Sunday, December 07, 2008
Infamy
Reverend Wright returned to the pulpit at Trinity United earlier today.
Wright's error tells us much about Wright -- n'est-ce pas?
"Any preacher who dares to point out the simple ugly facts found in every field imaginable is demonized as volatile, controversial, incendiary, inflammatory, anti-American and radical," Wright said, taking time out to note the thousands of Japanese civilians who died 67 years to the day when American warplane dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.Uh huh. Yep. The big event that occurred on December 7 was the bombing of Hiroshima -- an act committed against a nation which had done nothing to us. Riiiight.
Wright's error tells us much about Wright -- n'est-ce pas?
Maybe he was confused-- maybe he was thinking about the 12/7/75 Indonesia invasion of East Timor (with Ford's help, and Carter later on....), or of Yassir Arafat's 12/7/88 acceptance of the existence of Israel? Or maybe he was talking about the 12/7/99 RIAA suit against Napster? Or maybe he was talking about the poor Japanese pilots who were brainwashed into thinking that Roosevelt had WMDs and was responsible for the destruction of the Manchurian Trade Towers. It's really sad when one's government lies to its citizenry, it's a rape of democracy, really.
Joe,
You have raised a peeve that is at the top of my peeve-list. This is too serious to be called a "pet peeve." It's a monster peeve of mine.
Anyone who thinks the US was wrong to drop two atomic bombs on Japan should read the magisterial MAKING OF THE ATOM BOMB, by Richard Rhodes:
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Atomic-Bomb-Richard-Rhodes/dp/0684813785
1200 pages of beach reading. The last 100 or so pages are harrowing, as he describes the physical effects of the nuclear attacks.
Rhodes is a great historian who puts this in context. His description of the chicanery of the Japanese High Command, who lied and cheated during negotiations to end the war, are heartbreaking.
THE JAPANESE HIGH COMMAND WAS MADE UP OF INSANE FANATICS WHO WILLINGLY SACRIFICED JAPANESE LIVES TO PRESERVE THEIR HONOR. THEY STUCK TO THEIR FANATIC IDEOLOGY TO THE DEATH.
I can only hope that they were all hung by their scrotums after the war. But I don't think so. Funny how the people who run things end up running things.
You have raised a peeve that is at the top of my peeve-list. This is too serious to be called a "pet peeve." It's a monster peeve of mine.
Anyone who thinks the US was wrong to drop two atomic bombs on Japan should read the magisterial MAKING OF THE ATOM BOMB, by Richard Rhodes:
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Atomic-Bomb-Richard-Rhodes/dp/0684813785
1200 pages of beach reading. The last 100 or so pages are harrowing, as he describes the physical effects of the nuclear attacks.
Rhodes is a great historian who puts this in context. His description of the chicanery of the Japanese High Command, who lied and cheated during negotiations to end the war, are heartbreaking.
THE JAPANESE HIGH COMMAND WAS MADE UP OF INSANE FANATICS WHO WILLINGLY SACRIFICED JAPANESE LIVES TO PRESERVE THEIR HONOR. THEY STUCK TO THEIR FANATIC IDEOLOGY TO THE DEATH.
I can only hope that they were all hung by their scrotums after the war. But I don't think so. Funny how the people who run things end up running things.
I have not read the Rhodes book, although I've been meaning to for some time. In any case, regardless of what Rhodes might say, the idea of dropping two nuclear bombs on civilians is simply not something I can personally accept.
Be that as it may, I'm glad to see Rev. Wright taking the time out of his retirement with a white mistress in a multi-million dollar mansion his congregation built him in an exclusive, private, mostly white enclave. The man's gotta work for his money!
Be that as it may, I'm glad to see Rev. Wright taking the time out of his retirement with a white mistress in a multi-million dollar mansion his congregation built him in an exclusive, private, mostly white enclave. The man's gotta work for his money!
J, this is one issue where my opinion has always pissed off the progs.
You are absolutely right. I agreed with Rhodes' position before he wrote that book.
When you read about the atrocities committed by the Japanese in China and in other Asian countries -- well, another five atom bombs against Japan MIGHT have started to settle the score.
Hideki Tojo was arguably as bad as Hitler. He was a eugenicist, a racist, a genocidal mass-murderer, an imperialist, a nationwide brainwasher -- and, not incidentally, he was also the most audacious plunderer in world history. He pressed for the attack against the United States.
Yet most young Americans do not even know his name. Why is that? Why is it that, when speaking of that era's dictators, we always say "Hitler and Stalin," not "Hitler and Stalin and Tojo"?
