Calling people on their *bleep.* I LOVE it.
You remember William Jefferson, black liberal congressman (is there any other kind?) caught on tape accepting a bribe in 2005 (and subsequently re-elected, for crying out loud), and the FBI raided his house and found $90,000 in $100 bills wrapped in aluminum foil in frozen food containers in his freezer?
Ring a bell? Well, Jason Mattera of Young America’s Foundation solicited Jefferson’s advice last week. After making a few innocuous comments, he pounced, asking the re-elected-even-after-his-indictment politician:
“I was wondering if you could give me some advice? In your opinion what is the best way to stuff $90,000 in a freezer: a Hefty or a Ziploc bag?”
Ha! Too cool. Jefferson, obviously caught off guard, replies incoherently and mumbles something like, “You think you’re a clever guy…”
You must watch and listen:
I could hear the nervousness in Mattera’s voice — or was it barely controlled anticipation? — but it was a bold move. Good work. The look on Jefferson’s face is priceless, man.
I need your help with something. What makes a person vote for a man they know was caught on tape accepting a bribe and hid $90,000 of the bribe money in his freezer? I’m seriously confused. Even if you believe Jefferson was set up and didn’t know what was going on, how would you explain why he had $90,000 in cash in his freezer?
(Hat tip: Hot Air)
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Could it have been a clueless desire to preserve the value of his dollars through the vicissitudes of inflation?
Hilarious! I was literally laughing so hard I had tears! What’s even worse is the stupid people who re-elected him. I know, I know, “the Man” set him up.
I suspect that a percentage of his constituents are at odds with the legal way of doing things in their own lives, and so they don’t see anything wrong with “their guy” doing this. Ironically, and probably beyond their notice, is that he actually represents them, in this way.
I think something we often miss in discussing politics is that there are certain districts in which most of the citizens are criminals. They may not have a record, because their participation in the gang activity is small, or because they play a front (like the alderman in Chicago whose family ran a fake ID business), but they are fundamentally criminally-minded, and abiding by the law is not something they value. Gang mentality sees good and evil as a matter of membership, rather than behavior.
Hm. Good question.
I can’t seem to think of a ‘good’ reason for this, except maybe deep party loyalty.
Certainly voting for someone with bribe money in his freezer is a sign that I’m not really concerned about impropriety or even the appearance of impropriety.
I must have other, deeper concerns, such as making sure the hated ‘other’ doesn’t get elected.
Did Wm. Jefferson have any opponents in the primary or general election?
It certainly puzzles me. I think toubabou may be right, only for a slightly different reason. The people in these neighborhoods may not value the lack of criminal behavior (hey, money in the freezer? I’d do that too!), especially if they perceive that Jefferson was getting them something. If he was bringing in more welfare, more under-the-table deals that they shared in profiting in, why wouldn’t they vote him back in? And if he appeals to their perception of oppression, even better.
There’s a lesson the left has never learned, not every person or group or country is fundamentally good. There are just bad eggs who are out to get what they can. They aren’t good or decent or moral.
Lorriane,
I don’t think it matters whether left OR right. People think they are good, and they are not. Period.
Why couldn’t the democrats at least run an honest (surely there’s at least ONE) democrat to challenge him and clean up their act?
They continue to vote for him, because what he did comes under the infamous attitude about politicians. “They all do it. He just got caught.”
Ha ha! Asking for his autograph on a $20, inscribed ‘the most ethical congress ever’ is priceless!!!!! Dang, you couldn’t make this stuff up!
Kate Alva, I forgot to mention that part. Equally funny.
TheBigDoddy, you missed her point. Her point was not that the right thinks they are good and the left is bad. It’s that where the right thinks people in general are fallen and sinful, the left thinks people are basically good and just need the right situation to exhibit their goodness.
Amy K,
I’d like to hear that from her, because I’ve read a thousand times where conservative Christians don’t even believe the liberal ones are even saved.
So if that’s her POV, it’s exceptional.
I live in New Orleans. You would not believe some of the reasons (excuses?) I heard. I think that graft is so entrenched in the culture here, that people do not think that it is such a big deal.
THEBIGDODDY,
I’ve read a thousand times where conservative Christians don’t even believe the liberal ones are even saved.
You’re so right. I know some of them. There’s no arguing with them, though. I’ve tried.
