Is Maher/Politically Incorrect Going Off the Air?

Politically Incorrect | September 21, 2001 | GreatOne

[GreatOne]

While watching the show right now (up late working), it appeared that Maher was saying that he might not have a show for much longer. Whether he's exaggerating or not, I don't know, but he seems to be pulling a Dan Rather (on Letterman) while talking about his controversy, and saying things like, "I don't care if I have my show. What's important to me is telling the truth." Seems like the pressure on his producers/advertisers is working.

[Media2Powerful]

I will be glad to just not have to watch him curl his lips out and do that circle thing with his hands...followed by pounding the arms of his chair. Ewwww

[A2J]

To kill yourself in a losing battle only for notoriety and an afterlife "bliss," is suicide and therefore cowardly; plain and simple.

I would suppose you think Bendict Arnold was "courageous" when he switched sides to fight with the British. It could be said that he fought for his "cause."

[Cinnamon Girl]

Maher was definitely a basket case last night. Like a grounded child, he was still trying to defend his behavior rather than sincerely apologizing for it.

I believe that he didn't mean to trash the military because Dennis Prager said he believed Maher, but am I supposed to wish that a guy who FINALLY feels repercussions for his cynical and often cruel talk should be given a pass again?

REMEMBER, this is a guy who compared retarded children to pet dogs, who called unborn children a pile of goo, who referred to President Bush as a pile of horse manure, who sneered at Barbara Olsen's book "Hell to Pay" and told people not to buy it, but now says he respected her (which is possible, but how about showing people your respect when they are alive?) Sorry, Bill, your negativity doesn't serve much purpose.

[Reagan is King]

Thanks for the links!

[arete]

None the less,he is NOT guilty of calling our military members cowards.

He said "we" were cowards and that the terrorists were not. Now you can spin and debate that statement all that you want but his words speak for themselves. We are talking, I believe, of the act of killing thousands of innocent and defenseless men, women and children. This act was planned and ordered by a man hiding in a mountain cave. The act itself was so outrageous and morally demented, that the terrorist organizations themselves refuse to even stand-up and take credit (responsibility) for it. I see nothing brave or courageous about anything that the terrorists did. Maher was dead wrong. Everything they did was the act of cowards.

Richard W.

[quimby]

There is an update #2 with additional links here:

Update #2 -Politically Incorrect Advertisers Contact List

[TheGoodDoc]

Post # 27 deserves credit for a clever insight.

[sneakypete]

>>If you want to watch the likes of Maher and agree with his views that we are mere fodder for the brave to use to prove their bravery - great - have at it. <<

This is not my position,and I seriously doubt it is Maher's position. If you can't understand that the enemy CAN be brave,and the fact that they are the enemy takes nothing away from this,you are either too stupid to be allowed to cross the street alone,or are still too emotional to think straight.

>>I don't care if they think we are evil or not.<<

Me either. It's not important to CARE what the enemy thinks,but it IS important to know HOW they think.

>>Just because they think we are evil does not make their efforts to kill us right.<<

What is your HONEST opinion on those on these boards who want to nuke every Moslem country on earth into a sheet of glass and kill every Moslem alive BECAUSE THEY think ALL Moslems are evil? I'd really like to know the answer to this.

>>We were attacked - that is a fact.<<

No doubt about it.

>>Now you may chose to try and make people think it was all our fault, that we are cowards, that we too kill innocents but I ask why?<<

How the hell did you come to THIS conclusion? BTW,we DO and HAVE killed innocents,and this includes innocent Moslems. This is how Bubba bin Bombing earned his nickname. We also killed innocent Christians by bombing them to death while supporting the allies of bin Laden in the Balkans. What are your thoughts on THIS?

>>Who are you supporting here? <<

Truth.

>>You that come on here and try your best to trash our government, our way of life, and put honor on those that attack us need to be viewed with suspicion.<<

Yup,that's me. A "suspiscious character" who didn't and doesn't support our illegal and immoral wars in the Balkans,and who doesn't believe innocent people should be murdered in their sleep,merely because they happen to live in some country where our leaders have enemies,and who lack the balls to take the risks neccessary to insure we are targeting the right people.

BTW,Bubba bin Bombing was responsible for doing all this,so I am guessing you must be a Bubba supporter to be so upset about people not supporting his policies?

BTW-2,if Bush wants to keep my full support,he needs to take ALL US troops out of the Balkans,and stop ALL support for the terrorist KLA. You can't fight with them and against them at the same time. Or will it be just peachy-keen with you if we keep supporting both militarily and financially a group that is allies with the Taliban,and partners in their drug smuggling operations?

>>Most people love the country they live in - why do you not love it?<<

I love nothing blindly but freedom. All other love is conditional.

>>What is your true purpose?<<

To try and spread enough rational thought that grown men here on FR quit acting and thinking like 13 year old girls going through PMS.

[sneakypete]

>>A Brave man does not force the suicide of thousands of innocent bystanders.<<

DAMN! You're a Catholic on "suicide watch",ain't ya? For your information,the thousands of people that were innocent bystanders who died DID NOT COMMIT SUICIDE! How the hell can you claim they did?

>>Had the terrorist killed themselves and their enemies in military or intelligence they could claim to be brave.<<

Here is where your understanding has failed you. These people don't just consider our military or our gooberment to be their enemies,they consider themselves to be at war with our whole culture.

[sneakypete]

>>I would suppose you think Bendict Arnold was "courageous" when he switched sides to fight with the British. It could be said that he fought for his "cause."<<

And I would suppose the attendants will be along shortly to take your keyboard away,and replace it with your customary crayons.

[Landru]

"Most people love the country they live in - why do you not love it?"

This man to which you ask that question is a distinguished veteran & retired NCO.

