Politics As Usual

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by sgtclub
This not so subtle racist reference was entirely uncalled for.

On the contrary, it was called for. That is what troll socks do.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
I'm curious* --- if the entire family of a civilian casualty in Iraq were to swear eternal vengeance on the Americans, would you chalk that up to the bloodthirst of Islam? Or maybe the image of the death of an anonymous brown person is harder to burn into your mind.

*Not really.

You should clarify, you meant someone who was brown pre-burning.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
What is wrong with people indeed. Your act is wearing thin.

I agree that the pictures are hard to look at and if someone on this board lost someone on 9/11, I am sure that discussions on this board about 9/11 are hard for them to read. But this is a politics board, and 9/11 changed our world and has an enormous impact on the politics in this country. Should we stop discussing 9/11 out of courtesy to those who read this board and lost someone?

Ty, I don't need the visual stimuli of those pictures to keep these people in my thoughts and keep my perspective. I am sorry to say that not everyone here is like me in that respect.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Today's ridiculous, persistent references to 9/11 as justifying anything in Iraq are a misuse and a shameful dishonor of the people who died on 9/11, but that's besides the point.

You couldn't be more wrong on that point. Fundamentally changing the middle east is the only thing that will prevent another 9/11.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Not Me
I don't need the visual stimuli of those pictures to keep these people in my thoughts. I am sorry to say that not everyone here is like me in that respect.

Who isn't?

[Atticus Grinch]

Kissinger tape: Nixon too drunk to speak with British PM

[Not Me]

Originally posted by dtb
OK, I'll fess up. It was I who sent that pm to Ty. I don't need any visual reminder of that day, trust me. Barely a day goes by that I don't think about the horror of that day and the dread and fear I felt. I need to be able to block it out to get on with my day-to-day life; if I didn't, I don't think I could leave my house. I'm not kidding. I can feel the pit in my stomach like it was yesterday when I look out my office window and see the gaping hole in the downtown skyline from the absence of the towers (where I once worked). I don't need continuing visual evidence of the unspeakable suffering those people went through to keep it in my memory; much in the same way I didn't need to see the video of that poor kid's beheading.

To each his (or in my case, her) own, I guess, but I think it's disrespectful to the memory of the person depicted in that photo. But, by all means, use it as your soapbox.

I don't feel it is disrespectful, just like I don't think it is disrepectful to show pictures of Pearl Harbor being bombed. Just the opposite.

I am sure it is much more difficult for those of you who live in NYC. Just like if you post a picture of the Bay Bridge after the 1989 earthquake that would be much harder to view if your family member was killed in the earthquake. It would also unnerve me as I sit here between the San Andreas and the Hayward.

Maybe we should stop discussing 9/11 and earthquakes.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Kissinger tape: Nixon too drunk to speak with British PM

On several occasions earlier this year, I believe Ty was too drunk to be involved in some of the discussions he was in.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
You should clarify, you meant someone who was brown pre-burning.

Now that is distasteful.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Not Me
Now that is distasteful.

Actually, it somewhat cuts into Atticus' indignation, giving you an angle to run with. Me? off to Piston's game.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Ninth Circuit upholds Oregon's "death with dignity" act, tells Ashcroft & the DOJ to butt out:

• A federal appeals court ordered the Bush administration not to meddle with a state's assisted suicide law, ruling Wednesday that doctors in Oregon may prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients.
  
  Ruling on the nation's only law that allows doctors to assist in hastening the death of a patient, the court said U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft cannot sanction or hold Oregon doctors criminally liable for prescribing overdoses, as the state's voter-approved Death With Dignity Act allows.
  
  "The attorney general's unilateral attempt to regulate general medical practices historically entrusted to state lawmakers interferes with the democratic debate about physician assisted suicide," wrote Judge Richard Tallman in the 2-1 opinion by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. He said Ashcroft's action "far exceeds the scope of his authority under federal law."

Here's a summary of the decision put out by the court. Here's the decision.

[SlaveNoMore]

Tyrone Slothrop
Ninth Circuit upholds Oregon's "death with dignity" act, tells Ashcroft & the DOJ to butt out:

Why do I think the 9th would have gone the other way if, oh I dunno, say someone other than Ashcroft wasn't the AG of record?

FWIW - I have no problem with this at all.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Ninth Circuit upholds Oregon's "death with dignity" act, tells Ashcroft & the DOJ to butt out:

I finally agree with the 9th Cir on something.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Here's a summary of the decision put out by the court. Here's the decision.

Is a loss in the ninth circuit really a loss? I think Hank's usual scoring mechanism may come into play on this one.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Is a loss in the ninth circuit really a loss? I think Hank's usual scoring mechanism may come into play on this one.

The deciding vote was cast by a senior judge from the Eighth Circuit sitting by designation, so I think we need bilmore to give a ruling on how the scoring works.