Best Letter to the Editor of the Week

If I had a thing going with Haiti, there’d be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox — that kind of thing.

Does that help explain Dubai?

Great link, Karen.
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I liked the “golden fiddle” reference.
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And the renegotiating…

I was at the gym the other night, and I got a glimpse of Bill O’Reilly complaining about Haiti’s culture of thugs and all the aid we’ve given them over the years.
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So apparently this appalling callousness isn’t isolated to scum like Limbaugh and Robertson.
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What happened to the far Right that not only do they lack all vestiges of human decency, but view such a state of existence as being desirable?
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And on a more cynical level, how do these spokespeople think this looks?
Even if they don’t believe in helping Haiti, how do they think it looks to reveal themselves as the soulless, disease-ridden monsters they are?

I agree with you cliff. The waste of aid dollars is a subject of legitimate inquiry–just not while we’re trying to pull kids out of collapsed buildings and trying to avert a health disaster.
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Danny Glover’s comments were awful too.

Not that I condone what Pat Robertson said, but this is equally as bizzare and delusional.
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I’ve listened 20 times, and it is still a psyhotic rant by Danny Glover.
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Keep up the great work on pushing the liberal slant in all of your posts, Karen.

Any reason why we cannot post videos now Karen. Not that I am sure you will rush out to find out for someone like me, but just asking.

This is a lie. Bill O’Reilly has consistently provided resources, phone numbers and links for the relief effort with Haiti.
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O’Reilly has also condemn Pat Robertson’s statements, and he has pointed out that this should not be a situation for political partisanship
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If you lie, provide the links to prove that what you say is true.

Karen, Karen, Karen,
Pat Robertson is a has been and does not represent the vast amjority of conservatives. Your article is not really news worth unless you are an extreme liberal who will pick pepper out of the fly sh_t if it will allow you to demonize conservatives.
With all the really important things going on in the world are you not a capable enough reporter to find something more worth wild on which to write?
Try sometime to write something that has at least a little balance to it. You might actually feel good about yourself.

If the weather here in St Thomas is any indication, It looks like Haiti can look forward to an extended period of rain on top of everything else….

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/east/catl/vis-l.jpg

America hater Lily Coyle declares (predictably): “If I had a thing going with Haiti, there’d be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox — that kind of thing.”

The poor fool left out Halliburton, Diebold, Fox News, the United States Constitution, Blackwater, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, the United States military, the Federalist Society, ….

Is anyone surprised that Time magazine considers such brilliance to be “The Best Letter to the Editor of the Week”? Did a hacker post this piece as a parody of Time magazine?

http://www.cbn.com/700club/showinfo/about/about700club.aspx

The 700 Club is a mix of news and commentary, interviews, feature stories, and Christian ministry.

Seen in 95 percent of the television markets across the United States, the program is carried on ABC Family Channel cable network, FamilyNet, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and numerous U.S. television stations and is seen daily by approximately one million viewers.

Cliff,
I watched the whole O’Rielly program and you are diffidently a liar. Rusty’s comments are correct.
You make Liberals look bad when you tell obvious lies.
Facts can be so inconvenient to people with extremist views.

What I don’t understand is that, if Pat Robertson doesn’t speak for Conservatives, then why do they get so defensive if someone pokes a little fun at him?

I don’t care what YOU do or say, Paul Dirks. However, I do care what someone like Karen Tumulty, who represents a major media outlet like TIME.com says in her posts or lack there of.
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You can do your 3rd grade name calling like your other little friends do on here. Bust a gut and have at it.
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Trolls will be trolls anyway, I just ignore them or make fun of them like little cliffy above.

Cliff,
If you got your information while watching MSNBC or CNN or some other MSM, you have to realize that you are seeing edited comments which are often taking comments out of context. This is how MSNBC and others have had a level of success in demonizing FOX. It has not work with most people. FOX viewer ratings keep growing while MSNBC and the others are in a steady decline.

Apparently I am not the only one to see O’Reilly’s comments on Haiti:
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http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201001140059
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http://www.mediaite.com/online/bill-oreilly-how-much-should-the-world-do-to-save-haiti/
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My attention was divided, so I didn’t see him recommend people to a charity, so that’s to his credit.

Pat Robertson said something that was quite hateful and most people, Liberal or Conservative, Christian, Jew, Muslim or Athiest should be in complete agreement that it was hateful. Anyone who disagrees reveals more about themselves than they do about any particular political affiliations.

Media matters is what you cite? The biggest nutball liberal rag on the internet?
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Keep trolling, Troll.

You asked for links, I gave them. And unlike your links, mine actually prove my point.

What I still object to is how little attention is paid to ABC/Disney’s role in financing and aiding his little diatribes. They bought the CBN channel from him, wrote him a nice check and agreed to the stipulation that they would have to carry his bile for as long as he cared to produce it.

Textee,
Your comments tend to be a little extreme even for a 71 year old Conservative Navy Vet like me. Try to keep your comments civil like the rest of us very few conservatives who bother to post comments here. We try to have meaningful discussions so we can hear both sides of the issues.
I know it can be frustrating when the Reporters are all Liberals and some of the commenters are extreme ultra-liberals who can not be reasoned with. Ignore them and read postings from the sane liberals who do make comments here.

