Saturday, April 22, 2006

Always that "context" thing, isn't it?


For ten marks, explain why these two situations are totally, totally different. First, there's this:

Four military recruiters hastily fled a job fair Tuesday morning at UC Santa Cruz after a raucous crowd of student protesters blocked an entrance to the building where the Army and National Guard had set up information tables.

Then, there's this:

The high-stakes intensity of the campaign could also be seen Monday in noisy confrontations between Kerry and Bush supporters and the use of bullhorns and air horns by a small group of Bush supporters to try to disrupt the speeches, prompting Kerry and his wife to respond to what the candidate termed "goons."

For five extra marks, explain clearly why the protestors in the first case were a bunch of irresponsible troublemakers who deserved whatever they got, while those in the second case were upstanding examples of conservative intellect, simply exercising their constitutional rights to act like total assholes.

You have five minutes. Your time begins now.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

At one time you would not have see conservatives yelling while someone spoke. They have lowered themselves, they are frustrated. It is wrong. The left has been yelling while people speak for as long as I can remember. If you can't listen to what people say, and wait for your turn to speak. Then you have nothing worth listening too.

M@ said...

So you make a weak criticism of conservatives, and then justify it by painting "the left" however you want, eh? Pretty good. I'm convinced.

Conservatives = good guys who sometimes do silly things

The left = teh suck

Case closed!

By the way, care to explain why they're frustrated when they hold the house, the senate, the executive, and the supreme court? Could it be that they're frustrated that that little truth thing is making a mockery of all they've said and done for six years?

CC said...

Wayne wrote:

At one time you would not have see conservatives yelling while someone spoke.

Oh. So all of those abortion clinic protestors, howling at pregnant teenage girls, shrieking obscenities about how they were killing their babies and all ... those were liberals?

Who knew?

CC said...

By the way, m@ makes a good point that has been made by many others as well.

At the moment, the right-wing wankersphere is curiously angry. Witness the prime examples of spittle-flecked fury such as Bill O'Reilly, Michelle Malkin, Sean Hannity and so on. But what is their problem?

You'd think that, with control of the White House, both houses of Congress, the Supreme Court and a good chunk of the mainstream media, they'd be basking in the success of their accomplishments.

Instead, what you get from them is one long banshee howl of rage that never seems to end. What the fuck is wrong with these people? What would make them happy?

Alison said...

Tom Lange, 18, of Waukesha said he was setting off an air horn during Kerry's remarks because "we want them to hear us and not hear what he has to say."

Lange said it's "probably not nice, but it's my beliefs."


I think you're going to have to give the little goon at least partial marks here for a good understanding of his position.

CC said : What the fuck is wrong with these people?

It is way past time that we stopped pretending that what they espouse is some kind of political ideology. It isn't. It's a psychopathology. They have a horrible noise in their heads and they'd like to see it justified out in the world.

Anonymous said...

I agree with CC. I don't understand why conservatives are so mad. Conservative are in control in the US. The Bush lied thing is lame, it is not that simple. Sadumb Insane had to go. The UN should of had the balls to do it. People who are anti-(whatever)= suck. Case Closed. Conservatives believe that all humans can do evil, left or right,Humans can also just make a mistake. Humans are flawed. That is why rules are important. That is why people should not shout over each other. Humans in a society have to respect the rules that are set, and debate them if they want them changed. Conservatives know that humans will break rules, but having rules that are respected makes it harder for people to break them. I don't think the left sucks, I think they are soft. Rule in the long run produce more trustworthy results, than liberal softness of heart. Am I anti-abortion because I don't think abortion should be a birth control method?

Anonymous said...

It's easy to see why conservatives are angry. Imagine how you'd feel if the fearless leader to whom you had entrusted your hopes and dreams had betrayed you as badly as Bush has betrayed them.

As far as the "Bush lied is lame" routine goes, it doesn't change the fact that Bush DID lie, quite baldly too, and has never been called to account for it.

Once he's been called to the carpet under oath and answered some questions about why they included those "sixteen words" regarding "nucular" weapons, amongst other things, we can move beyond the "Bush lied" routine.

M@ said...

Wayne, you're not going to win anyone over to conservatism (as if that meant just one specific thing!) like that.

Conservatives know that humans will break rules, but having rules that are respected makes it harder for people to break them.

Rules? Like the access that the media have to cabinet ministers? Harper broke that one pretty quickly. Like the promises that Harper set out in his campaign? He broke many of them in the first weeks of his government.

Or maybe you'd like to go into the NSA and FISA rules that Bush broke? Or the rules that say "you're not supposed to lie to Congress"?

Or how about some biblical rules, while we're at it?

Whatever your "conservative" viewpoint, you're in no position to lecture anyone about rules.

The Bush lied thing is lame, it is not that simple. Sadumb Insane had to go.

Oh, so the rule is the end justifies the means. Unless the end is anything "the left" wants. In that case, it's just lame. Gotcha.

Am I anti-abortion because I don't think abortion should be a birth control method?

I have no idea whether you're anti-abortion or not. But by limiting access to abortions, you're making the decision of whether any abortion is "a birth control method" yours, not the woman's.

And that makes you both sexist, and an idiot.

By the way, feel free to learn some rules about paragraphs one of these days, eh?

Anonymous said...

cc I can't stand anti-abortionists. People who don't like abortions and state their views, in a calm way, I can handle.

m@

I am new to blogging. I will try the paragraph thing. Also English is not my native language.

There. I learned something. Oh deity no, from a lefty!!!!:)

I don't think all abortions are a good thing. I don't think a person should have an abortion like going to the bathroom, with no thought. It should be an informed decision, not a forced decision. Society has a vested interest in each of us and potential citizens, so it is not black and white. People should make sure they use birth control. But people being people, well ... it happens.

If I am an idiot and sexist, I am what I am.

I don't want to win anyone over. I just want to learn. My messy comments, got comments from you that made me see things from another view point. I win. I just gained some knowledge.

Thanks cc for letting me comment.

M@ said...

Wayne,

Your replies are much, much easier to read when you have paragraphs. Thank you.

I hesitate to respond, given that CC has already chided you elsewhere. However, you state that women should not "have an abortion like going to the bathroom, with no thought." You also advise that abortions "should be an informed decision, not a forced decision".

Have you ever talked to a woman who's had an abortion, or even tried to imagine what that decision must be like? Here's something else you can learn: women don't have abortions because they like them.

But I do agree that it should be an informed decision, and that once the decision is made the proper medical attention is readily available. If you want to help, donate to Planned Parenthood. If you're serious about people making informed decisions, finding information about reproductive health, and getting proper access to birth control, this is a great way to start.