The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

‘A Long Twilight Struggle’

Posted on | November 3, 2013 | 43 Comments

That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as I was reading an e-mail from a friend lamenting the continuation of the war against Diana West and her book, American Betrayal. Busy with other matters, I had forgotten about the unfortunate internecine conflict that developed after Ron Radosh and David Horowitz attacked West in August.

Alas, ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. Conrad Black has repeatedly taken up the cudgel against West, and she responded this past week with a letter to National Review, including this remark:

No comment from the commentariat at the larger outlets over this heated clash, however, which is noteworthy in itself. A battle royale is joined over a book with “names” on both sides — not your everyday occurrence — and none of the capital-p pundits says (dares say?) a word about it, not even to write a book review.

That’s strange, isn’t it? Diana West has many influential friends, and her adversaries also have many friends, but most people — especially those she calls “the capital-p pundits” — seem determined to stay as far away as possible from this ugly fight. And who can blame them? Nobody wants to get themselves muddied up in a mess like this.

At any rate, the e-mail this morning from a mutual friend reminded me that Diana is still under fire in a battle that is out of sight of most readers. It is easy to ignore other people’s problems. Knowing how I have relied on the encouragement of friends to sustain me during some of my own struggles, however, and having defended Diana West since this controversy began, I felt a burden to take notice and to let her know she still has my sympathy and support.

Diana has been kind enough to include my commentary — along with that of  Andrew Bostom, Vladimir Bukovsky, Donald Douglas, M. Stanton Evans and others — in her new e-book about this controversy, The Rebuttal. You can show your support by visiting her site, DianaWest.net, and by following Diana on Twitter.

 

 

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Category: Books, History

Comments

43 Responses to “‘A Long Twilight Struggle’”

  1. MrEvilMatt
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:05 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http://t.co/RNThbzUX5Q

  2. Resista38176897
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:05 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http://t.co/wTzzRNKv5e

  3. CHideout
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:05 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http://t.co/344jXFa0W3

  4. jwbrown1969
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:05 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http://t.co/A1eJSUK4Ta

  5. Lockestep1776
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:05 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http://t.co/H0QZo99qkZ

  6. Citzcom
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:05 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http://t.co/T4CW5yhw4x

  7. rsmccain
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:12 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/VQOHlL2aq9 | @diana_west_ @AmPowerBlog @vadum

  8. thatMrGguy
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:39 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/LaLwKdGWt9

  9. diana_west_
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:44 am

    RT @rsmccain: ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/VQOHlL2aq9 | @diana_west_ @AmPowerBlog @vadum

  10. DocWashburn
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 9:52 am

    RT @rsmccain: ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/VQOHlL2aq9 | @diana_west_ @AmPowerBlog @vadum

  11. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:06 am

    For the life of me, I do not understand why they went after West. They are like old ladies at some club or organization, engaging in Tony Soprano power moves.

  12. Quartermaster
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:24 am

    The problem is that Radosh and Black have had their own “histories” called out and questioned. She has run into the same problem David Irving has run into. David Irving has been smeared as a holocaust denier, when he has done no such thing (ironically, Irving’s books are widely plagiarized by conformists like Evans and Kershaw).

    Conformists hate those that question them. People like Black and Radosh have vested interests that pay for supper, and they can’t afford people like West mucking up things for them.

  13. joethefatman
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:37 am

    Actually Andrew C. McCarthy does address it, somewhat peripherally, in an article posted yesterday at NRO. And he points to an upcoming article that will address it directly.

    Given the way he mildly eviscerates Radosh over the lies involved in the social security scam, it ought to be a worthy read.

    I used mildly to moderate eviscerate on purpose. I get the sense that he’d really like to go for broke in taking Radosh down.

  14. joethefatman
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:40 am

    Radosh was a marxist that turned conservative. He just forgot to leave the “government knows best” attitude behind.

  15. ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ | Dead Citizen's Rights Society
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:42 am

    […] ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ […]

  16. richard mcenroe
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:49 am

    That’s Conrad Black the jailbird, right? So we have sn “ex” commie and an “ex” con attacking this woman in defense of an arrogant statist President who abused the Constitution and prolonged this nation’s economic misery with his economic dilletantism … and none of our “names” will stand up for her? Conservatism, the philosophy of character…

  17. richard mcenroe
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:52 am

    Twitter isn’t letting me follow anyone lately, so I’ll have to settle for ordering her book as soon as we unpack the computer in Texas.

  18. joethefatman1
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 11:13 am

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/28hkrIzOBd

  19. joethefatman
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 11:15 am

    Where about in Texas? I’m just outside of Houston meself.

  20. richard mcenroe
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 11:21 am

    Hondo, about 40 miles SW of San Antonio. Leaving today.

  21. G Joubert
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 11:30 am

    She also may have turned over a rock somewhere in her research that they (Radosh and Horowitz), with their “histories,” would rather not be looked at too closely.

