Mountain Xpress Profiles Carolina Stompers

One of the local free papers, The Mountain Xpress, has profiled the new conservative group the Carolina Stompers in this weeks issue. An excerpt follows:

Since the Stompers’ formation in August, this aggressively right-wing group has grabbed headlines, churned out short films and television ads—and made no small number of enemies across the political spectrum. And if the Stompers are militant in their rhetoric, their detractors are equally harsh in their criticism, calling group members “ignorant” or “theocratic bigots.”

Meanwhile, the State Board of Elections is investigating charges that the group has broken campaign rules.

Undaunted, Nesbitt now hopes to take the Stompers to the next level—and he’s spoiling for a fight.

“The way things have been going—especially in the city of Asheville and the state, with the liberals running things ... it’s been going down the tubes. That’s why we’ve taken such an aggressive stance,” he explains. “When you come to [the Carolina Stompers Web site], you can see that elephant chomping on his cigar, flexing his muscle. You can see he’s pro-U.S.A., and you can hear his trumpet roar. That’s to let people know that we’re out there, we’re supporting these kids—and we’re ready to do battle, if necessary.”

It is indeed news that a conservative group has formed in Buncombe County that is willing to fight against the shrill progressives, and increasingly shrill pauleroid libertarians.

More on the curious choice to express the opposing view point, Tim Peck, a sometimes blogger whom I have invited to participate on WNC Citizens Blog, and have cooperated with on the Buncombe County Republican Action Club activities, and coverage of the Edwards/Shuler Rally in Hendersonville in August 2006:

Blogger and activist Tim Peck says he finds the Stompers’ approach “juvenile and dishonest,” citing the anti-Lite ad as an example. Peck, one of Nesbitt’s rivals within the local Republican Party, asserts that Nesbitt formed the Stompers to soothe his wounded ego after his unsuccessful bid to become chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party.

In March, Nesbitt was bested by retired Army Col. Mike Harrison. The election, says Peck, represented a schism in the party between the more libertarian camp and “the hard-line religious right.” Nesbitt “and his cronies would harangue [Harrison] at every meeting of the executive committee.”

But Harrison stepped down under pressure about two months later, and in June, the executive committee named Mark Delk to serve out his term.

But according to Peck, who describes his own philosophy as libertarian, the struggle left Nesbitt with “a chip on his shoulder” that prompted him to found the Stompers. “He anticipated being the voice of the Republican Party and ... the heir to that chairmanship,” Peck asserts. “When he couldn’t get it legitimately, he decided to create his own organization, which he would deem the ‘true Republicans.’”

I am skeptical of the Mountain Xpress choice of Tim to present the opposing view, because the most logical choice would be Gordon Smith of the local Progressive Group Blog, the Scrutiny Hooligans, who has posted about the Carolina Stompers, and devoted a lot of time hurling insults at the group. I can't quite put my finger on it; I smell a rat, or a horse.

Methinks that Tim Peck is being used as a Stalking Horse. To whit:

Tim's blog posts on the Carolina Stompers:

Zero

Although in nearly everyplace where the Stompers are discussed, he usually leaves a disparaging remark...especially in the AC-T Topix Forums. My favorite is "The Carolina Stompers are their own worst ad."



Gordon Smith on the Carolina Stompers:

Nov 13th... Chad Nesbitt Advocates Discrimination

Oct 22nd... People Who Are Different From You, where I am the springboard from which he launches into the Carolina Stompers.

Oct 3rd... Pride Goeth Before A Fall

Sept 28th... As I Was Surfing

Sept 14th... Radical Right Wingers Attack Elaine Lite

Sept 2nd... NC-11 Republican Train Wreck Continues

Aug 16th... Buncombe County’s Republican Feud Intensifies

Aug 13th... Area Republicans Make Their Own Netroots Push


Gordon Smith, the blogger formerly known as Screwy Hoolie, has also posted numerous references to the Stompers in the AC-T Topix forums...the bulk of his arguments against the Stompers seem to revolve around an obsession about spelling and grammar, when that complaint should be leveled against the public school system, because a lot of people can't spell. (And Gordon, I'm pretty sure Chad graduated before No Child Left Behind)

Again, I ask you, "Isn't it curious that the Mountain Xpress chose Tim Peck for the Voice of the Opposition?" Perhaps they did call on Gordon, and he wisely declined. (Seeing it would hurt his march toward respectability).

I happen to think that (especially after re-reading all those posts) using Gordon as the Voice of the Opposition, people will see that Gordon is a bit over-the-top and that there is some truth to be found in the claims of the Carolina Stompers.