posted on August 17, 2005 09:49:59 AM
townhall.com
This op-ed reminded me so much of what the radical left here is always spewing....made me laugh.
Why the 'Chickenhawk' argument is un-American:
Part I
Ben Shapiro
August 17, 2005
Who is qualified to speak on matters of national security?
According to the American left, only pacifists, military members who have served in combat and direct relatives of those slain in combat or in acts of terrorism. The rest of us -- about 80 percent of voters -- must simply sit by silently. Our opinions do not matter. You want disenfranchisement? Talk to the political left, which seeks to exclude the vast majority of the American populace from the national debate about foreign policy.
The bulk of the left in this country refuses to argue about foreign policy rationally, without resorting to ad hominem attack. The favored ad hominem attack of the left these days is "chickenhawk." The argument goes something like this: If you believe in any of the wars America is currently fighting, you must join the military. If you do not, you must shut up. If, on the other hand, you believe that America should disengage from all foreign wars, you may feel free not to serve in the military.
[how many times have we heard THAT one ]
This is the argument made by hate-America radicals like Michael Moore, who defines "chickenhawk" on his website thus: "A person enthusiastic about war, provided someone else fights it; particularly when that enthusiasm is undimmed by personal experience with war; most emphatically when that lack of experience came in spite of ample opportunity in that person's youth."
The "chickenhawk" argument was the implicit centerpiece of John Kerry's presidential campaign -- Kerry hyped his military service and denigrated George W. Bush's military service, all the while focusing on the fact that he, unlike President Bush, was anti-war. Kerry's campaign underling, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, made the argument explicit during April 2004: "They shriek like a hawk, but they have the backbone of the chicken," he said of the Bush Administration.
"The lead chickenhawk against Sen. Kerry [is] the vice president of the United States, Vice President Cheney." Not coincidentally, Lautenberg utilized Moore's exact "chickenhawk" definition in making his point.
The "chickenhawk" argument is dishonest. It is dishonest because the principle of republicanism is based on freedom of choice about behavior (as long as that behavior is legal) as well as freedom of speech about political issues.
We constantly vote on activities with which we may or may not be intimately involved. We vote on police policy, though few of us are policemen; we vote on welfare policy, though few of us either work in the welfare bureaucracy or have been on welfare; we vote on tax policy, even if some of us don't pay taxes. The list goes on and on.
Representative democracy necessarily means that millions of us vote on issues with which we have had little practical experience. The "chickenhawk" argument -- which states that if you haven't served in the military, you can't have an opinion on foreign policy--explicitly rejects basic principles of representative democracy.
The "chickenhawk" argument also explicitly rejects the Constitution itself. The Constitution provides that civilians control the military. The president of the United States is commander-in-chief, whether or not he has served in the military.
Congress controls the purse strings and declares war, no matter whether any of its members have served in the military or not.
For foreign policy doves to high-handedly declare that military service is a prerequisite to a hawkish foreign policy mindset is not only dangerous, but directly conflicts with the Constitution itself.
The "chickenhawk" argument proves only one point: The left is incapable of discussing foreign policy in a rational manner.
They must resort to purely emotional, base personal attacks in order to forward their agenda. And so, unable or unwilling to counter the arguments of those like Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Cheney and President Bush, they label them all "chickenhawks."
By the leftist logic, here are some other "chickenhawks": John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson and Bill Clinton.
American soldiers fight for the right of all Americans, regardless of race, class or past service, to speak out on foreign policy issues. If they fight for the right of pacifist anti-military fifth columnists like Michael Moore to denigrate their honor, they certainly fight for the right of civilian hawks to speak up in favor of the highest level of moral and material support for their heroism.
---
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on August 17, 2005 10:27:13 AM
4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism. Ruling elites always identified closely with the military and the industrial infrastructure that supported it. A disproportionate share of national resources was allocated to the military, even when domestic needs were acute. The military was seen as an expression of nationalism, and was used whenever possible to assert national goals, intimidate other nations, and increase the power and prestige of the ruling elite.
posted on August 17, 2005 12:11:08 PMAccording to the American left, only pacifists, military members who have served in combat and direct relatives of those slain in combat or in acts of terrorism. The rest of us -- about 80 percent of voters -- must simply sit by silently. Our opinions do not matter. You want disenfranchisement? Talk to the political left, which seeks to exclude the vast majority of the American populace from the national debate about foreign policy.
You talk about the vast majority....IT IS THE VAST MAJORITY THAT BELIEVE WE SHOULD NOT BE IN IRAQ RIGHT NOW.
THE VAST MAJORITY BELIEVES THE WAR IN IRAQ IS A MISTAKE.
THE VAST MAJORITY DO NOT APPROVE OF BUSH HANDLING THE WAR IN IRAQ.
THE VAST MAJORITY INCLUDES THOSE ON THE RIGHT AS WELL.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on August 17, 2005 02:26:38 PM
Linda_K, almost 2/3 of level headed Americans both Republicans and Democrats. Now believe the Iraq War is wrong started from LIES,HALF TRUTHS AND TWISTED WAYS.
Now in the 8th Month of 2005 only right wing wackos like you don't seem to understand the CON from the wacko right wingers got caught up with and EXPOSED . Your ship called the S.S. Bush/Cheney is sinking.
Parrots like you for the G.O.P. and Karl Rove's key words and statements of lies,half truths and twisted ways are no longer believed by the MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.
It was just a few short weeks ago that Dick Cheney said the insurgents in Iraq were on their last legs.
CHENEY SAYING THAT IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A VERY DESPERATE FAILED LEADER.
