Classic Category Mixing
"I don't see what all the fuss is about!"There is an old Monty Python sketch where an accountant comes to an employment manager and says he wants something more exciting...to be a "Lion Tamer!" Then he says "I don't see what all the fuss is about...little brown creatures with long noses..."
Well of course he has confused a lion with an anteater.
In similar fashion Kenny Hitt ("The Hammer") over at Tennapel.com has once again made a classic mental error by confusing a tiger with an aneater, or, in this case, major American ports of call with a bottle of Old Sack.
He writes the following:
You see, by acting in a bipartisan fashion alongside the Right, the Liberals have painted themselves into an uncomfortable corner. Do they stand by their former contention that our actions in the region have been unprovoked and merely a kneejerk reaction fueled by a racist hatred of "brown people"? Or is it logical to oppose giving trade concessions to a country with a record of giving financial support to terrorists?In order to oppose President Bush's plan to bring in Dubai Ports World, the Left must admit that a mideastern government with a recorded history of support for terrorists must be held to a higher standard than its British predecessors, an admission that directly contradicts everything they have said over the years about prejudice, profiling and foreign policy. The Left has been heavily critical of Bush's NSA foreign intel program, one of its primary arguments being that not every mideastern nation is out to get us. If that were the case, then surely the UAE, a steadfast supporter of the War on Terrorism, MUST be A-OK to run some of our ports, right?
One, we do not assert that Racism is a major factor.
Two, our actions in the region were unprovoked, yet not so in Afghanistan. Note the difference.
Three, there is no "Or". We oppose giving any aid to anyone who supports terrorism against the United States and elsewhere.
Four, the standard remains the same. If the British company had ties to terrorism the same standard would apply. One has ties, the other doesn't. Simple.
Five, it's not profiling when there are economic ties to terrorists.
Six, not every Arab nation is out to get us. IOf course, if Bush keeps attacking more of them, that could change.
"Category-Mixing" is a classic way of deflecting from the truth of a situation.
The truth of the situation is that on the Bush Administration's watch we almost gave stewardship to major ports to an organization that has proven ties to terrorists. Two of those ports are near Ground Zero.
It's that simple and that obvious.
posted by Obi-Mac BakDon @ 6:40 AM
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