Why I Think Cindy Sheehan is a NUTJOB.

Hey, I hate most of the things the US does. If only more people knew what goes on in other countries in the name of "US". It's not pretty. My opinion of course. YMMV, depending on the depth of sand your head is in.

Anti-Flag has a song called "Wake-Up". It is soooo time for all of us (myself included) to wake up to the realities of our gov't actions.

Peace.

 

Sorry to interrupt Y'all, but I was asked some serious questions about

32 hissyfit posts ago . . .

I would like to answer them now. . .</span>

Quantity. I will pit the USA against any other single country for vast quantity of media.
Quality. Within that vast quantity inevitably comes some measure of quality, because there are discenting points of view. It is then up to the individual reader to come to their own conclusions regarding what is truthful, correct, impartial, etc.

Lack of quantity does not signify lack of quality . . . but when there is only one source or one point of view because it is being repressed by a government, I become skeptical . . . unless it can be verified by other (credible) sources.

If the Chinese news agency reports “a house burnt downâ€, or “and earthquake happened,†I have no reason to be skeptical . . . but it they mention anything like “Students and Tiananmen Square,†my BS meter pegs.

You are jumping to conclusions for which you have no proof. Did I not post just 25 minutes prior to your accusation that I also watch Canadian and British news???? (I'll forgive you the time difference in that you may have been busy writing your post . . . but still maggie :huh: )

<!--QuoteBegin-maggieddd@Feb 9 2006, 04:15 PM
If you have such beef with Chavez why aren't you screaming about King Abdullah, whose hands are being shaken very often by members of our administration; an incredible purveyor of social justice and freedom for his citizens in your mind, right?

[snapback]206706[/snapback]​

[/quote]â€The United States and Jordan reached agreement Tuesday on the free-trade deal, a precedent-setting plan . . .The agreement will remove all trade barriers between the two nations over the next 10 years. It is only the fourth such pact the United States has with other countries. The others are with Canada, Mexico and Israel.â€

<img src=\'http://www.starsfoundation.net/images/gallery-wef/48.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' />
President Clinton, HM Queen Rania & HM King Abdullah

<span style=\'color:green\'>"It is a good and important agreement," Clinton said.
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/US/10/24/jordan.us.trade.02/

King Abdulla? . . . of JORDAN???? As Middle-Eastern “Dictators†go, couldn't you have thought-up someone a little more onerous to try to make your point?

 

I am glad that you clarified your stance on quantity and quality of media. I concur on your example of Chinese news agencies excluding of course Taiwanese CNA (www.cna.com.tw), a great resource about Chinese events from Taiwanese perspective.
My initial reply to you meant to question exclusion of news agencies and media from other free societies in particular Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc.
I was trying to suggest that above mentioned may disagree with your statement ("The media here in the USA is the envy of the free world"). That’s really debatable from their perspective and we shouldn’t unilaterally jump to conclusion that somehow we posses the ultimate media machinery in the world.
It is critical to be exposed to news agencies and media from other parts of the world as there are many events and places on the planet that escape our attention here in the United States simply because they are considered not so news worthy or the editorial staff is disinterested. I’ll give you one example. It’s much easier to follow the developments in Eastern Timor or ongoing clashes in Central Sulawesi via Australian news agencies and media than lets say US. One can find hundreds of such instances. Having such ability to be exposed to varieties of sources is certainly more beneficial to overall perspective. I don’t think we disagree on this.
I also would like to stress that following news from news agencies (pending on origin) is less biased than let’s say other media in general, as media tends to concentrate on a given spin rather than the unbiased reporting. Of course, there are exceptions and I am not stating this as a paradigm.

It would also be beneficial to see any statistical study that will present the “quantity†factor per capita in a given country. Let’s say USA vs. Switzerland (randomly chosen)
As far as repressed governments go I have no argument whatsoever, but it’s important for the sake of intelligence gathering and general understanding of their propaganda machinery, to pay attention.

QUALITY: that’s very subjective I don’t think you can truly argue that, because cultural, political, ideological and religious boundaries prevent to make a final conclusion.

