Would This Would Be Funny if It's Wasn't So Sad?
In Saturday's Guardian, a British newspaper, Charlie Brooker concluded his column about the American presidential election with: "On November 2, the entire civilized world will be praying, praying Bush loses. And Sod's law dictates he'll probably win, thereby disproving the existence of God once and for all. The world will endure four more years of idiocy, arrogance and unwarranted bloodshed, with no benevolent deity to watch over and save us. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr. - where are you now that we need you?" Yes, that's it, a columnist in a mainstream British newspaper actually called for the assassination of the President of the United States! Later that week, the Guardian thought again on what Mr. Brooker wrote and issued an apology. However, once said, embarassing words to that effect can not be taken back that could have consequences on both side of the Atlantic.
Journalistic stupidity is not confined just to the American press. It seems that the most Leftist European press got a kick out of Mr. Brooker's column, especially as they know that he was referring to them as the "entire civilized world." They are so civilized that they forgotten how to defend themselves as most of them have forgone keeping an effective military, an expense they don't want shoulder, preferring to use the military of the U.S. in a pinch to beef up NATO, although France has a much better force since they pulled out of NATO.
What they mean by "civilized" is a society that would eschew war by talking the enemy to death, hoping that the diplomats will die of old age before the first shot is fired and affecting no change. The Islamo-fascists know this and have milked their system so that now the Europeans are in peril of merging with them to be a full-fledged member of the Caliphate that could appear at any moment.
The big, bad, cowboy Americans prefer action to words. This infuriates the talking heads of Europe. And speaking of heads. Unfortunately various Europeans heads have rolled and a few more have been grabbed up because the Islamists understand that Europeans are very squeamish and public policy can be influenced by even the thought of a beheading.
Video beheadings are quite the rage in Britain, putting pressure on Tony Blair not to help out by increasing British presence in the Sunni Triangle. Various politicians have made irresponsible statements that sound remarkably like apeasement, giving the Islamists hope that they can actually affect British policy by making a few heads roll, a gruesome thought I know.
Is this the media's fault? Only partly so as irresponsible politicians can't seem to keep their mouth's shut. All they can seem to do is talk and not solve anything.
In Saturday's Guardian, a British newspaper, Charlie Brooker concluded his column about the American presidential election with: "On November 2, the entire civilized world will be praying, praying Bush loses. And Sod's law dictates he'll probably win, thereby disproving the existence of God once and for all. The world will endure four more years of idiocy, arrogance and unwarranted bloodshed, with no benevolent deity to watch over and save us. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr. - where are you now that we need you?" Yes, that's it, a columnist in a mainstream British newspaper actually called for the assassination of the President of the United States! Later that week, the Guardian thought again on what Mr. Brooker wrote and issued an apology. However, once said, embarassing words to that effect can not be taken back that could have consequences on both side of the Atlantic.
Journalistic stupidity is not confined just to the American press. It seems that the most Leftist European press got a kick out of Mr. Brooker's column, especially as they know that he was referring to them as the "entire civilized world." They are so civilized that they forgotten how to defend themselves as most of them have forgone keeping an effective military, an expense they don't want shoulder, preferring to use the military of the U.S. in a pinch to beef up NATO, although France has a much better force since they pulled out of NATO.
What they mean by "civilized" is a society that would eschew war by talking the enemy to death, hoping that the diplomats will die of old age before the first shot is fired and affecting no change. The Islamo-fascists know this and have milked their system so that now the Europeans are in peril of merging with them to be a full-fledged member of the Caliphate that could appear at any moment.
The big, bad, cowboy Americans prefer action to words. This infuriates the talking heads of Europe. And speaking of heads. Unfortunately various Europeans heads have rolled and a few more have been grabbed up because the Islamists understand that Europeans are very squeamish and public policy can be influenced by even the thought of a beheading.
Video beheadings are quite the rage in Britain, putting pressure on Tony Blair not to help out by increasing British presence in the Sunni Triangle. Various politicians have made irresponsible statements that sound remarkably like apeasement, giving the Islamists hope that they can actually affect British policy by making a few heads roll, a gruesome thought I know.
Is this the media's fault? Only partly so as irresponsible politicians can't seem to keep their mouth's shut. All they can seem to do is talk and not solve anything.
But, if this is the best the "civilised world" can do - maudlin sentimentality and ironic jests - then it's in big trouble. Both modes are a pose and a detachment from reality. Brooker and the Guardian seem to be protesting no, don't worry, we were just talking the talk, there's nothing we're prepared to walk the walk for. That's the problem.
posted by Eleanor © @ 10/26/2004 06:39:00 PM
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