Here is a stream of an excellent 6-minute commentary by Keith Olbermann spurred by some of Donald Rumsfeld's speech to the American Legion yesterday, in which he invoked WWII.
He does a remarkable and succinct job putting to words one of the fundamental issues with the current administration, and addressing the oft-voiced and -insinuated notion that dissent is unpatriotic.
Warning: the report is an op-ed commentary containing opinions which may contradict yours. Viewers should be advised to watch at their own risk.
An excerpt:
"Dissent and disagreement with government is the life’s blood of human freedom; And not merely because it is the first roadblock against the kind of tyranny the men Mr. Rumsfeld likes to think of as "his" troops still fight, this very evening, in Iraq. It is also essential. Because just every once in awhile… it is right — and the power to which it speaks, is wrong.
...
"That about which Mr. Rumsfeld is confused… is simply this: This is a Democracy. Still. Sometimes just barely. And as such, all voices count — not just his. Had he or his President perhaps proven any of their prior claims of omniscience - about Osama Bin Laden’s plans five years ago - about Saddam Hussein’s weapons four years ago - about Hurricane Katrina’s impact one year ago - we all might be able to swallow hard, and accept their omniscience as a bearable, even useful recipe, of fact, plus ego. But, to date, this government has proved little besides its own arrogance, and its own hubris."
He does a remarkable and succinct job putting to words one of the fundamental issues with the current administration, and addressing the oft-voiced and -insinuated notion that dissent is unpatriotic.
Warning: the report is an op-ed commentary containing opinions which may contradict yours. Viewers should be advised to watch at their own risk.
An excerpt:
"Dissent and disagreement with government is the life’s blood of human freedom; And not merely because it is the first roadblock against the kind of tyranny the men Mr. Rumsfeld likes to think of as "his" troops still fight, this very evening, in Iraq. It is also essential. Because just every once in awhile… it is right — and the power to which it speaks, is wrong.
...
"That about which Mr. Rumsfeld is confused… is simply this: This is a Democracy. Still. Sometimes just barely. And as such, all voices count — not just his. Had he or his President perhaps proven any of their prior claims of omniscience - about Osama Bin Laden’s plans five years ago - about Saddam Hussein’s weapons four years ago - about Hurricane Katrina’s impact one year ago - we all might be able to swallow hard, and accept their omniscience as a bearable, even useful recipe, of fact, plus ego. But, to date, this government has proved little besides its own arrogance, and its own hubris."