Generation Chickenhawk: The Unauthorized College Republican National Convention Tour, Now On Youtube

Just posted it on Youtube. It’s yours:

 

214 Responses to “”

  1. Jayne says:

    Powerful stuff, Max! Great buildup and strong finish – this rocks! Lets get this posted everywhere.

  2. Anne says:

    Max great job. Wish I’d known you were going to do this
    before you did. Those weasels claim
    asthma or football injury? as a reason for not enlisting.
    They need to know that soldiers with insulin dependent
    diabetes (became diabetic while on active duty) are
    serving in Iraq…walking patrols, wearing 40 pounds of
    equipment in 120 deg. heat. Diabetes has always been a
    “get out of the military card” because of the problems of
    Insulin, insulin shock, sanitation etc. but now because of
    the wonderful republicans they are serving. These brats
    need to be told they should get their buns to the re-
    cruiters.

  3. Emily says:

    I really enjoyed this video project of yours.
    Too bad you were “discovered” before you could get
    around some more. I wonder how they found out about you.
    One thing I enjoyed was hearing all the lame excuses. I didn’t
    know the military had excuses now when they’re taking druggies.
    I also am wondering why they pushed you out of the room where
    Tom DeLay was speaking where moments before they said they
    wouldn’t physically push you out but they ended up doing so.
    Gotta love it don’t ya? I also didn’t see you hit that woman
    and I watched it twice to make sure. Well you did a great
    job and I totally have a new crush. ;)

  4. Emily says:

    To the person talking about the republicans of your generation
    I think that’s for pretty much majority of the generations.
    Well at least the one’s who are the biggest loudmouths.
    We don’t have anymore Barry Goldwater types even if I did
    have my own issues with him.

  5. Emily says:

    Oh Lizard. I guess you forgot there are Christian’s who are liberal.
    I used to be one but now I’m a Christian who is a socialist.
    I guess only you guys are allowed to call the flag yours.
    Who knew? I guess my great ancestor Ben Franklin would have
    something to say about that.

  6. Emily says:

    To Preston Powell you’re right on the “Christian Right.”
    I’m a Christian and I don’t like them and what they’re doing
    either. I guess I’m hating on myself? Eh. I suggest
    the book “American Fascists” which talks about the
    “Christian Right” and he’s a Christian as well who was
    raised in the church and I believe his dad was a pastor
    and he even went to seminary school as well.

  7. Emily says:

    Oh on “American Fascists” the author is Chris Hedges.
    Sorry I forgot to mention the name. I also suggest
    “American Theocracy” by Kevin Philips who is hardly
    some liberal.

  8. Lizard says:

    Preston, I also thought that was uproariously funny;
    “funny” that I’m engaging in a “battle” of wits, with two
    unarmed opponents. Can’t imagine the “fun” you’d be
    having if I listed my screen-name as Jesus Gonzalez!
    Well Preston, judging by your “delight,” it’s painfully
    obvious that I’ve given you far too much credit as being
    scholarly; you’re only a paper tiger. You’ve relied
    on your outer facade to shield you from exposure
    of your true liberal DNA. I once gave you credit for
    being in the top “.001%,” of your* class, but I’m going
    to have to change that to read: “smack-squarely-in-the
    -middle.” I am not humorless, but honestly, that joke
    was as uninteresting as watching paint dry.
    I think this blog should have a log-in process which
    discloses the ages of Mother Max and his ducklings. This could
    be posted adjacent to the screen-name. Cripes! The
    last thing I want is to be accused of lurking on
    kiddie sites. I was going to respond to your previous
    comments, but what’s the point? No need to waste
    perfectly good bandwidth.

    *Legal disclaimer: The context of the word “your,” within
    this document, is hereby, without reference to a specific
    race,creed,gender,religion,sexual orientation, or
    nationality. The intent for usage is; as a substitute
    descriptor of a particular subculture, that possesses
    an eclectic chronic, severely deficient, mental capacity,
    -otherwise known as “liberalism,”- of which there is
    no known cure. At present, this group does not encompass
    the protected status from discrimination.