You really ought to try a bit harder to understand what it is he's trying to tell you.

Your chances of ever learning anything pertinent look pretty slim if you don't.

[sneakypete]

>>He said "we" were cowards and that the terrorists were not.<<

Did you watch the show and hear him say it? The "WE" he was talking about was clearly our gooberment leaders who lacked the backbone to do what needed to be done,so they took the cowards way out by firing missles at innocent civilians thousands of miles away so they could claim they had "done something".

>>Now you can spin and debate that statement all that you want but his words speak for themselves.<<

It's not my fault if you are too slow to keep up with what was actually said and how it was said.

>>We are talking, I believe, of the act of killing thousands of innocent and defenseless men, women and children. <<

Talking about the bombing in the Balkans? The SAME bombing that was done to put the allies and partners of the Taliban in power there?

>>This act was planned and ordered by a man hiding in a mountain cave.<<

No,he was actually hiding in either the White House,or at Camp David. It wasn't neccessary for him to flee to another country to hide this time.

[ClancyJ]

if Bush wants to keep my full support,he needs to take ALL US troops out of the Balkans

What full support? Just another of the "if Bush wants" statements in which you give your personally decided top priority for the day request of Bush should Bush want to have you out their fighting for him. Of course if Bush does not comply today by 1:00 all bets are off and, lo and behold, Bush will have to survive without your support for this day. Talk about 13 year olds!

I could list many of your statements showing why I think you are supporting the enemy, running down America, claiming that evil attacks on stewardesses and innocent passengers plus innocent workers are brave acts - but frankly it is a wasted cause.

You are one of those that believe that in order to get your esteemed support - the government must have never made a mistake, never been led by worthless presidents, must provide you immediately with all that you think a government should be - as well as provide all a government should be to the person next to you who may have differing opinions. In addition, this all must be when you want it done, how you want it done with no mistakes, no coalitions you don't agree with, no moves or strategy you don't agree with.

In other words, you think only you can run the perfect government and therefore you cannot support others.

Such a sad waste. I can't change you and the other whiners. You see the president as your personal superman. He was voted in by the voters but now that he is in office, his duty is to do your bidding - or no support. A president is not to listen to his advisers, his cabinet, his intelligence or his own reasons for running for office. Only your goals are important and all should realize that. If he does not - you just take your marbles and go home to complain as you wait for the next superman to do your bidding.

Afraid we will just have to learn to get along without you. In addition, the time spent trying to discuss all this and make you understand - could have been spent on people who sincerely are ignorant of how they are being fooled, could be spent writing letters, could be spent in ways that will make a difference. Because you see - you will never be happy and all of this discussion is all you will ever have. You become a destroyer because you cannot rule the world as you see fit.

[A2J]

RE: #111

I may be mistaken, but I believe you've attributed a statement to me that I did not make.

[BigTime]

What do you say to the argument put forth on this thread that objects to Maher's use of the word "courage" in relation to the terrorists because it carries the positive connotation of being morally correct? I think it has been fairly argued that these barbarians might have been fearless, but to add the connotation of a just cause as the word courage does is what is at issue here.

I'm sure you are not suggesting that the terrorists had a just cause are you? Then wouldn't you agree that the use of the word courage was extraordinarily poorly chosen?

Also, it appears that you have ascribed intentions to Maher regarding his comments that he is not willing to make himself. Your implicit belief is that Maher was pointing the finger at Clinton and therefore, has merit in his statement that our military action was the easy way out. But Maher has apparently steadfastly refused to single out Clinton as the source of the "cowardice" he spoke of. So why does this two-bit comic deserve the benefit of the doubt from us or anyone else?

[A2J]

"And I would suppose the attendants will be along shortly to take your keyboard away,and replace it with your customary crayons."

Ah, so you do agree with Maher that anyone who commits suicide for a "cause" is brave.

The deafening silence of your non-answer to a legitimate question tells me you've realized that you're wrong.

[Unpopular]

I think what you are all failing to realize it that what makes this country so beautiful and strong is that we allow dissenting, fringe, unpopular, and offensive speech to be broadcast. (Everything is offensive to somebody)

PI isn't about agreeing with Bill Maher -- it isn't about trashing the government or advancing a liberal or libertarian agenda. Its about provoking discussion.

If Bill Maher is good at anything its provoking discussion. Agree with his viewpoints or not -- his show is important and represents in part what makes America what it is. Airing dissent, and differences of opinion, questioning those in power, and commonly held beliefs that go unquestioned and that may need to be re-examined.

I won't try to stop you from using your boycotting power - thats your right, but I hope that you won't use your current rage/intolerance/sensitivy or patriotism to silence a voice just because it disagrees with you.

I've watched the show for years, and while I don't agree with Bill most of the time I respect him for bringing to network tv something missing from most franchised-big-media fare. His show was the only network tv outlet for third party candidates to get some quality airtime. I got to see them talk about the issues without the sanitized conditions so prevelant in nomral news interviews. For those shows alone he deserves some credit.

Lastly, anybody who has regularly watched the show knows for a fact that last thing you can call Bill Maher is anti-military. He has repeatedly called for increased pay and respect for our armed forces -- he considers government's first (and potentially only) function is to protect its people. When he referred to "we" as cowards, he was blasting both Clinton AND our government, whether Republican or Democrat. Our stance on terrorism is more than just cruise missiles in Sudan -- there are policies, enacted by more than one man which shape our efforts. He criticizes the government for not taking a stand against terror because it would lead to unpopular actions -- a criticism that doesn't single one man out. The "we" refers to all of us -- himself included -- and if you actually watched the show you'd know that...

And you'd understand why he's being defended -- even by his detractors.

peace,

the Unpopular

[Mike Darancette]

Ditto BUMP