[fboygan]

OPINION: The Making Of A 9/11 Republican
- Cinnamon Stillwell
Thursday, February 24, 2005



As one of a handful of Bay Area conservative columnists, I'm no stranger to pushing buttons. Indeed, I welcome feedback from readers, whether positive or negative. I find the interplay stimulating, but I am often bemused by the stereotypical assumptions made by my critics on the left. It's not enough to simply disagree with my views; I have to be twisted into a conservative caricature that apparently makes opponents feel superior. They seem not to have considered that it's possible to put forward different approaches to various societal problems and not be the devil incarnate.

But in some ways I understand where this perspective comes from, because I once shared it. I was raised in liberal Marin County, and my first name (which garners more comments than anything else) is a direct product of the hippie generation. Growing up, I bought into the prevailing liberal wisdom of my surroundings because I didn't know anything else. I wrote off all Republicans as ignorant, intolerant yahoos. It didn't matter that I knew none personally; it was simply de rigueur to look down on such people. The fact that I was being a bigot never occurred to me, because I was certain that I inhabited the moral high ground.

Having been indoctrinated in the postcolonialist, self-loathing school of multiculturalism, I thought America was the root of all evil in the world. Its democratic form of government and capitalist economic system was nothing more than a machine in which citizens were forced to be cogs. I put aside the nagging question of why so many people all over the world risk their lives to come to the United States. Freedom of speech, religious freedom, women's rights, gay rights (yes, even without same-sex marriage), social and economic mobility, relative racial harmony and democracy itself were all taken for granted in my narrow, insulated world view.

So, what happened to change all that? In a nutshell, 9/11. The terrorist attacks on this country were not only an act of war but also a crime against humanity. It seemed glaringly obvious to me at the time, and it still does today. But the reaction of my former comrades on the left bespoke a different perspective. The day after the attacks, I dragged myself into work, still in a state of shock, and the first thing I heard was one of my co-workers bellowing triumphantly, "Bush got his war!" There was little sympathy for the victims of this horrific attack, only an irrational hatred for their own country.

As I spent months grieving the losses, others around me wrapped themselves in the comfortable shell of cynicism and acted as if nothing had changed. I soon began to recognize in them an inability to view America or its people as victims, born of years of indoctrination in which we were always presented as the bad guys.

Never mind that every country in the world acts in its own self-interest, forms alliances with unsavory countries -- some of which change later -- and are forced to act militarily at times. America was singled out as the sole guilty party on the globe. I, on the other hand, for the first time in my life, had come to truly appreciate my country and all that it encompassed, as well as the bravery and sacrifices of those who fight to protect it.

Thoroughly disgusted by the behavior of those on the left, I began to look elsewhere for support. To my astonishment, I found that the only voices that seemed to me to be intellectually and morally honest were on the right. Suddenly, I was listening to conservative talk-show hosts on the radio and reading conservative columnists, and they were making sense. When I actually met conservatives, I discovered that they did not at all embody the stereotypes with which I'd been inculcated as a liberal.

Although my initial agreement with voices on the right centered on the war on terrorism, I began to find myself in concurrence with other aspects of conservative political philosophy as well. Smaller government, traditional societal structures, respect and reverence for life, the importance of family, personal responsibility, national unity over identity politics and the benefits of living in a meritocracy all became important to me. In truth, it turns out I was already conservative on many of these subjects but had never been willing to admit as much.

In my search for like-minded individuals, I also gravitated toward the religiously observant. This was somewhat revolutionary, considering my former liberal discomfort with religious folk, but I found myself in agreement on a number of issues. When it came to support for Israel, Orthodox Jews and Christian Zionists were natural allies. As the left rained down vicious attacks on Israel, commentators on the right (with the exception of Pat Buchanan and his ilk) became staunch supporters of the nation. The fact that I'm not a particularly religious person myself had little bearing on this political relationship, for it's entirely possible to be secular and not be antireligious. Unlike the secular fundamentalists who make it their mission in life to destroy all vestiges of America's Judeo-Christian heritage, I have come to value this legacy.

