National Review Writer On Bundy: Heroes Of The Alamo Probably Had ‘Repugnant’ Views, Too

Rancher Cliven Bundy speaks at a protest area near Bunkerville, Nev. Wednesday, April 16, 2014. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Review-Journal, John Locher)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

National Review correspondent Kevin Williamson, who recently compared Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy to Mahatma Gandhi, told TPM in an email on Thursday that he thought Bundy’s racially charged comments were “lamentable” but they were “separate” from Bundy’s standoff with the Bureau of Land Management.

“Mr. Bundy’s racial rhetoric is lamentable and backward,” Williamson said in an email. “It is also separate from the fundamental question here, which is the federal government’s acting as an absentee landlord for nine-tenths of the state of Nevada.”

“I very strongly suspect that most of the men who died at the Alamo held a great many views that I would find repugnant; we remember them for other reasons.”

On April 15, Williamson wrote in defense of Bundy for National Review Online: “Of course the law is against Cliven Bundy. How could it be otherwise? The law was against Mohandas Gandhi, too, when he was tried for sedition.”

“Bundy’s stand should not be construed as a general template for civic action,” he wrote at the time. “It is nonetheless the case that, in measured doses, a little sedition is an excellent thing.”

Watch the video of Bundy:

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. So, you’re saying that Mr. Bundy’s views are only about 180 years old?

    Here’s a tip: STOP helping!

  2. National Review on Bundy’s Racism: “Alamo Heroes Probably Had ‘Repugnant’ Views, Too”

    It’s life imitating Red Dwarf:

    Arnold Rimmer: Providing you avoid politics, the Hitlers are an absolute hoot.
    Kryten: It's just a social thing. We don't talk about his work. We just have a few laughs, play canasta, and enjoy the odd game of mixed doubles with the Goerings.
  3. Cliven Bundy is just like Davy Crockett? Problem solved!

  4. Avatar for msny msny says:

    Tonight on THE FACTOR: If slavery was good enough for the Founding Fathers, who are we to judge?

  5. “I very strongly suspect that most of the men who died at the Alamo held a great many views that I would find repugnant”

    And I’ll bet those Romans weren’t to PC either. Can you not think of a response that doesn’t require the listener be a fool?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

1 more reply

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for sjb1126mn Avatar for msny Avatar for irasdad Avatar for alyoshakaramazov Avatar for 538liberal Avatar for mikeyz99

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: