, in terms of both content and the status of the individuals spewing it, whereas the opinion of “some student” is hardly anything to get your panties in a wad about.

    1. You misread Dreher’s challenge. He’s looking for “a single prominent liberal commentator”

  2. Nevertheless, why should a single liberal commentator be concerned with the opinion of “some student”?

    1. Because it was published in one of the most prominent liberal newspapers in the country.

      1. So what? People get to choose their national heroes and express their choice in the free press. Even Dreher gets to spew forth his opinion.

        1. I’m not seeing the relevance of the point that people “get to” do something. Has someone suggested they don’t “get to”? Does “getting to” have your opinions and express them mean that it’s not reasonable for someone else to seek to discover whether reasonable people from the same side of the political divide are willing to rebuke or condone the message?

          Denouncing a stupid opinion is not the same thing as denouncing the student’s right to say it, or denouncing the student for saying it. It’s just making clear that there are some people on the leftward end of the spectrum who don’t agree with every dumb opinion that is expressed by others on that end of the spectrum.

          1. I’m all in favor of people expressing their stupidity, so that we know where they stand. The only time when “denouncing” is in order is when the opinion actually endangers people. I can think of many examples of that from rightwing lunatics in recent times, e.g. Trump on the squad as foreigners having no place in our politics (not only wrong, but dangerously xenophobic), MTG on Jewish space lasers (not only wrong, but dangerously anti-Semitic), saying that Nancy should get a bullet in her head (not only wrong, but just plain dangerous), and many more (with a lots of them coming from her). Yes, they get to do that, but they cross the line in doing so, whereas I would be opposed to the left “denouncing” a conservative for merely expressing a conservative position, however extreme. I do not see how the student in question has crossed that line. There is nothing dangerous in his opinion. I do not even think that Dreher has crossed the line, although his “challenge” is no less stupid than the student’s (probably more so) because it involves it is obviously wrong to infer that something is wrong when liberal journalists are scaredy cats because they do not “denounce” the student’s opinion.

          2. The way Republicans are now throwing around terms such as “pro-pedophiles” and “pedo grifters” is an example of speech that should be denounced. It would not suffice to defend them by saying that it is simply a matter of free speech. Of course they are free to engage in malicious speech, but the folks on their team should denounce it. I do not see how the above-mentioned student is engaging in speech of that kind, however false or “crappy” it may be. When you spew forth out-and-out malice, you have crossed the moral line.

            1. I’d agree…this falls along the lines of free speech isn’t absolutely limitless. If speech is “dangerous” then it should be denounced by “all”.

              The challenge is that everyone doesn’t have the same standard as to what is dangerous speech. For some, a student expressing a desire to change the name of a university is a four-alarm emergency. As such, it must be denounced. Unfortunately, those are typically the same types that wouldn’t take issue with the speech of those marching in Charlottesville with torches and befuddled by anyone suggesting that speech be denounced.

        2. @Robin, I get it. Before you get to Democrats denouncing liberal extremism, you have to ask the question…”why is it an issue that someone expresses an opinion about wanting to change the name of a university??? As you say, “so what???” People are free to express their views and others are free agree or disagree with them.

          Let’s see…as I recall conservatives didn’t have much of a problem with protestors expressing their opinion in Charlottesville while marching with torches chanting…“Jews will not replace us”. They said it was legal and supported it as “free speech”. As such, protestors had a right to express their opinion…despite who agreed or disagreed. It wasn’t considered extremism that required “forthrightly denouncing such repugnant crap”. Yet, it seems when a liberal expresses an opinion about renaming a university…that should be denounced? Wait…don’t liberals have the right to openly express opinions? Isn’t that also legal and free speech?

          Of course, we haven’t gotten to assessing the merit of the opinions expressed. Just saying that it should be okay for people to express their opinions…no matter how whacky they might be.

  3. QUOTE: My challenge to you is to find a single prominent liberal commentator who forthrightly denounces this repugnant crap.

    *Long-time Democratic strategist James Carville offered a blunt critique of his own party publicly. He stated that where much of the party seems to be going has him worried…“Wokeness is a problem and we all know it.”

    *Former NYT reporter Bari Weiss, has been noted as one that portrays herself as a liberal uncomfortable with the excesses of left-wing culture. She says about herself, “I’m a Jewish, center-left on most things, person who lives on the upper west side of Manhattan and is super socially liberal on almost any issue you can choose.” Before resigning from the NYTs she often wrote pieces that criticized liberals. In fact, she resigned in opposition to what she called a liberal bias at the NYTs.

    *Bill Maher has identified as liberal and progressive and has spoken out against liberal extremes such as political correctness.

    *Left-leaning comedian Dave Chappelle has criticized extremes of liberals. He even earned the praise of various conservatives for doing so.

    *Democratic politicians such as Rep. Abigail Spanberger, Rep. Marc Veasey, Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema have spoken out against liberal extremes within their party.

    *Noted author Ruy Teixeira regularly publicly comments on how he feels the Democratic party is going astray and unapologetic about offending many on his own side.

    Anecdotally, I’ve witnessed on various occasions democratic strategists/liberal commentators level criticisms at their own party. You don’t see it everyday but it happens frequently enough to note.

    That said, challenges like Dreher’s are stupid! Not only is the premise not fully accurate but it misses a major point…that BOTH sides engage in the behavior he describes.

    QUOTE: The crazy fringe of the left has the rest of the left by the soft parts, and people are scared to speak against them.

    Speaking of both sides…didn’t Liz Chaney lose her position and was censured for speaking out against the extremes of the “mob-laded”, crazy fringe right? She became the sacrificial lamb to keep others in line. Very few, if any speak out against the craziness we see. Sadly, we see Kevin McCarthy try to spin and lie his way out of things he said that were recorded because he’s concerned it might cost him his political ambitions if he “really” spoke his mind publicly.

  4. Speaking of denouncing stuff…it appears a PA Lyft driver has become quite noted because of a recent denouncement gone viral…

    https://nypost.com/2022/05/16/lyft-driver-goes-viral-for-refusing-ride-for-woman-over-racist-remarks/

    “For everyone reaching out and showing support, thank you. I appreciate it, truly. But this is the way it should be everywhere, every time. I shouldn’t be ‘the guy’ who did it or said it…we should all be that person. Speak up if you’re uncomfortable with it because it makes them uncomfortable, as they should be. ”

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