Coutch...am off to bed, so will respond to rest of your post tomorrow, but I did forget to address WWII point, and will do so now. 1) I am largely a historian...historical comparisons are how we make points. 2) If you take a look, many,many, many of the WWII 'criticisms' of the US WWII were, in fact, responses to other people raising the issue, with refernece to the ingratitude of Europe even though 'we sacrificed soldiers to save thier freedom', with some going so far as to re-write history by saying that we got into the war to stop Hitler, who wanted nothing to do with us, and sent over waves of young men on some sort of modern day crusade for democracy...Hence the WWII would kinds come up. My stating historical accuracy in the face of this sort of Hollywood revisionism was taken as criticism. Odd that.
I'm certainly not in this debate, and I don't think I've brought up Jefferson at all (if I have, it wasn't more than once and I don't remember it), but I just have to say it's not that unusual that dissenters would bring up a founding father's historic words regarding dissent when they are basically told, again and again, that criticism of the government is anti-American. Carry on, y'all. By the way, anybody know a good basketball team I can root for? I'm die hard as they come and my current team just isn't working out.
Please go back to calling me Saddam. Just venting a bit before. Figure I'll do what I've done lo these many years and continue to love my Rockets even when they disappoint me. Same as I do with my country.
<b>Batman</b>: It is possible to dissent without incriminating and demonizing? I think that's why your (and so much of the) criticism of the US is not taken well around here. You would push the US off the edge while the Iraqi people are celebrating in the streets that Saddam is going, going, gone. Did you see that Iraqi on TV who lifted his robe and stuck his tallywacker in that portrait of Saddam. This followed a guy beating Saddam's image with his shoe, one guy punching and one guy spitting on said dictator. Phil Jackson might be a coach of your liking. How 'bout the Fakers?
Ya I'd agree withthat statement: [Kerry] served a tour of duty in Vietnam as a Navy SEAL lieutenant commanding a seven-man unit known as "Kerrey's Raiders." He lost part of one leg on the battlefield while in Vietnam, leaving him permanently disabled. Kerrey received a Bronze Star, and was the only member of Congress to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Umm, I think you are confusing Senator John Kerry of Massachusets with former Senator Bob Kerrey of Nebraska. Both served in combat in Vietnam, but it was Bob Kerrey who lost part of one leg.
