Speak To Us, Mister President
President Barack Obama, in a recent interview, pointed out one of his own shortcomings in a bit of fairly accurate self-reflection. When asked the hardest lesson he has yet learned while in office, Obama responded: "You can't separate good policy from the need to bring the American people along and make sure that they know why you're doing what you're doing. And that's particularly true now in this new communications era." He went on to say, about his first few years as president: "a certain arrogance crept in, in the sense of thinking as long as we get the policy ready, we didn't have to sell it."
President Obama needs to now take his own advice, and at some point during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend give a prime-time address from the Oval Office on national television. We need to hear the president speak right now, to put this another way. He needs to explain what his administration is doing on several subjects, and he needs to do so now.
I realize that political speeches have their limits. So does the famed "bully pulpit." So I do not make this suggestion thinking it'll be a panacea for all that ails America right now, by any means. But we are at a rather critical juncture when the public is getting fearful, and the president should address those fears publicly and fully.
Some might scoff at suggesting a prime-time speech to America as being either ineffective or not necessary. The White House might point out that Obama has been answering reporters' questions pretty steadily over the past week. But this hasn't been enough. Obama has had so many press availabilities because he was traveling overseas, and whenever presidents meet with other countries' leaders there are always a press conferences afterwards with local, American, and international press members asking questions. But answering a question from a reporter is different than reading a prepared speech. A speech is comprehensive, covering a subject fully in the way a quick answer cannot.
The fear the public is feeling right now is palpable and multifaceted. The events of the past few weeks have driven this fear, but so also have politicians and the media. "Be very afraid!" both tell the public, over and over again. So it's really no wonder people are feeling a bit uneasy.
The Paris attacks were the real start to this cycle. The threat of the Islamic State has grown larger, even as France, Russia, and America pound them with bombing runs. The presidential candidates (of both parties, I should mention) have offered up their own war plans to address this, ranging from quite reasonable to downright incoherent. Tossed into the mix is the question of what to do about Syrian refugees, which has become another hot topic in the presidential race. But the real reason Obama must address the nation is that this morning a Russian warplane was shot down by Turkey, for violating Turkey's airspace.
The Islamic State, no matter how successful they ever could aspire to be, are simply not an existential threat to the United States. No matter how spectacular a terrorist attack the Islamic State could pull off here, our country itself would not be destroyed. This is not the case when considering Russia as an enemy. Remember, Turkey is a NATO ally that we are sworn to protect. This is very dangerous stuff, as anyone who lived through any part of the Cold War can attest. The seriousness of the current situation demands the president reassure the American people about what he is doing and what he hopes to achieve. The situation with Russia must be made clear, both to America as well as the rest of the world.
President Obama thinks he is following the right strategy in Syria and Iraq. He needs to clearly explain this strategy to America. He needs to tell us what he has already been doing (much of which has been completely ignored by the press for the last year or so), and what has been achieved so far. He needs to show us a map of the Islamic State territory, and explain where battlefield gains have been made. President Obama also needs to lay out an overall strategy for continuing to take back territory from the Islamic State, both in Iraq and in Syria. This is not a two-sided war, it is a very complex situation with multiple interested parties fighting -- not only against the Islamic State, but also with each other. Obama needs to lay all of this out in clear detail, complete with objectives he hopes to attain in the near future.
Obama also needs to explain the fact that we are, at certain places, in a de facto military alliance with both Russia and Iran, since we're both fighting the same foe on the same battlefields. This gets complicated when Russia and Iran attack our own allies, however, be they rebels in Syria, or Kurds in either country. This alliance is a tenuous one, and Obama should explain what he can do to make it work better in the future (and avoid more planes being shot down).
America is at war with the Islamic State. We need a war speech to explain what, precisely, that now means and will mean in the future. Obama should take the opportunity to show some resolve and leadership right now. The subject is serious enough for a prime-time speech to the nation.
Obama also needs to make the case for his refugee policy. This is a white-hot subject right now, and it's not going to fade away. Republicans in Congress are already making plans to have a showdown with the Obama administration, using (once again) a necessary budget bill in an attempt to force the president to do their will. Obama can get in front of this upcoming fight by clearly explaining his position on Syrian refugees and on refugee policy in general.
This needs to happen soon. The Thanksgiving weekend means families will be together, but traveling to see each other is already making many very nervous. It is the perfect time for a presidential speech. President Obama should take his own advice this weekend: "You can't separate good policy from the need to bring the American people along and make sure that they know why you're doing what you're doing." America, right now, needs to know what Obama is doing and why he is doing it. A few hasty answers during overseas press conferences is not enough. If Obama wants any chance of gaining public support for his war plans and his refugee policies, the time is now to explain his strategy in the most prominent of ways.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Program Note:
This may be the final column for this week. I am going to try to get something out tomorrow, but I may just punt and run the above article as my Wednesday Huffington Post column. As I said, I can't promise a new article tomorrow (due to all the preparations for the holiday weekend), but I will try. In any case, everyone have a happy Thanksgiving no matter what!
