tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148972.post115539597185523922..comments2023-09-15T09:56:16.253-03:00Comments on Composing: Composinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01739889615635395138noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148972.post-1155669125843589602006-08-15T16:12:00.000-03:002006-08-15T16:12:00.000-03:00You mention horses, and another comment on this po...You mention horses, and another comment on this post is beating a dead horse. Still so pleased to see Chad's comment; how surreal it sees to be an American. In my morning paper http://www.washingtonpost.com/<BR/>wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/14/<BR/>AR2006081401163.html George Will said that? My surprise may not be obvious to you, but George Will is an incomparable conservative movement hack, and in this column he's way off the reservation.John Powershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17126222842766191343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148972.post-1155428682658887442006-08-12T21:24:00.000-03:002006-08-12T21:24:00.000-03:00I agree for the most part. But heres something di...I agree for the most part. But heres something difficult to think about: those of us here in the US who see the folly of this militarism are always immediately accused of being "un-american" or "anti-israel" if we even point this out. How to have a discussions about it in the face of this kind of venom?chadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12272480610329333973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148972.post-1155411112389606242006-08-12T16:31:00.000-03:002006-08-12T16:31:00.000-03:00Phil you make such important points so succinctly....Phil you make such important points so succinctly.<BR/><BR/>As an average American my differences in reaction to the 9-11 attacks with so many of my fellow Americans has been so frustrating. <BR/><BR/>You write: Police : "Yes! Soldiers. No!."<BR/><BR/>The counter argument was made by Karl Rove: "liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers." <BR/><BR/>Rove injected the "liberals" part but I'm not sure the divisions really fall along those lines. It is clear that there is a division of opinion here that follows from viewing human relations and conflicts in term of connectedness as opposed to those who view it primarily from a stance of exceptionalism.<BR/><BR/>When people talk from a "connectedness" point of view here they are met with: "Why do you hate America?" Our motives are questioned; the argument turns to protecting dissent, arguments in favor of the liberal tradition as distinct from conservatives vs. liberals. And the exceptionalists wonder why our hair's on fire as we try to protect the foundations of Western achievement or as some would frame it as an open-society.<BR/><BR/>I agree with your observations in this post. What I'm most appreciative for is how you put out an argument for the importance of understanding how people are connected without falling into the rhetorical traps I so often fall into. At least you show it can be done.John Powershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17126222842766191343noreply@blogger.com