Linda_K tonight you can find a corner near you where you can join Americans from both parties lighting candles to start bringing a stop to the Iraq War started from LIES. I hope to see you there.
[ edited by bigpeepa on Aug 17, 2005 02:28 PM ]
posted on August 17, 2005 02:57:08 PM
I see we have TWO SCREAMERS NOW.
Just can't control the anger from not being in control.
You two enjoy your poll numbers and I'll enjoy the FACT that they don't make one bit of difference....MY GUY will still be President.
And our Congress STILL supports this war too.
So sleep well with your poll numbers. I hope they bring you peace while my guy continues on with his goals.
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on August 17, 2005 03:45:10 PM
1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism. From the prominent displays of flags and bunting to the ubiquitous lapel pins, the fervor to show patriotic nationalism, both on the part of the regime itself and of citizens caught up in its frenzy, was always obvious. Catchy slogans, pride in the military, and demands for unity were common themes in expressing this nationalism. It was usually coupled with a suspicion of things foreign that often bordered on xenophobia.
2. Disdain for the importance of human rights. The regimes themselves viewed human rights as of little value and a hindrance to realizing the objectives of the ruling elite. Through clever use of propaganda, the population was brought to accept these human rights abuses by marginalizing, even demonizing, those being targeted. When abuse was egregious, the tactic was to use secrecy, denial, and disinformation.
3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause. The most significant common thread among these regimes was the use of scapegoating as a means to divert the people’s attention from other problems, to shift blame for failures, and to channel frustration in controlled directions. The methods of choice—relentless propaganda and disinformation—were usually effective. Often the regimes would incite “spontaneous” acts against the target scapegoats, usually communists, socialists, liberals, Jews, ethnic and racial minorities, traditional national enemies, members of other religions, secularists, homosexuals, and “terrorists.” Active opponents of these regimes were inevitably labeled as terrorists and dealt with accordingly.
posted on August 17, 2005 03:52:59 PM
Linda_K, no sleep for me until I and others like me defeat your kind in 2006.
If I went to sleep your kind might LIE AND CHEAT their way in again.
BUSH IS A VERY LAME DUCK NOW AFTER 2006 HE WILL KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE LEGLESS. Just like so many of our very brave young men and women he and Cheney sent to a War started on LIES,POORLY PLANED AND POORLY EQUIPPED.
The sharks are circling your sinking ship the S.S.Bush/Cheney. YES!!!
Sleep well with that in your wacko twisted mind. YES!!!
Linda_K, you still have time to find one of the over 1400 corners across America tonight. A corner where Americans are gathering to light candles in protect against the Iraq War.
posted on August 17, 2005 04:59:05 PM
Since I served in the military I should get to make policy..... Now THAT'S cool!
Not only will all of our troops be here, protecting our borders against terrorists and illegal aliens, but all of our money stays here too! (I hope Germany doesn't get a burr under its saddle from France...awww...too bad! And there are no tsunamis or outbreaks of horrible diseases.) Movie stars and others can send their money...just not taxpayer money. No more favored trade status for anyone. No more favored anything for anyone.
I'd better stop before I start on domestic issues.
posted on August 17, 2005 05:04:02 PMI hope they bring you peace while my guy continues on with his goals.
When did killing innocent people, destroying 2 countries, and killing the economy of a 3rd become his goals.
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on August 17, 2005 05:09:02 PM
" I am leaving for a corner near me now"
Thats where they usually put the dunces
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Golfer:Stop checking your watch all the time,its too much of a distraction.
Caddy:Its not a watch, its a compass
posted on August 17, 2005 06:12:27 PMSince I served in the military I should get to make policy..... Now THAT'S cool!
Why not, we already have one idiot in the White House with military experience and look where it has gotten us. You can't do any worse
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
---------------------------------- The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
posted on August 17, 2005 06:14:27 PM
Linda, I didn't know you were a dirty old man that likes to prey on young boys....that is one definition of a chickenhawk
Absolute faith has been shown, consistently, to breed intolerance. And intolerance, history teaches us, again and again, begets violence.
----------------------------------
The duty of a patriot in this time and place is to ask questions, to demand answers, to understand where our nation is headed and why. If the answers you get do not suit you, or if they frighten you, or if they anger you, it is your duty as a patriot to dissent. Freedom does not begin with blind acceptance and with a flag. Freedom begins when you say 'No.'
[ edited by logansdad on Aug 17, 2005 06:17 PM ]
posted on August 17, 2005 06:50:26 PM
""....MY GUY will still be President.
And our Congress STILL supports this war too.""
LindaTwelvek proves that she really doesn't care about Iraqis or our troops or anything but the fact that "her guy" (Laura might disagree with that)won.
Of course , that's her only defence against most posters. She can't win an argument or say what GOOD bush has done ...so she jumps around like a monkey saying "My guy won! My guy won"!
Uh, LindaTwelveK...he isn't "your guy" ...you don't have one...he's Laura's.
posted on August 17, 2005 08:29:00 PM
Linda_K and classic, I saw a nice display of Americans honoring and supporting our troops in Iraq with lighted candles on the street corner tonight. Lots of horns,waves and cheers in support from passing cars.
There was even some Bush voters with candles saying they now see their mistake in voting. All in all a very good night on the corner of a small town in Pennsylvania.
posted on August 18, 2005 03:28:33 AM
thats all they have
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Golfer:Stop checking your watch all the time,its too much of a distraction.
Caddy:Its not a watch, its a compass
]
....you're on a roll...let's hear about the domestic issues.