In the 8th Congressional District in Illinois there is a three way race between Democrat Incumbent Melissa Bean, Republican Candidate Joe Walsh and the Green Party’s Bill Scheurer. In a debate last week which was sponsored and moderated by the League of Women Voters a spontaneous recitation of The Pledge of Allegiance broke out, much to the dismay of moderator Kathy Tate-Bradish of the LoWV.
During the opening of the event, an audience member stood up and requested that The Pledge of Allegiance be recited. Tate-Brandish said that it would not be recited because it was not on the schedule for the evening’s program.
After several shouts of “Why not?” the audience stood up and recited the pledge over the objections of Tate-Brandish, anyway. After the audience sat down, Tate-Brandish scolded them by saying she hoped that was the last time she would be disrespected. At first, when questioned, Tate-Brandish said this about reciting The Pledge of Allegiance, “I have absolutely nothing for or against saying the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of something like this.”
Let’s look at that statement. She said she has nothing against saying it. Fine, so let the audience say it. She further said she has nothing “for” saying it. Why? What is it that is so bad about being patriotic these days? Well in the days following the event, League of Women Voters’ Illinois Spokesperson, Executive Director Jan Czarnik said “phony patriotism” is driving the criticism of Tate-Brandish. Czarnik spokesperson then added that it was an orchestrated attempt by GOP Candidate Walsh’s campaign to “bully” the organization (LoWV). She then went on to say, “It’s a phony patriotism issue is what it is,” she said. “They must think it helps their campaign.” Czarnik also added that someone is not a better American just by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
So now it is phony to want to recite The Pledge of Allegiance? Why is the League of Women Voters playing the blame game on this?
Walsh’s campaign denies responsibility for it and during the recitation both he and incumbent Bean stood and recited the pledge with the audience. Green Party candidate Sheurer did not. He later stated that he did not want to be “forced” to recite it.
Audience member and Island Lake resident Joseph Ptak, a Walsh supporter, claimed Friday that he was the person who stood asked for The Pledge of Allegiance at the debate. Ptak, 58, a U.S. Air Force veteran, said he thought the pledge was a proper way to begin the event that was in a high school with student participation. He said numerous veterans were in the audience, and he objects to Czarnik questioning the request’s sincerity.
“I’m a Joe Walsh supporter, but first and foremost I’m an American,” Ptak said.
What has this country come to when a spontaneous rendition of The Pledge of Allegiance is labeled as “phony patriotism” and used as a foil by a leftist organization such as the League of Women Voters? This is yet another example of everyday Americans waking up and taking a stance against the creeping Marxism of the far left. Kudos to Mr. Ptak and to those audience members who stood up not only for The Pledge of Allegiance, but also for America.
Video of the spontaneous recitation of The Pledge of Allegiance –
GOP Candidate Joe Walsh’s comments after the debate –
Crossposted from Present Discontent
I would love to hear her definition of “legit patriotism”.
I think it all ties together with things like this:
Obama has omitted the word “Creator” when reciting the Declaration of Independence for the the third time in just over a month.
The first incident was at an event for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.
The second was at a fundraiser in New York City.
The third time occurred this week in Maryland, during a speech before Democratic Senate candidate donors.
BUT….Obama INCLUDED the word two days ago in front of the USC audience:
One protester with GetEQUAL managed to smuggle in a “Repal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” sign. The guy was pretty close to the stage, and held up the sign throughout Obama’s speech.
Obama’s speech was very familiar, with the bits about going forward by putting the car in D, and going backward by putting it in R, chants of “Yes We Can,” and how “America plays for first place,” and all the rest. It’s a stump speech, you’ve seen it before.
And this from a liberal web site!
Ms. Tate-Brandish campaigned for Obama in 2008 so to call her a moderator is something of a farce. The reason a spontaneous Pledge of Allegience had to be stifled is simple, to the likes of Tate-Brandish there is nothing about being an American to be proud of. So she and others like her project their false patriotism upon those who are truely happy being citizens of this country. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.