So I became what's now commonly known as a "9/11 Republican." Living in a time of war, disenchanted with the left and disappointed with the obstructionism and lack of vision of the Democratic Party, I threw in my hat with the only party that seemed to be offering solutions, rather than simply tearing away at our country. I went from voting for Ralph Nader in 2000 to proudly casting my ballot for George W. Bush in 2004. This doesn't necessarily mean that I agree with Bush on every issue, but there is enough common ground to support his party overall. In the wake of this political transformation, I discovered that I was not alone. It turned out that there are other 9/11 Republicans out there, both in the Bay Area and beyond, and they have been coming out of the woodwork.

Like many a political convert, I took it on myself to openly oppose the politics of those with which I once shared world views. Beyond writing, I put myself on the front lines of this ideological battle by taking part in counterprotests at the antiwar rallies leading up to the war in Iraq. This turned out to be a further wake-up call, because it was there that I encountered more intolerance than ever before in my life. Holding pro-Iraq-liberation signs and American flags, I was spat on, called names, intimidated, threatened, attacked, cursed and, on a good day, simply argued with. It was clear that any deviation from the prevailing leftist groupthink of the Bay Area was considered a threat to be eliminated as quickly as possible.

It was at such protests that I also had my first real brushes with anti-Semitism. The anti-Israel sentiment on the left -- inexorably linked to anti-Americanism -- ran high at these events and boiled over into Jew hatred on more than one occasion. The pro-Palestinian sympathies of the left had led to a bizarre commingling of pacifism, Communism and Arab nationalism. So it was not uncommon to see kaffiyeh-clad college students chanting Hamas slogans, graying hippies wearing "Intifada" T-shirts, Che Guevera backpacks, and signs equating Zionism with Nazism, all against a backdrop of peace, patchouli and tie-dye.

Being unapologetically pro-Israel, I was called every name in the book, from "Zionist pig" to "Zionist scum," and was once told that those with European origins such as myself couldn't really be Jewish. In the end, the blatant anti-Semitism on the left, even among Jews, only strengthened my political transformation. I was, in effect, radicalized by the radicals.

But more than anything, it was the left's hypocrisy when it came to the war on terrorism that made me turn rightward after 9/11. I remember, back in my liberal days, being fiercely opposed to the Taliban and its brutal treatment of women. Even then, I felt that Afghanistan should immediately be liberated, as Malcolm X once said in another context, by any means necessary. But when it came time, it turned out that the left was mostly opposed to such liberation, whether of the Afghan people or of the Iraqis (especially if America and a Republican president were at the helm).

Indeed, liberals had become strangely conservative in their fierce attachment to the status quo. In contrast, the much-maligned neoconservatives (among whose ranks I count myself) and Bush had become the "radicals," bringing freedom and democracy to the despotic Middle East. Is it any wonder that in such a topsy-turvy world, I found myself in agreement with those I'd formerly denounced?

The war on terrorism is nothing more than the great struggle of our time, and, like the earlier ones against fascism and totalitarianism, we ignore it at our peril. Whether or not one accepts that we are engaged in a war, our enemies have declared it so. It took the horrors of 9/11 to awaken me to this reality, but for others, such lessons remain unlearned. For me, it was self-evident that in Islamic terrorism, America had found a nihilistic threat that sought to wipe out not only Western civilization but also civilization itself.

The Islamists have been clear all along about their plans to form an Islamic caliphate and inhabit the entire world with burqas, stonings, amputations, honor killings and a lack of religious and political freedom. Whether or not to oppose such a movement should have been a no-brainer, especially for self-proclaimed "progressives." Instead, they have extended their misguided sympathies to tyrants and terrorists.

In the end, history will be the judge, and each of us will have to think about what legacy we wish to leave to future generations. If there's one thing I've learned since 9/11, it's that it's never too late to alter one's place in the great scheme of things.

Cinnamon Stillwell is a Bay Area writer. She can be reached cinnamons@earthlink.net.

[GoneForNow]

fboygan....Welcome to TSG. Thought provoking article. Our liberal friends will soon be by to address the author but not the content.

