Discussion for article #223651
Why does the celebration have to be “a hero’s welcome?” Why can’t his home town and friends demonstrate their relief and happiness that he’s back home–which seems to be the case. They’ve supported him all along, and unlike the RW (and some weaselly Dems), they aren’t turning tail now, because their concern was real.
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And I’ll bet every threat was from a Republican, the big bullies.
These rightwing nutcases would threaten to kill Jesus if he returned
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And if Obama had not gone for his return, the same people would be screaming just as loudly, with an equal amount of jumping to conclusions based on equally lacking information. It’s pretty obvious that they are nothing but ignorance, bigotry and hatred. Something has to change soon, and I hope and pray that it’s at the ballot box, but given the circus we’ve viewed this past week, I’m not extremely positive. I don’t think anything other than either full scale revolution or complete control of the entire country will satisfy their lust.
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I suppose there have always been people who will behave this way in our country but in the past they didn’t have as much access to information and to groups who encourage this sort of crazy hatred. The digital age has its drawbacks.
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did fox news make the threat?
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did fox news instigate this threat?
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This is a sad development.
But maybe there’s a lesson here for all of us.
When we engage in strong language against those with whom we disagree, we provide excuses and cover for them to vilify us in return.
We believe that when we use strong language, we are justified in doing so, and believe that we are sending a message which others will heed and respect.
Unfortunately that’s not the way it works in real life. When I get punched in the nose, I feel like a victim and feel justified in punching the person back. But the minute my fist connects with their nose they feel like a victim and feel justified in punching me back, and so on ad infinitum.
On the other hand, if I refrain from responding to provocation, the inappropriate behavior of others is left naked and more likely to be seen for what it really is, unjustified, wildly overstated, and inappropriate.
Ghandi and Martin Luther King and Jesus provided us with good real life examples of the power of that message.
I’m not necessarily suggesting that we triggered the behavior at issue here, but am suggesting that we can play a role in diminishing its prevalence in the future by resisting the temptation to respond in kind.
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Why does the celebration have to be “a hero’s welcome?”
Strongly agree. Hero’s welcome is exactly the wrong dynamic.
Relief is fine. Evidence against him is mounting and he’ll probably face well-grounded desertion charges soon. A desertion charge requires intent to permanently abandon, and he left a lot of persuasive evidence of planning just that. He should celebrate with loved ones and close supporters as you say (though perhaps more quietly), and think about mounting his defense.
A hero, just to remind, is someone who takes great personal risk to help others in peril. He did NOT do that by any account (except by enlisting, but come on). Townspeople may be ripe for a party, but heroism shouldn’t be dreamed up, surely not in these circumstances.
“Evidence against him is mounting”? He just got out. There’s been no official investigation. The only evidence seems to be people who don’t know what happened putting out what are probably a bunch of half truths at best… I think everyone should just leave the family alone and be happy for them that they have their son back. They’ve all suffered enough. Why was there not similar outrage at the killing of Pat Tillman and the cover up that followed?
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Clearly, Obama Derangement Syndrome at work here.
We have joked about it before, but it has become so very real, it isn’t funny any more, at all.
Our President’s personal part in this is what motivates them to hate on Bergdahl and his family, the unhinged hatred from the right towards President Obama is at the very core of their blind objections.
I blame FOX, Clear Channel, The Lump(Rush), Bleck (pronounced like a dry-heave) , et al, without them these pernicious memes would never be perpetrated, let alone perpetuated.
One very personal fact I will note, that my Dad and his WW2 buddies and my old pal who went to Viet Nam all agreed to in a conversation long ago, before my Dad passed, is how the Bush Wars turned the word “hero” into something other than what they knew it to mean.
“Our returning Heroes” seemed to apply to EVERY soldier, regardless of whether they risked their own lives for anyone else in battle.
If there is one factor that this event has revealed, it is the hypocrisy of the chicken-hawks among us who claim to speak for Veterans. Too many of our suddenly-reticent lawmakers have no right to speak for any soldier, hero or grunt, but they seem quite inclined to do so.
I have to edit and add, the reactionaries are getting even more desperate since 2012. They actually believed the lies that they were beating him at the polls, so now their hatred for everything Obama fairly drips from their hateful rhetoric.
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Before there is an inquiry, you probably are not in a position to make any determination about him being charged with desertion. From everything I have read, his unit was pretty lacking in discipline with rotating leadership as a result. Give it the time required.
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No, but their people do whatever they can to engender hate for everyone President Obama touches, defends, praises, etc. They are a disgrace to journalism.
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The American Taliban are the Bergdahl family’s new tormentor and Fox is their mouthpiece.
That is a very accurate appraisal, Waldenpond, The Pharisees were a lot like the fundamentalist preachers are today.
Full of themselves, addicted to public attention, mortally jealous of a young, dynamic commoner’s popularity with The People, and desperate to protect their worldly wealth that depended on misleading the faithful.
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Some very qualified people are addressing the issue we are discussing here. Curious how this works on Prime, it is my first try at passing along a petition promotion…
Yes, Fox News did so indirectly.
They knew EXACTLY what would happen once they started the vile reporting against Bowe.
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I predict no arrests will be made.
IOKIYAR
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If they saw Him riding in
Long hair flying in the wind
Would they love Him down in Shreveport today?
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