Why does the Right claim to embrace George Orwell?

[solinvictus]

Orwell, though critical of Soviet communism and totalitarianism, remained a committed democratic socialist all his life and in "Homage to Catalonia" was sympathetic to Spanish anarchists? Orwell, in all likelihood, would have no use for these neo-con hypocrites both here and in the UK. Ironically enough, there has been a faster march to totalitarianism under W than any American president. Any thoughts?

[hippiepunk]

1. Because they are hypocrytical

assholes?:shrug:

[CornField]

2. Honestly?

Because most of the right doesn't take time to read entire books... much less dive into an author's complete works, biography and symbolism. They see quotes (like the one in your signature) and make decisions based upon those small bits of knowledge.

[solinvictus]

5. Orwell and firearms..

Oddly enough, he formed his views on an armed public while in Spain. He saw that the worker's militias, not the Soviets, had stopped Franco in his tracks. It was armed groups of irregular workers who fought, bled, and died for the Spanish Republic while the Popular Army stayed safely in the rear and weakened the worker's control over the state.

[WMliberal]

3. bc he was anti-communist.

That's all most of them see Orwell for. They often don't grasp that he was anti-totalitarian, regardless of how it started; Communism just happened to be the best model for him to lampoon, thanks to defectors and samizdat writings seeping out revealing the state of things.
Orwell also thanks Zamyatin in his introduction to 1984, as there would have been no 1984 without Zamyatin's "We."

[NYC]

4. Because they are using "1984" as a how-to manual?

It was an anti-communist book. That's the only reason I can think of, and truly, I had no idea they embraced Orwell.

[libhill]

7. Nor did I

Maybe they like the Imperialist anus cavity characters in "Burmese Days"?

[NYC]

8. I haven't read that.

I'll add it to my list of books to read.

[libhill]

13. It's a good read

Orwell served with the Burma Police in the 1920's. It's a semi-autobiographical novel about racism and colonialism. I like it because it's based, loosely, on actual events. Check it out.

[Dr Fate]

6. Because they are intelligent enough to co-opt & define everything....

...and to never give up or concede on any point. They refuse to let their opponents define ANYTHING. Smart if you ask me.

That is how they have people believing that Hitler was a "socialist" and Orwell was a conservative.

[NYC]

9. Who believes that Hitler was a socialist?

?

[Dr Fate]

11. Have you never heard that popular RW talking point?

Seriously- it is often repeated talk-radio talking point.

[NYC]

12. Then that's why I haven't heard it.

I don't listen to talk radio. It is so blatantly wrong, but I guess that doesn't stand in their way.

[Dr Fate]

14. I also saw it on "Connie Chung" when she was on CNN...

It was a segment comparing Saddam to Hitler- they used the term "socialist" several times to describe the both of them.

[NYC]

22. Which proves that CNN is not "news".

I gave up cable television almost 3 years ago because I felt it was right wing opinion masquerading as news. At least they don't get my money anymore, and I don't get an ulcer watching it.

It's a pity that some people will believe it.

[punpirate]

10. The Libertarian streak in the right...

... sees Orwell's anti-totalitarianism as an attractive complement to their "small government" ideal. They do like to think of "big government" as just as oppressive as the totalitarian scenarios in Orwell's books.

That said, I don't think their affinity to Orwell extends much beyond that--they don't, in general, see the analogs of their own desperate and despicable policies in his writings. Fascism was just as odious to Orwell as communism and totalitarianism, and the right certainly chooses, conveniently, not to see their own fascist tendencies.

[Dr Fate]

In other words, they never read the book. n/t

n/t

[punpirate]

16. I wouldn't go so far as to say that...

... but, it's still possible to see what one wants to see in it, and ignore the other implications about one's own behavior....

[Dr Fate]

18. I guess, if you read it once in the 8th grade or somthing...

...you could be right- but that book is so blunt & powerful- to me, seems the message is clear...

[Selteri]

15. Those who fail to learn from history

are doomed to repeat it, over and over and over...

when will they learn?

[Eric J in MN]

17. Where did they do that? nt

nt

[solinvictus]

19. Coulter and several other pundits have invoked Orwell N/T

[applegrove]

20. Why is Bolton at the UN. Why is Wolfowitz at the WB. Because they

are monsters and they pretend to embrace what they hate in order to diminish it. Look at how they kissed Roosevelt's dead butt in the months leading up to the announcement of SS reform.

So we will not know what to think.

You can tell the comparisons to totalitarianism and Hitler hurt..because their whining little toady trolls are forever trying to 'rebrand' Hitler into a socialist. As if nothing bad could ever come from the right. Because the biggest neocon weapon in maintaining a one party state is patriotism. And Hitler showed what that was about. You don't re-create tribalism when you have finally gotten rid of it. Unless you are an elitist creep and you hate democracy.

[d_b]

21. The Right embracing Orwell..

That's a tactic straight out of 1984

[priller]

23. How Orwellian of them!

n/t