Conservatives: Tuning in, turning on, and dropping out
By Linda A. Prussen-Razzano
web
posted April 21, 2003
Over the last several months, many celebrities,
stars, and famous others have spoken against Operation Iraqi Freedom. They, like
all Americans, have a God-given, inalienable, constitutionally enumerated right
to voice their opinion. What they did not expect was a response: harsh criticism
to their opinions, excoriating commentary, or the public actively avoiding their
movies, books, music, etc. They embrace the right to freedom of speech when it
allows their sentiments to be expressed, but are stunned when they find themselves
on the receiving end.
It's about time.
The people who voice anti-war sentiments are typically divided into several categories: those who oppose war for religious reasons; those who oppose war for moral reasons; those who oppose war for political reasons; and those who oppose war because they don't like who's waging it. Most people who find themselves in the "pro-war" category can thoroughly disagree with, but moderately respect, the sentiments of those who oppose war of any type, in any form, for religious or moral reasons. Although some might consider these bases flawed depending upon the circumstance, they nonetheless retain a consistency of judgment that one can accept graciously.
I've seen very little disgust directed at them. The anti-war protestors motivated by other factors, however, are not being treated kindly.
In my article, "Blood of Patriots," I speculated then, and I insist on it now: Americans have been centered – not politically, but in their souls. Let us see if my prediction didn't bear out: "The vast majority of pundits shall, for the time being at least, relegate the pettiness of past political discourse to the nearest garbage pail. In stark contrast to true victims, whose lives ended so publicly and horrifically just a few short days ago, media-promoted ‘wannabe victims' will be dismissed as charlatans and their cheerleaders as enablers. Those who pull inane, political punches will see their careers end abysmally. Those who embrace symbolism over substance will soon join the aforementioned."
Now what, if anything, does this have to do with Conservatives?
In a word, everything.
In record numbers, Conservatives tuned into Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, Conservative columnists, books, and magazines that offered a counterpoint to the mainstream media. Conservatives of all stripes turned on their computers, used chat boards and HTML mastery to research and dissect the news, and dominated on-line activism. And slowly, but with ever increasing regularity, Conservatives dropped out. They made conscious choices to avoid channeling funds through ticket sales, record sales, advertising dollars, etc., to those celebrities, stars, and famous others who used their notoriety to promote anti-conservative messages.
The celebrities, stars, and famous others want us to believe there are "hateful" forces afoot, (no doubt a massive, secret orchestration by those evil Republicans) looking to deprive people of their rights and use extreme tactics to silence the opposition. If it comforts them to believe that, let them. I've been writing political commentary for years now, and the only time I heard from the Republican National Committee is when they wanted money. Since we have little to spare lately, they aren't calling me anymore.
No, the plain, simple truth is Conservatives are dropping out. They are rejecting the destructive lies of the liberal culture that say it's okay to kill over a million children in a womb every year, but we should lie naked in the street to prevent the death of a single child in Iraq. They are rejecting the lie that it's okay for your child to grow up a dysfunctional, drug-dependent, sexually confused, foul-mouthed miscreant, but a child who draws a picture of his dad in his military uniform and carrying a firearm needs psychological counseling and suspension. They are rejecting the lie that it's alright for Saddam to allow thousands of his people to be tortured, imprisoned in dungeons, starved, raped, and brutalized, but we are the evil ones for liberating them.
So go ahead, celebrities, star, and famous others, say what you want. I will defend to the death your right to say it, but it doesn't mean I have to listen to it, agree with it, or even acknowledge it. More importantly, I don't even have to acknowledge you. I don't have to support you with my discretionary income.
Since you
are crying about it so incessantly, it seems a great number of Americans have
realized they are free to tune in, turn on, and drop out, too. 
Linda Prussen-Razzano is frequent contributor to Enter Stage Right
and a number of other online magazines.
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