If someone DIDN’T stand up and tell Miz Tate-Brandish to STFU and what she could do with that horse she rode in on, they should have. The time for being civil to these assholes is WAY past.
that was nice to watch.
stories like these keep me coming back.
anybody else post here that remembers the pre “under God” pledge ? of course that was back in the good old days
Clearly the moderator (and the director of the League of Women Voters) don’t deserve my respect and if there’s something biased about the pledge of allegiance, it’s bias in favor of the country…not any political party. Failure to support or at least accept the pledge of allegiance at a forum like this implies they don’t believe in the America that made that forum possible.
”
. . . not a better American just by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.”
Which is absolutely true in the mind of a socialist, because they scoff at the idea of a pledge meaning anything. Shades of “are you kidding?” when Pelosi was asked about the Constitution.
What they really can’t handle is that better Americans actually mean itwhen they take a pledge.
“The time for being civil to these assholes is WAY past.”
Ratdog is one hundred percent correct. We need to start hitting them as hard as they hit us. Until we do, they won’t get the message. Being civil to this bunch has done and will do about as much good as trying to be civil to the Taliban and Islamic terrorists. We haven’t gone all out to wipe out as many of them as possible because we feel we need to win hearts and minds, and we see what that’s got us.
We need to adopt a “surge” philosophy against Democrats.
@ #8:
Hardly.
My own observation is that the deterioration of civil, issue-focused public discourse is the main thing that’s going seriously wrong with American politics. It’s why the middle ground–where all of the nation’s truly workable solutions are to be found–is getting virtually no attention.
A middle ground third party, clearly articulating the issues and logical, balanced answers to them, would blow both the far right and the far left out of the water.
We’re not going to be allowed to have that. Powerful special interests see middle ground empowerment as a threat. So, power will continue to oscillate between the far right and far left. Systemic problems will likely remain unchecked, possibly until the system breaks down completely.
Sorry, Greg, but civility is a two-way street. Like I said, you can know more be civil to Democrats-at least the more liberal ones-than you can with the Taliban. Yeah, if we and the Taliban would just be civil to each other we could just discuss our problems, come to a consensus, figure out how to deal with that heroin problem, and at the end of the day everything would be peachy.
But that’s not going to happen, and its not going to happen with Democrats either, no matter how bad you might want it.
Civility?
Remember 2008, June 13th?
“Barack Obama’s call for ‘new politics’ is officially over. In just 24 hours, Barack Obama attacked one of America’s pioneering women CEOs, rejected a series of joint bipartisan town halls, and said that if there’s a political knife fight, he’d bring a gun,” McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said.
“Why is Barack Obama so negative? In the last 24 hours, he’s completely abandoned his campaign’s call for ‘new politics,’ equating the election to a ‘brawl’ and promising to ‘bring a gun,’ ” said the RNC’s Alex Conant.
~~~~~~~~~~
What about in June 2010 when:
Obama said, “We talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick.”
~~~~~~~
After hearing VP Biden discuss strangling Republicans, Barack Obama promises hand to hand combat if Republicans win big in November.
~~~~~~~~
Civility is a two-way street.
Guess who is the street punk?
Greg,
So sorry to disappoint old chap, but your position is laughable, the moral high ground you want so desperately to cling to is of no consequence or solace if our nation lies buried there.
The stateists on both the left and the right have proven time and time again that any compromise with totalitarianism is evil. No more government meddling in the lives of citizens or affairs of other countries (unless it is to annihilate those countries who choose to be our enemy). The left gives the right more police powers while the right gives the left more welfare, some “bipartisanship”. . . this BS has got to stop!
Who defines the “middle ground,” you?, NPR? In my opinion the true middle ground is the American citizen left to make his own decisions good or bad and bear the fruit or anguish of those decisions with his family and others of his choosing, not the moralistic right nor the socialistic left and their hired thugs in government.
I’m sorry, but I find your puny call for compromise infuriating, at least the bible thumpers and the socialists take a stand for something, even if it’s the wrong thing.
@ JustAl, #12:
What can I say? My thoughts about the way people should behave and cooperatively work together were formed during the middle of the previous century.