That of course make Pat Robertson and Jake Tapper colleagues.

Ok Paul, let me do my best Barack Obama impersonation when he rebuked, denouced and condemned Rev Jeremiah Wright.
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“Pat Robertson used to be a rather level headed and sane individual, very religious, but nothing like this. His ministry has spent billions of dollars in the past helping people, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Black, White and all shades in between. But, He has apparently become delusional and psychotic with religiosity. In plain words he is nuts. No one should ever listen to him or believe anything he has to say. Just like no one should ever listen to Rev Jeremiah Wright. They are both religious kooks”.
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There, how does that make you feel now?

I guess “Gay Day” at Disney isn’t enough anymore for you Paul. You seem to want more. Shall we just take Pat out, perform an Easter Pagent and crucify him, would that be something you would enjoy?

Hmm, so in other words, a little more influential and a little less marginalized than Jeremiah Wright.
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It just makes me wonder how we ended up with this impression that Robertson still plays a central role in the conservative movement.

Rusty is quick to avoid responsibility for his own peers, but he’s got problems.
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O’Reilly is no angel and a video says it all, regardless of what he things of Media Matters.
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Those darn videos.
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Rusty, what do you have to say about Rush Limbaugh telling people to stop donating?
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And, do you honestly think their conduct helps in any way the perceptions of the GOP and conservatives in general?

I noted the connection between Pat Robertsons’ penchant for fantasy and Disney’s stock-in-trade.
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Is that good enough?

All of O’Reilly’s shows are taped and put up on either the Factor web page or you can pull up YouTube videos.
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I am not going to take the word of a liberal site like MediaMatters who have smeared every conservative on the face of the earth. You may, not me.
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Post a video, and back up your lies and make them truthful if you can, cliffy. Prove me wrong for once.

For once, I agree. If we’re going to give aid to them, we need to make sure it’s delivered effectively.
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But that’s a matter for another time – assuming anyone remembers Haiti when it’s not having horrible earthquakes.

Cliff,
This proves your point??? Cliff I hope you are more intelligent than that. To read something from an organization dedicated to making Conservatives look bad and then accepting that as truth is really stupid. You should know better.

Well the children have awaken, I’ll let them turn this into their little 3rd grade playground.
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Have fun 53_3, Cliffy, and Paul Dirks. You deserve it.
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Bub Bye

I know it is sometimes difficult to count, but there is a second video there, which I believe shows the actual segment that I glimpsed.

Dose this mean that God will toast my heart on a stick, Rusty?
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Oh, wait, that was the week before last…

Do you think rusty will be embarrased to learn that the Media Mattirs link IS a video and nothing else?
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I suspect he’s incapable of it…..

Cliff:
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Found it on youtube:

Rusty, et al, if you like O’Reilly, here is my favorite:

Many thanks, 53.
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And PD, I was trying to think of a way to explain that to him, but I just couldn’t simplify it enough.

I hope I’m not stepping on your toes, cliff…

Ha ha!
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I love that he referenced Pat Buchanan, noted racist and imbecile.

Audience and influence: Pat Robertson millions
Danny Glover Not so much

I’ll also dispute this.
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Rush Limbaugh has claimed the mantle of leadership, and continues to do so.
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Pat Robertson is the icon of icons of the grassroots revolution in the GOP in the middle/late ’80s.
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Regardless of your discomfort at being tarred with a brush that is too wide (yes, it’s a stereotype), it is them that are giving your movement a bad name – and not us, or the “liberal media”.
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At some point, conservatives have to take responsibility for what their leaders say. And if they are not your personal icons, then you at minimum must direct your ire at them.

Karen, Cliff 53, Paul
You guys and gals are really being stupid on this one.
Pat Robertson does not speak for Conservatives and Jeremiah Wright does not speak for Liberals.
Stop trying to use this stupidity as a political tool.
Move on to something of real importance like some of the major issues facing our country and our world.

Also, look downthread at two videos and you wonder why the perception of your movement is so poor?
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In addition, I’ve noticed that you are not impartial in your scoldings. I agree with you on your commentary on the other thread, and appreciate it, but you must start exercising likewise moderation on your fellow conservatives or the whole effort will be for naught.

In the larger political context, it’s worth remembering that Robertson remains a leading figure in the conservative movement and a prominent Republican voice, despite being insane. Even after Robertson blamed Americans for 9/11, GOP officials and candidates continue to appear on the “700 Club,” and seek out Robertson’s support, as if this crazed TV preacher need not be excluded from polite company.

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http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_01/021905.php

Rusty, can you telll us what you find defensible in Pat Robertson’s words? You seem to need to take up his cause. Try not to turn your comment into a screed against someone else, just tell us what Robertson said that was valid.

See my several comments on this issue over the past few weeks.
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I will again emphasize, that if you wish to have your movement viewed in a better light, then you had better corral these spokesmen.
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You are trying to treat a symptom of the problem, and not the cure!