    Now that’s “funny!!!”
    Grammatical errors noted..signed off without proof-reading.

  9. Lizard says:

    Edit: accidentally omitted “sexual DISorientation,”
    in the disclaimer..Just want to make sure that Matt and
    his transsexual buddies are covered!

  10. JDKINPA says:

    Max,

    I’m a 59 year old male who gets what you were trying to show the world with you video of the Young College Republicans. Just want to say you are reaching a very diverse audience. Today as I was driving with the wife to do some shopping in Gettysburg PA; I was listening to a local radio station where I was surprised to hear some audio from you latest video. The show is called “United for Progress” and you can also listen to them on line here: http://www.unitedforprogress.com/
    I hope you continue exposing the neo-con uber-alles wing of the Republican Party for what they truly are: Fascists

    Since the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree, those bobbing heads you spoke with at the hotel are more than likely the future of that wing of the Republican Party. Then to hear Tom Delay, the biggest Hypocrite in the Republican Party, say that 40 million abortions are not lost human beings but lost peons that aren’t here to do take the jobs that the elitist crowd he is lecturing won’t do. How screwed up is that logic.

  11. Preston Powell says:

    Lizard, if you honestly think I wouldn’t be as aggressive towards your comments if you were a Latino, then you’re dead wrong, bub, for nothing irks me more than far-right conservative minorities—“pet minorities” what I like to call them. Therefore, your insinuation that I would somehow welcome you warmly without critical examination because you’re a minority is pretty laughable. You don’t know jack about me, bub, and I’m not that easy to categorize with your “black and white” binary classifications.

    I’m going to keep this short; I have more important things to do than argue with you. But it should be duly noted that I responded back to you when you patronizingly pat me on the head with that so-called nice remark about me being smart; however, Max hasn’t authorized the post to go through yet due to its length. Furthermore, I have decided not to respond to you anymore. Though I pity you and your extremist beliefs you hold so proudly, you’re someone that’s impossible to reach or even converse with intelligently. I do wonder what you meant when you said I relied on my “outer façade to shield” my “true Liberal DNA.” I never denied being a liberal, progressive, leftist—whatever you want to call me. I did say I have/had my issues with many Liberals, including The Clintons, and I’m not a water carrier for any candidate or political party. And, no, I’m not a centrist either because I’m very liberal on mostly ALL issues; I’m what you could call an independent. I never tried to hide the fact I’m liberal; there’s no shame in me admitting that.

    Anyway, save your half-assed compliments or responses to me, I’m not going to play your “bait-the-liberal-with-insults” game anymore. I’m done.

  12. Matt says:

    Preston do you ever post on political forums?

    Come to this one:
    http://www.politicsandcurrentaffairs.com

    I’m “Obamaaa”

  13. Karl Bakla says:

    That video was great! It was funny yet very disturbing! Draft College Republicans, brilliant!

  14. jude folly says:

    for a quick instant i confused you with sidney blumenthal…but no matter; really enjoyed this video and admire how you kept your cool and a straight face while the chicken hawks flapped and squawked.

  15. Fantastic Clip there MAX.

    I am Sending the YouTube Link to all People I possibly can.
    RepigliKKKans with medical problems that can’t serve because
    they’re in college. LMAO talk about piss weak excuses.
    Sounds just like George “Wheres’ My Drink” Bush,
    Rush “Assboiled” Limbaugh and Dickless Cheneys type of
    excuses.

    Please keep up the pressure MAX. Don’t Stop.
    America needs more people like you to stop these
    “NEO_SAPIANS” from fullfilling their New World Order
    plans and using Americas Dumbest college grads to fulfill
    their plans.
    CHECK OUT THIS OLD CARTOON – PEOPLE GETTING CHIPPED –
    By the NEO-SAPIANS CALLING FOR A NEW WORLD ORDER http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKr4uAUxot4

    Can MAX BLUMTHAL save us time?