-CW
Oh, also, I cleaned out the filter backlog, so if your comments didn't post in the past day or so, they should be there now. Sorry for the delay.
-CW
The Russia/Turkey conflict is an interesting one. I would expect it to blow over fairly quickly with some face saving bluster from Putin. Russia needs The Bosphorus for shipping a decent amount of it's oil, as well as general shipping and access to the Mediterranean for the Black Sea Fleet. hard to do any of those when the only passage goes right through the capitol of a country you are hostile with.
Though I must say for a group that is at least some part doomsday cult, The Islamic State must be loving that the world powers are fanning the flames of Armageddon. Works right in to their world view...
Edit: I meant largest city in Turkey, not capitol...
The fear the public is feeling right now is palpable and multifaceted. The events of the past few weeks have driven this fear, but so also have politicians and the media. "Be very afraid!" both tell the public, over and over again. So it's really no wonder people are feeling a bit uneasy.
This appears to be a 180 degree turn from the "KNEE JERK"
FTP commentary..
Perhaps if Obama had taken things seriously from the get go, Americans would not be in the "uneasy" state they are in right now..
I'm just sayin'..
As usual, you give good advice to Obama..
And, as usual, Obama will ignore it..
He is much more comfortable lecturing Americans and talking down to Americans..
The idea that he would get up in front of the country and EXPLAIN HIMSELF???
That's a bridge to far for our POTUS...
Michale
President Barack Oh-Bummer
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/barack-obama-president-oh-bummer/2015/11/24/9ed001c6-92f4-11e5-b5e4-279b4501e8a6_story.html
This illustrates EXACTLY why Obama should NOT give a speech from the Oval Office..
He doesn't know how to treat Americans as equals.. As fellow citizens...
It must be rough for Obama when a dyed in the wool Lefty like Milbank attacks Obama for being so negative.. :D
Michale
At this pivotal moment in Western history and the war on terror, President Hollande understands what President Obama seems to have missed: the French president recognizes that his primary duty is not to represent one political party or to score points in defense of his personal political record, rather his duty is to rally his nation and prepare public opinion for the challenges ahead. His message is “national unity” in the wake of terrorists aiming to divide the French nation.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/11/24/a_tale_of_two_presidents_128846.html
Could not have possibly said it better myself..
Hollande attacks ISIS..
Obama attacks Republicans..
It's THAT simple...
Michale
But the real reason Obama must address the nation is that this morning a Russian warplane was shot down by Turkey, for violating Turkey's airspace.
This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.
-Fred Thompson, HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER
Michale
Perhaps if Obama had taken things seriously from the get go, Americans would not be in the "uneasy" state they are in right now..
Obama said, "tough talk won't defeat ISIS" and that is true enough..
But tough talk WILL rally a nation... And rallying a nation, having your own countrymen BEHIND you, rather than castigating you, WILL defeat an enemy...
For Joe and Jane Sixpack, it's hard to rally around the President when the President is attacking you and dismissing your fears as unhelpful noise...
It's ESPECIALLY galling for Joe and Jane when one considers after 2 weeks of that, after 2 weeks of the ridicule and condescending claptrap..
The Administration does a flip flop and says, "Yea, there IS something to be concerned about.."
It's like, "Yea, Mr President! That's what WE have been telling YOU for weeks!!! Ya dickhead!!!!"
Michale
"You can't separate good policy from the need to bring the American people along and make sure that they know why you're doing what you're doing. And that's particularly true now in this new communications era."
A more candid version of the second sentence would be:
"That's damn near impossible in this new era of infotainment pandering to the short attention span of audiences fragmented along partisan fault lines."
TS,
While it's undeniable that the media shares some small measure of culpability, come on!!
Obama has PROVEN he has absolutely NO PROBLEM reaching the masses if he wants to...
It's on him whether ya want to blame him or not...
Michale
Obama has PROVEN he has absolutely NO PROBLEM reaching the masses if he wants to...
The problem is Obama only talks DOWN to the masses..
The only people he wants to talk to are those who worship him..
And that group is steadily getting smaller and smaller, day by day...
Michale
Bashi-3
"some face saving bluster from Putin."
I would not want to serving on the guided missile cruiser Moscova. Especially if it actually fires a missile and takes something down.
https://www.rt.com/news/323329-russia-suspend-military-turkey/
Pootin will just keep on doin' what he's been doing. Syria has a long history of being within the Russian sphere of influence. France has quite a history in the Levant...all the way back to the Crusades and into 1946.
M-11
Reaching out is only half the problem...somebody has to actually listen. Not necessarily agree, but listen. The United States is a nation of very poor listeners.
Not necessarily agree, but listen. The United States is a nation of very poor listeners.
Really??
It was the masses of Americans "listening" that swept Obama into office...
I submit that everyone is willing to listen to Obama..
But all Obama is interested these days is talking down to and condescending his fellow Americans..
yea... We won't listen to that crap...
Michale
M-7
So, where was Hollande 2 weeks ago? Prior to that, when was the last time anybody in the US had something good to say about the French, or French foreign policy in the Middle East or anywhere else?