Yet the “progressive” decline of the nation since that time speaks directly to the effectiveness of the tactics you want conservatives to refrain from using. I’m sorry, but if the political direction of the nation was set by logic and soft spoken wisdom there would be no left today. If you cede the tactics of emotion you cede the field. In a perfect world you would be correct, even though, in a perfect world there would be no need for compromise to begin with.
We are at a tipping point and calm thoughtfulness will not sway enough people, fast enough to prevent capsize. My children are doomed to the slavery of debt not of their making, my son bears arms for a nation that is not the nation of his forefathers.
Since the middle of the last century hundreds of thousands of Americans laid down their lives fighting socialism in various guises. . . yet we now have socialists in charge of the government, despite our mild mannered objections thought the years.
There is no time left for the niceties. If history teaches nothing else, it teaches that he who fights the last war instead of the current one. . . looses.
The New Democrat Marxist Party HATES to hear the Pledge of Allegiance.
Send this viral:
ex obot fears BHO and his incompetence.
😕
http://newsflavor.com/politics/world-politics/white-house-insider-they-were-in-shock-at-the-presidents-behavior/
The audience reaction is why there’s still hope for America. The people stood up and did the right thing without permission from the ‘ruling class’. This trend is only beginning.
If anything the middle of the previous century was racked with gross discriminations, abuses at the Federal level at various groups of people (mostly African American), and caused many Mid-western and Western citizens of the US to create an abbrassive attitude towards the Democrat dominated Federal Government.
Greg, I recommend a good reading of A People And A Nation: A History of The United States.
The only homogenious part of American life that was developed was popular culture such as radio programs and movies from the 1930’s which gave rise to modern mediums such as video gaming and webcasting, other than that there was little interest to co-op among citizens across the Nation politicaly as various political and economical situations vastly differed from State to State since the end of World War II.
Greg, the loss of civility lays squarely on the heads of the dems. They have been viciously attacking their opponents for decades. I remember how the dems whined about “smears” against Clinton. Problem is the left’s definition of smear is any legitimate criticism leveled at them. You see, I am old enough to remember how they savaged Reagan and created the term “Borking.”
I might also give more credence to your plea for civility if not for your relentless defense of the dems and endless spouting of the party line.
Rat Dog is right. It’s time for brass knucle Conservatives to step up.
Tobias, their idea of patriotism is bashing America for not perfectly living up to it’s founding ideals in every way at all times.
We also have seen their idea of patriotism when they piss on our allies and roll over and play dead for our enemies.
Let’s not forget how after obama won the military planes that flew over were finally “theirs”. Before that they seemed to think they were living in an occupied country.
You go Ratdog!
Maybe they could schedule a contest with the Longshoremen and Teamsters. I’ll stay home and catch it on the television. Personally, I’m a strong advocate of intelligent debate, ballot boxes, and jail time for anyone who doesn’t know how to behave.
Brass knuckle cons. hardright, ratdog and friends vs. the Longshoremen and Teamsters. That’s must see t.v.
So, I guess the insinuation from the progressives on this site is their back is covered by sharp witted, educated union thugs. Sweet.
and greg, personally, we all know that everything you do and think is superior to anyone and everyone. Congratulations.
Amusing. Because their paid supporters are thugs the dems automatically think I mean the same thing when I mention brass knuckle Conservatives.
Little hint for you slow witted lefties- I mean from a political standing. We should be looking to crush dems at every turn politically and socially. This can be done without violence…from our side at least.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, we need our own long march through the institutions to set America right for the longrun.
Greg said:
Apparently, Mr. Liberal thinks people behaving and cooperatively working together means that the hard working people in this country must cooperate with the thieving government in order to give more to the have-nots. How can you stand on moral principles when you advocate taking more and more from those that work hard to get ahead in life?
I’m all for helping people out of my own free will, but not being forced to do so by an ever increasingly corrupt government.
@Hard Right
Last I checked, conservatives weren’t the ones standing in front of a polling place with weapons, threatening people.
Last I checked, conservatives weren’t the ones participating in violent protests over a law passed in some state.
