tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post2825252134399603914..comments2023-12-16T16:50:25.810-08:00Comments on The Heart of the Matter: Criticize Govt = Hate America?Barry Eislerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17785333622697500192noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-77690334265603236002009-05-10T12:27:00.000-07:002009-05-10T12:27:00.000-07:00Just finished Fault Line. I also thought you enca...Just finished Fault Line. I also thought you encapsulated both "liberal" and "conservative" views (btw, not too sure what these words define). Unlike an earlier comment, I thoroughly <br />enjoyed your characters, thoroughly enjoyed the conflict, both familial and ethical, and completely agree that not trusting the govermnment as well as not trusting "mainstream" media does not make me unamerican. I love my country but feel it is not only naive but seriously STUPID to watch 30 minutes of network news (which actually is close to only 10 minutes of "news") and think you are informed. <br /><br />Saludos, fifiluliAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-17889610094159966852009-04-14T21:25:00.000-07:002009-04-14T21:25:00.000-07:00I'm partway through Fault Line. So far, I think yo...I'm partway through <I>Fault Line</I>. So far, I think you've played fairly with both sides of the arguments (which in today's world makes you an enemy of both).<br /><br />I'm enjoying the arguments for the conflicting worldviews. But I'm finding it difficult to <I>like</I> any of the characters. I hope at least one of them turns out worth rooting for eventually.Schazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10004665049878807165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-69495766035445177102009-04-12T22:25:00.000-07:002009-04-12T22:25:00.000-07:00I always thought mistrust of government was a prer...I always thought mistrust of government was a prerequisite to being American. Our founding fathers mistrusted government, and new that in time their creation would become much like the one they revolted against. And it has. The depth of corruption, lack of ethics, and flagrant disregard for law are not only worse now than ever before, they are also more transparent. <BR/><BR/>Politicians lie to our faces now, knowing that we know its a lie, and knowing that they'll get voted for because of one or two wedge issues despite the fact that the far left, the far right, and all the 'straights' stuck in the middle agree on this: WE DON'T TRUST THE GOVERNMENT. <BR/><BR/>Of course, with the new administration, a post like this is enough to get me put on a watch list. If I mention Ron Paul they'll probably arrest me on suspicion of belonging to a militia. Oops, guess I shouldn't have used that word either. Big government gets bigger every day kids, and they are watching us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-3978994962702180492009-04-05T15:04:00.000-07:002009-04-05T15:04:00.000-07:00I like the word "squeegee."I like the word "squeegee."JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-51467573548408433992009-04-01T23:41:00.000-07:002009-04-01T23:41:00.000-07:00Holding views contrary to American policy isn't eq...Holding views contrary to American policy isn't equal to being anti-American. Emotional reactions to perceived political positions are ridiculous and should be met with derision.<BR/><BR/>(Damn - I was hoping to see Jon Stewart clips of the Obama Administration changing the GWOT to OCO in this blog today... maybe next time.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-17895335380758565662009-04-01T19:48:00.000-07:002009-04-01T19:48:00.000-07:00Barry,Saw you got mentioned at Greenwald's blog, a...Barry,<BR/><BR/>Saw you got mentioned at Greenwald's blog, and was sure you would be pleased as the proverbial punch!<BR/><BR/>As for your alleged anti-Americanism, I suppose the only thing you can do is start writing scripts for "24" in which Joe the Plumber saves Jack Bauer's bacon, shows him how to torture better, and then installs Sarah Palin in the White House. (Yeah! That ought to do it...)<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>PBI<BR/><A HREF="http://sensen-no-sen.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">Sensen No Sen</A>PBIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05643553811799195520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-146190617111819182009-04-01T18:03:00.000-07:002009-04-01T18:03:00.000-07:00Shawn is the man! He hit it right on the button. G...Shawn is the man! He hit it right on the button. <BR/><BR/>God Bless America and our right to speak our minds!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12697864747095050706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-13772064964089529792009-04-01T08:21:00.000-07:002009-04-01T08:21:00.000-07:00I've always thought that criticizing the governmen...I've always thought that criticizing the government (at every level) is a responsibility, and proves how much you hold your country dear. We invest a tremendous amount of authority and power (knowledge, financial, etc.) in the people who run our governments. They make our laws, interpret our constitution, collect our taxes and manage public funds, oversee our infrastructure, and perform a vast array of services that affect every citizen's daily life.<BR/><BR/>The opportunities for corruption are everywhere, as we see constantly. Each of us has a responsibility to hold our elected officials and every government employee accountable for the actions they take in our name and on our behalf, using our collective resources. <BR/><BR/>Giving the government free rein, not asking questions, not letting others know about your concerns, is an abrogation of a citizen's responsibilities. Apathy, willful ignorance, and unquestioning compliance are more "hateful" to the country than criticism, because those are the characteristics that can lead from a republic to a dictatorship.<BR/><BR/>We should hold public servants to the highest standards and we must let them know when their actions are not acceptable. And when they don't listen, we should also have the right to express our frustration and anger with them through criticism.Shawn Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22165230.post-15699302492587989552009-04-01T07:08:00.000-07:002009-04-01T07:08:00.000-07:00I actually thought, too (without giving anything a...I actually thought, too (without giving anything away) that a critical view of "soft" liberalism was definitely present in FAULT LINE as well ... which is kind of what made it work so well ... no one really gets off the hook.Joshua Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08239067667651048280noreply@blogger.com