Define "Anti-American"

[OKMike]

Someone who opposes the best interests of our country is anti-American imo.

[ribonucleic]

Someone who opposes the best interests of our country are anti-American imo.

And who gets to define what those "best interests" are?

[OKMike]

And who gets to define what those "best interests" are?

That is where things get tricky.  Politicians with opposing viewpoints (from far left all the way to far right) will believe their positions are correct.  Cheering for the U.S. to lose in Iraq, the stock market to crash, etc. is anti-American to me.

[24KT]

What is "political taxonomy"?

And you claim to be a college professor? 

[OzmO]

That is where things get tricky.  Politicians with opposing viewpoints (from far left all the way to far right) will believe their positions are correct.  Cheering for the U.S. to lose in Iraq, the stock market to crash, etc. is anti-American to me.

who's cheering for the USA to lose in Iraq?  I've never seen one liberal American on this board say that. 

please show an example.

for that matter any American who is a liberal and not a terrorist. 

because i think that "belief" is a result of _____________.

[24KT]

That is where things get tricky.  Politicians with opposing viewpoints (from far left all the way to far right) will believe their positions are correct.  Cheering for the U.S. to lose in Iraq, the stock market to crash, etc. is anti-American to me.

American patriots have cheered for the stock market to crash since the invention of the stock market. It's only the masses that mistakenly think it should always be up. That's how the rich stay rich. They know Joe average is going to be going long, ...while they are able to read the writing on the wall, properly interpret the data, understand the ramifications both short term and long term, ...and they bet accordingly. it's the American way. Don't kid yourself... when the stock market crashes, ...there are fortunes made. $$$$

[tu_holmes]

American patriots have cheered for the stock market to crash since the invention of the stock market. It's only the masses that mistakenly think it should always be up. That's how the rich stay rich. They know Joe average is going to be going long, ...while they are able to read the writing on the wall, properly interpret the data, understand the ramifications both short term and long term, ...and they bet accordingly. it's the American way. Don't kid yourself... when the stock market crashes, ...there are fortunes made. $$$$

That's what "selling off" is all about.

[ribonucleic]

who's cheering for the USA to lose in Iraq?  I've never seen one liberal American on this board say that. 

I've said I want us to lose.

[Oldschool Flip]

ANTI-AMERICAN..........................people who don't VOTE, yet complain about the government and Constitutional Rights.

[240 is Back]

Today, the Vice-President was almost killed and the stock market took a steep drop.

you're being a drama queen.  Pent. said Cheney was never in danger. 

Are you taking back this point now?

[Thin Lizzy]

you're being a drama queen.  Pent. said Cheney was never in danger. 

Are you taking back this point now?

Before the details were made known, the media made it seem as though it was a close shave. Later reports indicated otherwise.

Doesn't change the fact that left-wing bloggers were lamenting that the attempt wasn't successful.

[24KT]

Before the details were made known, the media made it seem as though it was a close shave. Later reports indicated otherwise.

Doesn't change the fact that left-wing bloggers were lamenting that the attempt wasn't successful.

Don't know how much truth there is to your allegation, ...but I think Republicans lament failed murder attempts.
I can only imagine Cheney's disappointment when that grenade lobbed in Georgia turned out to be a dud. 

[headhuntersix]

I could answer with a tu quoque by saying that by countenancing the exposure of clandestine CIA agents [a point you unsurprisingly failed to address], what you're really trying to do is hamstring the intelligence services.

But that's probably not the case. You're simply too embarrassed to acknowledge the truth plain to all but 19% of your countrymen: that Cheney is a greedy murderous incompetent.

And until you get waterboarded [that Cheney-endorsed method of "aggressive interrogation"], it would be seemlier for you not to speak in terms of "expanding the definition of torture".

And it will be guys like u who whine and complain when we get smoked again by these people. I guess idiots like u feel u will be exempt from the next attack. As if the terrorists will say..ok guys this attack is only against the conservative repubs...all left wing apologists are exempt. Sorry bud but they hate u as well and when one of our cities glows because we didn't do enough to get the info we need then we will have nobody to blame but the pervasive politically correct bs that the left has been spewing for 20 years. And check ur facts..the VP has not been charged with nor has it been proven that he outed a CIA analyst. Until then...check ur facts.

[ribonucleic]

when one of our cities glows because we didn't do enough to get the info we need then we will have nobody to blame but the pervasive politically correct bs that the left has been spewing for 20 years.

All the experts in this field agree that torture [surely a gritty, do-what-it-takes guy like you doesn't need to hide behind the euphemism of "do enough", hmm?] does not produce reliable intelligence.

But of course it's never been about reliable intelligence. As Orwell observed, "The point of torture is torture." Young George W. was torturing animals long before he could try excusing his taste for cruelty by saying he needed to protect an American city from a terrorist attack. (As if Katrina didn't show one and all exactly how much he cares about American cities.)

