The Wrestlers

This week, we mix it up across a wide variety of views with guests from all over the right side of the ideological map. First up, AEI’s Christina Hoff Sommers, author of The War Against Boys: How Misguided Policies are Harming Our Young Men. She wrote a Tweet this past week that set social media on fire. So we talk about that. Then, the main event: Charlie Sykes is a longtime time talk radio host in Wisconsin and is the newly minted host the The Daily Standard podcast right here on Ricochet. Charlie and our own Peter Robinson get into on the current occupant of the Oval Office, and well, let’s just say they don’t see eye-to-eye. But they do give a master class in how to disagree civilly. Take notes, people.

Music from this week’s podcast: Why Can’t We Be Friends by War

 

 

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  1. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):
    Literally couldn’t care less.

    We don’t want you to care. We don’t care what you think, for that matter. Just don’t say that we are wrong, and, when you can’t prove it, you say, “Well, it doesn’t matter anyhow.”

    I was responding to @painterjean’s comment # 535. Please try and keep up

    • #541
  2. Ed G. Member
    Ed G.
    @EdG

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):
    As mentioned, McCarthy called out contributors on NR for the same thing. I was simply providing the context for Prager’s statement.

    Even if what you are saying is true – and I don’t buy it – it doesn’t excuse Prager and Bennett. It would be like the police grabbing a bank robber, and the robber’s defense is to turn to his cohort, and saying, “Well, he robs bank too. It has to be alright. Look at how well-dressed he is”!

    Excuse them for what? You keep saying they now say character doesn’t matter. I don’t think they have said that. If your analogy here is supposed to represent what Prager and Bennett are saying in your eyes, well, then I can’t really tell if you mean it or if you’re just trolling. I think you mean it, though, and I think that reflects worse on you than if you were trolling.

    • #542
  3. Ed G. Member
    Ed G.
    @EdG

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):
    That Trump falls short in some arenas matters to me not a bit – he’s exceeding expectations in all the arenas that matter to me and that will benefit the country. Taxation reform, getting rid of burdensome regulations, and most importantly strongly supports the military.

    We know this about you. And that’s fine, I guess. But many of the people who feel as you do will not let those of us who feel differently alone. You act as if we have leprosy, because we believe in standards of decency.

    Persecution complex. People act as if you have leprosy (they don’t really but I’m humoring you) because you’re operating under a category error and the result is incoherence. Also, you act as if people who disagree with you don’t believe in standards of decency. Wrong. Dead wrong. Your standard isn’t the only one and God knows isn’t the best one.

    Otherwise, it’s a conversation. Attempts to learn and persuade. Not a refusal to leave you alone – you’re the one who keeps speaking about this in a public forum, people have the right to question and criticize you.

     

    • #543
  4. EDISONPARKS Member
    EDISONPARKS
    @user_54742

    • #544
  5. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Annefy (View Comment):
    @painterjean. I was providing context. Nothing more.

    And I literally couldn’t care less who you listen to. Similarly, I don’t care whether you like Trump. I don’t care if you criticize Trump when in your opinion he does something wrong.

    Literally couldn’t care less.

    So why are you bothering to type what you just did?? Obviously you cared enough to take the time! Very amusing.

    • #545
  6. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    RufusRJones (View Comment):
    David Stockman, David Horowitz, Victor Davis Hansen, and Angelo Codivilla get the vast majority of things right. That’s pretty much my paradigm.

    I think that’s a fine paradigm. I like those writers as well. I don’t think any of them have held up the virtues or the importance of character up at the high level that, say, Prager and Bill Bennett have, so there’s not necessarily any particular hypocrisy or self-debasing going on in their cases.

    • #546
  7. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):
    @painterjean. I was providing context. Nothing more.

    And I literally couldn’t care less who you listen to. Similarly, I don’t care whether you like Trump. I don’t care if you criticize Trump when in your opinion he does something wrong.

    Literally couldn’t care less.

    So why are you bothering to type what you just did?? Obviously you cared enough to take the time! Very amusing.

    I was responding to your comment 535.

    specifically :

    ”But don’t expect me to like this pig of a man, or not criticize him when he does something worthy of criticism. And don’t expect me to give any credibility when Prager or Bennet extol the virtues or the importance of character, because it only applies when it’s convenient.”

    Since  you felt the need to make the declaration I was just clearing up any confusion about whether I cared.

    Reminder: I don’t.

    • #547
  8. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):
    David Stockman, David Horowitz, Victor Davis Hansen, and Angelo Codivilla get the vast majority of things right. That’s pretty much my paradigm.

    I think that’s a fine paradigm. I like those writers as well. I don’t think any of them have held up the virtues or the importance of character up at the high level that, say, Prager and Bill Bennett have, so there’s not necessarily any particular hypocrisy or self-debasing going on in their cases.

    Right, but the political and social dynamics  have become a practical problem. Ben Sasse’s time will come. I don’t even like thinking about this stuff, really.

    There is a great political activist in MN, John Gilmore (@shabbosgoy) that turned me around on a lot of this stuff.

    • #548
  9. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Discuss!

    The reality is becoming clear, even as it remains uncomfortable for many: democracy is a sham that should be opposed by all liberty-loving people. Voting and elections confer no legitimacy whatsoever on any government, and to the extent a democratic political process replaces outright war it should be seen as only slightly less horrific.

    • #549
  10. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Annefy (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):
    @painterjean. I was providing context. Nothing more.

    And I literally couldn’t care less who you listen to. Similarly, I don’t care whether you like Trump. I don’t care if you criticize Trump when in your opinion he does something wrong.

    Literally couldn’t care less.

    So why are you bothering to type what you just did?? Obviously you cared enough to take the time! Very amusing.

