Linguistic Massacre

I suppose there's never a particularly good day to claim, as Pavel Kohout does today at TechCentralStation, that "a high amount of taxation combined with ill-functioning labor and housing markets is a truly genocidal mix." (Italics mine.) But on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz?

Comments

[Gary Gunnels]

Why isn't Bush at the ceremonies today?

Its interesting how much discussion there is in the European press of Auschwitz's influence on European integration/unification.

[Jason Ligon]

At least he didn't say "LITERALLY genocidal". Literally.

[R C Dean]

Its interesting how much discussion there is in the European press of Auschwitz's influence on European integration/unification.

Well, there for a little while, the Nazis pretty well had the joint unified.

[Gary Gunnels]

R.C. Dean,

By conquest.

This is a somewhat different situation. Auschwitz is starting to become a "European" site; a place of shared historical memory that can bind people together via remembrance of the dead, the evil deeds, perpetrated there, etc.

[Matt Shultz]

Not nearly as tasteless as all the muslim groups comparing the holocaust to the 'massacre' at Jenin. At least Kohout has a point.

[Gary Gunnels]

Matt Shultz,

There have been true genocides following WWII of course.

[smacky]

Why isn't Bush at the ceremonies today?

GG,

Because he was busy rhetoricizing in Cleveland today about technology in healthcare, something else that he no doubt knows nothing about:

" President Bush to Visit The Cleveland Clinic This Week "
The White House has announced that President George W. Bush will visit The Cleveland Clinic on Thursday, Jan. 27, to host a Town Hall meeting to discuss technical advancements in medicine.

- Cited from Cleveland Clinic newsletter.

If I find any summaries or audio/video clips of his talk, I will be sure to post them...I was going to go see him speak, but then I figured I could find something better to do with my time.

[Mo]

GG,
Too true, the Armenians just need better marketing.

[Fred]

Gee... I thought this was going to be comments on the article about the inadvertent Manicheanism of today's overtaxed society (especially in Italy and the EU). The article itself actually DOES support the small quote above, even though it is really dense reading (as we might expect from a location known as TechCentralStation). The article (as much as I've read until now) shows some overtaxed people responding as we'd expect.

"State pensions systems eliminated the natural economic incentive to have children. At the same time, the welfare state is an enormously costly luxury that has to be financed from taxes. High payroll-tax and social security contributions reduce the earning capacity of people in fertile age. Thus, they push down birth rates as well"

I wonder when this will become an issue in the US?

[Gary Gunnels]

smacky,

I find his non-presence to be highly disappointing. This week one of Bush's spokesmen gave as an excuse that he had already been to Poland in the last twelve months.

[Chuck]

Mo--

Gunnells said that there have been genocides since WWII, the implication being that the world has learned nothing from Auschwitz, et. al.

The Armenian genocide occurred before WWII, you fucking asshole.

[Gary Gunnels]

Chuck,

Sometimes I wonder if there is anything to learn from Auschwitz.

[Shawn Smith]

Pavel Kohout claims that because young people can't get reasonable jobs in the EU, they are putting off, perhaps permanently, starting a family. But if most of the oldsters retire, wouldn't that create a demand for labor that the youngsters can fill? Or will all the jobs be filled by the Muslim immigrants?

[Ken Shultz]

"The Armenian genocide occurred before WWII, you fucking asshole."

Regardless of when the Armenian genocide occured, how do you defend that tone? You sound like one of those people who shoot at other drivers for cutting them off on the freeway.

[Henry]

TechCentralStation--you mean people still read that shit? Christ, I think I still have it bookmarked somewhere--oh yeah, right here next to WorldNetDaily and Free Republic.

Peace, y'all.

[Thomas Paine's Goiter]

Matt Shultz,

There have been true genocides following WWII of course.

Well, considering what the French have become, it's not like they were going to stop it.

[Jason Ligon]

"Sometimes I wonder if there is anything to learn from Auschwitz."

Never be complicit in, cooperate with, or tolerate the systematic destruction of people who look just like you. Never disarm completely.

[Thomas Paine's Goiter]

Never disarm completely.

Unless you can paint with your foot.

[Mo]

Why am I a fucking asshole? My comment was true, though I admit impolitic. Mention the Armenian genocide to the average person and they'll give you a confused look.

An example of this. One of my friends lives in Little Armenia out here in Southern California. There was a annual parade that happened to fall on the day that Armenians memorialize the genocide. The Armenian community wanted the parade moved up or back one weekend out of respect. The city council wouldn't. There was a whole bunch of fighting in the community because a lot of people didn't understand. This genocide isn't covered in any world history class I, or most people I know, have ever taken. It's a pretty major part of 20th century history and has major effects on global politics, but largely ignored. Hence the need for better marketing.

You are right, I was wrong about the timing. The Rwandans we knew about and sat idly by. Way to go Clinton (and the UN).

[smacky]

GG,

Who can't be disappointed by GW's foreign diplomacy? I bet one of the real reasons that he didn't attend the Auschwitz memorial is due to his administration's and Secret Service's realization that his popularity is waning both at home and especially abroad. I mean, considering the enormous cost of his personal security staff alone in such a cross-Atlantic expedition...the costs for transporting so many bodyguards would be outrageous. Take the costs of his recent Inauguration as my example. If I remember correctly, a large sum of the total money spent on the Inauguration was for security purposes.

[smacky]

GW + staff probably realize that the cost of that type of personal diplomacy at this point in time would not be so easily explainable or economically feasable.

[Thomas Paine's Goiter]

The Rwandans we knew about and sat idly by. Way to go Clinton (and the UN).

Don't forget the Ivory Coast!

[Mo]

Goiter,
You forgot Poland!

[Gary Gunnels]

TPG,

What about the Ivory Coast? You mean the thin line of FFL and FMC who are keeping them from slaughtering one another?

I don't think any country (Western or otherwise) has lifted a finger to stop a post-WWII genocide.

[Eion Murdock]

What about Kosovo? I'd say that counted as lifting a finger, although unfortunately many still died.

On the whole though, I'd agree (Rwanda and the current situation in Darfur spring immediately to mind).

[smacky]

At least he didn't say "LITERALLY genocidal". Literally.

Jason,

Have you ever heard David Cross' rant on the misuse of "literally"? There's a live recording of one of his stand up acts that features it; I forget the name of it now.

Sports commentator: "Did you see that linebacker? He literally ripped the other guy's head off!"

Classic.