"Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
But, we're not telling them. So says Ann McElhinney of Not Evil, Just Wrong and Mine Your Own Business fame.
She has a great conversion story. She was a typical European liberal living in Romania working as a freelance journalist. She came upon a story of an "evil" Canadian mining company which was planning to open a gold mine in Transylvania by first tearing down a village, and, of course, raping, pillaging, and plundering the villagers. At least, that was the story she presupposed while riding the train to the area. What she found when she got there was somewhat different. May I present the incomparable -- Ann McElhinney!
Ms. McElhinney is a fabulous mess of a speaker (John Fund), which makes every one of her speeches a trove of riches for conversation. Just in this short clip there's the brain dead liberal story, the liberal media bias story, the DDT story, the environmentalist tyranny story, the CO2 as the new DDT story, the wrong versus evil story, and probably more that I missed.
However, this post is just about conservatives telling their conversion stories. Or, if you've always been conservative, what's the most potent story you tell which reinforces the conservative facts of life?
P.S. Has Ann McElhinney ever been on Ricochet and, if not, wadda we waiting for -- Al Gore's apology for the global warming farce?
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Comments:
Feb '12
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Mama Toad: She isn't undeservedly harsh on Rachel Carson. Ad hominem attacks are a violation. Calling 'em like ya sees 'em is not.
The Overlords are very loose and free market about their censorship. · 2 hours ago
We agree that Rachel Carson deserved the harshness. So what? Does the Code of Conduct allow personal attacks as long as they are "deserved". Everyone who attracts my wrath surely deserves it. I am a one person source of all that is true and deserved. Do I have carte blanche to engage in personal attacks because I deem them deserved? Really?
I'm reminded of a liberal I sat next to on a train who explained that, as a liberal, she was tolerant and hated the intolerant right. She explained she doesn't tolerate the views of those who disagree with her, because that would be tolerating hatred and ignorance. She further said that it is easy for the right to put up with leftist opinion because to do so is to yield to superior intellect. When I summarized, "You're tolerant of only those who agree with you and others are intolerant for accepting all views" she replied, "Exactly". Cheers.
Dec '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Hey, prometheus. In case you didn't notice, you're hijacking the thread. If you have a complaint about enforcement of the CoC, take it to the management.
Edited on April 14, 2012 at 10:27pmFeb '12
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Western Chauvinist: Hey, prometheus. In case you didn't notice, you're hijacking the thread. If you have a complaint about enforcement of the CoC, take it to the management. · 9 minutes ago
Edited 2 minutes ago
[Ed.: Snarky comment deleted. Obviously, Prometheus, we allow criticism of public figures like Rachel Carson, Nancy Pelosi and Kim Jong Un . We do not allow insults to get flung about within the Ricochet circle of Members and Contributors.]
Edited on April 15, 2012 at 12:07amApr '11
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Good heavens, prometheus. No need to be quite so dyspeptic, is there?
Feb '11
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
prometheus, your definition of "ad hominem" is incorrect. "Ad hominem" means "to the man" or "to the person," and refers to personal attacks masquerading as argument. The Code of Conduct prohibits members from engaging in personal attack. Please understand the meaning of words before leaping on those who use them.
The CoC does not prohibit members from posting material that might include personal attacks. Even so, Ann McElhinney's video does not include anything I can construe as a personal attack on Rachel Carson -- the mention of her was made to point out the falsity of Carson's claims and the resulting deaths because of fear of DDT. That is not a personal attack.
The Code of Conduct also prohibits rude comments. Perhaps you should review it once more?
As Western Chauvinist said, if you think the Overlords are heavyhanded in applying the code of conduct, by all means start your own thread on the topic. That's an invitation, not an order.
Edited on April 15, 2012 at 12:49amFeb '11
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Western Chauvinist -- I have been listening to Father Barron for several hours this afternoon. What a joy! Thanks for sharing his info with me. His youtube channel runs like a continuous stream, so I could just keep working and listening to video after video.
Nov '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
WC, your original post had two goals: publicizing Ms. McElhinney and getting other people to tell their "conversion" to conservatism stories. I immediately leaped into the discussion of Ms. McElhinney, whom I adore already, but I'd also love to hear about other people's stories.
Nov '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
I'm not a Catholic, but I also am enjoying this. Thanks for the link.
Dec '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Yes Lucy. Please everyone. Let's read your stories. If it won't fit in a comment, please post something on the member feed. And if you're not a member yet, well, you've got an invitation to tell your story now. What are you waiting for?
Feb '11
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
I didn't have much of a conversion. You could say I am a cradle conservative. I was raised by a man who converted to conservatism as a young man, after the Democrats, the party of his Irish urban youth, became the party of abortion. As a young person, I frequently perused National Review and the Human Life Review, which were always lying about the house -- Dad never throws magazines away if he can prevent Mom from it.
I loved Ronald Reagan and fight against my disdain for my conformist husband who as a child believed with the rest of his 5th grade class that Jimmy Carter was the man for the job. He grew up in tony Scarsdale, so I can forgive him even as I disdain.
My four years at ultra-liberal Willams College only helped confirm my social conservativism and disdain for big government solutions. I was the girl with the "Stop Abortion Now" poster that I picked up at the March for Life on my dorm room door when the rest of them went to the March for Women's Lives.
vs.
Dec '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
As usual, here I am on Ricochet with some thoughts, but no time to participate in a discussion. I will have to run in a few moments.
The thing is, we are conservatives and, as such, we tend towards responsibility. In that vein, I will admit that Rachel Carson told the big fib, but we, as conservatives, need to see the big picture and understand what we are talking about.