Last I checked, conservatives weren’t the ones protesting in front of a person’s private residence when the only person home was a young kid.
Last I checked, conservatives weren’t the ones advocating the murder of a sitting or former President.
Last I checked, conservatives weren’t the ones violently attacking military recruiting stations.
Last I checked, conservatives weren’t the ones violently protesting anywhere the G-8 meets.
Need I go on?
John, no matter how much you post Greg, B-Rob, Rich Wheeler, and John Ryan wil never see it. They are immune to reality let alone facts.
I would not be surprised to see violence erupt from liberals if we take the Senate, House, and the White House in the next few years.
Spam filter got my post, but I agree with you completely John.
What happened at the debate last night between Rand Paul and Jack Conway is what should happen everywhere. A woman belonging to a fake group that is a front for MoveOn.org got her ass royally kicked-by a Rand Paul supporter. I haven’t got a link yet, but when I do I’ll post about it.
For now, suffice it to say she got up in the face of the wrong people, she was restrained, after which she got stomped.
Did she deserve to have her ass kicked? Technically, maybe not.
Do I give a damn that she got her ass kicked? Hell no, in fact I think its been too long coming and I hope to see a hell of a lot more of it.
Does that make me a thug, or a “brownshirt”? Who cares? If it does, all that mean is I’m one of a very small minority among the right that is not one iota worse than the majority on the left.
Okay here’s the link from Breitbart tv.
http://www.breitbart.tv/moveon-protester-stomped-on-at-kentucky-senate-debate/
Please, all of you go and look it this, and read some of the comments. This makes my point for me. The guy didn’t “stomp” this bitch after she was wrestled to the ground, he just put his foot on her and pressed to help keep her down. She had been trying to approach Rand Paul to give him an “award” from some fictitious group called “Republicorps”, claiming they were advocating corporate control of the GOP.
She was wearing a blond wig, and the people in the crowd, Paul supporters, who held her down legitimately thought she was a threat to Paul.
I didn’t read all the comments, but many of the ones who commented were criticizing the unknown man for “stomping” her, claiming that things like this aren’t what “we” do., and actually saying the guy should be arrested.
Until conservatives collectively grow a set of balls and stop worrying about stuff like this we’re fighting a losing battle, if you want to call that “fighting”.
I used to be a Democrat before I got sick to death of them and their ways, so I know what I’m talking about. These people are no good, so stop worrying about playing nice with them. They aren’t worth it.
JustAl
So who are you calling a bible thumper you atheistic asshole? See how that workds.
I posted something similar months ago, but is seems that the idea needs to be repeated. The left is driven by ideals while the right is driven by personal values. One can compromise ideals and still survive. If one compromises one’s values, there is nothing to live for any more. Both the right and the left are motivated by ideals, but at different levels.
When a liberal wants to make the Constitution a living document through judicial activism to “address modern times”, that is an ideal. To a conservative, changing the Constitution without going through due process is an attack on the very soul of the conservative. This is a prime example. Others are not so simple to identify but are present.
Dems do not understand this and mock conservatives when they show love of their country by reciting the “Pledge” or “saluting the flag”. This doesn’t mean that Dems do not love their country, most do, but in an ideological manner. They love the idea of their country while conservatives love their country for itself. Has anyone ever asked why more conservatives (about 4-1) are willing to volunteer to fight and risk their lives for their county?
I remember when I was in school. We said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. For some of the time, we even read Biblical passages. The Pledge was part of our day. The pledge is much more than that to me now as I have seen how unique this country is through extensive travel. I admire those founding fathers who could see hundreds of years in the future. I cannot remember when I could complete the National Anthem without my voice breaking with emotion.
I, like so may others, have taken the pledge to defend my country and the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. This is a personal value. I cannot compromise that value and expect to wake up tomorrow. To my liberal friends (I do not have very many!), this country is not all that different than others. Some want us abandon parts of the Constitution in favor of world opinion or to emulate European values. This is an ideal. They can compromise on some of these issues and still wake up tomorrow.
That is why liberals and conservatives will not agree on issues concerning personal values. There can be no compromise of personal values!
