One really, really stupid conservative...for starters
Hey all,
Well, since I'm no longer writing about strange goings-on in Georgia, I thought I would take some time to bring to your attention the decline and fall of the American Empire. Today I read a column by Leonard Pitts and was compelled to do more research on the topic. Here's the link to the story ( a good historian cites his sources:) http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/leonard_pitts/story/541056.html
I then looked at the video that Pitts referred to and was amazed that someone like Kevin James, who has a law degree, and has been an "expert commentator" (according to his Los Angeles' station's bio of him) could be so monumnetally ignorant of basic historical facts. James lit out on the darling conservative terms for liberals in the "war on terror": appeasement, Chamberlain, and Hitler. Ah yes, Hitler...everyone we must demonize must be made into a "Hitler". If that be the case, than why hasn't Barry Bonds been traded to the Yankees? Then we could really hate him!
Once you have made your Hitler, anyone who disagrees with your assessment of your enemy must be declared a "Chamberlain" and an "appeaser", referring to the September 1938 Munich Conference which allowed Germany to annex parts of Czechoslavakia that boardered Germany and had many ethnic Germans (a result of the redrawing of the maps after World War I). Now, here comes the history that James didn't know. To read the full text of the agreement, please follow this link (the agreement is very short but please note the signatories...the Czechs were not even invited to their own giveaway party!)
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/document/munich1.htm
Now, most look at Munich as some huge giveaway by the West, but the warning signs were already there. Hitler began openly rearming Germany in 1935 (in direct violation of the Versallies Treaty). Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the USA, did nothing. In March, 1936, Hitler sent troops into the demilitarized Rhineland (another treaty violation). Again, the western powers did nothing but attend the olympics in Berlin that summer. In March 1938, Germany absorbed Austria into the "Greater Reich". Again, the west did nothing. By the time Munich rolled around, no great power had called "BULLSHIT" on Hitler in the 5 years he had been in power. Appeasement is giving into or ignoring any potential enemy's actions. Diplomacy is trying to find something everyone can agree on (although not like 100%). The USA appeased Germany as much as France and Britain did simply by doing business with them.
True, France and Britain ignored the Nazi expansion...it kept the peace and neither of them wanted another war so soon after WW1. France sustained 6.1 MILLION casualties (killed, wounded or missing) in the great war and the British Empire had 3.2 MILLION. To put those digits in perspective, the USA sustained 1.1 Million casualties during WW2, a war that we fought on 2 fronts. Stop and think about those numbers...and we are rightfully outraged over the deaths of 4,000. "For the Republic" and "for King and country" just wouldn't sell to the French and English people in 1936 or 1938. When Chamberlain returned from Munich, he was hailed, by the people and press, as a hero who had prevented war. Unfortunately, he just postponed it.
As a teacher of history, I was shocked that the trash that Kevin James trowels out to thousands of listeners can pass for "intelligent commentary". All the more shocking is that his listeners believe him and don't have the time or inclination to check his erronious suppositions. So much for an informed electorate. There is also the issue of James' employer who, for the sake of ratings and ad revenue, allows such blatant lies to go out over the airwaves. But that is another rant. Enough of my yacking...here's the link to the video (it is a bit long at 9 minutes but I beg you, gentle reader, to watch). And now that you all have had a brief historical primer, you can see James, for what he is: a partisan hate-monger who uses catchy buzzwords to frighten, not enlighten his listeners.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK0d8ENS__c
Be careful of what you are told by those who stand to make money or gain power from it.
Till next time,
Peace,
John
Well, since I'm no longer writing about strange goings-on in Georgia, I thought I would take some time to bring to your attention the decline and fall of the American Empire. Today I read a column by Leonard Pitts and was compelled to do more research on the topic. Here's the link to the story ( a good historian cites his sources:) http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/leonard_pitts/story/541056.html
I then looked at the video that Pitts referred to and was amazed that someone like Kevin James, who has a law degree, and has been an "expert commentator" (according to his Los Angeles' station's bio of him) could be so monumnetally ignorant of basic historical facts. James lit out on the darling conservative terms for liberals in the "war on terror": appeasement, Chamberlain, and Hitler. Ah yes, Hitler...everyone we must demonize must be made into a "Hitler". If that be the case, than why hasn't Barry Bonds been traded to the Yankees? Then we could really hate him!
Once you have made your Hitler, anyone who disagrees with your assessment of your enemy must be declared a "Chamberlain" and an "appeaser", referring to the September 1938 Munich Conference which allowed Germany to annex parts of Czechoslavakia that boardered Germany and had many ethnic Germans (a result of the redrawing of the maps after World War I). Now, here comes the history that James didn't know. To read the full text of the agreement, please follow this link (the agreement is very short but please note the signatories...the Czechs were not even invited to their own giveaway party!)
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/document/munich1.htm
Now, most look at Munich as some huge giveaway by the West, but the warning signs were already there. Hitler began openly rearming Germany in 1935 (in direct violation of the Versallies Treaty). Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the USA, did nothing. In March, 1936, Hitler sent troops into the demilitarized Rhineland (another treaty violation). Again, the western powers did nothing but attend the olympics in Berlin that summer. In March 1938, Germany absorbed Austria into the "Greater Reich". Again, the west did nothing. By the time Munich rolled around, no great power had called "BULLSHIT" on Hitler in the 5 years he had been in power. Appeasement is giving into or ignoring any potential enemy's actions. Diplomacy is trying to find something everyone can agree on (although not like 100%). The USA appeased Germany as much as France and Britain did simply by doing business with them.
True, France and Britain ignored the Nazi expansion...it kept the peace and neither of them wanted another war so soon after WW1. France sustained 6.1 MILLION casualties (killed, wounded or missing) in the great war and the British Empire had 3.2 MILLION. To put those digits in perspective, the USA sustained 1.1 Million casualties during WW2, a war that we fought on 2 fronts. Stop and think about those numbers...and we are rightfully outraged over the deaths of 4,000. "For the Republic" and "for King and country" just wouldn't sell to the French and English people in 1936 or 1938. When Chamberlain returned from Munich, he was hailed, by the people and press, as a hero who had prevented war. Unfortunately, he just postponed it.
As a teacher of history, I was shocked that the trash that Kevin James trowels out to thousands of listeners can pass for "intelligent commentary". All the more shocking is that his listeners believe him and don't have the time or inclination to check his erronious suppositions. So much for an informed electorate. There is also the issue of James' employer who, for the sake of ratings and ad revenue, allows such blatant lies to go out over the airwaves. But that is another rant. Enough of my yacking...here's the link to the video (it is a bit long at 9 minutes but I beg you, gentle reader, to watch). And now that you all have had a brief historical primer, you can see James, for what he is: a partisan hate-monger who uses catchy buzzwords to frighten, not enlighten his listeners.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK0d8ENS__c
Be careful of what you are told by those who stand to make money or gain power from it.
Till next time,
Peace,
John
posted by john at 12:35 AM
3 comments
