Thursday, August 18, 2005

EDITORIAL WEE

Thursday's lead editorial in the Springfield News-Leader discusses Purple Hearts and the war in Iraq. The person who wrote that editorial deserves a medal, because s/he obviously suffered a head wound in some skirmish and still isn't quite back to snuff.

This single graf illustrates the point:
We don't often think of Purple Heart winners and peace protesters at the same time. One group makes major sacrifices to fight and defend our country during wartime, often with greater concern for the safety of their comrades than for themselves. The other group protests the very concept of war, trumpeting unpopular ideals in an effort to make a difference and save lives.

And never the twain shall meet, eh? Good to know that Purple Heart recipients (or "winners," to use the paper's inelegant word) can't be protesters.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh. That's too bad.

Anonymous said...

I thought the same thing when I read the editorial.

Anonymous said...

Journalists are taught (by j-schools and the profession) to understand the world in terms of dichotomies.

Anonymous said...

When I read the editorial, I wondered if the writer has ever heard of VVAW (Vietnam Veterans Against the War).

Ron Davis said...

False dichotomies:

•You're either with us, or with the terrorists.

•If evolution isn't a fact, then "intelligent design" must be true.

•Wounded warriors cannot be peace protesters.