It seems to me that if you are the victim of some tragedy, your opinion about related political issues shouldn't be elevated, but regarded with more suspicion. Your emotions could get in the way of clear thinking if you're a victim. Too many people already have trouble telling the difference between thinking and emoting.
"Your emotions could get in the way of clear thinking if you're a victim. Too many people already have trouble telling the difference between thinking and emoting."
this brings up thoughts of my own experiences as a pacifist feeling Christian up through highschool. this may offer some insight as to why some on the left behave as they do. although some, especially sheehan, validate the thought that many anti war activists are thinly veiled communists.
before & through my time in highschool, i was stuck on a pacifist view of Scripture & my own feelings of horror at the thought of anyone harming another via war or the local police using deadly force. at that time, my brother who joined the Army & survived a tour in Nam, would be confronted by my views which he argued against insightfully, logically. while he was over there, i was painfully angry at his Army superiors for any imagined harm that might come to him. in short, my own fear & horror were partly to blame for my antiwar beliefs. the theological issues were then, & are now, debatable. ie there is a time for war & a time for peace. GOD decides the time. if possible, we are to be at peace with all men. with GOD all things are possible, but islamofascism keeps interfering. when saddam was paying families of suicide bombers for murdering Israelis, they were attacking His chosen people, those who are engraved upon his hands. i think the present conflict illustrates GOD's reaction to saddam's treachery.
in short, i eventually became a Reagan supporter & arch Conservative. now i can see a similarity between my past views & those who oppose our involvement in Iraq.
indeed, there is too much emoting going on. if sheehan & or the jersey girls ever have a conversation with Israelis,Iraqis, Kuwaitis, or Afghans, whose relatives were murdered by saddam, his baathist regime, homicidal palestinians he bribed, or al qaeda insurgents, they might finally get it. it really makes me wonder that if antiwar activists are evolutionists, what part of natural selection don't they get ? maybe they do. they just don't want America to survive [again, are they communists?]. apparently, political opportunism [communist or other] & a shortage of Biblical wisdom is the dark matter of the left. i think Ann has the right telescope to see through it for what it is.
But that is the bedrock of liberals... Facts do not matter only "feelings" and "idealism" do! In their fantasy world one can continue (indefinitely) to support and encourage "good government programs" because they were established for "the good of the people"! NEVERMIND THE FACT THAT THE PROGRAM(S) NEVER DELIVER THEIR INTENDED RESULTS AND BLOAT BEYOND RECOGNITION!!!