[Fidelista]

Originally Posted by fboygan

OPINION: The Making Of A 9/11 Republican
- Cinnamon Stillwell
Thursday, February 24, 2005



As one of a handful of Bay Area conservative columnists, I'm no stranger to pushing buttons. Indeed, I welcome feedback from readers, whether positive or negative. I find the interplay stimulating, but I am often bemused by the stereotypical assumptions made by my critics on the left. It's not enough to simply disagree with my views; I have to be twisted into a conservative caricature that apparently makes opponents feel superior. They seem not to have considered that it's possible to put forward different approaches to various societal problems and not be the devil incarnate.

But in some ways I understand where this perspective comes from, because I once shared it. I was raised in liberal Marin County, and my first name (which garners more comments than anything else) is a direct product of the hippie generation. Growing up, I bought into the prevailing liberal wisdom of my surroundings because I didn't know anything else. I wrote off all Republicans as ignorant, intolerant yahoos. It didn't matter that I knew none personally; it was simply de rigueur to look down on such people. The fact that I was being a bigot never occurred to me, because I was certain that I inhabited the moral high ground.

Having been indoctrinated in the postcolonialist, self-loathing school of multiculturalism, I thought America was the root of all evil in the world. Its democratic form of government and capitalist economic system was nothing more than a machine in which citizens were forced to be cogs. I put aside the nagging question of why so many people all over the world risk their lives to come to the United States. Freedom of speech, religious freedom, women's rights, gay rights (yes, even without same-sex marriage), social and economic mobility, relative racial harmony and democracy itself were all taken for granted in my narrow, insulated world view.

So, what happened to change all that? In a nutshell, 9/11. The terrorist attacks on this country were not only an act of war but also a crime against humanity. It seemed glaringly obvious to me at the time, and it still does today. But the reaction of my former comrades on the left bespoke a different perspective. The day after the attacks, I dragged myself into work, still in a state of shock, and the first thing I heard was one of my co-workers bellowing triumphantly, "Bush got his war!" There was little sympathy for the victims of this horrific attack, only an irrational hatred for their own country.

As I spent months grieving the losses, others around me wrapped themselves in the comfortable shell of cynicism and acted as if nothing had changed. I soon began to recognize in them an inability to view America or its people as victims, born of years of indoctrination in which we were always presented as the bad guys.

Never mind that every country in the world acts in its own self-interest, forms alliances with unsavory countries -- some of which change later -- and are forced to act militarily at times. America was singled out as the sole guilty party on the globe. I, on the other hand, for the first time in my life, had come to truly appreciate my country and all that it encompassed, as well as the bravery and sacrifices of those who fight to protect it.

Thoroughly disgusted by the behavior of those on the left, I began to look elsewhere for support. To my astonishment, I found that the only voices that seemed to me to be intellectually and morally honest were on the right. Suddenly, I was listening to conservative talk-show hosts on the radio and reading conservative columnists, and they were making sense. When I actually met conservatives, I discovered that they did not at all embody the stereotypes with which I'd been inculcated as a liberal.

Although my initial agreement with voices on the right centered on the war on terrorism, I began to find myself in concurrence with other aspects of conservative political philosophy as well. Smaller government, traditional societal structures, respect and reverence for life, the importance of family, personal responsibility, national unity over identity politics and the benefits of living in a meritocracy all became important to me. In truth, it turns out I was already conservative on many of these subjects but had never been willing to admit as much.

In my search for like-minded individuals, I also gravitated toward the religiously observant. This was somewhat revolutionary, considering my former liberal discomfort with religious folk, but I found myself in agreement on a number of issues. When it came to support for Israel, Orthodox Jews and Christian Zionists were natural allies. As the left rained down vicious attacks on Israel, commentators on the right (with the exception of Pat Buchanan and his ilk) became staunch supporters of the nation. The fact that I'm not a particularly religious person myself had little bearing on this political relationship, for it's entirely possible to be secular and not be antireligious. Unlike the secular fundamentalists who make it their mission in life to destroy all vestiges of America's Judeo-Christian heritage, I have come to value this legacy.