  16. Sid says:

    is there a RSS feed for this blog?

  17. ANDERPARK says:

    FANTASTIC!!!!

  18. Preston Powell says:

    Thanks for that link, Matt, I’ll bookmark the site and check it out. I occasionally post at Media Matters when they carry some stories that perk my interests, but I’ll definitely check out the forum you just linked.

    You’re rooting for Obama? I dunno, I have my issues with him (and it has nothing to do with Obama’s “blackness” or lack thereof for those who are reading and thinking that could be the case. Such superficialities are silly and shallow to me). We do have to admit that Hillary’s been kicking his ass in the debates for the past few months. I’m not even rooting for Hillary, but TWICE she stole the debates from Obama that were held at HBCs, and it was embarrassing to watch. He’s pretty stiff and robotic, and he needs to shape up a bit if he’s expecting to steal the black vote from her.

    I’m a bit undecided over who I’m rooting for at this point. I like Edwards and the message he brings forth about poverty and education, but I’m not sure he’s capable of winning the nomination. If anything, it’s Edwards that the Republican Party is afraid of more than the other candidates.

  19. Enterik says:

    LIZARD: How an adult liberal was able to successfully dupe some conservative high school kids, with a few parlor tricks, is beyond comprehension.

    ENTERIK: I was wondering how many posts it would take you to get around to adressing the video at hand, just to see what sort of spin is deemed as damage control. I see you went with the “immoral liberal adults molesting naive conservative children” schtick. How quaint. But after actually watching the video, it seems to me the majority of those offering their opinions are adults participating in the COLLEGE Republican National Convention. They seemed to be offering their sincere answers to clear questions regarding the occupation of Iraq and their non-participation in said occupation (or invasion). So where is the duping? Where are the parlor tricks? Where are the kids?

    LIZARD: Plain and simple, those damned kids just dropped the ball there for those few minutes by assuming that Max was a genuine human being. And you know what happens when we “assume?”–yuck, yuck, yuck.

    ENTERIK: What ball do you think these college aged adults were carrying? The ball of carefully crafted talking points? The ball of obscuring ones true opinions? The ball of studied conformity? Or the ball of silence? What could these future leaders have possibly assumed about a man asking simple questions regarding their support for the Occupation of Iraq and their decision not to participate in that occupation? How could these young Republican leaders not understand the political liabilities of baldly stating their personal hypocrisy?

    LIZARD: Anywhooo, I’m just trying to recognize a true liberal icon. Any adult liberal who can swindle some kids, deserves the “Nobel Prize” that you’re aligning him with. Max is truely on the cerebral envelope of deep-thinking for your liberal causes. I’m just worried that the big guy is going to climax his career too soon. This movie is dangerously close to the pinnacle of liberal capability; he’s simply setting the bar too high.

    ENTERIK: Your lame attempt to insinuate “liberal careerist mediocrity” falls flat. What you mock as requiring deep-thought is patently obvious. This video conveys the simple and effective message that there is a disparity between College Republican word and deed. The College Republicans statements of personal belief about and excuse from the Iraq occupation are what give the video impact.

    LIZARD: Well, I guess he does have to make up for some lost time. After all, he missed an opportunity to interview Ronald Reagan on the Alzheimer’s ward, and then claim that he’s “smarter” than a conservative president!

    ENTERIK: Rather than accuse you of attempting a Pied Piper-style retreat into a fantasy world of conservative hyperbole, I’ll just ask you to explain how that last sentence has any bearing on reality? How does it help you rehabilitate the misguided opinions of the GOPs rising stars?

