It's my own fault for watching CNN

[cyrano]

Jesus. So news-some CNN reporter asks "If Muqtada al Sadr is threatening to pull out of the Parliament, which would 'make life miserable for the US military', why don't we just 'take him out'?"
And unfortunately, Retired General Talking Head, instead of saying 'Because he's a fucking human being and since we're the good guys we don't just go around double capping people in the head' he says 'well, it's because we can't find him, plus the president needs the support of al Sadr'. We would if we could, but we can't plus they won't let us, because we're the good guys and we go around just shooting people in the head, Carol.

Comments

[tavella.livejournal.com]

There is a reason that I watch zero TV news these days. All hail the BBC and guardian.co.uk.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

However, I think there is some value in being aware of what the average consumer is receiving and is being told is 'news'. I mean, this item subtly indicates that (since there's no habeas corpus, plus We Are At War) then anybody who gives us political trouble should just be executed by a roving squad of whoever's handy. Do you hear that, Nancy Pelosi? How do you feel about those investigative subpoenas *now*? Hunh?

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

...The best part is, people are probably still convinced that we're all that and a Christian Nation, whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean.

*Seethes* I'm not a total pacifist - I believe in military conflict When Absolutely Necessary. This, however, is completely insane.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

My big problem is that I believe in ethical behavior even when it's inconvenient. People who tell me that God says doing this evil thing is actually a good thing, or that the situation makes this evil thing a good thing.... There may be times when doing an evil thing is worth the taint on your soul, or the legal repercussions, or whatever. But that doesn't mean that there isn't a taint, that there aren't repercussions. If a Nation of Laws feels that it has to break the law in order to survive, then its identity is compromised. If a Righteous Nation decides to do unrighteous things in order to foster convenience, then it can no longer present itself as a paragon of virtue without being hypocritical.
My fury is most ignited by people who feel that not only should they be able to do the unrighteous thing but also there should be no price to pay.

Wow. I usually don't use the words 'evil' or 'righteous'.

[windrose.livejournal.com]

Word.

*hugs you hard*

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
There are times that this country makes it difficult to be a cynical idealist. Because I know we have amazing potential, both to *be* good people and to *do* good things, but I also know that we'll never come close to living that potential.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Having reflected upon this, that's really the lesson behind every Coyote story--there are consequences to actions. If you didn't intend them, or you didn't expect them, that doesn't change them.

[evilmagnus]

Oh, wow.

The subtext there is, of course, that it's A-OK in a Democracy to shoot people you don't need the support of.

Marvelous!

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

So long as you shoot them with Freedom Bullets.

[xleste.livejournal.com]

*groan*
This just makes me want to beat my head on a wall.

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

I also don't watch TV, and by extension I don't watch TV news. I also participate in the "Fox News" boycott. But I get to hear about the deepest idiocy from my LJ friends.

I have to argue the point about hearing what the morons are being fed. I don't have to listen to a KKK speech to understand where those guys are coming from. There's such a thing as a "toxic person," and by extension again, "toxic conversation" and a different thing called "verbal violence."

Lao Tzu says there's good reason to avoid toxic people and verbal violence, as such negativity delivers nothing of value and is harmful even to the casual listener.

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

My only hope, and it's a slim one, is that Jon Stewart grabs that bit and rips it up one side and down the other as only he can.

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

He's got a week and a half of material to sift through when he gets back. Even if this were more blatant, it'd get buried. So I have to bear my indignation on my own.