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| Moral equivalence goes berserk: Jimmy Carter compares MLK to OBL |
| 2006-02-09 |
| by the mighty Lee Harris Tech Central Station EFL Mark Antony in his famous funeral oration in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar says that he came not to praise Caesar, but to bury him. This week, at the funeral for the widow of Dr. Martin Luther King, two of the speakers, Jimmy Carter and Rev. Joseph Lowery, might have opened their remarks by saying that they came not to bury Coretta Scott King, but to bash Bush, which is exactly what they proceeded to do. They exploited a solemn occasion in order to take cheap pot shots at the President, keenly aware that their remarks would be broadcast around the world, and into many American classrooms. Of course, both Carter and Lowery were also aware that the target of their attack, George W. Bush, was sitting right behind them. Had he not been present on the occasion, their Bush-bashing would have only been an affront to good taste. But because Bush had come there to honor the memory of Coretta Scott King, and not to engage in a debate with his political opponents, the attacks on him crossed the boundaries of mere bad taste, and became low blows. They were deliberately attacking a man who they knew could not, under the circumstances, defend himself against their assault. . . . The following is an absolutely brilliant insight: . . . Carter, for example, used the opportunity to insinuate that Bush's "domestic spying" was like the spying done by the FBI on Dr. King. Carter commiserated with the King family for having been subjected to such an ordeal at the hands of their government, and, by implication, he also commiserated with those Americans who had been subjected to Bush's domestic surveillance. But does this analogy honor the memory of Dr. King and his movement? Let's make a simple thought experiment to find out. Suppose al-Qaeda had decided to air its grievances against the United States by holding a massive peaceful "sit in" at the Twin Towers on 9/11. Suppose Islamic terrorists, instead of blowing up innocent human beings, had vowed only to use civil disobedience. Suppose Osama bin Laden, like Dr. King, had struggled with all his might to keep his organization from turning to bloodshed and violence. Would Bush have felt the need to launch a domestic surveillance program on such a pacifistic movement? Maybe; maybe not. But the fact that al-Qaeda embraces violence and celebrates terrorism -- doesn't this small detail destroy the basis of Carter's analogy? If you can equate bin Laden with Martin Luther King, and al-Qaeda to King's non-violent movement, then, by all means, go ahead and draw the same analogy that Mr. Carter drew about Bush's domestic surveillance program. If, on the other hand, you cannot equate the two, then Carter's analogy becomes at best ridiculous and at worst obscene. . . . On the other hand, given Carter's near-pathological distaste (is "hatred" too strong a description?) for Israel, perhaps he intended the analogy as a tribute to MLK. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #13 I noticed Ted was all puffy, red and out of breath, but when I later saw the beginning of the services , he was that way getting out of his Limo |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-02-09 19:31 |
| #12 Because us Orca's need to see stuff twice at least least J. Edger Hoover wiretapped him on orders of Attorney General Bobby Kennedy, who was working for President John F. Kennedy. They were looking for information MLK was having an affair so they could smear him with it. |
| Posted by: Shamu 2006-02-09 19:02 |
| #11 MLK was wiretapped (yes, by J Edgar Hoover and a couple of Dems) because some of his staff/supporters knew people who knew people with Red connections J. Edger Hoover wiretapped him on orders of Attorney General Bobby Kennedy, who was working for President John F. Kennedy. They were looking for information MLK was having an affair so they could smear him with it. Ironic, the Kennedy's looking to smear someone for screwing around. And Jimmy Carter bringing that up with Teddy Kennedy sitting right behind him. Heh. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-02-09 17:23 |
| #10 Carter, remember, is they guy who responded to an act of war by pissing his pants. Metaphorically speaking. At least, as far as I know. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2006-02-09 17:19 |
| #9 Memo To: Self Subj: Self-preservation Do not get on Barbara's bad side. Ever. |
| Posted by: Mike 2006-02-09 15:24 |
| #8 Karl Rove got a real knee slap out of that one too, Barbara. |
| Posted by: Halliburton, RB Names Div. 2006-02-09 15:17 |
| #7 The only Pres comparably as bad as Carter was Buchannan. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-02-09 15:17 |
| #6 Carter is someone who by his actions in office knows nothing at all about national security. He continues to display his ineptitude each time he opens his mouth on the subject. Worst president in my lifetime by far. |
| Posted by: remoteman 2006-02-09 15:14 |
| #5 *Snort*, indeed. You apparently can't tell the difference between wiretapping people living in this country and wiretapping foreign terrorists who are calling people in this country. But you're right - we shouldn't spy on them. At least as long as the only harm they're planning is to you. When they're planning on harming me and my friends, on the other hand.... Did you pick your own name yourself, or did Fred's name generator just get lucky? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-02-09 15:10 |
| #4 Jimmah's always been a little short in the common sense department, and a funeral was a dumb place to trot out this agenda, but he wasn't as far off as all that. MLK was wiretapped (yes, by J Edgar Hoover and a couple of Dems) because some of his staff/supporters knew people who knew people with Red connections. Which is exactly the kind of third hand connection the current program seems to be looking for and what kept them from doing it through the FISA process. Claiming Carter was comparing MLK to OBL is pure sophistry, of course, but if it gets you off, enjoy. |
| Posted by: Snort Spese4710 2006-02-09 13:43 |
| #3 And, while we're on political bashing, who wire tapped MLK? Um, it wasn't a Republican in office at the time, that's for sure, but we can't speak ill of the dead. Of course, now a days, JFK resembles a R more than a D! |
| Posted by: BA 2006-02-09 13:27 |
| #2 Yes, Master Jimmah, what bout them FBI files on brer King dat been closed for 70 years? Can we have a look see? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-02-09 13:15 |
| #1 I'd write it off as senile dementia, but he was loopy in the 70's too... |
| Posted by: Iblis 2006-02-09 13:06 |