Goodness. The arguments that presumably smart people are
willing to make.
For instance, we have the reactions to the “lock her up”
chant along the lines of “we don’t jail our political opponents” and “this isn’t
a banana republic”. Objections made not just by Dem hacks (see Al Franken) but
by conservative intellectuals.
Are we really going to take that chant out of place and time
context? A majority of those polled disagreed with James Comey’s decision not
to indict Hillary Clinton for her use of a private server. That decision was
made less than a month ago. The chant was made at a political convention which
is decidedly more pep rally than philosophical symposium.
And then again the reaction to Ted Cruz’s speech last night.
We get this sort of thing:
“Any
party in which 'Vote your conscience & honor the Constitution' gets you
booed off stage is not my party”
It’s perfectly clear that what was being booed was “vote
your conscience” not “honor the constitution.” And it’s perfectly clear that
the former was a rather high minded (or weaselly) way of saying don’t vote for
Trump, made at a convention to nominate and get elected Donald Trump. The Trump
backers took it as an affront because that’s what it was.
It would be nice if our public intellectuals didn’t spend so
much time spouting cant arguments to support their initial premise.
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