The convoluted logic of Christopher Hitchens

We're "progressives." We're "anti-war types." We have failed to influence Democratic politics remotely (which presumably means that Sen. Lieberman has not been threatened into Plan B-ing a way to maintain office by running as an Independent because of our anti-Lieberman campaign. Oh, no, one had zero effect on the other). Pro-war liberal (or should that be "pro-war liberal") Christopher Hitchens pities the Kos community so much he regrets having squashed a bug (that would be Kos et. al.) with a ton of bricks (that would be his razor-sharp wit), a metaphor that makes as much sense as any one sentence in his Slate editorial.  Looky here and see for yourself:

http://www.slate.com/...

Don't know about you, but what jumps out at me are those four "suggestions" for backing up our anti-war (or "anti-war") stance with meaningful, participatory action instead of mere words in order to...what, exactly, build credibility?  Is Hitchens implying that since we didn't support invasion in the first place, it is now our responsibility to resolve the situation, to clean up the mess, in order to improve conditions for a country which would have been better of having been left alone?

Here's my response to Hitchens: you're the hawk; why don't you do it. You advocated removing the dictator; you can damn well help improve the country's living standards higher than they were under that dictator instead of condescendingly lecturing "progressives" who are simply being consistent in calling for our troops to get the hell out of Iraq. That contribution is at least as worthy as anything you "suggest."

Lord, what a boor.  

•  Christopher Hitchens

  needs to get a life.

  by bibble on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 07:42:53 PM PDT

•  That razor is getting a little dull isn't it?

  Methinks he has fallen over the edge into "the abyss of too much." He appears fairly drunk even in tv appearances now.

  by melvin on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 07:46:53 PM PDT

  •  A shard of broken glass

    He's the poster-child for a generation of wasted minds.

    Thanks for reading him so I don't have to.

    by kidneystones on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 09:02:25 PM PDT

    •  De nada. I don't normally

      read him but coming across this rant about Kos, I just knew it would wind up backfiring on him.

      by elouise on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 09:22:56 PM PDT

•  Ugh

  You know, just fucking once, I wish some of these pundits who think Islamic terrorism is the worst threat since Hitler would actually talk to some of us people who have actually fought fucking terrorists.

  Also, I would think that if I'm drunk, and Hitch is drunk, I'd be able to understand his column better.  Sadly, not the case.

  by Jay Elias on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 07:49:49 PM PDT

  •  But if you read it drunk

    then you are more likely to remember it while drunk.  At least I remember reading something a while ago about a study into human memory.  They found that people recall information better when they are in similar circumstances/surroundings/state of mind as when the knowledge was learned.  

    Not sure if the converse is true, that if you read Hitchens while drunk you ar emore likely to forget it while sober.  That would be a nice feature :)

    by MattR on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 11:40:14 PM PDT

•  great, four scenarios which end most likely

  in death. i don't think so. i have nothing to prove to mr. hitchens. so i think i'll just return the favor & urge him to drop dead. (do it now, i'll think so much better of you.)

  by rasbobbo on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 07:53:59 PM PDT

•  He's irritated he has to find an assignment

  for you.  You don't want to back his Iraq adventure, so he finds some other work for you that he approves of and, implicitly, should fill up all the time you might have to point out that that the war sucks.  Oh, and you'll be to busy to point out that his career plan to become The British Intellectual In America is a laughable failure.

  "Well, you don't want to back the Iraq war.  I'm not sure what good you are to me, then....Fine, here, go over there and work on land mines, and for god's sake, be quiet about it."

  by Inland on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 07:54:22 PM PDT

•  do you have a link to his blowjob article?

  That would be entertaining.

  by hrh on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 07:55:00 PM PDT

•  here's the whole problem with hitchen's logic

  

  It takes a "special" viewpoint

  by dougymi on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 07:57:34 PM PDT

•  He's a riot!

  Christopher Hitchens is my favorite babbling blowhard with a British accent.  The guy's an intellectual mess.  

  But basically he's just a fat, mean little prick with an oversized ego, clinging to a false sense of relevance and the belief that he is, in fact, quite possibly the most intelligent being in the known universe and definitely the most enlightened person on the planet.  At least, that's how he likes to think of himself.

  Since Hitchens "hitched" his wagon to the Neocon gravy train, his credibility's declined precipitously.  The man's not taken seriously at this point.  And from the last time I recall seeing him on anything, I believe Bill Maher's show, it seemed that the only serious relationship Hitchens had was with a drinking problem.

  If he didn't have the accent, it wouldn't be nearly as funny watching him slobber all over himself.

  He's like Basil Fawlty, only not as nice and even more despicable.  Or David Brent, without the personality.

  by jaywillie on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 08:00:33 PM PDT

  •  Ouch! n/t.

    by kidneystones on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 09:04:17 PM PDT

  •  jaywillie, you write:

    The man's not taken seriously at this point.

    Who would take him seriously?  On the left he's hated for backing the war and turning all neoconian on us and on the right, well, will they forgive him for The Missionary Position?

    His mean, little screed against Mother Teresa, of all people?

    by Karmafish on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 09:59:27 PM PDT

•  Uh....sorry but I just need to say this...

  ...very clearly.

  Chris, go fuck yourself. Go ahead, you'll probably like it.

  Which is not what I had in mind at all.

  by Nestor Makhnow on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 08:32:27 PM PDT

•  Hitch...

  The other day I wrote a nasty diary making fun of the blowjob article.

  Then I heard him interviewed on NPR and not only was he wasted, he has a little daughter.  

  Yeah.  He has this kid, and I just realized it isn't funny or offensive, it's just sad.  Truly sad.  And he'd just be another pathetic raving alcoholic but he actually is a true intellectual, and rather brilliant, if horribly mislead.  It just sucks all around.  Greatly tragic.  

  by poemless on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 08:41:01 PM PDT

  •  Thanks for the sober reminder

    Really.

    Cheers.

    by kidneystones on Tue Jun 27, 2006 at 09:05:01 PM PDT