So during the continuing debate regarding Bush's lies today, I posted the link to this article in the Economist titled A Matter of Trust. I have a feeling that none of the conservatives who are so happily living in ignorance when it comes to this issue, have even bothered to read the article, but continue to debate the subject as if it has never been recorded in history that Bush has said things that turned out not to be true.
I.e., "the president claimed in October 2002 that Iraq had a 'massive stockpile of biological weapons.' The CIA's director, George Tenet, has said he had no specific information on such stockpiles even at the time...
"Mr Bush dismissed the idea that the absence of WMD had any implications for perceptions of the Iraqi security threat. 'So what's the difference?', he asked a television interviewer rhetorically last December, between Saddam actually possessing WMD and his moving to acquire them? The idea that the absence of WMD is insignificant sits oddly with the administration's earlier claims that the existence of the weapons was vital."
Okay, so let's put this into terms we can all understand, Jerry Springer terms, if you will. An analogy or a scenario that will better portray what is happening here: Your best friend tells you she is sure that your boyfriend is cheating on you. You ask how she knows this and she says she has a very reliable source (pretend it is the CIA) and that if you go over to his house right now, you will definitely find evidence of infidelity. Obviously, you are going to believe it. So you break up with your boyfriend, stating that he is a cheater (before being completely sure). All hell breaks loose. You barge into his house looking for the evidence, but you don't find anything. You find out from the supposedly reliable source (the CIA) that your best friend was never actually even told that your boyfriend was cheating, only that he COULD cheat if he wanted to (WHOA! Big difference!) So you go back to your best friend and confront her about the lie. She refuses to admit that she lied, even though you already know she did, because the CIA told you in not so many words, but she says it doesn't even matter if she did lie, because your boyfriend was an asshole anyway and you're much better off without him.
So when George Bush is the best friend (so he makes an ugly girl, sorry) and George Tenet is the CIA and you are you, wouldn't you view it as having been lied too? Would you split hairs about whether or not it actually constituted a lie or a misstatement? NO. You lost your boyfriend. So he was a huge asshole. If you wanted to get rid of him because he was an asshole, you would have. That's your business. Unless he has weapons of mass destruction and he is about to start using them. If Iraqis wanted freedom from Saddam, they are their own country. It is their responsibility to overthrow their own government if they are unhappy. I know that sounds harsh, but it's true. We can encourage them to strive for democracy, but we cannot make up lies about their dictator harboring weapons of mass destruction and huge stockpiles of biological weapons and terrorist camps so we can bring them liberation and risk thousands of lives in the process and billions upon billions of American tax dollars. It's not okay. Just like all the other countries that are run by awful governments. We can only offer assistance to those people, but if they don't really have WMDs, a war is not an option. I believe there were ways we could have helped the Iraqi people, but I don't think this was the way.
I know this seems like a very trivial analogy, but when you look at it, it's really the same dynamic on a much, much larger and more detrimental scale. There are thousands of broken hearts. All of those who have lost loved ones as a result of the lies that this administration has told. And if you don't think they're lies, then please put yourself in the situation I just described. It's the same damn thing. A lie is a lie. No matter how you try to manipulate it into an "overstatement."
Posted by Maria at April 5, 2004 08:36 PM | TrackBackI'm anxious to comment here Maria but in the interest of harmony I'll not. Through the link to the other site I see you've taken on a rather heady battle yourself. Nice work.
Posted by: Richard at April 5, 2004 08:51 PMHahaa. Thanks Richard. I just figured I'd go off about it on my site rather than continuing to write lengthy posts at dogsnot.
Posted by: Maria at April 5, 2004 08:53 PMOkay, seriously, kid, you totally need to write an expanded version of this Jerry Springer/Bush's Lies thing and send it into UTNE. Greatness.
Posted by: Jen at April 6, 2004 08:51 AMI want you to know I read every word honey..every word. We don't agree on politics but...well hell I read it. :)
Posted by: sandy at April 6, 2004 10:17 AMThanks Sandy. ;o) We don't all have to agree. The most important thing is that we all try to find a way to get along anyway. (Or at least not kill eachother!) Of course, some people aren't worth getting along with and should just be shunned repeatedly until they crawl back in to the hole they emerged from. But there's still hope for most of us. Hahaa.
