Strange who gets it, and who does not:
The Montreal Gazette calls (Omar Khadr) “a victim,” “not a villain.” Closer to home, our headlines run along the lines of “Tape shows ‘frightened boy,’” “Teen on video: ‘Help me, help me’” or “Teenage detainee pleads for help, tells of torture on video; Rights group seeks immediate release.” About the only one willing to say anything unpleasant about Mr. Khadr is the soldier who lost an eye in the same firefight in which Mr. Khadr is alleged to have thrown the grenade that killed Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Speer…
(David Addington), the counsel for the vice president is demonized. Such is the temper of the times that Rep. William Delahunt (D., Mass.) felt free to joke during recent hearings that he was sure al Qaeda was watching — and was “glad they finally have the chance to see you.”
And so it goes. Reasonable people can disagree with David, and many did. But the aim here is not reasonable debate. The aim is to close debate by shouting accusations so often that they become accepted.
Thus memos that are mostly about a commander-in-chief’s legal authority are now routinely described as “torture memos.” Thus the drumbeat for hearings on “war crimes.” And thus the Washington Post column on David’s congressional testimony, where he is described “hunched” and said to have “barked,” “growled” and “snarled” — language you would use to describe an animal.
We certainly have a right to expect more of our public servants that we have come to expect from our enemies. Nevertheless, it’s useful to remember which is which.
May we similarly presume that SFC Speer was human, or have those that oppose our efforts in Iraq decided to demote him from sentient being to mere “victim” on the rare occasion they remember his existence at all?
. . .and sometimes they are one in the same.
“We have found the enemy and they are us.”-Pogo
We have seen all of this before. By we, I mean the emperical “we”, as i the world. We saw it in the late 1920’s, with the rise of a political machine that shouted down it’s opponents, who cudgeled and cajoled the media into nuancing stories to shade the truth towards the goals of that party, and, ultimately, to ensure the political victory of that parrty.
Rallies in sports stadiums, threats against newspapers, fearmongering and thrreats and boycots based upon race and humanity. Sturm und Drang. Ein dunkel tag fur alles arbeiters und freimannen.
Godwin’s law? This is Godwin’s nightmare. Welcommen die Gotterdamerung!.Heil die Americanische Shwartze ritter.
If they are going to act like animals – and treat others like something less than human – then how dare they expect better in return.
Eye for an eye.
AW1-
Haha. . .I was just looking at this blog the other day and I was amazed at how seldom Godwin’s Law has come into play. . .
Humble,
I know… it’s rather refreshing, that.
What hets me about Godwin’s Law is that it seems so very true, inthat so many of our compatriots want to use the Fascist/Nazi moniker against conservatives. You see it constantly. The minute you start to talk about security or needing to to something, they scream about jackboots and gestapo and all sorts of things.
And yet, when you see such striking parallels, is it not important to make mention of them? Should we be quiet in order to not bother a certain segment of cociety, ir in order to not feel their wrath>
We see a man who would be president staging rallies in Berlinm political rallies staged and filmed and recorded in multi-media splendour with every bit of precision as those some 80 years ago.
We see a presidential aspirant moving his speeches to a sports stadium in order to better stage-manage the affair.
Posters and banners and flags handed out to those lining the parade routes, The political aspirant being portrayed as a saviour, the only gope for a deteriorating nation and culture.
We’ve sadly seen this before, and we know too well how it plays out. It can happen here, and that right easily enough. No one thought it could happen before. Yet it did.
They fope for change, but the devil is in the details, and it might well be that some reflection could be in order about just what change they are hoping for, and what they will get when it comes.
“Ya pays your money and ya takes your chances”
We certainly have a right to expect more of our public servants that we have come to expect from our enemies. Nevertheless, it’s useful to remember which is which.
Sometimes, it’s impossible to discern the difference.
AW1 Tim/Humble1390,
A bit off topic, but have you seen the new enlisted working uniforms yet? 1938 called, Germany would like their stuff back.
Drew,
Sadly, that was one of the first things I thought when I saw those a few months back. Doesn’t anyone else ever study military history and actually LOOK at pictires anymore?
Sigh…….
Yeah, I heard about them before I saw them. I couldn’t believe it until I saw it with mine own eyes.
At least working whites are going away. . .that’s about all I have for TFU.