D.L. Hughley Parrots Leftist Talking Points, Ignores Inconvenient Facts
by Tim Slagle
Lately it seems like most of what the left considers intellectualism is just condescending arrogance based mostly on talking points and ungrounded assumptions.
Take, for instance, the debate over marijuana legalization. It is always assumed that the Democrats are in favor of legalization while the Republicans want to keep it verboten. Perhaps the explanation is that there are a lot more potheads in the Democrat Party, not that they have genuine intellectual curiosity. Democrats are the political home for the chronically lazy–given enough pot, your average Democrat will go on a long extended conspiracy rant about how hemp can feed, clothe, and fuel the entire earth, how it can grow without water, pesticides or fertilizer, and how the corporations paid off Republicans to make it illegal because it’s impossible to make a profit selling it.
The truth the legalization crowd ignores is that the Democrat Party is the home of neo-prohibitionists. The Democrats are the ones who demonize liquor, fast cars, trans-fats and anything else that makes life just a little more enjoyable. The tobacco bill that just passed the House is an example of how unlikely the Democrats are to legalize ANYTHING.
Here is a prime example of that monumental ignorance. In an exchange between Bill Maher and D.L. Hughley on the June 5 episode of “Real Time,” where they both loudly illustrated their pathetic knowledge of Supreme Court decisions:
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D.L Hughley boasts of catching conservatives in an act of hypocrisy. He complains that conservatives are all for states rights when abortion is in question but oppose the idea with regards to marijuana laws.
This is not exactly true. Conservatives are remarkably consistent in their views on the states rights, even when we’re talking about legalizing marijuana. In fact, when the issue was brought before the Supreme Court in the 2005 landmark case Gonzales v. Raich, states rights advocate William Rehnquist (the only justice remaining from Roe v. Wade abortion case, which he opposed) voted in favor of California’s right to legalize marijuana. He was joined by Reagan-appointee Sandra Day O’Connor and über-conservative Clarence Thomas. Thomas, in his dissenting opinion, wrote:
“If Congress can regulate this under the Commerce Clause, then it can regulate virtually anything and the Federal Government is no longer one of limited and enumerated powers…
“In the early days of the Republic, it would have been unthinkable that Congress could prohibit the local cultivation, possession, and consumption of marijuana…”
On the other hand, it was the liberals on the bench, those who believe that the Constitution is a flexible document that must continually bend to changing social mores, who voted unanimously against California’s right to provide a little grass to sick people. (I guess the document just isn’t that flexible.)
It is not a surprise that Hughley is not informed–most left-wing comedians aren’t. They are better at parroting the rhetoric of the left than actually presenting informed opinions. In fact, later in the show, Hughley goes so far as to claim there were no “drugs, drive-bys, or homeless people” in his neighborhood until Ronald Reagan was elected.
But the ultimate buffoon of the evening is Bill Maher. Bill, in his typical condescending way, actually says that Roe v. Wade gave states the right to make their own decisions about abortion, which is 180 degrees from the truth.
I don’t mind people having strong opinions, but to have a strong opinion while your knowledge is lacking to such an extent… Well, there is just no excuse for that.
Tim Slagle, a somewhat informed comedian, is available on iTunes and Amazon.
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77 Comments
I think what you've discovered is the greatest character flaw of the left: intellectual laziness. They on the left are like a reader who never uses a dictionary. If he comes across an unfamiliar word he infers or assumes its meaning and more often than not it is wrong. So they get their facts wrong, I doubt their fans could tell. Thanks for pointing it out.
How could Maher not know what Roe vs. Wade decided? I'm sure he has an opinion about the case, but I'm not sure how it's possible to hold an opinion without knowing the most basic element of the decision.
How can you even have lived in this country during the past thirty years and have misunderstood Roe v. Wade?
Jeeeez rick, who's whining? Slagle's right. Those idiots sit there on their high horses, spouting off like they're some sort of freakin' geniuses, when they're just typical lefty numb-nuts that don't know squat…. BUT, if they sound angry and indignant enough, then most of the dipsh*%s that comprise their audience, believes them.
A Terrific post, Tim. I don't know about your use of the word "lately" to start your first sentence, but otherwise superb. In Tennessee, there is not much chance we will see pot legalized anytime soon. As someone who went to high school and college in the 60's, I am familiar with pot, and believe it has a lot less potentially destructive consequences than alcohol and a heck of a lot of upside, but that's just one man's opinion. I don't like the notion of the government criminalizing behavior without victims anytime.
