Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - _JS

Pages: 1 ... 232 233 [234]
3496
3DHS / Re: Is the Hitler analogy outdated?
« on: September 19, 2006, 01:08:28 PM »
If the wiretapping program is on the level, then why use the NSA and not the FBI? It is ostensibly within the FBI's purview.

Also, what about the ability to send people to prison without any legal representation or pressing charges for over four years. Surely that violates constitutional rights.

3497
3DHS / Re: I just Read the Popes Speech, Oh the shame
« on: September 19, 2006, 01:04:08 PM »
Yet, she would still be alive if it were not for the Pope's words. World figures must be wise enough to understand that their words can ignite a tinderbox if they aren't careful.

If you're the Prime Minister of Britain you don't go to Falls Road and give a speech on what a great man and hero to the United Kingdom Ian Paisley has been. You don't tell them that Bobby Sands was an evil traitor hell bent on destroying the peaceful lives of the good Protestants in Shankill. Even if you believe that is true or you are using it as a quote to make another point, it is simply something you do not do.

Why? Because the blood that follows is on your hands.

3498
3DHS / Re: Non leathal but deadly expensive
« on: September 19, 2006, 09:32:40 AM »
If someone is breaking into your home does he deserve the benefit of the doubt about whether he means harm or is harmless?



It depends. In some states if you meet the intruder with more force than was reasonably warranted you may very well be the one who ends up in prison.

3499
3DHS / Re: I just Read the Popes Speech, Oh the shame
« on: September 19, 2006, 09:21:31 AM »
The speech was not bad in and of itself. The Pope is a scholar and made a scholarly speech, but he made the mistake of looking at it as somehow separated from the political sphere, which is interesting as Ratzinger was a Bishop who rarely missed the politics of a given situation.

Why shouldn't he have used those quotes?

Simple. Because lives hang in the balance. It is the same reason President Bush should never have said "bring them on."

In Britain, during the Troubles and for years afterwards the cabinet officials had to be very mindful of what they said regarding Northern Ireland. It wasn't a lack of courage or ignoring the issue, it was simple common sense. You don't stand next to an open drum of gasoline and smoke a cigarette or play with your lighter.

In this case Pope Benedict did just that. Words can be deadly and a sister has already been killed. Sometimes silence kills, sometimes choosing your words poorly or without thinking can lead to killing.

3500
3DHS / Re: Is the Hitler analogy outdated?
« on: September 18, 2006, 02:52:57 PM »
I don't think it is outdated so much as not useful. Clearly Bush isn't similar to Hitler. Bush is not a Fascist. In fact, it is difficult to say what political philosophy Bush follows, if any. Perhaps some kind of patrician opportunist? I'd say that is as close as Bush comes to an actual political philosophy.

He's also clearly not as intelligent or as adept at understanding the general psyche of the people as Hitler was. Yes, the GOP and Karl Rove are spin machines with a lot of money and the ability to use information or statistics to meet their agenda - but Bush, personally has no concept of rallying the masses and using support. We can tell this easily by how quickly his 90% approval rating fell apart.

Lastly, Bush doesn't have the grapes that Hitler had (and ironically Hitler only had one). The world is better off for this and the previous characteristic as well. For example, Bush has had his own party in office and has personally been at the helm now since January 2001. What has he accomplished? Hitler had already turned around a horrible economy suffering from hyperinflation. Indeed, he would have gone down in western history as a great leader had he died in 1938 or 1939 pre-Polish invasion. The German military went from barely existent to feared throughout Europe. The army and air force had invented all new methods of warfare, never before seen in battle. German industry was envied. German national pride was extremely high.

And what has Bush accomplished, with his own party in control of Congress?

Indeed. The comparison is not useful. Hitler was one of history's true villains. Bush is just one of history's worst presidents. Villainy and incompetence aren't directly comparable.

Pages: 1 ... 232 233 [234]