1776!

Face it, a lot of what NeoCons do and say just doesn't make sense. You know, things like supporting TFG even though the only conservative thing about him is his unbridled quest for more money for himself. Their complaints about border security even though when they controlled all the levers of government they didn’t do anything to resolve the issue. Their mantra of family values even though countless NeoCon pols get caught abusing women and children.

The most baffling to me, admittedly a person who loves reading and studying history, is their vocal embrace of the Revolutionary War motifs. 

It began with the Tea Party and their tri-corner hats, even though they were protesting basically paying less for insurance (affordable care act). Now they even shout out “1776” at their rallies, even though they are protesting an elected officeholder not a king.

The thing they don't seem to understand is that the Revolutionary War was a conflict brought about by liberals who had the radical idea that man should decide who was ruler, not some god-ordained king.

Conservatives, Torries in England parlance, were opposed to the war and longed to remain loyal to the king. They were against democracy.

Thomas Fleming pointed this out in his book “Liberty: The American Revolution.” “The conservatives wanted to form a union between England and America, but the “firebrands” (those for independence) narrowly won a vote tabling the idea and even with conservatives upset, the idea was eventually expunged from the notes about the meeting of the Continental Congress.”

He further elaborated: “…Convened a meeting of the extralegal Virginia assembly, the conservative majority eagerly endorsed a resolution for a “speedy return of those halcyon days when we lived a free and happy people.” Patrick Henry reposted by resolving that “this colony be immediately put into a state of defense.” The conservatives all but denounced the idea. Henry replied with sentiments that his first biographer converted into immortal phrases: “Gentlemen may cry peace, peace—but there is no peace…I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!””

The NeoCons today still have their old desires for a king. That's why they had an insurrection on January 6, 2020 in an attempt to overthrow the government, renounce a fair election and install The Orange One as their king. In effect, their rally was an anti-1776 affair.

Despite not believing in the principles that formed the basis for our country’s founding, things like equality and justice for all, they embrace terms like freedom and patriotism. They’ll ban books in one moment, then name some group they’ve formed with “Liberty” in the title.

However, they are not patriots. They are nationalists. In other words, they like the accouterments of America but don’t like the ideals. They’ll put an American flag on their pickup truck which they will then use to try to break up a rally for civil rights. They’ll chant “USA, USA!” while breaking windows in the US Capitol.

Their rallies with tons of American and Trump flags don’t resemble the rallies of our Founding Fathers.  They look more like the Nazi rallies in the 1930s or the rallies of the Chinese Communist Party today. They all stir nationalistic pride, but not patriotism.

I guess we shouldn’t be surprised by this behavior though. After all, NeoCons just don’t get history (nor math, science, etc.). They don’t want kids to know about slavery because it might hurt their feelings. Don’t let the kids know that Native Americans were slaughtered and forced off their land because it could lower their self-esteem. They don’t want children to see a drag queen reading books because it might turn those children gay.

So, the NeoCons need to put away their tri-cornered hats. They need to stash those Revolutionary inspired flags that say “don’t tread on me.”  Most of all, they need to stop chanting “1776!” and instead be more honest and shout “Long live the King!”

 

Ahh, James Thurber