A Sort Of Milestone (Or Two)

I've cracked 1000 visits here at ASIAF. Thank you all for stopping by. I've also earned a whopping $.05 from my recent association with GoogleAds. Since the Google only cuts a check once you reach $100, at this rate my descendants should be cashing that first check in about 83 years. Ha!

Seriously though, thanks again. Every day I work hard to make this humble website some better.

-AF

Sully Deconstructs The Source Of His Early Iraq War Support

This site's namesake, Andrew Sullivan, was an early, passionate Iraq War supporter. He beat the drum early and often. Mr. Sullivan has since recanted somewhat.

For Good Friday and the 5th anniversary of the Iraq War's start, Sully felt compelled to atone for his "sins." (OK, so Slate asked him to comment -- few things motivate Andrew Sullivan like attention to, well, Andrew Sullivan).

Sully "confesses" four sins:

1. Historical Narcissism (i.e. Andy's own copious narcissism). Actual quote: "I was distracted by the internal American debate to the occlusion of the reality of Iraq..." My translation: "I was a proud Thatcherite and Reaganite blahblahblah. The wall came down blahblahblah. I had a mega man-crush on Junior blahblahblah. Might is right blahblahblah."

2. Narrow Moralism. More narcissism. Actual quote: "I became enamored of my own morality and this single moral act." My translation: "I know I'm right and therefore fuck it. Let's kick some Iraqi ass."
3. Unconservatism. Even more narcissism. Actual quote: "I heard and read about ancient Sunni and Shiite divisions, knew of the awful time the British had in running Iraq but had never properly absorbed the lesson." My translation: "Yes, I'm fucking British fer crissakes. I know this goes against all I think I believe in but I'm certain I'm right and so what are we waiting for? I wanna kick some Iraqi ass."
4. Misreading Bush. Actual quote: "Yes, the incompetence and arrogance were beyond anything I imagined. In 2000, my support for Bush was not deep...It was a fatal misjudgment of Bush's sense of morality." Nicely deceptive, Andrew. He's so narcissistic that he misrepresents his history lest we think less of him. By March 2003 Andy had a full-blown crush on GWB. My translation: "I loved him 'cuz I thought he was just like me only more manly." To paraphrase Otter in "Animal House," it's the "I fucked up - I trusted him" defense.
   

Where did Andrew Sullivan go wrong on Iraq? He opened his mouth.

-AF

(HT Thers@Atrios)

I've Been Really, Really Lazy Tagging My Posts

As in not tagging 'em at all.













It's part and parcel of your neophyte blogger and reluctant writer. But I've been warned that tags are some important blogger shit not to be neglected. Without 'em there's no possibility for me to become a world-famous blogger. After all, that's why I do this, right? Um, no.

But I wouldn't mind reaching more folks and perhaps making $5-$10/month. So pardon me if my lil' blog goes super screwy as I go back and tag all my posts.

AF

Manifesto

Welcome to the party.

The impetus behind this modest blog is my burning desire to stop "progressive" bloggers from uncritically disseminating the views of one Andrew Sullivan. Bringing positive attention to this fraud only serves to legitimize him. This must end now.

Why so angry Anacher? I’m glad you asked. Andrew Sullivan is an opportunistic hack. A weather vane if you will. I freely admit that Sully is a gifted writer and upon occasion makes a cogent point or two. His ability to tap into the zeitgeist of whichever side he's taken on any issue is impressive.

Unfortunately, Andrew Sullivan is not to be trusted. For starters, he sinned too long in the service of the neocons and retrocons. In spite his partial public repentance, Sully remains permanently damaged. I cannot and will not accept his supposed mental makeover. It’s too convenient how his “changed“ position has largely allowed him to avoid bearing responsibility for so enthusiastically beating his Iraq war drum. $100 says that under the right circumstances Sully would flip-flop rejoining the other side so fast he’d throw his back out. Make that double-or-nothing.

That's the least of it. It has been ignored how the biggest ramification of Andrew Sullivan’s “conversion” is also the most beneficial. Let’s be honest. The Right was never going to embrace a gay conservative blogger. He was an oddity -- a freak. (Not that there's anything wrong with that). Suddenly Sully is perceived to be far more "relevant" than previous. This transformation has conveniently made him a hot commodity:

Tada! It’s the new improved Sully! Now with Progressiverol (TM). He’s not too far left… He’s not too far right… He’s juuuuuuust right!

His installation at Time magazine alone proves how eminently more marketable Andrew Sullivan’s carefully crafted “new” image is.

After this greatly hyped ideological “Presto! Change-O!,” the vast majority of progressive bloggers have fallen all over themselves to haul out the welcome wagon. Sure Atrios, Ezra Klein and a scant few others direct consistent criticism towards Sully (tempered by their occasional “Atta boy” and a pat on the back). But what’s with the rest of the crowd?

Their compliant response is a fascinating psychological phenomenon. Exactly as the freepers need to believe in the false neocon/retrocontm mythology, the lefty blogosphere desperately wants to swallow Andrew Sullivan’s cock-and-bull story of how a conservative HIV-Positive out gay man renounces his years of gushing support for the most corrupt administration in this nation’s history. Hey, if Sully admits that we were sorta right all along then we really must be right. Right?

Even more disturbing than his intellectual dishonesty, Andrew Sullivan is a barefaced liar. Sully frequently misrepresents himself as an American citizen. As recently as last week appearing on Real Time with Bill Maher Andrew Sullivan claimed, that though he had "voted for Bush in 2000," he could not bring himself to do so in 2004. Damn straight he couldn’t again “vote” for his former crush George W. Bush. Sully can’t even “vote” in a local school board election. He’s not a United States citizen!

This is no small matter considering the column inches Andrew Sullivan has dedicated to whomever he has purported to have "voted" for in our elections. A writer's credibility begins and ends with his or her integrity. In this respect Sully is sorely lacking. Integrity cannot coexist with falsehood and manipulation.

Andrew Sullivan is a Fraud will not be a one-trick pony. I'll be sure to examine other topics for your perusal and entertainment.

Stay tuned...

AF