Like Belshazzar: The Self-Destruction of Rep. Diane Watson (D-Havana)

"Whittaker Chambers . . . wrote that the crisis of the Western world exists to the degree in which the West is indifferent to God, the degree to which it collaborates in communism's attempt to make man stand alone without God. And then he said, for Marxism-Leninism is actually the second-oldest faith, first proclaimed in the Garden of Eden with the words of temptation, 'Ye shall be as gods.' The Western world can answer this challenge, he wrote, 'but only provided that its faith in God and the freedom He enjoins is as great as communism's faith in Man.' "
-- Ronald Reagan, March 8, 1983

What's wrong with Marxism? And what's wrong with a member of the U.S. Congress praising Fidel Castro? To begin with, as I said, it is a repudiation of the American founding. Our nation was not established by theoretical philosophes, and it did not grow strong and flourish by heeding the flattering "words of temptation."

America is not, has never been, and never will be perfect. It is a drastic misreading of the preamble of the Constitution to suppose -- as so many intellectual idiots have done -- that we are charged with pursuing "a more perfect union" like Dorothy and her friends skipping down the yellow-brick road to Oz.

Knowing that perfection cannot be achieved by human effort in this fallen world, yet we survey the globe and scour the pages of history to find that nation which has ever been so privileged, so honored, so generously graced with God's blessings. Though such grace can never receive from mankind its full recompense of gratitude, we may inquire whether any nation has ever done so much to spread those blessings to so many, as has the United States of America. And what blessing could be greater than liberty?

Yet it is this precious blessing which Diane Watson would have us forsake. For what is Marxism, except the abnegation of liberty? Ms. Watson invokes the specter of racism -- a dishonest insinuation that should not intimidate men and women of goodwill -- and thus reminds me of David Horowitz, the ex-Marxist who has aptly described the communist philosophy as universal racism.

Socialism is the antithesis of philanthropy, even though the advocates of socialism repeatedly proclaim their philanthropic motives, so that like the Pharisees, priests and scribes of ancient Jerusalem, they may be praised as virtuous humanitarians because of the good intentions with which they pave the road to Hell.

Do you not see, Ms. Watson, that with your praise of Fidel Castro and his murderous henchman Che Guevara, you have already wrought your own destruction? Do you think that you own that seat in Congress, that it is your personal property, to do with as you wish? Do you suppose that there is no one -- not a single citizen of your district -- who could defeat you in an election?

There have been many like you before in history, Ms. Watson. One such, imagining himself indestructible, was congratulating himself and celebrating his good fortune with his colleagues, when he received a mysterious message.

Just now I have realized that I have been paying you, the representative of the Third Congressional District of California, an unintended measure of disrespect. For in researching your life, I discover that you achieived the highest degree of educational attainment and that it is my honor to address Dr. Diane Watson.

Understanding that I address such an eminent scholar, I therefore assume your mastery of history both ancient and modern, and your knowledge of many languages. Thus, in considering your special field of expertise, I am certain the message which was so mysterious to your predecessor will to you be elementary, Dr. Watson:

Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.

You do know Aramaic, don't you, Dr. Watson?

* * * * *

(This is the second part in a series. Readers are encouraged to hit the tip jar. Expect further updates . . .)

Rep. Diane Watson (D-Havana) Unwittingly Consigns Herself to Hell

Thanks to Michelle Malkin for transcribing this remarkable rant by the Castroite congresswoman:

It was just mentioned to me by our esteemed speaker, "Did anyone say anything about the Cuban health system?"
And lemme tell ya, before you say "Oh, it's a commu–" you need to go down there and see what Fidel Castro put in place. And I want you to know, now, you can think whatever you want to about Fidel Castro, but he was one of the brightest leaders I have ever met. [APPLAUSE]
And you know, the Cuban revolution that kicked out the wealthy, Che Guevara did that, and then, after they took over, they went out among the population to find someone who could lead this new nation, and they found . . . well, just leave it there (laughs), an attorney by the name of Fidel Castro . . .

Many critics have focused on the racial aspect of Rep. Watson's remarks, in which she bashed Rush Limbaugh for his oft-misinterpreted "I hope he fails" remark about Obama. Watson said Republicans "are trying to see that the first president that looks likes me fails."

Dear Ms. Watson: Barack Obama does not look like you, for which fact he should be eternally grateful.

