Leftists Don’t Want Diversity of Opinion on Ukraine

By Rob Meyne

  • March 3, 2022
  • 5-min read

The Russian invasion of Ukraine offers a window into how American political discourse has changed. The Biden Administration, and their media sycophants, declare anyone who even wants to discuss possible American actions to be Putin allies. They attempt to demonize anyone who does not blindly embrace whatever Biden wants to do.

I’m old enough to remember a day when Americans valued, even celebrated, robust exchanges of ideas. Those days have gone the way of the carrier pigeon. If you suggest we should hesitate to get deeply involved in a conflict that could start World War III, it is assumed you have borscht for lunch, get paid in rubles, and text Vlad hourly.

How often does Biden or another national Democratic Party leader call for more rigorous, open, diverse, and inclusive opinions? Almost never. The left likes to assign everyone to groups and then dismiss them accordingly. You’re white and oppose CRT? You must be racist. You heard that on Fox? It has to be a lie. You think we need voter ID? You’re a Trump cultist.

It is all easier than being intelligent and logical.

The tactic is clearly on display regarding the Ukraine. Team Biden is promoting a false narrative that conservatives in general, and GOP leaders specifically, side with Putin. For generations, the GOP stood for a strong military, a commitment to freedom, and a muscular foreign policy. Suddenly, they say Republicans have become commie stooges and any deviation from the Democratic narrative is treasonous. If the stakes weren’t so high, it would be hilarious.

A resolution in the House, yesterday, called for an immediate increase in “American security assistance” for Ukraine. The resolution might as well just say we should “do good things.” What kind of assistance? Air power, troops, or what? Yet the three, all Republicans, who voted against the measure are being vilified. Rep. Massie of Kentucky said: “I fully support the right of the people of Ukraine to self-determination. However, there are many reasons I could not vote for the seven-page Resolution that passed the House of Representatives today.” Does that sound extreme? See here: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/596601-house-passes-resolution-backing-ukraine

Dozens of Dem leaders, reporters, and commentators have falsely said the GOP sides with Putin, supports the invasion, or doesn’t want Ukraine to prevail. You will also notice there are no actual examples of that.

We have a friend who says, one, he cannot give even one example of a GOP official who supports Putin. He also says, two, he is outraged by GOP support of Putin. Don’t wait for it to make sense. The argument from our friend, like the prevailing leftist/anti-Trump narrative itself, makes no sense and has no data to back it up. That doesn’t stop it from being widely believed.

There are a few officeholders who want to make sure we move cautiously, don’t commit American troops, and have some idea what the end game is. Even for those of us who have spent a lifetime as hawks, that is the minimal kind of examination to which all foreign policy options should be subjected. When Putin is threatening nuclear war – and he clearly is – why is it treasonous or unpatriotic to suggest we should tread carefully?

Not surprisingly, President Trump has said something controversial: “So Putin is now saying, ‘It’s independent,’ a large section of Ukraine. I said, how smart is that? Here’s a guy who’s very savvy…” This and similar comments are covered by CNN, in the following: https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/23/politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-joe-biden/index.html

Every recent U. S. president has said essentially the same thing. Before their summit, Biden gave Putin a huge, sloppy, wet kiss, saying: “I have met with him. He’s bright. He’s tough… a worthy adversary.” See here: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/14/biden-putin-meeting-494376
There isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the Trump and Biden comments.

Tucker Carlson has opined that the Administration is playing up the Russian threat partially because they need a diversion from their spectacular failures. That is, of course, true. He also asks about our strategic interest in Ukraine, how far we should be willing to go, and more. Good for him. Since when are questions treasonous? Does a talking head, even one as prominent as Carlson’s, speak for all conservatives? Of course not. Politico discusses Carlson’s remarks critically here: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/23/tucker-carlson-goes-it-alone-putin-00011141

We need conservative Republicans to have a big tent. We don’t expect everyone to walk lockstep on every issue. That more correctly describes the leftist/media/anti-Trumper view. Fall in line, shut up, and don’t think for yourself. Forces who once promoted free speech have become the party of censorship and vilification.

So far as we have seen, no prominent official, in either party, has supported Putin’s invasion. None. There are some who want to make sure we understand the reasons we are involved, that we do not commit U. S. troops to combat, and that we do not get involved beyond our willingness and ability to see it through. That seems eminently reasonable.

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