Something Going On in America! 9/12 March on Washington Roundup

I think I speak for a lot of conservatives when I confess I'm overwhelmed with information and blog links for the 9/12 March on Washington. So, I'm going to do a little roundup of friends, some of whom graciously linked to my 9/12 report yesterday.

First, here's the e-mail I received from my friend Lynn Mitchell in Virginia:

Donald,

We did it!! The 9/12 March on Washington yesterday was absolutely breath-taking, an emotional experience for many who thought they would never see that many conservatives in one place at one time. It was a sea of faces, flags, signs ... young, old, short, tall, all shapes and sizes, some on walkers or canes ... it was the face of America.

To march down Pennsylvania Avenue -- which is a wide street -- shoulder-to-shoulder with like-minded patriots took your breath away. As far ahead of us as we could see was a sea of people carrying flags and signs ... behind us as far as we could see was a sea of people carrying flags and signs. Chants would go down the street like a vocal wave ... approaching as a low roar in the distance, catching up with us as we joined in, and washing over us to continue down the street to the thousands behind us.

I am telling you ... there is something going on in America. You have seen it in California ... I have seen it in Virginia ... and we have both seen it in every state between us.

Yesterday we made history. Will conservatives continue on this quest to take back our country ... or will they quietly slip back into their complacency of the past 30 years?

Time will tell.

I am busy posting photos today -- I took 600 photos yesterday -- of the faces, the signs, the flags and banners. I'm 56 years old ... I never thought I would see this day.

Keep up the good work and the good fight on the Left Coast. We will do the same here. And thank you for being a conservative educator who is not indoctrinating our children into the culture of the Left.

Best regards,

Lynn Mitchell
SWAC Girl

Lynn's been spending the day uploading pictures and blogging the protest, so check out her blog for the fabulous photos and commentary!

Also, Darleen over at Protein Wisdom linked to my Wilshire report yesterday, "Hundreds of Thousands." Darleen makes the definitive case on the numbers in attendance in D.C. yesterday. Plus, my friend Skye at Midnight Blue attended the rally. She argued in the comments here that the crowd was over a million, for sure.

Mike at Cold Fury linked with his post, "More Tea Party Coverage." Stogie at Saber Point did so as well, "America Flips Obama the Bird: Mass Tea Party Convincingly Rejects Obamunism."

Okay, my friend The Rhetorican is like a whirlwind of blogging! He linked with, "9/12 Tea Party West." And my new friend Andrew Berman also linked with, "How Many People Attended The 9/12 March?"

And don't miss the towering figure of the blogosphere, The Blog Prof, who links with, "Thousands Turn Out At Tea Party West In LA." In addition a new towering (thundering?) figure, Thunder Pig: "9-12 March on DC and Tea Parties Across the USA."

My longtime blogging buddy Blazing Cat Fur picked up on the "Real Hope" t'-shirts, which feature the caption on the back from Matthew 12:21, "In his name the Nations will put their hope."

I think that's most who've linked, but check Dan Riehl as well, "9/12 Attendance Issues Addressed." Related: My good friend Doug's post at the Daley Gator, "9/12 Tea Party – Only Thousands? Or At Least A Million? You Decide." And the Red Hunter, "Tea Party 9-12-09 March on Washington DC," and the Astute Bloggers, "DEDUCTIVELY WE CAN PROVE THAT THE "TENS OF THOUSANDS" FIGURE THE MSM HAS BEEN USING TO DESCRIBE THE 912 NATIONAL TEA PARTY IS FALSE."

Plus, Kenneth Davenport's been doing some hot blogging of late. See, "Media Ignores D.C. Anti-Obama Protest - No Surprise." More good stuff at Carolyn's Closet, "United We Stand."

I apologize if I've missed anyone who linked to my 9/12 post. Feel free to send me an e-mail (at my Blogger profile), and I'll work on getting some more roundups posted this week.

Bonus Post: Don't miss Pat Austin's powerful essay, "Editor of HuffPo's Health Unit Mocks Death of Cornell Student."

9-12 Tea Party West: Wilshire Federal Building

Saturday, September 12th, was a special day for democratic participation in America. The nation witnessed a phenomenal display of grassroots action in defense of liberty. London's Daily Mail reports that upwards of 2 million people marched on Capitol Hill. I was unable to travel to Washington, like so many others. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to attend a great rally at the U.S. Federal Building in Los Angeles. I'd say roughly 2,000 people attended, although another estimate places turnout at 3,500.

Here's a shot of the crowd when I arrived about 2:30pm - with hundreds of people already on hand. Below, we see the Wilshire Federal Building sign, to the West side of the property, near the Eastbound offramp at Interstate 405:

Here's my first shot of demonstrators, an enthusiastic couple:

Here's the crowd shot at about the same time:

Here's a video of the event, from Richard McEnroe:

What a cool sign - can you imagine our first president saying, WTF?