Why do people keep voting for this????? Hopefully Bobby Jindal can set an example for decency in Louisiana!~
TheBigDoddy–
You are so wrong. That is not even remotely what conservative Christians believe. It’s merely what leftist politicians want the public to believe about conservative Christians, and apparently their desire has become reality.
However, every so-called “liberal” I have ever met, Christian or not, believes without exception that the left is good and any dissent is evil. Without exception.
OOOh, I’m a big, bad conservative Christian, so I guess I’m supposed to think liberals aren’t saved because they’re liberals. I bet you have read that a thousand times. Heard it, too. I’m sure plenty of people believe it.
The only trouble is, it’s completely untrue.
Conservative Christians do NOT believe that liberals are not saved because of their political stance (unlike liberals, who unanimously believe all conservatives are damned, even when the liberals are atheists). However, it often seems that liberals base their religion on what the PC buzzword of the moment is, and that’s a cause for concern for those of us who actually would like to see people be saved. Your bicycle path won’t get you into heaven.
I’m from Chicago, where political corruption is a way of life. Unfortunately, many people don’t really care about a politician’s character as long as he rolls the pork barrel up to their door. And who’s more likely to “fix” that traffic ticket–a straight arrow, or a guy who’s been caught with his hand in the cookie jar?
If you don’t believe that Trish then you are obviously exceptional.
But you are correct it is completely UNTRUE that liberal Christians have not received salvation and are false believers, so perhaps that segment of conservatives should shut up and stop saying and writing such foul and stank things and they won’t get their feelings hurt. It seems they should stop grieving the Holy Ghost and concern themselves with walking out their OWN salvation with fear and trembling.
“this is a culture of corruption.” i keep forgetting who howard dean (and other dems) was referring to when he said this.
In reading this I remembered a Congressman here, convicted of raping a child, who was re-elected! Here is one link to the story of Congressman Jalosjos in the Philippines. http://mindanao.com/blog/?p=2085
La Shawn,
It’s the same midset that got Marion Barry re-elected. Ethics just do not matter to some constituents.
because I’ve read a thousand times where conservative Christians don’t even believe the liberal ones are even saved. [comment by bigdoddy]
Have any of the rest of you read [over a thousand times, no less] statements by conservative Christians who believe that liberal Christians are not saved solely by virtue of the fact that such Christians are liberals????
As I have NEVER heard a Christian make such an absurd statement, I was wondering if such a view can even be remotely mainstream. Generally, among Christians that I have encountered, the prevailing view is that salvation has more to do with whether one embraces Christ as their Lord and Savior than one’s political persuasion. While BIGDODDY seems to believe that he is an exception among men for realizing that liberals have access to salvation, most Christians I have encountered accept this as a baseline.
I’ve read a thousand times where conservative Christians don’t even believe the liberal ones are even saved.[comment by THEBIGDODDY]
Just curious about the rest of the crowd…Have the rest of you read unrelenting numbers of comments [thousands, no less] by conservative Christians stating that liberal Christians were NOT saved simply because they were liberals? As the Christians that I know believe that salvation is predicated on one’s belief in Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, I am just trying to figure out whether I am in a parallel universe. As I spend a LOT of time in the cybersphere, I am wondering how I could have simply overlooked the comments by Christians stating that liberals automatically go to hell.
So, what say y’all?
My assignments take me to places where you probably don’t venture, JB.
You may be a so-called Christian who mainly participates on secular partisan blogs, and as such may gloss over the absurd statements made by conservative Christians regarding their fellow man of different persuasions and ideologies.
But I’ve been sent and frequented 100’s of forums (in and out of cyberspace) and I’ve seen it.
What you might consider absurd, your fellow conservative Christians consider “truth that isn’t always pretty”.
People THINK they are good..
Why is it so hard to believe? It’s not different than people who believe that “tongues” are evidence of salvation or that salvation is earned.
With bare knuckle partisan politics being the new sect of contemporary Christianity, it’s all fair game.
Is this lack of virtue beyond the pale for conservative Christians, jb? Is it THAT hard to believe?
