Often people think that modern liberal activity traces back to Viet Nam, but the Copperheads prove to be an earlier ancestor.

Mackubin Thomas Owens has recently written in NRO, "These words of the La Crosse [WI] Democrat responding to Lincoln’s re-nomination could just as easily have been written about Bush: “May God Almighty forbid that we are to have two terms of the rottenest, most stinking, ruin working smallpox ever conceived by fiends or mortals…” The recent lament of left-wing bloggers that Vice President Dick Cheney was not killed in a suicide bombing attempt in Pakistan echoes the incendiary language of Copperhead editorialist Brick Pomeroy who hoped that if Lincoln were re-elected, “some bold hand will pierce his heart with dagger point for the public good.”

I think it's ironic that the Lincoln penny is made of copper.
Steve | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 9:35 am | #

Somehow, I knew you were going to pick up on that article so I refrained (it's not like I get a lot of traffic anyway, lol).

I did however point out a few other things and wondered if you'd take Ms. Pelosi on as a patient when she crashes.
Steph | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 9:48 am | #

DITTO Re Copperheads

You can read more
rocketsbrain | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 9:55 am | #

Sorry my link dropped off.

You can read more here and here
rocketsbrain | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 9:59 am | #

This historical parallel has got me to thinking. Perhaps the Democrats' irrational anger has to do with being powerless, in having no control over events. The Democrats during the Civil War had very little power, since most of their Southern cohorts had gone off and formed the Confederacy. Our present-day Democrats had power under Clinton, and lost it. Now they're jumping up and down over being able to control the Congress.
snoring citizen | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 10:05 am | #

Same thing happened to Winston Churchill in the years leading up to WWII.

He stood ostracized and virutally alone in his insistence that Nazi Germany was up to evil intent while almost everyone else ridiculed Churchill in the same manner.

London's elite were wearing swastika jewelry and Britain's diplomats and politicians were making deals with Hitler while asking him not to let other European countries whome they had signed earlier treaties of alliance know. As dastardly as it comes.

"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."

It is a fact that Hitler could have been stopped cold in the '30s and all the carnage of the EU side of WWII prevented.

The parallels are stunning, we stand at the very same place today, there is an evil dictator in Iran who has professed the exact same threat of genocide on a grand scale towards the same people and yet there are those here echoing some of the exact same platitudes along with the disgusting attempts to make deals with a murderous dictatorial tyrant.

Call them what you will, Copperheads, Tories, Loyalists, Leftists, Peaceniks, Green Party, whatever, the common denominator is simple evil.

Those who wish to define this evil as stupidity in an attempt to rationalize the position aren't getting it once again.

And they haven't noticed that good always wins in the end.


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The Machine | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 10:26 am | #

I was watching the History Channel special on the 300 Spartans, but this show focused almost as much on the Athenian admiral Themistocles.

After Marathon, many Athenians were sure the threat from Persia was not a pressing issue, and did not want to fund an adequate navy (so little changes, doesn't it?)

So Themistocles told a little fib to get some funding---and that fib saved everybody's bacon.
R S | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 11:06 am | #

This is all too depressing. We know what must be done while we can still do them. I am not the only one who sees millions of deaths coming if we fail to act. But, we don’t take action! When will leaders start doing their jobs?!?

I am dumbfounded that no one holds traitors accountable. I am amazed that leaders encourage open borders, let their own people be sacrificed, and fight a war in a politically correct manner. It’s our very existence were talking about it!

There is nothing remotely noble in Bush’s actual conduct to “restore the integrity of the Presidency.” I once thought I would work for Bush to propel a conservative agenda. There is no amount of money, fame, or guarantees that would make me do that now.

Since Bush will not be the leader of the free world - abroad and AT HOME - he should go. Either by resignation or impeachment/conviction (for unsubstantiated charges), Bush should go and make way for a leader who will execute the will of and save the people from a new Dark Age.
Perspective | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 11:15 am | #

History has never been kind to those who opposed the wars American has engaged in. Wars in which the American will triumphed proved beneficial to the world as a whole. Wars in which American will faltered and support was withdrawn turned into bloodbaths once we were not engaged, and the world became a poorer place, usually by several million people.

