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| November 3, 2006 Alaskan in Exile by Neil Zawicki Can you believe it? John Kerry made a bad attempt at jabbing the president and his administration and now he’s accused of having insulted the troops. At first glance, what he said doesn’t look good: “…You go to school and try to make yourself smart and do your homework and you’ll do well. If you don’t, you end up stuck in Iraq.” Oh my poor, white brother. That sounds bad. And you can be certain that the GOP will grab by the neck for that one. Bush immediately called for an apology to the troops. That’s the funny part. After putting it in context and considering his position on the matter, it is clear that Kerry was talking about Bush. He was trying to say that Bush and his people didn’t do their homework and are now, as an administration, stuck in Iraq. He didn’t do a very good job of saying it. That’s a fact. As a result, the Republicans are all over him, calling him shameful and insulting. He shot back, though, holding a press conference to run a ten-minute burn on Bush and his people, calling them “Despicable Republicans,” and declaring that they owe the American People an apology for abusing the troops and never facing the issue of their failed policy. It is clear to me that Kerry was in fact talking about Bush when he made his remark, and I think it’s clear to the administration as well, but they chose to seize upon it and to twist it in their favor. Fox News helped. That news agency ran the headline, “Kerry reloads in dogfight over snipe at troops in Iraq.” Did you see that? They decided in the headline that his remark was directed at the troops. It’s these little tricks that bend the already soft head of the TV-watching voters. That little piece of subtle propaganda is what the GOP loves from Fox News. It’s kind of frustrating. It’s like being in an argument with a dull-headed bully who twists what you say, getting applause from a bleachers full of simple-minded followers. No critical though here. But Kerry’s remark was a bit unfortunate. It’s still funny that Bush demanded an apology. He either didn’t get the real meaning or he did and he twisted it in his favor. That means he’s either simple or a bully. More sobering, however, were Kerry’s remarks about the administration; how they claim to love and support the troops while none of them have served in combat. Kerry has my confidence when it comes to matters of war and of soldiers. Those flag sucking, elitist criminals do not. By the way, if you’re really going to tell a joke about the troops, try one from the Vietnam-era: “Back during Vietnam, if you were in college and you didn’t study, you wound up the next week jumping out of a helicopter into a rice paddy thinking, ‘oh, man, Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales!” Anyway, that’s not what he meant. Neil Zawicki, exiled Alaskan, is Editor at Large for Insurgent49, a former reporter for the Alaska Star, and winner of the Alaska Press Club's 'Best Columnist' award. He is now living out the rest of his days in an undisclosed location in Oregon. He can be contacted at - hondo23@gmail.com |
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October 27, 2006 October 20, 2006 October 13, 2006 October 6, 2006 September 29, 2006 September 22, 2006 September 15, 2006 September 8, 2006 September 1, 2006 August 25, 2006 August 18, 2006 August 11, 2006 August 4, 2006 July 28, 2006 July 21, 2006 July 14, 2006 June 30, 2006 June 23, 2006 June 16, 2006 June 9, 2006 June 2, 2006 May 26, 2006 May 12, 2006 May 5, 2006 April 28, 2006 April 21, 2006 April 14, 2006 April 7, 2006 March 31, 2006 March 24, 2006 March 17, 2005 March 3, 2006 February 24, 2006 February 17, 2006 February 10, 2006 February 3, 2006 January 27, 2006 January 20, 2006 January 13, 2006 January 6, 2006 December 30, 2005 December 23, 2005 December 16, 2005 December 10, 2005 December 2, 2005 November 25, 2005 November 18, 2005 November 11, 2005 November 4, 2005 October 28, 2005 October 21, 2005 October 14, 2005 October 7, 2005 September 30, 2005 September 23, 2005 September 16, 2005 September 9, 2005 September 2, 2005 August 26, 2005 August 19, 2005 August 12, 2005 August 5, 2005 July 29, 2005 July 22, 2005 July 15, 2005 July 8, 2005 July 1, 2005 June 24, 2005 June 17, 2005 June 10, 2005 June 3, 2005 May 27, 2005 May 20, 2005 May 13, 2005 May 6, 2005 April 29, 2005 April 21, 2005 April 14, 2005 April 7, 2005 April 1, 2005 - also by this
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Reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
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