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“Champions of the Overdog”

This has been blogged elsewhere, I know, but I think it deserves a wide circulation.

In June of this year, Johann Hari of UK newspaper The Independent went undercover on one of The National Review’s yearly cruises to find out “what American conservatives say when they think the rest of us aren’t listening”. The result is one of the most illuminating pieces of political and social journalism I’ve ever read. Those of you who think the red and blue gap is an artificial construct or that it’s not as wide as the media would have you believe, read on.

I lie on the beach with Hillary-Ann, a chatty, scatty 35-year-old Californian designer. As she explains the perils of Republican dating, my mind drifts, watching the gentle tide. When I hear her say, “Of course, we need to execute some of these people,” I wake up. Who do we need to execute? She runs her fingers through the sand lazily. “A few of these prominent liberals who are trying to demoralise the country,” she says. “Just take a couple of these anti-war people off to the gas chamber for treason to show, if you try to bring down America at a time of war, that’s what you’ll get.” She squints at the sun and smiles. “Then things’ll change.”

Full story here.