Heck yeah, Tim! The frightening thing is these uniformed/misinformed 'entertainers' like Hughley are the ones giving history and law lessons to the masses and many people accept their tripe as secular gospel. As we move towards a totally dumbed down populace and a national government, both anathema to a democratic republic, people like Maher, Obey, and Hughley will become the experts to the people advising the Pelosis, Reids, and Obamas. LIfe should become really interesting when that happens.
This makes the charge of anti-intellectualism continually lobbed at the right all the more irritating. The left is blind to its own ignorance of historical fact and current affairs while mistaking conventional wisdom (knowledge based on actual experience) and traditional values (which have held up for centuries) as anti-intellectualism.
Speaking as a research scientist, it's obvious to me that most leftist intellectuals start with the result they want — affirmation of their own biases or proclivities — and use cherry-picked/shoddy evidence and twisted reasoning to reach their intellectual conclusions. These conclusions are then parroted by useful idiots and hacks like Maher, who compound their idiocy with ignorance, and denounce anyone who challenges them on reasonable grounds as anti-intellectual. I wish people could see this for what it is.
Many years ago I remember watching "Politically Incorrect" and they were talking about a separatist milita group here in Texas that was in the news at the time. During the course of the discussion Michael McKean referred to the Battle of the Alamo as having happened during the American Civil War and none of the people on the show, not Maher, not the other guests, corrected him. It was at this point that I realized what a waste it was listening to these shows. None of these idiots had a grasp of even the most basic facts surrounding the events they were discussing which made me the biggest idiot of all to be sitting there listening to them like they had something of value to say.
Emotionally satisfying arguments are what you can expect out of a culture that places so much emphasize on how you feel and your sense of self worth. At some point bleeding hearts won out against meritocracy in the realm of child rearing and we will continue to reap the harvest that we have sown until we reverse the trend. Until then, fringe opinions that satisfy our often misguided intuition will continue to wreck havoc on an ever diminishing grasp of reality.
liberals are both ignorant and condescending? who knew??
in other breaking news… water is wet, the sky is blue, and grass is green.
Excellent point Rip! 1) they are idiots, 2) they bloviate incessantly just to hear themselves speak, 3) then they all nod approvingly to last "bloviator" and NOW they 4) feel important because they've "informed" the unwashed and ignorant masses as to "how" they should be thinking. Republicans/conservatives suck, it's Bush's fault, Rove is EVIL, America is to blame…. blah, blah, blah, blah
What cracks me up is that they only invite fellow morons on their shows to "discuss" issues. It quickly degenerates into a circle jerk of left-wing parrots congratulating each other on agreeing.
Say what you want about Bill O'Reilly, but at least he gets the other side on his show. Granted it's to beat them about the head and shoulders, but he gives them the opportunity to express the other point of view.
Bill Maher ambushes conservative guests, spouts his usually dishonest and lazy rhetoric, and then sits there with that smarmy little smirk. I think he knows he's a complete tool and gets off on seeing his "audience" fawn all over him.
And who the hell is DL Hughley??? And why does anyone give a flaming rat's ass about what he says???
I agree… it's the same with Glenn Beck (whom I am an avid viewer of) as with O'Reilly…
And what's sad is these talking points and parroting go well beyond News commentators and "comedians"… it is all over the internet… I feel like reaching through the monitor somedays and just throttling the parrot… However, I don't…
10th Amendment, baby.
I'm a big fan of Glenn Beck. O'reilly is a bit of a blowhard and I don;t agree with some of his stances like gun control. But at least he's willing to get people like Barney Frank and the person from Salon.com on there. It generally turns into a screaming match but he doesn't cower from opposing points of view like Maher does.
How that turd (Maher) still has a show is beyond me.
"We all agree, and we're all successful, so we're all correct!"
Most of them would be more comfortable in a drunk tank than a think tank.
Now that you've pointed out another example of the left's intellectual vacancy, you will discover another feature of leftist thought: You have proved that they are wrong, and rather than correct their position or argue about it, they will just ignore your argument and continue as if they are still right.
Maher must be running out of relevant guests if he's getting people like DL Hughley on there to act like they are smarter than a sack of doorknobs.
Booze, fast cars, junk food, grilling out, shooting a gun and using energy in any way are part of the neo-prohibitionist nanny state. The left is one big buzz kill. The only thing the left supports is gay rape porn flicks.
Excellent post, Tim. Thx for sharing the facts.
I, too, have bought into the simplistic hype that the Republicans are the cranky nay-sayers while the Democrats are the libertines. I would not have expected that vote break-down on the Supreme Court. Nice to know.
