So I decided to take a stroll on over to RedState.org and read what the radical-right is saying in the wake of the Domenche scandal. As usual, they are their typical apologetic selves. This of course is no shock from a group of people who blindly support the worst President in American History. True these are the same people that still believe Saddam had WMD and was able to attack the united states in a matter of minutes. These are also the same people who sit around and play soldier on their computer but are not willing to go fight in a war they so greatly support (they should really be referred to Operation Yellow Elephant).
While on my reading campaign at RedState (appropriatley called that because I know see red, but that is because my eyes are bleeding from the pain), I came across a couple very interesting items. Those items I just have to share with my blue friends:
The leftist frenzy over WaPo’s Red America continues unabated into its second day. And it is, paradoxically, turning out to be a good thing. Not only are they acting the fools, paranoid and aggrieved at a blog, they are also putting their own ugly proclivities on full display. Their penchant for dumb incivility in discourse is already well-noted — there’s even a book on it — but less appreciated, from the side that claims to care most about the touchy-feely things in life, is their bottomless opposition to parents. It seems a tremendous claim to make, especially as you’ll rarely get a leftist to say it outright. “Parenting” is among the indistinct absolutes that draw universal approval. Who is against mothers? Who is against freedom? Who is against peace? But conclusions can be drawn from the concrete actions rather than the gauzy platitudes of rhetoric. We already knew that the left expends massive energies on behalf of the negation of parenthood. And now, in the spluttering chorus attacking Ben Domenech, we are reminded that they also hate parents acting as such in the fullness of their roles. They hate homeschooling.
First off the book they are pimping there is Michelle Malkin’s book. That is ok, everyone needs some good fiction in their life. That is not the problem. Most of that is not, it is typical right wing, fanatical writing. Typical of people who live a life in fear that a terrorist will strike at any moment or that an abortion a thousand miles away will affect their lives (and do not even mention gay marriage or they will lock themselves in a room for fear).
No, what really gets me about that entire statement is that last little sentence; “They hate homeschooling”. Ok so how does plagiarism fit into the syllabus of home schooling? I am a product of public schools and I learned at a very young age that you do not plagiarize. True it should be easier for parents to pick up on plagarism from their own child. When junior goes into the computer room to write a report and comes back 15 minutes later with two printed pages then a warning flag should go up.
Now I am not dead set against homeschooling. I think there are examples of it being poorly done (like those little racist twins). I also feel that an important part of childhood years is learning how to interface with peers. Homeschooling takes that away. Sure they still have friends and can go out and play, etc. The problem is they miss out on those great exercises to teach them how to operate as a team. You know the ones – now everyone partner up and write a paper (do not copy someone elses). That helps develop skills to work well with others in the future.
If this persons message conveyed anything, it is proof that we should have better regulations on homeschooling. Plagiarism is not only wrong but it is also illegal. Any parent should know that and if they don’t then for god sakes send your kid to those “piss-poor” public schools so that they can learn it. Hell, the right claims that Bush is doing great things with the economy so an enrollment into a private school should not be any burden on the family pocket book. Do that, at least they will be around teachers that will teach their kids some ethics.
Ok. Got that all off my chest..WHEW. Now here is what got me started on checking on RedState’s rhetoric over this (via Think Progress):
The server logs tell us that many of you are coming here looking for the Redstate reaction to Ben’s resignation from the Washington Post. And no doubt you want to know what his status with Redstate is, and ‘where we go’ from here.
The left has their blood today. Ben resigned from the WashingtonPost.com. He did not resign from RedState – and even if he tried to do so, we would have refused to accept it. The four Directors of this site, including Ben, had a call earlier today shortly after he spoke with the Post and we’re happy that Ben’s staying right here.
We are disappointed in the turn of events, yes. We are also disappointed in some of our allies in their rush to judgement. But, alas, we live and die by the speed of the Internet. As I said yesterday, the conservative movement is larger than me, you, Ben, Redstate, or any individual or group.
Let’s enter the neo-con time machine for a minute. Let’s go back to the spring of 2003 (and we are not talking about Iraq). It was uncovered that a reporter for the New York Times’ was plagiarizing his articles. That reporter – the now infamous Jayson Blair. Of course as soon as that news broke the right went on the war path. It was their instant “oh look at how bad the liberal NYT is”. Of course the NYT’s took the time to investigate and find out that Blair in fact was doing this awful act and took matters in their own hands. It did not have to come from bloggers. The acted appropriatley.
The WaPo on the other hand, they did not take the time to even background check Domenche. Brady said they did but it should not have been hard to uncover what old Ben was up to. Remember, a bunch of “simple minded” left wing bloggers uncovered something the WaPo could not.
This is a typical right wing response though. When something bad happens that they can attribute to the left then we should go back to public executions. When it happens to the right though, well then it is just a “technicality”. Kind of like perjury is good enough to impeach a President but a crap charge when it happens to Scooter Libby. Oh the party of double standards continues their show of ignorance.
Now Ben has written a little piece on RedState about his demise. Excuse me while I wipe the tears from my eyes. This pulled on the strings of my heart something fierce. Oh Wait. I am a lefty – I don’t have a heart so this must be tears from laughing.
I want to apologize to National Review Online, my friends and colleagues here at RedState, and to any others that have been affected over the past few days. I also want to apologize to my previous editors and writers whose work I used inappropriately and without attribution. There is no excuse for this – nor is there an excuse for any obfuscation in my earlier statement. I hope that nothing I’ve done as a teenager or in my professional life will reflect badly on the movement and principles I believe in.
I’m deeply grateful for the love and encouragment of all those around me. And although I may not deserve such support, it makes it that much more humbling at a time like this. I’m a young man, and I hope that in time that I can earn a measure of the respect that you have given me.
Regards,
Ben
Well Ben. That was very cordial but I must say it is also a bed you made for yourself. I honestly can not believe you don’t remember plagiarizing an article. That is something that should stick out in your mind. Instead you took a typical right-wing approach to the problem – “If I don’t think about it then it must not be true”. The problem is you did these actions and those actions have consequences. You try to play your age into the equation, but here is something you should also consider – life lessons. You have been taught a serious one here; that with bad actions comes bad consequences.
Of course Ben was homeschooled so we must go back to the original article I posted above. Now this should also make his parents part to blame in the actions of their son/student.