Revising History

[fintstone]

In another PP thread today, it was stated by a liberal that the media were not part of the "far left." The implication is that they are somehow close to moderate. I think this article highlights actions which indicate otherwise. Of course if you are a lefty...you may well consider this normal and mainstream. What do you think?

Revising History
By: Oliver North

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Brian Williams, main character of the dark, prime-time NBC satire called "Nightly News," is now a finalist, with Newsweek magazine and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., for the title of "Revisionist Historian of The Year." The honor goes to the creator of the biggest whopper defaming America and/or Americans, for which an apology is required. The judges have to decide whether the recipient created the fiction out of malevolence or ignorance. No extra points are awarded for stupidity.

Newsweek had the inside track on the prize until the editors retracted an unsubstantiated charge that Americans had flushed a Quran down a toilet at the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Then, a few weeks later, Durbin claimed the honor by imaginatively comparing members of America's Armed Forces with those of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Cambodia's Pol Pot. He subsequently kind of apologized for giving "some people" a "mistaken impression."

Now, Williams has moved to the fore with a delightful fiction that America's founding fathers are no different than Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Islamic radical who was recently selected as the next president of Iran. On June 30th, following a report that Ahmadinejad might have been one of those who sacked our Tehran embassy and seized 52 American hostages in 1979, Williams said, "What would it all matter if proven true? … The first several U.S. Presidents were certainly revolutionaries and might have been called ‘terrorists’ by the British crown."

In order to qualify for the award as "Revisionist Historian of the Year," the statement made must be patently untrue, but widely accepted as the truth. In the case of Newsweek's "Quran in the Guantanamo toilet" claim, the charge was thoroughly refuted by reputable investigators -- but widely accepted as fact in the Islamic media. Mr. Durbin's fabrication was mathematically implausible since more than thirty million people perished in Khmer Rouge, Nazi and Soviet detentions, while none have died at Guantanamo. Nonetheless, it continues to be repeated throughout the Islamic world.

Judging Williams' creation is a more difficult task, requiring knowledge of both Ahmadinejad's words and deeds -- as well as those of "the first several U.S. Presidents." Since recent polls show that most of Williams' viewers cannot even recite the names of "the first several U.S. Presidents" -- and know even less about the new Iranian president -- awarding Williams the prize is problematic. If he wants the recognition he deserves, Williams should spell out some of the following facts:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the new president of Iran, has proudly proclaimed his membership in the Pasdaran -- the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps -- the entity responsible for seizing the U.S. Embassy and holding American diplomats and Marines hostage for 444 days. He now claims that he only supported the embassy seizure because that's what Ayatollah Khomeini wanted. Ahmadinejad insists he did not participate in it, but at least four of the former hostages place the president-"elect" among their captors.

Iranian reformers -- who were not allowed to run in the presidential "election" that Ahmadinejad "won" -- claim that in the 1980s, he was with the "Internal Security" department of the IRGC and had responsibility for "interrogations, torture and executions." According to current and former IRGC leaders, during that same time frame, the organization assisted the Hezbollah terrorist organization in kidnapping Americans in Beirut, killing 241 Marines at the barracks near the Beirut airport and twice blowing up the American Embassy in the Lebanese capital. One of Ahmadinejad's most memorable lines: "We did not have a revolution in order to have a democracy." So far, he's yet to condemn the mass murder in London.

Williams doesn't specify, but "the first several U.S. Presidents" must include George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and perhaps Andrew Jackson -- the last U.S. President to have served in the American Revolution.

George Washington commanded the Continental Army -- in uniform, not as a terrorist. The warrant against him by the British crown charged him with rebellion -- not terrorism. There is no record of Washington ever being involved in torture, hostage taking or murder but we know he repatriated British diplomats. One of his most memorable lines: "It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it."

John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison served in civil and/or diplomatic capacities during the Revolution. None was involved in any known acts of terror against the British or their allies. Their most memorable lines are found in the Record of the Continental Congress, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

James Monroe served as an officer in the Continental Army and was wounded in the Battle of Trenton. There is no record of any involvement in torturing hostages or committing any acts of terrorism. His most notable lines were contained in the Monroe Doctrine.

John Quincy Adams was a child during the Revolution and committed no known acts of terrorism. He is best remembered for advocating the abolition of slavery during the 17 years he served in the House of Representatives after being president.

Andrew Jackson served in the Continental Army as a teen-aged boy. His face bore the scar of a British officer's saber cut -- a wound inflicted after young Jackson refused to clean his captor's boots. His best lines were in opposing the creation of a government banking system.

To those who know the facts, the difference between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and "the first several U.S. Presidents" is stark and profound. That's what makes Williams' gross distortion so breathtaking in scope and so appealing to those who hate America and Americans, especially in the aftermath of what just happened in London. On the bright side, Williams may have clinched the title: "Revisionist Historian of the Year."

[techweenie]

Oliver North? ROTFLMAO! There's a respected authority on American history.

[rcecale]

...and yet, I don't see you disputing what he wrote, do I Tech?

Randy

[fintstone]

Originally posted by techweenie
Oliver North? ROTFLMAO! There's a respected authority on American history.

And you are? Here is his resume. How many best sellers have you written? What have you done lately?

Oliver L. North is a combat decorated Marine, a #1 bestselling author, the founder of a small business, an inventor with three U.S. patents, a syndicated columnist, and the host of "War Stories" on the Fox News Channel. He claims, however, that his most important accomplishment is being "the husband of one and the father of four."