And as much as I would enjoy unpacking what my old college buddy Bobby "The Hamp" Shearer would call your "signifying jive," it is far more important that your admiration for Fidel Castro and his murderous Marxist henchman, Che Guevara, be exposed as a species of subversive totalitarian propaganda.

Whether anyone is black or white, Jewish or Gentile, Protestant or Catholic, believer or atheist, gay or straight, native or immigrant, rich or poor is irrelevant to whether he is an American. Yet to deny the founding principles of this great nation -- as you, Ms. Watson, have done by your embrace of that ideology of evil known as Marxism -- is to deserve the contempt of every man and woman who would claim the high honor of being an American.

Assignment From the Site Meter
There were other things I might have done today -- oh, look, Ted Kennedy was a commie-loving traitor, too! -- but when I woke up, grabbed a cup of coffee, and checked my SiteMeter (the Small Blogger's habit I hope I never lose) I noticed traffic from Michelle Malkin.

Hmmm, had The Boss linked me? Well, merely a "Buzzworthy" sidebar link to my denunciation of Eric Zorn. Ah, but there on Mrs. Malkin's front page was her transcription of your remarks on this YouTube video:

Now, Mrs. Malkin is a journalist who has acquired fame and fortune by the most honorable of methods: Hard work. When we hung out in Denver a year ago, I had the opportunity to watch her live-blog the famous "Barackopolis" acceptance speech. The lady is a lean, mean, blogging machine. Her focus and discipline are an amazing thing to see.

Now, Ms. Watson, what does it mean that such a person as Michelle Malkin would devote even a small part of her precious allotment of time on this earth to transcribing your idiotic remarks? If there is any journalistic duty worse than transcribing audio, I don't know what it is. And I say that as someone whose early career as a small-town sports writer involved typing in bowling league results.

Having spent more than two decades clawing my way up from the very lowest rung of the American newspaper industry, having won awards and seen my reporting lead to legislative action in the halls of Congress, and especially having won acclaim as a top Hayekian public intellectual, I deeply resent it when at the advanced age of 49, I find myself required to do journalistic scutwork, as if I were some grass-green newbie "agate maggot" on the sports desk.

Old School Hayekian
Such are my feelings about transcribing audio. I'll do it if I have to do it. But whenever I'm cussing my way through a transcription, I always hear the inner voice of an Old School editor -- whom I picture in suspenders, sleeves rolled up, unbuttoned collar, loosened tie, an unfiltered Chesterfield hanging from the corner of his mouth and a pint of cheap whiskey in his desk drawer -- sharing a Hayekian insight:

Stop wasting your time on that crap, McCain. What the hell are interns for?

Such is the Old Schooler's concern for efficiency, his Hayekian conception of the division-of-labor benefits of organizational hierarchy, wherein the experienced editor assigns menial duties to an unfortunate young flunky, so that the grizzled veteran may apply his hard-won skills where they are most needed.

Wes Pruden often wore suspenders although I never saw him smoke a Chesterfield and, really, who knows what he kept in his desk drawer? But Mr. Pruden didn't work his way to the top of the heap so that he could spend his day transcribing audio. At some point, an old newspaperman -- Mr. Pruden notoriously hated the word "journalist" -- has earned the right to assign scutwork to others.

Blogospheric Punk-Smacking
Well, here I am in the blogosphere, in the New Media age where arrogant young know-it-alls think themselves too good to do scutwork. Every overprivileged 23-year-old punk fresh out of College Republicans is a pundit these days -- a commentator, a media critic, a political strategist, a regular by-God intellectual -- and heaven forbid anyone should expect one of these young geniuses to do the scutwork of mere reporting. (Anyone want to spot me an over/under on the total number of hours of his life Ross Douthat ever spent transcribing audio? I'd lay $20 it's less than 40 hours, and I'd bet the farm he's never typed in bowling-league results.)

Therefore, Ms. Watson, I considered it quite a marvelous and significant thing when, this morning, it came to my attention that no less a personage than Michelle Malkin -- the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Best. Book. Evah! -- had assigned herself the scutwork of transcribing this bit of audio.

It would seem as if something utterly accidental and random has called you, Rep. Diane Watson, to my attention. And as every regular reader knows, I don't believe in accidents.

People who know how to hit a man's tip jar thereby acquire his special favor. So when I woke up this morning, Ms. Watson, I quickly discerned the ministry to which I was called to devote myself this day. You have unwittingly incurred the diligent performance of a most solemn duty, ma'am.

The Series Continues

Like Belshazzar: The Self-Destruction of Diane Watson