Recently, I heard some more people talking about how we ought to have open relations and dialogue with Hamas, the terrorist group that is currently running the Palestinian Authority. They say that they are the legitimately-elected government of the Palestinian people, and we should recognize that and deal with them as we would any other government.
Now, that's a straw-man argument. The United States has never called the Hamas-led PA "illegitimate," to the best of my knowledge. They just refuse to have any direct dealings with them -- and rightly so.
But back to my point. I'd love to try a little experiment.
I'd like to get all the Americans who argue that we should have dealings with Hamas together and put them in one set.
And then I'd like to get all the Americans who say things like "George W. Bush is not my president" and question the legitimacy of his office and still have "Let's Not Elect Him In 2004 Either" stickers on their car and the like, and put them all together in a second set.
How much overlap would there between the two groups?
(Paul-bait)I bet that would make a truly wonderful Venn diagram...(/Paul-bait)
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Comments (8)
No, Jay, it would likely ma... (Below threshold)1. Posted by bobdog | October 27, 2006 8:07 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
No, Jay, it would likely make concentric circles. It would kinda look like a target, now that I think of it.
1. Posted by bobdog | October 27, 2006 8:07 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 27, 2006 08:07
2. Posted by Paul | October 27, 2006 8:33 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'd link you as promised but that would be silly from here. ;-)
2. Posted by Paul | October 27, 2006 8:33 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 27, 2006 08:33
3. Posted by Rovin | October 27, 2006 8:54 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Would the word "Cloned" work?
3. Posted by Rovin | October 27, 2006 8:54 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 27, 2006 08:54
4. Posted by steak111111 | October 27, 2006 9:14 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I like bobdog's answer. That being said, could someone please hand me an AK47....?
4. Posted by steak111111 | October 27, 2006 9:14 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 27, 2006 09:14
5. Posted by Justrand | October 27, 2006 9:58 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It would look like concentric circles. Especially if you threw in a few other groups:
- Those who blame America for all the world's ills
- Those who are PERPETUAL VICTIMS
- Those who believe asking a potential voter to (gasp!) IDENTIFY themself is a FASCIST tactic to suppress the vote!
- Those who want the government to guarantee them an equal RESULT in life...at the obvious expense of eliminating the opportunity for anyone to SUCCEED (and thus by their success differentiate themself!)
etc...etc...etc...
5. Posted by Justrand | October 27, 2006 9:58 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 27, 2006 09:58
6. Posted by Brad | October 27, 2006 6:32 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
So what? What exactly would it prove?
Sure, Hamas was democratically elected in a straight up electoral process and George Bush was not elected (2000) but appointed by the judiciary in the land that thinks itself the model of democracy.
What would it show that people who can identify an honest electoral process can also identify a corrupted electoral (more political) process? Or that those who accept that intractable problems require doing courageous things (like talking with Hamas) might also accept that a President's legitimacy comes from honouring rather than subverting the rule of law?
Just a little speculation of my own.
6. Posted by Brad | October 27, 2006 6:32 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 27, 2006 18:32
7. Posted by Henry | October 28, 2006 1:34 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Brad, Gore tried to subvert the law by recounting votes in ONLY 3 counties in Florida. The issue the judiciary ruled on was if you're going to recount, do a full recount. Partial recounts are unconstitutional. Don't forget partisan pollworkers disallowing military ballots because FPO and APO ballots don't have postage stamps with dates (maybe the military mail offices have changed this, I don't know, I should though, I'll be voting absentee while I'm working on board the USNS Saturn).
Bush WAS elected by the Electoral process, and Al Gore tried to subvert the law to put himself in office. To say otherwise is to misunderstand what really went on.
7. Posted by Henry | October 28, 2006 1:34 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2006 01:34
8. Posted by pennywit | October 28, 2006 7:20 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
What the bloody hell is this with all the comparisons and fulminating about Bush vs. Hamas vs. Palestine vs. courts vs. democracy?
Talking to Hamas comes down to one thing for me. If talking to Hamas is in the US interest, then the US should do so. If not, then the US should not do so. End of story.
--|PW|--
8. Posted by pennywit | October 28, 2006 7:20 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 28, 2006 19:20