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Image licensed under Creative Commons by SIR: Poseyal KNIGHT of the DESPONSYI
CrimeSofties or JimHuggers?: Has the GOP and its conservative pundits revealed a fundamental flaw? We're referring to the old conservative political stance of "Getting Tough On Crime". With all of the FOX News Network shameless O'Keefe-hugging, it would appear that FOX and their Conservative ilk are getting "Soft on Crime"? By promoting Mr. O'Keefe and his allegedly illegal break-in (not to mention possible conspiracy by involvement with his whole gang and others...) of Senator Mary Landrieu's Office in a Federal Building, aren't they giving themselves the appearance of aligning with the "crime-dog"? Conservative criminals consorting with known felons? Gee, who'd thunk it?
True, true...Federal property is the "people's property"? But isn't that also true in Red China? Has the Right gone (apparently) Red in embracing an activist demagogue that espouses lame, trite, trivial defenses about public property being his property? Wait? Didn't Timothy McVeigh feel the same about the Alfred P. Murrah building?
Oh, and what about the Nixonian association with the Watergate break-in? We don't recall too many politicos hugging poor old Milhous about that time. Nope, not too many. Didn't he resign in shame and leave the political limelight forever after that break-in and the attempted wiretaps? Shouldn't Roger, Rupert, Sean, Bill-O and the rest be doing the same? That or running for political cover before the political fallout?
Our point is that O'Keefe and his alleged-gang being guilty or no, there's no avoiding the negative connotation. We were slightly amazed that Keith O and his staff did not pull up (gleefully...it would have been OK...) the negative references to being Soft-On-Crime, Hugging Criminals and Conspirators, Sopranos references, Nixon references and more. Yes, we know, the McVeigh reference is nauseatingly over-the-top. But, most of these conservatives (some - not all, we love Joe Scarborough), like the proverbial dog, return to their own vomit.
But, lest we forget, seems that our government is getting actionable intelligence out of the Detroit Christmas Attack terror suspect without resorting to waterboarding, torture nor military tribunals? So, apparently there's no need to overturn the Geneva Convention nor bring this poor chump to a military tribunal. How do we know? Because our senior editor's hometown is Detroit, and he's spitting mad over the whole sordid affair - as well as the "any-means-necessary" hypocritical Bushie conservative approach. They didn't have to waterboard Abdulmutullab, did they? Neither do they have to go around casting rose petals at the feet of O'Keefe. Nauseating.
So what is being kept out of our sight? What is the bigger picture? Why all of the political posturing and gainsaying over one two-bit break-in and illegal attempted wiretap by a cheap (alleged) criminal and his "Apple Dumpling" Gang? What is the big deal? Or is it some kind of cover up and/or whitewash? We're waiting...
Bit.ly: http://bit.ly/bkjuqu
FOM: O’Keefe Toxic for the GOP? – MSNBC Countdown Tues, 2/2/2010http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#35209054 and http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#35208524
Updated/Revised: Friday, February 5, 2010
Philosophical Crime
Philosophical Crime: Not a true crime, as in breaking rules/laws outlined and proscribed by a governing body, but a crime in a sense that it breaks with a philosophy, a belief, a viewpoint, creed, some practice, failure to assist or help (negligent or non-malicious depravity...) or other abstraction. Today (yesterday, in particular, Wednesday, October 28, 2009) we became aware of Andre Agassi's stunning and saddening admission of meth use - apparently in his new autobiography. (See our entry: Chemicallball [Era]). To us, the philosophical crime here was that the athlete was once portrayed as a rebel. We were once taught - instructed - that true rebels shun drugs and drug use. Thus, the basis of the charge of a philosophical crime in this instance - the failure of a rebel to shun drugs and their use.The penalties for said crime or crimes? Disappointment, effects on reputation and conscience, history, the now dreaded asterisk...and possibly more. Don't get us wrong, we like Andre and wish him no harm.Another Philosophical Crime might be the sin of omission or neglect. Where an individual, group, entity, population or other body fails to recognize or assist in urgent matters that demand attention. For example, we found it interesting to hear of the asteroid impact event in Sulawesi the other day...even though the event took place 3 weeks ago. Where are we - as a race, a people, a species - on this? How few of us recognize and treat an impact event with the deadly seriousness of this. Why are we asleep at the wheel? (Actually, we've written a position paper on asteroid tagging, see our Homeland Currency Security website. We also regularly post updated links to this danger).World hunger - or hunger, famine, malnutrition in general - are also Philosophical Crimes in that they might be adequately addressed. Over a billion people go to bed hungry each night. Thousands starve to death everyday. Why aren't we doing more about this problem? (Actually, we've started a new concept, called The Food Corridors as a potential solution to this deadly problem. And World Focus and the CBC News does a pretty good job of covering this problem).Suicide Bombing and Suicide Terrorism we also judge to be Philosophical Crimes. It is wrong (particularly in the name of a religion...) to kill others and oneself in acts of terrorism. It is particularly deplorable - and despicable - for any religious body or governing body to develop schemes of manned suicide attacks. For example, we recently did some historical research (of local interest to our senior editor) into the phenomena of the Japanese Kaiten and the destruction of the U.S.S. Mississinewa...Sometimes suicide is wrong...particularly in the above cases. In some cases, where it is meant to save lives, it can however be the right option or action. We know this position to be provocative, but look at the case of Jesus Christ.Warmongering is also a particularly deplorable - and despicable - Philosophical Crime. One or two famous examples are here. Think of the teacher in the scene (All Quiet on the Western Front) who encourages his students to join the war and give up their studies. Specifically, the educator convinces his students to give up education for war and death... We can also think of a recent more modern example given us by a recent US Administration...Oh, and more on the failure to assist or help: The apparent footdragging see in the current debate on Health Care Reform in the US...such delay may be justifiable in order to write a good law, though.More on this topic later...Bit.ly: http://bit.ly/4zSvG8Please note: This posting appears simultaneously on sister publication, The Anti-Zen Dictionary.From the staff: We thought it odd that our senior editor would want to discuss this topic on today, his birthday, but we gave up the ghost.
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