On Van Jones' Resignation : Caving in?

The other night on "The Ed Show", Ed Schultz compared the teabaggers and their ilk to "domestic terrorists". Perhaps that's a little harsh. Perhaps. But there is no doubt that they are opposed to free speech.

Consider the case of Van Jones, the White House environmental adviser who resigned yesterday. He did two things that caused the rabid right to smear him. The campaign began with Glenn Beck. The backstory: remember the boycott against Glenn Beck? It was launched by ColorofChange.org. Guess who founded ColorofChange? Yup, Van Jones.

Remember that no one said Glenn Beck should be fired, that was up to his bosses since this is America, and his right to say ugly things is protected by the First Amendment. Likewise, it it the choice of consumers whether or not to purchase products from companies which choose to advertise on Beck's show. 

So what did Van Jones do? First, he called the Republicans a bad name. I don't know what it was, I can't find it since no one seems to want to publish it. He insulted a PARTY. Not a person, but a group. 

Second, he signed a petition that questioned whether Bush administration officials "may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war."

From Jones' statement:

"On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me. They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide."

"I have been inundated with calls -- from across the political spectrum -- urging me to 'stay and fight.' But I came here to fight for others, not for myself. I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future."

Did the Bushies allow 9/11 to happen? I don't know. Should their handling of intelligence in the summer of 2001 be investigated? Probably. Was the administration looking for any excuse to invade Iraq? No doubt. 

The quote?

Saying "this is the guy who tried to kill my dad," President George W. Bush embraced disarming and ousting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as a "uniquely American issue."

 

"Other countries of course, bear the same risk. But there's no doubt his hatred is mainly directed at us," Bush said at a political fundraiser here Friday. "After all, this is the guy who tried to kill my dad."

So, here you have one guy who has spent his life fighting FOR the good of the country, honourably resigning so that a cause could continue with less distraction. Contrast that with the people who spew venom, gleefully invade sovereign states, disrupt town halls, and keep their children home to prevent them from hearing THE PRESIDENT speak. If it's not terrorism, it's damn close.