What's going on here is that there are a lot of people out here who think these people are low scum, and have no intention of givng them a platform. So Robbins says that he was looking forward to a weekend "away from war"? Was he flying in from the Middlle East, or Beverly Hills? There is no question that these "hey look at me" libs could not possibly have gone the weekend without giving everybody the benefit of their geopolitical expertise. This despite having nothing more than a high school diploma and a life in fantasyland upon which to build a personal agenda free from the burden of having ever even read a book. Did you happen to catch that awful "Star Search" last night? Kathy something-or-other, the fat nun from "Sister Act" just couldn't help herself. Ben Stein said something about being "proud of America's finest", a pretty generic comment. She then followed with a long blather about how "We need to support our troops by bringing them home, that's how we need to support them" blah, blah, blah. Then later she had to throw in, again apropos of nothing, that she "loves" Michael Moore, and that he is a "true hero" On fukking Star Search! With that idiot Arsenio Hall glomming a paycheck by introducing preteen Clog Dancers and bad open-mike-night caliber comedians. These people just cannot help themselves. And it looks to me like the HOF just wasn't interested in letting these two self-aggrandising, ignorant buttholes grap THEIR spotlight as a platform for their spew.
Perhaps they should follow in the footsteps of Michael Moore who used a celebration of the arts (well, a self-congratulating circle jerk) as a forum to bash the president. Or maybe they could follow the Dixie Chicks chick's lead and use a music concert as an opportunity to "joke" about the president. Or, there's always Eddie Vedder who used his concert as an opportunity to impale George Bush masks with microphone stands and then yell at fans who yell shut up. It's not just a situation exclusive to conservatives. And while I don't necessarily agree with the HOF guy's comments about Robbins and Sarandon's comments putting the troops in danger I understand his unwillingness to let the celebration turn into a political debate. However, those celebrations don't normally draw large crowds anyway so it might not have mattered.
It wou;dn't have mattered. And he did have Ari Fliescher there for a talk just last year. It really doesn't jive, it just seems like pouting that these guys don't agree with his friends in DC. It's pretty pathetic. Luckily he admits so....from the NYT (americas foremost liberal rag i been told) In hindsight, Dale Petroskey, the president of the BaseballHall of Fame said yesterday, "I would have handled it differently." He mentions that he didn't even call them and just say, "hey guys maybe no war talk this weekend, eh?" Instead he admits if he had to do again he would call them. But he didn't, cause he wanted to make the more LOOK AT ME statement about his support for our troops etc etc. which brings me to this... The most curious statement here is Bills about "look at me liberals". This is something I don't get. How are they any different than the jingoistic conservatives? How is Susan Sarandon's boldly terrifying, yet silent two finger peace salute at the Oscars so much more "look at me, look at me!!!!" than the God Bless our troops, or red white and blue ribbons, or us flags on every car, sorta sudden patriotic jingoistic explosion that has happened recently. Really there is much more "look at me I am patriotic" than any "look at me I am liberal" actions going on these days. And there has been for a while.
I completely and unreservedly reject the comparison. In fact, I find it intellectually bankrupt and indefensible, and just this side of offensive. Over one hundred thousand young people, fellow American citizens, went to war in Iraq, putting their lives at risk for me. Over a hundred at last count gave their lives in order to protect the freedoms that we enjoy. Their sacrifice is what I honor. And I resent down to my bones those childish, self-absorbed, self-righteous fools who say that if I fly the flag of my country in honor of and in acknowledgement of their sacrifice, it has something to do with silly nitwit politics. It's a statement of the bond I feel for those who are wiling to put themselves in harm's way for all of us. Now I understand that to the left EVERYTHING is about politics, and that expressing my love for people I don't even know is somehow subversive. To that point of view I have one thing to say: FUCK YOU. The American flag is not a political statement. It is a statement of fellowship, of brotherhood and of thanks. Now those who hate my country, both those abroad and those here at home, want to make people ashamed of flying that flag and acknowledging those brave guys. They use big words that they don't completely understand, like "jingoistic" to describe people whom they want to paint as being either a) stupid b) bigoted or c) republican. I'm an American. I'm proud of being an American. And I'm proud of the fellow Americans who serve in our armed forces. If you, or Jeanine Garofolo or Michael Moore think an American flag "sends a bad message" or whatever, then you have a serious fukking problem.
Really, it wasn't a personal attack on you...you can calm down now. And I never said that it sent a bad message at all, at least not that I am aware off. And I have stated numerous times here that i disagree with much of Michael Moore says, in your own forum, look it up. (It's a shame that you can't paint all non-republicans with Coulter's very broad brush. It would make it lot easier for you.) It's just that when I see (to use one off your love soaked terms) "mouth breathers" in their pickup truck with an American flag painted on the back window and they can hardly point out where Iraq is on a map, and wouldn't know what was going on in the war if Howard Stern didn't give his versions of news update during the morning commute...then yeah, sorry Bill its become a fashion statement, a sign of showing how cool and tough, and how much you hate the middle east for some people. And its the same way on some college and high school campuses. Thank god we have nice colors that Gap can fit into their logo neatly or else half our kids wouldn't have much to wear. There are people who feel as strongly as you suggested that you do, probably some even that would also say ************ You to my suggestions here...but then their are some people who are also able to look at a difference of opinion and not take it as a personal attack...few and far between on message boards though. I'm proud to be an American too. Before the DAU (?) game when I heard news of the Iraqi fake surrender and then ambush which took the lives of many soldiers i was choked up. When the anthem was playing thats all I could think about. But the bottom line is yeah, for many it has become a sign of real true solidarity with the troops and the cause...but to think that in at least in part, for some (ALERT: THE PRECEEDING WAS NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK), it has become more fashion than love for country or to their soldiers is foolishly naive.
Another failing of the left: It isn't America they hate, so much as AMERICANS. You're only qualified to show pride in your country if you're an ultra sophisticated liberal butthole. If you're just regular folks who instinctively understand what the intellectuals don't, why then you're a rube and a hick. Unless you're a union guy, in which case it's forgiveable because you're a Democrat. This doesn't strike you as elitist and insulting? Really? I know it had nothing to do with me, although I do fly a flag on the front of my house and cordially ivite any and all comers to come on over and try to tear it down. Oh please, please. I am just getting my fill of the complete hypocrisy of the American left. Fortunately, there are a lot of old-line lib erals who are as sickened by some of this crap as anybody. So there is a soul left in the left, although the heart is very hard to find. Another example: This entire: "I DO support our troops and so I believe we should bring them home NOW" line is such insulting garbage. The left, as usual, feels guilty about hating the country and doesn't want to sound "unpatriotic" so they've come up with this piece of sophistry which they are currently VERY proud of, thinking themselves quite clever. But let's say you're a 19 year old US Marine who is fighting for his country, and you say to him "Hey, I think what you're doing over there is WRONG and BARBARIC and EVIL and is intended to subjugate another country illegally, and that the war is illegal, immoral and wicked BUT I SUPPORT YOU" exactly what does that mean? It's the most dishonest piece of crap in a long time from a bunch of dishonest crap artists. No, it wasn't an attack on me. It just pisses me off.
Never said any of that in the above post. You can be pissed off all you want. It's your right, God Bless ya, Lord knows I get pissed off too. But really I don't recall saying anything you have mentioned in any of my previous posts, sorry man.