  22. bet0001970
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 11:46 am

    Welcome! Next time you come into the city, I’ll buy you a beer.

  23. joethefatman
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 12:02 pm

    I’ve been there. On my way over to Uvalde.

  24. AmPowerBlog
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 12:11 pm

    RT @rsmccain: ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/VQOHlL2aq9 | @diana_west_ @AmPowerBlog @vadum

  25. rsmccain
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 12:19 pm

    RT @MrEvilMatt: ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http://t.…

  26. La Pucelle
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 12:46 pm

    The problem is that Radosh and Horowitz didn’t leave their elitist tendencies behind. Even conservatives can be pulled into the “I know best, if only they put me in charge, everything would be better!” mindset.

  27. richard mcenroe
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 1:24 pm

    Yup. When you get to the town sign that says ‘this is God’s country, don’t drive like hell through it!’ you’re there…

  28. rsmccain
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 1:33 pm

    RT @Resista38176897: ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http…

  29. Quartermaster
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 2:03 pm

    I’m betting so. Same with Black. All of them are acting like scalded dawgs.

  30. AmPowerBlog
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 2:12 pm

    ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/ZWblicHI0M via @RSMcCain

  31. rsmccain
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 2:14 pm

    RT @AmPowerBlog: ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/ZWblicHI0M via @RSMcCain

  32. gates of vienna
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 3:22 pm

    That’s interesting. McCarthy, her co-author on “The Team B Report” checks in at the very edge of the margin…*four months* and counting after she could have used real, full-bore help from this “friend”. She was hoisted up to swing in the wind by Radosh and the David Horrorwits’ machine; the Big Guys who should have come to her defense left her hanging there.

    Sheesh, has the ‘conservative’ side become Norway?? First I resigned from the GOP, and now I’ll mosey on down the road, upwind from these faux-cons. Guess I’ll go with Richard McEnroe’s description, below, since it appears I’m now an ex-con.

    Doesn’t leave much to hang onto…not when you slog through the swamps to find John Bolton is now head of Gatestone. Why is that important (if you like John Bolton?)? Because after his appointment, Gatestone summarily fired their own senior analyst, Claire Lopez,on discovering they’d published her essay mentioning -gasp!- Diana West. Fired her gluteus maximus and scrubbed her existence from their site.

    Airbrush much?
    Ah, Daniel Moynihan, no wonder you died of a broken heart.

    The interwebs are a strange and furious phenomenon – some days, after a blind-siding jab to the head, you’d swear you died and for your sins were sent to live in some ivied faculty lounge. There, resentments are nursed and grudges held tightly to the chest, waiting for the right moment for maximum damage. Eternal life under a chair, trying to avoid the shrapnel.

    OTOH, I suppose the blogosphere is just a logical extension of the ‘polarized’, everything-is-politics era in which we live. Those jostling for position have surrendered any worries about things like integrity. Those that refuse to surrender? Well, they know how to make you a non-person.

    This renewed defense by RSM of an important work (and of a woman of integrity) is heartening indeed.

  33. vadum
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 3:36 pm

    RT @rsmccain: ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’ http://t.co/VQOHlL2aq9 | @diana_west_ @AmPowerBlog @vadum

  34. BobBelvedere
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 7:18 pm

    Fearless @Diana_West_ could use a word of encouragement as she battles some elites on our side. See: http://t.co/iM9qeKLYPS by @rsmccain

  35. rsmccain
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 7:27 pm

    RT @BobBelvedere: Fearless @Diana_West_ could use a word of encouragement as she battles some elites on our side. See: http://t.co/iM9qeKLY…

  36. agoodeye
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 7:30 pm

    RT @BobBelvedere: Fearless @Diana_West_ could use a word of encouragement as she battles some elites on our side. See: http://t.co/iM9qeKLY…

  37. rsmccain
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 8:14 pm

    RT @Lockestep1776: ‘A Long Twilight Struggle’: That phrase from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address came to mind this morning as … http:/…

  38. American Betrayed, Part 2: Planet X | Gates of Vienna
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:00 pm

    […] As Stacy McCain said this morning: […]

  39. Quartermaster
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:02 pm

    When I was in Hi Skool at South San Antonio, we used to tease people that were from Hondo. Ya gotta be from some where though.

  40. Quartermaster
    November 3rd, 2013 @ 10:06 pm

    I have a hunch that NR is restraining McCarthy in his defense of her. M. Stanton Evans fisked Radosh after Radosh attempted to fisk Evans. If Radosh had any shame, he’d still be in hiding.

    I hope McCarthy takes both Radosh and Black apart. They both need it.

  41. Bradoplata
    November 4th, 2013 @ 12:52 pm

    If you get blocked by a train, it might be me.

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    […] As Stacy McCain said this morning: […]