11 Responses to “Smarter than Einstein?” »»

1. Cam Beck
   Comment by Cam Beck | 02/13/08 at 6:50 pm

   Commies.

2. bkdunn
   Comment by bkdunn | 02/13/08 at 9:25 pm

   That whole thing is fantastically disappointing. The Berkeley people I know are very socialist in their politics, but they’re also genuinely curious, genuinely open-minded people who are fine with other people having other opinions and making different decisions from them. Now I’m wondering whether the handful of Berkeleyites I know are poor representatives of the species.

3. Brian Monahan
   Comment by Brian Monahan | 02/17/08 at 4:08 pm

   Thoroughly disgusting people in my eyes. People really miss the boat when it comes to the military service members.

   It’s easy to protest versus serve.

4. Steve
   Comment by Steve | 02/18/08 at 5:18 pm

   The city of Toledo recently made national news (2 weeks ago) when the Marines were scheduled to hold an urban warfare exercise here.

   Our Mayor, Carleton Finkbeiner, told them to cancel the exercise.

   This was an afront to our Marines and the sensibilities of most people here in Ohio. Lots of scrambling by all the ignorant politicians could not undo the public relations damage.

   The Marines have been here before and performed their urban exercise. The Mayor is a liberal jerk just like the Berkeley City Council. The Toledo city Coucil is not so short sighted and would not have passed a resolution without a major outrage. But leave it to our joke of a mayor to do the equivalent.

5. Cam Beck
   Comment by Cam Beck | 02/20/08 at 7:31 am

   Great commentary by Thomas Sowell on the Berkley situation: Supporting the Troops

   Good line: “It is a shame that Berkeley is not on some island in the South Pacific, because then they could be given their independence and left to defend themselves.”

6. Gannon Beck
   Comment by Gannon Beck | 02/20/08 at 7:41 am

   Thanks for the comments guys. It’s bad enough that veterans have to risk their lives; having to deal with anti-military bias just adds insult to injury. I do think most Americans are appreciative of our military and these examples are the exception not the rule. If they were commonplace it wouldn’t be news.

7. Brian
   Comment by Brian | 02/25/08 at 12:43 pm

   That’s what you need to keep in mind; that for every pacifist schlub in Berkley there are 10 (or 100 or 10,000) more citizens who deeply appreciate the sacrifices military men and women make.

   @Cam: Awesome quote.

8. Sam
   Comment by Sam | 04/07/08 at 1:52 pm

   An Indian here (like from the country INDIA, not the red indian kind). Your post reminded me why I love American politics!

   ————————-

   What? Some people do not agree with us, have the guts to express a different viewpoint and oppose us?

   Hmm … first let’s come up with a “label” for them and define it in such a way that we cover everyone who is against us. (Note that the definition should be so broad that it should never highlight the root of the opinion but only the opinion - for example, parents who have lost their sons / daughters in the war, a former war veteran or damn hippies all asking for troop recall should all be labeled the same so that their reasoning doesn’t come into picture but only their common cause; after all, we don’t want others to UNDERSTAND them and start THINKING for themselves.)

   Let’s also identify a respectable, famous personality in their midst, and highlight how he differed with them thus picturing them all confused and lost idiots who don’t know what they’re talking about.

   ————————-

   Like I said, I love the different way American politician come up with to manipulate people!

   P.S: While I just wanted to write about how political debates are shaped in America, I’d like to add:

   (1) Einstein didn’t abandon his “utopian principles”. He later regretted writing the letter that you mentioned.
   “As other great minds got closer and closer to unleashing the power of the atom, Einstein began to doubt whether anything so destructive could be good for the world. He wrote another letter, this time urging the new weapon be used with great caution, kept only as a deterrent … After the war Einstein became one of the most celebrated spokesmen for the ban-the-bomb and peace movement, adding to his fame.”
   Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/einstein/

   “… when a Japanese magazine editor asked him, “Why did you cooperate in the production of atomic bombs, knowing full well their…destructive power?” Einstein’s answer was always that his only act had been to write to President Roosevelt suggesting that the United States research atomic weapons before the Germans harnessed this deadly technology. He came to regret taking even this step.”
   Source: http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/einstein/peace/manhattan.php

   (2) “Sadly, the only response to force is force.”
   My country’s history and cultural values teach us differently. Violence isn’t always the right response to violence. We gained independence from the British (the world’s most powerful empire of its time) through non-violence. South Africa did too. Martin Luther King and Rosa Park understood it too.