My assignments take me to places where you probably don’t venture, JB. [comment by bigdoddy]
The assumptive nature of your comments is more than somewhat stunning and more than slightly laughable. It is almost as if you reserve for yourself the validity to make sweeping judgements about entire groups of folks, as if somehow, the sum total of your experiences is more valid than the sum total of my experiences or those of others. I say….hogwash.
Is this lack of virtue beyond the pale for conservative Christians,jb [comment by THEBIGDODDY]
Of COURSE sin is not beyond the pale for ANY man. SIN is the nature of being human. However, in the interest of honesty, YOU stated that virtually ALL Christians claimed that ANY liberal was not saved by simple virtue of the fact that they were liberal.
Please be honest enough to debate that which is actually being debated.
You made a sweeping judgment about ALL Christians that went FAR beyond the fact that Christians are sinners, too. ALL real Christians would acknowledge such a fact. however, that is most definitely NOT what you said. PLEASE defend what you said, not your distortion of how someone replied.
Oh here we go:
Jb says:
“The assumptive nature of your comments is more than somewhat stunning and more than slightly laughable. It is almost as if you reserve for yourself the validity to make sweeping judgements about entire groups of folks, as if somehow, the sum total of your experiences is more valid than the sum total of my experiences or those of others. I say….hogwash.”
Now who is making assumptions here? I’m going to speak from what I know and have observed over time in a myriad of venues.
How can my observations be “assumptions”, sir?
And moreover, what can you do about them, but to say these observations are “hogwash”?
It’s okay to say that they are hogwash, you know?
Uh.. again you say:
“Of COURSE sin is not beyond the pale for ANY man. ”
I ask:
WHY NOT?
jb says:
“SIN is the nature of being human. However, in the interest of honesty, YOU stated that virtually ALL Christians claimed that ANY liberal was not saved by simple virtue of the fact that they were liberal.”
I wrote NO such thing, sir. Why you gotta lie on a brotha? C’mon now.
jb says:
“Please be honest enough to debate that which is actually being debated.”
I say:
Okay.
jb:
“You made a sweeping judgment about ALL Christians that went FAR beyond the fact that Christians are sinners, too. ALL real Christians would acknowledge such a fact. however, that is most definitely NOT what you said. PLEASE defend what you said, not your distortion of how someone replied.”
I say:
Show me where I wrote ALL, sir?
Are ALL Christians conservative? In the past 21 years, are ALL the so-called Christians in fellowships, blogs, community forums, mediations, and message boards with whom I’ve engaged CONSERVATIVE?
Now show me my “distortion of how someone replied” and who that someone was, please.
You all love to dog out those of other persuasions and ideologies and won’t hold your own accountable. WRONG is WRONG. And you need to confess it.
Proverbs 30:
5. Every Word of Eloah is tried; He is a shield to those taking refuge in Him.
6. Do not add to His Words,Lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar
What I’ve been talking to you all about are SPIRITUAL matters, which is what you’ve been resisting since the giddy-up!
I don’t care whether or not you believe a single thing I say about what I’VE heard and seen because Father Yahweh sees ALL.
What you all refuse to acknowledge as so called-Christians is that certain behaviors (and not the pet ones like homosexuality and abortion and other “political” sins) are WRONG.
If that man in Florida actually shot and killed Senator Obama, I would dare you to say he was wrong!
But what you do is let them slide if they are done by people of your persuasion or people who you like.
Now I AM going to talk about you all. Phonies make a mockery of the blood that was shed by the sin of variance and favoritism and you WONDER why you get accused of so many funky things.
James 2
8. If you truly accomplish the sovereign law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well
9. but if you show partiality, you commit sin, being found guilty by the Law as transgressors.
With WHAT and WHOM do you identify FIRST and FOREMOST?
THEBIGDODDY,
PLEASE do not misuse scripture to defend that which is indefensible.
YOU told Trish that she is EXCEPTIONAL among Christians because she does not believe that liberals are not saved. I simply restated what you said and added the corollary that I do not know any Christians who think that one’s political persuasion automatically removes them from salvation.
PLEASE defend the statements that you made, not the ones you may wish that you had made. The truth is that you made sweeping judgments about Christians – yourself, excluded, naturally – and you seem to resent being called on the carpet. At the end of the day, you need to acknowledge what you said.
But what you do is let them slide if they are done by people of your persuasion or people who you like. [comment by the BIGDODDY]
How utterly bizarre. You need to seek help.
