Category Archives: History

Orwell and the Tea Party (plus Thomas Paine)

Tea Baggers don’t know much about history. You already know this.

They are convinced we are living in a theocracy. Ask a Tea Bagger and this is the Christian form of Iran…not that they’d say it like that.

Now they are proving they know nothing of literature, or political writing.

Without getting too much into it – the article does a good job of explaining itself – Tea Baggers are incredibly unaware that George Orwell was a socialist. Not like Barack Obama, savior of capitalism, is a socialist, but an actual one. Here are their increasingly incorrect stances concerning George Orwell.

But don’t stop there! They also – or at least Glenn Beckkk – has no clue about Thomas Paine. To the nitwits who listen to that fake-teared sociopath, they are unaware that Paine was anti-royalty and, more importantly, anti-religion. Well, at least, anti-established Church, which is a difference many can’t make. Plus he fought for things like a woman’s right to vote and other things that make Rethugs squeamish.

So how is he their hero? No clue.

Same reason Reagan made “Born in the U.S.A.” his anthem without caring about what the lyrics meant. Same reason Tea Baggers get offended when you associate them with a sex act – even though THEY came up with the label. Same reason the phrase “compassionate conservatism” usually means you’re about to get screwed out of money or freedom or possibly both at the same time.

Goodbye Howard Zinn

More on the recent passing of Howard Zinn, including some videos clip on this page plus an excerpt from his latest – and last – book.

“What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places-and there are so many-where people have behaved magnificently, it energizes us to act, and raises at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”

Bob Herbert wrote a very good article on Zinn. It really should be read as a personal homage to the man.

I have some more articles at home I’m hoping to link to. Hopefully I’ll remember to do that soon.