    LIZARD: There might be something left; maybe you guys can help him work on that whimpy persona of his?–he did look genuinely scared when they were escorting him out! You need to help him toughen up his image. Maybe you could send him on a hunting trip at the Metropolitan Zoo, then claim that he’s a “master sportsman?” !!! Toodles…

    ENTERIK: The liberal estimation of a man does not require displays of machismo, but it does esteem courage. Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway (that’s a John Wayne quote by the way). Your misundestanding aside, in the video Mr. Blumenthal maintains his composure, his tone didn’t waver, he continued to courageously question those physically forcing him from the venue, almost as if the inner sanctum of College Republicans could not bear the light of public scrutiny, they were acting almost as if they knew their little conclave has embarassing aspects that many find offputting.

  20. Matt says:

    I like Obama for a few general reasons:

    1) Hillary’s great, but lets be real…
    She stands no chance with a huge percentage of moderate swing voters.
    Plus, people are tired of the Clintons. As much as I hate to say it she still drags with her the smell of the late 90’s scandals that polarized the Clinton white house. The great things that man did for this country will always be overshadowed by the impeachment trial.

    2) Obama mainly swings left on issues, but has a lot of stances to the right that appeal to more moderate Republicans. I think he stands a huge chance at winning.

    3) Edwards is alright…but just doesn’t appeal to people.

    I’m still keeping my options open, but after his speech in 2004 I’ve been hooked.

  21. Matt says:

    Your right about Hillary kicking his ass in the debates…

    But I think Obama will get most of the black vote. A lot of black people (even if they like Hillary more) are going to vote for Obama specifically because he’s black and it would be a milestone for the country. So would a women I guess, but its sort of like a “stick to your people” race in the Democratic party. Women for Hillary, black people for Obama.

  22. Matt says:

    WOMAN* AHHH! lol

  23. Steviewee says:

    Max,

    Very nice…kinda Michael Moore lite thou.. and get a new
    car man.. I mean driving around in a 92 Toyota…..
    how ’bout a Hi-Bread?

  24. john says:

    You are an idiot. Grow up and stop being so egotistical. You have no idea what’s going on.

  25. john says:

    Your karate kid impersonation showed what an arrogant f#$k you are. Can’t wait for you to censor me.

  26. Stinkyboy says:

    Well done. (Except the interpretive dance thing).

  27. Preston Powell says:

    I don’t know if it’s going to be that easy for Obama to win the black vote simply because of his race. Historically, black folks have been deceived many times by wolves and sheep’s clothing, and are aware that just because the person is of the same color doesn’t mean that person will have their best interests at heart or deep group solidarity (e.g., Clarence Thomas and Condeleeza Rice). Women and black voters are a lot more sophisticated than many perceive them to be, and I’m sure both groups are going to vote for the candidate that can win an election in a landslide. Personally, as a black man, I’m not voting for Obama because he’s brother, I want him to show that he has leadership skills, and stop peddling the same neoliberal sound bites that makes him appear as calculating and insincere as Hillary Clinton. In the debate last night he conjured up the name Ronald Reagan at least three times—almost like the Republicans in their past debates—and that type of pandering and calculation to win rural voters will do him in, much like his buddy Harold Ford, Jr. Surely Obama is aware that Reagan’s history with black folks in this country wasn’t that great, and to reference him so positively with this carefree attitude made me question Obama’s sincerity and how “liberal” he really is. If anything, I view Obama as a centrist and master manipulator like Bill Clinton, the proliferator of neoliberal pimpology.

    Now, if the Democratic Party could produce a candidate like, say, I dunno, a Kucinich with electability, then we might be getting somewhere.

  28. Preston Powell says:

    However, I should add that I would vote for ANY Democrat before a Republican. lol So if it’s either Obama, Hillary or Edwards as the nominee, I would vote for any of them before the crop of Republican candidates. Any of them would be better than the last eight years of Bush.