I walked back over to the sidewalk at Wilshire to get some photos of demonstrators. This guy's sign sports a damning condemnation of the president:

Vendors were selling loads of t-shirts (you can see the tables set up at about 3:35 minutes at the video). I actually first noticed the "Real Hope" shirts on these two brothers. They let me take their picture:

The caption on the back of the shirt is from the Matthew 12:21, "In His Name the Nations Will Put Their Hope." This young lady, hanging out with her mom, models the shirt:

This mom below was really sweet, and eager for me to get shots of her "tea party toddlers":

I told this guy straight out that he had the best sign of the day. I've said the same thing many times at the blog, and boy does that drive the lefties batty:

The crowd was filling out pretty good by now:

Back out on Wilshire, I said hello to this fellow below. Regular readers might remember him (and his sign) from the Adam Schiff town hall:

I didn't know this gentleman, but I liked his sign:

Joe Wilson's influence reaches to the West Coast:

Back over to the podium, I thought Bill Whittle - the great host of Pajamas Media - gave the best speech of the day (or at least of the speeches that I really listened to):

An old friend of mine, Michael, from 30 years ago, gave an impassioned address. I didn't recognize him until he started speaking. We spoke afterwords for a few minutes. Love the shirt:

As I was saying my goodbyes, I noticed this pretty woman with the great Photoshopped mini-poster, "Comrade Obama Leading Us to the Glorious Future!:

Well, maybe not so glorious after all:

More photos at my good friend Mark Goluskin's," Scenes From The Los Angeles 9/12 Rally."

Whoa Nelly! Crowd Estimate Now 2 Million for 9/12 D.C. Protest!

I'm heading out in a few minutes for the 9/12 West protest. A few thousand are expected, but if it's a tiny fraction of what's happening in Washington today, I'll be in tea party heaven!

Pamela Geller has some great coverage of events, "A Failed Presidency .... And Its Only Six Months, Hundreds of Thousands On the Mall." Pics at Instapundit! And Michelle Malkin, "Update: Turnout Estimated at 2 Million."

Check also Nice Deb. And Vodkapundit has lots of pictures, with updates throughout the day (via Memeorandum). And at Newsbusters, "WaPo Presents 9-12 Event as GOP Danger, Full of 'Right-Wing Nutballs' and 'Freaks'."

The White House is trying to blow off the event. But as Jennifer Rubin notes:

The long-term consequences of this and the preceding populist gatherings are hard to predict. We may see a more libertarian Republican party. A huge turnout for 2010 may result. New, real outsiders may enter politics. And, of course, these protests may scare the dickens out of lawmakers. But while everyone is decrying the collapse of civility and the resulting harm to the country, it is worth noting that we are witnessing a grassroots outpouring of support for limited government, the rule of law, fiscal sobriety, and generational responsibility. That must be heartening to conservatives, but more than that, it is a tribute to the vitality of our democracy and the energy of its citizenry. And that is a very good thing indeed.

I'll update from L.A. with photos later tonight!

DC Police: 9/12 Protest Crowd Estimated at 1.2 Million and Growing

The New York Times reports on today's 9-12 events in Washington, with the title, "Thousands Rally in Capital to Protest Big Government." But check Doug Powers, "9/12 March on Washington Live Video Link. As he notes at the post, "Unconfirmed reports are that the DC Police are estimating the crowd at 1.2 million and growing." It turns out, naturally, that crowd size is a political football. See, "Managing Expectations: Crowd Size for D.C. Rally Sparks Fight."

No matter. Check Michelle Malkin's post here, "Celebrating the 9/12 Rallies" (with live-streaming video). Plus, the Wall Street Journal, "Conservatives Gather in Capital." (Via Memeorandum.)

Here's an interesting background clip:

Plus, Pat in Shreveport on White House cluelessness, "What Demonstrations?"

Glenn Beck: The One Thing, 9/11

This is the only YouTube I could find, so apologies about the idiotic "tearful rant" title. Thank God for him, Glenn Beck shows his emotion on his sleeve, and it's not an act. He makes the case that we as Americans have fallen down on the job in constructing new towers to replace the World Trade Centerm, and thus on that score the terrorists have won:

Beck has emerged as the cable TV's Rush Limbaugh. He's now the focus of a giant demonization campaign on the left. And the reason is because few can combine performance art, emotional sincerity, and devastating political commentary as well. And he's dangerous. First Van Jones defeated. Then Yosi Sergant at the NEA. The socialist-left rightly fears who's next. The radical infilitration and ties of corruption go to the highest levels of the White House, so it's no wonder why the long knives are out.

Beck's essay version is here, "Remember Why We Were Attacked on Sept. 11."

A diametrical response to Beck is here, in James Poniewozik's, "Don't Tell Me What 9/12 Means, Glenn Beck." (Via Memeorandum.) Poniewozik alleged that Beck, since March, has been using September 11 as his own "personal political platform." But that attack on Beck is entirely ridiculous. Poniewozik's attack is just as partisan, since he's not also taking issue with leftists currently exploiting the tragedy for political gain. Just Thursday night Professor Melissa Harris-Lacewell argued that Americans should get on board ObamaCare because September 11 is "similarly facing down our country" and it's a time to be "supporting our president regardless of ideology." The Obama administration's 9/11 commemorations, where key White House officials fanned out around the country to push the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, are just a partisan, yet diabolically ahistorical in their efforts to flush the genuine meaning of 9/11 down the memory hole. We know that this administration has long been at work to desecrate the memeory of the fallen. And when President Obama yesterday declared September 11 a "tragedy," he did a "gross disservice to both the victims of 9/11 and those who have sacrificed everything in the effort to make sure a similar “tragedy” doesn’t happen again."

So thank you Glenn Beck. Bring on the rants - good, decent freedom-loving Americans love 'em. We'll pull together once more, and we won't forget that terrorists and rogue regimes around the world are intent on America's destruction. And we vow, "Never Again"!

Communist Revolutionaries: 'The Executive Branch of the Democratic Party'

From David Horowitz, "The Manchurian Candidate":

Van Jones is the carefully groomed protégé of a network of radical organizations -- including Moveon.org -- and of Democratic sponsors like billionaire George Soros and John Podesta, former Clinton chief of staff and co-chair of the Obama transition team.