And here’s a link that dropped out of my block quote:
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http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/11/in_stunner_pat_robertson_endor.html
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Today’s announcement by television evangelist Pat Robertson that he has endorsed Rudy Giuliani is bound to strike a lot of people as straight out weird.

Not at all, 53. I didn’t feel like wading into the youtube pits to find a video that I had already found.

Cliff: You are not delusional. I caught O’Reilly’s comments. It is typical O’Reilly to pretend to be a reasonable guy and then do his pivot to the extreme right. He really is good at it.

I will also ad that most of these individuals have claimed on one thread that they don’t represent them, yet in even another location on the same thread or others, actually boast of the size of their listener ship of these very same people!
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No stupidity here, cure the disease, not the symptom…

I’ve been around for 35 years and they’ve done this (demonization of anyone not politically in agreement, as well as minorities) continually since Pat Robertson engineered the takeover of the GOP.
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I’m beyond tired of the schizophrenic rationale of trying to isolate their own spokesmen from the problem of their perception.
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They need to take responsibility for their own leaders thoughts and actions. I remember the foulness of their conduct during Katrina and this has been worse!

Once again, if Pat Robertson doesn’t speak for Conservatives then the proper response to this post would be – “Ha Ha Karen, that’s pretty funny – thanks for posting it”. If OTOH, your response is “Karen – you liberal – how dare you post this!” -then you’re only providing additional eveidence that Pat Robertson DOES speak for Conservatives.

Either repudiate it or own it, the choice is yours…..

Also of interest is that the 700 club has a wide Black listenership. I’m wondering how well this is selling in their neck of the woods.
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I bet you I won’t see any rw’s boasting about Rush’s and others’ listnership today, will they?
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I’m tired of their schizoid hypocracy, even in the face of video evidence to the contrary…

Just in case other conservatives don’t know their own history, I will fill them in:
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Pat Buchannon had strong ties to the “Patriot Movement” in the ’80s and ’90s. He was frequently called the “darling of the militia movement”.
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His relationships with Neo Nazis are equally memorable. See ‘Patriot Movement’ at http://www.splcenter.org, the largest and oldest hate group and civil assistance organization.
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He was eventually left the GOP because the radical movement was distanced by mainstream GOPers (only ostensibly, though, they never actually left) following the Oklahoma City bombing.

Cliff:
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I meant 12.2 to be a reply here.

RE: “They got together and swore a pact to the devil.” – Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson
MY COMMENT: Fellow ‘pompous ass’ Brit Hume couldn’t have said it any better!
P.S. There is so much sickness (mental illness) in this world. And since you mentioned the “devil” Pat, what about your ‘blood diamonds’ pact with Liberia’s Charles McArthur Ghankay Taylor (formerly one of Africa’s most prominent warlords / currently on trial for war crimes)?
FROM WIKIPEDIA: …According to a 2 June 1999, article in The Virginian-Pilot,[18] Robertson had extensive business dealings with Liberian president Charles Taylor. According to the article, Taylor gave Robertson the rights to mine for diamonds in Liberia’s mineral-rich countryside. According to two Operation Blessing pilots who reported this incident to the state of Virginia for investigation in 1994, Robertson used his Operation Blessing planes to haul diamond-mining equipment to Robertson’s mines in Liberia, despite the fact that Robertson was telling his 700 Club viewers that the planes were sending relief supplies to the victims of the genocide in Rwanda. In response to Taylor’s alleged crimes against humanity the United States Congress passed a bill in November 2003 that offered two million dollars for his capture. Robertson accused President Bush of “undermining a Christian, Baptist president to bring in Muslim rebels to take over the country.” At the time Taylor was harboring Al Qaeda operatives who were funding their operations through the illegal diamond trade…
SOURCE – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Robertson

Not even in the Black community.
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He’s well liked and admired as an actor, and everyone has views on global warming that may or may not be consistent with mine, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
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I include those who don’t believe it’s happening too, and I mentioned so in a discussion with appolyon07 a few weeks ago.

Something that many of you Liberals have a problem with is TRUTH.

You take comments and film clips out of contexts and try to pass them as truth.
Since you don’t seem to know what truth really is, let me explain it to you.

For something to be true it must meet all three of the following criteria.

1. The statement must be true. [ that one is simple enough]

2. It must be the whole truth. [This is a little more complicated. It means a statement can not be taken out of context. You must see the entire documentation or TV discussion. Showing O’Rielly’s opening comments without showing the actual discussion makes what has been shown a lie in that it gave an impression that was totally different than the position he made in the discussion during the program.]

3. It must be nothing but the truth. [Don’t through around a bunch of BS to try and justify your opinion or the change the opinion of others.]

If something doesn’t meet all three of the above criteria is a lie.

There is no such a thing as a partial truth. That is why we agree to these points when we are sworn in as a witness in the courts.

I find that many of the people posting on this site, conservatives included, are more interested in making political points even if they have to lie a little to get their points across.
The end does not justify the means. If we can not speak the truth we ought not to post comments here. We will all make honest mistakes on occasion but we should not use lies to try and gain a political advantage.