  29. Sgt. Slaughter says:

    Max:

    I assume that you will be picking up a rifle and standing a post yourself? If not I suggest you do something constructive to help support the troops that are defending our way of life and are in harms way. Without those brave men and women – you wouldn’t have an opportunity to piss away your trust fund on making these little videos.

  30. Jeffrey Bland says:

    Absolutely brilliant.

  31. Lizard says:

    Preston says:
    “…master manipulator like Bill Clinton, the proliferator
    of neoliberal pimpology.”
    Outstanding! I finally found something that I agree with
    coming out of Preston!! Hey Preston, check out post
    #150! I think that’s a fair assessment of the liberal
    perception of minorities. Maybe someone should get
    this Vietnam-era protester, LSD tripping , time-warp
    hippie, up to date?

  32. Thomas Huffman says:

    What a bunch of trash. Lets try this at the Dems.
    I served in Vietnam if you scummy poticos would
    let the military do what all of you sickos sent them
    to do this war would be over. 98% of the senate voted
    for this war. You like wars when they are popular and run
    like scalded dogs when things get tough. War is hell get
    over it.

  33. Enterik says:

    Your “Generation Chickenhawk” video also provides a revealing glimpse of the homilies preached to the choir at the College Republican National Convention (CRNC). It seems as if all manner of crusaders want to let their little lights shine, discretely under the bushel.

    From CRNC National Chairman Paul “Direct Mail Fraud for the Elderly” Gourley’s bleeding woman-type (Matthew 9) witness of his fanboy brush with the hem of the Bush Administration, to the Tom DeLay clobber quote blaming the problem of illegal penny-pinching employers on the absense of a readily exploitable underclass, to McCarthy era fossil Fulton Lewis III exhorting consevrative non-soldiers onto the campus battlefield, what passes for Republican deep-thinking proves to be little more than a cannonball Sunday tent revival for the true believers.

    Do you plan a video highlighting more of the speakers?

  34. raoul says:

    What an eye opening video! It exposed their complete hypocrsy.
    I call them armchair patriots because that is exactly
    what they are. They are beneath contempt. And the sad
    part is we’re looking at our ‘future leaders’ in this
    video.

  35. raoul says:

    Sgt. Slaughter Says:
    July 24th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
    Max:
    I assume that you will be picking up a rifle and standing a post yourself?

    Instead of waving the flag maybe you should address
    the specific points of his video.

  36. raoul says:

    john Says:
    July 24th, 2007 at 10:33 am
    Your karate kid impersonation showed what an arrogant f#$k you are

    That’s because right wing neonuts have NO sense of humor.
    My wife and I were rolling on the floor when he went
    into his ‘karate kid’ thing. That’s because we on the
    Left do not take ourselves as seriously as you people
    take yourselves. But I can’t blame you – your leader
    is Jesus’ twin brother (in his demented mind anyway0

  37. raoul says:

    Marine MP Says:
    July 19th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
    They support the troops and espouse patroitism and pride on behalf of their country.

    As a former Viet Nam era army person I have often asked
    myself and others in my unit “what is it that makes
    marines so dumb and blind?” But I think the answer is
    obvious – you suffer the most casualties in any
    engagement because you all are little John Waynes
    rushing off to war without ever thinking about the
    criminality of it. The invasion of Iraq was illegal.
    Bush and company are guilty of crimes against humanity
    and numerous war crimes. Maybe you should read the
    Nurenburg War Crimes transcripts before attacking a
    real patriot.

  38. john says:

    max if all the college republicans elisted and went to war? hey nice plan max – this would leave nothing but liberals and democrats in power. then america would be in serious trouble. we would probably give our country over to the U.N. what is your point max other than propaganda. you and churchill must sit around and have pow wows.

  39. David Marko says:

    “Chickenhawk” is perhaps one of the best pieces of video journalism I have ever seen. Max Blumenthall, you enrich of our democracy. Those kids dont believe in the war any more than most Americans. It was like you took an X-Ray and published it.

