# A leading Conservative blames Liberals for 9-11 Again ! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 16, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260 "2007-01-16T23:21:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/21 "2007-01-17T01:33:00Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] Problem is, I think a point can be made about how Western decadence (caused by both libertine behavior and capitalist driven greed) can inspire grievances in the Islamic world. [/QUOTE] But is either “responsible for causing 9-11”? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/22 "2007-01-17T01:36:33Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] I think a point can be made about how Western decadence (caused by both libertine behavior and capitalist driven greed) can inspire grievances in the Islamic world. [/QUOTE] Nonsense. The pretense that such a “point” has any validity is a foolish (and, frankly racist in a soft-bigotry-of-low-expectations sense) coddling of barbarism. The root cause of Islamofundamentalist hatred of Western civilization is simple resentment against achievement. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/23 "2007-01-17T01:37:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Conservatism is not a bad thing. Like liberalism isn’t a bad thing. Anything can get bastardized once you start to mix power into it. It’s all bullshit. Why yes, I do believe I like you. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/24 "2007-01-17T01:44:54Z")
I haven’t heard that name in a while. The only thing I can remember about D’Souza is that he argued that cabbies aren’t racist if they won’t pick up black people. But honestly, I can’t even remember what his actual argument was. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/25 "2007-01-17T01:45:57Z")
[QUOTE=duffer] And the quoted “conservative” in the OP is in no way a leading conservative. Do your homework. [/QUOTE] From his Wikipedia page: “One of the country’s most successful conservative authors and speakers, D’Souza routinely is paid $10,000 or more for his lectures and has made millions from his books and conservative commentary.” He’s not a Limbaugh or an O’Reilly but he’s a well-known writer and thinker. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/26 "2007-01-17T01:48:52Z")
He made his bones back in the late 80s complaining about affirmative action and political correctness and reverse racism in academia. He’s always stayed clear of Ann Coulter-level whackanoodlery, but now it looks like he’s decided to up his game. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/27 "2007-01-17T01:52:08Z")
[QUOTE=Steve MB] Nonsense. The pretense that such a “point” has any validity is a foolish (and, frankly racist in a soft-bigotry-of-low-expectations sense) coddling of barbarism. The root cause of Islamofundamentalist hatred of Western civilization is simple resentment against achievement. [/QUOTE] I don’t think it is quite as simple as that, and I do think a cultural clash is a part of what is going on. And no, I don’t think these things are at all sufficient to cause 9/11, which is why I characterized D’souza’s argument as a shitty one. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/28 "2007-01-17T01:53:10Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] Welcome back, dude. [/QUOTE] Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/29 "2007-01-17T01:58:48Z")
[QUOTE=Gadarene] Do _your_ homework. [/QUOTE] Um. You’re making a huge reach. D’souza, Coulter, Prager, McCain, Romney, etc. Any of those fit your narrow view of conservatives? I guess it’s as valid as saying Moore, Fraken, Clinton, Baldwin, Obama, etc are all the same shade of liberal. Which of those are the definitive progressive? And did someone actually cite a person’s own wiki page? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/30 "2007-01-17T01:59:55Z")
[QUOTE=Polycarp] Am I correct in understanding this as D’sousa saying that the terrorists are striking out because the liberals had an unacceptably different cultural set, but that the conservative cultural set is not so easily distinguishable from that of the terrorists? :dubious: [/QUOTE] Well, they _aren’t_ all that different. I do see the occasional news story about conservative groups and nations ( including America ) of different religions cooperating for such purposes as fighting abortion and homosexuality. Exchange a few words like Allah/Muhammed and God/Jesus, and what the American cultural conservatives isn’t much different than what the Taliban wants. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/31 "2007-01-17T02:15:09Z")
I lament the lack of free flowing communication. If only ultra-conservative Islamists and utra-conservative Christians got to know each other a bit, and then got to know me and mine, they would find that they had mutual abiding interests and a basis for unity. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/32 "2007-01-17T02:20:11Z")
I’m not sure we can hang 9/11 on the liberal cultural elite, but I blame conservatives in power for the fact that the Iraqis can’t seem to hang convicted criminals properly. If they’re not spoiling the dignity of the occasion by crudely taunting the condemned, they’re screwing up the procedure - you’re supposed to _hang_ them, not [_decapitate_](http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/15/iraq.executions/index.html) them. You’d think the Neoconservative Cabal has access to plenty of classic Western movies we could send al-Maliki and his henchmen. Or we could ship over [Clint Eastwood](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6304429703.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg) in an advisory role. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/33 "2007-01-17T02:43:34Z")
[QUOTE=duffer] Well, I’m a conservative. I’ve posted here and had a few letters to the Editor published. That makes me about as much a spokesman as the quoted pundit. [/quote] All it makes you is a habitual moron. Have you authored articles at National Review? Been a much sought after speaker by conservatives around the country for decades? > [@](#): > > And the quoted “conservative” in the OP is in no way a leading conservative. Do your homework. Any conservative intellectual would list him as one of the top thinkers, particularly when it comes to affirmative action. Anyone that knows squat about conservatism as an intellectual movement knows that. But you don’t know squat about squat, so its par for the course. All you ever do is are ill-planned drivebys that half the time you never manage to defend. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/34 "2007-01-17T02:45:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Um. You’re making a huge reach. D’souza, Coulter, Prager, McCain, Romney, etc. Any of those fit your narrow view of conservatives? > > I guess it’s as valid as saying Moore, Fraken, Clinton, Baldwin, Obama, etc are all the same shade of liberal. Which of those are the definitive progressive? I never claimed he was “the definitive conservative.” I disputed your claim that he wasn’t “a leading conservative.” You fucking moron. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/35 "2007-01-17T02:46:11Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] Well, they _aren’t_ all that different. I do see the occasional news story about conservative groups and nations ( including America ) of different religions cooperating for such purposes as fighting abortion and homosexuality. Exchange a few words like Allah/Muhammed and God/Jesus, and what the American cultural conservatives isn’t much different than what the Taliban wants. [/QUOTE] Indeed. In fact, the best example is when the three major religions came together in their holiest of cities to condemn a gay pride parade and even try to intimidate it away with promises of violence. They may be mortal enemies: but at least they can still come together to hate gay people. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/36 "2007-01-17T04:31:37Z")
For those following the thread right now, D’Souza is going to be on The Colbert Report in about 15 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/37 "2007-01-17T05:17:46Z")
Sure hope he had a big breakfast, 'cause Colbert ate his lunch. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/38 "2007-01-17T05:30:24Z")
Were pitting this? Are we playing slow-pitch softball, today? I understand about picking the low-hanging fruit, but D’souza, who? The stuff on the ground usually has worms. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/39 "2007-01-17T06:12:58Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] For those following the thread right now, D’Souza is going to be on The Colbert Report in about 15 minutes. [/QUOTE] Pimping his new book, no doubt. He’s kind of like Francis Fukuyama-- thinks he has some great new ideas, but really is just grandstanding. The End of History? Pffft. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2007, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260/40 "2007-01-17T06:13:31Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] You’d think the Neoconservative Cabal has access to plenty of classic Western movies we could send al-Maliki and his henchmen. Or we could ship over [Clint Eastwood](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6304429703.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg) in an advisory role. [/QUOTE] It’s _exactly_ the latter sentiment that has been responsible for the more, ahem, visceral demonstrations of Iraq’s inability to hang a man properly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-leading-conservative-blames-liberals-for-9-11-again/388260.md?page=3)