9. Gannon Beck
   Comment by Gannon Beck | 04/07/08 at 11:24 pm

   Thank your for the thoughtful comments, Sam.

   For the record, I really don’t have a problem with people speaking out against the war. I don’t believe a country should ever be comfortable with being at war or comfortable with the prospect of going to war. I think it’s too important not to question and scrutinize. I think there are productive and respectful ways to debate the issue, though. Please note that I did not use any derogatory “labels” in any of my arguments. Respectful dialogue in search of the best answers is in everyone’s best interest.

   My main problem with Berkeley is that they are aiming their protest at Marines (which is misplaced) and in a disrespectful manner (which is rude). Smearing bloody handprints on the windows of the recruiting office is, in my opinion, out of line. As a veteran, I find it a hurtful insult to my service, the service of my family, including my Uncle Gary who died in combat, and to all veterans who serve. My concern isn’t political; it’s personal.

   In America we have civilian control of the military so their protests should be aimed at the administration. Besides the rudeness, their protests are ineffective. I’ve talked to the Berkeley recruiters and they seem to be doing just fine. The protests seem to have caused more of a backlash than anything else. At any rate, they DO have the right to say anything they please. I have the same right and will use my right to support our troops.

   I disagree with you on your point about Einstein. Einstein absolutely did abandon his pacifist principles. He returned to them later, but only with the benefit of hindsight. Hitler’s scientists could not produce an atom bomb before the end of the war so the United States’ atom bomb proved unnecessary as a deterrent. When the threat was real, however, Einstein’s actions were what they were. He made the introductions that got the project moving.

   I will concede your point that I was wrong in stating that the only response to force is force. I would modify the statement to, “sometimes force is required to stop or prevent a great evil.” I wrote that statement before I finished Dr. Martin Luther King’s autobiography. As you have pointed out, it is possible to conquer evil with nonviolence. I think it can be safely said that Dr. King never abandoned his pacifist principles. Even after a bombing attempt on his house, he immediately urged all of his followers to remain nonviolent. He was truly a great man.

   I admire Dr. King and his methods of nonviolence, but I do wonder exactly what conditions they would be effective under. They worked in America during the Civil Rights Movement, but would they have been effective for the Jews in Nazi Germany during World War II? What about Iraq? These aren’t rhetorical questions. I don’t know the answer. In any instance where nonviolence could work, I would like to see it work. I don’t have a clear idea in my head of when it could work and when it couldn’t. Perhaps you have a better grasp of it. I would sincerely like to hear your opinion.

   My position on the troops, I believe I’ve made clear, but as for what to do next in Iraq I’m less sure. I want our troops home as much as anyone. I think, however, that we should not leave if it means that genocide will erupt in our wake. That is the great evil that I believe hangs in the balance. In the coming election, this is the issue I will be paying attention to and voting on. Obama thinks he can get our troops out in eighteen months. He talks about a “responsible” withdraw, so I’m assuming, like me, he finds genocide irresponsible. I hope he is right about being able to accomplish this, but I will not be lulled into what Ann Frank described as an “ostrich policy” when she described Europe’s inaction to the threat Hitler posed. Obama’s arguments for how the withdrawal can be responsibly made will have to be well formed to sway me. McCain doesn’t seem to think that it is possible to leave so quickly. My gut tells me that McCain is probably right but I am willing to listen to Obama (if he is the nominee which looks mathematically probable). I will also listen to military officials, and the Marines I correspond with on an ongoing basis. During the upcoming months I will pay attention, keep an open-mind, listen to the evidence and arguments of both candidates. In the end, I intend to cast an informed vote for the candidate that has made the best case.

10. Cam Beck
    Comment by Cam Beck | 04/15/08 at 9:38 am

    “What? Some people do not agree with us, have the guts to express a different viewpoint and oppose us?”

    The issue is not “guts.” Nor is it about simply positing a different point of view. These things are obviously protected in this country, thanks in large part, to the contributions of the members of the military. The issue is disrespect, a lack of general appreciation and perspective, and the presence of abject stupidity.

11. gannonbeck
    Comment by gannonbeck | 04/15/08 at 9:59 am

    Good points Cam. The feeling among veterans seems to be universal.

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