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And we're rolling... - 03.22.2007
If you haven't read Joe Rivett's latest column, he painted me as a left wing wacko because I stated that the Iraq war is illegal. It was in response to my latest column, "taking a step back", which was a more than five pages long and gave references to the documents that supported my point. Joe's response was three sentences long and concluded by saying that this made me look like a "left wing wacko".
Needless to say I am very disappointed in Joe. I have always had respect for Joe's opinions and this just seems a huge step down. In Joe's defense, it seems that he didn't really read my column, as he used it in a column debating reasons to stay or leave Iraq, which had nothing at all to do with what my column was about. My column was about double standards and accountability, not about the current debate on leaving Iraq.
To quickly rebuke the few points that he did make...
"I don't buy into the notion that there are legal and illegal wars"
Whether you buy into the notion or not, there are international treaties that the US is signed to that recognise legal and illegal wars.
"there really isn't an accepted legal doctrine for war that is ENFORCILBE(sic)"
Firstly, there is an accepted legal doctrine that is enforcible. It's called the Geneva Conventions, which is why I used them in my column. As to whether they're enforcible, that's a cop out. The only reason that they're not enforcible is because the US doesn't enforce them against themselves. If the US would take one iota of the accountability that they took against CLinton for lying about a blowjob, this would be a very different debate.
The thing is that anytime people like myself, sit down, think deeply and debate the issue, we get marginalised as "left wing wackos" or "left wing extremists". I just finished watching the mayor of Salt Lake City make an argument that Bush should be impeached on Bill O'Reilly, and O'Reilly did exactly the same thing. Cut off the argument, ignore the debate and call the other person a moron.
I know, people are going to say that I do this as well, but read back through my columns. Tell me one time that I have made a statement like that and not given a sound argument to rebuke their ideas.
Kia Kaha |
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And we're rolling... - 03.11.2007
Wow, I've been hit on this from several sides now. Basically I have a number of my fellow 411ers telling me that the articles I write are too long and I should be more succinct.
I'm not sure what my readers think, but let me explain why I do it. Two simple rules.
1) I believe that you, my reader, are an intelligent human being, and that as such I should not demean you by presenting the world as less complex than it really is.
2) I don't believe that you should agree with me. If I hope to have your respect as a thinker, it's my job to give you the evidence.
That's it. I try to make my ideas at least semi readible by not making this a post graduate email, but at the same time I'm not here to provide you with soundbites. If you want soundbites and kneejerk philosophy, there are plenty out there to choose from (Sean Hannity for example).
I don't expect you to agree with me, and as I value your respect I make it a point to supply you with the details and evidence that led me to the ideas I have.
Kia Kaha |
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| Archive |
The End of Year Shut the Hell Up Awards 2007: Part Three – The “Reality Used to Be a Friend of Mine” Award
(01.15.2008)
Part three in the eight part series, documenting the dumbest things said in 2007. This award goes to those statements that truly made you doubt the sanity of the speaker. |
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The End of Year Shut the Hell Up Awards: Part Two - The “Pet Goat” Award
(01.14.2008)
Part two of our eight part series on the dumbest things said in politics last year. In this column, the award for the comment that shows the person just wasn’t reading above a third grade level |
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End of Year “Shut the Hell Up” Awards 2007: The Blackwhite Award
(01.08.2008)
Part one of an 8 part series, as 411Politics votes on the dumbest things said in politics this year. |
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The Ugly Un-American 12.12.07: 2007 Year in Quotation Marks (July through December)
(12.12.2007)
Part two of 2007 in review, as told through the dumbest things said this year, featuring Alberto Gonzales, Condoleeza Rice, Bill O'Reilly and just a little talk about aliens. |
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The Ugly Un-American 12.11.07: 2007 Year in Quotation Marks (January through June)
(12.11.2007)
Welcome to Ugly Un-American's 2nd year in review, all told from the perspective of the dumbest things said in politics this year. |
