Question

“If the story of John Walker - the American-born, Taliban fighter - is a broad indictment of American liberalism and Marin, CA, what can we learn from the story of Charles Bishop, the 15-year-old suicide pilot from Palm Harbour, FLA who volunteered to carry the American flag and lead the student body in a daily procession that ended with the Pledge of Allegiance and a patriotic song? He wrote patriotic essays and entered them in contests sponsored by Daughters of the American Revolution and Junior American Citizens and wanted to join the Air Force.

Where is the great outcry?”

“I think you should have thrown some titties in there somewhere. You don't seem to be sparking much interest.”

“Ummm, live with your zits and don't take Accutane?”

“that people who are excessively "patriotic" are looney-tunes? ;-) actually, i did hear on the news that that 15-year-old was on some sort of medication, an anti-depressant or -psychotic, maybe? i forget. and i don't know who John Walker is. enlighten me!”

“lyra, you don't know about the guy that was captured in the Afgannie prison fighting for the Taliban?”

“oh, okay, i didn't know what his name was. and i don't know many details about that, either...”

“He was Accutane, a medicne prescribed for severe acne. It's currently being investigated at a Congressional level because a high purportion of people on it, mainly teens, have committed suicide. Read up!”

“That guy is a compleat nut and needs to be taken care of!!!!”

“I don't remember the stats in the newspaper article..but it said something like 200+ pple that have used accutane have committed suicide. And 10's of million have used it. Hmmm couldn't you pick 10's of million eaters of burger king french fries and find just as many suicides?...And another point...pple with severe acne..ya gotta think that they have depression and social problems to start with because of the acne they've had to live with”

“To many people look at things like that.But there are ways to see if there are problems with your kid.If you are a good mom and dad you asklots of questions ya know what I mean?”

“Violin: I won't claim to be following these two stories completely, but I do find them both disturbing.

When most of us would say that America is the greatest country in the world, what would possess John Walker and Charles Bishop to do what seems to be unthinkable?Public outcry? Maybe.

I hear more public outcry over John Walker than I do for Charles Bishop, but I think that was your point, right? In a country where we pride ourself in the ability to support those things which don't seem to be 'mainstream' -- perhaps we have no choice but to see them as individual freedoms that we have no right to refuse?”

“Charles Bishop doesn't carry the same "story value" that John Walker does. Bishop is a little pimple-faced kid from Fla.,(not a particularly liberal place). Walker is an adult from a place that conservatives love to bash. (I know, I used to live there.) And we all know that when it comes to bashing, the right-wing is like a pit bull.”

“I think it is a stretch to compare the two young people,Walker was old enough to make his own decisions about what faith he wanted to follow-then betray his country because of it-I would hardly call the Taliban brand of Islam liberal.
The young man from Florida is just another example the parents not knowing what was going on in their childs life. No one will ever convince me that this boy was not displaying signs of this depression/reaction to the medication prior to the incident.
The fact that he flew the plane into the building proves that he
was screaming for attention.
What better way to get the attention than to copy the most infamous day in American history.”

“so the theme here is...what? Americans who turn against their country? what are we supposed to be crying out against? i'm a little ignorant...no comments from the peanut gallery!”

“"If the story of John Walker - the American-born, Taliban fighter - is a broad indictment of American liberalism and Marin, CA,"

This is where the comparison goes off track. John ISN'T a broad indictment. He is just like the kid from Florida, an individual example.”

“"...who volunteered to carry the American flag and lead the student body in a daily procession that ended with the Pledge of Allegiance and a patriotic song? He wrote patriotic essays and entered them in contests sponsored by Daughters of the American Revolution and Junior American Citizens and wanted to join the Air Force."

So are you saying Violin, that liberals are not patriots? I understand that they are misguided, but unpatriotic? Is that how you feel?



"...we all know that when it comes to bashing, the right-wing is like a pit bull."

Gosh Dunadan, I hadn't realized (until your post) that conservatives were the only determined "bashers". That has not been my experience but maybe I should rethink reality. Drugs, that's the answer. Then I can be pure and good like a liberal.”

“Being liberal and be unpatriotic are certainly not synonomous.”

“Were you looking for outrage at the boy from Florida dying?I think we all would aggree it is an outrage-”