Yes, I see how that workds.
I was referring to the religious types who are no different than the liberal socialists, the ones who want to use government to enforce their view of “what’s best for the people,” just like the leftists do.
If you are a religious person who thinks the Constitution is what we need to follow, that people should be left alone to lead their own lives, make their own decisions, and live with the consequences, then I wasn’t talking about you and apologize for the poor choice of words.
I had just come out of a heated exchange on Pajamasmedia with the religious folks who think the war on drugs is just a jim dandy way to squander billions of dollars to enforce their nebulous moral ideals.
Thanks the asshole remark, the wife’s been out of town so I haven’t been called that in a few days.
@ PaganTemple, #31:
It’s been reported that the young woman suffered a neck sprain, a shoulder sprain, and a concussion.
She has also annoyed the Chinese government. In 2008 she was thrown into a communist jail cell for unfurling a “Free Tibet” banner in Olympic Park.
Maybe she deserved another stomp for that.
Greg and all
Check this out-
http://www.kypost.com/dpps/news/political/2-fights-break-out-during-paul_conway-debate-_5305909
During the same debates, a Conway supporter stomped on the foot of a female Paul supporter. The foot he stomped had a surgical boot, and when he stomped it, it injured the woman badly enough that it tore open her surgical scar.
How much noise has the left, or the media, made over this?
PaganTemple —
You are taking the position, I take it, that a woman carrying a sign is a threat and that justifies two men tackling her and one standing one her head? And this makes sense to you? OK . . . just checking . . . you cons have all gone insane . . . .
Yeah, she was almost as much of a threat as the female Paul supporter with her surgical boot on her foot.
Oh ho. NOW it’s a shoulder sprain, a neck sprain, AND a concussion. They keep adding to her phony injuries. Next we will hear she was decapitated.
The media will have fun with this, but anyone with a brain (that leaves out braindead rob) will know it’s a lie.
Braindead, there are no women suicide bombers? There are no women terrorists? It’s an interesting peak into you psyche you have given us. You clearly think women aren’t a threat. How progressive of you.
Squeeky Fromme ring a bell?
Seriously, we know you are trolling. I post for the people who don’t have all the info, not for you.
JustAl
I was just yanking your chain dude. no worries here. I know what the term bible thumper means to me; and although I am a christian, it denotes negative images in my mind. Better is a life lived by the way we treat each other than preaching a dogma.
No problem jlfintx.
Your last line really is the bottom line!
JustAL: hi, on your last line on 34; ARE you sure that, jlfintx is not your wife
calling you this name again?
I thought that line was so funny. bye
The Pagan Temple: hi, YOU KNOW, the stomper might have done it in retaliation for the other woman thrown down, like an eye for an eye.
bye
BRob said:
As I have seen the video now, I’m not sure you are all there. Maybe a few fries short of a Happy Meal. In the video I saw, the woman rushed towards Mr. Paul, no visual of a sign, then got dragged to the ground.
Everyone here admits the guy stomping her shoulder/head was wrong, but your making this out to be a complete beatdown of a person. Maybe you should tell that to the black conservative that really got a beating by a couple of SEIU thugs.
This is all nothing but an attempt to sway just enough independent votes in Kentucky to Conway. If anything, that should be the Republican narrative, not running all over ourselves to apoligize for Proffit’s actions, and to actually go so far as to attack him.
Proffitt and the others though the woman was a threat, and they acted accordingly. The woman wasn’t stomped, Proffitt just pushed his foot down on her in an attempt to restrain her until the police arrived.
Remember, they didn’t magically figure out she was a MoveOn employee pulling a stunt the minute they had her on the ground. For all they knew she might have had a weapon on her, and might have been nutty enough to use it yet.
I live in Louisville KY, Jack Conway is a sleazy Dem who has done nothing but malign Paul for speaking the truth. Conway still hasnt presented any new ideas except the raise taxes and spend more on failed programs. I think if someone digs deep enough they can find some evidence where Conway requested people from Moveon.org to disrupt the Rand Paul supporters.