dante’s curse
Dante said, “The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who, in times of moral crisis, preserved their neutrality.”
On the issue of the war, I have sat myself firmly upon the fence. Dante’s statement sounds a bit harsh, partly because I have a reason for not taking sides. I have not been able to find enough unbiased information to make a decision for or against the war. Too much of the information I receive is marred by political agendas or ulterior motives for one side or the other. As a result, my opinions sway back and forth like a fickle sapling. I plan to continue watching the news, but it’s probably not a bad idea to consider alternative options.
Bah! Come on, Dan. Nothing is unbiased. You know… “There’s 3 sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth.” :^P Go now, Mr. Switzerland, and risk not to teeter on the fence anymore. :)
I like Dante’s statement. It’s quite like Rev. 3:15-16.
TRYING TO HELP By Dennis Miller
All the rhetoric on whether or not we should go to war against Iraq has got my insane little brain spinning like a roulette wheel. I enjoy reading opinions from both sides but I have detected a hint of confusion from some of you. As I was reading the paper recently, I was reminded of the best advice that someone ever gave me; I was told about the KISS principal (“Keep It Simple, Stupid!”). So, with this as a theme, I’d like to apply this theory for those of you who don’t quite get it. My hope is that we can simplify things a bit and recognize a few important facts. Here are 10 things to consider when voicing an opinion on this important Iraqi war issue:
1. Out of President Bush and Saddam Hussein … Hussein is the bad guy.
2. If you have faith in the United Nations to do the right thing – Just keep this in mind:
· They have Libya heading the committee on human rights.
· They have Iraq heading the global disarmament committee.
Do your own math here!
3. If you use Google search and type in “French Military Victories,” your reply will be; “Did you mean French Military Defeats?”
4. If your only Anti-war slogan is “No War For Oil”, sue your school district for allowing you to slip through the cracks and robbing you of the education you deserve.
5. Saddam and Bin Laden will not seek United Nations approval before they try to kill us.
6. Despite this common belief, Martin Sheen is not the President; he simply plays one on TV.
7. Even if you are anti-war, you are still an “Infidel!” and Bin Laden wants you dead, too.
8. If you believe in a “Vast right-wing Conspiracy” but not in the danger that Hussein poses, stop hanging out with the Dell Computer dude.
9. We are not trying to liberate them.
10. Whether you are for military action or against it, our young men and
women overseas are fighting for US and to defend our right to speak out. We all need to support them WITHOUT RESERVATION.
Interesting, but I’m afraid he didn’t check his facts very well for #3. It was a parody.
I think the Dennis Miller piece is a prime example of information “marred by political agendas or ulterior motives for one side or the other”. I saw another humorous piece yesterda that I can’t find a link for that pretty much tore apart the pro-war cause, but it was also severely biased.
My primary source of war news is from the blog The Agonist, which has relatively little bias, up-to-date reporting of developments, and not a lot of direct analysis (where is where most bias starts to come in).
It’s a mess, to be sure, and while I’m sorry it came to this, my only hope for the war is that it ends quickly and with as little destruction as possible.
I agree. The sooner this war is over, the better.
I suspect one would be hard pressed to find anyone who felt otherwise.
Hi, Dan,
I wondered how long you would remain silent on the war. I respect your decision to remain neutral.
Thousands of opinions are flying around about the war, but IMHO, unless you make political/military decisions or serve in the armed forces, opinions won’t affect the outcome of this war at all. If you decide to be one of the few neutral bloggers, I support you 100 percent.
P.S. I like your “time” quote.
Thanks Will. I would like to have an opinion just for the sake of having one and I agree, most people that are voicing their opinion will have no affect on the war.
Which one are you referring to? Here are my two guesses:
1. Do not count time, make time count.
2. Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and act.
The quote I’m thinking of said something like “Time heals all things, but time will also kill you in the end.”
My favorite “time” quote is:
Time wounds all heels.
Dennis Miller didnt write that “trying to help” piece. its listed at the about.com hoax & internet urban legends site. comic larry miller did i think.