Subject:
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Re: Special Identification for Arab Americans?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Tue, 25 Sep 2001 19:17:48 GMT
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Viewed:
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193 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> Why isn't this a war? Does a war have to be with a country? bin Laden
> declared war on *us* explicitly. We had a war with the Barbary Pirates, they
> weren't a country.
I'll take a shot at trying to figure out what LFB meant...
I think what is being suggested is that the term "war" is cheapened when
used in the manner it has been for the last three decades or so. I am
referring to phrases like the "war on drugs." I mean, really, who is
engaging in anything like real war against drugs? Rhetorically it has the
effect of mesmerizing people into thinking that some sort of devastating
action is about to be performed that will rid us once and for all of this
problem -- the sad reality is that drugs continue to be a problem in every
level of our society. Why? Because you can't wage war against an enemy you
can't grab by the throat and choke to death. The perceived problem of drug
addiction is more of an idea, or a culturally measured phenomena. I expect
some cultures wouldn't give a damn if some of their people wanted to get
high all the time -- wasn't the peace-pipe filled with hemp or marijuana?
In the fifties I am told that the 3 Martini lunch was pretty standard
behavior for most folks -- and one of my elders reports that people were far
less high-strung and thereby more relaxed than they are now in the age of
caffeine. The idea of addiction clearly depends upon precisely what is
considered "reasonable use" for the thing that is considered "reasonable to
ingest" and that is a culturally relevant issue that moves to and fro on an
unseen scale.
The idea of a "war on terrorism" is almost as slippery. Yes, the government
can point to some of it's former tools and allies and claim "There, that's
the bad guy we want to get!" But where is the enemy? Is he here amongst us
in the Arab population of the U.S.? Is the enemy my neighbor? Does the
enemy teach my kids their ABCs? Is that the enemy working at the pharmacy?
Etc. Etc. Etc. Lot's of stupid things seem reasonable when predicated upon
the empty rhetoric of vaguely worded resolves.
Meat is something you can sink your teeth into. Smoke is something you
couldn't grasp in your hands any more easily than the air we breath. The
word "war" sounds like something you should be able to sink your teeth into,
but what if it turns out to be as elusive to chew upon as smoke might be?
I think the president's rhetoricians have put their finger on the
mesmerizing effect of the word "war." I mean, I know it makes me feel like
I just sat on tack! For others, I know it makes them think we are DOING
SOMETHING -- anything to make the sadness of 9-11 go away. It feels like
meat in your belly even though it is actually just a placebo to cure
anxiety. Of course, it's just a word and can do nothing of it's own.
I don't see all kinds of others countries jumping on this bandwagon. I see
support for whatever whacky thing we want to undertake in response to this
tragedy -- more of a good neighbor policy from these others, "Sure, go ahead
-- we support what you're doing!" . I just hope we come up with something
more meaningful and less vacuous than a "war on terrorism." To me, that's
just the empty rhetoric the government uses when they can probably achieve
nothing in actuality.
Anyway, even if LFB doesn't go for this -- I thinks it's interesting to
think about.
-- Hop-Frog
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: Special Identification for Arab Americans?
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| In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Richard Marchetti writes: <snip> Thanks for that perspective, all good points! I agree that the term war has been cheapened by such inane uses as WoD. (you and I both know that you and I are both opposed to it, anyway, no (...) (23 years ago, 25-Sep-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: Special Identification for Arab Americans?
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| (...) Barbary Pirates indeed. Lets start by looking at the bigger picture: (URL) the 1st para: ==+== The attempt to make out that the suicide terrorists had somehow declared war and that America and its allies were entitled to wage war in return is (...) (23 years ago, 27-Sep-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Special Identification for Arab Americans?
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| (...) Agreed, agreed... (...) Well I've just come off (or maybe still am in) a huge row with ROSCO about semantics around "pacifist" (I still don't get what point he is trying to make) so maybe this is semantics but I am not sure I understand. Why (...) (23 years ago, 25-Sep-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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