why dont you just try some logic. Why would any leader fixated on being a lifelong dictator do something to assure his demise? This applies to the Kim family,Saddam,Iran etc. If the whole problem these people have with us is our presence,why do things to assure it? I'm not defending any party in this. I'm just trying to understand why you are so quick to believe the shit fed to you about who hates us and who doesn't. Every conflict has always boiled down to business. Everytime something happens,they have everybody ready to band together with trailer park logic that some damn foreigners have done it. People like you pick up your daily slanted rag and think is gosphel. You do realize that it is also a business right? A very profitable one. Even the weather channel is in on it now. Couple of drops of rain hit a tin roof and Cantore makes millions. The saddest thing is that the more all of this shit happens,the less free we are. Stop buying it.
So, i take it then you contend the entire political spectrum was in on the joke, from Ceheny, to Clinton...My daily rag?whats youre informed opinion coming from? I dont care who hates us...i only care when they rattle the sabre at us, and North Korea, has crossed the rubicon. Just like Iraq did, when they decided to stroll south. Once a government declares itself unstable enough to pursue armed aggression...all bets are off,,,thats life.
Im of two minds on that point. Firstly, claiming it would be terrorism. Otoh.. Not claiming it...feeds into a scarier perception. Tough call.
Thats fine. Its your right to believe that non threats are threats. Just don't blame the wrong guy in office when the economy suffers when the fruits don't appear. And "rattling the sabre" at us is a joke. because our intel knows it's a joke. It's like the kid in school who goes around telling everyone hes gonna kick everyones ass...he's usually a pussy. "Talk" about doing things that someone cannot do does not justify pre emptively wasting lives and our economy.
Hobbes, I say this with all due respect, cut it out. This is NOT the time nor the place for your partisan bullshit nor your attempts at gotcha politics. Can you not put that aside for even two days? Apparently by acting like an asshole on an internet message board? Anger begets anger. Violence begets violence. I hate all of it. I don't care who started it. I don't care who's to blame. Blame is a game for losers. I have friends in the hospital right now. My friends work with the family member of the boy who was killed. Whether the bomber's actions "offend" me doesn't even come into the equation. It was despicable. And cowardly. And - this probably goes without saying - the action of someone who has a warped/ill mind. But you remediate anger by acting like a rational adult and a civilized human being. You remediate anger by reaching out to other people, by thinking about others first, and by putting your own issues aside. You don't remediate anger by continuing to bash away in a determined effort to "prove" that your political motives are the most "right." Get out of here with that and have some damn respect for once in your life.
I know most of you aren’t runners. As a runner, I just wanted to offer some perspective on this. I’ve done a few full marathons, probably a half dozen halfs, every mud, mental or whatever challenge, a Ragnar relay, who knows how many other random races. I had been running on my own for a while and a co-worker talked me into doing my first half marathon. My initial reaction was “this is fucking stupid and I don’t want to do it…I’ve got no interest in a running race.” But I got quilted into it, and oddly it turned out to be one of the most fun things I had done. I realize it sounds completely ridiculous to think that RUNNING 9 or 13 or 26 miles could be fun…but here’s the thing. The turnouts for these races are large…thousands of people; oddly though, despite being a “race” it is not really competitive at all. There might be 5 people of 5000 with any inkling of “winning”; all others are there for two reasons: a personal goal and to support everyone around them. I couldn’t count the number of “go get em’s” I got from other runners that day…from people I passed to the lead runners making the turn and heading for the finish…taking the breath to encourage, yell for and cheer on people not near their capability. You get guys or girls running 6 minute miles screaming for people running 12 minute miles…no egos, no animosity, no “move!” just support and encouragement. You get people close in ability pushing people along…or dragging them when they need. It’s one of the most supportive, non-self-involved groups of people you’ll ever come across anywhere…all pushing with everything they got to cross that finish and stop their watches. Some not yet knowing the feeling of the finish, some veterans of hundreds of races that still get the rush of it all. It's something you never forget. And the spectators, those people lined up along the sidelines. Those are the friends and families of those runners. The random people with no vested interest who came out to just randomly scream for some people that look like they could use a cheer. Those are the people that throw you a towel, throw you an orange slice, throw you water, throw you a Gatorade, or throw you a clap. Those are the people who finished their race an hour ago…but stuck around to push people along. Many of them are the family members who know what was put into that runners moment, that cross. They are the ones that listened to the bitching about how fucking stupid a marathon is over the three months of training and Saturday after Saturday of long, monotonous training runs; many of them, the ones that made that runners moment possible at all. While I’m sure there is one in the crowd somewhere; I’ve NEVER met an asshole at a running race. I’m just sick over this whole thing…humanity is doomed.
