JOE M WILL B JOHN B JOHN K DICK N BARRY G ANITA B ROBERT B RON R SARAH P MIKE F DONNY T
In the course of recent history and within the scope of my own memory there have been many public officials/candidates who because of their beliefs were criticized, ridiculed, demeaned, humiliated and boycotted. Their views were rejected, their opinions held in contempt and their personal integrity attacked/besmirched such that their careers were damaged and, in some cases, livelihoods destroyed!
The ones shown above stick out in memory, but there are many more beyond my recall deserving mention as having been subjected to the same sort of witch hunts for no reason other than going against the tide of public opinion – as charaterized by media.
Reviewing each individual a common thread keeps repeating challenging the notion they were outsiders, radicals or extremists; they were simply of the right. I think each in his/ her own way were learned, reasonable, experienced and patriotic, maybe ahead of the curve in their wisdom. Here’s the list, you be the judge . . .
JOE M
A tail gunner in WWII who went on to become the U S Sena- tor from Wisconsin, serving from 1947 until death in 1957. He came to everyone’s attention in 1950 with allegations government was filled with members of the Communist Party, many of them carryovers from Roosevelt’s administration. Befriended/admired by JFK, supported/corroborated by ex-communist Whittaker Chambers and proven partially right by the trial of Alger Hiss, he never-the-less had exaggerated the problem; it was true in essence, but not extent. Zeitgeist at the time was democrat and left, especially academia, in-telligentsia, media, Hollywood. Vilified as a hysterical right winger, especially by Edward R. Murrow, he remains to this day the poster boy for mccarthyism, a term coined to mean unwarranted, unjust, vicious hounding: Joseph R. McCarthy.
JOHN B
An army intelligence officer in post WWII, he was killed by a Chinese Maoist during a military confrontation due to his principled intractability. Many years later in 1958 business-man Robert W. Welch Jr founded a political movement in his name, which became widely ostracized as a bigoted right-wing think tank of rabid nationalists/patriots. I was person- ally badgered/bullied for having one of their pamphlets in High School in 1961, calling me a capitalist, jingoist and fascist. My crime? I was trying to learn more about the John Birch Society and conservatism. At their peak they were several million strong, mainly picking up where McCarthy left off, warning about a growing leftist influence and growing communist sympathy in America.
BILL B
Upon graduating from Yale he famously stated . . . if I ran my finger down the names in the NYC phone directory randomly selecting new members for congress, they’d be just as good/ no worse than the ones we have! He instigated/re-kindled intellectual conservatism, started a magazine, ran for congress, had a TV show, authored copious articles and books. He regularly debated megastars of the left including authors, professors, journalists, entertainers and politicians, gaining widespread respect for his wit, intellect and poise. Still, Will- iam F. Buckley Jr was held by most in low esteem if not con- tempt, never getting media-wide credit for his integrity, passion, intellect, and commitment.
JOHN K
He first represented the people of Massachusetts as a congressman, then was elected senator. Prior to his public service he served in the navy in WWII and was awarded a medal/commendation for heroism. In 1959 he ran for president, narrowly defeating Nixon. He served for 1000 days before being assassinated by persons unknown in Nov’63. He was an immensely popular president, being both the youngest person ever elected to that office and the first Catholic. He was also a Democrat, although by today’s standards he might be a moderate/centrist Republican. He made enemies by allowing his brother Bobby K to go after the mafia. He also talked about dismantling/reorganizing the CIA, had disgruntled operatives blaming him for the failed invasion of Cuba at Bay of Pigs, was talking of changing the central banking monetary system and supported various other policies that ran contrary to the party line. In brief, he wasn’t demeaned or ridiculed by the left and barely criticized for the nuclear showdown with Russia, but John F. Kennedy wasn’t playing ball, so was simply assassinated.
DICK N
Congressman from California, served as Vice President under Eisenhower, lost an extremely close election to JFK and eight years later won the presidency against Humphrey; he was re-elected in a huge landslide for a 2nd term in 1972 but one year later became embroiled in the Watergate scandal, forcing him to resign in 1974. He created the EPA, signed the Clean Air Act, pushed Title IX blocking discrimination against women in government funded education and took US off the gold standard. An avid anti-communist, he opened talks with China, ended the Viet Nam War claiming Peace With Honor, initiated ground-breaking Cold War policy with China and USSR and signed a SALT Treaty with Premier Breznev. Richard Nixon was an effective president in most regards but is remembered primarily for the Watergate cover-up, resigning under threat of impeachment. For decades until Bill Clinton came along, his was the most ridiculed presidency, bar none. Media made him poster boy for scandal, deceit, dis- honesty but some believe he was targeted and entrapped.
