If there is one thing that really gets under my skin, it’s double standards. Politics is full of it, you see news items nearly every day about elected officials doing a full 180° turn on important issues.
Often, they will excuse it away with comments like ‘my words were taken out of context’ or ‘I misunderstood the question’. Thanks to modern media technology, the first excuse can be easily disproved with a quick replay of the original interview or a quick search of YouTube. As for the ‘misunderstanding’ – it’s worrying that so many powerful figures don’t have a basic grasp of their own language.
While I’m on the subject of the media, it’s interesting to note that Obama is holding a press conference today, his first in 308 days. So much for the ‘transparency’ that he promised and the ‘monthly press conference’ he spoke of as a Presidential candidate. Maybe he thought there would be more good news to share with the American public after his election? It’s pretty difficult using a teleprompter to answer ‘off-the-cuff’ questions and rumor has it that he has a team of programmers designing software that can instantaneously display the ‘correct’ answer to any query!
He really has embraced technology with the creation of the official White House news channel. Who needs questions from the networks when their version of the ‘truth’ is there for all to see. Remember those big video screens in ’1984′?
Regardless of the inconsistencies of the President, his administration and, ashamedly, some Republicans, there is a double standard that should annoy every American. It is the use of the United States as the world’s scapegoat. While they are all too happy to enjoy the benefits they reap from America, all the ills of the world seem to be attributed in some way to the US. You’d expect this sort of propaganda from the…. let’s say non Judeo-Christian countries, to prevent accusations of racism from the left. However, this attitude is prevalent amongst our so-called allies.
Recently, in one of Skip’s articles, he included a forum post, written by myself, to a British site. One or two of the Brit contributors were, although distinctly left-leaning, reasonable in their approach. Most, however, were totally anti-American and even made remarks such as, “Can’t we get away from you lot?” An interesting statement, coming from one who lives in an island (Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency) whose liberation from occupying nazi forces was in no small part due to the support of the US military. Strangely, they feel a strong bond to the UK, whose government (the recent socialist one, anyway), along with the EU, would have them change their attractive taxation rules as an offshore banking center, a move that would decimate their strong economy.
It’s no good trying to find logic in any of this, most of it stems from purely emotive reactions of one kind or another. Sour grapes on the part of Britain, perhaps, because it could have been what America became, but didn’t? A country which was a world leader in research, technology, invention and industry is now run on service industries and civil servants. It would be interesting to know what the reaction would have been in Britain, if Texaco had caused a spill on the British coast the size of the one in the Gulf created by British Petroleum. No prizes for guessing!
It also gets me wondering what the world would be saying if a North Korean ship had been sunk by an American torpedo. A UN meeting to discuss sanctions? Would China, Russia and various other countries who are strangely silent be so quiet?
Obama proceeded on a false assumption, that by extending a hand of friendship to our enemies, by compromising our American values, he could create a safer world. Wrong, Mr President! They see you as a soft touch, giving them the precious time they need to further their totalitarian aims. They hate America and while some of them find your bowing agreeable, it shows subservience. The look of arrogance that is your hallmark when talking to your American people should be used on the Kim Jong Ils of this world.
As we head towards the mid-term elections, conservative Republican candidates take some advice. Stay strong to your conservative beliefs, be honest to yourself and your electorate, do not be swayed by the media, peers or any other factor that may present itself. I believe that although we are not in the best of times, America can and will remain an example to the rest of the world of what can be achieved by adhering to the principles laid down in the Constitution.
God Bless America.
(Editor Dee is in for Skip today)
Often, they will excuse it away with comments like ‘my words were taken out of context’ or ‘I misunderstood the question’. Thanks to modern media technology, the first excuse can be easily disproved with a quick replay of the original interview or a quick search of YouTube. As for the ‘misunderstanding’ – it’s worrying that so many powerful figures don’t have a basic grasp of their own language.
While I’m on the subject of the media, it’s interesting to note that Obama is holding a press conference today, his first in 308 days. So much for the ‘transparency’ that he promised and the ‘monthly press conference’ he spoke of as a Presidential candidate. Maybe he thought there would be more good news to share with the American public after his election? It’s pretty difficult using a teleprompter to answer ‘off-the-cuff’ questions and rumor has it that he has a team of programmers designing software that can instantaneously display the ‘correct’ answer to any query!
He really has embraced technology with the creation of the official White House news channel. Who needs questions from the networks when their version of the ‘truth’ is there for all to see. Remember those big video screens in ’1984′?
Regardless of the inconsistencies of the President, his administration and, ashamedly, some Republicans, there is a double standard that should annoy every American. It is the use of the United States as the world’s scapegoat. While they are all too happy to enjoy the benefits they reap from America, all the ills of the world seem to be attributed in some way to the US. You’d expect this sort of propaganda from the…. let’s say non Judeo-Christian countries, to prevent accusations of racism from the left. However, this attitude is prevalent amongst our so-called allies.
Recently, in one of Skip’s articles, he included a forum post, written by myself, to a British site. One or two of the Brit contributors were, although distinctly left-leaning, reasonable in their approach. Most, however, were totally anti-American and even made remarks such as, “Can’t we get away from you lot?” An interesting statement, coming from one who lives in an island (Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency) whose liberation from occupying nazi forces was in no small part due to the support of the US military. Strangely, they feel a strong bond to the UK, whose government (the recent socialist one, anyway), along with the EU, would have them change their attractive taxation rules as an offshore banking center, a move that would decimate their strong economy.
It’s no good trying to find logic in any of this, most of it stems from purely emotive reactions of one kind or another. Sour grapes on the part of Britain, perhaps, because it could have been what America became, but didn’t? A country which was a world leader in research, technology, invention and industry is now run on service industries and civil servants. It would be interesting to know what the reaction would have been in Britain, if Texaco had caused a spill on the British coast the size of the one in the Gulf created by British Petroleum. No prizes for guessing!
It also gets me wondering what the world would be saying if a North Korean ship had been sunk by an American torpedo. A UN meeting to discuss sanctions? Would China, Russia and various other countries who are strangely silent be so quiet?
Obama proceeded on a false assumption, that by extending a hand of friendship to our enemies, by compromising our American values, he could create a safer world. Wrong, Mr President! They see you as a soft touch, giving them the precious time they need to further their totalitarian aims. They hate America and while some of them find your bowing agreeable, it shows subservience. The look of arrogance that is your hallmark when talking to your American people should be used on the Kim Jong Ils of this world.
As we head towards the mid-term elections, conservative Republican candidates take some advice. Stay strong to your conservative beliefs, be honest to yourself and your electorate, do not be swayed by the media, peers or any other factor that may present itself. I believe that although we are not in the best of times, America can and will remain an example to the rest of the world of what can be achieved by adhering to the principles laid down in the Constitution.
God Bless America.
(Editor Dee is in for Skip today)
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