What Ever Happened to Moral Equivalence?

Time was, critics would make an improvident comparison of patriotic Americans to terrorists, and be met with howls of righteous indignation. Now, a Bush administration official can reportedly refer to Washington Post Executive Editor Len Downie as "Osama bin Downie," and complain about his "jihad" against Dubya, and everyone has a good chuckle. That's progress, I guess! (Link via Romenesko)

Comments

[Ruthless]

Building on Jason Ligon's thought, did you happen to see Dubya's press conference a few weeks ago where he seemed so proud of himself for saying one of the questioners "had a face for radio"?

Closer to the subject of this thread: Now that the Cincinnati Bengals have had a resurgence, the word, "Whodey," (as in who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?) has been more on peoples' alleged minds. Not many have dared utter it however as it sounds too close to a son of Saddam.

[Anonymous]

Time was, critics would make an improvident comparison of patriotic Americans to terrorists, and be met with howls of righteous indignation. Now, a Bush administration official can reportedly refer to Washington Post Executive Editor Len Downie as "Osama bin Downie,"

The operative term being "patriotic", and therefore not applicable to Downie...

[Jason Ligon]

Ruthless,

I haven't noticed Bengals fans using too much restraint on the "Whodey" front.

As a Steelers fan living in the heart of the Jungle, these are trying times ...

[Steve in CO]

Dear Anon (I hate anonymous posting on principle, but oh well),

WTF? You are only a patriot if you march lockstep with whatever the White House says? Are you that stupid? I suppose you nodded quitely to everything Slick Willy said as well?

BLECHHH!

[Ruthless]

Jason Ligon,
Okay, you got me.
I confused a Bengal fan with someone who would know the names of Saddam's sons.

[Gene Berkman]

During the petition drive for the California recall election, I received an email from the recall campaign calling for "Regime Change" in Sacramento.

This was after 20,000 precision guided weapons and 2,000 Tomahawk missiles had brought regime change - as well as cholera - to Baghdad.

I let them know I thought their use of the term was in poor taste, but I saw it repeated in other venues several times during the recall campaign.

[Phil]

Perhaps he should have called him "Len Hitler" instead. That seems to be increasingly acceptable discourse.

Oh, damn, wait -- it's only unacceptable if right-wingers do it! I forgot. Silly me.

[Jon H]

Gene Berkman wrote: "During the petition drive for the California recall election, I received an email from the recall campaign calling for "Regime Change" in Sacramento.

This was after 20,000 precision guided weapons and 2,000 Tomahawk missiles had brought regime change - as well as cholera - to Baghdad.

I let them know I thought their use of the term was in poor taste, but I saw it repeated in other venues several times during the recall campaign."

Funny, the GOP got all bent out of shape when Kerry mentioned 'regime change' in reference to ousting Bush in 2004.

[Jason Ligon]

What concerns me most of all is that someone in a position of power thought that was clever.

[Will]

Y'all need to lighten up just a wee bit.

Humor isn't just protected First Amendment Speech, it's also healthy, and it can be the best way the communicate complex ideas in a limited number of words.

Lighten up Francis!

[Francis]

You're on my list, Will. You'll see.

[Gary McGath]

In October, at a science fiction convention panel on portraying evil, I suggested from the audience that Al Qaeda provided a real-life example for writers of an evil organization which believes it's on the side of virtue. Some idiot in the audience suggested Microsoft as another example.

[James Merritt]

Gary McGath says, "I suggested from the audience that Al Qaeda provided a real-life example for writers of an evil organization which believes it's on the side of virtue. Some idiot in the audience suggested Microsoft as another example."

Indeed. Microsoft has never believed it was on the side of virtue (though sometimes it consciously used the rhetoric of virtue in various ad campaigns and white papers).

Apple, on the other hand...

[Rob D'Ambroso]

I hope Len Downie took a deep sip of the Taliban beheading an innocent American non-combatant today. He is totally oblivious to the plight of our soldiers and civilians fighting to create some form of civilized nation in that region.

We put girls underwear on their heads..They take the whole head off...of civilians. They are barbaric, and he is a product of the the liberal politburo.

No one thinks war is a good thing, but God forbid these animals strike again in our own country, I hope he is standing squarely on ground zero.

[Decker David]

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DATE: 02/27/2004 11:12:28
It is only the most intelligent and the most stupid who are not susceptible to change.