ANITA B
She was Miss Oklahoma, 1st runner-up Miss America, a pop singer with numerous Top 10 hits in late 50’s /60’s and en- joyed widespread celebrity and popularity amongst her fans and mass audiences. She had corporate endorsements and did concert tours representing differing business, industry religious groups with her persona and talent, but took issue with LGBGT in her home state of Florida fighting against their marketing/promotion believing children shouldn’t be expos- ed to their sensationalized propaganda. The left basically killed her career, threatening promoters/advertisers with boycotts and legal action. Seems they already had clout be- hind scenes with corporate America, record industry and movers/shakers of culture. They finally blocked Anita Bryant from performing, promoting, singing, depriving her of her livelihood! Why did mainstream America and the Christian Right go along? She stood up for her Christian beliefs when no one else would; we got robbed of an enlightened, whole- some, talented spirit by less than 2% minority faction whose gay zeitgeist was already loose in the land in the late 1970’s.
BARRY G
U S Senator from Arizona, outspoken conservative, presidential Republican candidate in 1964 against LBJ. He wrote books and gave lectures on his ideas about conservatism. He famously {in error} voted against the Civil Rights Act citing constitutional grounds for his lack of support, standing his ground against a huge negative backlash from his own party. He was victimized horrendously by a misleading Democrat campaign ad characterizing him a war mongering odds-on user of nuclear weapons, a gross defamation according to family and those who knew him, but it was enough. Barry Goldwater should have easily defeated the corrupt, unpopular, irascible LBJ, but instead suffered a landslide defeat due to advertising chicanery, media collusion and the naïve gullibility of American voters.
RONNIE R
A lifeguard, radio announcer, sports broadcaster, horseman, rancher, film star, Democrat, President Screen Actors Guild, GE spokesperson, Republican, Governor of California and President of the United States twice, such were the attributes and accomplishments of Ronald Reagan. He was almost assassinated by a single gunman, struggled through the Iran Contra Scandal and was accused of being too old/mentally infirm to conduct his presidency. He not only conducted it, he soared through various diplomatic moments including Iran Hostage Crisis, Nuclear Disarmament Treaty, ending the Cold War and tearing down the Berlin Wall to name a few. He was sometimes called the Great Communicator, often going direct to the people and around the biased-left media that demeaned his economic programs, witch hunted his involvement in Iran Contra, excoriated his diplomatic style, belittled his intellectual prowess. Seems he was not an Ivy League’r like most in/around the beltway. Class-conscious bigotry of the blue-blooded left reared its ugly head over and over again in the past, in Reagan’s Era, and again, unbelievably, to future conservative president.
ROBERT B
An attorney, Yale Law School professor, Solicitor General and Acting Attorney General, already twice confirmed for government posts, sitting judge on the U S Court of Appeals and Supreme Court Nominee by Pres. Reagan, Robert Bork was mischaracterized/demonized by the congress and sen- ate during the confirmation process, Sen. Joe Biden being particularly hostile/partisan-frenzied. In one of the worst confirmation ordeals ever, Judge Bork’s nomination was defeated by leftist bile, vitriol and hate, and it wasn’t about Judge Bork’s credentials, qualifications or expertise: it was about the composition of the court and ongoing politicization of the judiciary.
SARA P
First female governor of Alaska, councilwoman, twice Mayor of Wasilla and chair of an energy and gas consortium working to build a pipeline and other energy related projects to the people of Alaska. She was Vice Presidential nominee of John McCain in 2008, running against Obama/Biden. She authored three NYT best sellers, was a political commentator and frequent speaker at Republican events. This experienced and qualified candidate who stood to become the first female Vice President of the United States was attack- ed, belittled/impugned in every possible way, most memorably during a Katie Kouric interview who asked where she got her information and what magazines she read. Sarah Palin hesitated/faltered in her answer and this became the cause celebre for the rest of the campaign.
