15 Stupid Things Ron Paul Would Never Do

 David Alan Black  

The more Ron Paul bashing I see in the press, the more I want to curl up in a fetal position and quit reading. “They’re not being malicious,” you say. True, possibly. But when you bear the brunt of falsehoods, it’s hard to maintain your perspective.

Right now, I’m writing several books, one of which has to do with American politics and Christian statism. (Yes, I said Christian statism.) I’ve also been doing a lot of reading, especially books and essays by authors who are stimulating, informed, and growing. By my standards, Ron Paul is one of the best. Talk about credentials, Paul has them. He’s educated, intelligent, and energetic. There’s something exciting that happens whenever he speaks – fresh enthusiasm, meaningful content, a good, relaxing laugh. The French call this “rapport” – the ability to gain the attention of your audience and to create warmth and good will. As a public speaker myself, I appreciate these qualities. I even like Paul’s gestures. They seem to come naturally, from within.

But what I like most about Mr. Constitution is his honesty. For example, he’s honest enough to admit he’s not perfect. He’s admitted as much on air. He insists only that his message is inerrant – the message of liberty, of freedom from needless government constraints, of true republicanism. I’d be shocked (and chagrined) should I ever see him do something ridiculous. In fact, I’ve started a list of stupid things I’m pretty sure Ron Paul would never do. Here are a few:

1. Say that God told him to run for president.

2. Compare the torture at Abu Ghraib to a fraternity hazing.

3. Pander to the Bush/Cheney base (i.e., the quasi-Christian right).

4. Promote “imperialist” Christianity as the U.S.A.’s official state religion.

5. Support a “war on terrorism” that only creates more terrorists.

6. Let Americans forget that the freedom fighters that morphed into al Qaeda started out as creatures of the U.S. government.

7. Stoop to the sanctimonious rhetoric of Ann Coulter, Michael Savage, or Sean Hannity.

8. Utter the words, “I’m the person who gets to decide.”

9. Engage in personal attacks rather than statesmanship.

10. Say, “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.”

11. Keep a carrier task force at sea an extra day for the sake of a photo-op.

12. Sacrifice our constitutional rights under the guise of fighting terror.

13. Lower himself to such puerile prose as, “We don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.”

14. Forget that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

15. Betray the Constitution of the United States.

Of course, I may be wrong. After all, Mr. Paul has got plenty of chances to blow it between now and next November. How many of you think, honestly, that he is completely immune to the pressures of politics? No politician is. All the more reason, in my view, to pray for him.

In short, Ron Paul is human, like you and like me. But Ron Paul is not a buffoon. Which in my book is cause for great rejoicing.

November 4, 2007

David Alan Black is the editor of www.daveblackonline.com.

Back to daveblackonline