So far, the French military response has been mostly symbolic - bombing empty buildings in Raqqa, according to reliable sources actually in Raqqa. The French know where the power stations are, and the water works, etc. They have guided munitions. They could hurt the ISIS franchise pretty badly. Quite likely empty out the city, which would make more refugees, but that maybe that's not unwarranted if this really war. So far, France is performing public relations for the home crowd, which necessary, but not anything like a long term solution, or anything particularly bold.
The French did a pretty job responding to the attacks, which amounted to killing a lot of the perps, but that's a police action, not war.
'Sides...
Everyone knows what Obama is going to say before he opens his mouth...
"I am your Messiah.. I am never wrong.. Everything that's happening that's bad is the fault of the evil nefarious Republicans... The Democrat Party is the Party of goodness and light. Thank you..."
Now, I axe ya.. Who in their right mind would want to listen to that??
"Everything that guy just said is BULLSHIT... Thank you."
-Joe Pesci, MY COUSIN VINNY
:D
Michale
So far, the French military response has been mostly symbolic - bombing empty buildings in Raqqa, according to reliable sources actually in Raqqa.
The only "reliable" sources in Raqqa are Daesch sources..
Hardly "reliable"...
The French did a pretty job responding to the attacks, which amounted to killing a lot of the perps, but that's a police action, not war.
Semantics...
The point is that Hollande TOOK action.. He didn't blame the opposition Party and talk down his fellow French...
THAT is the difference between Obama and a real leader...
Granted, Hollande made some mistakes.. But, by and large he and Putin are at one end of the leadership spectrum (the GOOD end) and Obama is at the other end..
Way WAY at the other end....
Michale
If Obama REALLY wants to take charge, he should bring together all the people who are saying things that Obama doesn't want to hear and Obama should actually LISTEN to what they have to say..
Obama should address THEIR concerns...
Instead Obama spent 2 weeks demonizing and vilifying those who didn't toe his line and then ended up doing exactly what they had been advocating all along!!!
And ya'all call that "leadership"???
Michale
Great point, CW.
I hope the news media would cover it too.
-David
This may be the final column for this week. I am going to try to get something out tomorrow, but I may just punt and run the above article as my Wednesday Huffington Post column. As I said, I can't promise a new article tomorrow (due to all the preparations for the holiday weekend), but I will try. In any case, everyone have a happy Thanksgiving no matter what!
Will there be the KICKOFF COMMENTARY?? :D
My number fingers are rarin' to go!!! :D
Michale
"The only "reliable" sources in Raqqa are Daesch sources.."
BS. There is an active underground in Raqqa, and ISIS can't keep them off social media any better than the West can keep ISIS of social media. The underground reported that abandoned ISIS sites were hit. If you read official French press releases, they only claim they hit the targets they intended, nothing more.
BS. There is an active underground in Raqqa, and ISIS can't keep them off social media any better than the West can keep ISIS of social media. The underground reported that abandoned ISIS sites were hit. If you read official French press releases, they only claim they hit the targets they intended, nothing more.
ANY intel coming from on the ground is immediately suspect..
Of course, Daesch is going to claim nothing of import was hit..
Those same sources say that the US is ALSO not hitting anything of import..
You sensing a pattern??
I'll trust the French's BDA over compromised sources on the ground any day of the week and twice of Sunday...
Michale
M-23 You sensing a pattern??
No, I am not. The US has published videos of the attacks on fuel trucks at the depots. You can see trucks getting hit, fuel sprays, fireballs and plumes of smoke. Those are dead trucks with dead cargo. Some might quibble about the round number of 180 kills, but ISIS lost their assets that night. I see no reason this sort of interdiction should not be repeated on regular basis. The drivers have been warned...find a new profession.
History shows over claiming is a fact of military life, especially in aerial warfare, but good evidence trumps latent suspicion.
@Michale [#17]
Source for that quote?
CW
100% agree.
Haters gonna hate. Put your reasons out there, own them, and lead.
RD,
Source for that quote?
My Cousin Vinny
Stars Joe Pesci, Marissa Tomeii and Ralph Macchio.. Features Bruce McGill and Fred Gwynne as Judge Chamberlin Haller..
One of THE funniest movies of all time...
Memorable quotes..
What is a 'ute'??"
"WHOAAA!!!??? WAIT A MINUTE!!!"
" Imagine you're a deer. You're prancing along, you get thirsty, you spot a little brook, you put your little deer lips down to the cool clear water... BAM! A fuckin bullet rips off part of your head! Your brains are laying on the ground in little bloody pieces! Now I ask ya. Would you give a fuck what kind of pants the son of a bitch who shot you was wearing?"
"Ms. Vito, you're supposed to be some kinda expert in automobiles, is that correct?... Is that correct?"
"Would you please answer the counselor's question?"
"No, I hate him."
"Your Honor, may I have permission to treat Ms. Vito as a hostile witness?"
"You think I'm hostile now, wait 'til you see me tonight."
"Do you two know each other?"
