Far-left liberals live in a very different world than mine. I'd be happy to consider moving to their neighborhood, but they need to employ something very different than their current approach of unsubstantiated vitriol-spewing -- they would have to cite facts and reason with me. Mere name-calling and insinuation aren't enough to do the trick.
John LeCarre, a man whose books I enjoy (as much as I enjoy many of Bab's Streisand's songs) has penned a scathing criticism of the US. Not its not the criticism that appalls me -- good heavens, I have my own! -- its how far removed from reality it seems to be that I find troubling.
Among other gems:
- The US media is "compliant" to the wishes of George Bush
- The Bush administration is responsible for Enron
- The US supports Israel in violating UN resolutions
- The Bush administration is worse than McCarthyism
- Half of America believes Saddam was responsible for 9/11
- Any military action against Iraq is religiously motivated. "Bush has an arm-lock on God"
- No, wait, its a "colonialist adventure". Presumably the US is just itching for its own Muslim colony. (Wouldn't that be fun...)
- The Turkish government tortures its citizens to its heart's content
- Baghdad represents no danger to the US or Britian
I don't even know where to begin on this stuff... its so thick one wonders how LeCarre can see straight. Which Americans think Saddam "was responsible" for 9/11? I haven't met one yet -- what survey was that? The Bush administration is much worse than red baiting at the height of the cold war? (Yeah, major US newspapers would never dare dissent!) Isn't he aware that Enron supported both parties about equally? And that Bush did nothing to help Enron when it was in trouble? I mean, this information isn't some secret conspiracy theory -- LeCarre could get it even from the most liberal of American newspapers. And who thinks of the NYTimes, Washington Post, ABC News, or CNN as "compliant" with Republican wishes? Good heavens -- can't LeCarre even tell the different between an American liberal and conservative?
Really, I'm open-minded, but I need some supporting evidence. Or at least reasoning which isn't self-contradictory. For example, he says that if Iraq didn't have oil, Saddam could torture its citizens to their heart's content like other regimes -- and then lists Saudi Arabia, also rich in oil, as an example!
An another point, he says: "I?m dead against Bush, but I would love to see Saddam?s downfall ? just not on Bush?s terms and not by his methods." Okay, give us some hints here -- how would you love to see Saddam brought low? Auto accident? Heart attack of joy while torturing a dissident? Old age? Give us a hint, Mr. LeCarre; we're doing it all wrong, so give us some sage advice! Lay out a constructive alternative for us to embrace, If you know more, make some suggestions, don't just call people names.
And, employing the same sort of moral nuance he's fond of knocking Bush for lacking, he lays all of these alleged travesties at the feet of the American people. Need proof? A friend of his had a bumper sticker stolen!
Thanks much to Harry.