Section: Miscellania

Update [2004-8-28 6:1:52 by krempasky]: "We realize that the news value of the convention is that of a middle school play"

Update [2004-8-28 6:25:7 by tacitus]:

Video archive will be posted here.

It is.

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I enjoyed watching the opening ceremonies of the Athens Olympics, and I look forward to two weeks of (mostly) amateur sports at their finest. I also hope that the ceremonies won't be imbued with too much politics, but I suppose that having some politics in the Games is inevitable.

Having said that, let's dip our toes into the political aspect of the Games, and note a massive inconsistency from the opening ceremonies:

There was huge applause for Afghanistan on its return to Olympic competition after an eight-year absence and with its first female athletes.

The entrance of the more than 500-member U.S. team - led by basketball guard Dawn Staley - drew cheers. But some people also stood and put their thumbs down in an apparent show of displeasure for the war in Iraq. Moments later, the Iraqis entered to a roaring ovation.

So there you have it. Cheers for two countries liberated by the United States, and some jeers for the country which did--and continues to do--the liberating.

Fascinating, isn't it?

1) they help pay the bandwidth. you folks just think it's all fun and games, till someone gets stuck with the bill. ;) 2) they each represent things we'd probably recommend without an ad.

VociferousSam has been writing columns and blogging about the Biblical worldview for quite some time.

We should all click to thank Tony Blair. I have to admit that while I would hardly agree with an ounce of his domestic policy, I can't help but admire the stand he's taken against terrorism in the world - and at no small personal political price. Let's call him the Anti-Clinton.

Last but not least, it's all about the sense of humor over at Casual Conservative. Irreverent? You betcha. Would posting some of their stuff skirt the edge of our own posting rules? Maybe. But they rightly smack around the French *and* Al Sharpton, thereby finding the quickest way to my heart, at least.

Enjoy, click thru, thank them for supporting RedState.

All of this activity is happening on the left, she wondered, so what are conservatives doing?

Which brings us to RedState. While we're not even two weeks old, a couple of numbers are telling:

• Stories: 318
• Comments: 2707
• Users: 829

Already RedState has established itself as an online community marked by intellectual and open discourse. We don't walk in lockstep, nor do we hide the disagreements within our party nor movement. We demand civility, but out of the more than 800 users, we've banned but a handful.

But what's next? When the reporter asked me how much we had raised for these candidates, I was embarassed to say 1) I don't know, exactly and 2) what I did know - wasn't impressive. So if we've got this great community, and we can sharpen our arguments and be so darn - well, right...then that's enough, no?

No. It's not. We have to do, not just talk. We have to move, not just debate. Young conservatives often hear pep talks from other movement types and are told that, "ideas have consequences." Well, to an extent, that's hogwash. To paraphrase an old boss of mine, "Ideas have consequences only when they cause action."

True. So don't stop the debates nor the discourse here at RedState - it's far too valuable. But remember: RedState isn't just another pretty face (at least we hope it's not!), nor just another blog. Our hope is to translate our skills, our ideas, our time into actual change - most prevalent at the ballot box.

So in the coming weeks, look forward to seeing a lot more information about political contests. Polls, updates, opportunities to help good candidates. The only way conservatives and the party will take RedState seriously is this: actually produce something.

Donations, votes, volunteers - without them, we're all just academics. Good ones, without a doubt, but still...

I'm grateful to be a part of this experiment - and excited about its future. We've got a lot of muscle to flex, and it's about time we did so.

And that said, I'm in for another $100.02 for Tom Coburn. He needs it, and we need to give it. Will you join me? We're at just about $500 so far, let's make it $1,000 by Tuesday. Let's give Wired something to really write about

Of course, since we give you the chance to get rid of all our ads, your penance is to come back, buy Hewitt's book, and donate to Coburn and Demint. Got any other features you'd like to see here at RedState? (other than "an absence of posts by Krempasky") Is there anything you particulary like or particularly dislike? Please post away, we'll put them on our wishlist and see what we can do.

First, thought you might find it interesting to see just how many of us live in Red and Blue states.

Second, a request: under user preferences in "your account" - would you add at least your zip code if not your address?

Update [2004-7-14 14:24:56 by krempasky]:Please forgive our growing pains - some email confirmations got stuck in cyberpurgatory, we know not why. Regardless, they should be in your inboxes now (all 431 of you waiting!). Please check your Spam folders first, and if you don't have them, go ahead and drop us a line.

Posting rules are re-posted in full in the extended text box here.