"Yeah, she's my fiancée."
"Well, that would certainly explain the hostility."
Did you WANT to talk about MY COUSIN VINNY?? Or were you just makin' chit chat?? :D
Michale
The US has published videos of the attacks on fuel trucks at the depots. You can see trucks getting hit, fuel sprays, fireballs and plumes of smoke. Those are dead trucks with dead cargo. Some might quibble about the round number of 180 kills, but ISIS lost their assets that night.
And did you believe all the footage coming from the Bush Administration as well?? :D
I am betting ya didn't...
My point?? Military propaganda... Speaking as one who is intimately familiar with the concept and it's execution, I can promise you that more than half of what you see is staged...
The funny thing is, I would say the same thing regardless of whether it's a '-D' administration or it's a '-R' administration... :D
Michale
Haters gonna hate.
"Indeed..."
-T'ealc
And, around here, it seems the majority of the "haters" are of the Left persuasion..
No??
Michale
This Syrian conflict is one of the most interesting I have seen/studied/read about. I read an article that Al Quada suicide bombed some ISIS leaders. Another funny story has hackers defacing a dark web recruitment site, switching the normal content with an advertisement for a dark web Prozac retailer. There are just so many sides and players and various shades of alliances. I can't think of anything that comes close. Maybe the Italian city states of the Machiavelli era...
It's said that the enemy of your enemy is your friend/last enemy that you kill.
What is the enemy of your enemies enemy that you don't really like but absolutely can't get in to conflict with?
It's enough to freeze a Klingon in pure confusion...
RD,
You well versed on Star Trek??
Cheron....
A planet with 2 Races...
One race is black on the right side and white on the left side... The other race is white on the right side and black on the left side..
And they HATE each other.. Vehemently.. VIOLENTLY... Without fail...
I get that feeling around here... a LOT...
The episode is LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD
Catch it if you can...
It will be an eye opener...
Michale
Bashi,
It's said that the enemy of your enemy is your friend/last enemy that you kill.
What is the enemy of your enemies enemy that you don't really like but absolutely can't get in to conflict with?
It's enough to freeze a Klingon in pure confusion...
I don't say this often enough to you...
Well put... VERY well put.. :D
Michale
BashiBazouk [3] -
Good point. Turkey also gets a lot of natural gas from Russia, I believe. They need each other more than they'd like to admit.
TheStig [16] -
I notice Hollande (how ironic is it to have a country's leader be another country's name? but I digress...) said no to putting any French forces on the ground. There was a companion article in the Post with exactly the opposite point of view (Hollande's empty bluster was annoying, Obamaa was the adult in the room), I'll dig up the link and post it if anyone's interested. Tough talk is cheap, when not backed up by any change in strategy.
BashiBazouk [30] -
Indeed, I have been binge-watching the Canal+ series "Borgia" (note: not the American "Borgias" one), and the whole Papal states and other Italian city states wars are incomprehensible seen from the outside. There's a word that comes to mind, and it begins with "cluster..."
Note to Michale, if he cares: If you've been watching the Fox series "Gotham," the actor that plays the biggest mob boss is the same actor that plays the Pope ("Alexander, the sixth of that name"). What's hilarious to me is that, other than hair style and clothes, it is exactly the same role! Pretty mindblowing, when you think about it...
Heh. OK, that's a wrap for now. Have a good turkey, everyone...
-CW
Note to Michale, if he cares: If you've been watching the Fox series "Gotham," the actor that plays the biggest mob boss is the same actor that plays the Pope ("Alexander, the sixth of that name"). What's hilarious to me is that, other than hair style and clothes, it is exactly the same role! Pretty mindblowing, when you think about it...
Haven't gotten into GOTHAM...
I think BATMAN peaked with Adam West :D
Michale
@Michale [#31]
Ah, makes much more sense now. Didn't realize that was the reference you had in mind... Thanks for clarifying.
Your reference to My Cousin Vinny: nice channelling of Phil Connors... Haven't watched that movie in years, might have to fire it up this weekend.
And you should watch Gotham. Right now the family is binge watching Jessica Jones.
Have a great thanksgiving!
Your reference to My Cousin Vinny: nice channelling of Phil Connors...
You get me!! :D
I am impressed...
"You've read my mind! So few clients are up for the experience!"
-Otho, BEETLEJUICE
:D Heh
Have a great thanksgiving!
Thanx.. And to you and yours as well...
Michale
(Hollande's empty bluster was annoying, Obamaa was the adult in the room),
But it is THAT exact type of "bluster" that rallys a nation..
Do you think it was an accident that the US, AS A COUNTRY, rallied around Bush in the aftermath of 9/11??
It wasn't.. It was Bush's "tough talk", his "bluster" that rallied the nation.. And with the nation behind him, Bush was able to punish those who attacked us..
As soon as we could see clearly thru our big black eye...
We lit up your world like the 4th of July
And Uncle Sam put your name at the top o' his list
And the Statue Of Liberty started shaking her fist
And the eagle will fly and there's gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom start ringing her bell
It'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on you
Brought to you courtesy of the Red White and Blue
-Toby Keith
It's what I was explaining above...
