March 26, 2015

Ted Cruz's use of Language

For some laughs, compare the incomparable Cruz's speech at "Liberty" University to this piece written by Jeb Lund in today's The Guardian.


"Senator Ted Cruz’s announcement at Liberty University of his campaign for President of the United States on Monday was breathlessly overwrought and preposterously vague, in the classic Ted Cruz style of seeming on the verge of weeping at its own vacuity. His only new tic was beginning a series of statements with, “Imagine...” before running down John Lennon’s song in ideological reverse, a rhetorical effort to conjure political change akin to rubbing a magic lamp.

Cruz is one of the most exhausting candidates of the 2016 elections because he is such a confirmed ideologue and so enamored of his oratory that he doesn’t bother to change it much, which is odd, because one of his selling points is that he’s smart enough to write a new speech at the drop of a hat. That he refuses to tailor his words to a specific audience does lead to amusing moments – like his canned speech to a firefighters’ union that was greeted with absolute silence and after which one member said that he needed to take a shower – but mostly it just confirms Cruz’s message that you don’t change perfection. (Whether he’s talking about himself or America is a distinction without a difference.)"

March 23, 2015

France fighting for torture accountability

I thought DUers would like this:

France should fully investigate Guantánamo torture claims

OPINION: France should fully investigate Guantánamo torture claims
Challenging US intransigence could erode impunity for torturers

http://america.aljazeers.com/opinions/2015/3/france-should-fully-investigate-guantnamo-torture-claims.html