What was your most outrageous neocon encounter?

[floridaguy]

Yesterday I was enjoying a sunset and beer at my favorite beach bar at a beachfront hotel in Naples on the Gulf of Mexico. I was enjoying the company of an interesting lady who had, like myself, been in the area before all the nouveau riche Republicans found our paradise. The entertainer was sitting next to me and had been on an extended break. Seeing my 'no 'W'' button, the bartender decided he could stir something up and accomplish nudging the guy back up on the stage.

"So what's your button mean", he asked.
Playing along, I informed him the button meant that I had seen Fahrenheit 911 for the second time that day, and I thought I'd see it again over the weekend. The guy on cue spouted out 'propaganda'. A discussion ensued, and he infomed me he thought it should be illegal for me to wear my little (1") button.
I said 'illegal'? "Well at least it's in bad taste", he muttered. Well, 'It's a free country, and (I couldn't help myself),
I added, "I don't particulary like your shirt"

Do you have a good story about your favorite Repuke encounter?

[Lancer]

1. Hmmm, let's see. . .

I think it happened last night on another message board I moderate. Our neocon member Most Likely To Froth At The Mouth insisted that the tax credit checks she got from Dubya were his monetary gift to her.

When it was pointed out that these checks were deducted from her IRS refund, and that it was actually Big Dog who signed the bill into law, she said, "I don't pay attention to facts. I believe my opinions."

God help us.

[hlthe2b]

2. Just a little gentle admonishment..

not all Republicans are NeoCons--in fact most are not. Neocons refers to a specific subset of Repugs (many who were supposedly disgruntled conservative Dems at one time) who subscribe to the goals and objectives laid out in the Plan for a New American Century (PNAC) who have gained control over WH policies in this administration.

See: http://www.newamericancentury.org/

They include most noteably: Wolfowitz, Perle, writer/pundit Bill Krystol, Cheney and (his witch wife), Scooter Libby, Doug Feith. Bush by contrast was supposedly a more "classical" Repug--that segment that is strongly aligned with the party's RW fundie faction, but has been convinced to support the Neocon agenda. Then you have Paleocons, like Buchanan, who are not so strongly enamored with the fundie Xians but are strong fiscal and social conservatives. Despite his convenient exploitation of the fundies, Reagan was more of that latter ilck. Then you have a non-fundie social moderate group of Repugs, which would typically include the Colin Powells....

My point, though is that the NEOCONS are a relatively new group within the REPUG power structure-- an important point, since we stand a chance of splintering off more moderate Repugs (who are moderate socially, but conservative fiscally) and are fed up with the war and the direction the NeoCons have led us.

[floridaguy]

4. Neocons have actually been around awhile

http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/neocon/neocon101.html

As far as PNAC, don't miss our Prez's brother Jeb Bush as a PNAC founder.

[hlthe2b]

7. Not new... just new in terms of the power structure of the REPUG

Party... I hadn't noted Jeb in the PNAC origins though... Interesting, since most journalists (and Pat Buchanan as well) have always referred to GW Bush* as a non-neocon. Makes one wonder, though....

[TlalocW]

3. Not sure if it's an encounter or not...

Fred Phelps and his ilk came to Tulsa back in... Oh, 1998 I think to protest the gay pride parade/picnic they held that year. I had encountered the assholes before at my brother's law school graduation from Kansas University so I thought I would have some fun. I went down to the park where they were at. The Phelps bunch were at one corner of the park with all their signs. I set up across the street from them in a parking lot with two signs - "God Is Love" and "Fred Phelps Is a Wanker."

It looked like one or two of the guys were going to come over and talk to me, but they thought better because 1. I was bigger than they were, and 2. I pulled out and lit some torches and proceeded to juggle them to take attention away from their protest (which I think they hate almost as much as gays).

A college kid came by and went over to talk to them and then came over to talk to me to get each side of the story - even though he was leaning towards their camp's opinion since he believed that the Bible was the inerrant word of God. I quoted a few choice passages and educated him on the basic history of it, and he said something about, "Wow... You've given me a lot to think about." By that time, we had been joined by the Toothless Evangelist of Tulsa - some codger and his wife who ride around Tulsa in the Jesus-Mobile, an RV decked out in religious symbols and passages, who asked me why I had a problem with the Bible. "Which version of the Bible," I asked. "There's only one Bible, son!" "Let me see yours... See here... It's the King James' version of the Bible... Why would it need to be called the King James' version if there weren't any other versions out there?" Codger didn't like that and quickly left me to my sinful ways.

Eventually some cops came by and told me to put out my torches so I did then went into the park to look for a juggler that the college kid told me was in there. Didn't find him, but I eventually met him when I was brought into the musical "Barnum" as the juggling and unicycling expert.

TlalocW

[floridaguy]

5. Thanks for the laugh

Weren't you the juggler I saw at the Leidseplein in Amsterdam?

[TlalocW]

6. No...

I was the balloon twister you saw at the Louvre in Paris. :)

Damn snooty French not realizing that balloon twisting is art! Bourgeious peegs!

Never been to Europe so I can safely say, "Non."

TlalocW

[floridaguy]

8. Merci beacoup, mon ami(e), My mom is an excellent balloon twister!

As a 74-year-old clown, my mom still fascinates young and old with her animals. I tried, but I think law school was easier :)

Were you ever juggling in Victoria, BC? I saw a great street performer there.

[TlalocW]

9. Nope. Never performed there either.

I've been pretty much limited to Oklahoma - these were all hobbies until last July 4th when the owner of one of the magic stores in Tulsa called me because they needed a balloon twister for a Fourth of July party at a yacht club. Since then it's become a nice side business. I haven't street performed yet though.

TlalocW

[Robert Murphy]

10. Brings Back Bad Memories...

TlalocW,

While I now reside in Seattle, I grew up in Lawrence Ks, and went to school at the U of K. I remember said son-of-a-bitch (i.e. Phelps) quite well. I remember how the lizard and his horde used to crash funerals for gay men who died of AIDS, sporting their "God Hates Fags" regalia.

If I ever happened upon that bastard, it would take all of my self-control not to storm over and punch the living daylights out of him.

Robert

[bperci108]

11. Freddy and the Westboro Baptist hoarde....

I wouldn't let Fred and his "church" get to you; to quote one of the guys that was a real disciple of the Jesus that Phelps claims to follow and speak for:

1 John 2: 9-11

"9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."

Not exactly the stated position of the "God hates fags" crowd, is it? ;)

[Mortos]

12. Ernest J. Istook Jr. Congressman OK

This is a secondhand story but I believe it to be true. A republican Bush supporting friend of mine told me he saw Congressman Istook in a Wal*Mart in OKC (The Bell Isle location to be exact). Mr. Istook was walking out with his son and set off the "We're sorry, you have activated the Wal*Mart inventory control system, please step back..." alarm. Mr. Istook kept walking but his son stopped. His son said "Dad" and he replied in an angry tone, "Come on Ernie!". The poor elderly greeter did not back down and eventually, after pleading from his son, Mr. Istook disgustedly came back. He acted as if he was above the low class average Americans who shop at Wal*Mart. He treated the greeter with disdain and finally walked away in a huff. My friend said he would never vote for Istook again after his display...but he is still going to vote for Bush. What an asshole (Istook, not my friend).

Here is a link to this tool's congressional website:
http://www.house.gov/istook/contact/