    I was responding to your comment 535.

    specifically :

    ”But don’t expect me to like this pig of a man, or not criticize him when he does something worthy of criticism. And don’t expect me to give any credibility when Prager or Bennet extol the virtues or the importance of character, because it only applies when it’s convenient.”

    Since you felt the need to make the declaration I was just clearing up any confusion about whether I cared.

    Reminder: I don’t.

    I wasn’t thinking of you so personally, but rather, as a group, Trump supporters who can’t seem to understand that, for some people, character is really very important and Trump’s lack of it is a serious problem. If you and others value other aspects of Trump more than character, that’s fine, but don’t disparage those who think differently, as Prager is likely to do these days.

    • #550
  11. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    RufusRJones (View Comment):
    Discuss!

    The reality is becoming clear, even as it remains uncomfortable for many: democracy is a sham that should be opposed by all liberty-loving people. Voting and elections confer no legitimacy whatsoever on any government, and to the extent a democratic political process replaces outright war it should be seen as only slightly less horrific.

    That’s a whole new post, Rufus – go for it!

     

    • #551
  12. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):
    @painterjean. I was providing context. Nothing more.

    And I literally couldn’t care less who you listen to. Similarly, I don’t care whether you like Trump. I don’t care if you criticize Trump when in your opinion he does something wrong.

    Literally couldn’t care less.

    So why are you bothering to type what you just did?? Obviously you cared enough to take the time! Very amusing.

    I was responding to your comment 535.

    specifically :

    ”But don’t expect me to like this pig of a man, or not criticize him when he does something worthy of criticism. And don’t expect me to give any credibility when Prager or Bennet extol the virtues or the importance of character, because it only applies when it’s convenient.”

    Since you felt the need to make the declaration I was just clearing up any confusion about whether I cared.

    Reminder: I don’t.

    I wasn’t thinking of you so personally, but rather, as a group, Trump supporters who can’t seem to understand that, for some people, character is really very important and Trump’s lack of it is a serious problem. If you and others value other aspects of Trump more than character, that’s fine, but don’t disparage those who think differently, as Prager is likely to do these days.

    Since I’ve never disparaged those who feel the way you do,  I guess it’s safe to assume that the “you” – in a comment specifically addressed to me – is not to me ?

    Might I suggest you address your comments to those to whom it does apply?

    • #552
  13. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):
    Discuss!

    The reality is becoming clear, even as it remains uncomfortable for many: democracy is a sham that should be opposed by all liberty-loving people. Voting and elections confer no legitimacy whatsoever on any government, and to the extent a democratic political process replaces outright war it should be seen as only slightly less horrific.

    That’s a whole new post, Rufus – go for it!

    I’m not sure about that.

     

    • #553
  14. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    Moderator Note:

    Rude

    Annefy (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):
    @painterjean. I was providing context. Nothing more.

    And I literally couldn’t care less who you listen to. Similarly, I don’t care whether you like Trump. I don’t care if you criticize Trump when in your opinion he does something wrong.

    Literally couldn’t care less.

    So why are you bothering to type what you just did?? Obviously you cared enough to take the time! Very amusing.

    I was responding to your comment 535.

    specifically :

    ”But don’t expect me to like this pig of a man, or not criticize him when he does something worthy of criticism. And don’t expect me to give any credibility when Prager or Bennet extol the virtues or the importance of character, because it only applies when it’s convenient.”

    Since you felt the need to make the declaration I was just clearing up any confusion about whether I cared.

    Reminder: I don’t.

    I wasn’t thinking of you so personally, but rather, as a group, Trump supporters who can’t seem to understand that, for some people, character is really very important and Trump’s lack of it is a serious problem. If you and others value other aspects of Trump more than character, that’s fine, but don’t disparage those who think differently, as Prager is likely to do these days.

    Since I’ve never disparaged those who feel the way you do, I guess it’s safe to assume that the “you” – in a comment specifically addressed to me – is not to me ?

    Might I suggest you address your comments to those to whom it does apply?

    Oh good grief…really, just chill. I’m not able to address Prager personally, obviously, so my comments about him and those Trump supporters who are similarly inclined to disparage Trump critics will just have to be taken in the spirit in which they were intended. Touchy, touchy, touchy….just like your orange god-king.

    • #554
  15. She Member
    She
    @She

    LibertyDefender (View Comment):

    George Townsend (View Comment):
    We are lurging toward Socialism

    Lurging is dangerous – why, you could end up anywhere if you’re lurging.

    Vote NO on lurging.

    I just watched the lurging competition at the Olympics.  Always worries me, because it looks like a head injury just waiting to happen, and if you’re me, that’s bothersome, for umpteen reasons.

    Oh, wait . . .

    • #555
  16. George Townsend Inactive
    George Townsend
    @GeorgeTownsend

    Annefy (View Comment):

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    Annefy (View Comment):
    Literally couldn’t care less.

    We don’t want you to care. We don’t care what you think, for that matter. Just don’t say that we are wrong, and, when you can’t prove it, you say, “Well, it doesn’t matter anyhow.”

    I was responding to @painterjean’s comment # 535. Please try and keep up

    Fine. I give up. You’d rather be nasty then comment. It if fine with me.

    • #556
  17. George Townsend Inactive
    George Townsend
    @GeorgeTownsend

    She (View Comment):

    LibertyDefender (View Comment):

    George Townsend (View Comment):
    We are lurging toward Socialism

    Lurging is dangerous – why, you could end up anywhere if you’re lurging.

    Vote NO on lurging.

    I just watched the lurging competition at the Olympics. Always worries me, because it looks like a head injury just waiting to happen, and if you’re me, that’s bothersome, for umpteen reasons.

    Oh, wait . . .

    She, as I told someone else, my spelling is failing me, as is the rest of me!

    • #557
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