Hollande's "bluster" was meant for consumption back home...
Tough talk and bluster has it's place and it's use..
Democrats up to AND INCLUDING Obama never understood that concept... Even when they participated in it in the immediate aftermath of 9/11...
Michale
RD,
I realize ya are probably stuffing yer face or preparing to stuff yer face..
But I came across this and I thought how similar it was to your previous comments..
The Yale Problem Begins in High School
http://heterodoxacademy.org/2015/11/24/the-yale-problem-begins-in-high-school/
When the last face is stuffed and the last burp is burped, I would be VERY interested in your comments on this piece and especially how it relates to the dynamic here in Weigantia...
Joshua, I would also be interested in your thoughts as well, being you are a teacher..
Of course, anyone wanting to put in their 2 cents?? Knock yerselves out.. :D
Michale
Joshua, I would also be interested in your thoughts as well, being you are a teacher.
my experience, coming back to new york after ten years in miami, has probably been fairly unusual in terms of the sensitive discussions in the article. expressing views freely can become difficult when there's a clear majority view and a poor understanding of minority views (including by those who purport to hold those views).
when i lived in miami among the cuban community, i was exposed to some very eloquent and rational explanations of various conservative views. for whatever reason, those sorts of arguments don't often surface in the northeast. when someone of a conservative bent expresses an opinion in new york, it tends to be poorly framed sloganeering rather than coherent argument.
what i've found in class is that i'm often forced to take up the conservative point of view myself, because few students who hold those views are able to make a reasonable argument for themselves. meanwhile, there's usually some student present who has a reasonably sophisticated argument for liberal views.
part of this may stem from a lack of open discussion, but part of it is also on the incomplete and often erroneous media narratives found on fox news, breitbart and other such outlets. if that's all one sees of conservative views, it's not such a stretch to think that's all there is to them. perhaps those who feel they need to walk on eggshells simply haven't yet been exposed to appropriate foundations to form the basis for arguments that don't suck.
JL
Joshua,
Thanx for that awesome response..
I hesitate to take exception with one part of it and I hope you accept the dissent in the spirit it was intended..
I mean.. I gotta be me.. :D
perhaps those who feel they need to walk on eggshells simply haven't yet been exposed to appropriate foundations to form the basis for arguments that don't suck.
It seems to me that you are "blaming the victim", so to speak...
In effect you appear saying, "You can't make a good argument, so you must be wrong..."
I submit, with the utmost respect, that the determination of quality has more to do with the disagreement factor and less to do with the actual quality of the argument itself..
Would you agree that a student has a right to make his or her argument, free from attacks, even if it's a bad argument??
Because the validity or the quality of the argument is not really the point of the article nor is it my point..
MY point is that, in a educational environment, a student should be ABLE to make any argument they want, good OR bad, without fear or eggshells, the quality of the argument notwithstanding...
Minority students across the country are demanding tolerance and respect..
But, as we have seen time and time again, as there is ample evidence and facts that proves it, these minority students aren't willing to BE tolerant. To BE respectful..
If one can't respect another person's viewpoint then I respectfully submit that one is part of the problem. Not part of the solution..
And yes.. I include myself in that as well..
Michale..
And talking about the univerisites and what's going on there..
I think you would agree, I think we would ALL agree that college is not only there to educate our young people but also to prepare them for life..
What are our kids learning if they are allowed to extort "safe zones" and censor and eliminate any dissention that is a "micro aggression" that makes them uncomfortable??
When they get out into the real world, there are no "safe zones" and if you accuse a co-worker of "micro aggression" because they shot holes in your idea, they will find themselves out of a job in a Jumpin Jack Flash micro second..
I mean, honestly.. One of the more prestigous law schools excused students from an exam if they were emotionally in turmoil over the Ferguson MO shooting..
W.T.F.!!!???
Can you picture a lawyer in a law firm going to his boss and saying, "Sir, I really can't work this case.. I know it's a VITAL case and all, but a person of my race was shot and killed robbing a convenience store 3000 miles away and I am emotionally turmoiled.. What?? Were they a friend? No.. I don't know the person.. But we are of the same race so I am really really distraught.. I just can't do the work.."
And another one is out of a job and into the unemployment line...
ANY parent would really have to think twice about spending tens of thousands of dollars to send their child to a school of "higher learning" if the kids are going to learn that the will be coddled and cater'ed to their entire lives...
WHAT KIDS LEARN IN COLLEGE
1. Facts are "microaggressions."
2. Facts are racist.
3. Blacks cannot be racist. Racism requires power. Blacks lack power and therefore cannot be racist.
4. A student of color, except for Asians, who gets bad grades is "academically marginalized."
5. Professors who give bad grades to students of color, except for Asians, are racists.
6. The SAT is culturally biased.
7. White male students/staff/faculty must renounce their "white male privilege" and then, well, we'll get back to you on that.