So I became what's now commonly known as a "9/11 Republican." Living in a time of war, disenchanted with the left and disappointed with the obstructionism and lack of vision of the Democratic Party, I threw in my hat with the only party that seemed to be offering solutions, rather than simply tearing away at our country. I went from voting for Ralph Nader in 2000 to proudly casting my ballot for George W. Bush in 2004. This doesn't necessarily mean that I agree with Bush on every issue, but there is enough common ground to support his party overall. In the wake of this political transformation, I discovered that I was not alone. It turned out that there are other 9/11 Republicans out there, both in the Bay Area and beyond, and they have been coming out of the woodwork.

Like many a political convert, I took it on myself to openly oppose the politics of those with which I once shared world views. Beyond writing, I put myself on the front lines of this ideological battle by taking part in counterprotests at the antiwar rallies leading up to the war in Iraq. This turned out to be a further wake-up call, because it was there that I encountered more intolerance than ever before in my life. Holding pro-Iraq-liberation signs and American flags, I was spat on, called names, intimidated, threatened, attacked, cursed and, on a good day, simply argued with. It was clear that any deviation from the prevailing leftist groupthink of the Bay Area was considered a threat to be eliminated as quickly as possible.

It was at such protests that I also had my first real brushes with anti-Semitism. The anti-Israel sentiment on the left -- inexorably linked to anti-Americanism -- ran high at these events and boiled over into Jew hatred on more than one occasion. The pro-Palestinian sympathies of the left had led to a bizarre commingling of pacifism, Communism and Arab nationalism. So it was not uncommon to see kaffiyeh-clad college students chanting Hamas slogans, graying hippies wearing "Intifada" T-shirts, Che Guevera backpacks, and signs equating Zionism with Nazism, all against a backdrop of peace, patchouli and tie-dye.

Being unapologetically pro-Israel, I was called every name in the book, from "Zionist pig" to "Zionist scum," and was once told that those with European origins such as myself couldn't really be Jewish. In the end, the blatant anti-Semitism on the left, even among Jews, only strengthened my political transformation. I was, in effect, radicalized by the radicals.

But more than anything, it was the left's hypocrisy when it came to the war on terrorism that made me turn rightward after 9/11. I remember, back in my liberal days, being fiercely opposed to the Taliban and its brutal treatment of women. Even then, I felt that Afghanistan should immediately be liberated, as Malcolm X once said in another context, by any means necessary. But when it came time, it turned out that the left was mostly opposed to such liberation, whether of the Afghan people or of the Iraqis (especially if America and a Republican president were at the helm).

Indeed, liberals had become strangely conservative in their fierce attachment to the status quo. In contrast, the much-maligned neoconservatives (among whose ranks I count myself) and Bush had become the "radicals," bringing freedom and democracy to the despotic Middle East. Is it any wonder that in such a topsy-turvy world, I found myself in agreement with those I'd formerly denounced?

The war on terrorism is nothing more than the great struggle of our time, and, like the earlier ones against fascism and totalitarianism, we ignore it at our peril. Whether or not one accepts that we are engaged in a war, our enemies have declared it so. It took the horrors of 9/11 to awaken me to this reality, but for others, such lessons remain unlearned. For me, it was self-evident that in Islamic terrorism, America had found a nihilistic threat that sought to wipe out not only Western civilization but also civilization itself.

The Islamists have been clear all along about their plans to form an Islamic caliphate and inhabit the entire world with burqas, stonings, amputations, honor killings and a lack of religious and political freedom. Whether or not to oppose such a movement should have been a no-brainer, especially for self-proclaimed "progressives." Instead, they have extended their misguided sympathies to tyrants and terrorists.

In the end, history will be the judge, and each of us will have to think about what legacy we wish to leave to future generations. If there's one thing I've learned since 9/11, it's that it's never too late to alter one's place in the great scheme of things.

Cinnamon Stillwell is a Bay Area writer. She can be reached cinnamons@earthlink.net.