At the time of his appointment as the President’s “Green Jobs” czar – and despite a very recent 10-year history of “revolutionary” activity – Jones was a member of two key organizations at the very heart of what might be called the executive branch of the Democratic Party ....

How did John Podesta and Al Gore and Barack Obama come to be political allies of a far left radical like Van Jones, a 9/11 conspiracy “truther” and a supporter of the Hamas view that the entire state of Israel is “occupied territory?” To answer this question requires an understanding of developments within the political left that have taken place over the last two decades, and in particular the forging of a “popular front” between anti-American radicals and “mainstream liberals” in the Democratic Party.

The collapse of Communism in the early Nineties did not lead to an agonizing reappraisal of its radical agendas among many who had supported it in the West. Instead, its survivors set about creating a new socialist international which would unite “social justice” movements, radical environmental groups, leftwing trade unions, and traditional communist parties – all dedicated to the revival of utopian dreams.

The new political force made its first impression at the end of the decade when it staged global demonstrations against the World Trade Organization and the World Bank. The demonstrations erupted into large-scale violence in Seattle in 2001 when 50,000 Marxists, anarchists and environmental radicals, joined by the giant leftwing unions AFSCME and SEIU, descended on the city, smashed windows and automobiles, and set fire to buildings to protest “globalization” – the world capitalist system.

In the direct aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the anti-globalization forces morphed into what became known as the “anti-war” movement. An already scheduled anti-globalization protest on September 29 was re-redirected (and re-named) to target America’s retaliation against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The new “peace” movement grew to massive proportions in the lead up to the war in Iraq but it never held a single protest against Saddam’s violation of 17 UN arms control resolutions, or his expulsion of the UN arms inspectors. It did, however, mobilize 35 million people in world-wide protests against America’s “imperialist war for oil.” The orchestrators of the demonstrations were the same leaders and the same organizations, the same unions and the same “social justice” groups that had been responsible for the Seattle riots against the World Trade Organization and the international capitalist system.

A second watershed came in the run-up to the 2004 elections when billionaire George Soros decided to integrate the radicals – including their political organization ACORN -- into the structure of Democratic Party politics. Together with a group of like-minded billionaires, Soros created a “Shadow Party” (as Richard Poe and I documented in a book by that name) whose purpose was to shape the outcome of the 2004 presidential race. “America under Bush,” Soros told The Washington Post, “is a danger to the world,…” To achieve his goal, Soros created a galaxy of 527 political organizations headed by leftwing union leaders like SEIU chief Andrew Stern and Clinton operatives like Harold Ickes. As its policy brain he created the Center for American Progress.

Soros failed to achieve his goal in 2004 but he went on working to create new elements of the network, such as the Apollo Alliance. Four years later the Shadow Party was able to elect a candidate who had spent his entire political career in the bowels of this movement. Obama’s electoral success was made possible by the wide latitude he was given by the press and the public, partly because he was the first African-American with a chance to be president and partly because his campaign was deliberately crafted to convey the impression that he was a tax-cutting centrist who intended to bring Americans together to find common solutions to their problems. When confronted with his long-term associations and working partnerships with anti-American racists like Jeremiah Wright and anti-American radicals like William Ayers, he denied the obvious and successfully side-stepped its implications.

Just eight months into his presidency, however, a new Barack Obama has begun to emerge. With unseemly haste Obama has nearly bankrupted the federal government, amassing more debt in eight months than all his predecessors combined. He has appeased America’s enemies abroad and attacked America’s intelligence services at home. He has rushed forward with programs that require sweeping changes in the American economy and is now steamrolling a massive new health-care program that will give the government unprecedented control of its citizens.

Among the hallmarks of this new radical regime the appointment of Van Jones stood out for its blatant departure from political normalcy. In his White House role, the radical Jones would have represented the president in shaping a multi-billion stimulus package, which could easily function as a patronage program of particular interest to his political allies in the “Apollo Alliance,” ACORN and the leftwing unions. In the classic manual for activists on how to achieve their radical goals, Obama’s political mentor Saul Alinsky wrote: “From the moment an organizer enters a community, he lives, dreams, eats, breathes, sleeps only one thing, and that is to build the mass power base of what he calls the army.” As the president’s green jobs commissar, Van Jones had entered the trillion-dollar community of the federal government and would soon have been building his radical army. The rest of us should be wondering who his sponsors were within the White House (senior presidential advisor and long-time “progressive” Valerie Jarrett was certainly one). Then we should ask ourselves what they are planning next.

Phoenix Cabbie to Donate Kidney to Women He Drove to Dialysis For Two Months

My wife asked me to post this story from CBS News, "Cab Driver to Donate Kidney":

A Phoenix woman in need of a kidney transplant will receive a kidney from the cab driver who drove her to kidney dialysis appointments for two months. Steve Hartman reports.

Will Wilkinson: U.S. Response to 9/11 - 'An Enormous Disaster'

I don't think Will Wilkinson was getting stoned as he wrote this, "For a 9/10 America." No matter, though. He might as well be on drugs:

The United States’ government reacted to to 9/11 and that reaction has been, to my mind, an enormous disaster. Yet those responsible for this disaster have been successful in hiding behind the shock of the crumbling towers, as if support for their dangerous and deadly policies is inexorably implied by feeling deeply the full weight of 9/11’s tragedy. Those most insistent that we “never forget” 9/11 are those who need our continuing collective complicity in the erosion of our civil liberties, in the weakening of the rule of law, in the unjustified invasion of unrelated foreign countries and the murder of their people, in the policy of state-sanctioned torture. The difficulty many Americans have in separating remembrance of an act of terror from an endorsement of the war on terror may turn out be George W. Bush’s great legacy.