8. If you're white and your response to "Black Lives Matter" is that "All Lives Matter," you're a racist.
9. If you're black and your response to "Black Lives Matter" is that "All Lives Matter," you're an "Uncle Tom."
10. If you're Latino and your response to "Black Lives Matter" is that "All Lives Matter," you're a "Tio Taco."
I sure as hell will not send my grandchildren to a school that teaches utter felgercarb like that!!
Would you??
Michale
Indeed, I have been binge-watching the Canal+ series "Borgia" (note: not the American "Borgias" one), and the whole Papal states and other Italian city states wars are incomprehensible seen from the outside. There's a word that comes to mind, and it begins with "cluster..."
I want to see this!
While in Florence recently, we went to the Leonardo da Vinci invention museum (not to be confused w/ the more famous da Vinci museum). This museum was a series of reconstructions of his many inventions based on his works and drawings. While there, we watched a documentary about him that talked a little bit about his relationship with Cesare Borgia (Il Valentino). Il Valentino was interested in him because of his ideas for war inventions. Interesting stuff.
http://www.macchinedileonardo.com/
i was exposed to some eloquent and rational explanations of various conservative views
What's an example, Joshua?
I always thought Milton Friedman was quite eloquent (wrong as his views on politics and economics have turned out to be). Buckley too.
Today, it looks like little more than trolling. Any ideas there once were look like they've been replaced by zombie marketing and trolling..
-David
Today, it looks like little more than trolling. Any ideas there once were look like they've been replaced by zombie marketing and trolling..
Or, maybe it just SEEMS that way because then it's easier to discount the ideas...
"We can't just discard a possibility just because we don't happen to like it."
-Martin Sheen, THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
:D
It's readily apparent that the assessment of the validity of the arguments depend a great deal on whether or not someone actually AGREES with the arguments being assessed..
Michale
It's readily apparent that the assessment of the validity of the arguments depend a great deal on whether or not someone actually AGREES with the arguments being assessed..
Present company excepted, of course.. :D
Michale
Michale wrote:
"6. The SAT is culturally biased."
You think it's not?
STRAWBERRY:RED
(A) peach:ripe
(B) leather:brown
(C) grass:green
(D) orange:round
(E) lemon:yellow
Seems straighforward unless you know that in Latin America, the fruit called "limon" is green. And sure enough, hispanic kids were more likely to get this question wrong.
If the question instead was: Q: How long should one boil chitlins while preparing them? How many white kids would get the correct answer?
Michale wrote:
"8. If you're white and your response to "Black Lives Matter" is that "All Lives Matter," you're a racist."
It depends on your intent. It could be perceived as trivializing and trying to minimize other people's or a historically discriminated against minority's legitimate grievances and make them seem unimportant. To be fair, you need to at least acknowledge that perception matters and cuts both ways.
@david,
one of the axioms underlying legitimate conservative thought is that maintaining the principles in the constitution is often more important than any short-term benefit that might be achieved by ignoring them. in 1964, barry goldwater gave numerous concrete examples of these conflicts, ranging from andrew johnson's impeachment to FDR's court packing attempt. more recently, george will has written with some eloquence on avoiding the centralization of power internally and negotiating foreign policy from a position of measured strength.
in my own area of expertise, the "common core" curriculum standards are a prime example of federal overreach. while it's commendable to try to make sure all states teach some basic concepts to most students, methods of instituting those standards can't be some canned, corporate construction that may not necessarily fit the needs of individual districts or students.
when i said that the liberal "occupy" movement and the conservative "tea party" activists had more in common than they think, i refer to a populist revolt against centralization of power in social constructions, be they government or corporate.
legitimate small c conservatives, as opposed to pollyannaish followers of limbaugh or coulter, have many of the same concerns as populist liberals, on the centralization of money and power in the executive branch of government. they hated the policies of george w. bush as much as they currently hate the policies of obama, and for many of the same reasons.
JL
JM,
It depends on your intent.
EXACTLY!!!!
But the problem with the racists like BLM and the majority of the Left Wingery is that the *ALWAYS* assume that the intent is racist..
You have hit the nail right on the head...
Michale
Seems straighforward unless you know that in Latin America, the fruit called "limon" is green. And sure enough, hispanic kids were more likely to get this question wrong.
And, if the test was taken in Latin America, then you would have a point..
But it's an AMERICAN test in an AMERICAN school..
Once again, you nail the problem EXACTLY...
Immigrants have to conform to America...
America doesn't have to conform to immigrants..
America is a melting pot, remember??
Ooops According to Universities, that's ALSO racist.. :^/
You see my point??
Michale
But the problem with the racists like BLM and the majority of the Left Wingery is that the *ALWAYS* assume that the intent is racist..
To clarify...
"racists like the BLM" and "the majority of the Left Wingery" are, for the purposes of that particular comment, mutually exclusive...
In other words, the fingerprints on that broad brush are not mine.. :D
Michale
When are you going to start counting your comments, Michale?
And, if the test was taken in Latin America, then you would have a point..
