Comments on: Obama: Comeback Kid II?

By: Artfldgr

Artfldgr — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:44:07 +0000

“That such an administration could be elected in the first place, headed by a man whose only qualifications to be president of the United States at a dangerous time in the history of the world were rhetoric, style and symbolism — and whose animus against the values and institutions of America had been demonstrated repeatedly over a period of decades beforehand — speaks volumes about the inadequacies of our educational system and the degeneration of our culture.” Thomass Sowell – “Dismantling America”

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 16:58:11 +0000

Brad thinks Chavez is “comical”.
You’re waste of time, Brad; you’re wasting your own time. You are a monkey with a keyboard. You would engage a pit viper in a staring contest.

By: SteveH

SteveH — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:08:56 +0000

“”I think you’ve lost sight of the military as a necessary evil and started to worship it as an institution.””

I wonder if there are Prarie Dog colonies at risk because of emotionally conflicted members decide they don’t like the way Prarie Dog existence involving a sentry class works?

Nahhhh. Prarie Dogs aren’t that stupid and so full of themselves that they need to be viewed as “so above” all the non nuanced Prarie Dogs. Apparently only humans can be so indoctrinated that their need to FEEL superior over other members overides their species’s survival.

By: Oblio

Oblio — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:14:24 +0000

Brad,

If you want to influence people, you need to a) ground your observations in experience, story, or recognizable theory and b) make your reasoning accessible by establishing a common frame of reference.

If you want to learn how to establish authority in your writing, you should go back and study kolnai’s comments here, or Mrs Whatsit or Promethea. We know very little about them, but we know that when they comment, it is always serious and worth reading.

By: Tatyana

Tatyana — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 13:57:07 +0000

Occam:
I will no longer be responding to you until you learn to
A. Argue honestly
B. Argue intelligently
C. Stop with the personal attacks

What a delicious irony! Or karma. or a look in the mirror?
In any case, that just made my Sunday morning great.

By: Brad

Brad — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 10:51:55 +0000

J.J:

I appreciate that you at least tried to make an argument, but it’s not one I prefer to address now. I’ll just say I think you over-state the US militarys contribution and leave it at that.

By: Brad

Brad — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 10:46:51 +0000

Occam:
I will no longer be responding to you until you learn to
A. Argue honestly
B. Argue intelligently
C. Stop with the personal attacks

Since I haven’t seen a single thing in this thread to indicate that you can do those three things, I don’t think I’ll be responding to you in the future.

Isn’t that nice? Doesn’t it save us both a lot of “tiresome” typing?

By: J.J. formerly Jimmy J.

J.J. formerly Jimmy J. — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 06:28:09 +0000

That’s right, Brad, pick your wars. You can do that now. The force is all volunteer. And, of course, you are much more intelligent than anyone else and in possession of all the pertinent facts. You are a one man CIA and State Department. You will decide when there is a threat. Do you have any idea why freedom in the world has spread as much as it has since WWII? Didn’t think so. Do some research and discover why the world isn’t Communist today.
It isn’t because of the hippies that snuck off to Canada.

Do you know what language you’d be speaking if men had not stepped forward in the past? It wouldn’t be English. We wouldn’t be having this conversation either.

If you can read and write, thank a teacher.
If you appreciate your freedom of speech, thank a soldier.

By: Occam's Beard

Occam's Beard — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 04:44:01 +0000

Brad, in the fullness of time you’re going to make a fine adult.

Until that time, you’re becoming tiresome.

By: Brad

Brad — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 03:41:48 +0000

J.J. :

I’m not selling military service short, but I’m damn sure not to going to exult it either. When it comes down to it, military service means you learn how to kill people. That’s all it’s really all about for both the good and bad. Oh, and you learn discipline.

Unlike you I don’t worship every war the US military fights in. It’s good to know that for the most part our troops behave themselves when it comes to non-combatants and its nice to know your son or daughter is brave , but that doesn’t make a foolish or immoral war any less foolish or immoral.

Here, from a guy who served in Vietnam:
http://www.fredoneverything.net/Lumbo.shtml

I think you’ve lost sight of the military as a necessary evil and started to worship it as an institution. All we need is a few percent of the military to follow your lead, and we can have a nice coup.

In any case, I’ll volunteer to join the US military when the continental US is in danger of invasion, and not before. That’s all I’m obligated to do as a citizen, and my citizenship is every bit as good as yours.