If Franklin D. Roosevelt had been hobbled by today’s political correctness regarding terrorism

Vanity | 7/2/07

[pabianice]

Given on Monday, December 8, 1941

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in misunderstanding — the United States of America was apparently suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of a people we can’t name without being racially and culturally insensitive.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of a country populated by people different from us – although such diversity can be and is often a strength worth celebrating -- was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after this nation’s air squadrons had commenced bombing Oahu, this nation’s Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from this nation suggests to some that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago, although we in no way wish to slander this other nation by suggesting that this other country harbors any ill will towards the United States or military designs upon the rest of the world. During the intervening time, the Government of our misunderstood sister nation seems to have deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. The regrettable attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces, although it is too early to conclude that this action implies any ill will toward us from the peoples of the attacking nation or their allies.

Yesterday this other nation also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night they attacked Hong Kong (but we are in no way suggesting that this other nation is in any way less peace-loving and respectable than any other). Last night they also attacked Guam, the Philippine Islands, and Wake Island. This morning this other country attacked Midway Island. Surely this is an indicator of the degree to which we have not properly respected the other country’s beliefs, religion, and customs. What have we done to make them angry with us and how can we change? It would be unfortunate and a mistake for the people of the United States to have already formed their opinions of the implications of these events.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only seek to end this conflict through the use of our Courts but will make very certain that this form of misunderstanding shall never again occur through our actions or inactions, and we will strive to understand how our own failings and religious provincialism could result in such an event. It would be wrong of me to invoke the help of any particular diety in our cause as this would by implication suggest that one set of religious beliefs is superior to another.

With confidence in our legal system and with the unbounding determination of our people we will gain the inevitable court win. We must also ensure that never again will we so provoke another nation into such an understandable if regrettably violent act. We can and will do better in making sure our future actions will not again create such misunderstandings. We will do better in being a good neighbor to the other nations of the world.

I therefore reluctantly ask that the Justice Department declare that since the reaction provoked of this other nation on Sunday, December 7, the United States must reluctantly bring suit against this other nation. As the trial proceeds, may we speedily make amends and see that such an unfortunate event is never repeated.

[DJ MacWoW]

I’m fine but sorry to hear that you need knowledge of prunes and their effect.

[Screamname]

Yep! It was appeasement that brought Hitler and the Nazi war machine to full power, and thank God the US and England woke up for the time being and saw the appeasement of Hitler and the Nazis for what it was, which was nothing less than collaboration.

Today in this world that has suddenly gone insane (most likely due to the non stop barrage of anti logic thinking by the liberal media), we find on our hands appeasement literally out of control, collaboration literally going on everyday. With psychopaths like Hitler or these Islamonuts, there can never be any appeasement because they will never stop short of death. Why can`t libs understand that?

They say GW has no legacy? If a Dimorat wins next election, appeasement is going to go through the roof, and millions will die as a result! Make no mistake of that! And you know what? The legacy of GW will be "He was right all along" (This poster is hanging on my wall framed by the way).

[Zionist Conspirator]

“Ari” had been here since 1999 or so, and he was a troll. JohnGalt had been here for awhile, and he was a troll. *shrugs*

He/She may have been here since '00, but I just got a very "trollish" PM from "Huck" (as I assume the rest of you did as well). So I'm going to conclude that despite his long presence here he's a troll.

Either a DUmmie or else a John Bircher defending the honor of the Axis.

[Darksheare]

He’s likely fishing for a quote to cut and paste to elsewhere.

[Darksheare]

I didn’t get a PM.
Guess he knows better.

[Huck]

These days, we’re palying paddy cake with the enemy.

I think that's in part due to the nature of asymmetrical war. Our enemy is in the shadows (sorta like illegal aliens :-P). They live among ppl who aren't our enemy. Even so, we did incinerate man, woman, and child in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, knowing full well we were sending thousands of innocent civilians to their death. I suppose we could have done the same thing to Iraq.

But then again, our enemy is everywhere. Should we nuke London? Minnesota? OK, nukes aren't the only option, but you see my point. The tactics of our enemies today are very well suited to work against us. What/who are we supposed to bomb? Mecca?

Thought we’d learned the lesson on that back in 1960’s to 1970’s.

It's interesting. After Gulf War 1, everyone said the "Vietnam Syndrome" was over. America wasn't too scared to fight anymore. We had our pride back. We could win. But it turns out, that's only if the war is over in 3 weeks, and less than 50 soldiers die. The left has shown in this war that the "Vietnam Syndrome" is alive and well. It's become a part of their playbook and their ideology. So I agree with you about the problem stemming from that era.

“Can’t attack that, might offend..”

I agree with that, too. I just read an account of a Navy Seal who failed to kill some Afghan civilians, in part out of fear of the MSM, and also because of his Christian conscience. As a result, 120 Taliban fighters were summoned, and all the other Seals with him died in battle.

Anyway, I agree that the president has done a horrible job of fighting this war. We've been too timid. We supposedly didn't plan for an insurgency, even though it was predicted beforehand. And perhaps we've been too reluctant to name our enemy. "War on Terror", as we all know, is a euphamism.

So actually, we agree on a lot. Your point is that this timidity is due to political correctness. So is GWB suffering from political correctness? He has freedom of speech. He could have spoken as FDR spoke, right? There's no law stopping him.

[Huck]

Oh, you mean they don’t work on diahrea of the keyboard? Too bad. Well, just manage the best you can. I always let sea hags have the last word, so it’s all yours...

[gunsofaugust]

In a real war against a serious opponent where your boys are being butchered and fried alive you really aren’t too sensitive to the fragile feelings of the enemy. You quickly realize you need to play to win.

[DJ MacWoW]

Don't cross the line Mr Troll. You won't make friends here doing that. Clever repartee is one thing, 6th grade insults another. I was enjoying the sparing until you got too childish.

I'm off to work in my rose garden.

[Huck]

Are you trying to appear stupid or is it an accident?

Practice what you preach, hypocrite.

[Huck]

ps—you were enjoying that? i was simply holding up a mirror to your own idiocy. apparantly you missed the point. Sparring has to do with ideas, not name calling, which is all you were able to do. Watch out for those thorns in the rosebushes (jinx!)

[cynwoody]

The most appropriate response, I think, is racism. Don't you?

Idiot.

Eleanor Roosevelt and Madame Chiang Kai-chek

[Revolting cat!]

“racism” + “sexism” + “ageism” + specism” + ____ + ____ + ____ = political correctness.

[herMANroberts]

If this was 1942, Pelosi, Murtha, Reid, publisher and editor of the NY Times, and a lot of others would be executed for treason. Those were the days.

[Huck]

Is that George Takei on the right?

[Huck]

sorry i was such a crank earlier. don’t know what crawled up my backside.

[DJ MacWoW]

I thought that your comebacks were great until you got angry. Sorry. Night. ;)