But it's an AMERICAN test in an AMERICAN school..
what should the point be? the goal of the SAT is to figure out which students have the most aptitude to benefit from a university education. whether students are conversant in the dominant culture of the country, while certainly valuable, is irrelevant to that goal.
JL
I'm coming up with a new plan for my pledge this year but it will still be tied to your lead, in one way or another ... :)
what should the point be? the goal of the SAT is to figure out which students have the most aptitude to benefit from a university education. whether students are conversant in the dominant culture of the country, while certainly valuable, is irrelevant to that goal.
I would be hard pressed to come up with a reason why cultural references are even PART of an intelligence test..
Which is why you are the teacher and I am the knucle-dragging ground pounder.. :D
The problem as I see it is that immigrants in the here and now don't want to assimilate..
They want Americans to bend to THEIR culture..
And that's just wrong..
Michale
When are you going to start counting your comments, Michale?
I didn't want to be presumptuous (since when!? :D ) and jump the gun.. :D
I figure I'll do what I did last year and credit my pre-announcement comments and go from there...
I'm coming up with a new plan for my pledge this year but it will still be tied to your lead, in one way or another ... :)
Can't wait to see it! :D
Michale
Fostering a climate of intolerance
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/climate-694018-hysteria-change.html
Who would have guessed that it would be the Left Wingery, as a group, who would usher in the era of hysteria and intolerance..
Go figger....
Michale
what should the point be? the goal of the SAT is to figure out which students have the most aptitude to benefit from a university education. whether students are conversant in the dominant culture of the country, while certainly valuable, is irrelevant to that goal.
I would think that the point of testing and school in general is to give grades commiserate with the actual work of the students..
But, these days, students are complaining that bad grades are a "micro-agression" and make them feel bad about themselves, so bad grades should not be given...
W.T.F.!!???
Students don't want to have to DO the work to insure good grades.. They want to be HANDED good grades because the feeling of getting a bad grade is just too horrible to bear..
Just like min wage employees don't want to DO the hard work that would justify the higher pay.. They just want the higher pay handed to them..
Are ya'all seeing the pattern that I am seeing???
GENERATION: WUSSY
Michale
But, these days, students are complaining that bad grades are a "micro-agression" and make them feel bad about themselves, so bad grades should not be given...
And just in case anyone thinks I am cherry picking data, there is a TON of factual evidence from all over the country from a variety of different universities that promote "safe spaces" and such...
This is Not a Day Care. It’s a University!
Dr. Everett Piper, President, Oklahoma Wesleyan University
This past week, I actually had a student come forward after a university chapel service and complain because he felt “victimized” by a sermon on the topic of 1 Corinthians 13. It appears that this young scholar felt offended because a homily on love made him feel bad for not showing love! In his mind, the speaker was wrong for making him, and his peers, feel uncomfortable.
I’m not making this up. Our culture has actually taught our kids to be this self-absorbed and narcissistic! Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims! Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them “feel bad” about themselves, is a “hater,” a “bigot,” an “oppressor,” and a “victimizer.”
http://www.okwu.edu/blog/2015/11/this-is-not-a-day-care-its-a-university/
My gods...
Don't these coddled cry-babies realize that there are no "safe spaces" in life???
The Left castigates the GOP for being "cry babies"....
NO ONE is crying or whining louder than these coddled brats...
Michale
@Michale [#38]
Yep, took a couple days away from websites in generally (and finished Jessica Jones!). Thanks for showing the Yale story.
Yes, I've personally seen cases of "liberal viewpoint privilege" in various settings, including in the classroom as an undergrad student, just as I've seen "conservative viewpoint privilege" in other settings. The behavior described by the students in that particular story are using tactics of group intimidation and have no place in fostering a real and genuine discussion which the instructor seems to be trying to have. I don't mind that there is a "conventional viewpoint" among a group, but I mind when it doesn't allow dissent to be safely voiced.
That is really the essence of civility: that all speakers can feel safe and unthreatened in voicing a viewpoint, especially one that is unpopular. They won't be shouted down, they won't intimidated, they won't be subject to ad hominems or other personal attacks. Instead, the speaker will be respected, at minimally civilly, and their words will be listened to and the best parts of their arguments engaged with. We don't do that because it's nice, pleasant, or polite, but because we know we won't become better if we're not challenged and can't make worthy things happen without others' cooperation.
Your story left one more virtue to be desired: courage. Those kids that disagreed with the finger-snapping tactics and or to at least engage with the professor could have displayed more courage. Because real civility, the kind that really helps make meaningful change, depends on courage. Not the bravado of shutting an opponent down, but the courage to listen, consider and engage.
"Unthreatening" can be tricky. It's easy for a member of a privileged class (for instance, a professor) to speak with an assumption of privilege without realizing it even though it stands out like a sore thumb to those aware of the indicators.
Identifying so-called micro-aggressions can be useful to clarify and make transparent those phrases and assumptions that interfere with showing respect to others whom you want to engage with you. It's the same effort as my taking a couple of minutes to realize that various common non-offensive gestures in the U.S. may be offensive in other cultures I'm about to vist.
