jberryhill
jberryhill's JournalThe Outstanding Hypocrisy Here At DU
Okay, so what I see on the news are a lot of people demonstrating their displeasure with something someone said.
A few of them, as with any angry mass demonstrations do destructive things. Now, when that happens in protests we like, "they must be agitators, provocateurs, etc."
But we have quite a few folks here taking the position "what's wrong with these people is that they don't understand freedom of speech."
That is true to a large extent, because they didn't grow up with it. But this criticism misses the the elephant in the room.
By and large, the protests consist of people gathering, chanting, carrying banners and signs, and not doing any harm to anyone.
In others, they are engaging, exercising, and thus expanding their own freedom of speech.
The ones doing violent things cannot be a majority of the thousands upon thousands who, by and large are simply walking down a street, shouting and gesticulating.
The outstanding hypocrisy here is that the simple observable fact of the overhelming preponderance of non-destructive protestors, is the folks here who say:
"These people need to understand free speech!"
Uh... Wtf do you think most of them are DOING?
Do you know who kills over symbolic offenses?
Gangs. Criminal gangs.
If you wear the wrong color shirt on the wrong street. If you insult the honor of a gang member.
These kinds of gangs are not unique to the Middle East. You can find the same kinds of gangs in LA, NY and a lot of places in between.
It's not as if we don't have people in the US who kill over symbolic insults.
I will bet you $10,000
That both Romney and Ryan are each cooking up some kind of "debate zinger" which is going to go over like a lead balloon.
It'll top "Can I call you Joe?" as the worst fail ever in needing to set up a contrived "spontaneous" line.
The GOP is going to cry it was unfair to put Barack Obama behind the podium that Mitt wanted to debate.
Chris Matthews is NOT prison...
...but he is cruel and unusual punishment.
Did you ever notice that his last bit is "let me finish"
The rest of the program is "you might get to say something if I let you start."
Does Rush Limbaugh collect royalties from South Park?
Because I'm thinking he granted them exclusive rights in his childhood personality, so they could license it for Eric Cartman.
Why Romney falsely calls it an "apology"
The statement said, in so many words - we don't like the use of free speech to simply express hate.
That's not an objectionable posture. Absolutely, you can run around all day saying "fuck, fuck, fuck...". It is your right.
Recognizing that only means it is lawful. That doesn't make it morally right. What the law allows is a poor guide to morality, and shouldn't be one.
But of course we can say it is offensive.
And that's not an "apology". It is a simple fact.
The real threat here, and why Mitt has to mischaracterize the statement, is that otherwise he would have to endorse or condemn the hateful expression itself.
That he cannot do.
If he calls what was intended as an offensive insult "an offensive insult", then the part of his base which considers it a documentary or missionary tool will walk away.
The Picture of Stevens' Body Being Carried ---- TO THE HOSPITAL
Just in case you run into this one today, I've already seen wingnuts going on about how "murderers paraded his body through the street."
No.
A report from the Associated Press and a photo caption from Getty Images indicate Libyan citizens took an unconscious Ambassador Christopher Stevens to a hospital in Benghazi. A doctor who treated him told the AP he tried to revive Stevens for 90 minutes.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81125.html#ixzz26M7VcY52
Romney - Blame America First
I think we just got a good clear look at Romney's foreign policy chops
A tragic incident abroad, and he blames America first.
Good show, Mitt, good show.
Been over St George's Bridge Lately?
So I'm getting ready for bike to the bay and have been cycling some of the routes I used to ride when I was much younger, and there were more bikeable ways to get to the southern side of I-95 - yeesh, but that's another story.
From up in Pike Creek, I cut through the pedestrian underpass at Delaware Park, out the other side, through the hell the Churchman's Road interchange has become, past the Farmer's Market, and on into New Castle to pick up route 9 south.
I was with my son who is new to cycling and to close-up Delaware geography, and I figured we'd head down to North St George's and back up through Red Lion.
But my legs were feeling good and I figured we'd go below the canal, and the only way I really like to do that is over Reedy Point.
First off, I have traumatic memories of biking over St George's bridge, and yes I used to do it before the route 1 bridge was there. Steep, scary, and not a whole lot of room.
So, we get down to Delaware City, spin around the marina there, and head toward the bridge.
Problem is Reedy Point bridge is closed... to cars. Because they are painting it, the central span has this big fabric tent over it with zippered doors - big enough for a bike - at both ends.
What a fantastic thing - to have Reedy Point Bridge all to yourself on a bicycle! There is nothing quite like the view from that bridge, and you really don't get the chance to appreciate the panorama from inside of a car.
So it's down the other side, over to Port Penn, rest stop at Augustine Beach, and I figured we'd go a wee bit more south.
Somewhere south of there, my son mentions, "oh, I have to be back" at a time which is going to require a flat-out ass hauling to get back home.
From where we were, the quickest route back was going to be across to 13 and up through Red Lion to Christiana, and route 7 up. On bicycles. And... Did I mention that biking St George's Bridge gives me cold sweats.
So we haul ass over to old 13 and when we get to the bottom of the south side, I look up and....
Did you know that BOTH outside lanes of St George's Bridge are now bike lanes?
THAT'S AWESOME?
Now, I know it's probably been like that for a long time but, really, who really drives over that bridge anymore anyway?
The traffic is separated by safety markers and you get a full auto lane. It's a heck of a climb to the top of it, but the payoff going down the other side is worth it.
I am going to be over that thing as often as I can get down there now.
"The System Was Blinking Red"
That is the title of Chapter 8 of the 9/11 Commission Report - "The System Was Blinking Red".
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Gender: MaleHometown: Delaware
Member since: Fri Jan 20, 2006, 08:14 PM
Number of posts: 62,444
