You won't believe the latest move by those war-mongering Neocons! Keep an eye on this because there's a chance they might actually get away with it.
They're trying to extinguish the term "neoconservative" — which they themselves created — from the American lexicon. Why? Because it has acquired negative connotations. Well, boo hoo. The fact that it just might have acquired negative connotations because they are raging a** holes who dragged us into the Iraq war is apparently besides the point.
Yes, it seems the term they came up with to proudly describe themselves is now a threat to them, because, I guess... well... people can now identify them.
In a new video, notorious Neocon columnist Charles Krauthammer tries in his convoluted way to explain why the term should no longer be used. It short, he claims it has now become just a code word to disparage Jews. Ummm... right.
Let me just offer a humble suggestion. If they see the term "Neocon" as such a threat, I, for one, would be inclined for that reason alone to keep using it.
As it happens, a few days ago I was reading the Wikipedia entry on "Commentary Magazine." It turns out that recently, a person editing that entry tried erase the statement that Commentary magazine is/was a "neoconservative" publication. Their reasoning was similar to Krauthammer's. Another editor, fortunately, put a stop to this by supplying proof that Neocons invented this term to describe themselves... And Commentary magazine was the epicenter of the movement to do so. Go to the "talk" section of that entry if you want to read that interesting exchange.
By the way, here's a choice quote from Krauthammer in the above video, which you may want to keep in mind. He says, "I would ask you whenever you hear the word [to] challenge the person to describe and explain to you what a neocon is. And I guarantee you they will have no answer." Uh, huh. That'll work, Mr. Pseudo-intellectual warmonger.
OK, everyone, if anyone asks you that question, here is an answer that you can use accurately. A Neocon is the following five things (though the first two are probably the key points):
(1) A warmonger, and a member of a right-wing movement closely associated with those who pushed for the Iraq invasion.
(2) Usually an Israel-Firster, i.e. someone who defines Israel as such an important ally of America that Israel's desires come before America's interests. A Neocon/Israel-firster generally believes that America should go to war for Israel if that is want Israel wants. Neocons don't usually admit this flat-out but it can be easily inferred from their arguments. Neocons often work closely with, or directly for, right-wing "pro-Israel" lobbying groups, groups that have destroyed the careers of public servants who disagreed with them.
(3) A Neocon is usually someone with little or no military experience or expertise. A Neocon generally has no personal experience of combat, and no intention to actually fight, or send his children to fight, in the wars he so eagerly promotes. This is why neocons are sometimes called "chicken hawks."
(4) Historically speaking, the origins of neoconservativism are more or less as Krauthammer describes. It was a group of Commentary magazine writer/editors that shifted their political ideology from left wing to right wing around the Reagan era, and started to advocate a hawkish foreign policy. Neo-conservative means "new conservative." (Incidentally, I believe the Neocons did some good in that era. They sided with the U.S. against the Soviet Union. But that was another day, another time; the Cold War is over and that debate is of little more than historical interest now.) Commentary is historically a publication of the Jewish community, but as it stands, not all Neocons are Jews, nor all Jews (by a long shot) Neocons.
(5) Neocons frequently accuse anyone who disagrees with them of being anti-Semites, although Neocons are often themselves racist. They have aligned themselves with birthers, "Obama-as-Muslim" conspiracy theorists, etc. They frequently agree with the proposition that Arabs cannot handle democracy. Neocons also often accuse their opponents of "coddling tyrants," but consider it fine when one of their own coddles a tyrant (having been very comfortable in the past with dictators such as Hussein, Mubarak, etc.)
Is there one exact, perfect definition that will describe and neatly encompass every neocon? Of course not. There is no such definition for any political movement
To sum up: don't let the Neocons weasel out of the Neocon label! They created it, and it has taken on negative connotations because, well, they have -- so much so that even many conservatives now hate them.
Period. End of story. Don't let them get away with it.
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