It's unacceptable to think...

[MadeUpName27]

"It's unacceptable to think there's any kind of comparison between the behavior of the United States of America and the action of Islamic extremists who kill innocent women and children to achieve an objective."
- George W. Bush September 15, 2006​

Unacceptable to think???

Mr. President, in the United States of America, it will NEVER be "unacceptable to think."
230 years ago, this nation was founded upon the principles of Freedom, Justice and Liberty.
Since 1776, countless brave Americans have fought and died with honor on battlefields at home and around the world.
Those men and women made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that, in America, it will NEVER be "unacceptable to think."
The concept that ANYTHING can ever be "unacceptable to think" is, was and always will be UN-AMERICAN.
J. Edgar Hoover, Joseph McCarthy and Richard Nixon are among the most ego-maniacal, power-mad, dictatorial cretins in our nations history.
However, in their defense, even those gentlemen were never so deluded by the trappings of their offices that they would dare utter such a vile, UN-AMERICAN concept as "It's unacceptable to think."
The only thing that is "Unacceptable" is your presence in the White House.
The fact that you could not only think of such an UN-AMERICAN concept, but would dare to speak it out loud, proves once again that you are hopelessly unfit to hold the office that you degrade.
You are a disgrace to the office of President of the United States.
You are an insult to the memory of every American who ever fought and died for the freedoms that you would steal from their children.
You should resign immediately.
If you refuse, you should be removed from office.

 

[Zeremonie]

The behavior of the Islamic extremists and that of U.S. do seem wildly apart to me. Nonetheless, a very bizarre choice of words from the president! You are SO right in your analysis. A mind is like an umbrella - works best when it is open.

 

[GWU2007]

I think it is interesting that the comparison is being made regarding Islamic militants/terrorists and the actions of the United States. There is a growing movement that is quite worrying in some Christian Youth camps where ministers are trying to promote the same level of religious fervor that can be found in some Islamic communities. Slightly worrying...

 

[brl18uk]

"It's unacceptable to think there's any kind of comparison between the behavior of the United States of America and the action of Islamic extremists who kill innocent women and children to achieve an objective."
- George W. Bush September 15, 2006​

Unacceptable to think???

Mr. President, in the United States of America, it will NEVER be "unacceptable to think."
230 years ago, this nation was founded upon the principles of Freedom, Justice and Liberty.
Since 1776, countless brave Americans have fought and died with honor on battlefields at home and around the world.
Those men and women made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that, in America, it will NEVER be "unacceptable to think."
The concept that ANYTHING can ever be "unacceptable to think" is, was and always will be UN-AMERICAN.
J. Edgar Hoover, Joseph McCarthy and Richard Nixon are among the most ego-maniacal, power-mad, dictatorial cretins in our nations history.
However, in their defense, even those gentlemen were never so deluded by the trappings of their offices that they would dare utter such a vile, UN-AMERICAN concept as "It's unacceptable to think."
The only thing that is "Unacceptable" is your presence in the White House.
The fact that you could not only think of such an UN-AMERICAN concept, but would dare to speak it out loud, proves once again that you are hopelessly unfit to hold the office that you degrade.
You are a disgrace to the office of President of the United States.
You are an insult to the memory of every American who ever fought and died for the freedoms that you would steal from their children.
You should resign immediately.
If you refuse, you should be removed from office.

Congratulations on winning the Taking Things Out of Context Award for this month.

 

[jackoroe]

People that equate the Islamo-Fascists to the US need to have their heads examined. The Islamo-Fascists seek to kill all who do not believe as they do. Even if you are a devout Moslem, if you aren't Moslem as defined by these morons, off with your head. The hate us for our freedom. They hate us just because we are different from them. Our Judeo-Christian tradition has a component of forgiveness completely lacking in the belief of these shreds of human debris. They have treatened the life of the Pope. They may have been involved in the killing of a nun (who forgave her attacker before she died) and the bombing of some churches within the last couple of days.

These vermin would kill you simply becuase you are gay. The truly feel the Koran gives them the right to do so. They are wrong. They must not be placated as the left would have us do. This pathetic cowardly strategy has never worked in the history of the world. These muderous scum must be confronted everywhere they are to be found and destroyed. Torture them, kill them enmasse, I could care less. To hell with those who would spare them as well.