But never let it be said he hasn't been effective in at least this respect. Before January 2001, anyone attempting any kind of defense of torture would have been instantly recognized and denounced as a rabid lunatic. Thanks to 6 years of his poisonous rule, your kind has been afforded a genuine, if still rancidly distasteful, spot in the mainstream of public discourse.

God help us all.

[headhuntersix]

Define torture..use of chemicals/extreme isolation....etc works. Humiliation works to some extent. Since u have never talked to an American trained interrogator about his job or what works..i guess left wing BS web sites or the media are all u have. My "kind" keeps u from glowing.

[ribonucleic]

Define torture....My "kind" keeps u from glowing.

Deliberate infliction of physical or mental pain as a means of punishment or coercion.

For example: holding someone's head under water until they feel like they're going to drown. 

Honestly, do you feel proud that American interrogators have sunk to the level of the Khmer Rouge?

Your kind is what has made America a pariah nation, and will fuel extremist anti-American violence for decades to come. Nice work, asshole.

[headhuntersix]

My kind keeps assholes like u safe. We defend the country while u whine and bitch about what a horrible place this is. Pariah nation..that eveybody wants to come to to. And don't worry ribo, i'll keep u safe from all that anti-American violence..that has existed since ww2, safely away from u. Sleep well knowing that all that horrible torture, violence and mayhem is making sure u and ur kids will stay safe for generations.

[ribonucleic]

My kind keeps assholes like u safe. We defend the country while u whine and bitch about what a horrible place this is. Pariah nation..that eveybody wants to come to to. And don't worry ribo, i'll keep u safe from all that anti-American violence..that has existed since ww2, safely away from u. Sleep well knowing that all that horrible torture, violence and mayhem is making sure u and ur kids will stay safe for generations.

In light of your conviction that our military torturers are providing a noble and valuable service to their country, would you be in favor of putting up a statue to them in D.C. someplace? Next to the Washington Monument, perhaps. A dramatic statue of a CIA interrogator holding some sand-ni@@er's head under water as he thrashes against the bonds keeping his hands tied behind his back. Patriots like you could bring your daughters to it and explain how men like these have made sure that she gets to grow up in the greatest country that ever was.

It seems like the least we could do to thank them.

[headhuntersix]

As long as its not glowing sure... . War is not pretty..torture  does not need to be on the front pages of evey news magazine and cable news show..it just has to work to protect us. They do the same to us without a thought as to how we treat their prisoners. I look at this war as a fight between the West and the muslim extremeists. A war for our survival. U have a very naive view of these people and what they want to do to us.

[Dos Equis]

And you claim to be a college professor? 

Translation:  you don't know what it means either.  I confess I have never heard anyone use the phrase "political taxonomy."  Still don't know what it means.   

[ribonucleic]

Translation:  you don't know what it means either.  I confess I have never heard anyone use the phrase "political taxonomy."  Still don't know what it means.   

The Internet is an amazing thing. in addition to all the free porn, it lets you look up the definition of words!

tax·on·o·my [noun] - 3. Division into ordered groups or categories

http://www.bartleby.com/61/54/T0065400.html

Hope this helps.

[Dos Equis]

The Internet is an amazing thing. in addition to all the free porn, it lets you look up the definition of words!

tax·on·o·my [noun] - 3. Division into ordered groups or categories

http://www.bartleby.com/61/54/T0065400.html

Hope this helps.

O.K.  So what you meant to say is it is impossible to use the term "anti-American" to place people in political groups or categories?  I don't think anyone was arguing that point, so your use of the phrase "political taxonomy" was out of place.  I suspect it was an attempt to make yourself sound more intelligent than you really are.  Not calling you stupid by any means, but I just don't hear people talk this way very often.  I think you get your point across much better if you dumb down the language, particularly for the slow ones like me.      

[Dos Equis]

American patriots have cheered for the stock market to crash since the invention of the stock market. It's only the masses that mistakenly think it should always be up. That's how the rich stay rich. They know Joe average is going to be going long, ...while they are able to read the writing on the wall, properly interpret the data, understand the ramifications both short term and long term, ...and they bet accordingly. it's the American way. Don't kid yourself... when the stock market crashes, ...there are fortunes made. $$$$

That's inaccurate.  Try reading "The Millionaire Next Door" and "The Millionaire Mind."  Twenty year studies of American millionaires.  They by and large do not play the market.  They buy and hold. 

[OzmO]

That's inaccurate.  Try reading "The Millionaire Next Door" and "The Millionaire Mind."  Twenty year studies of American millionaires.  They by and large do not play the market.  They buy and hold. 

And they love "Club-Sandwiches"!   

[24KT]

My kind keeps assholes like u safe. 

Only if you're alive to do it. We want you alive and well. ...not talking much, ...but alive & studly.