You’ll have to excuse me a little on this one. When you’re 71 you get a little frustrated with stupidity.

No stupidity whatsoever.
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Apparently you ignore many things. The “out of context” dodge is another old one used to maintain the separation between the conduct of your spokesmen and the effects of their tirades.
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You are arguing with videos. I can supply many, many more.
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Further, look downthread at other comments.
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Like I previously said, if you want your movement to be seen in a better light, then you had better get them to behave like civil human beings should.
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They are your problem! Free speech or not, they are the ones who are responsible for the poor perception of your movement!

Would all you ladies and gentlemen please read 11.5 and then get a life.

It would also be great if you would read 13.3 without your 3D Political glesses on and try to understand what TRUTH real is.

RE: “UN food warehouses looted (in Haiti)”
MY COMMENT: “The devil at work!” “The devil at work!” “The devil at work!”…..”Oh, wait just a minute; the UN is a devil.”…..”Twin devils at work!” “Twin devils at work!” “Twin devils at work!”….. “Oh, wait just a minute; the devil’s in the details.”…..”Three devils at work!” “Three devils at work!”….[ad nauseam]…..99 bottles of devil on the wall, 99 bottles of devil…Take one down and pass it around; 99 bottles of devil still on the wall!

I’m sorry 3xfire3, but you are fundamentally wrong in an apolitical sense.
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They are saying this stuff. It is intended to be absorbed by a wide audience. They have claimed leadership of your movement, not ours!
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How hard is this to understand. You cannot expect your movement to be appreciated in a better light until you take it upon yourselves to get them to stop this talk.
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I clearly understand that you are discomfited by the things that are said, and that may have been too broadly applied to you, but the fact remains that the only ones saying these things, in videos even, are top conservative spokesmen!
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Address your concerns to them!

Oh good. Now that RustyReturns and 3Firex3 have “debunked” the theory that Bill O’reilly made awful, slanted comments about Haiti, I can get rid of this silly little link:

http://www.billoreilly.com/show?action=viewTVShow&showID=2515

Now, you’ll notice that that is a SHOW link, which means that it is a transcript of his SHOW, where he clearly DID call Haiti a “culture of thugs”.

Look, you don’t want to believe that people like O’Reilly are rabble-rousers and demagogues, be my guest. But don’t try to lie, and say that they didn’t say stuff, when they are clearly proud enough of what they DID say to post it online!!

Sheesh!!

see 16.1

I’m beginning to see self contradictions in your commentary.
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The very first statement is a blanket political statement. Then, you decry political statements.
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The “out of context” comment is ridiculous in every sense nonpolitical. This is one of the tactics used by conservatives used to justify the continuation of a schizophrenic situation where the top spokesmen can say inflammatory and outlandish things while trying to stave of the obvious consequence that people besides conservatives also hear what they say and adjust their perceptions accordingly.
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Our party is not immune from this. During the run-up to the election, based on what the Clinton’s said, the perception in the Black community changed from 70 to 30% in favor of Hillary to 90 to 10% against her.
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For better or worse, and regardless of whether what was said was actually playing the race card or not, that was the perception.
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These things happened to her organization and now, they are happening to yours, and for good reason.
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If you note in my comments, I have said nothing political. I have refrained from deciding the nature of just what Hillary did or did not do. Instead, I focused on the perception that was created.
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The same applies here. I don’t even have to say anything other than this:
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Regardless of the exact nature of their conduct, it is their conduct that is fueling the perception of your movement.
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It is an inescapable consequence of their actions, free speech or not.

See my comprehensive rejection of your reasoning at 13.4, on apolotical grounds.

When I said you are hopeless the other day I guess I was correct. Truth is not your strong suite. Conservatives like me and Bill O’Rielly have done more over the years to help the people of Haiti than all you big talking liberals. You all talk a good game but do little else except try to demonize people who have different ideas on how to help others than you do. Get off the HATE and realize that 98% of the people are good people who just have different ideas on how to solve problems and help people in need.

Look, the “culture of thugs” reference was aimed at Haiti’s “leaders”…Papa Doc, et al. Although he is prone to bloviation and often talks over his guests, O’Reilly often says what many think and believe, and is often right. Haiti should be a paradise. The reason many are skeptical of aid efforts in Haiti isn’t because the people of that country don’t deserve it, but because the vast majority don’t RECEIVE it, and that’s the fault of the “thugs” who control things there.

3xfire3:
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Identify the hateful comments, please.

“Conservatives like me and Bill O’Rielly have done more over the years to help the people of Haiti than all you big talking liberals.”
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Is this a political statement or is it not?
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Also, is it a blanket statement about “liberals” or is it not?
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*just wtf is a “liberal” anyway?

Pat Robertson is a has been and does not represent the vast amjority of conservatives. Your article is not really news worth unless you are an extreme liberal who will pick pepper out of the fly sh_t if it will allow you to demonize conservatives.
With all the really important things going on in the world are you not a capable enough reporter to find something more worth wild on which to write

Again, if Pat Robertson doesn’t represent Conservatives then what possible basis could you have for objecting to the post? No one said a WORD about conservative’s until YOU brought it up.