Yes, I missed that, so I apologize for interjecting “skewedâ€, I stand corrected.

No, I was not talking about King Abdullah of Jordan, who actually in my opinion is a shining example of moderation among dictators in the Middle East. It would be silly of me to use him in comparison to Chavez.
I was referring to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, age 82, in power since 1995, half brother of King Fahd.

[Broken External Image]:http://members.cox.net/aye-aye/abdullah.jpg

There are many in the GOP who are questioning the friendship with the Saudis and that is a well known dilemma in Washington.
For the record I don’t perceive Chavez as a real threat to the US until the oil he controls doesn’t reach our shores. I think he definitely exhibits irrational behavior (far from being next Bolivar) but that is so prevalent among so many leaders worldwide. He is known as a populist within his own country and the Venezolanos are split politically as much as we are here in the USA. For now I would prefer for our government to stay cool and let the Venezolanos figure their own future without our interference.

It’s nice to exchange opinions in a civilized manner. Thanks

 

Are we really split politically in this country or has there been an utter reversal in the political power structure. After all we have a President and Congressional majority all from the same political party. Would that really be classified as split? I think maybe you are mixing up being split politically with the minority party being exceptionally bitter about the change.

Most of my wifes family is very far left politically and they have yet to come to grips with the political changes this country has experienced over the last 35 years which accelerated in 1994.

 

Seems like your divorce is coming and you will have no one for the Valentine's Day

 

Where did that come from? I can have political debate without war. Can you?

 

based on your previous posts, NO
why are you spoiling an interesting thread again. They are discussing GM on other threads, they need you, go there.

 

another attempt to derail the thread

 

This reply was asked for on this thread . . .
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(maggieddd @ May 19 2006, 03:00 PM) [snapback]258280[/snapback]</div>

. . . that is why the delayed response.
[or maybe it was me avoiding the question - if that is what you want to believe :lol: ][/b]

Hi Maggie,

So, since I don't see a direct question from you, should I take it that the question you wish for me to answer is . . .

“If you have such beef with Chavez why aren't you screaming about King Abdullah [of Saudi Arabia], whose hands are being shaken very often by members of our administration; an incredible purveyor of social justice and freedom for his citizens in your mind, right?â€

If that isn't your question, please let me know . . . but I will run with this one.

Since you and I threw jabs back and forth of pictures of Presidents shaking dictators' hands, and your question is about Saudi Arabia – let me save both of us the trouble of posting more picture jabs of various US presidents meeting with Saudi leaders. There are plenty on both sides of the political spectrum:
http://saudiembassy.net/Publications/MagFa...S-Relations.htm

Did you mean to say “members of our administration†or “ members of our administrationS� . . . a big difference if you are trying to make this a right-wing ~ left-wing thing.

I would not wish to try to defend either the current or former leader(s) of Saudi Arabia or Hugh Chavez on social justice or freedom for their respective citizens. BUT . . .

It isn't the leader of Saudi Arabia who is saying, "Down with the U.S. empire! It must be said, in the entire world: Down with the empire!"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/30/...D8FEQVKO4.shtml

Please don't ask me to try to compare Hugh Chavez to any other dictator in the world. I am not a fan of dictatorships and I don't think I have said one good thing about ANY dictator, except, maybe, "couldn't you have thought-up someone a little more onerous" [than King Abdullah of Jordan.]

It is Cindy Sheehan who is thinks of Chavez as her buddy. :huh:

 

Yikes! This is crazy!

 

I'm really sorry guys, but I think Squid brought up a good point, even though it was biased. We on the left have gotten too much into this knee~jerk reaction business IMO... a healthy amount of criticism is very good, but i personally think this is too much.

As far as the Saudi dictatorship/kingdom goes... the Brits essentially took out the family competing for power against the Saud family. Guess what? The Saud family was pro British... and also pro Wahhabist. The competing family for power was more secular and pro human rights and whatnot... but they didn't favor the West as much.

What we are dealing with is many decades of failed foreign policy.