North was born in San Antonio, graduated from the U.S Naval Academy in Annapolis, and served 22 years as a U.S. Marine. His awards for service in combat include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and two Purple Hearts for wounds in combat.

Assigned to the National Security Council staff in the Reagan Administration, Colonel North was the U.S. government's counter-terrorism coordinator from 1983-1986. As such, he was involved in planning the rescue of 804 medical students on the island of Grenada, and played a major role in the daring capture of the hijackers of the cruise ship Achille Lauro. After helping plan the U.S. raid on Muammar Qaddafi's terrorist bases in Libya, North was targeted for assassination by Abu Nidal, the infamous terrorist found dead in Baghdad in August 2002.

North's award-winning combat coverage for Fox News while embedded with U.S. Marine and Army units during Operation Iraqi Freedom won international acclaim.

North is the author of Under Fire, One More Mission, War Stories - Operation Iraqi Freedom, and two novels, Mission Compromised and The Jericho Sanction. All of his books are New York Times bestsellers.

[techweenie]

The quote "The first several U.S. Presidents were certainly revolutionaries and might have been called ‘terrorists’ by the British crown."

is entirely accurate.

To King George, it was an 'uprising' a rebellion. I can't find any indication he reccognized the "Continental Army" as a legitimate army.

Washington Monroe and JQ Adams could well have been considered 'terrorists.' They were certainly considered rebels. and the Contenentals' propensity for firing from hidden positions was not consistent with the proper conduct of warfare as seen by the Brits. Nowhere does Williams' statement require the King to have used the word 'terrorist.' And I suspect it wasn't a contemporaneous term, anyway.

[techweenie]

Originally posted by fintstone
And you are? Here is his resume. How many best sellers have you written? What have you done lately?

Oliver L. North is a combat decorated Marine, a #1 bestselling author, the founder of a small business, an inventor with three U.S. patents, a syndicated columnist, and the host of "War Stories" on the Fox News Channel. He claims, however, that his most important accomplishment is being "the husband of one and the father of four."

I've never dealt drugs nor bargained with terrorists, either. Guess he left that off his resume. You bring up Clinton's perjury at every opportunity. Since perjury is so important to you, why not mention North's?

But I'm not competing with North. I'm stating that his opinion piece is sensationalist drivel.

[stuartj]

You seem to have missed the bit where the US military "acknowledging that soldiers and interrogators kicked the Muslim holy book, got copies wet, stood on a Koran during an interrogation and inadvertently sprayed urine on another copy."

Inadvertantly urinated on a Koran. There you have it. God bless the US military.


If the US Military says its folks didnt flush the Koran, then hell, that good enough for me by god.

Support our troops.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/03/AR2005060301654.html

[techweenie]

Originally posted by stuartj
You seem to have missed the bit where the US military "acknowledging that soldiers and interrogators kicked the Muslim holy book, got copies wet, stood on a Koran during an interrogation and inadvertently sprayed urine on another copy."

Inadvertantly urinated on a Koran. There you have it. God bless the US military.

If the US Military says its folks didnt flush the Koran, then hell, that good enough for me by god.

Of course, a lot of folks here seem to rely on 'news sources' that just plain forgot to mention that part.

[fintstone]

Explain again about Col North's conviction....of course you cannot. Clinton was impeached.
Once again..if you cannot argue the message..you trash the messenger...sad

[rcecale]

I think I've figured out who the Dem's are going to try to put in the White House in 2008...



This seems to be their theme for this weekend, at least.

Randy

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Sorry to break this to you, but North didn't write Under Fire. I've got a friend at 21st Century Press (publisher) and Novak wrote the whole thing. North only showed up at lunches, book signings, etc.

[fintstone]

i don't know Shaun....Ollies name is on the cover and it is an autobiography. Could you give us your friend's name and number at 21st Century so we can follow up.

[techweenie]

Originally posted by fintstone
Explain again about Col North's conviction....of course you cannot. Clinton was impeached.
Once again..if you cannot argue the message..you trash the messenger...sad

Um, North is a scumbag, and you seem to be among the few who don't know it. He testified to having perjured himself and got off on a technicality. Is trading drugs for arms a noble cause in your world?

And I did argue the message. I guess you skimmed over that part. Or is it that you can't respond without checking with Ollie?

[fintstone]

Ollie is a patriot...which is more than I can say for a lot of people.
I doublechecked...I still don't see any real argument.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally posted by fintstone
i don't know Shaun....Ollies name is on the cover and it is an autobiography. Could you give us your friend's name and number at 21st Century so we can follow up.

LOL Flint, your moronism knows no bounds, and it's across so many levels. Which medical textbooks are you in again? Are you really a thalidomide baby?

[stuartj]

Oh well. One man's scumbag is another man's patriot.

[fintstone]

Originally posted by Shaun 84 Targa
LOL Flint, your moronism knows no bounds, and it's across so many levels. Which medical textbooks are you in again? Are you really a thalidomide baby?

Shaun...that is pretty offensive. I would be surprised that a remark like that would not get you booted....but I guess name-calling is expected of lefties since they have no lucid argument and even less facts.

[fintstone]

Originally posted by stuartj
Oh well. One man's scumbag is another man's patriot.

Not bad Victor!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally posted by fintstone
Shaun...that is pretty offensive. I would be surprised that a remark like that would not get you booted....but I guess name-calling is expected of lefties since they have no lucid argument and even less facts.

*******.

[stuartj]

Originally posted by Shaun 84 Targa
LOL Flint, your moronism knows no bounds, and it's across so many levels. Which medical textbooks are you in again? Are you really a thalidomide baby?

Play the ball, not the man.