Discriminations

Short and sweet...Beran's hit piece is feckless political pornography.

Read this passage:

>>>"Still, it’s hard to deny that Obama has found a weakness in America’s defenses. His post-masculine charisma is likely to flourish in a political environment that has come to resemble not only a TV talk show but a TV reality show, in which the candidate rarely escapes the camera’s eye. The masculine leader of old had to conceal his weaknesses."

"a weakness in America's defenses?" Is Obama some "foreign enemy" seeking to attack? What the hell kind of language is that? As much as many conservatives, especially white conservatives want to believe otherwise, African-Americans are indeed every bit as American at they are.

But hey, like the recently disclosed notes from the Clinton campaign, the core of the tactics was to paint Obama is "un-American", and not "one of us".

"Post-masculine charisma?"

C'mon! Now he's not even a MAN? He's not "manly" enough. It's a wicked irony that since Obama is the complete antithesis of the hyper-macho, out-of-control, belligerent black male at the heart of the Southern strategy fear motif (rent "Birth of a Nation"), he can't possibly be a "real" man.

This is absolute jibberish.

John, I realize back in 2004, you kept running posts quoting pieces attacking decorated combat veteran Sen. John Kerry as some kind of "war criminal".

http://www.discriminations.us/2004/08/is_there_a_gag_order_at_the_wa.html

http://www.discriminations.us/2004/08/if_you_believed.html

That's your right. It's your blog. But this kind of trash? C'mon. I'm eagerly awaiting the "Obama is the Anti-Christ" links.

--Cobra

John, what purpose is served by allowing Cobra to rave in this manner? He's clearly not entirely of sound mind. He's accused you and your readers hundreds of times of being members of the Klan.

I'm all in favor of a wide ranging debate... but that's not what Cobra is doing. He's raving like a lunatic, and he's a wild racist.

What's the purpose of turning this forum over to a lunatic? Let him start his own blog if he wants a forum for his hysterical ravings.

John Kerry was probably the most self-decorated, self-described hero in American history, the only American combat soldier to put himself up for several purple hearts without ever serving a day in an infirmary.

But, Shouting, I think Cobra serves a very useful purpose here. He reveals quite clearly the nature of the most common arguments against colorblind equality, and if I had the power I would distribute his arguments far and wide. By disagreeing with me and others here the way that he does, he often makes our arguments more convincing than they would be standing alone.

the men who served with Kerry hated him. That says alot. I have veterans in my family. They tell me that your fellow soldiers are the ones you have to trust and believe in. Kerry acted in a way when he was in the army that made them hate him. Then he came home and denounced them as murderers and rapists. My father remembers that to this day, just like he remembers that picture of Fonda posing cutely with the enemy with a gun designed to shoot americans. He remembers Kerry in front of some congressional panel with his shock of big black hair and the earnest look on his face.

the promise of obama I understand. It is the promise that life need not be complicated, that liberty need not be costly, that you can have your cake and eat it too. It is too painful to contemplate a world where democracy has to fight to survive. we are all so fat and comfortable. Obama says I can make it better. I can fix it so they don't hate us. From a black man with a muslim name this is powerful. Maybe he really can fix it. Maybe he can fix the russians too by making nice with them so we don't have to be vigilant and even take up arms sometimes. But it is all a dream

Cobra, John Kerry fingered himself as a war criminal(or a hero, he isn't quite sure). Of course not when he was showing his homemade amateur war porn to Dana Delany.

And Cobra, with Obama and other untouchable blacks it is all about codewords:
http://www6.comcast.net/articles/news-politics/20080814/POLITICS-USA-POLITICS-LANGUAGE-DC/

Sounds right up your alley. Enjoy.

John, I might add that Sen. Kerry accused himself and his fellow U.S. soldiers of committing war crimes in Vietnam.

John writes:

>>>"John Kerry was probably the most self-decorated, self-described hero in American history, the only American combat soldier to put himself up for several purple hearts without ever serving a day in an infirmary."

Readers, please review this link at Fact Check.org

http://www.factcheck.org/republican-funded_group_attacks_kerrys_war_record.html

For those who don't know:

>>>" The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of an Armed Force or any civilian national of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after 5 April 1917, has been wounded or killed, or who has died or may hereafter die after being wounded

(1) In any action against an enemy of the United States.