Notice the part about how backers of a firm stand against modern terrorism "need our continuing complicity" in the erosion of rights, blah, blah, blah. It's totally unoriginal, in any case. Glenn Greenwald, Andrew Sullivan ... these guys are a dime of dozen. They claim to be libertarian, but the result is that folks like Wilkinson end up joining with the anti-Americans on the radical left, and ultimately with our Islamist enemies who remain out there, intent to kill and maim as many regular Americans that they can. Meanwhile, these same libertarian-leftists can sit tight while railing away (stoned) at the criminal justice system and the war on drugs, using their platform attacking the Bush administration to earn special treatment as water-carriers for Barack Obama.

It's disgusting. (Via Memeorandum.)

Are We Complacent About Terrorism?

From Ryan Mauro, "Eight Years After 9/11: Are We Getting Complacent?":

The resolve of the American people to fight overseas is quickly weakening. Americans seem content to believe that our post-9/11 efforts have sufficiently weakened the enemy and therefore that their rhetoric shouldn’t be taken as seriously. Those that try to raise awareness about the threat are dismissed or even attacked, as the Christian Action Network learned after releasing its Homegrown Jihad documentary earlier this year about radical Islamic compounds in the U.S. that have been used for paramilitary training.

The government’s current attitude towards gathering threats seems to reflect a decreasing concern about terrorism and the growth of extremist networks at home. Just by being a little craftier than al-Qaeda, groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and governments like that of Khamenei and Ahmadinejad and Assad are able to appear moderate and flexible. The FBI decided to end its relationship with the Council on American-Islamic Relations following its designation as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the Holy Land Foundation trial, only to continue ties with the Islamic Society of North America, another “unindicted co-conspirator” in the same trial.

The media and American people certainly do remember the events of 9/11 in terms of history, but the impact and lessons of 9/11 have been forgotten. On that day, we realized that enemies seeking the most horrid of goals come in different shapes and sizes, and use different strategies and tactics. By dismissing each case of terrorism and extremism as “isolated,” rather than yet another example of the reach of radical Islam in all its forms, enormous portions of the media, the government, and the American people have forgotten what 9/11 taught us. One day we will be taught again.

This video shows jumpers from the Twin Towers:

Ralph Peters has an even stronger condemnation, "Betraying Our Dead":

Eight years ago today, our homeland was attacked by fanatical Muslims inspired by Saudi Arabian bigotry. Three thousand American citizens and residents died.

We resolved that we, the People, would never forget. Then we forgot.

We've learned nothing.

Instead of cracking down on Islamist extremism, we've excused it.

Instead of killing terrorists, we free them.

Instead of relentlessly hunting Islamist madmen, we seek to appease them.

Instead of acknowledging that radical Islam is the problem, we elected a president who blames America, whose idea of freedom is the right for women to suffer in silence behind a veil -- and who counts among his mentors and friends those who damn our country or believe that our own government staged the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

Below: "Palestinians were dancing in the streets in celebration of 9/11." (via Bare Naked Islam):

See also, "CNN Poll: Terror Concerns Dropping."

Why Did Andrew Sullivan Get Special Treatment From the U.S. Attorney?

Unlike Dan Collins, I would have been tiptoeing through the tulips had Andrew Sullivan not gotten special treatment and had his pending claim for U.S. citizenship blown. The guy's a prick, and he broke the law. Since he's not an American, he could potentially face deportation. Why should he get a special deal? I'd say the same thing about a Mexican day laborer.

Gawker's got the story, "Andrew Sullivan's Federal Pot Favors." But Ron Radosh nails it, "Andrew Sullivan’s Bust: The Real Issue":

Why did Andrew Sullivan get special treatment from the U.S. Attorney? As the Collings statement makes clear, other similar offenders have regularly been hauled before the court, and forced to pay the fine if found guilty. In Sullivan’s case, there are other far more important implications.

Andrew Sullivan has moved from the stance of a fierce conservative to that of a liberal supporter of the Obama administration. When Obama met after his election with liberal journalists, Sullivan was part of their group—not among those of the conservative journalists who met the President-elect. He regularly blasts conservatives, especially those having anything to do with the Bush administration, and stands among the group constantly demanding fierce punishment for Cheney and company for authorizing torture of Gitmo detainees.

Now, more than ever, it appears that the United States Attorney is repaying a debt to Sullivan for his support to the administration. Why else would he be singled out for exclusive treatment? And doesn’t it also mean that Sullivan now will be more careful than ever to continue giving the administration his approval, at least until after he becomes a citizen? A debt paid leads to a debt owed.

More at Memeorandum.

But see the U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert B. Collings court statement, "MEMORANDUM AND ORDER ON GOVERNMENT’S REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO FILE A DISMISSAL OF VIOLATION NOTICE."

Bomb Threat at Freedom Works

UPDATE: I got Brendan Steinhauser's tweet way before the media were able to report on it, but ABC News has the story, "Bomb Threat Forces Evacuation of DC TEA Party Planners" (via Memeorandum):

The threat came when a man called the FreedomWorks main line and told the organization's female receptionist: "I put a bomb in your building, bitch."

The FreedomWorks staffer who spoke with ABC News said that the organization has received multiple threats but that for some reason, the DC Metro police thought that this one was credible enough to evacuate the building.