MICHAEL F
A US Army Intelligence Officer reaching the rank of Lt. Gen during his career, he became National Security Advisor under President Trump but quickly resigned due to allegations he had lied under oath in a Justice Dept deposition; convict- ed and under sentencing, he appealed on grounds he had been legally misused, entrapped and subjected to illegal and/or unconstitutional questioning and interrogation. The Attorney General on behalf of the Justice Dept dropped the charges but the presiding judge ignored the motion, trying to railroad General Michael Flynn into imprisonment! He was pardoned by Pres. Trump and went on to win a legal settlement from the government for malicious prosecution. Obama knew Flynn to be a thoroughly competent intelligence manager who knew where the bodies were buried so tried to poison Trump’s mind about his loyalty and capability. He went so far as to sick the DOJ on him with a parade of falsehoods causing his entrapment.
DONNY J
Real estate tycoon, media mogul, cultural icon and darling of the Jet Set, he was all this and more up to the time he ran for president. Originally a Democrat, he was NYC born and raised, a building rehab wonder, revitalization expert, deal-maker supreme and business impresario, until he and his wife came down the escalator in Trump Tower announcing he was running for President. How dare he! Who does he think he is? What makes him think he’s qualified?
Sometime previous to his announcement he had switched party and became a Republican. He was challenging the heir apparent and standard bearer of Democrats, Hillary Clinton, who was touted/rumored to be an absolute shoe-in, a slam dunk to win the race. Who would dare oppose her? Donald J. Trump, declaring he was an outsider non-politician, would defeat Hillary, start a long process of draining the swamp in Washington DC. Unlike Reagan, he had never run for office, had no political experience, might not understand the law-making game and appeared to lack the class, polish and savoir faire required of a president. But he hit the ground running, making breath-taking changes until an immediate avalanche of charges, claims, allegations and lies made him stop and spend most of his time defending himself against spurious unsubstantiated assertions/accusations. He was impeached based on a fraudulent, concocted dossier; falsely indicted/convicted of four separate crimes all of which are now dismissed or under appeal. Then he was charged with sexual assault for an encounter twenty-five years prior, convicted by a hostile corrupt judge/jury and ordered to pay a large settlement. He will appeal this and every charge until his name is completely cleared and the record expunged.
IN SUMMARY
I titled this The Dirty Dozen because that’s what the media, journalists and talking heads wanted us to believe. For these seventy(70) odd years every prominent republican or conservative that came along was instantly taunted, ridiculed, criticized, demeaned or flat-out demonized as being a hard right wing wacko, an unsympathetic disciplinarian or a fascist!
McCarthy was un-American with his effort; Buckley an elitist blue blood, haughty and arrogant; Goldwater a backwoods hick out of the mainstream; Nixon a small minded racist with questionable morals; Bryant a raging homophobe; Reagan an actor, simpleton airhead who didn’t understand foreign policy; Bork a stuffy, pedantic scholar who was book smart but real politik dumb; Palin a pretty face from outer Mongolia who was more backwoods cabin wife than politician; Trump was/is the ultimate goon, buffoon, target-worthy lampoon; he has been hounded and persecuted nonstop since taking office, mostly on flimsy facts, scurrilous evidence. In fact, the impeachments have proven to be fraudulent, as were the criminal indictments, wasting millions and millions of our dollars for nothing!
Is it just the Democrats behind all this? Could they on their own perpetrate/prosecute/persecute all of these and more the past century like some kind of scandal machine set up to instantly find the skeletons and dirty secrets in closets of anybody who comes along they don’t like?
Not possible, on their own. But with help from a few billionaires, celebrity spokespersons, media bosses, reputable educators, corporate marketers, whore-like scientists and some international political saboteurs and agencies like CIA, MI6, KGB and MOSSAD aiding them then yes, they could pull it off. We only know/believe what we hear, so if the airwaves, newsprint and institutional officialdom are all BLUE – that’s what we believe . . .
Dirty scoundrels the lot, according to ABC, NBC, CBS, NYT, LAT, 60 Minutes, Nightline, Saturday Night Live, Bill Maher, The View, Bette Midler, George Clooney, De Niro ad infinitum Like a flock of screeching magpies they feed the fire with lies vitriol and hate. Miraculously, Trump is still standing even though the attacks have been merciless!
Pop Culture calls them the Dirty Dozen; I would pick any seven at random, among others, and proudly applaud them as – The Magnificent Seven! If not for them and people like them, our country would have tumbled down to 3rd world status long ago; Bush, Obama, Hillary and Biden were doing that, making it happen. Dirty or Magnificent? You decide . . .
You’ve Been Reading Shaneview
I’m Al Shane
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