(2) In any action with an opposing armed force of a foreign country in which the Armed Forces of the United States are or have been engaged.

(3) While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

(4) As a result of an act of any such enemy of opposing armed forces.

(5) As the result of an act of any hostile foreign force.

(6) After 28 March 1973, as a result of an international terrorist attack against the United States or a foreign nation friendly to the United States, recognized as such an attack by the Secretary of the Army, or jointly by the Secretaries of the separate armed Services concerned if persons from more than one service are wounded in the attack.

(7) After 28 March 1973, as a result of military operations while serving outside the territory of the United States as part of a peacekeeping force.

b. While clearly an individual decoration, the Purple Heart differs from all other decorations in that an individual is not "recommended" for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria...

...4) Examples of enemy-related injuries which clearly justify award of the Purple Heart are as follows:

(a) Injury caused by enemy bullet, shrapnel, or other projectile created by enemy action.

(b) Injury caused by enemy placed mine or trap.

(c) Injury caused by enemy released chemical, biological or nuclear agent.

(d) Injury caused by vehicle or aircraft accident resulting from enemy fire.

(e) Concussion injuries caused as a result of enemy generated explosions."

http://www.usmcvta.org/pheart/phcriteria.htm

>>>"A group of veterans has challenged the validity of the three Purple Hearts that Mr. Kerry received for wounds he suffered while serving on Swift boats in the Vietnam war. These critics suggested that the shrapnel that hit him in one mission was rice, not metal.

However, CT scan X-rays taken at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston document that two pieces of metal shrapnel are embedded deep in Mr. Kerry's left thigh, next to the femur, said Dr. Gerald J. Doyle, Mr. Kerry's personal physician in Boston who reviewed the X-rays at the request of this reporter, who is a physician. Doctors treating the wound in 1969 decided to leave the shrapnel in place. "One piece of shrapnel is about the size of a bullet, the other a bit smaller," Dr. Doyle said..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/03/politics/campaign/03health.html

John, your debate on John Kerry's Purple Heart qualifications are obviously not with me. You're debating the United States Military Code, and x-ray/MRI technology.

...

Good luck with that.

Stephen writes:

>>>"I'm all in favor of a wide ranging debate... but that's not what Cobra is doing. He's raving like a lunatic, and he's a wild racist."

LOL, you're just too precious for words. But let me thank you for one thing, Stephen...

At least you didn't call me "post-masculine."

--Cobra

Cobra? Political pornography? Why the overstatement? It detracts from credibility. Look, at some level virtually all politicians have to be aware of the limits of Government. It can do everything, and in some cases, it shouldn't be involved at all. The arguments are over where to draw those lines, and I think it fair criticism to note that Obama does put way too much stock in the curative powers of Government. Ok, we disagree where to draw the lines, but that hardly makes it pornography. And if elected, Obama would be well advised to take Beran's views to heart - there are very few easy choices in the executive office, and resources are clearly finite, meaning that wealth and redistribution schemes have only limited, short term utility.

Willowglen writes:

>>>"It can do everything, and in some cases, it shouldn't be involved at all. The arguments are over where to draw those lines, and I think it fair criticism to note that Obama does put way too much stock in the curative powers of Government. Ok, we disagree where to draw the lines, but that hardly makes it pornography."

Willow, did you read what Beran actually WROTE?

If he had left it at your "arguments on where to draw the line" example, I wouldn't have even responded to this post. Philosophical disagreements and civil debates are part of what makes America great, IMHO.

It becomes "pornography" IMHO, when Beran uses ad-hominem language depicting Obama as an "enemy" of America, and calling his "manhood" into question.

Willow, you're a learned person, with whom I have great respect for. Do I have to be even more explicit in explaining to you what problem I could have with a writer who basically describes the first African-American major party candidate for President as an effeminate Manchurian Pied Piper seeking to attack the country from within?

C'mon, Willow.

Anita writes:

>>>"Kerry acted in a way when he was in the army that made them hate him. Then he came home and denounced them as murderers and rapists."

Anita, what's your position on the My Lai Massacre?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/03/98/mylai/64344.stm

Stephen writes:

>>>"John, I might add that Sen. Kerry accused himself and his fellow U.S. soldiers of committing war crimes in Vietnam."

See the above link, and give me YOUR position on the My Lai massacre.

--Cobra