I’m responding deliberately here to 18 PD because I don’t want to minimize your latest comment.
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3xfire3 forgets that Pat Roberson founded the modern form of their political movement!

Does anyone really believe Limbaugh, or Robertson, or Beck (or any other well-known conservative voice) were ELECTED to lead the movement? Anyone with a microphone (or a computer, for that matter) can express an opinion. Is Al Sharpton a spokesman for all African-Americans? Does Ralph Nader speak for all disaffected wackos? The notion that any of the conservative talkers I mention speak FOR the movement is a figment and fabrication of the media. They do not speak for me. I speak for me.

RE: “read 11.5 and then get a life. It would also be great if you would read 13.3″ – 3xfire3
MY COMMENT: Thanks, but I think I’ll pass*. One of my great-great-grandfathers was a minister and official in the Methodist church. He sent all of his eight sons to Emory (founded by the Georgia Methodists), and his three daughters to Weslyan (in Macon, GA and likewise founded by the Georgia Methodists). Early in the second term of that über-renowned Methodist George W. Bush**, I swore to never again set foot in a Methodist church. Not even for my mother’s funeral!
I wish “you people” would go straight to hell. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200!

*gas!

** If you want a star-spangled example of authoritarian submission by an ordinary citizen,
it would be hard to beat the sentiment of Clydeen Tomanio of Chickamuauga, Georgia, who was
quoted on a CNN.com report dated September 7, 2006 as saying, “There are some people, and
I’m one of them, that believe George Bush was placed where he is by the Lord. I don’t care how
he governs, I will support him.”
SOURCE – The Authoritarians, by Bob Altemeyer, U. of Manitoba
FREE PDF DOWNLOAD – http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~altemey/

I would just like the commentators who are defending Robertson to tell us how they agree with him.
Rightfully, we ask the mullahs to denounce the most extreme of their bretheren. My opinion is that those on the right should denounce the most extreme of their bretheren when they say untruths and make bigotted statements. Hate speech can beget hate action.
I would do the same, if a liberal said something untruthful or bigotted, and have done so.
Now Rusty and others on the right, please do not do the eqivalency game and list a bunch of comments from the left. Just stick to the topic and either let us know what comments of Pat Robertson’s you agree with, or denounce him and others like Limbaugh and O’Reilly that are saying hateful things about Hatians and our attempts to assist them.

I know I’m overly hopeful, but I’m hoping that the apolitical aspects (instead, focus is on human nature and perceptions) of the arguments here will help others in an effort to push back, and perhaps destroy the ability of conservatives to avoid responsibility for the conduct of their own spokesmen.
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I am hoping that many who come here to swampland witness this and take away some of the comments here the weapons they need to restore a bit of sanity into the political process.

3xfire3 — “Conservatives like me and Bill O’Rielly have done more over the years to help the people of Haiti than all you big talking liberals.”
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Sounds like a lot of hot air to me. Care to substantiate what you and your pal BillO have done for the people of Haiti?
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BTW, thanks for letting everyone know that you and BillO the clown are two peas in a pod.

No, randomkirk, I’ve seen this before during the Katrina debacle.
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This is a deliberate attempt by O’Reilly to demonize the victims of a major disaster and a transparent attempt to discredit Obama during this peak hour of need for the people of Haiti.
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In case you doubt me, then tell my why Rush Limbaugh has called for people to stop contributing to aid funds and NGOs simply in order to undermine POTUS?
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Over to you…

Other than the fact that Rush Limbaugh claimed the mantle of leadership of the conservative movement and that Pat Robertson founded the modern conservative movement with his grassroots takeover of the GOP in the middle ’80s I would say that you are entirely right, randomkirk.
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Beam me up now, Scottie…

“What I don’t understand is that, if Pat Robertson doesn’t speak for Conservatives, then why do they get so defensive if someone pokes a little fun at him?”

Uh, Paul…could it be that we get defensive because certain of you automatically assume that when Robertson speaks, we agree? Hint: If you are going to skewer Robertson for inane commentary, go for it. Just don’t lump all of us in with him as if he speaks for us. He doesn’t speak for me.

But if you are having a problem with the perception of your movement, randomkirk, I suggest you read the several comments at the end of this thread (comments 11 to 18).
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I am not ignorant of the fact that conservatives don’t like being labeled so negatively, but that is a natural consequence (human nature, not politics!) of the fact that they are heard by others who are not conservatives – and form their opinions on the basis thereof – regardless of the the exact nature of the conduct.
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You need to take these issues to them and tell them to stop making your life difficult. It’s not us, we are just reacting and responding to their statements and actions!

How, exactly did you weave Limbaugh and Obama into this conversation about O’Reilly? And Katrina, too! A trifecta! So, if I get your drift, O’Reilly is speaking in code to urge his fellow travelers to not help the Haitians (because they don’t deserve our help) because that would somehow hurt Obama. Does that even sound rational to you?

randomkirk:
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I don’t think it matters the exact nature of his commentary.
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The fact is, whether you like it or not, he is not helping the conservative movement overturn the perception that they are a negative force.
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Again, if you don’t like it, then take your complaints to them.
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And I know enough about O’Reilly to have a very negative opinion of him even without this video!