  40. Jesse Kern says:

    Hey Max! Ya did good kid, now where do you go from here ?

    Uncle Jesse

  41. Enterik says:

    John, I know it seems like a bunch of goofy college kids are currently running the executive branch. However, the College Republican National Committee is NOT IN POWER. Liberals and democrats are not likely to replace them in the CRNC leadership were the deeds of young republican leaders to match the words of young republican leaders.

    Your comments also seem to imply that participation in the Occupation of Iraq that young republican leaders feel is so important to American domestic security is a literal dead end, almost as if you believe they won’t be coming back.

    The video reveals more than the future GOP leaders’ personal hypocracy(sic), it also reveals what appears to be their startling lack of intellectual autonomy. When queried most seem to regurgitate that misguiding talking point “fighting them over there, so we don’t have to fight them over here”. This observation is exceptional for the uniformity of grammar and delivery that suggests to me that most have been programmed with a thought pre-empting slogan that keeps them from thinking deeply about any issue involving the indefinite Occupation of Iraq or the toll it taking on our military service members. In this regard, I liken the College Republicans in the video to gluttonous patrons of the Bush Betrayal Buffet.

    These College Republicans have binged on the President’s georgian feast of greed, ignominy and death that is the endless Occupation of Iraq. They just hit the grub without an exit strategy or even an occupation strategy. The president refused to properly prepare and equip our soldiers while blaming Congress? The President has consistantly tried to reduce Veterans Administration funding and pay increases for soldiers during a time of increased need, in so doing he has betrayed their sense of duty and good faith efforts on our behalf. College Republicans gobbled it up his tripe as if it were freedom mignon (formerly filet mignon).

    Like a parent that is responsible for food the health and safety of their child’s food supply, Congress has the Constitution authority to inspect, direct and even terminate the nation’s overall Iraq Occupation strategy. As commander of the military, not of Congress and not of the Public, it is the President’s job to serve what comes out of the Congressional kitchen. Congress is the Decider and has a duty to evaluate the ongoing occupation and set reasonable timetables. The President betrays the nation and our troops again in refusing such common sense standards. The vomitoreum College Republicans self-indulgence lends an air of acceptability to the gluttony of a would-be unitary executive.

  42. Andy says:

    max-
    you’re unbelievable. first, you pick the weakest representatives at the convention to answer your questions (see guy in white shirt trying to explain his view on sexuality). second, you don’t allow any of your subjects to separate political views from professional aspirations– you don’t have to be in the army to support a war. you support environmental conservation. yet, i don’t see you driving a fuel efficient hybrid or walking for that matter. why not? are you not man enough to fully support the environment, or do you have better ways of supporting that cause using the resources you have been blessed with? i’m going to assume the latter, maybe you should consider that the next time you go around asking your subjects outrageous, leading questions. or, if you feel the need to trap all your subjects the way you did in this video, maybe you should expand on the people you interview. just ask the same question to all the democratic candidates who voted for the war–i bet the results would be strikingly similar. finally, your dance at the end was completely unprofessional and inappropriate. as an activist you should aim to transform the views of the opposition, not harden them by acting like an immature, heckling reporter. i have no problem with your political views or urge to question those politically opposed to you, just act like an adult when you do it.

  43. J9 says:

    Excellent work!!! A young Michael Moore??? I think so!

  44. Baz Army says:

    Thank You. So bad I cant have that sticker on my car. Im in the military and they will not have runing around the base with that.

  45. Enterik says:

    ANDY: max-you’re unbelievable. first, you pick the weakest representatives at the convention to answer your questions (see guy in white shirt trying to explain his view on sexuality).

    ENTERIK: You mean like mumbling future fullbright awardee Justin York(06:51)? You’re kidding, right? You didn’t watch the video all that closely did you? I suspect not, here’s another reason why I think your opinion half-baked. Max Kues (white T-shirt guy) interupts Max’s interview of his classmate, Sarah Billingham, to offer his own witness of ex-gay theology (03:22). He picked Max! I suspect you may be reacting strongly to his admission secret desires because the “conservative” point of view sees this as an embarassing flaw and personal weakness. Conversely, for liberals such a display triggers empathy for Mr. Kues plight and revulsion for repressive conservative morality.

