Kerry'd Away
Calm down everyone! It was only a "botched joke", according to our good friend John Kerry. Everyone has had one of those moments when we screw up a joke...right? C'mon, you've never been standing around with your friends, commenting about what a bunch of illiterate, uneducated morons our soldiers are, and screwed up the punchline?
Honestly, if you watch the clip it becomes obvious that there was nothing even remotely funny about this long-faced, disrespectful putz's comments.
Despite Kerry's claims that he was demonstrating disapproval in Bush's "failed Iraq policy", an analysis of his words reveal that his comments could only be taken one way by any rational person. He postulates that if you study hard, you can go far. True enough. Then our botox buddy states that IF YOU DO NOT, you end up in Iraq. IN other words, those who are in Iraq are there for lack of intelligence and effort. This premise has zero to do with President Bush.
Our boys overseas were owed an apology, at least. Did Kerry give them one? Hell no. On JohnKerry.com, the word from the horse's ass seems to be:
"This is the classic G.O.P. playbook."
Demanding an apology for our brave men and women, who you so carelessly labeled (accident or no) morons and illiterates? Somehow, the fault lies with the Republicans, despite the fact that Kerry's big mouth spewed this filth?
We got no apology, and instead were given a spoonful of defiance and smokescreening. More of the same.
posted by Sigmatus at 8:45 PM
7 Comments:
Point of Order: Define "rational person" in distinctively objective terms, and I will be much more likley to perpend your argument. I am most certainly a rational person, yet I can see each side of the Kerry debacle, and see them for what they appear to be. Therefore, I may draw the conclusion that the usage of "any rational person" in this context is intended to immediately put on the defensive any person who considers himself rational yet doesn't agree with the conclusion put forth in the author's opining.
Irony abound! One only needs to look as far as our current administration to find innumerable instances of your "spoonful of defiance and smokescreening". We have yet to receive your sought-after apology from said administration for the wrongs they have committed over the past six years, nor a suitable apology from the Clinton administration for their misdeeds. Bottom line: the reader quickly finds himself in a "no-spin zone" here, very much akin to Bill O'Reilly and his ilk. And of course there's no spin when you're already spinning the same direction as the one at the helm.
If it's enlightenment you seek to propagate, may I suggest relinquishing the fangs and venom and adhering to the facts as close as we, the general public, can get to them? What is an "American"? What is a "patriot" in this context? Define "backward nation". Unsubstantiated declarations do little to stir the masses beyond an initial bat of the eye. If enlightenment truly is the goal, then unadulterated and unbiased information must be provided to the masses, allowing them to draw their own conclusions; faith in humanity, as had our forefathers. Politics and theatrics have no place, save to introduce bias and and influence the masses. I await and embrace enlightenment; I abhor the trifling worthlessness bred by bickering and pettifog over whose ideology is "right".
Welcome to my blog, ADoseofReality, and thank you for opining. As I read over your decidely verbose reply (nothing wrong with that of course) I find we are actually on the same page with most things on this topic.
I pride myself on not being a partisan packhound. I indentify with no party, and I hate every stinking politician. Kerry is just one more egomaniac to pile onto the pyre of American dreams.
That said, I can still find disgust in what he said. I have no doubt he didn't mean to imply our soldiers were stupid. Not that I think he gives a damn about our soldiers, but rather I know he's too much an opportunist to make such an aggregious political blunder on purpose.
But he said what he said, and rational people were offended at what it sounded like. It was a poor choice of words, and he should have (and later did) apologize. That's what was demanded. That's what was recieved. I for one am satisfied.
The post pertained to Kerry. If I have omitted the sacrilege committed by other politicians it was for my desire to remain on topic.
There is certainly nothing wrong with disagreement and dissent. Indeed, we need more constructive disagreement and dissent in this country, for surely we have strayed immesurably from the path our founding fathers laid out for us. Those men were nation-builders in the most true sense of the word. Our current "men" would do well to learn from history, and take this particular history as a lesson in humility and tactics.
Part 2: You are correct. He did say what he said. And people were offended and incensed by it, as they should have been. But as for us being on the "same page", I remain unconvinced. Perhaps the same book, but starkly different chapters. Kerry's botched attempt at humor, or whatever it truly was, was certainly deplorable. And you took him to task for it. Yet as I look through your space on the world wide web, I find only vague references to "not always seeing eye to eye" with our conservative leadership. If we were truly on the same page, you would be providing equal opportunity to and placing equal emphasis on the misdeeds, missteps and misgivings of ALL parties involved, not just those with whom you disagree. Remaining on topic for a particular post is one thing, and I applaud you for compartmentalizing these issues and staying focused on each individual thing; many people in this country can't do that these days. However, there is essentially nothing in your writings that gives me any indication that your ommission of sacrilege by most others was simply an effort to stay on topic. Your writings are bathed in venom toward those with whom you disagree, and you have quite obviously drawn very sharp lines of demarcation between what you deem "right" and what you don't.