“Claiming the mantle of leadership” doesn’t make it so. I could claim the mantle of leadership of the Catholic Church, but it doesn’t make me Pope.

Oh, btw, randomkirk, do you know English compositional structure?
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Did you notice that the comments on O’Reilly are in a separate paragraph, and with a line space as well?
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You conflated them, I didn’t, so you should ask yourself that question!

So?
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Do you honestly think their actions wouldn’t reflect so negatively on you?
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What do you expect? I understand your discomfort, but if you want this problem fixed, address these concerns to them!

53_3-”Oh, btw, randomkirk, do you know English compositional structure?”

Actually, yes, I do. Unfortunately…for reasons I cannot fathom, whenever I try to put a space between lines, this blog site won’t allow it.

Thanks for displaying your intellectual superiority, though.

No, randomkirk, but with the help of some 20 million dittoheads, even you could become Pope at home in your spare time in three easy lessons!

3xfire, just use this next time. I find it to be effective:
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http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t164/zaxtax/258Troll_spray.jpg

For what it’s worth, I thought the letter to the editor was pretty funny.

Well then, randomkirk, since I didn’t conflate them and you did, don’t you think you should instead tell me why you did it?
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I’d certainly like to know, since I certainly kept them separate…

It won’t take spaces, randomkirk.
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You can use any character you want I think, but many use a period.
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On the subject of “intellectual superiority” I learned that in grade school English.
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On that note, it should have told you that I wasn’t conflating the two instances, but instead, despite the English structure, you chose to ignore it, conflate them, and then ask me why I did it!
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So, given that, you deserved that shot…

53_3-Sorry. I am the product of a public school education, so maybe I just don’t understand your question. Conflation? Sentences? What are these things of which you speak?

You might want to spend some time reexamining the context of what I said instead of providing me with your less-than-accurate editorial commentary.

conflate = put together, overlay
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You ran them together despite the fact I had them separate, and then asked me why I think that way.
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I didn’t run them together, you did. So answer your own question.

Oh!
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Forgive me, randomkirk, I am also the product of a public education!
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Guess that makes us even, huh?

BTW, D’ya spose I done tooked advantage of an opportunity you had but failed to see, bein I done dood my schoolerizing in the publik sytsem?
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One mans’ junk is another mans’ treasure, randomkirk…

Conservatives and freepers commenting on this site, I would like to know who you consider your spokespeople and leaders?
Michael Savage
Sarah Palin
Newt Gingrich
Bill O’Reilly
Michael Reagan
Sean Hannity
Michelle Malkin
Ann Coulter
Jonah Goldberg
Pat Buchannan
Neil Borst
Glen Beck
James Inhofe
Jim DeMint
Michael Huckabee
Steve Ducey
Roger Ailes
Rupert Murdoch
Maggie Gallagher
Charles Krauthammer
Bill Kristol
Pat Robertson
Ralph Reed
Rev Hagee
Rush Limbaugh
Monica Crowley
Add your own names. This list is particularly scary, so there may be others you support that are less prone to untruths and fear mongering.
Which of these would you denounce?
Now, don’t follow with your own list of liberals. Just answer the questions please.

Just this past week I saw the ratings for the news shows. Beck and O’Reilly trashed CNN and MSNBC. They had 2.3 and 2.2 million viewers. They slammed CNN. That’s a large audience for a news show and the conservatives can justifiably be proud of the numbers. In fact they crow about it regularly. Pat Robertson consistently draws about a million per day. Just about half of Beck and O’Reilly do. Isn’t half of an enormous number still a respectful amount? If he’s a has been and has no influence, wouldn’t drawing half of what Beck and O’Reilly do mean that he is important to the conservative community? I don’t know any liberals that watch Robertson.

Btw, my pact with the Devil must not have taken effect yet. I hit another deer on my way to work this morning. That’s 3 in 23 days.

I used to live in deer country. They were always a hazard. That and the city guys that would come our way to hunt with their rifles displayed in their pretty new pickups and suvs. Our motto was duck and cover.
As far as your post on the numbers that watch and listen to people like the ones I listed above, my solace is it is the same group of people in basically the same demographic. They appeal to a niche group of dittoheads of about 20% of the adult population. That doesn’t discount their influence.
The Dems need to show what faux populist they are along with the tea bagger leaders (Dick Army). Then the Dems have to show they really understand populism and progressivism by action. Not the Huey Long/George Wallace grandstanding. Most cannot do this until they cut themselves off from the siren calls of K Street.

I’d kind of rather read about the current logistical efforts, or the history of Haiti, or the relative success or failure of foreign aid in general, or really almost anything other than whether Pat Roberston is more or less vile than Rush Limbaugh.

What is it about the conservative movement that it can suck the air out of absolutely any news story?

apr2563: On Christmas Eve I hit the first deer on the way to work. When I got to work I joked that Santa would only have 7 reindeer for his trip that night. Last week I hit the 2nd deer and joked that I wasn’t going to stop until I nailed his whole team. I WAS KIDDING!!! SANTA…you’re the best! Lock those MF’ers up!