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From Brendan Steinhauser( and here, here, and here):

President George W. Bush Plans Quiet Day on 9/11

I've thought much of former President Bush today.

From the Dallas Morning News, "Bush plans Quiet Day on First 9-11 Out of Office":

President George W. Bush plans a quiet day in his Dallas office Friday in his first Sept. 11 since leaving the White House.

In a statement issued by spokesman David Sherzer, the former president said:

"Eight years ago, our nation and our freedom came under attack. On this solemn anniversary, Laura and I hold the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers. We honor those who volunteer to keep us safe and extend the reach of freedom — including members of the armed forces, law enforcement officers, and intelligence and homeland security professionals. Their courage, service and sacrifice is a fitting tribute to all those who gave their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. On this day, let us renew our determination to prevent evil from returning to our shores."

Sherzer says the former president would make no public appearances nor give any interviews Friday.

Thank you President Bush.

And a special page on Facebook, "Thankful for President George W. Bush." (Via RightWingSparkle).

Sarah Palin Remembers 9/11: 'We Are Americans'

From Governor Palin 4 President,"Governor Palin: Remembering 9/11: We Are Americans":

It has been eight years since the United States suffered the worst attack on our soil since Pearl Harbor. As we look back, we should take stock of what has transpired since then. We have sent our nation's soldiers into battlefields far from home to defend us. These brave men and women live in treacherous conditions, facing improvised roadside bombs, suicide bombers and other attacks. Yet they fight on in their mission to defend the United States and all of us without complaint ....

As we look back to that tragic day eight years ago we take pride in the fact that we came together as a nation in the days, months and years that followed. We rose to the challenge that fateful day and we still can. And why shouldn't we believe that? We are Americans.

I thank all our servicemen and women, in and out of uniform, for keeping us safe over the last eight years in the face of enormous odds.

Please thank a veteran today. They certainly do not look for those thanks, but they have more than earned it.

- Sarah Palin

The full essay is at the link. Also, Sarah Palin's Facebook page, "Sarah Palin: Remembering 9/11: We Are Americans."

The New McCarthyism? Radical Revisionism Continues as Left Lashes Out at Glenn Beck!

Leftists are really ramping up a new meme about Glenn Beck as the new Joseph McCarthy. See yesterday's Media Matters, for example, "Glenn Beck's New McCarthyism?"

The funny thing is, the fight over President Obama's White House communists can't be "McCarthyism," since conservatives aren't engaging in a "witch hunt" or compiling an communist "enemies list" - the Democrats are perfectly out in the open about their current and past ties to Marxist-Leninist organizations, and they're paying the price. Never mind the truth, of course. It's all about smear and spin for the nihilist leftists. Now here comes the Free Press with their own hit campaign against Glenn Beck, "Glenn Beck's Witch Hunt: Who's Next?":

But remember:

Van Jones isn't Alger Hiss. There's nothing covert about him. He didn't snooker Obama into bringing him aboard. He is who he is, and that's why Obama wanted him. Having a Communist in that job was perfect since the "green jobs" initiative is an important part of the hard Left's agenda to use environmentalism as an additional justification for usurping command of the economy.

And not only that. Like the "race card," the "new McCartyism" is a catch-all smear leftists deploy to allege fascism is coming to America. Here's this from 2002 at the Progressive:

Welcome to the New McCarthyism. A chill is descending across the country, and it's frostbiting immigrants, students, journalists, academics, and booksellers.

"I'm terrified," says Ellen Schrecker, author of Many Are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America (Princeton University, 1999). "What concerns me is we're not seeing an enormous outcry against this whole structure of repression that's being rushed into place by the Bush Administration."

"I've been talking a lot about the parallels between what we're going through now and McCarthyism," says Nadine Strossen, president of the ACLU. "The term 'terrorism' is taking on the same kind of characteristics as the term 'communism' did in the 1950s. It stops people in their tracks, and they're willing to give up their freedoms. People are too quickly panicked. They are too willing to give up their rights and to scapegoat people, especially immigrants and people who criticize the war."

Keep in mind that the Progressive piece is from January 2002, just three months after September 11. Now here we are 8 years later, the Democrats are in power, and they're attempting to complete the historical revisionism that the United States bears the blame for the worst attacks on U.S. soil in history.

But always remember the truth, "911: Islam Attacks America."

Meanwhile, the revisionist campaign continues this morning in Judith Lewis' scrubbing of Van Jones' communist background, "Meet The Real Van Jones." (Via Memeorandum.)

September 11 Memory Still Burns - But Not for Obama White House!

From Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs, "9-11: The Desecration" (via Memeorandum):

Add another Obama insult to injury on 9-11. First, he desecrated the memory of 9-11 with his planned proclamation of his mandatory civilian service on 9-11, which he has designated a "National Day of Service." And now 9-11 has yet another title: State Department personnel are supposed to pray with Muslims on the newly declared "Interfaith Day of Service," whatever that means on 9-11.

September 11, which should be a somber day of mourning and reflection (on how the hell we got here), will be a day when Obama -- in a celebratory mode -- makes his big announcement. The whole thing is depraved. And yes, it really is mandatory. The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act - the GIVE Act - calls for a commission to study "whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed" ....

Obama means to erase the meaning of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks from the American psyche and convert September 11 into a day of leftist self-congratulation, the advance of government power, and Muslim pandering.

Also, Doug Power, "White House Whitewash: 9/11 Was No ‘Tragedy’."

And don't forget my earlier article at Pajamas Media, "A ‘National Day of Service’? Or a Political Hijacking of 9/11?"