And, dang. That is what makes these types of political discussions so hard… and this is why I steer away from all of them (personally). There is too much misinformation floating around out there. And, I just don't have the time to do all the research myself so I can engage intelligently.
As for me, I'll be much more willing to support a marijuana-legalization bill as soon as we implement a waiver system for all future government hand-outs: "You wanna smoke pot? You are free to do so AFTER you sign this contract in which you forfeit all future claims to any and all government assistance: unemployment, Medicare/Medicaid, HUD, food stamps, emergency medical care, reduced-rate loans, etc."
"You wanna screw up your life? Go ahead; it's a free country. But, don't expect me to bail you out in 10 years because you can't hold a job."
Wouldn't that be glorious?
Eagerly awaiting the New Hollywood.
Never let it be said that a Liberal would allow the truth to alter their opinion!
Why the need to bash pot heads? As a stoner I take great offense! It's as lazy as the left saying Bush is retarded. You can do better than that. Not all of us smokers are left-wing retards.
And WFB made a strong argument as to why conservatives should be for legalization.
DL Hughley a liberal intellectual? You must be joking. I don't know any other liberals who think that. He might be a liberal but he's not a representative of the intellectual wing of the left. He's probably just Maher's buddy.
Guess DL Hughley has a lot of time on his hands, now that his horrible 'show' on CNN has been canceled. You mean a guy reading the news and then saying "Daaaaaaamnnnn!!!" doesn't resonate with the country? I'm shocked. Maybe he and Kathy Griffin can fade into obscurity together.
nick: I agree that he's no intellectual, but Maher is presenting him as someone with an important opinion. If his opinion is of no importance, then who gives a damn what he thinks, including Maher?
Another feature of leftist thought: If you're famous, then your opinion on the issues is more valid than everyone else's.
Hank, you know they don't want dissenting opinions on there… because They'd be proven wrong for everyone to see!! (minus tape edits of course… but then they might have a 30 second show…
{SHOW STARTS}
Hi, I'm Bill Maher.. and with me tonight… {list of guests}
{bunch of stuff removed for being embarassed by facts and stuff.. those pesky things!}
Thank you and good night!
{END SHOW}
but but.. he's got his own show on CNN!!! He must be an intellectual!!!! He must be! He's gotta be!!
"If his opinion is of no importance, then who gives a damn what he thinks, including Maher?"
What do you mean "if"? His opinion has no importance except in his own house. And spot on with the last sentence.
"The Democrats are the ones who demonize liquor.."
Eh? The Volstead Act (AKA Prohibition) was passed by a Republican majority congress overriding President Wilson's veto.
Futhermore, your conservative champion of Marajuana, Clarence "Nearly everything goes better with Coke" Thomas ruled in US v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative:
"In the case of the Controlled Substances Act, the statute reflects a determination that marijuana has no medical benefits worthy of an exception." and that marajuana has "no currently accepted medical use."
Whose arguement is "based mostly on talking points and ungrounded assumptions?
Stay stupid, Tim.
I just have to ask, does ANYONE take Maher or Hughley seriously? cmon, they are HACKS when it comes to comedy.
I would actually sit through an entire show if it was like that!!!
He wears glasses so he MUST be a super-genius!!!
Pathetic wannabe. Just say something gross about a beautiful, intelligent, accomplished Conservative White woman and get attention from state-run media.
Hughley's stand-up routine: White people and Republicans are to blame for everything. There. I just saved you $40 and the two-drink minimum.
I understand that Marijuana is much more potent now than it ws in the 60's, 70's, or even 80's.
People nowadays are apparently creating some new strands of superweed. not saying whether it should be legal or not but the argument about alcohol being worse for you is now becoming debatable. Just saying.
at the time "no currently accepted medical use" would mean that in the future, perhaps one could be found. That is the point of that judgment from Clarence Thomas
As for marijuana being available for medical uses today, it's mostly so libs like you can whine about it being legalized. The only medical benefit of it is it "may" reduce pain slightly.
And as for whose argument, etc. – wow, one faulty point from you compared to the myriad of illogical claims by the left and you think you are smart. take your own advise and stay stupid.
one more thing – Clarence "negbwc" Thomas did what any proper Judge and Supreme Court Justice should do. He applied the law as it is stated in the books. He did not resort to judicial activism, which is something you dolts think is just so cool. He also didn't say that this law will stand forever – you want the law changed, then reason with the voters and get the amendment on the ballot – till then. . . .
Stay stupid, kdizzy
Why even wast your time on this low grade moron, D(umb) L(azy) Hughley? He's nothing, a nobody, a CNN invention (scooped up by HBO) for the Obamunist agenda.
