The Land of the Free - Conservative Politics Web Site

Gum Flappers by Jeff Jackson 10/07/03
The Land of the Free - A Conservative Politics Web Site

Please note that I had originally written this article with the name of the host I believed that I was listening too. However due to the fact that I was in the boon docks of North Central PA and listening through much static I decided to remove the references prior to publication because it distorted the voice enough that I am not 100% sure as to the speaker. To be fair I have not been able to confirm the host despite 3 emails to the station asking who was manning the mike at this time.

One of the good things about my main line of work is that I am forced north of I80 to often switch from my normal south western PA radio stations and listen to stations like 570 WKBN out of Youngstown, Ohio. This morning it was either that or 1400 Jet radio out of Erie and I choose 570.

My ire started in an upward trend this morning by the host first talking about how the inspectors for the United States currently in Iraq were no better than the UN inspectors for various reasons. Most of it revolved around how he asserted that our inspectors haven't found anything in the line of WMDs in Iraq. I mean sure he ignored the most current reports where the inspectors have been uncovering pieces of such programs that would be ultimately pointless to have without a WMD program. I mean sure he ultimately ignored Saddam's own admissions that he had such weapons by threatening to use the against the United States should we invade Iraq. And I mean sure he ignores that the Iraqi people are helping us over there find these things and continuing to claim and support the assertion that these programs did indeed exist prior to the most recent war. Ok, I can understand the need of some people to see the whole ball of wax before admitting that the ball of wax exists.

That's a common failing of many people. He hasn't seen a warhead loaded with WMDs yet so he doesn't believe that they exist. Foolish premise, but his premise none the less and certainly a bit of healthy skepticism is not that big of a deal.

Of course the host also went on about how he believed that the sanctions on Iraq were working and should have been allowed to continue. Sure, and I guess that means that he supported allowing Saddam Hussein to torture and kill his own citizens? I suppose the host also was for allowing Saddam to continue harassing his neighbors and the independent Kurds to the north. He didn't even make the attempt to condemn Hussien as an evil and vile dictator but instead continued to berate the President and his administration despite the fact that it took President Bush to do what the UN threatened and threatened to do but never had the balls to act upon. Blood pressure is up but still ok so I continued listening despite my own best interest and mental health.

Then he decided that that two lines of faulty logic wasn't enough. He then moved on to how Iraq and Al'Queda have had no ties what so ever. Nope, not a one. I mean I am sure that he really believes that in his mind. *cough* Delusional *cough* This is now the time that I start to wonder if his little choo choo is operating with all cars hitched or if he had left a couple back at the station. After all he has already ignored any evidence to the contrary on his belief that there were no WMDs or that this was an "imminent" threat that the media has propped up as THE end all and be all for the reasons to take out Saddam. Now he is ignoring meetings in Europe between the regime and terrorists reported and confirmed by governments themselves, but apparently since disputed by France and Germany do not account for anything in his mind. Forget that Sudanese intelligence confirms this. Forget threat the Guardian (London) also clearly confirms this. Forget that Abdul Rahman Yasin (1993 WTC bombing) was given a house and salary in Iraq and has been confirmed by U.S. Intelligence which has not been overly kind to President Bush at times. He is ignoring high level Iraqi officials being caught in the mountains of Afghanistan who I am certain he believes were probably just out for just a nature hike eh? How about ignoring Salman Pac; a gutted airplane fuselage sitting in the middle of no where where terrorists have be sighted and confirmed. He ignored numerous, and non-US, intelligent reports providing this connection.

Then he continued on about how the United States was mostly against the world in this war and that those countries that we with us were simply along because we bought and paid for them to do so. Well excuse me Mr. Radio Host Man! The United Nations itself, the whole of the "world", time and again condemned Iraq for harassing neighbors, failing to disarm, you name it. Something like 18 times I think it was. The UN itself talked about serious consequences if the treaties that were put in place following the 1991 Gulf War were not followed (hint hint they weren't, Saddam continued to ignore them).

What did the UN mean by serious consequences? Did it mean that Saddam would no longer be allowed to vacation at President Chirac's summer home outside of Paris? We all know what it meant. The problem was that the UN as a whole agreed but was unwilling. Thus enter the "Coalition of the Willing". These were countries, lead by the United States I grant you, that looked at what the UN said and (heaven forbid) actually decided enough was enough and that it was time to act.

Ok, now I really have to start wondering about this guy. He completely switched gears despite my yelling at him through my radio to keep on the topic of Iraq because I wanted to hear more of his fallacies.

Then he really took the cake and swallowed it whole. He started to berate Republicans for supporting a member of the Hollywood community (i.e. Arnold Swartzenegger) while it is his assertion that Republicans continually berate Hollywood types as know-nothings that should shut up and continue making movies. He asserted that Republicans are now hypocrites because of this perceived change. Now this is what really got my goat and solidified him as one of the "gum flappers" rather than a serious radio host.

Here is a clue for you (and for the rest of you that like to talk to hear yourselves squawk). Most generally Republicans do not, nor have they ever claimed that simply because someone is from Hollywood that they should simply sit down, shut up and go back to acting/singing/directing/etc. If you were a serious radio show host you would have thought about this completely idiotic line of argument before making it. Republicans and conservatives have told people that apparently have absolutely zero knowledge of topics on which they espouse, who are often times from Hollywood, that they should do such things. Actors that played a farmer in a movie lecturing people about the needs for conservation and farm subsidies who clearly demonstrate their ignorance are who these Republicans and conservatives tell to sit down and shut up. People who think that because they have a microphone stuck in their face it gives them the right to spout off on any topic that they read in the latest issue of Readers Digest are the ones conservative tell to sit down and do what they do best (and that isn't saying much for some of them). People who run to foreign soil to berate the United States and support dictators and clearly mouth off with half-truths and lies are the ones that Republicans and conservatives often tell to sit down and shut up. You know, the Babs Strisands, George Clooneys and Tim Robins of the world.

Republicans and conservatives call to light the idiocy of putting Susan Sarandon in front of a microphone to talk about wildlife conservation and hunting when she has no expertise in the field instead of Ted Nugent who actually lives his life and practices such things on a daily basis. I mean I am sure that things would be so much better if we all acted like Democrats and liberals who cry foul when our elected officials actually ask the advice of people who know about the situation. You know like they did with Vice-President Cheney and the energy companies? Sure! Why not? Let's instead listen to people who have limited knowledge of the situation at best. Let's call in an actor that played a Nuclear Power Plant worker instead. Let's have George Clooney lecture us on the dangers of nuclear reactors.

You see, there is a big difference between the brand of reality certain people with a microphone choose to spout and what is easily known to be true through observation and even a casual and sometimes accidental application of facts. Some people seem to think that it is accurate to portray wishy washy opinion as truthful when in reality all it is is a situation of "listen to me talk" so rampant among many people with a pen or a microphone. They have a forum and they think that that entitles them to be stupid. News flash, what entitles you to be stupid is your decision to not use your brain, not the fact that someone with even less clues gives you a forum.

Thank God it is my right to change the channel, which is exactly what I did after having my fill of idiocy for the morning.

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