Leonard Pitts The Miami Herald

March 21, 2010

Leonard Pitts
The Miami Herald
One Herald Plaza
Miami, FL 33132-1693

RE: Give ‘til it hurts – Yet one more attempt to beat a dead horse. A different take on your column telling us how bad “extremist conservatives” are.

Mr. Pitts,

I know the devil can quote scripture but what about the part about the accounting of the stewardship?

I was there when Lyndon Johnson declared War on Poverty 46 years ago. I say 46 years ago because you said that

“And the idea that such people are enemies of the state is as
visceral a reminder as you’re likely to get of the paranoia and
intellectual discontinuity that afflicts extremist conservatives.
Fifty years ago, they saw communists behind every
movie marquee and schoolhouse door.”

I think we have our first “teachable moment”.

It wasn’t “50 years ago” but closer to 75 years ago when the Federal government began to peek under the covers. HUAC – the Houses un-American Activities Committee – was a creature of a Democratic House and a Democratic White House. You can look it up.

Just for the record would you care to comment on Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs? I’ll make this simple. Do you think they were guilty? Yes or No.

You mention the “intellectual discontinuity that afflicts extremist conservatives”. If “50 years ago” is your starting time how do you account for Whittaker Chambers, William F. Buckley, Russell Kirk, Alan Tate, Richard Weaver, Friedrich Hayek, Walker Percy, Milton Friedman, Jeffrey Hart, George Nash, Frederic Wilhemsen, Nathan Glazer, Thomas Sowell, James Schaal, Victor Davis Hanson, Jacques Barzun, Frederic Bastiat, Alexander Bickel, Henry Regenery, John Olin, John East, Walter Williams, George Will, Alan Bloom, Robert Bartley, George Gilder, Hilton Kramer, P.J. O’Rourke …and the beat goes on and on. I pray forgiveness from those believers in the “permanent things” that I left off the honor roll of “intellectual discontinuity” and the “extremist conservatives” who practice it.





As soon as you assemble the modern American Liberal lineup I would like to see it. A big mud room could handle them all. I am sure Noam Chomsky, Paul Ehrlich, and John Rawls will be on it. The first time I read “A Theory of Justice” I thought he was a young Swift on the rise. When I found out that he actually believed the stuff he wrote I was flabbergasted. I would have used the phrase “intellectual discontinuity” if I had but thought of it.

But back to the “accounting of the stewardship”.

The United States fought two wars in the 1960s. The one in Asia ended. The one against poverty goes on and on and on and on – Is that Old Man River I hear? – with no exit strategy mentioned. In fact, if someone questions not the results but rather the intentions they are reviled by racist billingsgate. The vitriol pouted on them is meant to deflect all eyes from the simple fact that it hasn’t worked. After 46 years of treatment the patient not only isn’t getting any better the patient is getting worse. The Hippocratic Oath says, “First, do no harm”. I guess it doesn’t apply to social engineering.

If taxpayer money were the answer all those people who were poor in 1964 would be farting proudly through silk today.

Perhaps it is time for a “surge”. The first one, the one OKd by Lincoln and led by Sherman in 1864 worked. The second one, the one OKd by Bush 43 and led Petraeus in 2007 worked. Maybe government health care is the answer. If it is run as well as the Post Office is we’ll all be going to Canada for our flu shots.

Here’s a suggestion.

Get the dude from the church that President Obama went to for 20 years to go on national TV. Have him shout “God Damn America” until “extremist conservatives” come to the baby Jesus. Maybe that will be the deal closer.




Kevin Smith