I NEVER misuse the Oracles of Yahweh. At least I USE them and believe them and identify with that heritage, as opposed to PEOPLE and IDEOLOGIES which are at variance with the scriptural example, sir.
The exchange, for your edification:
Trish wrote:
“OOOh, I’m a big, bad conservative Christian, so I guess I’m supposed to think liberals aren’t saved because they’re liberals. I bet you have read that a thousand times. Heard it, too. I’m sure plenty of people believe it.
The only trouble is, it’s completely untrue.
Conservative Christians do NOT believe that liberals are not saved because of their political stance (unlike liberals, who unanimously believe all conservatives are damned, even when the liberals are atheists).”
And I wrote:
“If you don’t believe that Trish then you are obviously exceptional.”
And I MEANT exactly what I wrote. You don’t like it, do you, jb. Where did I write ALL, though?
How dare I make sweeping generalizations when you all do it so frequently regarding liberals and “‘blacks’ who play the ‘race’ and ‘victim’ card, want ‘freebies’ and ‘handouts’ and know nothing about ‘personal responsibility’” and get away with it because you all don’t hold each other accountable for the greasy things you write on the blogs.
But wait, why SHOULDN’T you be able to say what you want about others not of your various persuasions? Gotta tell the “truth”, right? Don’t want to be accused of being too “politically correct”, right? Now, if you could just be able to say the “N” word without question, all would be right with the world, wouldn’t it? Gotta get that “truth” out, huh?
But I digress, and I will add that for the segment of conservative believers who DON’T question whether or not liberal Christians are truly saved, they question their relationship with the Messiah and their maturity.
In all fairness though, I kinda get that, because I call into question a lot of things, especially since, as I’ve said BEFORE, how TOO MANY conservative Christians put on their partisan mantle, and you can’t tell whom they truly serve by how they BEHAVE. So they fall under the same scrutiny, in my opinion. You often can’t tell ya’ll from heathens, to be honest.
Trish spoke of liberals affinity for “buzzwords” (which is not untrue, by the way) but why do so many conservative Christians quote Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter ad nauseum when neither of them have any sort of spiritual heritage or understand the meaning of Calvary? You’re going to ask how I know that, huh? Easy. By their behaviors that’s how. And not just the “quoting”, but the stank and ugly attitudes of those two, and they are merely a drop in the bucket. I could really go on and on. Too many so-called conservative Christian pundits and bloggers are in the flesh. You can’t tell who they are by what they write, and as such the average Joe and Jane respondent follows right along in these behaviors.
But then ya’ll attack me for pointing them out as if I’m making things up (thousands?, yeah whatever), which is why, in all sincerity, there appears to truly be a more grave issue here, which is that of a spiritual conscience.
Either there are far too many conservative believers with seared consciences, or there is a staggering loss of perspective when presenting our political ideologies in cyberspace.
Defending the indefensible, huh? Bizarre and need to seek help, huh? Okay.
THEBIGDODDY asks, “Where did I write ALL, though?”
When you say that someone is quite exceptional in a group, that – by extrapolation – means that virtually all of the rest of the group is different. See the original statement I made below for clarification.
The inferences that you draw about people from very little evidence are bizarre.
Lastly, after reading your very long pout, I stand by my opinion that you need to seek help. You are obviously angry and have a great deal of difficulty determining what is actually said, if your responses are any indication.
I also stand by my very concrete statement that I have never met a Christian who believes that simply being liberal -IN AND OF ITSELF – disqualifies one for salvation.
Comment by Jan: “However, in the interest of honesty, YOU stated that virtually ALL Christians claimed that ANY liberal was not saved by simple virtue of the fact that they were liberal.”
Angry about what, specifically?
And what and why would you consider my sentiments to be a “pout”?
It’s quite interesting, though not surprising, how you all can characterize the statements of others, while not owning up to the lack of virtues of those of your ideology and persuasion.
If you have NEVER met or heard those statements, then good for you, sir. That’s a good thing, don’t you agree?
And there you go with that ALL statement again.
A war of attrition, indeed.. wow.
I have no difficulty comprehending anything, I just think that unfortunately you think you’re virtuous regarding these matters, when you are not.
The same thing that is going to compel millions of Americans to vote for Obama, affirmative action.
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