I hope the right wingers keep harping on this "un-American" stuff. Because a) it makes them look ridiculous, and b) it eventually causes the term itself to lose all meaning. Same thing with "socialist". Remember how "liberal" used to be a dirty word? Everybody was so afraid to get labeled with "the L word". Now, nobody cares, because after a while the wingnuts just started labeling everything they didn't like "liberal" and people got so used to hearing it all the time that it actually became normal again.
They think that all this repetition will eventually cause it to sink in with the American people, but what they don't realize (and never have realized) is that it's desensitizing Americans to these terms at the same time. If everything in America is "un-American", then being un-American *is* American, as strange as that sounds. I mean, you go back to the campaign, when Sarah Palin called small-town West Virginia (or whatever) "real America" - is it ever a good idea to call the 80% of the country that actually lives in urban areas "not real America"? I think all those un-Americans consider themselves Americans, so if they're un-American, then everything else American must be too.
it's funny that everyone bagged on bush, and still do, but when it's directed toward obama, it's unholy... politically i disagree with obama on many fronts, but if he deserved the noble prize, i'd be all for it. but given the fact that he hasn't done anything except go around and say bad things about america, i really have to disagree with the noble prize. it's been a long time since everyone liked the president, so we can't always agree on that, but for God's sake people, can't you see that just 'hoping' for something shouldn't constitute a noble prize????? it's funny that left siding blogs dissect every little negative thing said about obama and forget that it was 10 fold thrown at bush, but can't you at least look at the other candidates and obama and agree that modern presidents (with the electoral college) should be a big red flag that sitting presidents should win...
@Jeremy Cook: I worked for his campaign, I voted for him and I criticism him when I disagree with his policy or substantive issues. See, ""he hasn't done ANYTHING except go around and say bad things about America," is not only fallacious, you just proved the point of this article. In case you didn't understand the article: Republic criticism of Obama tends to be based on dumb shit and is funny in a sad way.
I'll ask an honest question and please don't go crazy over it. What has he done to get a Nobel Peace Prize? He really hasn't done much of anything yet nor has he finished a full year in office.
@BitchyD: Restarted talks with Russia to end our nuclear arms race and disarm. And returned to diplomacy as a way to deal with our enemies and friends, not just war.
Of course, and this is the part that is so hard for some people to take, single-handedly changed the image of the US in the world by becoming president, a literal overnight transformation that was celebrated with dancing in the streets of the capitals of Japan, Australia, Lebanon, France, Nigeria, the UK, Germany, all major US cities, and many Canadian ones.
The nuclear arms thing may seem weirdly a throwback, but it is still relevant as we and our friends in Russia still have the majority of the world's nuclear weapons, and while other threats may seem more, say, scary, we can still blow the crap out of each other. It's all well and good to be scared of what could happen as a result of Afghanistan and Iraq, or to worry about Iran, but as long as we have our weapons, the nuclear threat is real.
People who say "it's too soon" are engaging in historical amnesia that involves forgetting that at this time last year we were being told McCain was going to pull it out of the bag, no one would REALLY vote for a black president and we'd be in on a third war on a third front with Iran, courtesy of the Iran Working Group, which Liz Cheney was a member of, a descendant of the Iraq Working Group which created the war in Iraq.
@BlinkyMcChuck: Add to that, "We are all Georgians" and the global cluster-f*ck that would have been, before quickly morphing into something hideous beyond anyone's control.
@BlinkyMcChuck: As for the Nobel, yeah, I don't think he has done much to earn the Peace Prize per se, unless wresting the reins of The World's Most Dangerous Nation from deluded morons qualifies. This is more of a - "Holy Shit, America, Obama certainly isn't what we were expecting, and we're extremely gratified, and we'd just like to let you know it" Prize.
As for spontaneous celebrations abroad, you'd have to go to JFK, or FDR for those, but having lived outside the US a good bit, I can tell you that Clinton is VERY popular.
I think we can take this a little further. Other things that Obama has made un-American:
1. Writing books.
2. Being a politician.
3. Wearing suits.
4. Being married with kids.
5. Pallin' around with terrorists.
@atlasfugged: Say his name three times to the mirror and Osama Bin Laden appears. Truth! I hear that Michelle is into tall, dark men -- if you know what I mean.
are you serious??this is why i cannot support a liberal anymore and i am ashamed of my beliefs in liberalism. your stupidity makes us all look stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10/10/09
"Finally we have a President who likes Broccoli."
So now we can add Broccoli to the list.
10/10/09
Oh, and how about: Rooting for the USA. (see Olympics, Chicago, 2016)
10/10/09
They think that all this repetition will eventually cause it to sink in with the American people, but what they don't realize (and never have realized) is that it's desensitizing Americans to these terms at the same time. If everything in America is "un-American", then being un-American *is* American, as strange as that sounds. I mean, you go back to the campaign, when Sarah Palin called small-town West Virginia (or whatever) "real America" - is it ever a good idea to call the 80% of the country that actually lives in urban areas "not real America"? I think all those un-Americans consider themselves Americans, so if they're un-American, then everything else American must be too.
10/11/09
10/10/09
10/10/09
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10/10/09
Of course, and this is the part that is so hard for some people to take, single-handedly changed the image of the US in the world by becoming president, a literal overnight transformation that was celebrated with dancing in the streets of the capitals of Japan, Australia, Lebanon, France, Nigeria, the UK, Germany, all major US cities, and many Canadian ones.
The nuclear arms thing may seem weirdly a throwback, but it is still relevant as we and our friends in Russia still have the majority of the world's nuclear weapons, and while other threats may seem more, say, scary, we can still blow the crap out of each other. It's all well and good to be scared of what could happen as a result of Afghanistan and Iraq, or to worry about Iran, but as long as we have our weapons, the nuclear threat is real.
People who say "it's too soon" are engaging in historical amnesia that involves forgetting that at this time last year we were being told McCain was going to pull it out of the bag, no one would REALLY vote for a black president and we'd be in on a third war on a third front with Iran, courtesy of the Iran Working Group, which Liz Cheney was a member of, a descendant of the Iraq Working Group which created the war in Iraq.
10/10/09
10/10/09
10/11/09
As for spontaneous celebrations abroad, you'd have to go to JFK, or FDR for those, but having lived outside the US a good bit, I can tell you that Clinton is VERY popular.
10/09/09
10/09/09
10/09/09
10/09/09
1. Writing books.
2. Being a politician.
3. Wearing suits.
4. Being married with kids.
5. Pallin' around with terrorists.
10/09/09
That's always been un-American. Except of course for Condoleeza Rice and Ward Connerly.
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