I was over at one of the right-wing blogs, one that has advertisements. And over on the sidebar is an ad for some company that sells what it calls “conservative” t-shirts and that promises the largest selection of “liberal-baiting” merchandise. (I am deliberately providing no links because I do not want to increase the search ratings of either of these sites.)
The ad shows someone wearing a shirt that says ACLU, only with the “C” replaced with a hammer and sickel. Anyone who would design, sell, buy, or above all wear such a shirt just is displaying rank political ignorance. Communists–or even social democrats, for that matter–are not extreme liberals. In fact, communists (though not social democrats) are about as illiberal as they come.
Ironically, the subtext of the shirt says “enemy of the state.” I suppose that means that ACLU members are enemies of the state. The irony is that any true civil libertarian would be proud of that tag, because the state, according to a genuine ultra-liberal, is the truest threat to our liberties.
And, yes, the bumper stickers that I see now and then with the name Bush, only with the “s” replaced with a swastika are just as ignorant and offensive.
Yup, the irony is deep.
Although, I wouldn’t judge the site in question by that ad. I know the author quite well and while he isn’t necessarily picky about who he lets advertise, he is a bright fellow.
And for what it’s worth–he would fully understand the distinction you are making, even if the t-shirt people don’t.
Seed planted by Steven Taylor — 07 October 2005 @ 15:25
Well, it is not the blog—and certainly not the blogger—that deserves the oppobrium here, though he could perhaps be a bit more selective in whose ads he places. But that’s none of my business (literally). I just did not want to send any more eyeballs over to that ad.
Seed planted by Matthew Shugart — 07 October 2005 @ 16:59
That’s true: even if the bloggers themselves are bright and knowledgeable, their readers often aren’t. The T-shirts exist because there is a market that will buy up the stuff. That’s sad!
Seed planted by kao_hsien_chih — 07 October 2005 @ 22:44