THE "VICIOUS SMEAR CAMPAIGN"

I've been watching the MSM spin on the Van Jones situation, and I have to say, it's just appalling. I knew, when I first read his resignation statement, that the MSM would take his 'vicious smear campaign' line and run with it. They are desperately trying to turn him into a martyr to the Obama Agenda. Using the 'vicious smear campaign' angle is simply laughable. And if you want to discuss 'vicious smear campaigns', I personally would point to the devastating attacks on Sarah Palin and her entire family that were not only cruel, but underhanded and untrue. Van Jones was brought down by his own words, both written and spoken.

Let's take a look at those unfounded smears, shall we?

Let's start with the accusation that sparked the whole firestorm - Jones is a self-avowed Communist. This was the original talking point from Glenn Beck about Jones - how did we end up with a communist advising the president? The MSM is refuting this claim of communism, saying he never claimed he was a communist. Not only did he proudly proclaim he was a communist, but he has never walked back from that claim, or insinuated that he is no longer one. Considering how open and public he was about his radical views, one would assume that if he had a change of heart, he would have been just as public about it, especially if it was politically expedient to do so.

Now to one of the more minor charges against him - he called Republicans a-holes. Now, that is crude, rude and impolitic, but it is a relatively minor transgression. After all, just about every politician has called the opposition a crude name at least once, especially when they feel comfortable with the crowd they are speaking to, as he most certainly was, judging by the cheers that greeted his pronouncement. The only thing that surprises me is that he must have known he was being videotaped, and so should have used a bit more discretion, but, when one is in an echo chamber, one often forgets there is a larger world beyond it. Especially since this was only 5 months ago and he was already eyeing a post in the administration - the supposedly most bi-partisan administration evah!! That the MSM is jumping all over this as a main reason he had to step down is because it makes it all seem so petty and ridiculous - this fine man had to step down because of this? How thin skinned can conservatives be? Get a grip, neo-cons!

Let's leave that minor pettiness behind and get to the real meat of the argument (excuse me, 'vicious smear campaign') against Jones. Let's look at his ideas about 9/11. First, there is his signing of the 9/11 Truth Document. The spin on this one is that he says the petition "didn't reflect his views" - and besides, he didn't "carefully review" the petition. Let's take a moment to remember that the man is a lawyer as we digest these claims of his. Every lawyer worth his salt knows you never sign anything without careful review. A quick glance at the 9/11 Truth Document website makes it pretty clear what it is all about. His response to this scandal is so lame that it doesn't even deserve the title 'spin'.

Another little-known action of his regarding 9/11 is even more appalling. On Sept. 12, 2001, he "led a vigil that expressed solidarity with Arab and Muslim Americans as well as what he called the victims of "U.S. imperialism" around the world." This alone should have kept him from holding public office, be it elected or appointed. This is a man who has a seriously flawed view of this country and should never be allowed to dictate policy of any kind.

Here's another little-known fact: Jones, until recently, sat on the board of the 'Apollo Alliance' - a cabal made up of labor, business, environmental and community leaders who, ultimately, were put in charge of writing the Porkulus bill AND Cap and Trade. BTW, the founders of the Apollo Alliance are Van Jones, Wade Rathke (co-founder of ACORN), and Jeff Jones, William Ayers' co-founder of the Weather Underground. Lovely. A veritable trifecta of radicals.

Here are some more of Jones' greatest hits:

In 2006, Jones signed another petition - this one calling for nationwide 'resistance' to police.

Equating George W. Bush with a crack head.

Accusing white polluters of purposefully directing pollution to minority neighborhoods.

Accusing white farmers of intentionally 'poisoning' minority workers.

But his most alarming statements and campaigns have to do with his radical communist agenda:

He was a main speaker at an anti-government rally in 2002, sponsored by the Revolutionary Communist Party, that urged 'resistance' against the US government, with the ultimate goal being the overthrow of our current government, followed by the the installation of a communist dictatorship.

How will this be accomplished, you ask? Easy. It's all about 'Minimum Goals and Maximum Goals'. According to Mr. Jones, revolution moves in baby steps.

He is also quite anti-capitalist. He feels that the system that has made this country, over the past 233 years, the most successful, wealthiest (our poverty level is middle class for much of the rest of the world), influential, generous, free nation in the history of the world is fatally flawed, and his preferred method of government - communist dictatorship, which has been proven over and over again to not work, impoverishes it's citizens (think Soviet bread lines), restricts their freedoms and destroys their standing in the world.

I think the point of people like Mr. Jones is that instead of bringing up third world countries through free market trade so that they can compete with America, they would prefer to bring America down to the third world level instead. I, personally, am damn proud to live in the greatest country on earth, and I think that, considering the amount of immigrants, both legal and illegal, who flock to our shores, I'm not alone.

Bring them up to our level, Mr. Jones, don't cast us down to theirs.

There are so many questionable things about this man, so much that has made the news. But, especially in light of what the left put Sarah Palin through, are these things 'vicious smears'?

I think not.

Yet again the mainstream media has given up it's journalistic integrity and ethics in favor of water carrying for the democrat party.