Sunday, September 26, 2004
What Does "Politically Motivated" Mean?
When any truth claim is made on one side of a political issue, the other side typically dismisses it as being politically motivated. This response raises the question, "What does 'politically motivated' mean?"
On one level, the intended meaning--i. e., the meaning in the minds of the political partisans who use it reflexively--"politically motivated" means (1) the truth claim is "not true" (2) and those who make this truth claim are intentional deceivers. On another level, the unintended meaning, "politically motivated" means that truth doesn't exist in the world of politics, only political motivations.
So, what is "political motivation?" It is will to power, a letch for competitive advantage, a desire for social and economic supremacy, a lust to dominate.
When any truth claim is made on one side of a political issue, the other side typically dismisses it as being politically motivated. This response raises the question, "What does 'politically motivated' mean?"
On one level, the intended meaning--i. e., the meaning in the minds of the political partisans who use it reflexively--"politically motivated" means (1) the truth claim is "not true" (2) and those who make this truth claim are intentional deceivers. On another level, the unintended meaning, "politically motivated" means that truth doesn't exist in the world of politics, only political motivations.
So, what is "political motivation?" It is will to power, a letch for competitive advantage, a desire for social and economic supremacy, a lust to dominate.
Mini-Mini-Me
"President Bush has his own Mini-Me now, someone to echo his every word and mimic his every action," writes Maureen Dowd. Make that Mini-Mini-Me, Maureen: Ayad Allawi is sitting in George Bush's lap and George Bush is sitting in Dick Cheney's lap.
"President Bush has his own Mini-Me now, someone to echo his every word and mimic his every action," writes Maureen Dowd. Make that Mini-Mini-Me, Maureen: Ayad Allawi is sitting in George Bush's lap and George Bush is sitting in Dick Cheney's lap.
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
"A Duel between Manly Men"
So reads the headline from USA Today. Well, thank God! At least it's not a duel between "Girlie Men."
When I contemplate the U. S. media and their American audience, I despair.
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
U.S. Dead In Iraq Passes 1,000
Over 50,000 American soldiers died in the Vietnam War. You can look their names up on the Wall in Washington, D. C. We still have a long way to go before there will be a reason to build a new wall in Washington to honor the dead in the Iraq War.
Over 50,000 American soldiers died in the Vietnam War. You can look their names up on the Wall in Washington, D. C. We still have a long way to go before there will be a reason to build a new wall in Washington to honor the dead in the Iraq War.
What If the Entire Population of Uncertain, Texas Were to Be Annihilated More Than Six Times?
Uncertain, Texas, is a hamlet of 150 people taking it easy on the western edge of Caddo Lake in deep East Texas. Were these folks to be suddenly wiped off the face of the earth, this catastrophe would, no doubt, make the front pages of newspapers across America. Yet today, September 7, 2004, over 1,000 American soldiers have died in Iraq. That's more than six times the population of Uncertain, Texas. Will this catastrophe be on the front pages of newspapers across America tomorrow? No. Why? Because George W. Bush is President of the United States.
Friday, September 03, 2004
The Non-Existent Undecided, Swing, and Independent Voters
We incessantly hear that the 2004 presidential election campaign will ultimately be decided by the voters out there in Electionland who still haven't made up their minds who they will vote for come November 2004. Well, I think these voters are just figments of the punditocracy's imagination; these voters really don't exist. Everybody who's going to vote in November has already made up his mind and, right now, it looks pretty much like a 50-50 standoff (as it was in 2000).
What DOES exist are two types of American citizens. First, there are those folks who have already made up their minds to vote for either the Republican or the Democrat in November. Second, there are those folks who will not vote for anybody in November. The folks in the second category won't vote because they know it doesn't matter whether the Republican or the Democrat wins. Either way, they lose.
We incessantly hear that the 2004 presidential election campaign will ultimately be decided by the voters out there in Electionland who still haven't made up their minds who they will vote for come November 2004. Well, I think these voters are just figments of the punditocracy's imagination; these voters really don't exist. Everybody who's going to vote in November has already made up his mind and, right now, it looks pretty much like a 50-50 standoff (as it was in 2000).
What DOES exist are two types of American citizens. First, there are those folks who have already made up their minds to vote for either the Republican or the Democrat in November. Second, there are those folks who will not vote for anybody in November. The folks in the second category won't vote because they know it doesn't matter whether the Republican or the Democrat wins. Either way, they lose.
