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Peggy Noonan: 'Everybody's Been Shot'
Opinion Journal ^ | 01/11/2002 | Peggy Noonan

Posted on 01/10/2002 8:09:35 PM PST by Pokey78

Edited on 04/23/2004 12:04:04 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

There's a small but telling scene in Ridley Scott's "Black Hawk Down" that contains some dialogue that reverberates, at least for me. In the spirit of Samuel Johnson, who said man needs more often to be reminded than instructed, I offer it to all, including myself, who might benefit from its message.


(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: peggynoonanlist
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To: Miss Marple
Oh, I never thought of that Schoolmarm Marple.

Now read it again, with the thought in mind that it's a poor metaphor, it's self-pitying, and it's and attempt to hitchike on the military. Go grade some papers.

61 posted on 01/11/2002 7:49:34 PM PST by Pelham
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To: RightWhale
Metaphors are our friends

Well, duh. What was your first clue, where Noonan wrote:

"Everybody's shot." Those are great metaphoric words. ?

You and Marple ought to get together and grade papers. To paraphrase the estimable and highly underrated Pokey 78, this wasn't one of Noonan's better efforts. It whines. Poor, poor us. We've all been through so much. We need to keep in mind How Hard It's Been for us to watch all of this on television, sigh. We need to be like the heroic Dingell of Peggy's essay:

When the story became public, the secretary of transportation called him and apologized. Mr. Dingell waved him off and told him it was OK, he understands, everyone's doing his job. Now that's someone who knows that everybody's been shot.

Gag me.

62 posted on 01/11/2002 8:07:57 PM PST by Pelham
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To: Pokey78
There is an old, old quote: "Man is born, he suffers, then he dies." I think it was pretty generally accepted in the 30's and 40's. People usually coped by counting their blessings and relishing every moment of happiness.

Now people accentuate the negative and eliminate the positive. Gee, that might make a good song!

63 posted on 01/11/2002 8:40:31 PM PST by wife-mom
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To: Pelham
It whines.

It barely whimpers.

Probably due to lack of fresh meat. Hope it doesn't get fed again, because it will start howling next time.

64 posted on 01/11/2002 9:17:32 PM PST by RightWhale
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To: Pelham
It is amazing to me that some people immediately descend into nastiness when disagreed with.

This is not a whining article. She is saying people need to suck it up and QUIT whining.

But then, you really knew that, didn't you?

Didn't you?

65 posted on 01/12/2002 3:39:53 AM PST by Miss Marple
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To: Miss Marple
Didn't you?

No, they didn't. Just when you think she can't write another one as good as that Miss Peggy comes along and writes another one.

Just hope her "9/11" columns get published in book form some day. She is a great lyrical writer - all she needs is a contemporary Richard Rogers to put her words to music.

66 posted on 01/12/2002 8:03:16 AM PST by Guillam
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To: Pokey78
bttt
67 posted on 01/12/2002 2:03:32 PM PST by summer
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To: Pokey78
There's a tremendously important message in this column. This column is one of Peggy Noonan's BEST.
68 posted on 01/12/2002 2:12:04 PM PST by WaterDragon
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To: Pokey78
Great read, bump.
69 posted on 01/12/2002 2:14:00 PM PST by GOPJ
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To: Pelham
She means every one has been 'wounded' in some way or other & she's right. Remember the old saying "time heals all wounds & wounds all heels"? Thats what she means. Forget the bullet & gun thing.
70 posted on 01/12/2002 2:20:10 PM PST by Ditter
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To: darlin';mo1
Very good article.It calls out for a unique Philly phrase ;-)Thanks for the ping.
71 posted on 01/12/2002 2:48:35 PM PST by habs4ever
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To: Pelham;teeman8r

the line is "everybody's shot" not "been shot", everybody's shot metaphorically speaking, means everybody's worn out, run down, burdened beyond capacity to function, "shot". yes the soldiers being shot is more tragic, but nowadays, everybody's shot. i think she nailed it. thank goodness for noonans.

Take extra special notice of the last sentence in this post.

Yeah, this wanting to co-opt "everybody's been shot" is a bunch of crap. Soldiers get shot. At most "we" have been shocked by recent events, but we certainly haven't been shot. Save it for the soldiers.

I agree that the metaphor is week but it does provide the frame work for an article. What the author concludes in her article is suspicious at best.

"When the story became public, the secretary of transportation called him and apologized. Mr. Dingell waved him off and told him it was OK, he understands, everyone's doing his job.

"Now that's someone who knows that everybody's been shot."

Her message is; you lost some freedoms -- suck it up and move along, nothing more to see.

IMO, here's what she missed; due to the 9-11 terrorist attacks each person has had a shot of internal-reflective self-honesty -- each one of us is a hero in our own little world and want to share that with others. ...And a shot of healthy external skepticism regarding what the politicians, media, journalists and Hollywood had been clamoring about before the attacks -- telling us we were all deficient.

72 posted on 01/12/2002 3:11:41 PM PST by Zon
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To: Pelham
Noonan's talking to you, bud.

You can't appreciate good writing when you've got a chip on your shoulder.

73 posted on 01/12/2002 3:32:17 PM PST by sinkspur
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To: Pokey78
Bump for a great column that I hadn't noticed until this morning. Couldn't put my finger on it, but I thought Noonan's writing wasn't as good as normal, from a stylistic point -- it seemed less smooth than usual -- but a solid theme and one that I've tried to express to those on the left with minimal success. "We all have our own burdens," has been my usual phrase. Apparently being black/woman/disabled/whatever the leftist is supporting is a bigger burden than anything a semi-able-bodied white guy can have gone through. (Being Jewish doesn't count on that scale, these days. 8>))
74 posted on 01/13/2002 6:48:36 AM PST by Celtjew Libertarian
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To: Pokey78
So very very true.
75 posted on 01/13/2002 7:00:06 AM PST by willa
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To: sinkspur
Hey, stinky. The hate-Buchanan meeting over tonight?

Shoot, I didn't know you're the Final Authority on Good Writing, in addition to your other talents. I am impressed.

76 posted on 01/13/2002 7:30:44 PM PST by Pelham
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To: Miss Marple
It is amazing to me that some people immediately descend into nastiness when disagreed with.

Hey, cut me a break Marple- I've been shot, too!

77 posted on 01/13/2002 7:33:42 PM PST by Pelham
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To: Ditter
I conclude that no one is certain what this essay means, since we see Peggy fans who think she's saying "everybody's wounded" and others who think she's saying "suck it up and shut up".

If it's one of her better efforts, it's gotta be because it has a Rohrschach quality where you can see whatever you want in it.

78 posted on 01/13/2002 7:39:27 PM PST by Pelham
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To: Pelham
There you go, Pelham! NOW you get the idea!

I will give you a break as a reward for that comment about this being a Rohrschach test. HAR! Very good!

79 posted on 01/13/2002 7:47:52 PM PST by Miss Marple
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To: Pelham"
We are certain what she is saying, it's you who seems to be having trouble. She is saying, "Everyone is wounded SO get in the truck & drive". You aren't special, everyone has problems, get on with your life. Are you beginning catch on?
80 posted on 01/13/2002 7:53:45 PM PST by Ditter
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