Conservatives and the "N" Word

By J.D. Thorpe
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The “N” word is a deplorable utterance that has elucidated the ignorance of a certain demographic in our country for many decades. We should condemn and reeducate these individuals whenever they use this hurtful word. It is simply unacceptable in America for liberals to continue to refer to conservatives as Nazis.

Last week at a union protest in Trenton the Vice President of Communications Workers of America, Chris Shelton, came close to using this barbaric language, but exercised slightly more tact by only referring to New Jersey’s Governor as “Adolf Christie.”

But the insinuation was still evident. This type of vituperative language from the left is not uncommon. Liberals have a long and sordid history of attempting to inculcate society with the idea that American conservatism is synonymous with Nazism.

Yet ironically the philosophical origins of Nazism are much more closely aligned with the views of today’s progressive liberals. Both hold highly statist views on the role of government in society – including a vehement hatred of free enterprise.

On the opposite side, two of the main branches of conservatism – paleoconservatism and libertarianism – find the origin of their free-market beliefs in the works of economic luminaries Ludwig Von Mises, F.A. Hayek, and Milton Friedman.

Not only did these economists/thinkers espouse the polar opposite views from the Nazis; they all belonged to a religion that was not quite tolerated in Nazi Germany.

In fact, Mises immigrated to America in 1940 over concern that the Nazis would take over Switzerland where he was teaching at the time.

Despite overwhelming evidence that refutes their claims, liberals continue their mission to besmirch conservatives with this dishonest campaign.

Throughout Obama’s presidency, good-natured tea party activists – individuals who advocate for fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government – have drawn constant comparisons to Nazis.

In March, union protestors in Madison held signs juxtaposing Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s picture with Hitler’s.

The most famous example of liberal slander on this front occurred at the 1968 Democratic National Convention when Gore Vidal called William Buckley a “crypto-Nazi,” sparking Buckley’s famous retort, “Now listen you queer. Stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I’ll sock you in the goddamn face and you’ll stay plastered.”

While this might not be Mr. Buckley’s most eloquent moment, it proves that there was a time in our history when conservatives fought back against these allegations on the grounds of their utter absurdity.

Like Buckley, today’s conservatives promote the basic tenants of a free society. Our views are in stark contrast to the massive, leviathan government sought by the Nazis and liberals.

In order to correct this inaccurate stereotype, we must address the problem at its core: the misguided way we’ve been taught to view political ideologies.

The ideological spectrum must be restructured. Instead of a line that runs from right to left, ideologies should be thought of as existing somewhere between the statist and anti-statist extremes. This would place Communism, Socialism, Nazism, and Liberalism on one side while conservatives would land on the opposite side with its other limited government cousins.

Based on this construct, conservatives will never be confused or maligned with Nazism again. And more importantly, liberals’ archaic way of thinking will be left in the past where all ignorant views belong.