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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (90300)	12/12/2004 6:17:50 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793743

Kerry Spot - jim geraghty reporting CONVERSING WITH TIM GRAHAM [12/10 04:28 PM] Tim Graham of the Media Research Center is persuading me that it's a big deal that Edward Lee Pitts, reporter for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, coached the soldier to ask the question about the armor. Rumsfeld gets skeptical and hostile questioning all the time from Pentagon correspondents. It's par for the course, what everyone expects. What made the question from Specialist Thomas Jerry Wilson such big news was that now the tough questions were coming from the soldiers, not from the press. But the thing is, the question - while a good one, and one applauded by the other troops - wasn't originating with the troops, it originated with Edward Lee Pitts. So the distinctiveness of this exchange, the originality that made people turn their heads and take notice, isn't what we thought it was. In fact, it's the usual press v. Rummy battle that we see all the time. Graham also made a comment I found interesting - he had heard that Bush was keeping Rumsfeld in place as Secretary of Defense because the President doesn't want to appear to be listening to, or agreeing with, the arguments of Rummy's critics. I understand that Rumsfeld has come under some unfair criticism - but is that really Bush's reasoning? Wouldn't we hope the reason Rummy is staying in place in the second term is because he's still the best person for the job? HOORAY FOR THE ANTI-HAPPY-HOLIDAYS BACKLASH [12/10 03:01 PM] Cam, Mike McCarville and others on NRANews are fired up about Oklahoma schools that are making sure no Christmas carols appear at the “Holiday Concert,” while songs about Hannukah or Winter Solstice are okay. As one who is not threatened, and who in fact applauds the flourishing of faith in American life, I disagree with the school decision, but am more reassured than outraged. This reaction is based on my suspicion that the backlash to this hyper-political correctness will “move the ball” more in our direction than in theirs. Is there any force in life that makes us more motivated than some screeching harpies demanding that we stop doing something because it offends them? Could anything spur folks to make publicly-visible expressions of religious faith on private property than some bullying hyper-sensitive litigious folk demanding a holiday-free zone? Cautious corporations and advertisers may be quickly replacing their Christmas decorations with generic expressions of “Happy Holidays,” but I suspect ordinary citizens, having been challenged by someone with the audacity to issue fatwas on certain phrases, songs, and symbols, are going to defy this with ever-greater and holiday-specific expressions. What kind of person is offended to the point of legal action from hearing the word “Christmas”? If you wish me “Happy Kwanzaa”, my reaction will be… “Okay. Back at ya, buddy!” Certain folks are intolerant to the point where hearing others express their faith fills them with outrage and bitterness. But that’s a topic for their therapist, not for our school board meetings and town hall hearings. Thus, I expect more folks will be wishing others a specific and festive Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Winter Solstice, Diwali (Hindu New Year) when it falls around this time of year, Eid when it falls around this time of year… UPDATE: Best example of this - day after Thanksgiving, Mrs. Kerry Spot, the in-laws and I are shopping at Peddler's Village in Bucks County, Pa. There's a store that specializes in Christmas ornaments. And perhaps the name "holiday ornaments" is appropriate, since they had ornaments of dreidels, menorahs, etc. But there was one ornament that had a label, “For your holiday tree.” And what was the ornament? A miniature nativity scene. What, was that baby Jesus for the Winter Solstice Tree or something?