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The Ugly Un-American 11.20.07: Democrats
(11.20.2007)
With everything going wrong with Republicans and the Bush Administration, why would Ray Church talk about the Democrats? Find out why in this week's Ugly Un-American. |
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The Ugly Un-American 10.17.07: You Can't Handle the Truth
(10.17.2007)
With so much information at our fingertips, Ray Church takes a look at the difficulties created by Information Overload. |
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The Ugly Un-American 10.12.07:Songs to Think By
(10.12.2007)
The intersection of politics and poetry, as 411's Ray Church looks at 10 songs to think about, as well as a response to the "facts" in the Jena 6 case and this week's Shut the Hell Up Award! |
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The Ugly Un-American 10.02.07: Monoculturalism
(10.02.2007)
From the Jena 6 to Bill O'Reilly, racism has become the watch word again, but I can't help thinking we need a bigger dictionary to deal with the nuances. Plus, a look at Ahmadenijad, Hillary Clinton and, of course, this week's "Shut the Hell Up" Award. |
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The Ugly Un-American 09.19.07: Week 8
(09.19.2007)
A large list of short shots. The Jena 6, Sean Hannity, Hillary Clinton, moveon.org, net neutrality, Alan Greenspan and this week's Shut the Hell Up Award, all on the Ugly UnAmerican. |
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The Ugly Un-American: Week 7
(09.12.2007)
Surge statistics, psychologists in the interrogation room, the good old Australians and a little bit about liberal brains. Plus, I get to give a Shut the Hell Up Award to someone who really deserves it, and to whom I've never given this award to before. All in this week's Ugly Un-American. |
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The Ugly Un-American: Week 6
(08.31.2007)
Global Warming, abdications at the Whitehouse, moral politics, American casinos in foreign countries and, of course, this week's "Shut the Hell Up" Award. All in this week's addition of The Ugly Un-American. |
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The Ugly Un-American: End Times and American Foreign Policy
(08.22.2007)
This week, Ray Church looks at the impact of Christian End-Times Beliefs on American Foreign Policy. Plus, this week's Shut the Hell Up Award. |
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The Ugly Un-American: Submitting to an International Test
(08.08.2007)
With every American and (almost literally) his dog getting to participate in the YouTube presidential debates, Ray Church chimes in this week with questions that matter to the five and three quarter billion people who do not get to participate in the US elections... 8 Questions for the candidates from an international perspective. |
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Short Shots from an Ugly Un-American: Week 5
(08.01.2007)
A look at how not to deal with problems, what the pundits and hacks on CNN and Fox are missing and the state of satire in New Zealand… and a bit of bitching and moaning about a bad flight from Thailand. All on this weeks Ugly Un-American. |
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The Ugly Un-American: Scooter Revisited
(07.06.2007)
It's been a long time / I shouldn't have left ya / Without a something something to... Oh to hell with it. The Ugly Unamerican is back. |
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The Ugly Un-American: A Eulogy to Jerry Falwell
(05.16.2007)
If you’re looking for a glowing eulogy to Jerry Falwell, you’re not going to find it here. |
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The Ugly Un-American: The American Rorschach Test
(04.28.2007)
It's been a year here at 411 for Ray Church, so he celebrates with a one off return to his long meandering columns through a topic that caught his imagination: How America sees itself in the rest of the world. As well as this week's Shut the Hell Up Award. |
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Short Shots from an Ugly Un-American: Week 4
(04.20.2007)
When a senseless massacre weighs on everyone's minds, what does Ray Church do? Totally avoids the topic and talks about other issues. Yes, it's an "elephant in the corner" edition of the Ugly Un-American... |
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Short Shots from an Ugly Un-American: Week 3
(04.12.2007)
Democratic policies, Wal-Mart, international news from Ethiopia and Indonesia, "Politics in Poetry" starring Rage Against the Machine, "Word of the Week" starring Bill O'Reilly, "I Wish I Said That" starring Jason Alexander and, of course, this week's Shut the Hell Up Award. |
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