Posted by: Maria at April 6, 2004 04:33 PMYes because at the end of the day when all is said and done we'd still have a good time at the "Hog Pit" over bar-b-que and beer!!!!!
Posted by: sandy at April 6, 2004 05:54 PMI think this little group is more than enough proof that different people with different opinions can get along just fine :-)
Posted by: lee at April 6, 2004 10:23 PMSandy - NO BEER until the cravings are gone! Feel free with the BBQ :-)
Posted by: lee at April 6, 2004 10:24 PMDude..I just got done smoking another marlboro..have had 3 today...this move is starting to get to me..I know it's a lame excuse..but...damn it man I'm weak!!!!
Posted by: sandy at April 6, 2004 10:35 PMLee said "I think this little group is more than enough proof that different people with different opinions can get along just fine :-)"
Not to be super cheesy or anything but -
AWWWWW!!!! I just got a little teary eyed and fuzzy hearted that the four of us are here in this thread and we are the two dems and two republicans that made friends at Boycott Hollywood! Richard. Maria. Sandy. Lee. It feels like the goddamn highschool reunion that I'll never get to have, but without the stupid cheerleaders and dumb jocks! Now let's all just try to let go of any animosity that exists in our lives or among eachother and breath deeeeep. Be one with the universe. Yeeeaaaah man.
I'm sorry. Momentary loss of composure there...
Peace my friends. (Hey I can't help it. I'm still a little bit of a hippie at heart).
Posted by: Maria at April 6, 2004 10:48 PMBe a hippie baby..it's all cool...does this mean we can smoke dope now..well since it's like high school and all!!! haha..I'll bring the "Purple Passion"..that was my drink of choice in high school afterall...
Posted by: sandy at April 6, 2004 10:51 PMWhen I said "breathe deep," what did you think I meant Sandy? Oxygen? Hahaa!
Huh? What?
I admit nothing. ;o)
I hate to say this, but forty oz.s of Lucky Lager were our drink of choice in highschool. God that makes me gag just thinking about it. "A forty ounce to freedom is the only chance I have to feel good even though I feel baaaad..." - Sublime
Posted by: Maria at April 6, 2004 10:57 PMHAHA..so I'm not so cool anymore!!! Gotta be hit over the head sometimes.
Oh you know what..I didn't know about Sublime until after the lead singer died. I just love their music..so sad he's gone.
Posted by: sandy at April 6, 2004 11:03 PMBrad was a gem. I'm very sad too. Sublime was a huge part of the soundtrack to my youth. (God that makes me sound like an old mammy). Nother band I still listen to all the time. The 40 oz. to Freedom cd is still my favorite out of all.
Posted by: Maria at April 6, 2004 11:06 PMSince you feel like an old mammy..let me really make you feel old..ailey read your no tv thread and rolled her eyes and said, "Well it was like that back than". I said, "ailey the girl wasn't born at the turn of the century". I laughed my ass off and she thinks we all suck now I think..haha
Posted by: sandy at April 6, 2004 11:12 PMOH damn! That does make me feel old! Shit. I'm only 25! Tell her it's like that now. I wasn't writing about back in the olden days! I'm talking about today, the way the world is now! Hahaa. That is funny.
Posted by: Maria at April 6, 2004 11:32 PM*sniff* what a tender moment. Although, to set the record straight, I'm not a republican. I'm not a democrat either; I'm independent. I'll vote for who I think is best and damn their party!
Now pass that doobie :-)
Posted by: lee at April 7, 2004 12:18 AMWell that's good news Lee! Hahaaa. Consider it passed. ;o)
Posted by: Maria at April 7, 2004 12:20 AM*cough*
Posted by: lee at April 7, 2004 12:23 AMI'll vote for the first guy to legalize marijuana..haha...well I might!
Posted by: sandy at April 7, 2004 12:38 AMI think that's Kucinich. I think I'll just wait; there are more important issues and I've got my sources :-)
Posted by: lee at April 7, 2004 12:48 AMhaha..dude you own a copy of "UHF"..my issue is trying to get you to burn that right now!!! LOL..love ya sweetie...
Posted by: sandy at April 7, 2004 12:59 AMI love ya too darlin', but I ain't giving up my Weird Al for anyone! Burn it? NEVER!! You'd probably appreciate it more if we burned something else before we watch it ;-)
Posted by: lee at April 7, 2004 01:08 AM