Hello Cinnamon, Congratulations on your "conversion" .
Without trying to dispute your entire post, I have to make comment.
First off, you seem to put everyone in two neat catagories---anti-American liberals and neo-con patriots. That is way off base.
If you were familair with the posters here , you would find that not all conservatives are in agreement in everything , and neither are those who lean left. You view things in an extremely simplistic way that might comfort you-- but is silly in my view. I do like the label 9-11 Republican---funny.
Another funny thing is how you found 'conversion', totally I assume , when the buildings in NY fell. Were you unaware that their was conflict before that event?. All of a sudden you found yourself at odds with all your former convictions?. That would tell me that you had none .
You make it sound as if there are two clubs, and you must join with one or the other, accept totally either a far left, or far right ideal, that is much bull !
I would be connsidered a leftist and I don't consider America the cause of all evil in the world, I am certainly not anti-American. I felt the horror at the attack in NY, you neo-cons seem smug in your idea that only you are capable of feeling rage or horror at that event. And I expected attack on Taliban , supported it, many did , where have you been??.
The thing in your post that I resent most is your charge that 'liberals' are anti-semintic.
You will find little real anti-semitism among liberals or conservatives at this site. Almost no one wishes harm to the Jewish people---most recognize Israel's right to exsist, hope for a peaceful resolution to problem. Only the route or method of acheiving it is debated. Most 'liberals' such as myself want safety and security for Israeli people as well as Palestinian.
Your opinion that non-neo-cons are anti-semites is a load of cr@p.
You forget something very important --- Israel is a FOREIGN nation, like Syria--Jordon --Saudia Arabia, not a U.S state, I owe no allegiece to Israel or any other nation but mine. I 'owe' Israel not one damn thing, and they are not off-limits to criticism. I can critisize Israels policies just as I do any foreign nation policies, and this makes me a anti-semite ?.
As to your religious beliefs regarding"Christian Zionists", I don't give a rats backside what you believe in, to me , you have a right to believe anything you wish, just dont tell me I am un-American if I dont share your beliefs or theirs.
Your admission that you are a radical was welcome , at least honest.

"I was, in effect, radicalized by the radicals. "
It seems you fell in with some wild Calif hippies!
Did you not know that there are liberal nutcases {fanatics as well as right wing fanatics?. The world not simple enough for you?.
I think you should consider your own words "I am often bemused by the stereotypical assumptions made " ---When you speak for me , this leftist, thats exactly what you are doing.
Anyway , congrats for conversion and all the enlightment that comes with talk show radio! . >f
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity". Ann Coulter

[GoneForNow]

Seems to me she (I'm assuming the author is a she) gave specific examples related to her experiences and the people she has come into contact with. I don't see her, for example, stating that all liberals are anti-semitic, just some of the one's she dealt with. Simply, she isn't generalizing she relaying her experiences, her political conversation and that which resulted from that political conversation.

[Fidelista]

Originally Posted by gbrumb

Seems to me she (I'm assuming the author is a she) gave specific examples related to her experiences and the people she has come into contact with. I don't see her, for example, stating that all liberals are anti-semitic, just some of the one's she dealt with. Simply, she isn't generalizing she relaying her experiences, her political conversation and that which resulted from that political conversation.

Good morning gb.The anti-semitism thing set me off gb, I didn't mean to be so mean spirited!.
I have had it with charges of racsim and anti-semitism leveled against people when it lacks truth. Maybe I got a little carried away?.
And I lacked politness.
I must say to cinnamon, Welcome to the Forums! you will find good folks and spirited debate here! >f

[GoneForNow]

>f..............I think that fboygan is quoting an op piece written by Cinnamon Stillwell from some newspaper (speculation on my part) I don't think Cinnamon is a member here. Just my take on it.

[linskyjack]

Old Cinnamon,she reminds me of a reformed drinker (there the worst kind), is pretty much wrong about everything other then the fact that many radical leftists are anti-semitic. Then again, so are many radical rightists-------!

[Fidelista]

Pardon! Welcome fboygan>f

[WarC]

I guess you could call me a 9/11 Republican as well.

Those attacks totally changed the way I thought about our government and its place among other governments in the world. Hearing my more obnoxious liberal friends rejoice on that day and hoping (although playfully) for the presidents death had a part to play in all that as well. I too went from supporting Ralph Nader in 2000 to voting for Bush in 2004...Although I had noticed since before 2000 the degree of hostility a lot of people met Bush with.

Yeah, 9/11 changed things for me. I stopped concentrating solely on our history, and started using that to help me make decisions about today. Politics stopped being a bad word for me.