Wake up folks, its a war. Try fighting to win it.

 

[NedNickerson]

People that equate the Islamo-Fascists to the US need to have their heads examined. The Islamo-Fascists seek to kill all who do not believe as they do. Even if you are a devout Moslem, if you aren't Moslem as defined by these morons, off with your head. The hate us for our freedom. They hate us just because we are different from them. Our Judeo-Christian tradition has a component of forgiveness completely lacking in the belief of these shreds of human debris. They have treatened the life of the Pope. They may have been involved in the killing of a nun (who forgave her attacker before she died) and the bombing of some churches within the last couple of days.

These vermin would kill you simply becuase you are gay. The truly feel the Koran gives them the right to do so. They are wrong. They must not be placated as the left would have us do. This pathetic cowardly strategy has never worked in the history of the world. These muderous scum must be confronted everywhere they are to be found and destroyed. Torture them, kill them enmasse, I could care less. To hell with those who would spare them as well.

Wake up folks, its a war. Try fighting to win it.

The key phrase isin your statement is The Islamo-Fascists seek to kill all who do not believe as they do. That is totally true This is a battle against good and evil. To their way of thinking there is only Muslim and infidel. If you're not Muslim, you should be killed. They are bent on a worldwide indoctrination.

 

[beekman001]

First let's rehash the incident:

The Reporter: "Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, former Secretary of State Colin Powell says the world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. If a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Secretary of State feels this way, don't you think that Americans and the rest of the world are beginning to wonder whether you're following a flawed strategy?"


THE PRESIDENT: "If there's any comparison between the compassion and decency of the American people and the terrorist tactics of extremists, it's flawed logic. I simply can't accept that. It's unacceptable to think that there's any kind of comparison between the behavior of the United States of America and the action of Islamic extremists who kill innocent women and children to achieve an objective."


Honestly, that statement makes me doubt that anyone in the administration has ever actually understood the so-called "War on Terror". Now asside from the fact that Mr Powell didnt make such a comparison that comparison is irrelevant to America's moral basis for the war on terror. Our moral authority is not derived from any difference between the US and Islamic terrorism, that's just not how morality works. Our morality and hence our moral justification for things is derived from the standards we hold ourselves to independent of the actions and opinions of others. Mr Bush is attempting to defend against accusations that we've become morally bankrupt by saying in effect "well they did it too!" which is moral relativisim of the worst kind.

There's a line from a book which says "Gunpowder destroys itself along with its victim, while a book can keep on exploding for centuries." (1) This so called "War on Terror" is fundamentally not a conflict which will be won with bullets, it's a struggle of ideologies. Now there are admittedly many terrorists out there who are using bombs, but more are writing books, giving lectures and putting out the idea that America is "The Great Satan" so to speak. So when we dont do our utmost to protect liberty even in the face of terrorist threats, when we fail to provide true justice even to those who would not provide it to us, we loose not only our "moral justification for The War on Terror" but our sense of national meaning which is our only real weapon in this struggle.

(1) The Haunted Bookshop, Christopher Morley

 

[tonyboy]

It's obvious that the President was speaking of the moral equivalence between the actions of the USA and the Islamic extremists in our world.
Come on madeupname27, the President was not stressing the word 'think' in his his statement. Can you not be objective in anyway?

 

[Kulindahr]

When I saw the thread title, I thought, "Most of the people I know in government find it unacceptable to think -- for US to think, that is; we're supposed to follow, like sheep."

Then I read the thread....

I think Bush's morals can be reduced to, "I run the ranch, so y'all just follow 'long, y' hear?"
Granted that what our government does under Bush isn't on par, as far as evil, with what the terrorists are doing. Beekman is right, though; the argument Bush uses is in essence moral relativism, arguing that just because we're not as bad, it's kool. Well, it isn't kool, in spite of the fact that yes, as GWU2007 observes, there are "Christian" movements in this country whipping up fervor very similar to that promoted in those fundy Muslim schools -- and I betcha they voted for Bush!

