The New Cold Warriors
During the period from about 1950 to about 1990, there was a class of political creature known as the "Cold Warrior." The Cold Warrior was to be found in either political party, whether it was Jack Kennedy, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, or Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson among Democrats, or Robert Taft, Richard Nixon, or Barry Goldwater among Republicans. The Cold Warriors were often sneered at, dismissed, and even reviled, but usually held steady to their convictions.
Today, there are those of us who view the confrontation of radical Islamic extremism as the great issue of this generation. So here's my question:
The Cold Warriors had their name. What is our name?
Hmm. "Coalition of the willing" has been used, "Liberators" was a pretty good WWII plane, "Educators" a bit condescending...
How about computer (not "master/slave", Californians) jargon? "Upgraders", "Enhancers", or some other appellaion from those who apply corrections/patches? "Bug kickers" may be a bit much.
SpamAssassins.
Terror Warriors
Jacksonians, were it not that a certain element would presume loudly that we approve thereby of Jackson's role in the Georgia gold grab and the Trail of Tears.
Crusaders!
lay it right out there, no more namby pamby.
Hunt's suggestion has a certain appeal. In your face (like Bush I purposefully mispronouning "Saddam" so that he was constantly calling him a donkey or some such back in '90-91) and no holds barred is how we have to fight this thing. I can't think of a better way. I vote for that.
I think certain people in the media have labeled us as neocons even if we don't fit the true neocon definition.
Paladin? Knights Templar? This really is a war against Islam after all. Trying to be "Politically Correct" or "Culturally Sensitive" is going to cost us big time. Aloha, Hunt
Hunt Johnson would have been right the first time with 'Crusaders', if only the lefties hadn't succeeded so well in negatively spinning Christianity over the last hundred years. And it would be hard to find a Pope with enough authority to lead the movement, although the current one has worked wonders against the Communists.
But our elementary school teachers simultaneously banish Christianity from classrooms while promoting Islamic rituals as a form of 'diversity' training - at least in California.
The whole point of political correctitude has been to carry on the 60s battle against the WASPS, without so blatantly naming them as the enemy, and to force them as much as possible out of leadership positions in favor of... anyone more amenable to the lefties.
Still, 'Crusaders' does it in one word better than any other term, and carries honorable associations as well. See Dean's preceding thread on 'Faith and Politics' for some positive references to Judaism and Christianity in the general civilization of the world.
I was going to suggest neocon as a joke, but Starhawk beat me to it. :)
"Crusader" is a very, very bad idea. There are still a lot of Muslims who don't have much use for tyrants like Hussein or el-Assad, but if we start throwing trigger-words like that around, you can kiss them goodbye.
I wouldn't worry so much what they're called, as what they accomplish. Don't worry, a good name will crop up sooner or later.
And if you're in a hurry, there's always "anti-Idiotarian." Heh heh heh.
Patriots.
Realists.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
Meme Warriors
Americans.
The enemy already calls us Crusaders!
Casey states that "Crusader" would alienate Muslims - My question would be where the hell are Muslims that don't already hate most of what we stand for. I keep waiting for the "moderate Muslim majority" to show up. After 2 years of open war, I'd go with Crusaders and f**k'em if they can't take a joke. I personally don't give a rat's ass if they like us, but hope to hell they fear us enough to quit messing around.
Somehow "Idiotarian" lacks the juice we need here.
Isn't this what Andrew Sullivan was trying to do with that Eagle routine of his a few months ago?
I like crusaders as well...but lets just stick with patriots; if we can really hammer that one home, then it will automatically de-legitimize anyone who is against fighting an winning the war...then the debate can properly revolve entirely around the best ways and means to win the war...in the end, the energy we have to expend debating and otherwise confounding the so-called "anti-war" people is that much less energy we have for figuring out the best way to kill the enemy.
"Croissants." According to legend, the croissant was designed to resemble the crescent moon used on the Turkish flag. The bakers of Vienna discovered the Turkish army coming into the city during the early morning hours and warned the authorities, which led to the Turks being routed. To celebrate the victory, they started making crescent-shaped pastries. "You see this roll, baked in the shape of the symbol of your empire? Yes? We eat it!"
Okay, maybe not...
Neo-crusader, perhaps to distinguish us from those medieval colonialist land grabbers. While I would like a peaceful Middle-East and an end to radical Islam I don't want to be identified with the goals of the original crusaders.
Islam is right to fear Western Civilization because our openness in a global society is a threat to their traditions even as we just go about our business. Our media and way of life invades their domain in ways that the original Crusaders could never imagine and in the long term will transform Islam into something that must accept our realities.
I could tolerate a reformed Islam, much as I can tolerate a flawed but reformed Christianity. The Christianity of the 13th century was not unlike radical Islam of today and so I hesitate to align myself there.
Join the Neo-Crew!
The Warbloggers. ;]
Interesting name on InstaPundit http://www.instapundit.com/archives/012760.php
Avengers of the Bones?
or just Avengers for short.
Crusaders for Freedom.
The Cold Warriors were first named that by the appeasers. The one thing the Left has a talent for is an insult that can be turned into a term of honor. If we relax, our opponents will come up with a title for us. It's more fun that way and it will irritate them mightily.
I'm proud to call myself a Western Imperialist Warmonger. I was called that for opposing female genital mutilation.
Very easy and very dishonest the cover behind " crusading " Christian.
According to a article in the Israeli newspaper the " Haaretz " nearly all the neo cons running thois misguided show are jews.
But I suppose you'll censor that!
Gavin
How about Der Seischerheintsdeinst? Not familiar enough? Do the names Reinhard Tristan Eugen HEIDRICH or perhaps Adolf Eichmann
If you want a name for people who "view the confrontation of radical Islamic extremism as the great issue of this generation," I can think of no better one than "Anti-Islamic Extremists." I am not one who takes that view. I think once Osama Bin Laden is caught, those among us who are deeply concerned about Islamic terrorism may find that the other Islamic extremists are not such a grave threat to legitimate American interests. Not enough of a threat to warrant donimating the Arab world, which I think is the intention of the Project for a New American Century and the Bush administration. Those Americans who want to dominate the Arab world should be called "Bushite Extremists." I don't think they can call themselves good Christians. Jesus preached forgiveness and the offering of 'agape' (one of several Greek words we translate as 'love') to 'thine enemies.'
By the way, thanks to Rosemary for providing a link in another post to Chris Matthews's interview of Wesley Clark at Harvard University. This obliquely led me to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/liveonline/candidates/washingtonpost.com/forums, where citizens around the country have had a chance to submit questions to the Democratic Party presidential candidates.