Far removed from Washington (and New York), The Claremont Review seems to cultivate and preserve a certain intellectual distance, even aloofness, from that modern-day Versailles. This alone is a valuable thing.

For those interested in a unsparing analysis of the war, Professor Angelo Codevilla's occasional "Victory Watch" columns will be a tonic.

Those taken with the heavy lifting of political philosophy will benefit from the fireworks between the fissiparous schools of Straussians.

I myself have been impressed by a series of essays of reinterpretation of momentous events in American political history, for example Mr. David Forte's study of Marbury v. Madison.

But no subject which embraces ideas and arguments about the Good Society, and how it is best achieved by fallen men, is left unexamined. I for one already draw heavily on this journal for my thinking and writing, and I recommend that others do as well.

In little more than two years, we have seen blogs blossom into a public square for the open exchange of ideas and opinions. Blogs are already a revolutionizing force, changing the way opinion-makers interact with new ideas ... defining candidates and campaigns in a critical election year ... and planting the seeds of democracy around the world.

RedState.org is focused on politics, and seeks the construction of a Republican majority in the United States. We hope to unite serious, innovative, and accomplished voices from government, politics, activism, civil society, and journalism to participate in this work.

In the past year, the dangerous perception has arisen that blogs are predominantly a venue for community and activism on the Left. Catchphrases such as "the liberal talk radio" are bandied about to describe the relevance of the medium that helped elevate Howard Dean to his early heights and continues to fund and support congressional candidates. Accurate or not, this emerging perception must be challenged and defeated. That is what Redstate.org is here to do.

Since its inception, the Republican Party has always embraced wide range of ideological beliefs. This diversity of thought sometimes inspires conflict -- but it has also led to great achievement. Through all debates, despite all regional or political concerns, the central philosophy of every true strain of Republicanism remains faithful to the foundational principles of the party: individual freedom and the value of every human life. These principles have guided the party from its origin as a political force to smash slavery, to the long fight against communism, to the ongoing battle for the sanctity of the unborn, to the present war against the forces of Islamism.

Our objective is not to centralize or to direct, but to provide a rallying point for the Right, a public square where Republicans can interact, debate, and share information on a wide variety of political issues independent of the official party structure. Redstate.org will be a gathering place of responsible voices, stimulating debate, and constructive action, fully mobilizing conservative intellectual and organizational resources to create a strong and vibrant presence in the blog medium. Through Redstate, the political blogging of the Right can gain the critical mass it needs for the battle ahead.

The Left has proven that blogs can thrive on the fringe, in a petri dish of pessimism and protest. We intend to make blogs a voice for mainstream America, and articulate the deeply held ideals of a free and virtuous nation. We aim to provide an arena for serious thought and a force for influence in Republican politics and policy - and we intend to lead.

Welcome to Redstate.

Ben Domenech.

Originally from Mississippi, Ben began his career as a political journalist covering Capitol Hill, writing for numerous publications and working as a Contributing Editor to National Review Online. He abandoned the journalism career track for a taxpayer-funded life following the 9/11 attacks, and was sworn in as the youngest political appointee in the Bush Administration. Ben currently works as the chief speechwriter for a U.S. Senator. He lives in Virginia with his wife, Caroline.

Mike Krempasky is from Pennsylvania, and would almost accept a Kerry presidency in return for a couple Steelers Super Bowl victories.

He's worked in grassroots politics in a number of roles, from leading a national pro-life organization and training conservative activists all across the country, to raising money for Republican candidates and conservative causes.

He doesn't like the French.

Tacitus was born in Texas and has been trying to get back ever since. He has been a dot-commer, a speechwriter, a consultant, and a US Army officer. He lives in western Maryland with his wife.

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Update [2004-7-12 18:12:59 by tacitus]:

A little clarification is in order. Pursuant to the mission statement, this site is explicitly meant to serve as a conservative and Republican community. Postings, comments, etc., contrary to this purpose fall under the rubric of "disruptive behavior" and will result in banning. You may or may not get a warning -- it depends on how harried the moderators are. If you are coming from a non-conservative, non-Republican context, you are still welcome here, but you must respect the site's stated purpose.

The posting rules benefit everyone. By promoting civility even in disagreement, they help the site avoid the pitfalls of notorious dens of iniquity like Democratic Underground and every unmoderated Usenet thread that has ever existed.

Update [2004-8-5 13:24:19 by tacitus]:

There is confusion over the term "Islamist," and we owe it to readers to clarify. First and foremost, we do not mean to bar Muslims per se. Rather, we mean the folks adhering to the violent and oppressive manifestations of the ideology described by that most neutral of sources, Wikipedia.