To flat out say Bush (or Obama) isn't much different than Hitler is, I think, either very dishonest or very ignorant. And irresponsibly so, either way. As far as I can tell, Sowell is not saying that wrt Obama.
I didn't ask anyone to "overlook" anything... which is tantamount to excusing that person. We overlook things we are going to dismiss in some way. I hope you and Batman et al are not suggesting that I would overlook The Holocaust?! He did say that I "heart" racists.... I'm saying that we should be able to talk about Hitler's political rise and success in order to see what can be learned from it. That topic is not off-limits because he is (probably) the worst human being ever born. In fact, it is very important that we understand how and why he was able to succeed politically. Sowell thinks we need be wary of political pragmatists. Can we not even talk about it? The PC police say no, I guess.
and sowell's other references to hitler? how many times does sowell need to compare Obama before it isn't just an intellectual argument? quick google: the article from February that I initially referenced, the 2008 article commenting on Obama's crowds, Hitler Youth (obama's speech to students - "All the dictators want to get their hands on the kids. They get them early on -- Stalin, Hitler, Castro, you name them."). Are you bending over backwards to defend Colbert or Sowell?
Exactly. He has a history. In the case you mentioned, he's talking about the dictatorship quality of Hitler as well as the indoctrination qualities, not "the good qualities" of Hitler. Given his history, it's easy to see what Sowell meant.
... except that he didn't say that. He only talked about a common trait or strategy or pragmatism in the piece that was cited.
Again if you can't tell an inference or subtext then don't discuss the issue. Most people who post on this board are able to grasp that part of reading comprehension a good deal of the time. The history of Sowell's other articles show that he has gone out of his way to compare Obama's presidency with the Dictatorship and indoctrination of Hitler and Stalin. There are studies on how much the literal words mean in communication. It is a minority in spoken language, and more in written language, but unless you can get at least some of the subtext you aren't really understanding what's happening.
Do you really think I don't get that? You are placing more importance on what you infer than on what he actually wrote. Isn't that your problem not his? Will you admit that if he had wanted to, he could have "gone off" on Obama with the actual, literal words that could have been far more harsh? But he didn't... in this article. Evidently there are other writings that are more harsh, but that is not what was originally posted. In a court of law, lots of that kind of "evidence" is not even allowed....
And don't forget that all of this innuendo and slander is coming from Thomas Sowell who is a black man, so it's okay.
I was commenting purely on that one article, and I disagree with people that have a problem with it simply because he invoked Hitler's name. That's not a defense of Sowell, its a defense of what I consider basic reading comprehension. On the other examples, I'd have to consider them appropriate or inappropriate on a case by case basis.
Since we're not allowed to make inferences, your reference to "his work" is totally inappropriate conjecture on your part. Rashmon only mentioned innuendo and slander coming from Sowell - not from his work. Why would you make such a leap?
Where did I say that you are not allowed to make inferences? I cautioned against letting those inferences run rough-shod over the actual words written... which according to FB's own data is more important than inference in a written communication.
<object width='320' height='260'><param name='movie' value='http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/flash/player.swf'></param><param name='flashvars' value='config=http://mediamatters.org/embed/cfg2?id=200909040018'></param><param name='allowscriptaccess' value='always'></param><param name='allownetworking' value='all'></param><embed src='http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/flash/player.swf' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' flashvars='config=http://mediamatters.org/embed/cfg2?id=200909040018' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='260'></embed></object> His first thought about Obama talking to the children is Hiltler youth.... http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/20/idols-and-crowds/ Try not to break your back, durvasa.
