[OL Hickory]

brought to us today...by the letters "F" and "U"

[atomic conspiracy]

"Contrarianism is distinction for the untalented" -Dennis Miller.

Masciotra is best known for writing a fawning biography of has-been pop star John Mellencamp. He is obviously a far-gone media culture conformist, "media" to include the entertainment media. While he apes leftist attitudes in this piece, it is missing the point for anyone to call him a "leftist." He will, like all such conformists since the 1960s, advocate whatever position most glorifies the corrupt values of the media culture. The latter, of course, is ultimately based on the requirements of the advertising industry. Since most advertising since the 50s has been based on false contrarianism, someone seeking status within that culture must also take a superficially contrarian position. Tell-tale signs include the broad generalizations, barely concealed snobbery, and self righteous tone of such work.

For more on this subject see The Conquest of Cool, Thomas M. Frank's damning expose of the historical relationship between the advertising industry and leftist culture and politics since the early 60s. Among other things, Frank demonstrates that ad agency Doyle, Dane, Bernback essentially invented the "youth counterculture" ("hippies") in the mid-60s (though they did not actually coin the term "hippy.") That Frank himself is a lefty, though a real one, only makes his message that much more credible.

[ansel12]

It is interesting to me that this hero worshipping military service praise comes along when American men have largely refused to serve.

Most of us veterans here served when enlisting was common, and the media and even the people didn’t treat us very well, in recent decades the military has had to take females and 42 year olds as they try to fill the ranks.

[Redleg Duke]

Liberals are in a pathetic snit post-election.

[combat_boots]

May we never have enclaves of such male praying mantises as this author anywhere near us.

[DoughtyOne]

Just plain sick...


Ramirez's latest political cartoon LARGE VERSION 11/09/2014: LINK  LINK to regular sized version of Ramirez's latest, and an archive of his political cartoons.
In this political cartoon, Ramirez presents, "I wrote me a letter..."

Election Results: LINK        Animated Photos: LINK        Ayam Cemani chickens: LINK

FReepers, 48% of the FReepathon goal has been met.  Please click above and pencil in your donation now.  Please folks, lets pick up the pace and end this FReepathon. Thank you!
...this is a general all purpose message, and should not be seen as targeting any individual I am responding to...

[SoCal_Republican]

Every person that enlists or is commissioned in the military agrees that they will follow orders, fight and possibly die for their country. They understand they may die, but they sign up anyway. Some may not think that is heroic, but I feel that the hero designation is not far off the mark.

Some military jobs are more heroic than others. I was an officer on a modern pig boat. I don’t feel that was heroic. The author mentions those carrying a gun - I say they are the most heroic of them all.

[drew]

He is trying to offend; ignore him...

[Henry Hnyellar]

Yet he sees no problem in calling every black helpless victims of racism.

Childish indeed.

[cyclotic]

I was part of a large group of patriots who welcomed five bus loads of WWII vets to their Memorial in DC yesterday. They were there courtesy of Honor Flight.

They were white, black, female and male. Some were in wheelchairs. Some wore their medals and uniforms. All these men, whether or not they saw hard battle are absolute American heroes and deserve to be treated as heroes.

As each one made his way off the bus to the memorial, they came through our gauntlet. Handshakes, waves, smiles and tears. Some of these guys were overwhelmed that people would remember their service. One man in the crowd shook each veterans hand with the words “A grateful nation thanks you to your service.”

I dare anyone to attend such an event and the. Echo the idiocy that these guys are not heroes.

[ThomasThomas]

John Kerry , who served in Vietnam might be a source for this type of thinking.

[familyop]

Go back to the country that you belong in, David Masciotra.

[Gasshog]

I recently had the pleasure and privilege of enjoying a two hour conversation with a hero of mine, Jesse Jackson.

I told Jackson that the work he did, along with Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, and others, not only freed black people in the United States from a brutal system of apartheid, oppression, and exploitation (work that continues), but also saved me – a white man born in 1985 – from inheriting the role of occupier, oppressor, and executioner.

You can tell he hates his whiteness.

[Billthedrill]

...just as the war in Iraq was clearly fought for the interests of empire, the profits of defense contractors, and the edification of neoconservative theorists.

Sure. That's why we have none of the oil resources and turned their country back over to them with a freely-elected government. Some empire.

The last time the U.S. military deployed to fight for the protection of American life was in World War II

Ah, no. Discounting Iraq - and I don't, but the argument in favor is too long for this thread - there was a Taliban government whose protected guests murdered 3000 Americans in New York. Taking that down was very definitely protecting Americans in a very literal sense.

Wars that are not heroic have no real heroes, except for the people who oppose those wars.

And out comes the 70's retread. No, Dave, stomping your feet in a country where your right to free speech is protected is not "heroic". All too often it's narcissistic, self-aggrandizing, and contemptuous of anyone who disagrees. This article, for example.

[bert]

I prefer to call Salon moonbats cowards

[elteemike]

From Wikipedia...Hero: "A hero (masculine) or heroine (feminine) (Ancient Greek: ἥρως, hḗrōs) refers to characters who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and/or the will for self-sacrifice—that is, heroism—for some greater good of all humanity. This definition originally referred to martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence. If "heroes" does not accurately describe the members of our all-volunteer military, I don't know what does... Sorry, Salon and Mr. Masciotra, but you would not know real heroes if one of them kicked your sorry metrosexual, punk ass...

[<1/1,000,000th%]

IBTZ!

[bikerman]

Put a man in uniform, preferably a white man, give him a gun, and Americans will worship him.

Put a hoodie on preferably a black man, give him a gun and
Obama, Jackson, and Sharpton will worship him.

[Jabba the Nutt]

The Left are just better than the rest of us. Just ask them.

[MasterGunner01]

Well, Mr. David Masciotra. life is hard, but it's harder when you are stupid. If you're saying that men who have died for you are fools and you denigrate their memory, you are despicable. You are able to mouth your smug little imbecilities because men and women, better than you, are willing to brave shots fired in anger -- for you. If you were ever put into their position, you'd soil your skivvies, curl up in the fetal position as a bundle of quivering Jell-O. You, sir, are a disgrace.

[Liberty Valance]

Salon took a break from Koch Bros. conspiracy theories to bash our Soldiers? Who the hell do they think fought and died to defend their right to publish such disgraceful drivel?