    ANDY: second, you don’t allow any of your subjects to separate political views from professional aspirations– you don’t have to be in the army to support a war.

    ENTERIK: Didn’t allow? Clealry, all were asked two separate questions, “Do you support the occupation of Iraq?” and “Why aren’t you serving in Iraq”? The answers by their very nature were separate. That aside, I direct your attention to the comments of Ralph Kettel (05:51) who says exactly what you say was not in the video. Now his body language pretty much negates any sense of sincerity one might have attached to his statement. So, the simple fact remains, these future Republican leaders are content to stay at home while others do their bidding in Occupying Iraq.

    ANDY: you support environmental conservation. yet, i don’t see you driving a fuel efficient hybrid or walking for that matter. why not? are you not man enough to fully support the environment, or do you have better ways of supporting that cause using the resources you have been blessed with? i’m going to assume the latter…

    ENTERIK: I don’t doubt that Max supports environmental conservation, although I can’t find such sentiments expressed in this or other videos and writings. None the less, I’ll address your silly comparison. First and most importantly, no environmentalist is asking anyone to risk life and limb as a direct consequence of the cause they support, not so for those who support the indefinite occupation of Iraq. Second, Max is not wealthy, he edits video in his bedroom and drives a third generation Toyota Camry LE. As a liberal internet video journalist, a hybrid is probably beyong his means, and given the embodied energy in his existing car, the opportunity cost and distant breakeven point after purchase of a hybrid, he has probably made a sound environmental and actuarial choice in driving his jalopy into the ground. Therefore, the examples are not equivalent or comparable.

    ANDY:…maybe you should consider that the next time you go around asking your subjects outrageous, leading questions.

    ENTERIK: The only thing outrageous and leading about Max’s questions were the canned talking point answers and excuses for personal choice that he received after asking them.

    ANDY: or, if you feel the need to trap all your subjects the way you did in this video, maybe you should expand on the people you interview. just ask the same question to all the democratic candidates who voted for the war–i bet the results would be strikingly similar.

    ENTERIK: at the risk of enabling you to veer off onto well trolled grounds, the 2002 AUMF authorized the United States to use military force to “defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq.” Considering that it was shown before the invasion that Ba’athist Iraq was not a threat to US national security and that the US did not have the authority to unilaterally enforce its interpretation of UNSC resolutions regarding Iraq, your example is ill-conceived and symptomatic of the Right’s program of deliberate misleading of the electorate.

    ANDY: finally, your dance at the end was completely unprofessional and inappropriate. as an activist you should aim to transform the views of the opposition, not harden them by acting like an immature, heckling reporter. i have no problem with your political views or urge to question those politically opposed to you, just act like an adult when you do it.

    ENTERIK: And here I thought it was the self-appointed bouncers that were being unprofessional in manhandling away an obvious source of cognitive dissonance, but then given the opinions being offered by Tom DeLay, I can see why they want to hide their little light under a bushel. I also disagree with your opinion on the aims of activism, which is overly simplistic, even if appealing to ones classical and outdated sense of logical discourse. Those interviewed have demonstrated through their words a remarkable resiliance in the face of reality and by most liberals measure probably too invested to be worth efforts towards “conversion”. Rather they are useful examples as they unselfcounsciously lay bare the corrupting hypocracy(sic) of the Conservative message machine. In enabling their light to shine across the land, Max may disincline many potential voters and activists from associating with conservative organizations or ideas.

  46. john says:

    “cognitive dissonance” Is that how you describe his ridiculous karate kid move? Unreal. The guy is a budding Michael Moore…a jerk with a camera and an agenda that tricks and edits what he wants on the screen. You people that applaud this moron are just haters and sheep to the liberal agenda.

