CHARLES JOHNSON GIVES UP ON THE RIGHT…. Way back in April, we talked about Charles Johnson, of “Little Green Footballs” fame, and his growing discomfort with what’s become of the right in contemporary politics. I wrote at the time, “After having read Little Green Footballs over the years, I didn’t expect it to be one of the sites urging conservatives to pull back from the fringes and be more responsible. It’s a pleasant surprise. Here’s hoping others follow Charles Johnson’s lead.”
More than six months later, we see that this obviously hasn’t happened. And late yesterday, Johnson, at one point one of the highest profile conservative bloggers in the country, announced that he’s “parting ways” with the right.
He put together a list of developments that Johnson believes pushed him away, including support for bigotry, opposition to women’s rights, hostility towards science, homophobia, embrace of “anti-government lunacy,” and “support for conspiracy theories and hate speech.”
And much, much more. The American right wing has gone off the rails, into the bushes, and off the cliff.
I won’t be going over the cliff with them.
Johnson didn’t elaborate about where he now feels comfortable — in other words, it’s unclear if he’s just giving up on the right or actually becoming a full-fledged progressive — but given his role in helping lead the conservative blogosphere for years, his departure is a rather striking development.
One can hope his announcement will encourage others to come to their senses, but based on the initial reaction to Johnson’s post, the right does not appear to be in a self-reflective mood.