These are the same people who protest the police--until the time comes when they need to police to protect them. Actually, they're sheep, scared of the wolf and unable to tell the difference between wolf and sheepdog. Morons, imbeciles and mooncalfs! -cp
cold pizza | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 11:51 am | #

Curses, tinfoiled again!
Gagdad Bob | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 11:53 am | #

>> Bush should go and make way for a leader who will execute the will of and save the people from a new Dark Age.>>

Have someone in mind? Anybody???
suek | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 12:00 pm | #

It is called the office of the President of the United States, not King or dictator. Bush has a number of limitations, for good reason, on what and how he can do things and must operate at a number of various levels.
Has he been as effective as I would like him to be? NO! Part of the problem is as the Doc points out the Copperheads who control large segments of the Media and an American public that fails to understand the degree of danger they are in because of propoganda espoused by the Copperheads' mouthpiece: the Democratic party and the MSM.
It impinges upon those who recognize this to become more effective themselves instead of expecting the Executive Branch to do all the heavy lifting. This is a government with 3 co-equal branches of said government. As usual the vast preponderance of responsibility to drive policy resides in the electorate.
When I see large numbers of people out demonstrating for the Iraq war or other important issues then power will go to those people. Otherwise stop looking to blame other people.
Dennis | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 12:29 pm | #

"It impinges upon those who recognize this to become more effective themselves instead of expecting the Executive Branch to do all the heavy lifting. This is a government with 3 co-equal branches of said government. As usual the vast preponderance of responsibility to drive policy resides in the electorate.
When I see large numbers of people out demonstrating for the Iraq war or other important issues then power will go to those people. Otherwise stop looking to blame other people."

You're right but a lot of us are beginning to speak out when we never did before... the silent majority, of which I was one.
Steph | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 1:12 pm | #

There was the incident on Lake Erie, where Confederate agents seized the steamer Philo Parsons (and the Island Queen, which was in the wrong place) in order to go to Sandusky and free rebel prisoners on Johnson's Island. Another group was to take over the USS Michigan.

Michigan's crew thwarted the agents and steamed after the Parsons. The Confederate agents escaped and scuttled both Parsons and the Island Queen. (Both vessels were raised and returned to service as if nothing happened) Some of the agents were later rounded up and hanged.

Just an historcal tidbit; how much damage would those freed prisoners done if they were loose, organized, and armed?
Mikey NTH | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 1:14 pm | #

The Copperheads have not reincarnated-they never left. And with the arrival of Socialism, they have grown. Perhaps in addition to the Civil War analogy, we must look to the Revolutionalry War for our future. One-third of Americans supported the Revolution, one-third opposed, and one-third sat on the fence. After the war the many a Tory left home and hearth for Canada as the more prudent alternative. At that time Canada was presumed to likely have a French future, but the great numbers of American Torys changed the demographics and eventually provided us with the Nancy boys of today. Lucky for everyone!
Not for now, but after a large operation that takes hundreds of thousands, or milions of American lives, the gloves will again come off. Conservatives do not regard the Constitutiion as an obstacle to their aims as do leftists, but the solution. Still, it is well established that the Constitution is not a suicide pact.
When and if this strike should happen, Canada is a good and humane alternative for our Copperheads. Canuckistan needs population badly, they are of a like mind, neither have children, and so both can delay their extinction for another generation while thinking well of themselves. Meanwhile, we should take in those Canadians who wish to escape, as well as those Euopeans who have long ago given up having a voice. I am meeting markedly more in recent years, who would stay here were it not for Teddy's immigration "reform" of the 60's- of which they most aware are and eager to point out. But this would no longer be a problem, because Teddy and friends would be in Canada.
The barbarians are intelligent, and the intelligent thing to do is nothing while we continue to slide into helplessness. As Napoleon observed, 'Never interrupt our enemy when he is making a mistake.' But, they are barbarians first, so this will not happen.
One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes and emergency. We do not seem have that on the horizon. Mine is a reactive prediction. Take your best shot.
jamzw | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 1:42 pm | #

Have someone in mind? Anybody???

Me! And you all can be my cabinet, with the Doc running my new Department of Homeland Psychiatry.

Dennis,

Sorry, but I think the MSM’s ability to control minds is a bit overrated. Propaganda works for the short term, only as long as it can make use of people’s hope or fear, but over the long term most people get calloused and wise to it and learn to filter it out. This is based on discussions I’ve had with many former soviet bloc, SE Asian and Iranian residents (where as you know, the governments were actively in the business of trying to control minds).

A tougher thing to overcome might be the ‘fast food’ mental complex common in America. Sorry I don’t have any answers, but I do know that yelling “Yer already fat!” at people entering a McDonalds will probably cause more harm for you than good for them.

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Fear not those who argue but those who dodge.
americafirst | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 1:44 pm | #

An odd historical parallel occured to me; Lincoln was called a "gorilla" by his detractors, Bush is called a "chimp" by his. What's up with the simian references by the Democrats?
Tom TB | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 3:07 pm | #

They hit the highpoint of their insults, Tom. First grade, I think.
Mikey NTH | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 3:11 pm | #

Lincoln would have lost the civil war if a 24/7 media machine like television would have been dominated by the copperheads.