  47. Enterik says:

    JOHN: “cognitive dissonance” Is that how you describe his ridiculous karate kid move?

    ENTERIK: No, I describe Max’s Larusian interpretive dance as a deliberate provocation of self-appointed bouncers. Predictably, the College Republicans National Convention (CRNC) enforcers forced Max out, right after saying, “We’re obviously not going to force you out physically”(1:20).

    The cognitive dissonance (Individual awareness of inconsistencies in thoughts, feelings, and opinions) comes from something else, from the difference between the words these future republican leaders spoke and the deeds they excused themselves from. Maybe I’m judging the attendees possible cognitive dissonance on how I would feel if I behaved like they allowed themselves to behave in front of the camera. Maybe I’m wrong, maybe they were just upset that people who aren’t committed Republicans will see what they really think and do when no-one is supposed to be watching. Clearly, publicly stating their beliefs and justifications made them uncomfortable a little bit after they thought about what they said and eventually word got around the convention and the bouncers appeared.

    JOHN: Unreal.

    ENTERIK: More like surreal, what with Tom DeLay blaming illegal employers on abortion. Think about it.(3:50) I did and I’m hoping the silence of the audience means there was some of that cognitive dissonance I was talking about and not just earnest note-taking of talking points.

    JOHN: The guy is a budding Michael Moore…a jerk with a camera and an agenda that tricks and edits what he wants on the screen.

    ENTERIK: Are you feeling sore that Mr. Blumenthal was able to use direct and simple questions to “trick” the up and coming College Republican Leaders into stating their true opinions? That may be the true face of College Republican activists. One way of dispelling coclusion might be to provide an example from the video that supports your contrary claim.

    JOHN: You people that applaud this moron are just haters and sheep to the liberal agenda.(emphasis by ENTERIK)

    ENTERIK: Oh the irony! Yes, I think that last sentence of yours has shown us all the type of person you are describing. Consider what Herman Hesse once said, “If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us”

  48. tpartier says:

    To all who have made the utterly lame counterpoints like, “I don’t like garbage … but I don’t want to be a garbage collector”:

    I’ll bet few of us like garbage. We also didn’t lie to those who sought the job. In fact, we even make sure they have proper equipment and protective equipment to reasonably safely do their job.

    As Iraq goes – many of us were adamantly against the war from the get go – so why would we want to join and give Bush even more propaganda? Obviously can’t be trusted to not spin our potential deaths into something other than what they were – note the Tillman dust up.

    Incidentally, I am myself a veteran – Navy, 76-80, USS Ranger, CV61. In the interest of fairness – I signed up for 6 years, but because of my issues with color vision, I was declined entrance into the Advanced Electronics program and they whacked off the last two years while I was still in boot camp. They gave me the option of leaving the service at that point, too – but I stayed, I didn’t use the pathetic medical excuse to NOT SERVE at all. Instead – I served as a pnuematic/hydraulic computer technician in the ship’s Automatic Boiler Control shop.

    I did serve – I voluntarily served.

    So why is it so unfair to ask these sniveling punks why they couldn’t offer service? I’d like to point out too, I declined a scholarship in order to serve – you see – you had to score in the upper 5 percent to even be considered for the program I enlisted for.

    Why is it unfair to ask these prigs to put their money where their ignorant mouths are? Obviously – none took courses in philosophy or logic.

  49. A says:

    Your piece was pretty funny. “So your like a Dick Cheney
    Republican?” Hey I am proud to be a Lieberman Republican.
    We have a duty to protect are fellow human beings against
    those that are out to hurt us. We should get out of
    Iraq after we split Iraq into three states for each major
    group. Then we should go into Darfur, Iran and then we
    should take care of Hamas and Hezbollah.

    But anyway I thought the video was funny. Keep up the good
    work.

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