NP "it's beneath you to act this way"

[The Great Quail]

Doug writes,

>Re anthrax, Bush's bloody cowboy vengeance hasn't done a damn thing to
>protect anybody in the U.S. from these attacks.

Well, it would be hard to halt a process that obviously began before 
all this happened....? No? But -- assuming the Jihad is behind this 
-- where does this Anthrax come from, Doug? Who supports and sponsors 
it? You think maybe we can politely ask them to please stop?

>Wrong tactics.

So, overlooking the fact that bombing the Taliban is not tactically a 
move to halt Anthrax -- obvious, I should think -- what are the right 
tactics? Because Lord knows, the second the government starts messing 
with the mail, or any freedoms, you will be the first to start 
squawking. To be honest, I haven't heard you offer any solutions 
except appeasement, inaction, or praying that things just go away 
through diplomacy.

>With
>enemies everywhere who can strike at will,

Well, if you truly believe that statement, then you must assume the 
terrorists are omnipotent. No wonder you feel a policy of appeasement 
is best!

>killing babies and bombing Red
>Cross warehouses in Afghanistan doesn't make much sense.

You are right, it makes 100% NO SENSE at all. Which is probably why 
killing babies and bombing red cross warehouses is not our intended 
goal, though it may be a horrible side effect. But really -- Can't 
you make a point without resorting to hysterical rhetoric than can be 
deconstructed by any intelligent teenager?

You know what really disturbs me about you lately, Doug? If there is 
anyone on this list gloating or drooling about the inevitable and 
tragic side-effects of our bombing campaign, it is *you*. It's almost 
like you get some sort of sick, fucked-up satisfaction every time you 
hear some new horror has occurred. I can stand you as a 
self-appointed Cassandra. But what I can't stand is that lurking in 
there seems to be the echo of a Medea who would feast on her own 
children if she could make a point.

You are a fanatic, Doug, there is no arguing with you, you cannot see 
any middle ground, you browbeat everyone around you, and every single 
thing that happens in this war -- every single thing -- you will just 
plug into your system of preconceived notions, finding in it only 
confirmation of your own unassailable beliefs. I no longer argue with 
you because I think you will listen, I argue with you just because I 
don't feel I can let your bullshit stand. And if I don't take issue 
with a particular lie or outburst, then David does, or Terrance, or 
jbor, or Otto, or Jasper, or someone else does. And ask yourself, do 
you really think all of us have the same politics and motives? 
Doesn't it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, we resist you 
for legitimate reasons? That maybe there is some truth in what we are 
saying about your demeanor?

--Quail
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