Cartoon Credit: William Warren at Americans for Limited Government.

Founding Bloggers: 'Dedicated to the Memory, Honor, and Dignity of the Falling Man'

Care of Founding Bloggers,. dedicated today to historical memory:

September 11th, 2001
--------
September 11th, 2009

Founding Bloggers will return September 12th.

Doctors Against ObamaCare!

From El Marco, "Doctors Against Obamacare – Rally in D.C.":

On September 10, 2009, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals came to Washington, D.C. from across the country to show their opposition to Obamacare. This rally exploded the government-created myth that there is unanimity amongst health care professionals for Democrat plans to take over health care. The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons came to D.C. to present a petition from doctors to lawmakers. The AAPS has been a voice for private physicians since 1943. Their motto is omnia pro aegroto, “all for the patient”. The doctors met with the representatives from their respective states and argued for a platform that avoids unnecessary bureaucratic intervention in health care.

**********

Dr. Steven Ellison [below], a cardiologist from Georgia, displays graphically how doctors feel about being targeted by a party and president that slander and demonize them. On the podium, speaker after speaker talked about the slurs President Obama has made about doctors performing unnecessary amputations and tonsillectomies out of greed. Not only is it untrue that doctors profit from these procedures, but the premise that they would do such harm to their patients is an insult to doctors:

Dr. Phil Gingrey, U.S. Congressman from Georgia addresses the Rally:

Howard Long, from Pleasanton, California is “a country doctor”:

Dr. Michael Schlitt, a neurosurgeon from Seattle. He spoke about a woman in England who had an aneurism and was told by the National Health Service that there was nothing they could do for her. They told her to enjoy her last few days. She came to the U.S. and was treated by Dr. Schlitt and is fine today. “Show me a place where patients can get MRI’s the same day.” and the crowd responded with a rousing “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” ”Who’s got the best medical care in the world?” “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”:

Pro-Life Activist Shot and Killed in Owosso, Michigan

The Blog Prof's got the story, "BREAKING: Anti-Abortion Activist Shot And Killed In Owosso, MI. Will He Get The Air Time That Tiller Got?":

Gateway Pundit has more, "Pro-Life Protester Shot & Killed in Michigan in Apparent Hate Crime-- Waiting For Obama Announcement."

And at Michigan Live, "Anti-Abortion Activist Shot In Front of Owosso High School." (Via Memeorandum.)

Rachel Maddow: Glenn Beck Exploiting Tragedy of 9/11 - But, Guest Melissa Harris-Lacewell Says 'Healthcare Similar Time of Crisis' to September 11

I admit, Rachel Maddow is infuriating. She basically spouts off netroots lies as fact and assumes she's got some kind of wisdom from on high. It's always pretty pathetic, but it's especially bad to hear her attack Glenn Beck's 9-12 Project with a load of distortions and untruths. Maddow claims 9-12 tea parties are politically exploiting September 11, 2001. The events, of course, are commemorations of freedom and protests against Democratic Party tryanny; but the left hates lliberty, so Maddow excoriates concerned citizens for standing up for American values. Of course, if you check Glenn Beck's page, the principles he champions are things like honesty, charity, hard work, and personal responsiblity - that is, the cultural attributes that have made Americans the most productive people in the world. Here's Maddow's really low attack from last night. It's almost comical in its desperation:

Especially pay attention to the Maddow's question to Professor Melissa Harris-Lacewell at 4:20 minutes: "What's the connection between disrupting the president during his speech about healthcare and the day after 9/11?" Professor Lacewell's response is typically despicable, that the healthcare crisis, like September 11, is "similarly facing down our country," and it's a time to be "supporting our president regardless of ideology."

This makes me sick, frankly. The comparison essentially says that high healthcare costs, lack of insurance, inefficiencies in delivery - which is exactly what President Obama decried Wednesday night - are on a comparable level to the horrific terror that brought down the Twin Towers and the Pentagon 8 years ago.

Again, if you want to know why I really dislike leftists, this is it. Talk about exploiting tragedy!

Leftist Fantasy Influence and the Glenn Beck Boycott

Below are the Nielsen cable news ratings, for September 8, 2009, following the long Labor Day weekend. Glenn Beck's program performed roughly three times better in total viewers for the 5pm timeslot, in both demographic categories:

5PM – P2+ (25-54) (35-64)

Glenn Beck– 2,610,000 viewers (704,000) (1,140,000)
Situation Room—761,000 viewers (143,000) (255,000)
Hardball w/ C. Matthews —548,000 viewers (142,000) (267,000)
Fast Money—151,000 viewers (a scratch w/32,000) (70,000)
Prime News–237,000 viewers (75,000) (100,000)

The numbers are striking. Bill O'Reilly often boasts on air about Fox's ratings dominance, but the data flash on screen so quickly that one might miss the significance of Fox's pummeling of the competition.

I note this now as I've just finished reading a fantasy essay at Firedoglake, "A Line in the Sand Against Beck":

Watching the Glenn Beck show this past month, one might have assumed that Van Jones had assaulted Beck, insulted his wife, and stolen his kids' lunch money. Beck devoted time on a whopping 16 shows to crafting a distorted, despicable portrait of Van that few who know him would recognize. As political smears go, it was as serious as it gets.

But make no mistake: this attack was not about Van Jones. Beck, in league with big business groups, is seeking to derail the President's progressive agenda, and taking out Van became the vehicle for undermining clean energy and green jobs.

Whoa! That's crack analysis! You think Beck really wants to derail Obama's progressive agenda? I'm shocked!

