Blogcritics: Comments on On Anti-Americanism

Comment by AH

Mon, 23 Aug 2004 12:00:40 EDT

Of course not-- an American is an American, regardless of race, color or creed.

Comment by RJ

Mon, 23 Aug 2004 02:03:28 EDT

"there is no ideological test for being an American and that there should not be." There should also not be an ideological test for "minorities" then, right?

Comment by AH

Sun, 22 Aug 2004 15:25:52 EDT

Hal, you're right! I don't mind being taken to task for my missteps and mispellings. Actually, I was unaware I could go back and correct my mistakes. In any case, thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow.

Comment by Hal Pawluk

Sun, 22 Aug 2004 15:13:59 EDT

RJ, aren't you the guy who nit-picked a number of my typos on more than one occasion? In this instance, I wasn't trying to pick on typos but on what could have been spelling mistakes. Rather than jumping in with childish "Nyah, nyah, you made a mistake," however, I first tried a subtle notification by using the correct spellings ('ad hominem' and 'pique') to start my comment. The idea was that the author would notice and make corrections with no embarrassment to anyone. That didn't work and the author posted 'ad hominums' so I corrected it more plainly, because once is a typo but more than that could be a mistake, and it would be a good deed to correct that. Typos aren't serious, but continued spelling errors are. They really detract from the credibility of the author, and AH looked pretty credible to me (even if I disagree with his post) so I wanted to eliminate the couple I saw without turning it into a big deal since that has nothing to do with the thread. So much for being Mr. Nice Guy :-)

Comment by RJ

Sun, 22 Aug 2004 02:24:10 EDT

BEWARE! The pedants are afoot! ;)

Comment by AH

Sun, 22 Aug 2004 00:04:00 EDT

LOL That I DO know-- I can and will point to my numerous typos! The post from you I'd really like to see is the 'instant easy typing tutor'! Only 6.5 finger speed....

Comment by Hal Pawluk

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 23:02:38 EDT

Since you're in a good mood this evening, try "ignominious" and "ad nauseam" :-)

Comment by AH

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 21:28:16 EDT

Jim- Inasmuch as you're the 'lefty' (or don't you know the difference between the 'left' and 'right'?) here, I'd like to remind you of the ignomious end of the 'lefty' causes: Communism, the Sandanistas, and libertation movements of all stripes, etc., ad nauseum. Of course, feel free to extol the merits of Castro and North Korea wearing your Che Gueverra T shirt-- while you still can. Seems not much of the 'lefty' causes end up anywhere other than the 'dustbin of history'. They and their supporters (yes, that double entendre was meant for you) have been deemed irrelevant or worse. Yup, you can sure pick em.

Comment by AH

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 21:16:11 EDT

Hal, I stand corrected-- thank you. The 'picque' was a typo, I think. Mea Culpa!

Comment by Hal Pawluk

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 21:09:32 EDT

I tried to do this indirectly and unobtrusively but that didn't work so: It's 'ad hominem' not 'ad hominum'. (Ditto for 'picque' and 'pique' if that ever comes up again.) As for you, JC, I used to find you entertaining at times but you've just admitted that what you say can't be trusted. That's too bad because credibility isn't all the easy to find on the Net. Adios.

Comment by Jim Carruthers

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 20:56:41 EDT

I'm sorry you only have a few friends. I get from you the rigor of Young Soviet Youth. What are you going to do when your empire collapses? I think you're just pining for a hug from John Ashcroft, and a softy whispered lyric. With some music from Eugene Chadbourne.

Comment by AH

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 19:29:21 EDT

I see. So you admit to a penchant for making things up. That explains a lot. In any case, inasmuch as you were the one to take me to task, it would be incumbent on you to 'back it up', that with which you disagree. Obviously, you can't and result to ever more boring ad hominums. Allow me a suggestion that might save you some money. Rather than spend a few dollars on Penn and Teller to entertain yourself with BS, just look in the mirror. They could learn a thing or two from you. As for being entertained, I'd like to reciprocate and thank you. You too, provide me and few friends some great entertainment, though admittedly, you've proven your repetoire isn't very deep. By the way, you do know it's PUBLISH the banns, right?

Comment by Jim Carruthers

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 19:10:35 EDT

For the "plagiarism", I just made that shit up. Yep, a total fiction. Just like the original post. Could I note that AH made no effort whatsoever to try and prove what he ginned up to support his hot-flash opinion had any basis in fact in this, or other worlds. So, if you are going to post fiction, could you at least make an effort, however so feeble, to make it entertaining? If I want to hear about Bullshit, I just go to Penn & Teller. I've said it before, you are here to entertain me, if you do a piss-poor job of it, I'm going to call you out on being a bad balloon-twisting clown.

