If you've posted in forums you might remember writing some decent responses. I usually spend a lot of time polishing my discussion forum responses depending on the subject or who I am talking to. Often I want to remember what I said about something, but finding the original post can be difficult. So it makes sense to capture the better responses for later review. Welcome to Clint's Reposts.Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Notes from the Cheering Section (Politics Forum)
David wrote in another post: "I think you folks in the cheering section are getting fewer and quieter by the day."
Nice try David, and I'm not saying that cheering will continue for much longer as a choir:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=79106&messageid=1079583984
but the truth of the matter is (and this has got to hurt some folks), that the majority of the citizens in the U.S. are stubbornly supporting Bush, at the moment at least:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/polls/2004-04-19-gallup-poll_x.htm
There are things to think about while we wait for Kerry to make sense:
The Press:
It doesn't take a lot of sensitivity to realize the huge liberalism of the mainstream press and the way they keep "picking" at those they dislike instead of reporting news. Instead of reporting: "Another troop was killed today in Iraq." -- it's more like: "Thanks to the dirty rotten stinking lies, and awful nation building of the Bush Administration, another troop died in vain and his family blames Bush once we explained to them why they should." Fortunately, the majority in the U.S. can see through this bullcrap. The press is the third political party, along with Nader. Who is really messing up Kerry's chances?
Education:
It's amazing, but many students, thankfully, escape the influence of what appear to be a mostly liberal, often unionized, education system. Which just goes to show what happens when a student thinks for himself. And more of them seem to be doing that. Look at Tao.
WMD's:
Where are Saddams WMD's? Don't be surprised when they turn up in someone's face. I predict within 5 years. You can pooh-pooh the idea, but that is intellectual laziness. Don't worry be happy.
Nation Building:
"the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Perhaps. But the road to hell can be paved with no intentions. It may seem philosophically clean to just stay the hell out of the rest of the world's affairs. But my friend, let's mind experiment that you are the one behind the prison camp wall, or standing on the platform, next in line for the shredder. Can you tell me that when a liberator appears to release you from your hell you will repudiate the offer based on philosophy of the non-entanglement of U.S. interests? You just happen to have the luxury of not being behind the wall or on the platform. I wonder where your philosophy would wander were you a soul wanting liberation!? A few thumbscrews can do wonders for ones world perspective!
Frightened individuals take no action when witnessing crimes against fellow men (think muggings in N.Y. city). I'm not saying we have to be everywhere, all the time, but I sense a certain nobleness in not ignoring the rest of the world's suffering. It's a small world these days. Not acting aggressively to stop genocide and other crimes in the world is like saying you shouldn't try to help a family member who needs help. Many in the U.S. come from a place of isolationism, but that doesn't make it cosmically righteous.
Screw Ups:
I acknowledge that we (we get the government we deserve) sometimes screw up regarding U.S. world entanglements. But that doesn't make our impulse wrong, just our execution. It's a messy, messy system up there in D.C., not to mention in the entire world. So sue it.
Clint
Nice try David, and I'm not saying that cheering will continue for much longer as a choir:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=79106&messageid=1079583984
but the truth of the matter is (and this has got to hurt some folks), that the majority of the citizens in the U.S. are stubbornly supporting Bush, at the moment at least:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/polls/2004-04-19-gallup-poll_x.htm
There are things to think about while we wait for Kerry to make sense:
The Press:
It doesn't take a lot of sensitivity to realize the huge liberalism of the mainstream press and the way they keep "picking" at those they dislike instead of reporting news. Instead of reporting: "Another troop was killed today in Iraq." -- it's more like: "Thanks to the dirty rotten stinking lies, and awful nation building of the Bush Administration, another troop died in vain and his family blames Bush once we explained to them why they should." Fortunately, the majority in the U.S. can see through this bullcrap. The press is the third political party, along with Nader. Who is really messing up Kerry's chances?
Education:
It's amazing, but many students, thankfully, escape the influence of what appear to be a mostly liberal, often unionized, education system. Which just goes to show what happens when a student thinks for himself. And more of them seem to be doing that. Look at Tao.
WMD's:
Where are Saddams WMD's? Don't be surprised when they turn up in someone's face. I predict within 5 years. You can pooh-pooh the idea, but that is intellectual laziness. Don't worry be happy.
Nation Building:
"the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Perhaps. But the road to hell can be paved with no intentions. It may seem philosophically clean to just stay the hell out of the rest of the world's affairs. But my friend, let's mind experiment that you are the one behind the prison camp wall, or standing on the platform, next in line for the shredder. Can you tell me that when a liberator appears to release you from your hell you will repudiate the offer based on philosophy of the non-entanglement of U.S. interests? You just happen to have the luxury of not being behind the wall or on the platform. I wonder where your philosophy would wander were you a soul wanting liberation!? A few thumbscrews can do wonders for ones world perspective!
Frightened individuals take no action when witnessing crimes against fellow men (think muggings in N.Y. city). I'm not saying we have to be everywhere, all the time, but I sense a certain nobleness in not ignoring the rest of the world's suffering. It's a small world these days. Not acting aggressively to stop genocide and other crimes in the world is like saying you shouldn't try to help a family member who needs help. Many in the U.S. come from a place of isolationism, but that doesn't make it cosmically righteous.
Screw Ups:
I acknowledge that we (we get the government we deserve) sometimes screw up regarding U.S. world entanglements. But that doesn't make our impulse wrong, just our execution. It's a messy, messy system up there in D.C., not to mention in the entire world. So sue it.
Clint
