Jonah Goldberg's parents were once my friends. Lucianne was my literary agent for a while. I write to him occasionally about some point he's made that he thinks is brilliant, and he always replies -- albeit with some kind of nasty little putdown. I think that perhaps after this exchange, he'll probably learn the virtue of silence.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: A conservative faces reality about Cindy Sheehan
I read your item on Cindy Sheehan (search for "SHEEHAN Jonah Goldberg"). Your problem on this is that the left is merely one faction in her support, while the hardcore right is the only segment running her down.
The last time I looked there were more than a thousand stories about her on Google news. You can dismiss that as another example of mass delusion, or you can stop kidding yourself and and face reality. Everyone except your crowd is demanding the same answers that she is. The left didn't make Cindy Sheehan. George Bush made her.
Here are some thoughts from someone who describes himself as a lifelong conservative and apparently has the credentials to prove it. People like Michelle Malkin, the Swift Boat Veterans, O'Reilly and the like have driven him out of your camp.
To which, young Goldberg replied (with my responses for your reading pleasure) as follows. Please note that "highly verbal Jewish meatball" is not an insult but a description that applies to both of us. Jonah, like me, would have been an unlikely candidate for DKE. Do Jews get invited to join Skull & Bones? Copyright obsessives be aware that I've informed Jonah in the past that anything he writes to me is for publication.
Yeah, the cunning realist -- I see you're a kos reader -- is unknown by about 99.9999% of the right and is considered neither a realist nor cunning by those who are aware of him.
What else are you going to say? You never consider merit per se. You don't look at his argument. You dismiss him as one of the little people. The only people who count in your world are defined by hierarchy. It's a military system. Life is war. Therefore all lies are not merely permissible, but skill in lying is highly valued.
That's why you are so successful. You are a loyal slave working your beat exactly as directed in return for the privilege of free towels and bar service at a yacht club to which you will never belong because you are just another highly verbal Jewish meatball.
I haven't run her down, by the way. But i really do wish you'd stop lecturing me as if you're in a position to do so. You haven't earned the respect from me. No offense, just a little cunning realism.
I'm not lecturing you. I'm informing you. The issue of respect is just some little silly thing that you have to say to make yourself feel good. What do I care about your respect? I'm a troll. I'm goading you to say stupid things and you always do.
Chew on that for a while, pipsqueak. If you are offended, well, you got the point.