Three Varieties of Dissenter, Examined

New House News ^ | 2002 | JAMES LILEKS

[Sally II]

Three Varieties of Dissenter, Examined

There are three distinct kinds of dissenters today.

1. The hysteric. Guess who made this statement: "I am literally comparing Bush and his cronies to Hitler, only Hitler had a smaller vision."

A Saudi cleric? Saddam Hussein? Osama bin Laden, speaking via Ouija board in the breakroom at Al Jazeera?

No. It's Patch Adams, a wacky doctor who heals the sick with madcap clowning. Robin Williams played him in a movie, so learning that Patch Adams called George W. Bush Hitler Plus is like learning that Mrs. Doubtfire believes there was a massacre at Jenin.

Dr. Adams, wearing two-toned hair to underscore his latent clown solidarity, made the remark on a panel at the University of Pittsburgh. Is he right?

Well, they're quite similar. Hitler was a vegetarian paganist totalitarian who wanted a thousand-year reign built on the skulls of non-Aryans. Bush is a meat-eating Christian who will leave office in six years. A toss-up who's worse, I guess. If it helps, consider the reactions either might have to criticism.

Hitler: Who iss dis Patch Ahdams? Who iss dis Juuuuden zat he can zay dis? I vant him found! I vant him dead! I vant voto-grafs of hiss shotten-up body on zis desk by noon tomorrow! AM I KLAR? KILL HIM! KILL HISS VAMILY!

Bush would say he's sorry Adams feels that way, but he understands that Patch Adams is a pretty good beer, and back in his wild days he might have enjoyed a cold one or two. Does he make an alcohol-free version? No? Well, he oughta, if it's as good as people say. Oh, that's Sam Adams beer? Well, fine.

(For the rest of article click here.)

[Sally II]

I know there is a nearly uncountable number of articles that pick apart the Leftist voices of "dissention," but I never get tired of reading them. I just put in an excerpt since I notice that the article is for sale.

[Paul Atreides]

I remember the last time the left was scared to death of a "cowboy" president: he went on to landslide re-election and won the Cold War.

In times like these, we do NOT need Captain Kathryn Janeway and Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the White House.

[Mr. Mulliner]

Is it a coincidence that the movie Patch Adams is on TV tonight? We were thinking of watching it, but now we may have to reconsider.

[Mr. Mulliner]

Read this one.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Patch Adams collected several million dollars to build a hospital that never quite managed to materialize. Land was bought and a few barn like buildings were built. No equipment was bought and no staff was hired.

However a very nice house did manage to materialize on the land he bought for the hospital. Guess who lives there?

[A_perfect_lady]

PATCH ADAMS is not a particularly good movie. But then, take my advice with a grain of salt; I am apparently practically the only Freeper to adore MOULIN ROUGE! LOL!

[thoughtomator]

I know what you mean, it's like a train wreck - it's morbid and tragic but you can't stop looking.

[A_perfect_lady]

Where did you hear that? (Not doubting you, just need sources in case I have to fling this info at someone else.)

[moodyskeptic]

Do not watch Patch Adams, a film chock full of leftist ideology and socialized medicine propoganda... not to mention a grand example of Robin Williams famous overacting.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I think I heard it from Michael Medved back when the movie came out he did a review and mentioned that bit about the house. The only newpaper article I could find was this.

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/010999/new_patchadams.html

[Sally II]

In times like these, we do NOT need Captain Kathryn Janeway and Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the White House.

There is never a good time for Captain Janeway or Captain Picard. I'll take Captain Kirk over any of them any day. Back in the good old days he embodied what being human was all about... it wasn't about searching for utopian planets that practice sustainable agriculture or evolving toward higher, non-violent states of being. It was about loving America, fighting for freedom, and accepting that human nature was imperfect.

[Molly Pitcher]

Thanks for introducing me to Lileks. He is just excellent!