Kerry Apologizes for 'A Botched Joke'

[_JS]

I wonder why Dems stated he needed to apologise, and following his proclaimations that he wouldn't, he did?  Go figure

I don't know and don't care. I'm sure Bt's assessment provides a rather close answer.

What I wonder is why criticising the military is allegedly so wrong? Clearly that is the sentiment Bush and the GOP is playing off of (and I don't blame them, it is the game of politics and an election year after all). But why? As I said, it is no secret that a lot of less educated and poorer individuals join the military. Bt agreed with this. So what is the problem?

[Amianthus]

What I wonder is why criticising the military is allegedly so wrong?

Don't tick off the guys with the biggest guns?

 

[_JS]

Heh.

Well, that's a golden rule in some countries (perhaps even Iraq itself), but supposedly in the United States it doesn't hold true.

[BT]

So what is the problem?

Well not only could it tick off a lot of active duty personnel, it could also tick off a lot of spouses, offspring,signficant others.and veterans  many of whom are running for Congress this year as Democrats and could be pivitol players in the dems capturing the house and i doubt they are real happy with their last candidate for president calling them dumbasses.

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

[_JS]

i doubt they are real happy with their last candidate for president calling them dumbasses

But that isn't what he said, is it?

[Amianthus]

But that isn't what he said, is it?

If you just read what he said, he did say that. If you "read between the lines," then you can extrapolate other meanings.

[BT]

But that isn't what he said, is it?

He did a classic if : else statement. If you study...... if you act smart ......you will do well .......else you end up in iraq.

Don't know how else to interpret what he said.

[_JS]

He said, "else you get stuck in Iraq."

That very well could be a shot at the current administration. But I'm more interested in the backlash against what he said.

So even if you believe that he criticised the troops for not being all that bright, so what? Why all the venemous backlash?

[sirs]

I'm more interested in the backlash against what he said.  So even if you believe that he criticised the troops for not being all that bright, so what? Why all the venemous backlash?

Calling those that voluntarily serve, and protect this country, risking life and limb in the defense of this country, implying they're stupid, should be immune from backlash??  Especially coming from a DC Policitian who was at one time a Presidential nominee.  You're kidding, right?   

No where in the Bill of rights does it provided a qualifier that anyone excercising their 1st amendment right be immune from criticism for their criticisms.  Or did I miss something?

[_JS]

Calling those that voluntarily serve, and protect this country, risking life and limb in the defense of this country, implying they're stupid, should be immune from backlash??  Especially coming from a DC Policitian who was at one time a Presidential nominee.  You're kidding, right?

Where did I say anyone should be immune from backlash?

Here is what Kerry said exactly:

You study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq.

Nowhere does he call the soldiers "stupid" or "dumbasses." The link is made by Republicans, including your president, that education is equivalent to intelligence. President Bush stated:

The senator's suggestion that the men and women of our military are somehow uneducated is insulting and shameful. The members of the United States military are plenty smart and they are plenty brave

Of course the majority of men and women in the United States Army are under-educated by today's standards in that they only possess either a GED, High School Diploma, or neither. Enlisted personnel constitute 83.3% of the entire U.S. Army.

90.1% of the enlisted personnel in the United States Army did not have a college education. So yes Mr President, they are uneducated for the most part.

Also, interestingly, the demographics of the Enlisted personnel do not mirror those of the United States at-large.

Blacks make up 23% of the total enlisted personnel and an amazing 40.1% of Female Enlisted personnel.
Hispanics constitute 11.5% of the enlisted personnel. Whites constitute 58.2% of enlisted personnel, but 75% of the officer corps.

So are you suggesting that people who aren't highly educated are stupid?

[sirs]

So are you suggesting that people who aren't highly educated are stupid?

No, I think that'd be the crux of Kerry's mindset

[_JS]

Quite the opposite, it appears to be precisely what you, Bush, and others are suggesting.

[Plane]

"As I said, it is no secret that a lot of less educated and poorer individuals join the military."

I dispute this.


The military has fewer dropouts than the general population , and they train much more constantly than the general population.


On what could you base the opinion that the military is stupid?

{ Not that I want you to quit, I would be tickled to see more Liberals make this slip}

[_JS]

I dispute this.

The military has fewer dropouts than the general population, and they train much more constantly than the general population.

On what could you base the opinion that the military is stupid?

Case in point: As I said earlier, it seems to be the right wing that equates a lack of higher education with being "stupid."

Plane, if you look closely you'll note that I never said the military is stupid. Nor do I believe that the personnel within the military are stupid.

[Amianthus]

Here is what Kerry said exactly:

You study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq.

It's the "you make an effort to be smart" part that implies only the dumb join the military. According to this statement, people getting "stuck in Iraq" didn't "make an effort to be smart."