Comment by Mac Diva

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 16:15:27 EDT

Jim is right about the at least semi-plagiarism of the entry. I recognized the conceit of a conversation with Europeans about an ideal, upstanding American (who is presented as representative, but is not) right off the bat. There have been Right Wing variations on Alexis de Tocqueville on the Net for a long time. However, the entry is partly the author's own misconceptions and myth making as well, so I decided to focus on that. Someone dismissing centuries of genocide and slavery as 'somebody got beat up' is of more interest to me than refusing to attribute. Also, it is so typical for people at this site to fail to credit sources that I rarely focus on it anymore.

Comment by Mac Diva

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 16:00:04 EDT

What I said in the abruptly chopped off comment above is that there is no ideological test for being an American and that there should not be. Anyone who finds that fact and opinion offensive is saying more about herself than she is about the rather innocuous remark. I've decided that it is best to let this entry stand for itself. Any intelligent person reading it (without an admitted family history of psychosis and far Right toes that are easily stepped on) will realize it is an exercise in myth making and McCarthy era thinking.

Comment by AH

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 12:32:39 EDT

Mike Kole, I'd be more than a bit inclined to agree with you, if it were possible. The US cannot disengage. One way or another, via foreign aid of all sorts and so on, we will remain engaged. We have our own interests to maintain and for the most part, have done so in a none military way. If we intervene, we are meddlers and if we don't we are isolationists. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Comment by AH

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 12:28:55 EDT

Shark, your remarks re Bernards post are well taken. Please see post #59, as I responded to his critique.

Comment by AH

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 12:25:46 EDT

Hal, I too am waiting for JC to back up the charge of plagarism. We'll see. But even he doesn't (he can't), I'll consider a 'heat of the moment' overstep.

Comment by AH

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 12:23:33 EDT

Shark, like MacDiva, I am guilty of a poorly written entry, re' myths' of a country. My response was meant top meant to mean that it is not only the US that has a history of mistreatment of aboriginals.

Comment by AH

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 12:17:13 EDT

Actually Shark, I'm surprised at you. My few refersnces to Canada were about Canada's heathcare system-- a failing example, as noted by more than one Canadian and a referance to current Canadian laws as they relate to certain freedoms, once cherished by Canadians. I can undertand your wishing to 'educate' people about what I have written by sugesting they not visit my site- the truth it seems, disturbs you greatly. Which is underastandable, of course.

Comment by Shark

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 12:09:55 EDT

BTW Hal, if you're just skimming, Bernard The European's comments are pretty cool. Check 'em out.

Comment by Shark

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 12:08:32 EDT

Hal, to be fair, AH was responding to a sentence by MacDiva: DIVA: "...we are spoon fed the childrens' myth about a country founded on genocide and slavery being ideal." Granted, it's a badly written and a tad convoluted -- what with "ideal" being in the [sort of] wrong spot to modify "country", but you get the idea... AH responded with: "As for myths about genocide and slavery, how does Canada's past treatment of its minorities (aboriginal) make Canadians superior?" Observer's Note for those too tired to read the entire "War & Peace" of this entry: I visited AH's web site, and he seems to have a "thing" for Canada. He apparently holds Canada up as an example of all that's wrong with a socialistic, liberal society. Which I find kinda strange, since the only time Canada shows up on the USA's Narcissistic Radar is when we need to blame someone for a blackout --- or opportunistic politicos mention Grandma's trip north to get cheap prescription dope. I dunno, maybe as a child, he was frightened by a Mountie or somethin'? Or singled out at a Don Rickles performance and called a "hockey puck" in public? Carry on, tho.

Comment by Hal Pawluk

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 11:53:34 EDT

JC: "Plagiarism" is a strong accusation, particularly on a site like this. Personally, I'd like to see proof or a retraction.

Comment by Hal Pawluk

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 11:26:54 EDT

This was all so ad hominem, starting with the original post, that I wasn't goint to join in but something in Comment 17 piqued my interest:

"As for myths about genocide and slavery?"

Myths, AH? Thanks.

Comment by Mike Kole

Sat, 21 Aug 2004 08:04:56 EDT

I'm in agreement with the sentiments about US military presence elsewhere. It is high time our troops and lack of plans ceased to be such a nuisance to the rest of the planet. Let's bring them all back. It's time to stop defending Germany. They can do it all by themselves. That goes for everyone else, too. The Founding Fathers warned against foreign entanglements and military adventurism, and they were absolutely correct. So, let's see some real isolationism as we retreat militarily towards merely protecting our actual borders. The US budget will be all the better for it, and the world will smile on our newfound respect for our neighbors.