Posted on 10/27/2006 5:44:03 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
I'm a former Naval officer, the son of a Naval officer and Vietnam War veteran, the grandson and nephew of many World War II veterans, and the brother of a Naval officer currently in harm's way. I have not been to war, and wouldn't be so pretentious to speak for any of my relatives who have been to war just because they are related to me. I'm sure combat affected each of them in a different and very personal manner, and that each of them drew their own conclusions about man's humanity during war. Good enough for you?
Webb missed his calling--I SEE INTERN MATERIAL HERE!!
Course not...it would only make a difference if a republican candidate had written this crap....double standard in the media??? You bet!
"artificial standard"
I see nothing artificial about the standards. They seem to be a reasoned estimate of what the public wants to see on television. Moreover, I don't think you can claim that broadcast TV's depictions of incest or other social tragedies are less effective than the kind of thing that Webb wrote in his books. I'd say, in fact, they were more effective.
Regarding the "cycle of retail politics," I suspect it's more a function of lying than of brutal facts, which is how I view the release of this Webb material.
Webb may not be Burroughs, but his graphic language and imgages puts him as close to Burroughs as he is to, say, Joseph Conrad or Barbara Kingsolver.
I have to say, I don't think this is such a big deal. Granted, Webb's descriptions of lurid acts and mysogyny are written with language that is a little too loving for my taste, but it is fiction and done for that purpose.
To me, this is a media story. Webb's work should have been discussed in the media, but they didn't. That's the story here. Let nobody call this an October Surprise because none of this is new.
Yes, and I'm sorry I've offended you because that really wasn't my intention. We will have to agree to disagree because I think there is enough evidence out there from personal accounts to draw a valid conclusion.
No offense taken; no harm, no foul. I understand how passionate people are about this issue, and their desire to defeat Webb. I just think there are other, better ways to do it, that's all---i.e., the strength of ideas vice the "politics of personal destruction" (ugh, what a term).
Very reasonable, my friend.
Although not in the realm of politics, weren't people saying the exact opposite of Mark Fuhrman during the OJ trial? Didn't Fuhrman say that he was giving background to a writer when he used the "F-word" and the OJ defense used that to discredit everything about Fuhrman?
-PJ
...but not serious.
Er, you do understand the concept that Foley's behavior is what is technically known as "fact", and how this differs from what is technically known as "fiction", right?
Miklaszewski is still p.o.'d because Rummy ripped his tonsils out yesterday.
Let's try this again. We are dealing with facts in both instances. Foley is clearly a deranged pervert because of his approaches to young men. Webb obviously has some strange things rattling around his belfry to write such fiction. Surely the voters of Virginia should be informed of what's knocking around inside Webb's mind? Or would you prefer that this was swept under the carpet?
Ivan
Also, it has considerable potential to backfire, given the facts that 1)much of Webb's writings relate to his experiences in Vietnam and 2)Allen's Vietnam experience is limited to deciding whether to order the Banh Hoi or the Mien Ga.
Hoo Wee. Guy must be having "Foley asms"!
As I noted in my previous message, Allen is in trouble if the issue mutates in that direction....
Maybe I am "misremembering" but I think Mark Furhman was discredited and maligned because of the things he discussed about a novel he was writing or proposing to write. It seemed very important to folks at that time. Anybody remember this more clearly?
Webb has reportedly said that one of his books IS being taught in college English classes.
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