Eric Alterman, a hack liberal columnist and book writer, has just churned out a new volume thrillingly entitled "Why We are Liberals." It is a book I will never read, of course, because I really don't want to know the reasons and am able only to offer my deep condolences. Fortunately (speaking of condolences), Tim Graham of NewsBusters has read it and in the book he informs us Alterman proclaims Laura Ingraham, the conservative radio talk-show hostess (and Catholic convert), an anti-Semite, largely in part to her favorable disposition toward the movie "The Passion of the Christ" as well her damning statement: "I want to see any more that drives the anti-Christian entertainment elite crazy." Alterman lamely pounces with his "Gotcha:" "Presumably Ingraham did not mean to imply that this 'anti-Christian elite' was mostly made up of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, or Scientologists." Really? Pray tell why "presumably," Mr. Alterman; begging the question, petitio principii and all that, don't you know.
I will confess I am not a huge devotee of Ms. Ingraham but do enjoy tuning in her program when driving in upstate New York, finding her a welcome alternative to NPR and the lugubrious panel discussions on what ever happened to Woody Allen. She is quick, lively, well informed and entertaining. Admittedly, a little of Ingraham's radio program goes a long way for me but I have listened to her often enough over the years to aver there is no possible way she is an anti-Semite.
So why Alterman's charge? Anti-Semitism and racism are omnibus accusations made by left-wing critics against those whose opinions they despise but are too lazy or stupid to argue lucidly against. Charges of anti-Semitism and racism are all but impossible to refute thus they bring the "argument" to a close, giving idiots like Alterman and his loyal liberal legions the faux-sensation they have proved their case. They are almost always charges without merit, perpetrated by scoundrels.
(h/t Creative Minority Report.)
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