I want an effective one.
You may ask; what was the point of that last sentence? There is a diary up (now deleted, please see update-RBD) that demands that Barack Obama publicly and emphatically condemn the violence that is currently going on in Libya.
I am convinced that the diarist’s goals are laudable. However, I have a few questions:
1. What the hell do we know what he is or is not doing behind the scenes? We know nothing. Absolutely nothing. Or do you assume that our august and independent media is reporting everything that the Administration is doing in regard to this course of events? Go ask Assange if that is true.
2. Is it at least conceivable that there is a possibility that any statement by an American President can be manipulated by those still in power, as an appeal to nationalism and patriotism? And, if that is indeed the case, how is such a thing productive to a goal that we all share?
3. And this is a more general question, and I might be off base because my memory is a little hazy (neither snark nor sophistry). Where was the vehement outrage during the Bosnian war? Need I remind us all of the horrors of Srebrenica? At that time, was “The Left” demanding that Bill Clinton ‘stop ‘being nice’ to these bastards,” or to “stop being a partner (with Milosevic, I assume) in such killings” to quote the diarist? If not, then why does Barack Obama merit different treatment in this case?
Ineffectual shouting is not a hallmark of competent and effective governance. It can be, however, a key characteristic of a demagogue. I don’t want a Hugo Chavez. To paraphrase Han Solo; we aren’t in it for your revolution.
Updated by Rustbelt Dem at Sun Feb 20, 2011, 10:43:06 PM
Update: I want to just clarify that the diary in question was still up when I published this. I meant for this to be a counterpoint diary to the one referenced. When one clicked on the diary, they would see that the diarist admits that the term "screaming" is somewhat hyperbolic (my term, not his; I do not remember the exact quote but it was, I believe, to the same effect. If I'm wrong, I will acknowledge).
I ultimately wrote this diary to have a good faith debate. In a meta war there are no innocents, and I will not exempt myself during the DK3 era. However, I take seriously my attempt to remain civil. - RBD