I've been busy for a while, and just catching up on this controversy tonight. I don't know if this has been posted, I didn't see it after a quick search. Personally I think it is wrong to compare Obama to Hitler, of course, but I like to be as fair as possible, as much grief as this tendency brings upon me here from time to time. Not to mention a deep belief that freedom of speech means freedom of speech for everyone, or for no one.
Now, I know HWJr is no friend to the left, and has been a champion to things we despise. But taking this incident for what it is, I really think the guy was trying to compare the Obama/Boehner golf game, which many here took issue with, to the most extreme pairing he could imagine.
It also should not go without saying that we here have long labeled our political opponents as Hitler or Nazis. I myself was fond of calling bush "little hitler" during his term, and I wasn't alone here.
All that being said, I'm not trying to defend HWJr's choice of words. I'm merely trying to bring some fairness to this particular issue.
Below is what I stumbled upon, HWJr's response, to his intro being pulled tonight. In fairness, I think it should be considered:
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Williams released a statement through his publicist, saying: "Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme — but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me — how ludicrous that pairing was. They're polar opposites and it made no sense. They don't see eye-to-eye and never will. I have always respected the office of the president."
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"Every time the media brings up the tea party it's painted as racist and extremists — but there's never a backlash — no outrage to those comparisons," Williams' statement continued. "Working-class people are hurting — and it doesn't seem like anybody cares. When both sides are high-fiving it on the ninth hole when everybody else is without a job — it makes a whole lot of us angry. Something has to change. The policies have to change."
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http://news.yahoo.com/espn-pulls-intro-williams-obama-comments-224420180.htmlYes, I still entertain a probably foolish idea that if the opposing masses can overcome the divides created by media and politicians and other powers that be, we might finally have the power to change things in this country. While that might be and always will be a pipe dream, if it ever will become reality, it must start with a sense of fairness on both sides, and a willingness to engage in civil discussion with each other, rather than hurl verbal bombs at each other across the divide. If we, the voters at least, the politically engaged, on both sides, could build a bridge between us, set aside the hyperbole, realize we are all in the same boat, and turn our anger in unison upon our real enemies, we could change this nation overnight.
Ok, bla bla bla, go ahead, now, flame away...
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