Excellent discussion today. While I agree with Glenn that focusing on Yoo might ultimately serve the evergreen purpose of absolving his overlords, I'm nonetheless utterly convinced that his understanding of law is so far outside what law means in a nation thereof, that he is unfit to work in the light bulb section of Home Depot, much less teach Constitutional Law (!) at Berkeley. I mentioned in an earlier thread that young minds are, inescapably, being formed under his depraved tutelage, and the damage to both American jurisprudence as well as the reputation of Boalt Hall is unjustifiable under even the most "liberal" definition of academic freedom.

As Jkalos so eloquently put it to a sociopathic troll, eliciting the sound of crickets so loud my head swam, this question goes beyond law, learning, and democracy, cutting to the quick of what it means to be human. Whether or not such claptrap as "24" and the relentless fearmongering of the M$M has deadened many Americans to the plain fact that torture is only practiced by monsters, and acquiescence to such villainous conduct is indicative of terminal moral apathy, I must take that point further to include, emphatically, Edley and the California Board of Regents in that assessment.

The discussions of Nazis here is more than usually relevant in this case, if only because the so-called "intellectuals" of that era were among the first rounded up, and it seems that their modern counterparts are actively trying to avoid that fate, at whatever cost to their legitimacy or place in history.

The fact that Yoo is merely a symptom, not the cause of the disease, should in no way cause him to escape the salutory "treatment" such a symptom requires.

As LWM noted, massive demonstrations against the war, as well as lukewarm poll numbers supporting it, were routinely and often maniacally suppressed. My lovely city, Portland, which earned the proud moniker of "Little Beirut" from Pappy Bush for its extraordinarily large protest against Gulf War I, was one of many here, and many more abroad, that were simply ignored.

TV was too busy promoting the war like a miniseries during sweeps week.

The supposed complicity of the average American is thus somewhat overstated, and the culpability for this false impression lies with our pathetic, compromised media.

One wonders what polls would reflect, if Americans were allowed anything other than rank propaganda to be aired. Would Bush's 28% be more like 2.8%?

As a proud American, I can only hope so.

Some non-military coward wrote about the dilemmas faced by those more manly and brave than he, namely those younger and more fit who actually serve. Naturally, shortly before, the same half-man managed to squeeze in a little gay bashing about Andrew (puke) Sullivan.

Glenn, are you paying these cretins to advertise your book, or do they do it for free?

Please, don't let such nincompoops fall silent, as did the estimable Pwoxy; although someday their free PR may end up being suspected as viral marketing, they are worth their (no doubt substantial) weight in gold.

Keep on keepin' on, Heffalump.

Glenn owes you a dinner. (Table for one.)

Why is it that righty trolls so obviously refute their own pathetic arguments by failing to offer a lick of information in their own defense?

Now, if it were me, and not just somebody, but a bunch of people....

1) Questioned my masculinity by comparing me unfavorably to our troops.

2) Called me homophobic for my denunciation of a gay righty, not for his factual errors, but for the fact that he was gay.

3) Utterly refuted all my arguments based on superior knowledge of the law dating back to the Magna Carta.

You know, if that ever happened to me. why, I'd slam back with everything I had. Unless I had nothing, of course.

Heffalump, thanks again.

Glenn,

Congratulations on your book. I'll be at Powell's tomorrow after work to nab one for myself. Any chance your tour will include a stop there?

I think it's both timely and important that an examination of this subject occur right now. Ever since the Lewinsky scandal, I've been dumbfounded at how the media has followed Fox over the right cliff, even when huge majorities of Americans were as dumbfounded as they were outraged by this out-of-touch, counterproductive witch hunt. While Clinton's approval ratings climbed, the media was announcing his funeral. Bush worship that followed was similarly mystifying, and unfortunately effective, albeit not in making anyone actually fond of Bush, but certainly contemptuous of his opponents. While Bush's approval ratings plumbed new depths, the media was proudly predicting his comeback and warning Democrats against opposing his depraved policies.

Lies and smears, devoid of any policy proposals, are so transparently the strategy of the least qualified, that Republican "success" can only be attributed to the mighty Wurlitzer of M$M support.

Good luck puncturing it.

Scrambling up the down escalator of the thread tonight, tiptoeing past PW's noisome bleatings early on, I wanted to say a bunch of things , but they've almost all been said. Bop, I'm only on the 13th floor....

WT, glad you're using your pad; they're all gone now, the last one having gone out as an impromptu hostess gift.

Then, at last reaching the party, to my dismay, a corn-dotted turd was afloat in the punch bowl.

Good night, Shooter.

WT, I'm not so certain it's fair to use the word "onanism" when referring to you-know-who.

That's a thought so revolting in its vividness I hope I can get it out of my head by breakfast time tomorrow.