OTOH, choosing to be a priori offended at a speakers' use of a micro-aggressive indicator when the speaker isn't overtly displaying an intent to disrespect (i.e, out of ignorance or lack of awareness) is disrespectful in its own way. It's one thing for me as an adult to shout "F--- you!" to you with anger on my face, it's another for a two-year old to say it innocently when learning to speak. If it matters enough to the listener, it takes a little courage (or lot depending on the power dynamic between the two) to start by assuming the speaker didn't mean anything negative by it and to point it out to them (privately if possible). The only reason I walk on eggshells is that I think you're going to judge me to be a bad person without giving me a chance to be a good one.
So do I think we need more political diversity in universities? I dunno, certainly wouldn't hurt. What I really think we need are ways for people with different views to constructively express them and to respectfully engage with others that disagree. Universities seem like a good place to make that happen. So are churches, dinner parties, family gatherings, and public web sites on current events.
Anyway, you asked. I liked @nypoet22's response too.
Yes, I've personally seen cases of "liberal viewpoint privilege" in various settings, including in the classroom as an undergrad student, just as I've seen "conservative viewpoint privilege" in other settings.
Could you give me an example of "conservative privilege" that you have seen???
I only ask because I haven't seen any reporting of that.. And, I am fairly sure that, if it exists, the Left Wingery would be using that as a defense..
The behavior described by the students in that particular story are using tactics of group intimidation and have no place in fostering a real and genuine discussion which the instructor seems to be trying to have. I don't mind that there is a "conventional viewpoint" among a group, but I mind when it doesn't allow dissent to be safely voiced.
"I know, right!?"
-Felix, WRECK IT RALPH
:D
And it's not just in academia that such intimidation is prevalent.. I know you don't like broad brushes, but it seems that in many aspects of the Leftist agenda, there is this effort to extort and intimidate dissenting voices... The JournoList/Racism is but one of a multitude of examples... The Global Warming/Climate Change/Climate Disruption/Next Big Marketing Schtick is another perfect example.
This is something you don't really see from the Right Wingery... At least not to the degree that it comes from the Left.. But what makes it doubly damning for the Left is that the Left PREACHES the exact opposite..
The Left PREACHES about tolerance and inclusiveness... But their actions clear show that they only tolerate and include the views and beliefs that are "approved"...
A far FAR cry from the liberals of my youth...
Your story left one more virtue to be desired: courage. Those kids that disagreed with the finger-snapping tactics and or to at least engage with the professor could have displayed more courage. Because real civility, the kind that really helps make meaningful change, depends on courage. Not the bravado of shutting an opponent down, but the courage to listen, consider and engage.
Well said.. And THAT is another big problem at universities.. The faculty and staff are scared to death of these bullies so the bow to each and every ridiculous demand.. The inmates are running the asylum, in other words...
So do I think we need more political diversity in universities? I dunno, certainly wouldn't hurt. What I really think we need are ways for people with different views to constructively express them and to respectfully engage with others that disagree. Universities seem like a good place to make that happen. So are churches, dinner parties, family gatherings, and public web sites on current events.
True... But it's at universities where future leaders are LEARNING to be leaders and productive members of society...
But I have to say in al honesty.. What THESE kids are learning does not bode well for this country's future...
Michale
Here is another example of what I am talking about...
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/095c7a8e-96a5-11e5-9228-87e603d47bdc.html#axzz3sxppsuGd
You simply CANNOT find such blatant examples of this from the Right Wingery..
And the BIGGEST problem is that no one on the Left will ADMIT that there is any issue.. The Left (as a whole) sees absolutely NO inherent conflict with preaching diversity and tolerance but demanding, sometimes violently, conformity..
" And you find nothing contradictory in a society that outlaws suicide but practices capital punishment?"
-Tuvok, STAR TREK VOYAGER, Death Wish
Michale
Twitter threats to black Kean students made by black alum, police say
http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2015/12/arrest_made_in_kean_twitter_threat.html
Once again, we have phony racist "attacks" committed by black people to bolster the Left Wingery's claims of "racism"...
If the Left Wingery doesn't condemn these acts en masse, then they only have themselves to blame for the CRYING WOLF accusations that will inevitably result..
Go ahead. Tell me I am wrong..
Michale
072
Chris,
I'm afraid that it may be too late for a presidential address from the oval office.
Besides, President Obama may not be capable of delivering the kind of speech you and I are hoping for, anymore. Perhaps, he never was ...
It's all rather unfortunate as this administration has accomplished quite a lot over the years and resisted the temptation for easy answers to difficult problems. I think this is especially so when it comes to the effort to put US foreign policy back on track after watching it go largely off the rails in the years following the September 11 terror attacks.
Throughout his administration, Obama has failed to adequately communicate what he is doing and why he is doing it. There was time for this to be overcome but I really think that time has come and gone, regardless of how appropriate, if not always effective, his policies and strategies are. It feels like his opportunity to lead has been lost.
Maybe I'll feel differently tomorrow night, after he speaks to the nation and beyond. I hope so ...