The hard fact is, if any country launched an airstrike against numerous American ships today, the resultant counter-attack would also be nuclear. The only differences would be that the bombs would be larger and the counterstrike would take place well within four hours, not four years.
At least, I HOPE that such would be the case. The threat of a nuclear response is the only thing that has prevented another Pearl Harbor.
However, considering the fact that Wright mentored the man who will soon sit in the oval office...well, I worry.
You are absolutely right. I agreed with Rhodes' position before he wrote that book.
When you read about the atrocities committed by the Japanese in China and in other Asian countries -- well, another five atom bombs against Japan MIGHT have started to settle the score.
Hideki Tojo was arguably as bad as Hitler. He was a eugenicist, a racist, a genocidal mass-murderer, an imperialist, a nationwide brainwasher -- and, not incidentally, he was also the most audacious plunderer in world history. He pressed for the attack against the United States.
Yet most young Americans do not even know his name. Why is that? Why is it that, when speaking of that era's dictators, we always say "Hitler and Stalin," not "Hitler and Stalin and Tojo"?
The hard fact is, if any country launched an airstrike against numerous American ships today, the resultant counter-attack would also be nuclear. The only differences would be that the bombs would be larger and the counterstrike would take place well within four hours, not four years.
At least, I HOPE that such would be the case. The threat of a nuclear response is the only thing that has prevented another Pearl Harbor.
However, considering the fact that Wright mentored the man who will soon sit in the oval office...well, I worry.
Why is Tojo not mentioned in the same breath as Hitler and Stalin? I'll venture a few guesses in a second. But before I do, I'll say this: I'm guilty of that. And from now on I'll change.
In no particular order, here are a few conjectures. We are Western, we related more to Westerners than inscrutable Orientals. In fact, even Stalin, as an Orthodox Georgian, "benefits" from this. 9 out of 10 Americans would name Hitler as the worst villain who ever lived. Only recently has Stalin come on the list, due, let us admit, to the efforts of the conservative movement.
America didn't fight Russia during WWII - they became a sort of faceless, amorphous enemy only AFTER our Great War. Uncle Joe was never OUR enemy.
There may be a slight residual effect of so many of our historian-intellectuals being Jewish and resonating more to Nazi bestiality than Communist.
The Nazis were very photogenic.
Asians killing Asians - see above.
In no particular order, here are a few conjectures. We are Western, we related more to Westerners than inscrutable Orientals. In fact, even Stalin, as an Orthodox Georgian, "benefits" from this. 9 out of 10 Americans would name Hitler as the worst villain who ever lived. Only recently has Stalin come on the list, due, let us admit, to the efforts of the conservative movement.
America didn't fight Russia during WWII - they became a sort of faceless, amorphous enemy only AFTER our Great War. Uncle Joe was never OUR enemy.
There may be a slight residual effect of so many of our historian-intellectuals being Jewish and resonating more to Nazi bestiality than Communist.
The Nazis were very photogenic.
Asians killing Asians - see above.
Can't think of the book's title-- but it was about the Russian attempt to nuke Pearl in 1968-- http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fwp-srv%2Faponline%2F20000822%2Faponline135027_000.htm&ei=oao9SbGTLZCu8QSp16njBg&usg=AFQjCNG79oRpMj6z_U-Q1ObeYlJmCyslvg&sig2=cle5uFMDkBy3lHwotsow6w
reports the incident, but anyway, Baatan Death March anyone? Over 90% of the males in my family were killed in WWII-- a dozen causalities and the Japanese killed several on Saipan, Guam, and Guadalcanal. So, I'm with Rhodes and J.
reports the incident, but anyway, Baatan Death March anyone? Over 90% of the males in my family were killed in WWII-- a dozen causalities and the Japanese killed several on Saipan, Guam, and Guadalcanal. So, I'm with Rhodes and J.
Most young Americans can't tell you anything about Hitler or Stalin, either. That's what their backpacks were for, the information is there. Now it's easier than ever to find out what erudite bloggers already know, easiest when the blogger is geeky savvy and hyperlinks what every young American ought to know. Even in comments. (The geekiest seem also to be BILFs.)
Don't take this the wrong way, but your young American readers probably think Alexander Cockburn is worse than whoever Tojo was.
What the hell: Do you think you know all there is to know about the Pearl Harbor attack?
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Don't take this the wrong way, but your young American readers probably think Alexander Cockburn is worse than whoever Tojo was.
What the hell: Do you think you know all there is to know about the Pearl Harbor attack?