MSM doesnt report on the culture anymore. It defines it and molds it. Just look at the global warming issue with its political power 100% rooted in visual pop culture media.
SteveH | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 5:14 pm | #

"MSM doesnt report on the culture anymore. It defines it and molds it."

I guess that makes sense, in a Paris Hilton or Flavor Flav sort of way. Americans have always loved a good friek show and too many kids think this is cool.

But I think you stumped us with the global warming issue's "political power 100% rooted in visual pop culture media."
americafirst | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 7:51 pm | #

friek = freak

Personally, I don't care if anyone else mispels.
americafirst | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 7:52 pm | #

Just a thought, but could we call them copperfoil heads? I find their preference for OHITS politics absolutely alarming.
John Lobenstein | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 9:49 pm | #

copperfoil. I like it. It will never catch on, John, but I like it.
Assistant Village Idiot | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 11:15 pm | #

I still don't get it. Except for the fact that he may have hastened the freeing of slaves *in most states* (not Maryland and some parishes in Louisiana, for example), I can come this close II to empathizing with the Copperheads. They were putting up with 4 years of no habeus corpus (1/3 of the Maryland legislature was in jail), loyalty oaths that had to be taken before voting, and of course, the pleasant scent of the bodies of their family members coming from the battlefields right under their noses.

Making voodoo dolls of Bush because we're at war with voluntary forces a gazillion miles away from here, and the only treadmarks on our civil liberties we need fear is if we place a phone call to Syria....that I can't figure out for the life of me. (I believe we've taken a lot fewer casualties than we did in the Civil War, even if you just count Union soldiers, but I haven't looked it up, I'm just guessing.)
Kelly Norman | Email | Homepage | 03.31.07 - 11:25 pm | #

"(I believe we've taken a lot fewer casualties than we did in the Civil War, even if you just count Union soldiers, but I haven't looked it up, I'm just guessing.)"
Kelly Norman

The Civil War resulted in somewhere around 550,000 total dead soldiers.
After the defeat of the South, the 13th Amendment freed all slaves, 12/6/1865.

But as with the copperheads, I'm convinced that the tinfoil heads would have done nothing to free the slaves or to preserve the Union in any manner. They selfishly think their own Constitutional "rights" magically exist or are owed to them without costs or responsibilities. Thus they are delusional at best, and in effect flat-out stupid, or else diabolical at worst = totalitarian.

Here in the real world I don't have any sympathy for any of the tin-foilers.
J. Peden | Email | Homepage | 04.01.07 - 4:43 am | #

My point about the media is this. People who view political news outside of the mainstream and can name their senators are in the vast minority of voters. Most Americans get their perceptions of politics through little sound bites and images they happen to be exposed to during their day and couldnt tell you who Alberto Gonzales is.

If that exposure is Katie Couric, you would swear that leftist could save the world if only evil conservatives would fall off the edge of the Earth.

Even tv shows that seem benign and non political are full of subtle manipulations to tell you how to fit in and be politically correct.

The Daily Show and David Letterman is a lot more powerful political force than CSPAN ever thought about being.
SteveH | Email | Homepage | 04.01.07 - 9:48 am | #

When i was in college I wrote a paper on Clement L. Vallandigham from Ohio. He was every bit as deranged as the Nancy Pelosi crowd. But Lincoln had more guts that Bush. He put Vallandigham in jail.
Flash Gordon | Email | Homepage | 04.01.07 - 11:45 am | #

I agree that news outfits like CNN do not report nearly enough about progress in northern or southern Iraq or in Afghanistan, which would be quite helpful in increasing the pro-democracy / anti-terrorist resolve of many of the little people in America. To CNNs credit they did do a fairly good piece about Moslems in Britain not too long ago, and Christiane Amanpour appeared to have a genuinely difficult time keeping repugnance off her face when she interviewed a British Islamofascist, and appeared hopeful when she interviewed some saner British Moslems. I suppose that Amanpour coming across as both anti-islamofascist and anti-Bush might confuse casual voters.

In my perfect world (or new and improved), instead of having three sides:
The heroic/evil Left, The heroic/evil Right, the clueless and apathetic moderate

you’d have six:

The well-reasoned Left, The well-reasoned Right, The well-reasoned Independent, Moonbats, Wingnuts and the clueless and apathetic moderate.

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Only the little people pay taxes.
americafirst | Email | Homepage | 04.01.07 - 4:56 pm | #