Letters to the Editor
William Timberman
Published Letters: 3298 Editor's Choice: 7
-
Why should anyone believe?
[Read the article: Still more extraordinary anti-democracy comments from Giuliani]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think it's fair to say, Paul, that we don't. Otherwise, why would we be here, cheering Glenn on? Why would we also be doing whatever else we're doing -- and I believe that cumulatively, the what else we are doing amounts to quite a bit -- if we weren't convinced that going with the flow is especially perilous in these times, as it was in Nixon's?
Perhaps a more important point, I think, is that while it was possible to view Nixon's transgressions as an aberration, especially given the outcome, to think so now would be irresponsible in the extreme. Whatever poisonous flowers were planted in the ancient fissures of the American body politic by the Atwaters, the Norquists and the Roves, it's clear that they can no longer simply be allowed to wither on their own.
Father Coughlin was a demagogue whose message resonated only with a subset of those who felt dispossessed by the rise of an industrial, cosmopolitan America. Rudy Giuliani is apparently in the position to inherit a pre-positioned juggernaut cobbled together not only out of disgruntled racists and disjointed fundamentalists, but also of an elite class terrified over the consequences of giving up -- or more properly, being forced to give up -- America's primus inter pares role in the post-war industrial world, which they consider to be their birthright.
Which is why I'd oppose not only Rudy, but also Hillary. While not an instinctive vest-pocket Hitler like Rudy, Hillary seems to be just as convinced that what economic pre-eminence and persuasion cannot accomplish for us, military dominance can, and although perhaps not quite as enthusiastic at the prospect as our present codpiece-in-chief, she doesn't even seem to cavil at preventive war.
As you've pointed out here, very eloquently, too, the roots of this mess go back almost to the beginning, and although we've dealt the dark side of the American genius some set-backs in the past, now is definitely not the time to go back to sleep, and won't be even if we succeed in electing a Democrat in 2008. My hope is that the principle of once burned, twice shy will help us out here, but only time will will be the proof one way or the other....
-
A couple of possibilities
[Read the article: Still more extraordinary anti-democracy comments from Giuliani]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I do not understand why, when a blogger writes a post that makes a point, people come and say "This suprises you?" or "You're shocked by this?" or "You never realized this before??" -- Glenn
I suspect that many such people have long felt like Cassandra -- i.e., alone and without honor in their own country. One would think they'd be grateful to at last have company in their understanding, but I suspect that years in the wilderness have left them without much trust, or much charity either, for that matter. I'd be willing to give them a pass, although I don't agree with them.
Some just like to be thought of as the smartest kid on the block. I read that book years before you did, etc. An annoying trait, but an ally is an ally, no?
More annoying are those, particularly in positions of power, who ought to have known better, perhaps even did know better, but persisted in touting an obvious fallacy long after it became obvious. Andrew Sullivan, among others, springs to mind....
-
Yes.
[Read the article: Still more extraordinary anti-democracy comments from Giuliani]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]What's important to realize is that it's not enough to simply assert a proposition. -- Glenn
Absolutely. The smell test may be enough to guide one's personal actions, but in honest politics, one shouldn't attempt to persuade anyone without evidence, and the more of it one can gather, the more effective the persuasion. Without it, the propagandists always win. With it, their house of cards begins to crumble.
It should also be said that evidence is also a good hedge against propagandizing oneself. Ego, and the need for simple certainties has undone even the best of us at times.
-
For shame
[Read the article: Still more extraordinary anti-democracy comments from Giuliani]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]D, you of all people have no standing to argue this particular case, not here or anywhere else.
-
How we identify propaganda
[Read the article: The people who claim "the surge is working"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I suppose it might be argued, as shooter and his colleagues regularly argue here, that insofar as we personally have no way to verify the truth of what is reported about events in Iraq, the lies of folks like Congressman Mike Pence are as likely to be true as any of the other reports we see in the media, or on blogs.
So how is it that Glenn has the audacity to declare that Congressman Pence is lying, and why are we disposed to believe Glenn, a person who's admittedly never been there, rather than Congressman Pence, who has?
Well, I have a couple of alternative questions for the true believers of the right. Can you really see any essential difference betwen the stories of Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman initially released to the press, and those of Aleksei Stakhanov, or Horst Wessel? Have you ever asked yourself what kind of political party finds such stories useful?
That is why I'm willing to accept Glenn's characterization of Congressman Pence as a liar, and why I am morally certain that whatever is going on in Iraq, none of it can be characterized as victory, not for the U.S., nor for anyone else. As for Congressman Pence, it's only an accident of history which prevents him sitting in a prisoner's dock somewhere while evidence of his collusion in war crimes is presented to a panel of judges.
I might also add that should we believe what he has to say, and act as he wishes us to act, we would belong there with him.
-
My choice of aria for Pence
[Read the article: The people who claim "the surge is working"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Paul, how about Voi che sapete, sung in Hoosier, of course.
-
Mmm....
[Read the article: The people who claim "the surge is working"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Is Mike Pence a soprano? (No, not that kind of Soprano.) If not, surely any soprano -- with the proper dialect coach -- will do. (If only Meryl Streep could sing something more ambitious than show tunes, eh?)