Bush and the Stars. A long read but a good one

[FredLC]

Originally posted by Plastic
This article is an attempt to show that while they are entitled to opinions, their opinions tend to be less fact based than others. I think most people already know this, note the backlash that is building against anti-war celebs.

I don't know about that. Are their opinions based in less fact than others? And why, just because they do not have college degrees?

It's possible to make a case about Bush being more informed than the actors, because he has full access to all confidential info, and a enourmous crew of people who works around the clock to give him updated data. No one can deny that.

However, actors have the same access to CNN and FoxNews and Al-jazheera as you and me. There is no reason to suggest that their opinions are less informed than the opinions of any person that happens not to be a member of the government.

Implying that they cannot voice opinions because of that is silly, and also makes us think if anyone outside the White House can have an opinion about the war.

Anyway, I think that a case could be made about how futile are those people who form and influence opinions on TV these days. However, that was not what the author tried to do. His wording and his tone, the personal attacks he aimed at the actors and his conclusions about this war being as right as the reaction to nazism and the missile crises, all of them implicate that going to war is the only reasonable thing to do, and that those who disagree are a misinformed crowd composed of unprepared people that follows the lead of uneducated artists.

The intention of the text is very clear to me. And i have to say that this is not a productive way to voice an opinion. Many other arguments of far greater value than that one could be presented.

Regards .

 

[sysyphus]

Originally posted by Greadius
That hand shaking picture is kind of annoying because it implies they were buddies of some kind. I've shaken the hands of people I don't like, trust, or respect because it was socially expected of me in that situation.

So then why was it socially expected of Rumsfeld at the time?

Pleasantires or not, the two were in cahouts.

 

[sysyphus]

Originally posted by Plastic


This article is an attempt to show that while they are entitled to opinions, their opinions tend to be less fact based than others. I think most people already know this, note the backlash that is building against anti-war celebs.

Just because their parents weren't able to score them a nice ivy-league education doesn't mean that their position is not based on fact.

 

[amadeus]

Does that mean Colin Powell and Yassir Arafat are in cahouts too?

How about Nixon and Mao? Nixon and Brezhnev? Reagan and Gorbachev? Carter and Castro? Chirac and Mugabe?

 

[Stile]

Originally posted by sysyphus


So then why was it socially expected of Rumsfeld at the time?

Pleasantires or not, the two were in cahouts.

Rumsfeld: I was the special envoy for the president for the Middle East after the Marines were killed in Beirut, Lebanon. I certainly had nothing to do with providing any chemicals or biologicals or any kind of weapons to Iraq at all. I was in the post for a matter of a few months. And what the government might have done later through some civilian domestic agency from a medical standpoint -- which is, I think, what the press is referring to -- I just simply don't know. I don't have visibility into it because I was at the time living in Chicago and doing something e entirely different. But I'm sure the historical record can be dug out and find out what, if anything, the United States may have done by way of a -- I would guess it would have been on a humanitarian basis. Certainly it would not have been anything to do with chemical -- the intention would not have been anything to do with chemical or biological weapons.

 

[Maj]

President Bush and his cabinet are briefed daily, even hourly, on the War on Terror and threats to our security. They are privy to information gathered around the world concerning the
Middle East, the threats to America, the intentions of terrorists and terrorist-supporting governments. They are in constant communication with the CIA, the FBI, Interpol, NATO, The United Nations, our own military, and that of our allies around the world. We cannot simply believe that we have full knowledge of the threats because we watch CNN!! We cannot believe that we are in any way as informed as our leaders.

Here he says our leaders know everything.

These celebrities have no intelligence-gathering agents, no fact-finding groups, no insight into the minds of those who would destroy our country.

His belief in government omniscience is repeated here.

[These celebrities] believe we should leave [Saddam]alone in his quest for these weapons of mass destruction, even though it is certain that these deadly weapons will eventually be used against us in our own cities.

I wonder how he's so certain ...

How dare they pretend to know what is best for an entire nation! What is even more bizarre is how many people in this country will listen and accept their views, simply because they liked them in a certain movie, or have fond memories of an old television sitcom!

And I thought politicians were elected for caring about all of society and its people.

The message in a nutshell: You need at least a Bachelor's degree and the world's intelligence agencies working for you to make an informed decision, but you don't need to let the people know just what exactly this information is.

Or in other words: A population's majority is too stupid and ignorant to have any opinion. Be a democracy-loving patriot and shut up.

 

[Archer 007]

Maj, i agree,

 

[metalhead]

Originally posted by nihilistic
Funny how the author chose to list only the actors and actresses. What about the hordes of college students and professors that are also protesting?

Yeah, what about them? Shouldn't they be in class?

 

[rguymon]

(Funny how the author chose to list only the actors and actresses. What about the hordes of college students and professors that are also protesting? )

LOL I have two kids in college and I can assure you, as bright as they are, they are not ready to make foriegn policy for the US.

Proffesors that have spent their entire life in Academy IMHO have little or no credability. They understand the theory and book knowledge part of the subject but not the practical side of it and both are important. Balance is imporatant in everything and you dont get the practicle and common sense knowledge teaching school.

 

[test_specimen]

Originally posted by rguymon
(Funny how the author chose to list only the actors and actresses. What about the hordes of college students and professors that are also protesting? )

LOL I have two kids in college and I can assure you, as bright as they are, they are not ready to make foriegn policy for the US.

Proffesors that have spent their entire life in Academy IMHO have little or no credability. They understand the theory and book knowledge part of the subject but not the practical side of it and both are important. Balance is imporatant in everything and you dont get the practicle and common sense knowledge teaching school.

...while being an alcoholic for more than a decade is enough qualification.

 

[metalhead]

Originally posted by test_specimen


...while being an alcoholic for more than a decade is enough qualification.

What a brilliant statement! Are you trying to be pithy, or moronic?

 

[onejayhawk]

My favorite quote about actors and their comments on politics and the military comes from Charlie Sheen, "They have never done it, so why should they have an opinion about it?" Of course CS was refering to movie critics, but its generally applicable.

J

 

[test_specimen]

Originally posted by metalhead


What a brilliant statement! Are you trying to be pithy, or moronic?

pity.