Thats usually my feeling too. But the people you described far out number the one or few dicks that did this this is from Patton Oswalts facebook page: Boston. Fucking horrible. I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, "Well, I've had it with humanity." But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths. But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. (Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness. But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago. So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will."
Hating an act of heinous crime, should not be a partisan issue. Cut out tue bleeding heart bullshit. Calling me names, may enable you ro feel better about your lack of will, to roegn in such human rights abuses. It does not however, lessen the fact. We extra judicially execute people we suspect of such crimes via drones. And I whole heartedly support the President in doing so, This isnt partisan, this is you parading beiing a pussy about it, to make yourself feel better. Hatred of evil, should not be a partisan manner. You excusing it, is. Civilized? Do you even comprehend the meaning of the word, or what ittakes to remain so? You know...Hiroshoma,Nagasaki, drone attacks? Your fortune cookie logic may feel nice..however there is a time, when men have to shed blood, so people like you can feel civilized. You know, like WAshington,Jefferson,Lincoln,Truman,and Roosevelt. So...tell me mister, cut that shit out..which of those men would you prefer to have taken you enlightened attitudes? Remaining British? Endorsing Slavery? Or losing both world wars! This is not about politics. The question, as I put it...was what is the correct measure of justice, because I do not feel lethal injection cuts it. Too difficult for your enlightened mind? What causes enough horror to give the next guy pause?
We all hate bad things. That was my point. What is appropriate as a response? People hated drone attacks. Till obama got elected. We all hate bombers but is the level of punishment that we decde to inflict, to deter the next one? (excuse me for not seeing that as a partisan argument)
Jesus Christ. You just can't keep politics out of it, can you? We are less than 36 hours removed from a tragedy, and you want to talk about who supports Obama for what? Get. Over. Yourself. There is plenty of time for "justice," however you see it. Right now, your time - if you were a decent human being - would be better spent trying to help in whatever way possible. I did my share today, and yesterday. And after Sandy hit. What have you done? Aside from post here? Anything? Or is this your contribution to matters? To ask other people to consider what past Secretaries of State have supported? Get. Over. Yourself. ETA: I have better uses for my time, as well. I'm going to go do those things now. Why don't you go shed some blood yourself since you're so enraptured with it?
How you deter the next one, is a legitimate question. Get.over.your.Liberal.sensabilities. We are passed that point. Assholes on Busses is next, like in Israel I was a Marine asshole. I signed up and went.3rd Battalion, I co. Platoon 3061. Ive carried a weapon, and manned a post.i did my part, at a time, when it could have put me in Beirut, like guys I went to Parris Island with.they did not come home. Doing your part, with regard to those men, equatesmtomwhat your right hand does under the blanket at 2 am. These people, are ruthless, domestic, or otherwise...we dont know..but at what level are you prepared to go to deter them? Provide a lawyer like Lynne Stewart? Kill them fiirst, Kill them worst? Cappy, Im honestly not trying to incite you...but its now the time to ask the question...if you think 20 years of appeals and lethal injection is the answer...just say so. Personally...im all in favor of bringing back Ole Sparky.( the FLA electric,chair,that,routinely took multiple tries,to get,the job done)
I'm a college Track athlete myself and everything you say about the running community is true. I can't tell you how many times I've been working out on a track with my team at the same time as another school and we get a random "nice job boys, keep it up!" from the other team, or a "hey nice race man" or "good luck" or whatever. I've never run the Boston Marathon but at some point I would like to for every reason you just listed, it's the pure essence of humanity -- determination, commitment, pushing yourself to the limit, overall just trying to achieve. I don't know any of the injured but as a runner, seeing these runners who lost their leg(s) and having the knowledge that they're never going to run again just crushes me. I'm not a religious person but whomever did this, I hope they get what they deserve, in this life or the next.
And now you're a civilian one. Consistent. But way to miss the point. You've trolled your way into a thread less than two days after this kind of tragedy with all of your typical bullshit. You show zero respect and zero empathy. I tell you it's not about you and you respond by pushing your agenda some more. It's sad, and I feel bad for you. I apologize to everyone else for getting sucked into Hobbes' bullshit and derailing it further. It's been a rough couple of days around here, but still, I know better. I'm out. Thoughts are with everyone else who has been affected by this.
Great post. All the events I've competed in have been comprised of some of the most caring, kind, and determined people I've ever met. My favorite part of any race (I have - until this year - topped out at 10Ks) has been encouraging the other runners after I'm done. It doesn't feel like a competition. It feels like we've all just done something (slightly) impressive together.
