Apparently you get so offended when I don't bow before the altar of JFK, that you don't bother to think critically. You claimed that JFK was great because you went to see him and it left you all warm and fuzzy. I pointed out that people had said the same thing about Hitler. The intent as clearly stated was to show that the trait which you found so appealing was a skill, independent of the thread of discussion which was about greatness. You know what? JFK had feet. Vlad Tepes has feet too! So did Ghengis Kahn! I even heard a rumor that you have feet! OMG!!!!! Am I comparing you and JFK to Dracula and Genghis Kahn!??!!? BTW, his contemporary, Stalin is very much in Hitler's class and Vlad the Impaler and Genghis would have been as well, had there been enough people in the world when they lived. Perhaps you just don't know enough about maniacs in general or Hitler specifically.
Golly, Ottoman, don't get emotional on us! I explained my thoughts on it, and I'm getting increasingly less interested in your opinion of Kennedy, the more you post about the subject. I explained my thoughts on the subject very well. If you don't, "get it," then there's no more to say to you about the matter, not from my end. Jeez. You're creepin' me out. Keep D&D Civil.
Wow Deck, what'da do to our stoic Ottomaton? Actually, I had already noticed that Ottomaton's been a bit more ... emotional lately... care to share Otto?
Sorry should have included one of these. As far as I'm concerned you were misquoting me in a very pernicious way.
OK, I'll try one more time. I posted this: You posted this: I posted this: You posted this: Which I never replied to. I suppose that you never considered that I would find it insulting to be told that I was so intellectually "weak" that I "allowed myself" to be mesmerized by JFK, which, according to you, "detracts from your ability to make an objective evaluation of his abilities and qualities." -Ottomaton I could have asked for an apology. Instead, I let it go. FB brought up a Hitler comparison in this thread, so I brought up your Hitler comparison from the other thread, to make the point that these kinds of comparisons shouldn't be made lightly, because Hitler was arguably the most evil, horrific man of the modern era. There have been occasions in the past when members compared George W. Bush to Hitler, because of his actions, and members from the Right reacted with outrage. By bringing up Hitler, when talking about Bush, the thread became derailed. It's not too surprising. That Kennedy was compared to Hitler was, if anything, more outrageous, in my opinion. I think we can make our points with slightly less inflammatory language. Bush, in my opinion, is a fool and a liar... the living embodiment of the Peter Principal, but he is no Hitler, in any way, shape or form. Hitler was in a class by himself. In my opinion. And that's really the last I have to say about it. I'll add, however, that I don't use, "roll-eyes," emoticons. I find them intellectually weak. Keep D&D Civil.
This is probably the one thread I would have liked to hear what Creepy would have said, he would have no doubt tried to spin it into a "the government has a right to keep the peace" sort of way. DD
True. I have some nice links to throw at him, courtesy of a good friend, but he's not here! Ain't that a heck of a thing?? Keep D&D Civil.
I appreciate that you are upset. I still don't think you understand the distinction I was making or why I was upset with the way you characterized my comments. However, because every time I try to explain I just seem to annoy you further I will not try anymore. Please at least try to understand that I think there is a gap in understanding which is why I have been pursuing the subject, not out of any malice. Also, my comments were in no way attempting to even address the moral character of either Hitler or JFK. Furthermore I apologize that I offended you by implying any weakness and I'm especially sorry that it has lingered since my posts in the original thread. It was unintentional. Many wise and strong people like Wernher von Braun, Gustav Krupp and Werner Heisenberg were mesmerized by Hitler. Each of these individuals has contributed more to the world than me and everybody I've ever met put together. I don't think that these people were weak and it never even occurred to me that you might think that you were. I don't mean to single you out on this subject as people but I am not sure if you misspelled my name intentionally as some sort of insult or whether it was a simple mistake. By BBS name is supposed to be a pun on the name Otto and an automaton, hence Ottomaton. It no way has anything to do with people from Turkey or places to rest your feet.
Oh, good grief. I do apologize. The misspelling was unintentional. I'm sorry about that, and it's fixed. I'm really not that upset, but I will say that I have some very good memories of that period, not just of Kennedy, and I found it a bit upsetting that the ones of JFK should have to be seen as somehow a spell cast upon me by a powerful, mesmerizing, charismatic personality, and that if I had not succumbed to that influence, that I would surely see him in a different light. That implies that he is really unworthy of my admiration, if I only had eyes to see it, not blinded by his oratory skills. Why should I have to apologize for admiring a man who had ideals, and spoke powerfully and eloquently about them? Isn't that what we desire in our politicians? That they actually stand for something? In Kennedy's case, for liberal, progressive ideas and ideals, in the context of the times? That the politician be able to lead by rallying the public to those ideas and ideals? Without being compared to the man most reviled in the last century, and whose ally he fought against in the Pacific, instead of hiding behind his family's wealth and connections, as so many, including our own President and Vice-President today, chose to do? Why should I apologize for that? I don't, and how I wish we had such men to lead us today. Kennedy had flaws, large ones, but at least he had the courage to stand for something, and to speak out for what he believed, and to rally the nation behind him in a way too rarely seen. What do we see today? A veritable dearth of leadership. A callow and cowardly group, leading with fear, leading with lies. Leading the nation into wars based on empty words and arrogance. I would take a Jack or Bobby Kennedy anytime over these men. Sadly, leaders like that don't appear to be in ready supply. Perhaps the really good people, the ones we might want to take us down a different road from the one we travel today, don't enter public life, because they don't find the scrutiny and dissection of their personal lives a price they are willing to pay. And that is pity. Keep D&D Civil.
Fixed, and thanks! (Man, can't believe I misspelled Ottomaton's moniker 3 times! Up way too late last night) Keep D&D Civil.
LOL ... I have been wondering about your moniker for some time. Guess what, I was 50% right in that I linked it to automaton. Oh please don't take offense at my past deliberate misspelling of your BBS name. It was not meant to be insulting. I just thought some shorter versions of this moniker were cute.
