Much, Much Ado

Another busy week.

Zarqawi has been eliminated from a rather complex network of terrorists. Will this have an effect on the overal morale and sentiment of Muslim extremists? I tend to think not. Will this have an empowering effect on US and coalition troops? I hope so. With the plethora of negative media coverage of the Iraq war, I would like to see the morale of our troops boosted as much as possible.

Certainly this war has been less than the success than was originally anticipated. Our troops are dying and coming home severly injured. Why is there not air support? Why are we fighting a war in which the primary show of force is via troops on the ground? Why are we not sending in airpower, then following the air assaults, sending in troops to maintain order? Why did we not learn from Vietnam, that ground wars are fruitless exercises in false shows of force?

The attempted terrorist attack in Toronto. Why? Precisely what has Canada done? When is the world going to wake up?

The Marriage Amendment failed in the Senate. Being a strong Constitutional purist (while at the same time admitting to NOT being a Constitutional scholar), I believe that this falls far outside governmental jurisdiction. I am also very wary of a government attempt to redefine ANYTHING. Regardless of my personal definition of marriage, I agree with the Senate's decision. On the other hand, I think about what I believe is the Senate's motivation.

Like abortion in the past, the issue of same-sex marriage is igniting many emotional fires. The Senate, in its recent history, has been reticent about passing legislation that would anger activist groups. Committed to a secular philosophy, and disregarding the belief of over 70% of the citizens that is is supposed to represent, the Senate is harking to the call of the voices that currently holler the loudest.

Ann Coulter's new book, Godless, with its fiery paragraphs ridiculing four women who have earned the dubious title of The Jersey Girls.

Ms. Coulter is a fascinating figure. The Madonna of the commentators, she knows how to enrapture both her admirers and detractors. She knows how to set fires. Unlike Madonna, she is a well-educated, well-informed attorney. A staunch conservative, Ms. Coulter is, to say the least, fearless. The statements in her book have charged print, radio, and Internet media for the past week.

The four women who were blasted by Ms. Coulter embody what is disgraceful about the aftermath of the attacks. Discontented complainers, they are using their personal tragedies to carry torches and denounce the President.

But...but...but...Ms. Coulter is too smart of a women to have needed to include the inflammatory statements in her book. Her point would have been just as strong, probably stronger, had she simply stayed on track with information and refrained from personal slamming. Score -1 for her on that.

This sort of behavior bothers me at a gut level. I know why. I think that attacks of this nature are used by people who are too stupid to think of anything else. So, when intelligent and articulate people engage in them, it disturbs me.

Another character that practices this on, sadly, a daily basis, is Ron Kuby.

Far on the opposite end of the political and ideological spectrums from Ann Coulter, Mr. Kuby resorts to tactless and ridiculous remarks on his morning radio talk show. But...but...butt...Ron Kuby is brilliant. When I need real, pure, beautifully explained facts on legal matters, I listen to him.

So I ask them both, what's with the seventh-grade remarks?

The answer to my question is the most disturbing element in my thoughts regarding the week's events. We The People are getting used to language of these types. Our politicians do it. Our public figures do it. Our most loved Hollywood figures do it.

Who are we, anyway? Do we have any standards at all? Do we ever consider WHAT we listen to? We could easily demand more intelligence, more tact, more respectable conduct from those to whom we give our attention, wherever that attention is directed. How do we state that demand? Easily. We turn away from those figures whenever they do it.