Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site alice.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!jj From: jj@alice.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics,net.flame Subject: The ?Shame? of the President-come off it Message-ID: <3655@alice.UUCP> Date: Fri, 26-Apr-85 10:32:48 EST Article-I.D.: alice.3655 Posted: Fri Apr 26 10:32:48 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 27-Apr-85 05:14:59 EST Organization: New Jersey State Farm for the Terminally Bewildered Lines: 71 Xref: watmath net.politics:8696 net.flame:9547 The double-dealing, two faced discussion about "The shame of the President" here is just amazing. I hear the same people who argue that Reagan should appease the USSR any what he can complaining about his visit to a bunch of DEAD people, and to a threat that is, for the minute, dead. (Brazil aside... ) This is especially offensive because of the obviously deliberate and political motivation of many of the complainers. It's also quite obvious that those who argue that "all humans have rights" seem to disagree when it's expedient to do so, in order to further their political cause. (I have yet to see a posting that was clearly from a person who is objecting to the suffering represented by the people in that cemetary.) There is a clear difference between acknowledging tragedy and supporting offensive ideals. To date, it seems to be that the behavior of the president is clearly the first (visiting the evidence of a great tragedy) and the second. It is also clear to me that a lot of people would like me to fail to make this distinction. I'm offended by the attitude and deliberately emotional/offensive/manipulative attitude of the "shame of the president" articles. I can certainly see a person indication their unhappiness with the situation, but using the situation to manipulate and deceive others is simply dishonest. Those who suffered by Hitler's Germany DO have a legitimate reason to not want the lives of their tormentors/murderers/etc glorified. HOWEVER, I do NOT see ANYONE glorifying these people, Ronald Reagan included. A visit to a cemetary simply does NOT imply approval at all. It DOES acknowledge the tragedy, which very well may have a positive effect if it prevents future like tragedies. (Someone I read once said "Those who do not understand history are doomed to repeat it", wish I could remember WHO it was that said it!) I must point out that remembering the tragedy in no way should be done so as to create or support hate or grief. Healing from a tragedy is an essential part of personal, national, and human life. Retaining the knowlege of both the tragedy and the healing is likewise essential to avoiding it in the future. Furthermore, recalling how one healed aids the individual in healing others who need it. Acting like there are no buried German or SS soldiers, and trying to forget no more constructive than trying to expunge WW II from history books. Such acts of censorship (be they active or passive) have the sole effect of destroying knowledge, in fact knowledge that might someday be essential. Expecting a US president to excercise this blindness is merely part of censoring an unpleasant part of history. Please note that if the President were to refer to the SS soldiers as "wonderful, glorious human beings, etc etc" or something like that, I would be thoroughly offended. If the president refers to "those tragic souls" or something like that, I can't see how that's offensive at all. I call on all nutnews participants to realize that this medium is overloaded with personal attacks, offensive content, and informationless articles, and that the existance of this medium is being called into question. I think that a less strident tone, less back-and-forth antogonism, and behavior indicative of the understanding that humans are at ALL ends of this net is called for, and is, in fact, essential in both the short and long term. -- DO TEDDY BEARS HAVE OPINIONS? ASK YOURS TODAY! "My mind is clearer now, at last, all too well, I can see, where we all, soon will be.." (ihnp4/allegra)!alice!jj