Tuesday, May 17

We're horrible, but we're not Koran-flushing horrible!

I was thinking about doing this long post about the retraction of the Newsweek Koran-flushing story, about how getting things wrong with good intentions seems to be something only the right wing is allowed to do, about how much of a stretch it is to think that one brief Newsweek item somehow caused the Afghanistan riots all by itself (and how the Bush administration its ownself had been pooh-poohing a connection right up until the story started looking sketchy), about how (once again) Power Line's John Hinderaker may just be the stupidest, most dishonest dipshit on the entire planet, but instead I decided to take the lazy way out and simply do a Shorter Pretty Much Every Right-Winger In The Country At The Moment:

We may have tortured prisoners, sexually abused them, and killed a few of them, but we didn't flush any Koran pages down the toilet! Ha ha! In your face, motherfuckers!

God. Time to extricate myself from this particular rabbit hole, I'm going to work . . .

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please note how very specific the administration's denial of this story is. It has not been established that the Koran was not flushed down the toilet. All we know it that this has not been established as a fact in the specific report cited in the Newsweek story. I believe the Koran was flushed down the toilet and probably more than once. As stated in the post you link to this administration's war on terror has been the greatest Islamic recruiting tool since the Crusades. And all the wingers want to talk about is Newsweek. Uff da!

Anonymous said...

Here you go again. Newsweek admits it fucked up and you turn it into a conservative bashing opportunity. This thing is turning into another hate blog. Have you noticed that the SS debate you started has the most participation? Why don't you introduce more debatable issues that your typical piss on the right BS?
Sorry, I'm out of line. It's your blog.

Astronaut Mike Dexter said...

Ummm, yeah, it is my blog. So if you want to go join in the Social Security debate, have at it, nobody's stopping you -- otherwise, I live in Alabama, so I've got enough trouble with Republicans trying to tell me what to do.

Anonymous said...

I'm not particularly pleased with the repubs either. I consider myself more of a moderate independent, politically speaking, and an extreme capitalist. My first trip to Hong Kong proved to me that maximum capitalism and minimum government solves most social and economic problems. Proceeds from horse racing pays for almost half of their government budget and a 17% max tax rate covers the rest. Culturally, anyone that doesn't work but can is ostracized. So, almost everyone works. Even if they have to sell pencils on the street corner. It's an incredible city.

Anonymous said...

Not to be picky Mortimer, but Hong Kong is a country, not a city.

Cassie Schoon said...

I personally like how the Freeptards have decided that this whole thing is what has turned the tides on public opinion of America abroad.

No, it wasn't Abu Ghraib, it wasn't "bring it on," it wasn't calling the UN, the EU and basically everyone who is NotAmerica "irrelevant," no, no, it was that ONE story in Newsweek that has made the world hate us. Yep, that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Do these people EVER get tired of gross oversimplification? I am beginning to doubt it.

Anonymous said...

Not to be picky, anonymous, Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997 when it reverted to Chinese rule. It is now considered a Special Administrative Region of China. As such it is not subject to China's socialist system (which, IMO, would kill its vibrant economy). When I speak of the city of Hong Kong, I am referring to the Central Business District and the Kowloon Peninsula. Not to be picky, of course.

Anonymous said...

I don't remember anyone saying it was this one article that resulted in the riots. Who said that?

Anonymous said...

Not to be picky Mortimer, but China is communist, not socialist. England, now there is socialism at work. Never the less you are otherwise right about Hong Kong (as far as i know, having never been there nor interested in going. I prefer to spend my money right here in the USA. But I really love my country... i digress) In any event, if you favor capitolism, you should support the Democrat party. Sure you get more regs, but you get fiscal responsiblity, something the republicans have lacked since Eisenhower.

Anonymous said...

To be perfectly honest, I think flushing the Koran, the bible, the talmud down a toilet can be justified as a perfectly legitimate interrogation technique. I'm not that invested in symbols. Burn all the flags you want. I also understand it creates a public relations disaster. I also think we're seeing a certain relish from the loyal opposition in the fact that it makes the administration look bad and that seems to be more important than the fact that situations like this aren't good for OUR country. And who gives a shit whether Hong Kong is a city or whatever.

Anonymous said...

The folks in Hong Kong and China do. There are a billion of them,

As to flushing relegious texts down the toilet for interogation, exactly what does that accomplish Stevie? If someone flushed the Constitution down the toilet or shit on the flag would you (or someone that loved their country) be more likely to answer questions?

