The Council has spoken, the votes have been cast and the results are in for this week’s Watcher’s Council match-up.
Even taking into consideration the normal high level of quality in both the Council and Non-Council entries, this was a tough call with some exceptional pieces to choose from and the close vote tally reflects it.
For instance, we had a tie this week in the Council category which I, as Watcher, have to break.
A few Council members weighed in this week on the attack by the Obama Campaign on Ann Romney and stay at home moms, but top o’ the stack was Bookworm Room’s The real threat that the Ann Romneys of the world represent to the statist Left. Aside from being an excellent dissertation in its own right, it earned mentions from Instapundit, Hot Air, Powerline and Legal Insurrection.
Then with a completely different type of piece, we had our favorite milblogger, The Mellow Jihadi, with an account of a conversation with an amazing marine, An Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, Korea, and Vietnam Vet.
How would you like to have to choose between ‘em? Hmmmm? And in the middle of a computer failure? But that, after all, is what I get paid the big bux for.
I loved The Mellow Jihadi’s piece, because it reminded me of conversations I’ve had with some of our warriors that I will never forget. But I ended up coming down on the side of Bookworm’s effort, because she was able to state so clearly and brilliantly exactly why the Left truly hates stay at home moms. Here’s a slice:
For the last many years, I have been the single most important influence on my children. Yes, they go to school (public school, yet); and yes, they both have thriving social lives; and yes, I’ve been unable to insulate them from a Leftist pop culture that is hostile to traditional norms and to conservatives generally, but I’m still the most important person. Of all the influences in their lives, I am the one who is most present, most consistent, and most trusted. I’m sure they’ll pull away as they get older, and they may even rebel, but I’ll still be that little voice in their brain, imparting facts, values, and analyses.
I am the counterweight to the state. Therefore, I am dangerous. I am subversive simply by existing. My love for my children is a dominant force that works its way into their psyches and that trumps the state-run schools and the state complicit media world. Some mothers, of course, are entirely in sync with schools and media. They happily reinforce the statist message. But those of us who don’t are a powerful anti-statist force and we must be challenged.
The Left’s problem with Ann Romney transcends her husband’s wealth, her (and his) Republican identification, and her decision to work for her children, rather than for a paying employer. The Left’s problem with Ann Romney is that she represents the triumph of the individual. No wonder they hate her so much.
In our non-council Category, the winner was Michael Totten for The Lost City submitted by Joshuapundit. It’s an amazing travelogue/reminiscence of Beirut that will make you almost feel like you’re there.
I normally don’t mention second place winners in either the Council or non-Council categories in my intro, but I’m going to make an exception this time.
What do you do if you’re a young Israeli child who comes home and finds your parents and three of your siblings, including a nine-month-old baby butchered on the Sabbath by ‘Palestinian’ murderers without even the dignity given to animals? How do you cope with it and go on with your life? And if you are a religious person, how do you process it and what questions do you ask of G-d? Read JewishMom.com’s Their Second Childhood: A Visit with the Fogel Orphans submitted by yours truly to find the answers. It will move you.
Ok, enough blathering. Here are this week’s full results. Only New Zeal was unable to vote this week, but was not affected by the 2/3 vote penalty:
Council Winners
- *First place with 4 votes! Bookworm Room – The real threat that the Ann Romneys of the world represent to the statist Left
- Second place with 3 votes – The Mellow Jihadi – An Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, Korea, and Vietnam Vet
- Third place 2 2/3 votes – Joshuapundit – John Derbyshire And A Talk About Race
- Fourth place with 1 2/3 votes – The Colossus of Rhodey – Obama makes an “uncharacteristic” gaffe — not like G.W. Bush
- Fifth place *t* with 1 vote – The Noisy Room – Hiding Behind Names
- Fifth place *t* with 1 vote – The Political Commentator – North Korea Camp 14: Why rogue nations cannot be negotiated with!
- Sixth place *t* with 2/3 vote – Simply Jews – This is our dog, Peter Beinart!
- Sixth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Razor – Prescription Abuse and the Legalization of Illicit Drugs
- Sixth place *t* with 2/3 vote – Rhymes With Right – Who Is More in Touch With Average Woman – Ann Or Michelle?
- Seventh place *t* with 1/3 vote – VA Right! – Tax Loopholes? Let’s End the Biggest Loophole of All – the “Earned” Income Tax Credit
- Seventh place *t* with 1/3 vote – GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD – Pakistani Spring
Non-Council Winners
- *First place with 3 votes! – Michael Totten – The Lost City submitted by Joshuapundit
- Second place with 2 2/3 votes – JewishMom.com – Their Second Childhood: A Visit with the Fogel Orphans submitted by The Watcher
- Third place with 2 1/3 votes – Sultan Knish – We Are All George Zimmerman submitted by The Noisy Room
- Fourth place with 2 votes – Harry’s Place – Ten Years Since Something That Never Happened: A Learning Moment for the Guardian submitted by Simply Jews
- Fifth place *t* with 1 vote – Dr. Melissa Clouthier – War On Women Wisconsin Edition: Slut Shaming Is Okay When Feminists Do It submitted by Rhymes With Right
- Fifth place *t* with 1 vote – Free Range International – All Clear submitted by GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD
- Sixth place *t* with 2/3 vote – TNR/Eric Trager – The Muslim Brotherhood’s Mendacious Charm Campaign in Washington submitted by The Watcher
- Sixth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Right Scoop – The History of Political Correctness submitted by The Right Planet
- Seventh place *t* with 1/3 vote – Truth Before Dishonor – Conservatives Understand Liberals submitted by The Colossus of Rhodey
- Seventh place *t* with 1/3 vote – Townhall/John Hawkins – The Seven Most Disturbing Moments So Far in Barack Obama’s Presidency submitted by VA Right!
- Seventh place *t* with 1/3 vote – Against The Grain – Obama, Not Holding the Center An Us-Against-Them Message Won’t Work In A Center-Right Country submitted by Gay Patriot
- Seventh place *t* with 1/3 vote – The Agitator – The Zimmerman Indictment: Reactions submitted by The Razor
- Seventh place *t* with 1/3 vote – Front Page Magazine/Bruce Bawer – Remembering Mike Wallace submitted by Bookworm Room
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