I do not know what to make of the letter. So by implication, from this letter, we in the west have sold our souls to the devil?
Hmmm… this letter does not do it for me-not exciting. Almost insulting really Grrrrrrrrr

But, Haiti is so so poor that this earth quake and aftershocks just are so heart wrenching and sad. Maybe Pat Robertson, who sometimes has verbal diarrhea, was groping at some sort of explanation for this sad sad thing and came up with emm …something.

LM
http://theblindspotsofgod.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/technology-savvy-nigerian-criminals-are-the-greatest-threat-to-national-security/

Hi Folks,

It’s a been a real kick to watch my letter travel the web, and to read so many kind words. Thanks for all the love, and for that one marriage proposal.

I did expect some dissent, and do love free speech. So being called an asshole is no biggie, and say what you will about me and Satan, but “America Hater” is a terribly rude, and certainly doesn’t apply to this eight year Navy veteran. It was while on active duty as a military paralegal that I honed the rapid-fire typing skills qualifying me to take dictation from Satan, and the keen eye to recognize a bogus contract when I see one.

But no need to apologize for that remark; I will just trust you to drop and give me twenty.

Best,

Lily Coyle

53_3-Aww…I was just messin’ with ya. I am constantly amazed when libs resort to their self-perceived intellectual superiority to attempt to end an argument, rather than addressing the question at hand.

And, oh…by the way…just because you separate them into two paragraphs doesn’t make them separate ideas. Last I looked, Obama was POTUS, and both sentences were addressing the same (bogus) claim. Like most of your posts, just because you say it doesn’t make it so.

lily: Thank you for a humorous and bitingly sarcastic letter. I hope you decide to stick around Swampland and post. Your friend in satan, sacredh

Well said! I, for one, found your letter a terrific bit of satire, and your post equally so. Now, if only the posters here would stick to the subject at hand, rather than resorting to name-calling, maybe a good-humored, cogent dialogue could be had.

I can drop but the 20 will have to be dollars. Maybe 10 pushups, a cigarette break and then another 10 pushups…but all at once? No.

Thanks for lurking here and responding lily. Does that mean we now have made a pact with Satan? I wont be renouncing you. But, instead here is my wish list….

apr2563: I’m with you on this renouncing thing. It’s a wise man that doesn’t burn his/her bridges. Satan was the Lord’s favorite angel at one point and there’s always the chance they’ll settle their little spat and do the whole group hug thing. BFF again. Play your cards close and avoid playing favorites.

Oh come on give me a break, the letter was pure snark and darn funny. The author is not an America hater since access to suv’s and botox is not prohibited beyond our borders. It’s simply pointing out the absurdity of Robertson’s line of thinking by taking it all the way out to its logical conclusion. Anyone who is gullible enough to believe that Haiti is cursed because of a pact they made with the devil, ought to at least have to explain why the devil would be so stupid as to explicitly work against his own interests. Since clearly, if this was how he rolled — advertising it wouldn’t do much to encourage repeat business?
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Conservatives, especially elected members of the GOP are always demanding apologies from the left for any and every perceived insult offered by someone who is even remotely associated with those left of center. Yet they have trouble even acknowledging the egregious statements made by the pantheon of the conservative intelligentsia. If your talking heads make you look bad, then perhaps it might behoove you to them to STFU.
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Lastly, there is always this cry that media matters or other fact checking groups are picking on conservatives. It just never occurs to anyone on the right that it is not the fault of these organizations that the authors of these whoppers happen to be of the conservative persuasion. But its funny in the same breath that you ask liberals not to hold the egregious examples of mean spiritedness by conservative leaders against the conservative movement you also defend the plethora of lies being authored by these same entities. If these are not your leaders to acknowledge then these are not your liars to defend — It’s just a little too convenient for you to disavow the speaker but yet defend the speech.

Satan: I did NOT have a contract with that nation.

Yes, Lily, I second sacred. welcome to swampland, and please stick around.
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by the way, how in the world did this become a food fight over conservatism?

KT: Please refer back to every thread till the beginning of time. It always turns into a food fight.

Thanks for you visit here llybcoyle!
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It’s a big surprise to see someone who is the subject of a blog actually come on and risk having an appendage or two twisted off and garfed down by us swampcritters.
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That’s just my rather bloody way of saying “thank you very much” for your injection of humor into a very unfunny time.

It wasn’t a food fight over conservatism itself, Karen, it was a food fight over conservatives attacking others for what their own leaders do.

Now what the hell do I do with this rotten tomato…

lily: FTW for the original letter.

I offer wampum.

Throw it. I’m a little stressed and want to lash out too.

It’s a blue dress or nothing.

“by the way, how in the world did this become a food fight over conservatism?”

KT-Read post 3. That’s how. You know: Pat Robertson=Bill O’Reilly=Rush Limbaugh=everything that is evil about the conservatives (“What happened to the far Right that not only do they lack all vestiges of human decency, but view such a state of existence as being desirable?”)