But check this out:

There is no doubt that Glenn Beck has a big platform. But what supports his platform is advertising dollars, and that support is crumbling. To date, 62 companies have pulled their ads from Beck's show, including six new companies announced yesterday -- Aegon, Ashley Furniture, Humana, Luxottica Retail (parent of LensCrafters and Pearle Vision), United States Postal Service and Wyeth Consumer Healthcare. These aren't liberal activists wringing their hands over Beck's distortions. These are the bastions of American capitalism saying they don't want their brands associated with Glenn Beck's extremism. The only companies left are direct marketers (think Egg Genie and gold coins) and a handful of private companies headed by right-wingers.

The exodus of major advertisers makes a powerful statement about how far Beck lies from the mainstream. Which is why it's so important to keep the heat on. Advertisers walking away for a week or two is one thing. But as weeks turn to months, and Beck becomes increasingly isolated, it renders his rants permanently fringe. Why would anyone (the White House or otherwise) respond to someone whose views are too toxic for any respectable corporation?

These numbers are being touted on the left as some kind of powerhouse indicator of progressive influence to shape the structure of cable news advertising. But the fact remains, not even the most socially progressive business concern will long forego a lucative advertising market. Glenn Beck's program is sheer dominance. And contrary to Firedoglake's fantasy that Beck's heading over to the "permanent fringe," the reality is that Van Jones' resignation was a major defeat for the administration; and with Congress back in session, political conflict is swinging back to full battle-stations mode. I'm betting Beck's numbers get even better as things move forward. Just today Obama-flunky Yosi Sergent was removed as communications director at the National Endowment of the Arts, and this is being chalked up as another win for Glenn Beck.

I hardly see how these developments indicate that Beck's "trying to change the subject." On Tuesday's show, Beck expressed humility: "'Don't Congratulate Me for Van Jones' Resignation'." Big wins combined with big modesty. Classy.

Plus, don't miss the piece from earlier this week, "Glenn Beck, The New Edward R. Murrow Of Fox News: Who’s The Next Target?"

The folks at Firedoglake and elsewhere are high if they think they're going to bring Glenn Beck down. The realities of the cable news market favor those programs putting up the big numbers. It's simple economics. On top of that, Beck's journalism is having an unrivaled impact on real-time politics and partisan power. Regular fans of Fox News clearly can't get enough.

Little Green Footballs Pummeled From All Sides!

I just got word from YidWithLid that Charles Johnson is taking it on the chin yet again this week. See, "Little Green Footballs' Johnson Sinks Further Into the Abyss:"

For the last two years Johnson has been like the crazy old man who tries to alienate his family, but in his case he has been throwing bloggers out of his site. For some of them like Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer he not only cast them asunder, but he has continued to attack them.

The sad part of it is that he used to be a blogging giant, and when it comes to traffic, I am sure he still is. But with the growing list of people that he has banned from his site for the simple reason of disagreeing with his opinions or maintaining friendships with people he didn't like, Charles is losing the respect of much of the community.

Check the whole thing, here. It turns out that Robert Spencer has a new post up just hammering Johnson in what's the latest, but certainly decisive, offensive in the ongoing anti-jihad blogger wars. See Spencer's post here: "Libelblogger Charles Johnson of Little Green Footballs Digs Deeper, Adding New Lies to His Original Ones."

One must step back and wonder: what is this man's game? Why would he make up lies, see them refuted by people who were present at the events he claims to know about, and then instead of backing down or at least falling silent, pile more lies upon his original ones? Inevitable questions arise about why he has embarked on this desperate smear campaign, intent on demonstrating that I and others are "fascists" or "fascist sympathizers," without a shred of actual evidence that I sympathize with or agree with any positions that are fascist, racist, etc., associate with any people who really are those things, or hold any positions other than the ones I have publicly avowed

Spencer provides personal testimony from folks who ultimately destroy Johnson's credibility, so be sure to check the post. But I love this concluding flourish:

He's a conscience-free smear merchant, a thuggish paranoid and a liar, but at least Charles Johnson is good for a few laughs.

I've actually been meaning to write something about recent flame war between Ace of Spades HQ and Johnson's Little Green Footballs. See AOSHQ, "And There You Go: Charles Johnson Spins for Van Jones," and "White House Politely Declines to Express Support in Van "Astronaut" Jones ... Bonus: Charles Johnson's Dan Rather Moment."

Also Ace notes that "This isn't personal. CJ has never done anything wrong by me." (See, "Information on Truthers Zinn, Lerner, and Jones Comes from 'Hate Sites'?")

And you know, I'd bet most folks would say the same thing with respect to Charles Johnson. I've never had an issue with him, but I have noticed how he's lost his marbles in his endless campaign against conservatives and those whose politics are informed by faith. Johnson's got issues, that's for sure. We all do, of course, but there's that uncomprising my-way-or-the-highway mentality at LGF that puts Charles in a class all by himself.

Karl Rove: Obama's Speech 'Gratuitously Bitter and Partisan'

Check out Bill O'Reilly and Karl Rove's discussion of President Obama's healthcare address:

Also, The Swamp reports that GOP Rep. John Shimkus walked out on the speech. The dude bailed with just a couple of minutes left. It's disrespectful, sure. But given the general consensus on how brutally partisan was Obama's speech, I don't blame the guy. Decorum's not what it's all cracked up to be when you're supposed to be showing deference to a habitual liar.

Plus, from The Hill, "Obama Speech to Congress Unlikely to Be Game Changer." And more on that at Riehl World View, "Second Guessing Obama Speech."

