Memo to Hurtards: Please STOP!

Back in 2007 and 2008, a blogger had to be pretty brave to say anything about Ron Paul, especially anything negative. Just a reference to the long-shot Presidential candidate could bring hordes of his loving, adoring zombie fans to your comments. Insult him and you risked a flame war of attacks. We saw the same thing happen with the "Deaniacs" in 2004. And don't get me started on the messiah-like worship of Obama by some of his supporters.

In 2010 there's a new zombie out there online. The Hurtard.

The Hurtard seems to be your normal run of the mill Republican, but he suffers from what is known as PDS or Perriello Derangement Syndrome. At the mere mention of Tom Perriello, the Hurtard goes into a fit of rage full of spasms, convulsions, and seizures. It's not a pretty sight. The Hurtard cannot accept at face value anything that Perriello does. They are also driven by a hunger for brains, which they consume constantly in hopes that they'll replace the brain they seem to have lost.

Here's some examples of how this plays out.

Scenario 1- SOCIALIST!

Action- Tom Perriello votes in a way the Hurtard doesn't like.
Result- Hurtard accuses Perriello of being a socialist, because anyone who disagrees with the Hurtard is a socialist. Also, the Hurtard will probably try to kill Perriello and/or his family. Because the Hurtard can't tell the difference. (See entry "Coleman, Nigel")

Scenario 2- LIE.

Action- Tom Perriello votes in a way that the Hurtard agrees with.
Result- Hurtard lies and claims that Perriello voted the other way, because when Tucker Watkins has been accusing him of being a secret New York lawyer for two years it doesn't matter what the truth is. (See entry "2008 Campaign Meltdown")

Scenario 3- HE LIES!

Action- Tom Perriello votes in a way that the Hurtard agrees with.
Result- Accuse him of "election year" politics, regardless of the fact that he's taken several high profile votes already. Because you can never, ever praise Perriello. (See entry "Harrison, Sean 'Puffy'")

In the last few months, I've had to correct Hurtards several times about Perriello's voting record, ranging from guns to Puerto Rico to Wall Street regulations. Just this week I had Hurtards claiming Perriello had voted for the Wall Street regulations bill. And in the local media, the Hurtards were forced to accept reality and come up with reasons to criticize Perriello despite his good vote.

Rather than praising his support, Danville Tea Party vice chairman, Darriel Burnett, saw Perriello’s vote as pandering to 5th District conservatives before he faces GOP challenger state Sen. Robert Hurt in November.

“He’s doing these things to garner favor from the conservatives,” Burnett said. “If he was concerned, he would have voted against the tax bill — cap and trade — and he would have voted against the stimulus. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a little too late, and a little too little.”

Hurt’s campaign manager, Sean Harrison, said Hurt would have voted the same way Perriello did.

“It’s clear however,” Harrison said, “that Tom Perriello is in the process of having an election year conversion — but occasional ‘bouts’ of common sense can’t distract from his liberal record.”

So let's get this straight. The Danville Tea Party won't praise Perriello on a signature vote and cause for Ron Paul and his efforts to audit the Federal Reserve, because they think he's just pandering to conservatives. And they try to link it, somehow, to cap and tax and the stimulus.

Perriello: I'm hungry, do you want to order Chinese food?

Hurtard: If you were really hungry, you wouldn't have gotten your shirt dirty!

Perriello: What?

Hurtard: BRAINS!

It makes about as much sense.

And Hurt's campaign manager accused Perriello of an election year conversion despite the fact that Perriello first cosponsored Ron Paul's audit the Fed legislation last year and voted against the Wall Street regulations last year as well. Perriello has been consistent on this issue from the start, something the Hurtards should give him credit for.

Here's a suggestion for the Hurtards. You don't have to attack Perriello on every vote. It makes you look silly. Attack him on the votes you disagree with him on, but do so reasonably and with respect. And if he votes the way you like, just move on.