No. Too tired.
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Been battling here all day. In a way, it is a distinctly horrid day, with talk of 200k dead, but I’m hoping I’ve gotten a tiny lick in on that schizoid paradigm the conservatives resort to…

KT: sacredh is right. This blog is aptly named Swampland. Unlike 53_3, I might be more likely use a cream pie for a food fight. As far as a fight over conservatism, how can you avoid the topic when you are speaking of the former Rep president candidate Robertson. Now that we know he is not the spawn of the devil, we have to assume there is some other evil cabal afoot. Could it be conservatives, led by fallen angels Robertson, Beck, Palin, and Limbaugh?

It actually started a few days ago, randomkirk.
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I’m glad I’ve been able to expose the core fallacies behind the tactics you and your fellow conservatives practice.
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Next time, what you need to do, is take the problem to your leaders, after all, it’s not us that’s been spewing that cr@p, it’s your leaders!
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Take it up with them…

Money Tree will take your soul for $700. I don’t have that blue dress. You’ll have to settle for that…

Sorry, sacred, a thought just occurred to me:
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Even if I could outbid Satan for your soul, what in hell would I do with it?
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Uh, never mind…

I don’t see where you’ve exposed anything, just expounded.

And, why do you INSIST on calling these people my leaders? I don’t listen to them, I didn’t vote them into any kind of office I am aware of, and THEY.DON’T SPEAK. FOR. ME! There, is that plain enough for you?

You keep saying “take it up with them”. Why, if I don’t listen to them, would they listen to me? I know it is difficlut to comprehend, but many of us who consider ourselves conservatives are entirely capable of independent thought and are just as capable of forming our own ideas based on reading and listening to a wide variety of forums and media…including this one.

What could you do with my soul?
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What COULDN’T you do with my soul?
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A person could play Soul-Catcher Barbie.
You could use it for a night-lite.
You could say “Mine’s bigger”.
You could put the average firefly to shame.
You could paint it white and trick Rush into thinking it’s an oxy.
You could stick it in Palin’s right ear and watch the glow come out of her left ear.
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Must I continue?

Well then randomkirk, it’s simple.
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No one would even say this stuff if those spokesmen didn’t go there with their cr@p.
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But it is not our problem! We didn’t cause it!
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Get it?
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We did not say those things that make your life so uncomfortable as a conservative.
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Maybe, just maybe, you should accept that they reflect ill on your movement and maybe, just maybe, you should address your problem to them!
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How can it be more simply said?

The food fight continues. Now, where is that banana…

I’ll check the MIL. Wash it first.

But sacred, I already have something I can do all those things with!
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Of course, I’m referring to my own soul. If you can call that shriveled thingie I just kicked under the couch a soul.
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Likely, some rodent will carry it off and stash it in his nest. Or, even worse, after sweeping the living room tomorrow, I might accidentally leave it out where I would step on it with my shoes, and then I would have to contend with the problem of my decrepit excuse for a soul being stuck on the sole of my shoe.
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No, it’s just too corny…

Does she have it?

Paul,
If I kept posting that Jeremiah Wright represented the views of liberals I suspect you would disagree. The only reason you and others keep talking about this senile old man is to push the idea or guilt by association of conservatives. Your continuing to ask the question is disingenuous.

Uh…can you throw banana pudding?

I hate to go OT when I’ve already went completely OT…but we watched Julie and Julia last night. It was surprisingly good. Streep was great.

diecashi Since you asked.

I have built 8 cement block homes and a 10 person sanitation block [toilets and showers] for poor families in Haiti. I have done the same in Jamaica and Guatemala. These projects were done through “Food for the Poor” one of the best charities operating in the Caribbean.

Today I donated $500 to the Red Cross and $500 to Food for the Poor designated for Haiti Relief.

I also sponsor the education of 2 children in Africa and 2 in Guatemala and help support an elderly gentleman in the Philippians. I am now mentoring my second Navajo Indian boy in New Mexico.

Not bad for a Vocational School graduate who spent 4 years in the Navy as an electrician.
After the Navy I did come home, live with my parents while I worked my way through college paying my on tuition and expenses. I graduated with an MBA degree and have had a successful carrier.

Oh but I almost forgot. I’m one of those greedy conservatives who doesn’t care about other people.

Good work, very nice. Somehow, I doubt that BillO could say the same. While the work you’ve done is commendable, I doubt that it is somehow “more than all of us liberals have done.” That seems to be a bit of a self-aggrandizing overstatement to me.
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Perhaps you missed it but I never accused you or anyone else here of being “one of those greedy conservatives who doesn’t care about other people” even though that tag seems to be appropriate for many so-called conservatives.
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I too do what I can on a regular basis for the less fortunate. I donated to Oxfam America’s Haiti Earthquake Response Fund this week too.

by the way, how in the world did this become a food fight over conservatism?
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I believe that is my fault.
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And I’m not apologizing, that was a good fight this morning.

That was a great, great letter and response, Lilly. Hope that you hang around. Thanks for posting here!

http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/target-audience/

…among other places..l

I don’t know about Dubai… I hear it is about bankrupt, not Satan’s style. But it sure helps explain the good ole US of A!

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