“All that I hate, I am become!”

St. Paul wrote those words, grieving about his own moral state, understanding that his human weakness could bring out in him behavior he deplored in others.

I have used the phrase a few times on the blog, but this time, it’s my center-left L’il Bro Thom saying it, in response to this article.

Last week, Sen. George Allen personally apologized to a staff member of his Democrat opponent, James Webb, for calling him a “macaca.” This was the latest in a string of public apologies for what has been described as a racial slur aimed at individual who is of Indian descent.
The moral outrage pouring from the media and Democrats was heartwarming. It was reassuring to see that such expressions of bigotry by any party, politician or political organization (or movie actor) will not be tolerated.
So no doubt the media and the Left will soon turn their attention to the vicious anti-Semitism the followers and members of a political organization that donates millions to Democratic candidates and uses the Web to whip up support for its policies.
I am referring to Moveon.org; an entity that claims it is merely the vehicle of “real Americans — from carpenters to stay-at-home moms to business leaders — we work together to realize the progressive vision of our country’s founders.” To the extent that Moveon.org is a reflection of its membership, it is also a reflection of the opinions and sentiments it shares about its fellow Americans and citizens of the world. And boy do the Moveon folks hate Jews.
Perhaps hate is too weak a word. William F. Buckley Jr. wrote an article in 1991 exploring the question of whether Pat Buchanan was an anti-Semite (The answer: yes.) Mr. Buchanan called Jewish supporters of Israel its “amen corner” and a fourth (or was it fifth?) column undermining American global interests. But he never called them “Media owning Jewish pigs” or “sneaky Jewish sympathizers!” Both can be found repeatedly on the Moveon.org Action Forum. (read it all…)

And so forth.

Over the past few months, particularly on the issue of illegal immigration, I and other right-center bloggers who have (for better or worse) dissented from the far-right “ship them all back” position have urged our fellows to move away from the extreme cliffs. The Democrats need a few voices pulling them back from the edges, as well. We need two healthy parties in this country. Right now one of them is plain bonkers and the other is whirring like an off-centered gyroscope, trying to get balanced. Not good. Neither party is ship-shape…but the Democrats really need to attend to the way their ship is listing portside.