As Justice Stewart said regarding the threshold of obscenity , “I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description . . . But I know it when I see it.” I don’t know what is out of bounds, but “I know it when I see it”, as do most reasonable people.

As my mother used to say, don’t get the puppy if you’re not willing to do what is required to take care of it. Start shoveling.

I see that Minutemen leaders are claiming that Ms. Forde headed a small organization that merely used the Minuteman name. Of course, the same could be said for any of the Minutemen groups, which of late have been splintering like old wood. Of the original Minutemen, there are now many local groups, each linked to the others in a plausibly deniable way. Any of these group members, if caught acting illegally, can be described by other Minutemen as “not a member” of the national organization, since in reality there is no formal national organization.

However, as recently as this January, Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of the Minuteman movement, defended Ms. Forde against more radical Minuteman members, saying “She is a stoic struggler who has chosen to put country, community, and a yearning for a civilized society ahead of avarice and self-glorifying ego. The Minuteman Project is proud to be a supporter of Shawna Forde’s Minutemen(women) American Defense (M.A.D).”

It appears that something in the current climate – the election of an African-American president, the economic downturn, the disorder in the GOP – is prompting a greater number of confused and dangerous Americans to act out in dangerous and sometimes illegal ways. Perhaps the problem is that the movement’s message is attractive to people with ulterior motives. Larger groups may attempt to patrol their membership for potentially problematic people, but they have no power to stop outliers like Forde from using the Minuteman name. As a local GOP Chairman, don’t you think that this nexus between the GOP and the Minutemen presents problems in growing the party?

Speaking of growing the party, I’d also be interested to know your position on the Fellowship Foundation, AKA The Family, who have been mentioned in the recent troubles of Senator Ensign and Governor Sanford.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jiza4LHuq8L26CGWJPa_n_RFK6vQD995VUM00

For those unfamiliar with The Family, an evangelical leader with a lifelong Family affiliation expressed his concerns with The Family’s cultisim, its rejection of the institutional church, and its lack of an organizational structure to provide accountability for Family leaders. Their current leader, Doug Coe, has described in his speeches a totalitarian idea of Christianity, and cited Hitler, Pol Pot, Osama bin Laden and Lenin as examples men who he believed understood the way power should be wielded. Since their membership is comprised of high-level GOP office-holders, it could come up in recruiting grassroots members.

Thanks again, Walter.

“Bbox, Lifer’s question was rhetorical. “How often do you beat your wife”, etc.”

I stand by my statement and observations of Marty’s cred which is seriously in question.

And, box. Can you quit with the ‘discrediting my position’ business. I’m an anonymous poster on a marginal blog, and that’s the only position I am interested in protecting here.

Consider that I am somewhat a conservative in a predominantly liberal region. I was born in the BA, and will likely live in the BA until I cash out my retirement investments another state (but, I’m I young chap so don’t start planning my goodbye party yet).

The short of it -long gone are the days when I subject myself to debating politics with arms-length aquantances.

Coming from the right, you may as well tell them you’re a child molester. It’s simply not worth the stress, and it’s not worth the possibility of discrimination, which I have experienced first hand as a result. This is not to say that I have met many, many left leaning people who don’t fit this role. In fact most of them are reasonable, as most people are. But as a rule of thumb, I decide to take it elsewhere.

So, it’s friends or the internet.

Friends are a different story all together, and considering the natural abundance of libs over conservatives in this area you could imagine the battles that ensue after the drinks are consumed. The wit, and the language, the words you will hear coming out of the mouths of my good friends, a few JC teachers, E.E.s, Ph.D. researchers, unemployed deuche bags with no prospects but inexplicably sexy wives who adore them…

With a few course words under they’d send some of the old-time Propers around here who claim to blow in the gale of intelligent discourse into cardiac arrest.

THAT is good banter.

But, when the topic of politics comes up with most neighbors, colleagues, etc. I nod the head, dip the neck in a “yeah, but” way. I keep it non-confrontational and find myself acting as if I understand their point when in reality I think they’re an absolute misinformed moron for even suggesting it.

So, the internet is quite a convenient place for me to unwind a bit. Yes, there’s been a few instances of not knowing my audience at the TCB (the internet at large is an entirely looser place for some I may add).

Posts elsewhere that would have received LOL’s abound and topped with a reply even more raunchy have created here an apocalyptic cry for morality and sensible posting.

Children of lurking parents were even harmed. I felt horrible, yes I did.

But, maybe there’s thousands of Tri-City lurkers who are die hard Marty fans- South Park Conservatives if you will who pump their fists and grumble a hearty “f*&K yeah!” every time I post.

Perhaps the 3 or 4 TCB Propers who have a hissy fit every time things don’t go their way are not a representative sample but the ENTIRE sample.

I don’t know, box. I’m not all that interested in credibility when you have no idea who I really am. I’ll take my chances and get what I want out of it. I could be a troll or realist, that all depends on whether you agree with me or not (or are old enough to wear adult diapers).

But, I will say that this this is a place where I can say the things I only feel comfortable saying in the presence close friends, so feel lucky.

How do you conclude that Lifer “..associates with a racist murderer as did in post #19.”
(see your post number 28)

When all Lifer did was to ask (in Post #19) -

“Perhaps Walter can enlighten us on how the GOP views the Minuteman movement, particularly in light of the recent home invasion murders in Arizona.”

This is a clear inquiry of opinion – which is very different from the claiming of an “association” of the individual and this organization that your statement asserts !

You seriously discredit your position and those of the institutions you claim to support with an emotionally charged and unsubstantiated claim as you make in #28.