If my post is misplaced, I apologize. It truly belongs in a general forum on your site, not attached to a particular post because it is meant to encompass my thoughts on the entirety of your web space, not just the Kerry post. I saw no such general forum on your page, nor do I think the construct of these blog pages allows you to create one. So, we are left with an inferior means of communique. I have read your page in its entirety, and I see little that fosters true discussion, and much that seems to serve a singular purpose: to turn people around to your way of thinking. I note that you have summarily avoided all of my counterpoints and questions in my first post, instead focusing on what Kerry said and your right to disagree with it. Yes, you have that right; we all have that right. That's what made this country so great. But truthfully, I don't care if you disagreed with Kerry or not. I don't care of you're the staunchest Republican (a word you seem to avoid like the plague, which I find telling in its own right), or the most bleeding heart liberal. I don't care where you fall on the spectrum, because the spectrum is meaningless and pointless. Politics have no hold on me. As I stated previously, politics serve a singular function: to take clean information and add a bias to it for the express purpose of influencing the public's perception of that information. You have an undeniable flare for rhetoric, and I can certainly respect that. It's the facade with which I take issue; the hypocrisy as others are called hypocrites. There is no enlightenment here, no revolution to be had and no revolutionary to behold; only inflammatory hyperbole, designed to demonstrate how right you are, and to convince others of the same. I see rhetoric, only rote rhetoric. The aim is quite obviously to influence, not to educate. I care not for politics, or labels, or any of the other means people use to drive people apart and destroy this government "of the people, by the people and for the people". I love this country, and I don't believe it's beyond saving. But it has surely lost its way. My challenge to you: educate me. Enlighten me. Answer my questions and address my counterpoints. In those discussions, friend, is where the real substance will be found.
I'll respond, ADoseofReality, by first pointing out that this is the third day of life with this blog. It was just started, and I honestly haven't had a chance to ready the artillery in the direction of my enemies in the Republican party. You can bet your ass I'll get around to it.
If its a point by point discussion of your posts that you want, than I'll indulge you.
1) On the smokescreening of the current administration: Yes, undoubtedly the Bushies have reverted to attacking dissenters and labeling them unpatriotic. In general, this is wrong and constitutes a fundamental lack of understanding of our system. In isolated circumstances, some forms of consent have been unpatriotic. I could point you to all manner of references to our soldiers as mercenaries, murderers, and rapists that are nothing but hot air to further split this country. Both are wrong, and each practice inevitably worsens the other. This country is pulling both ends of a knotted rope, and the knot grows tighter by the day.
2) Again, this post wasn't about Clinton or Bush or anyone else but Kerry. Thus, I didn't ask for an apology from them.
3) There is a distinction to be made with who I bathe in venom and who I do not. I very clearly disagree with you, and yet I treat you with respect, because you afford it to me. The venom is reserved not for patriotic dissenters, but for careless glory-hounds like Kerry, psycopathic zealots like Ahmadinejad and snakes like Huge Chavenz. Disagreement has nothing to do with it.
3) Yes, i avoid the word Republican at all costs. I am not one. I will not be associated with the party that has betrayed my values. Nor will I countenance being called a Democrat. They each hold different weapons to the throat of this nation. One cuts her from the feet up. The other from the head down.
4) If you see flaming conviction in my posts, its because there is flaming conviction there. I'm tired of the politicians. They are a scourge upon us all. America needs a hero, but until we get one, my heart will rage against them and I'll spill its contents upon these pages. I have yet to see how I share the label of hypocrisy, so maybe you could expand upon that point.
Again, thanks for the comments.
I appreciate the indulgence, and thank you. *These* are the kinds of discussions that need to be had, and I appreciate your candor. I now have a much better picture of the mind and personality behind this web space, and I thank you for that.
The hypocrisy of which I speak is in general, and not fueled by any specific instance. I simply find it interesting that, in much of your early writings, you seem to be utilizing some of the same tactics and methodologies as those you seek to tear down. That tone has gone away with your most recent addition to the front page. If I may offer a single constructive criticism: More of that approach will accomplish more of what you seek, I think. You address both sides of this political farce equally, calling to attention the ineptitude of each side. It's these simple, non-partisan, non-biased questions that spur real, productive debate. Whatever your political leanings are or used to be, for the good of the movement you want, it behooves you to remain an impartial observer, simply questioning and philosophizing and inspiring others to do the same. I believe you are more than capable of this.
A final question for pondering: What do you think would happen if the citizens of this country were to exercise their constitutionally protected right, and rose up against these gangsters and terrorists that claim to work for us in our White House and on our Capital Hill? What do you foresee as the outcome of such an uprising given the current climate in our country?
Unfortunately, I don't think such a scenario is likely. People these days seem to care more about the results of Project Runway and Brad and Angelina's baby than they do about the direction of our nation.
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