Ah, that's fair. But it's still a pleasant surprise to see him on-side with this. I like being surprised by people, keeps me thinking about them rather than tripping up and just thinking of him as a cipher evil-dude.
Doesn't mean I like him, or think we'll be allies in future - it's still cool to read sense from him!
And in this case, at least, it's not just what he councils, it's also the reasons he gives that I agree with. There is nothing Obama can do to help, because being an ally of America is poison to an Iranian political movement... unless, maybe Obama should speak out in favour of Ahmadinejad? :P
Some neocon idiots may be standing for Ahmadinejad, but Pat Buchanan is on the good guys side, and supports Obama's stance against the hawks who say he should 'do something.'
I am quite surprised to find myself in agreement with him. Cool!
My best spam message was amusing only for it's mismatch of address and content. It was a standard "your loan has been approved" spam message, offering to loan me $331,000.
It identified itself as having come from "lesbians" and I have no idea what I was meant to make of that.
chucktaylor #150 - "Try it this way: you respect the office, not necessarily the person. The office is the highest in America, and insulting that office translates, to many, as an insult against our country."
If that's the case, then the Iraqis who beat statues of Saddam with shoes were also disrespecting the office of the President of Iraq, rather than the person of Saddam. Should they also be punished for that disrespectful action? After all, the if the office is unworthy of respect, then that's a problem for al-Maliki, sin't it?
Just because someone holds an office, does not mean they must be respected as the office is. That holds, even if you feel the office needs respect.
Lee, #75 - oops, yes, I apologise for the inappropriate wording. "Fellow travellers" is far better.
Thank you.
A point I think Sarge and his ilk are missing, when they say that to let such things pass now encourages greater acts later (like throwing nukes? Really?): the lesson of the Chinese Soldiers.
***
It is said that, back when China was young and Legalism as a philosophy had a strong hold on the Empire, lesser crimes were punished harshly, lest greater ones follow them.
"Brother," one soldier said to his friend, as they walked towards their camp, "what is the punishment for being late for duty."
"Death," the second replied.
"And for rebelling against the Son of Heaven?"
"Death."
"And yet, we have overstayed our leave," the first soldier remarked.
"Ah." His brother thought a moment. "Down with the Emperor!"
***
That is to say, if you treat a thrown shoe as a thrown bomb, it may reduce the incidence of thrown shoes - but it will increase the incidence of thrown bombs.
#54, I don't know that setting - but surely it could be the equivalent of throwing your underwear at the target.
That tends not to be a message of contempt.
Nangleator @78, "How come people aren't afraid and prejudiced while being polled, then?"
That would be the Bradley effect - people are (allegedly, anyway) less likely to announce their prejudices in a poll than in an actual election. I very much doubt it could make up the differences between McCain and Obama at this stage, though.
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