But he's got the liberal "I'm so utterly intelligent" glasses on.
Paul_E
Maybe you should have read the entire court decision, rather than the DNC talking points.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-151.ZO.h...
Buried in the footnotes you will see that Thomas also wrote the following:
"we share Justice Stevens’ concern for “showing respect for the sovereign States that comprise our Federal Union … Because federal courts interpret, rather than author, the federal criminal code, we are not at liberty to rewrite it. Nor are we passing today on a constitutional question, such as whether the Controlled Substances Act exceeds Congress’ power under the Commerce Clause"
I suppose you would prefer they be Kawasaki glasses? Is liberal eyewear "destroying the country" too?
If we would have know how much trouble they were going to cause….we should ahve just picked the cotton ourselves!
MegaTroll here, doing quality control. I grade you at a D.
1. Your post was pointless and lacked true invective. I never once felt you meant it.
2. You spelling and grammar were too good as well.
3. Your troll name is weak, emotionless.
Improve or lose your trolling license. I will be watching.
Boo…
MegaTroll here, doing quality control. I grade you at an A-.
1. Your post was full of lies. Excellent.
2. It is clear that you are simply repeating talking points. Excellent.
3. Your spelling and word usage are poor. Excellent.
4. Your Troll name is weak, but acceptable.
Your trolling license is renewed.
i've known potheads that were WAY smarter and more active than LOTS of alcoholics i've also known
Not well played.
Turn in your troll card.
I never noticed this when I used to watch his sitcom, but Hughley looks like a Muppet.
This is not a bad thing. I'm just sayin'.
Didn't Hughley's sitcom bomb as well? Guess he doesn't know comedy as well.
More proof of President Reagan's statement, "Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
A strict interpretation of the Constitution's interstate commerce clause. That does not help "California’s right to provide a little grass to sick people" either. Maybe "the document just isn’t that flexible".
Thomas' interpretation of the Commerce Clause leaves no room for federal intervention into the traditional state and local issue of medicine,doctors, patients and Marijuana -Ninth and Tenth Amendments?
very cute… someone needs to do both Troll alert and a troll grading system; you just can't get good blood boilin' invective anymore…
Wow are you still trying to argue this?
In US v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative, Thomas argued that the Federal law on Marijuana does not make exception for medical uses, and that the Supreme Court does not get to write laws. He also hinted that the Controlled Substances Act might be unconstitutional.
Which is what he DID rule in Gonzales v. Raich. That the Right of the State to permit Medical Marijuana trumped the Power of the Fed to regulate it. Unfortunately the Liberal Justices on the bench could not see that argument.
Anyway, the discussion was not whether Thomas wants to legalize pot, the argument was whether he was consistent on States Rights.
And he is.
First of all, you can SOOOOO make a profit selling pot. Second, I can't take anyone with the hairstyle of my old cabbage patch doll seriously. They're both out of touch nincumpoops. I wonder when was the last time either of them had a gig in say… Lincoln, Nebraska.
Sadly, they've been given a platform to misinform even more people who take their 1040 EZ to an accountant. And I'd love to know how Hughley's neighborhood was doing before Reagan was elected. Ya know, the good old Carter days.
I watched him interview Ron Paul and enjoyed it.
Can you say intellectually retarded? That covers most if not all liberal comedy and those who produce the medium. I have never seen a truly intellectual liberal comedian or comedianne. Case in point, check out the headliners on Comedy Central or the Bill Maher Show. It's all about dumb and dumber. They always open the mouth to remove all doubt.
As for legalization of Drugs including Pot I am all for that .We need the tax base and the pharma's need the competition to keep perscription prices reasonable. Just because I am Conservative doesn't mean I can't do a cost benefit analysis based on the facts.
Very True! Oprah addiction is much worse than marijuana.
And you get busted DUI, 10 years hard labor…
LOLOLOLOL!!!!
Waiter, waiter.. There's a Troll in my soup!
What's he doing?
I don't know, I can only see his snorkle.
"At some point…" was the 1960s. Following WWI, the Great Depression, WWII, Korea, and the rise of the Corporate culture in the 1950s, America upheaved in the 1960s. It was as if time stopped and another time line restarted.
OK. Some New Yorkers try to ban trans-fats. So therefore Liberals are anti-freedom. Three Republican appointed Supreme Court justices dissented in Gonzales v Raich. So therefore Conservatives are pro-freedom. Some great logic there.
