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Austin's Atheism Blog

By Austin Cline, About.com Guide to Atheism since 1998

'Greatest Generation' Was Un-American?

Tuesday October 12, 2004
Grover Norquist is a very important figure in the Republican Party. He also believes that the "Greatest Generation" which fought World War II was Un-American. Why? Because they were quasi-socialists who favored things like minimum wage laws. How terrible!

Slate explains, quoting a translation of an interview Norquist did in Mexico:

"This is an age cohort that voted for a draft before the war started, and allowed the draft to continue for 25 years after the war was over. Their idea of the legitimate role of the state is radically different than anything previous generations knew, or subsequent generations."
"Before that generation, whenever you put a draft in, there were draft riots. After that generation, there were draft riots. This generation? No problem. Why not? Of course the government moves people around like pawns on a chessboard. One side spits off labor law, one side spits off Social Security. We will all work until we're 65 and have the same pension. You know, some Bismark, German thing, okay? Very un-American."
Norquist told Slate last week that it would be "obscene" to call a World War II veteran "anti-American."

But, evidently, calling them Un-American is just fine!

What we are seeing here is an ideologically sound expression of the views of the far-right in the Republican Party. They are opposed to any and all labor laws, social safety nets, and so forth. This is the scary side of the Republican Party, one that causes real problems for principled conservatives who don't believe in the Slash-and-Burn politics that involves attacking opponents so viciously.

It's also the side of the Republican Party that controls the party.

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