Anonymous said...

Well the story of the Koran flushing has sparked riots that have left people dead. It would seem that for at least some people feel this is important. And if they don't answer any questions, no harm done. As I said, I'm personally not moved by symbols, but obviously others are.

Josh M. said...

Bill, these folks obviously hold the Koran very sacred (more sacred than most of us - save the Rebel flag-crowd - hold our symbols). If desecrating it will even possibly gain anything, have at it. Personally, I'll wipe my ass with the Koran, the Bible, the American Flag, my college diploma, or your GED if it would save one American life.

I do love what James Taranto had to say about all this:

"Recall that three years ago Palestinian Arab terrorists occupied the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Priests reported that 'gunmen tore up Bibles for toilet paper,' according to the Daily Camera of Boulder, Colo. The Chicago Tribune noted after the siege that 'altars had been turned into cooking and eating tables, a sacrilege to the religious faithful.'

Christians in the U.S. responded by declining to riot and refraining from killing anyone. They had the same response 15 or so years ago when the National Endowment for the Arts was subsidizing the scatological desecration of a crucifix and other Christian symbols. This should also put to rest the oft-heard calumny that America's 'religious right' is somehow a Christian equivalent of our jihadi enemies."

Anonymous said...

Islamists have destroyed over 1,000 Hindu sacred sites throughout India over the years and destroyed ancient Christian sites in Palestine. And they riot and kill over a flushed Koran? If you look at their history, you will how they have a well deserved reputation of taking to the sword to expand their sphere. It all started with Muhammad's return to Mecca to overthrow Sufyan and his subsequent violent marches into Persia with his army to create the Islamic empire. They are a violent self-righteous people who have trouble accepting coexistence. It doesn't take much to set them off. Don't believe this Islam is a peace loving religion BS.

Anonymous said...

Make a note, Josh says he would wipe his ass on the American flag.

Anonymous said...

So Mortimer feels justified that we are no worse than the "Islamists"? Wow has this country's values fallen since George took office. Yesterday I read that Tom Delays actions are justified because he is at least not a Bin Laden. You guys are setting the morality bar so low a greasy snake couldn't crawl under it.

And on top of it all Josh is now wiping his ass on the american flag, as well as his auto body degree from west bumfuck community college. It's sad where America has fallen to in moral values, but what do you expect from a country led by a political party that admitedly lies to its own base?

DAve said...

Bill - A lot of good men and women have died defending Josh's right to wipe his ass with the American flag.

And that has NOTHING to do with "moral values".

Additionally, hey Doug: did you realize yours, Josh's, and my degrees were from a "bumfuck community college"? 6 years down the drain... crap.

Anonymous said...

Bill, please don't put words in my mouth. You've tried twice now. What do you mean by "capitolism?" Didn't you mean "capitalism?" Or was this a freudian slip revealing your love for large government?

Josh M. said...

Mortimer, reason and coherency do not inhabit the same universe as Bill. Arguing with his "logic" (term used in the loosest sense imaginable) is pointless, as he will willfully ignore what you actually said and twist it to serve his own pre-school level needs.

Plus, correcting his spelling would be an 80-hour-a-week job, so please don't go there.

At least, though, he stands behind his inanity, unlike some "Anonymous" folks above.

Anonymous said...

Dave, I rather doubt if you asked the guys that died for our country if it was so you could wipe your ass they would agree with you. Who is twisting words to the pre school level now? Why not ask the folks that love the flag and their country if it has something to do with morality when you wipe your ass on the flag?

As to twisting mortimers words, when? where? He justifies the desecration of relegious texts by whining "at least we aren't as bad as them"... sounds kinda preschool to me...

Finally as to west podunk auto body school. I suppose it says something that you went to an SEC school, albeit one of the minor ones in a state that has not perfected BBQ as yet. Perhaps with the help of an outreach program from you neighbors to the north and south you will someday understand simple logic and reasoning, as well as basic math skills. In the mean time, there is nothing wrong with living in your parents basement and working in auto body repair. Try not to inhale the fumes from the bondo.

Anonymous said...

OK! Let's go riot!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050520/481/bag11305201500

Anonymous said...

Go ahead and riot stevie, the ultimate goal of the new right is to turn America into a theocracy ala Iran anyway. The more you can lower our standards the closer you become.

"The terrorists seek to change our way of life"
As long as you let them, they win. I for one am tired of letting them win.