To keep this as simply as I can, bad things happen when you attach a halogen to a hydrogen (such as Hydrochloric Acid), or a carbon-hydrogen combination, such as most of our pesticides. Yes, those bad things happen to the bugs we are trying to kill, which can be good. They also are great solvents.
The problem, it seems to me, is getting rid of them, later, not Eagle eggs.
Halogenated hydrocarbons are very persistent and when they break down, they become even worse substances, in my experience. In careful, limited, and targeted application, they can be great. But as a waste, I find them to be even worse than radioactive substances. At least radioactive substances decay, eventually, into harmless elements.
(continued)
Dec '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
I'm a zealous convert -- sort of like a former smoker who won't tolerate a whiff of tobacco smoke. I'm extremely sensitive to leftist sentiment. Unfortunately, my conversion was much more gradual and mundane than Ann McElhinney's, although there was a moment when I realized the mainstream media is not to be trusted because of what they fail to report (something about an oil pipeline to be built from the Caspian Sea to a port in Turkey having geopolitical implications, and only reported by Christian media outlets and the WSJ opinion pages)
I was raised by FDR Democrats from the Greatest Generation. Jimmy Carter was a hero (Dad actually turned the thermostat down to 55 per President Carter's suggestion). Ronald Reagan was a saber rattling war monger. My first vote was for Carter in 1980. Thank God I cast a losing ballot!!
My political conversion and religious reversion have run a parallel course. I'd say there are two threads running through them. I became a reluctant admirer of certain conservatives, like Bill Buckley (via Firing Line) and George Will (last page of Time?). How could such intelligent, educated, and decent men be so wrong?...
Dec '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
When you are trying to clean up a mess that is truly Hazardous Waste (excepting radioactive waste), I find no challenge greater than halogenated hydrocarbons. It has the nasty habit of aging and morphing into substances that have even greater health effects, plus that group of substances is like greased lightning in groundwater, moving faster and deeper than you can chase it.
DDT is not worse than Dry Cleaning fluid, in these respects. But it needs to be carefully managed and the pendulum always swings.
Yes, we should reconsider the ban on DDT, but as conservatives, we should advocate for very careful use.
Sorry to appear to dodge responses, but I really have to run, for now.
Peace.
Dec '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
And a burgeoning admiration for Western Civilization, due in part to learning more about Islamism, and the gratitude and sense of loyalty to it that engenders.
My own siblings' conversion was also essential, as I don't think I would have had the courage if I'd felt the risk of being shunned.
Apr '12
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
It wasn't just Rachel Carson, it was a whole gang of Marxist inspired "environmentalists" who laid the groundwork for what is now climate change hysteria (they're persistent, I'll give 'em that).
I was a dedicated Leftist and took it so seriously that one day I decided that I would level the same kind of critique on Leftism that I have been focusing on conservatism (especially Whites, males, and Christians). I was a bit surprised that none of the positions would stand up under careful scrutiny so I started asking the Leftist "intellectuals" about it ... they just got mad at me and I was soon persona non grata.
As a Leftist I really didn't understand what "knee-jerk liberal" meant, but now I know all too well. But all Leftists are not the same, there are the "intellectuals" who craft ideology based on traditional Christian ideals and there are demagogues who seek power by implementing these ideals then there is the rank and file who are simply proud to be the good guys with a clear understanding of who the bad guys are.
It's good to see people waking up to the travesty.
Jun '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
The good Lord should give us all an Irish accent when we're telling stories. Wonderful messy speech, and great stories.
Jun '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Wow! I so enjoyed the Ann McElhinney videos, I watched all three. Thank you.
Feb '11
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Dad actually turned the thermostat down to 55 per President Carter's suggestion
WC -- My dad turned the thermostat down to 62 not because Carter suggested it, but because he didn't feel we had a right to run around in t-shirts all winter long. Sheep and their wool are here for a reason, and if he was going to provide us all with sweaters, we'd have good cause to wear them. If it's 12 degrees Fahrenheit outside and you're cold, well then girl, get outside and shovel some snow or do some sledding and raise your body temperature if you want, but don't complain about it.
The only person who ever got the heat turned up in her honor was my sainted grandmother, his mother-in-law. She was a classy lady and they admired each other very much.
Nov '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
Highlama: It wasn't just Rachel Carson, it was a whole gang of Marxist inspired "environmentalists" who laid the groundwork for what is now climate change hysteria (they're persistent, I'll give 'em that).
I was a dedicated Leftist and took it so seriously that one day I decided that I would level the same kind of critique on Leftism that I have been focusing on conservatism (especially Whites, males, and Christians). I was a bit surprised that none of the positions would stand up under careful scrutiny so I started asking the Leftist "intellectuals" about it ... they just got mad at me and I was soon persona non grata.
Welcome, Highlama. You are very grata (welcome) here. It's good to have you aboard. And thanks for sharing your story.
Nov '10
Re: "Conservatives Have All the Best Stories"
My parents were practical conservatives, not thinking ones, and as a child I was not exposed to conservative ideology. My schooling was conventionally liberal, so I know how educational indoctrination works. (My first long research paper was an admiring work on Rachel Carson, by the way.)
Late in high school I encountered my first really conscious Christians, a youth group of very mature and engaging kids from a wide variety of denominational backgrounds--evangelical, Anglican, and Catholic--and I became serious about my faith. For some reason, the Christian kids I knew over the next few years tended to be wildly lefty Sojourners types, and gradually I became depressed. Ann McElhinney talks about how depressed kids are when exposed to lefty ideas--well, I was like that. Everything was a cause for guilt--I was told that taking a shower every day was wrong, when people in Africa didn't all have water to drink. It was humorless and miserable.
Then I stumbled across National Review at the library, and it was as if a light switch had been flipped on. There was humor, and laughter, and gratitude for a good world under God. I never looked back.