So Oprah wants to know if Sarah Palin would invite Levi Johnston for dinner.
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This curiosity about conservatives forgiving people is fascinating to me because it is so insincere. It isn’t even curiosity. Palin’s answer was, after all, perfectly decent and should have put any true curiosity to rest. But this isn’t the end of it, of course. The question will be raised again and again and again…of the conservative capacity to forgive, not of the liberal capacity to forgive.
And when you think about it, there are other answers Palin could have given that would be just as decent. “He took advantage of my daughter and the only way we’d have him for dinner is as target practice” would have been just fine. Maybe not politically palatable, but after all Levi’s done you certainly can’t say that would eliminate the Palins from our mythical community-of-decentpeepul.
In this age of Chicago brass knuckle politics, I have a lot more curiosity — real curiosity — about the liberals and their capacity to forgive and invite people over for Thanksgiving dinner. If 2009 really is the Year of Healing, and Thanksgiving is the season we’re finally going to start feeling it, here’s a list of ten I’d like to see. And no, I won’t be holding my breath for Oprah to be asking about these.
Anyone see this happening?
1. Campbell Brown could invite Sarah Palin over for Thanksgiving dinner.
2. President Obama could invite Joe the Plumber over for Thanksgiving dinner.
3. David Axelrod could invite Fox News over for Thanksgiving dinner.
4. Bill Maher could invite Dick Cheney over for Thanksgiving dinner.
5. The DailyKOS folks could invite Karl Rove over for Thanksgiving dinner (brave, brave Karl).
6. Charles Johnson could invite Robert Stacy McCain over for Thanksgiving dinner.
7. The NAACP could invite Clarence Thomas over for Thanksgiving dinner.
8. Code Pink could invite over some of our soldiers who volunteered to go to Afghanistan — volunteered! — over for Thanksgiving dinner.
9. The National Organization of Women could invite Ken Starr over for Thanksgiving dinner.
10. Mike Todd could invite blogger friend Rick over for Thanksgiving dinner.
The last of those might require an explanation so I’ll give a one-liner and a link. As Rick explained, he is the only breathing soul on the face of the planet ever to be banned from Mike’s blog. It’s obvious Rick is, at last report, beyond forgiveness, which is interesting to keep in mind when one observes Mike extolling the virtues of forgiving everyone.
Liberalism is a cheap way to look like a decent, forgiving person. The hatred they have for conservatives, is the hatred reserved for people who have no need of such a mask, felt by people who do.
Cross-posted at House of Eratosthenes.
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For many years we’ve had my wife’s ex over for Thanksgiving dinner and sometimes Christmas as well. He’s an ass, but he’s the kids’ dad, and we do Thanksgiving well at our place, so that’s where they come. I understand perfectly well what Sarah’s saying.
One year, when he was still a kid, the younger one came to us and said, “Dad doesn’t have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving. Can he come over?” My wife looked at me with a questioning look, like … “would it be alright with you?” … and it took me less than a few seconds to say, “sure, why not?”
And it was fine. He was well-behaved, and we all had a nice meal and drinks afterward and talked and enjoyed the evening. Every time. I know, if he’d behaved badly we would not have invited him again… but … that didn’t happen.
You’re right. This does not fit into the liberal stereotype of conservatives. They are convinced that Christianity is the worst thing to happen to the planet, but I’m tellin’ you, that’s where I got those values.
This incident reminded me of a post-divorce situation with my little sister. She had also wanted to invite her ex for Christmas (despite the new husband’s objections). It was not a decision I would have considered at the time, but I certainly noted it for its remarkably loving intent toward her son, and a great respect for his father which was stronger than personal differences.
It is pretty safe to assume that Levi would not suddenly start behaving himself and cease all the public attacks if he were shown such hospitality. I do think Sarah Palin tries to be kind toward him. His immaturity, coupled with the efforts of those who goad him on, provokes certain behavior. He is a kid, and acts in a disappointingly typical kid-like way.
First off, Oprah is an idiot, if you’ll forgive me for saying it.
Secondly, liberals miss the point about forgiving someone, at least, Christian forgiveness. (I can’t speak for other religion’s forgiveness concepts.) The point of forgiveness is not showing how tolerant, broad-minded, even – er – liberal-minded you are. No, the point is to put no gods before God. Christians are taught that God is Love and, because of that, we must try to love one another. When you harbor resentment and anger towards your fellow man, you have filled your heart with hate where only love should be and put your own petty, worldly concerns before your love of God. Forgiving is the first step toward removing that hate – for your own sake – so you can say, I still love you, despite the wrong you have done to me. It has nothing whatsoever to do with approving or accepting what the other person has done.
(Incidentally, this brings up the point about Jesus’ crucifixion that many people misunderstand. We can tell someone that we forgive them and appear to have done so. But, we know what is really in our heart. We are just imperfect humans, all we can do is try to forgive. It takes someone beyond human to forgive truly and completely. Someone like God, that is. By the same token, it takes someone who is truly and completely sorry for what they have done and genuinely prepared to suffer any sacrifice to deserve forgiveness. However, since we are, as I said, just imperfect humans, we can’t completely deserve forgiveness. It takes, as C. S. Lewis called him, the “Perfect Penitent”, Jesus Christ, the Unblemished Sacrifice, to make my request for God’s forgiveness for me.)
Wow, long post.