Bush needs to go back, as I've said all along, and learn what the First Amendment is all about, and those little words "religious freedom". Then he ought to study what was actually taught by the Man Bush calls most important in his life -- who said on one occasion to buy a sword, but in context, for self-defense, NOT to go bashing foreigners with to re-arrange their country to our liking.

 

[jkirk3000]

Well, I live on planet Earth, and the thinking here isn't contrary to what Madeupname wrote.

Bush is a traitor and he deserves impeachment.

What high crimes and misdemeanors has Bush allegedly committed? When we have a political disagreement, does that mean we must call for impeachment of those we disagree with?

Where is the treason you speak of? If Bush had not acted as he preceived he needed to in defense of the citizens of the US, would that have been treason? In some posts you seem to argue that we should not have gone after Afghanistan, and yet you also complain that we have not yet apprehended Osama Bin Laden...which is it? These statements are contradictory.

When those of us state our belief that we should use the military as necessary, you suggest that we should enroll to fight the battle. That is intellectually dishonest. Are you saying we have no right to a political opinion about the military if we have not or are not now serving in the military? What gives you the moral high ground on this - what army have you ever served in? Should we only elect leaders that have served in the military? That would leave out FDR along with many others.

We are a representative democracy. We elect leaders to serve us. When we disagree with the direction the country is going in, we elect new leaders. Advocating impeachment and treason trials is no better than the coups staged in other countries when they have issues with their leaders. Our systems has worked for over 200 years, and changing it to one where every political move subjects a president to impeachment or trial for treason would only chip away at our democracy.

 

[jkirk3000]

Reasons to impeach coward Bush? Easy. He has repeatedly failed to uphold the laws of the United States.



I asked how successful this so-called "military approach" to fighting terrorists has been and I cited the failure to find bin-Laden (despite invading, DUH, Iraq).



Oh, please. It is the pure, unadulterated cowardice of the male American to start shit and then, when shooting time comes, to hide behind the apron strings of the US Armed Forces. There has to be a high price for using violent means (military forces) -- it should not be an easy thing to solve diplomatic/statescraft problems by siccing the USMC on those we do not like or approve. Yes, YOU. I'm talking to YOU and YOU and YOU: grow some hair on your balls and join the fight.

You are so easily intoxicated by the power of military force, yet where is your stake? Who are you to call for the spilling of OTHER PEOPLE'S blood while you sit on the sidelines? This isn't a pro football game, Mister, this is real life and real death. Where is YOUR SHARED BURDEN? Where is your skin in this game ("you" or "your" being the generic "you" or "your," not necessarily "you," though it could be)? We don't "rent" the guys who fight and die in the armed forces, these aren't abstractions, these are human beings, these are citizens! When it is easy and painless to send people to their deaths, there must be limiters to so as to prudently decide to use force. When it is YOUR son who is next in line to be Queda-bait, let us see how gung ho you are on the use of the military, m'kay? This is one of many sick and perverted contradictions found in the mentality of the right wingers, one of the sickest, I'd say.

Now, I have to run. I'm shooting a woman in 20 minutes and I want to be punctual.

I asked two simple questions that you failed to answer:

What high crimes and misdemeanors has Bush committed that warrant impeachment?

Are only those currently serving in the military allowed to give opinions on the use of military force?

And as a corrollary to that, are only those not in the military allowed to give opinions on diplomacy and negotiation?

I hope you're planning on shooting with film...

And FYI - I have a placard in my office that reads: "Football isn't the only thing in life, it's just the most important thing"

 

[beekman001]

Bush is a traitor and he deserves impeachment.

And you know something has gone very wrong with the world when Patrick Fucking Buchanan agrees with General Alfie.

 

[Dobson73]

Damn, wish I'd been on JUB enough to read this earlier. How out of context do you really want to quote, madeupname? I despise the guy too but play by clean rules. Let their side mis-quote and be the idiots, not ours.

And after starting a heated thread like this, where is madeupname to defend his thread?

 

[wentworth]

Congratulations on winning the Taking Things Out of Context Award for this month.

I tell you, The President could have said: "It's raining today!" and all hell would have broken loose.