[Dean's World] Dave Price: Seeing Red

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Posted by Dave Price:
Seeing Red
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1162525151.shtml


   John Kerry's comments about lack of education leading one to become
   stuck in Iraq strike me as a perfect litmus test of right-leaning
   people's ability (or in some cases, [1]inclination) to be neutral,
   unbiased observers.
   It seems fairly obvious Kerry, whatever his true feelings (and they
   are suspect, for good reason), would not intentionally insult U.S.
   troops in front of an audience. Let me note that I don't particularly
   mind seeing Kerry get whacked around some for this, as he deserves
   some abuse for the [2]comments he made before that did not earn him
   half the trouble they should have back then; it's nice to see that
   tired old antiwar dogma getting run over by shiny new patriotic karma.
   And the [3]banner from our troops was priceless. Nonetheless, I can't
   swallow the idea it could possibly have been deliberate.
   Now, some people I respect a great deal have argued the opposite:
   [4]Ace, whom I read daily and occasionally send stories to, [5]argued
   the point pretty forcefully, noting correctly that quite a few [6]on
   the Left do agree with such [7]anti-military sentiments. And [8]Victor
   Davis Hanson, whom I regard as one of the finest minds alive today,
   has noted the interpretation of the remark that casts it as being
   meant toward the troops really makes more sense -- and it does, as
   Bush is obviously educated. But just because it makes more sense that
   way does not mean Kerry intended it that way: as [9]Jeff Goldstein
   (please start posting again regularly soon, Jeff!) keeps reminding us,
   one has to read meaning from intent, not interpretation.
   Interestingly, [10]John Derbyshire and [11]Allahpundit declined to
   accept the conventional wisdom on their side of the ideological aisle.
   [12]Others just seemed to enjoy the brouhaha.
   I try to be an empiricist first, before any political, religious,
   personal, or financial affiliations. Since I don't like Kerry and
   currently favor the Republicans on most issues, this is one of those
   dangerous "I want to believe" moments where you have to work really
   hard to be intellectually honest, or you start down that slippery
   slope where you start believing and defending [13]ridiculous ideas
   just because [14]they support your views. As I've said before,
   empiricism is a harsh mistress. Her only reward is Truth.

References

   1. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2621997&page=1
   2. http://www.richmond.edu/~ebolt/history398/JohnKerryTestimony.html
   3. http://www.620wtmj.com/_content/talk/charliesykes/index.asp
   4. http://www.ace.mu.nu/
   5. http://ace.mu.nu/archives/203448.php
   6. http://ace.mu.nu/archives/203421.php
   7. http://ace.mu.nu/archives/203556.php
   8. http://www.victorhanson.com/
   9. http://www.proteinwisdom.com/
  10. http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YjRkOTEyNzE1ODQwMTQxYTIzMzBhMWZmOTgwMDRhMTA=
  11. http://hotair.com/archives/2006/11/01/video-kerrys-speech-at-the-angelides-event-uncut/
  12. http://www.instapundit.com/
  13. http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB116052896787288831-8l5AMVpCdg07M3w6XdmTXoPuzno_20061109.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top
  14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creationism