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WAS THE PLAINTIFF IN THAT CASE! For eight years they hammered California for the medical marijuana. Support for The Drug War has been embedded into the Republican Party Platform for decades.
Our local and federal law enforcement agencies have all been turned into para-military organizations. Many of whom seem to view the public as the enemy. Let freedom reign.
This in a column accusing stupid DL Hughley of ignoring inconvenient facts.
No, it's a wonder they have a audience at all.
Well, I'm a musician who graduated from high school in the mid-70's, so I basically spent ten years of my life stoned every day. Some mornings, I'd wake up and do a bong hit before my feet hit the floor. So yeah, I think pot ought to be legal. No doubt about it. As a bouncer friend of mine likes to say, "Guys get drunk and fight. The very same guys get stoned and order pizza."
Problem is, as usual, lawyers (Most of whom are leftists, natch). They don't want drug laws reformed so that they make sense, because drug laws are the biggest bonanza of all for lawyers and law enforcement agencies (And "correctional" facilities).
The very same lawyer-lobby-induced illogic recently played out when Obama's administration sent up a trial balloon about limiting medical malpractice awards. The trial lawyers – certainly the lowest form of shyster scum on earth – had a cow, and that idea was nixed. Too bad, because the single quickest way you could lower health care costs would be to limit physician's liabilities. Their insurance costs would plummet, more people who want to be doctors would, and there you have it: Problem solved, or at least greatly ameliorated.
As I've said before, first-class citizens create things, second-class citizens produce things, third-class citizens provide essential services, and fourth-class citizens provide non-essential services. Super-citizens do two out of the four, hyper-citizens do three out of the four, and ultra-citizens do all four things. Lawyers are all fourth-class citizens, while many doctors are super, hyper, or even ultra-citizens. It is an abomination that our society allows fourth-class citizens to get rich suing ultra-citizens, but since lawyers make the law, judge the law, prosecute the law, and defend us from the law, that's what you get with such a racket: Racketeers.
[...] D.L. Hughley Parrots Leftist Talking Points, Ignores Inconvenient Facts — 3:41pm via Google [...]
Man, that was beautiful. Funny thing is, pot is the #1 cash crop in a lot of states. This debate will come to a head sooner or later, and probably sort out along the lines of state rights, which would be a more conservative nature than liberal. I know conservatives who smoke grass and more libertarians.
It might be that smoking grass and doing lots of other drugs – including legal drugs – is so prevalent in this society and among folks like Maher and Hughley that they will say all kinds of stuff off the top of their heads that might just be influence by something flowing through their bloodstreams. Seriously, I think that's one of the biggest problems people on the left in show business have, much more than the conservatives. After all, it's easy to be emotional and get the mob to buy in, because a lot of those folks are high, anyway. Just what I've observed.
He is a wanna-be Sherman Hemsley. At least that's the way he seemed to come across in his sitcom years ago.
"YES! WE'RE ALL INDIVIDUALS!"
"I'm not…"
"shh!"
I don't watch Bill that often, but I recently saw a clip of him getting really angry at a pro-abortion editor, and he got on her case for not answering his question. After interrupting her and yelling at her she finally admitted what he suspected she believed. I think in that case there was a method to his madness.
As DL told a judge on his old comedy series – "I didn't know I was a racist. I thought I was just a jack-ass".
He nailed it.
Stick to the jokes, clownboy.
If I ever watch 'Real Time' it is by accident or chance. So I've only seen it a couple of times. I remember them both. Once was when Senator Biden was a guest and I could feel Biden's pain and shame. He could not hide it. The other time was when Mssrs. Hitchens, Rushdie and Mos Def were guests. That show was painful for me to watch.
I miss 'Firing Line' with William Buckley. It would be nice if someone would find a Buckley impersonator and revive that show.
Uhhh, used to have his own show on CNN. I do believe it was canceled.
How racist of CNN to cancel a black man's show for low ratings.
Sarcasm off.
Maher thought the decision ruled the correct way to cross a stream. He IS a dumbass you know. Concerning the other intellectual giant in this piece, who is he exactly? Ya…black guy…funny hair, ok I'm with you…umm. OK, he doesn't ring any bells, never heard of him. I'm sure he feels the same about me. I don't care.
D.L. Hughley is correct. He is also an intellectual. I know it's true because he was wearing thick black glasses for this interview.
Liberals often wear these glasses for interviews, even though they don't need them or wear them on a daily basis.
They are "magic intellect glasses" that make you smart, and you can buy them at the chicest boutiques in L.A. Lindsay Lohan even has a pair.
My favorite Monty Python line ever.
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