The Town Halls of August: A Chronicle of the Goons

From Mary Katherine Ham, "The Town Halls of August: They're Here, They're Conservative, Get Used To It":

What we learned in the last month is that people who have been energetically organizing, filling town halls and high-school gymnasiums, and staging protests for most of their lives are more than a little dismayed to find out that the other side can do it, too. There will always be a risk of unrest at any political protest, left or right, and that risk increases with the emotion and energy surrounding the debate. And it will always be important to call for civility in heated debates, and to treat public forums and our right to speak in them with the respect they deserve.

Read the whole thing, here.

Outstanding chronicle of leftist thuggery, which puts the lie to the Democrats' claim that conseratives are "political terrorists."

Image Credit: The People's Cube, "OBAMACARE: Yes It Can Bite Your Finger Off!"

Democrats Interrupt 2006 Bush Speech, Cheer Obstructionism on Entitlement Reform

Congressional Democrats interrupted President Bush's speech on entitlement reform in 2006. Bush's opponent cheer wildly as they rise in response to Bush's assertion that Congress did not act on his reform agenda in 2005. Via Gateway Pundit. Then-Senator Barack Obama was one of the Democratic obstructionists in attendance.

Joe Wilson: America's Congressman

From the Beaufort Observer, "ObamaCare Will Cover Illegal Immigrants":

Mark Tapscott discovers a nugget in the analysis provided by the Congressional Research Office on HR3200, the House version of ObamaCare coming to the floor. While Barack Obama insists that the idea that ObamaCare will cover illegal immigrants is a "myth," the CRS points out that the bill does nothing to prevent it. Since HR3200 doesn't require people to establish citizenship or legal residency before applying to exchanges for health insurance, including the public option, taxpayer money will certainly flow to illegal immigrants:

Congressional Research Service (CRS) says this about H.R. 3200, the Obamacare bill approved just before the recess by the House Energy and Commerce Committee chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-CA:

"Under H.R. 3200, a 'Health Insurance Exchange' would begin operation in 2013 and would offer private plans alongside a public option…H.R. 3200 does not contain any restrictions on noncitzens—whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently—participating in the Exchange."

"Under H.R. 3200, a 'Health Insurance Exchange' would begin operation in 2013 and would offer private plans alongside a public option…H.R. 3200 does not contain any restrictions on noncitzens—whether legally or illegally present, or in the United States temporarily or permanently—participating in the Exchange."

Plus, check William Jacobson's report, "The House Bill Does Cover Illegals."

See also, Pat in Shreveport's got the story, "What Happened to Those 17 Million Uninsured?" And Andrea Tantaros, "Obama Just Doesn't Get It."

Image Credit: The Palmetto Scoop, " Get Your Free 'I'm With Joe Wilson' T-Shirt." (Via Memeorandum.)

VIDEO! ACORN Tells 'Pimp Prostitute' How to Lie to IRS

From Fox News, "ACORN Officials Videotaped Telling 'Pimp,' 'Prostitute' How to Lie to IRS:"

Also at Political Indoctrination & Dismantling Liberalism, "Obamas ACORN Pimps Black girls."

Two of Three Americans Bought Obama's Snake Oil

From CNN, "CNN Poll: Double-Digit Post-Speech Jump for Obama Plan":

Two out of three Americans who watched President Barack Obama's health care reform speech Wednesday night favor his health care plans — a 14-point gain among speech-watchers, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation national poll of people who tuned into Obama's address Wednesday night to a joint session of Congress.

More at the link and Memeorandum.

Plus, Neo-Neocon, "Obama’s Speech On Health Care":

Actually, the whole speech is clever. He’s trying to re-brand himself as the great compromiser, and everyone else as partisan. And, as I predicted earlier, he’s emphasizing the good things about the plan and not answering any the criticisms in any detail or substance. If you believe he’s an honest broker and telling the truth, it sounds great—who wouldn’t be for affordable and better health care for all? He’s banking on the fact that many people still want to like him and are disposed to believe him, as well as the economic ignorance of most Americans.

Also, from Dan Collins, "Obama’s Health Care Speech, Condensed":

People who say bad things about my health care plan are liars and dreadful human beings. There needs to be more civility in this discussion. Bush caused 9-11. People who say bad things about my health care plan are trying to scare people, and everybody’s going to die if we don’t get this thing passed now.

Added: Gateway Pundit, "Congressman Yells "Liar" as Obama Spews Talking Points to Congress (Video)."

Jason Sudeikis Should Do Charles Boustany on Saturday Night!

I was rolling on the floor a couple of weeks ago during a rerun of Saturday Night's 2008 vice presidential debate. Scroll forward at the video to see Jason Sudeikis' Joe Biden explain that he's not a Washington insider because he comes from Scranton, PA, "the absolute worst place on earth ..."

So just now, when the cameras went live for the GOP response to President Obama's ObamaCare address, I seriously thought it was a skit. But just for a minute! Honesly, no offense, but I'd never even heard of Rep. Charles Boustany before - but the dude should be on Saturday Night! Or at least, let's get a great comedic send-up of his response tonight. Seriously, watching Jason Sudeikis - my pick for Rep. Boustany - will be at least as funny as Kathleen Sebelius' response to President Bush's State of the Union Address in 2008! As the New York Times points out:

Representative Charles Boustany of Louisiana, a surgeon, has delivered a brief Republican response. He has the same problem typical of those who deliver such responses (and not, in his case, just relative anonymity) — he is standing by himself somewhere, without the animation that comes from interacting with a live audience ...