Funny, though...'Cinnamon' mentions stereotypes thrust on republicans and Linsky comes up with the "reformed drinker" bit, lol! Are you admitting liberals must be drunk!?

[Fidelista]

Originally Posted by WarC

I guess you could call me a 9/11 Republican as well.

Those attacks totally changed the way I thought about our government and its place among other governments in the world. Hearing my more obnoxious liberal friends rejoice on that day and hoping (although playfully) for the presidents death had a part to play in all that as well. I too went from supporting Ralph Nader in 2000 to voting for Bush in 2004...Although I had noticed since before 2000 the degree of hostility a lot of people met Bush with.

Yeah, 9/11 changed things for me. I stopped concentrating solely on our history, and started using that to help me make decisions about today. Politics stopped being a bad word for me.

Funny, though...'Cinnamon' mentions stereotypes thrust on republicans and Linsky comes up with the "reformed drinker" bit, lol! Are you admitting liberals must be drunk!?

Hello war, I can tell you I am not drunk {this morning } but am somewhat hot headed at times, I think this was obvious in this case. I was seening red ---didnt even recognize the poster!
I understand the attack of 9-11 being a wake-up call to some Americans.
Some were not watching the long process unfold, this was not the first attack by non-Govt Arab forces, but I can understand a changed view of how it should be handled.
What I question is an instant conversion from liberal or moderate views to that of a Neo-Conservative. I think thats an extreme that indicates no real personal views at all. Surely some of the ideals believed in would still be there.
I can't imagine any American , liberal or otherwise, rejoicing in that horrible event. I don't question that you witnessed it, but I seen no rejoicing by any---fortunately, it would have been disgusting.
I do have hostility towards Bush and team , but that in no way translates into hating my country. I love America just as much as any 9-11 Republican. >f

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by gbrumb

Seems to me she (I'm assuming the author is a she) gave specific examples related to her experiences and the people she has come into contact with. I don't see her, for example, stating that all liberals are anti-semitic, just some of the one's she dealt with. Simply, she isn't generalizing she relaying her experiences, her political conversation and that which resulted from that political conversation.

I believe you have that correct GB. I believe fboygan is an East Coast Cheesehead (Davey territory)

[fboygan]

Right on LJ. I just thought it was a well written article and thought provoking at that. I know the response I would get in my city if I walked downtown with a Hillary 2008 t-shirt on, virtually nothing. Yet imagine the response to a W shirt on State Street In Madison, WI. I believe someone has tried this(with a Kerry shirt) in Califorina with very interesting results.

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by fboygan

Right on LJ. I just thought it was a well written article and thought provoking at that. I know the response I would get in my city if I walked downtown with a Hillary 2008 t-shirt on, virtually nothing. Yet imagine the response to a W shirt on State Street In Madison, WI. I believe someone has tried this(with a Kerry shirt) in Califorina with very interesting results.

I'm sure that Bratsville and Madtown are different!

[fboygan]

Ya Hey!

[LANMaster]

Here’s a very interesting interview with Victor Davis Hanson, conducted by Arthur Chrenkoff.

You are a life-long Democrat, a classicist and an old-style farmer skeptical of big business, yet after September 11 you’re finding yourself on the same side of the fence as Paul Wolfowitz and Condoleezza Rice. Do you see a major political realignment taking place in American politics?

Yes, I do. Democrats are isolationists now.

In matters of the Middle East, a Mubarak or Saudi Royal family are the “other” and deserve the multi-cultural pass of not being judged, since they are just “different” rather than atrocious.

Those who worked in the trenches for George Bush were mostly volunteers and grass roots; those for Kerry paid, and often from monies from the likes of a George Soros.

When I see a Teresa Heinz Kerry or George Soros, or the Hollywood elite, or the pampered professoriate, I see out-of-touch utopians who lecture others to do what they never would. Sort of the Kerry SUV syndrome or the big mansions of a Barbra Streisand lecturing on conservation.

And in the media, by any fair historical measure, the blogs, call-in radio, and cable news, are far more the vox populi than Dan Rather, Bill Moyers, the New York Times, NPR, CNN, and the CBS—the old reformers, who are now dull, timid, arrogant, huffing and puffing about “standards” and “being degreed” as they do some questionable things.