'The horror, the horror'

One of my more masochistic habits is that of listening to NPR (National Public Radio) in the morning. I can't help it, I was raised on it- it's not, as some of my friends allege, the benefit of 'knowing what the enemy thinks'. Most of the time their news coverage is well done and they make a good effort to balance their discussions.... most of the time. When they don't I find that veins are popping out of my forehead and I'm having trouble driving or other complex motor skills.

This morning was no exception- started off decent, discussing the elections in Iraq with an Arabic correspondent, pretty interesting. But then it devolved into a paean about the Marines who died in the crash last week. Now, I'm quite sensitive to the fate of our military members- I was once among them and personally know a few who aren't coming back. But the choice quotes were too much- a Marine contemplating the value of Iraqi democracy vs. the lives of his friends.

This will not devolve into a spiel on the defeatist 'Yes, but...' one-sided media coverage in Iraq. Some of the guys I link to (and I've listed below in a previous post) are way ahead of me on that one. And I'm not going to criticize the Marine who said that, it's a question we all have to struggle with. The recent (and probably ongoing) Andy Sullivan/Instapundit/Kaus clash over the war's cheerleaders and detractors is more indicative of what I'm feeling over this situation. They are all exposing each others biases (and in the case of Sullivan, a little flakiness), which is good. But it's sad.

I grew up in a good liberal family where debate and critical thinking was encouraged, so I don't feel too bad about my recent political shifts. I listen to my newfound 'allies' (so to speak) complain about liberals and leftists and while I understand, I also know that they are good people too. I just hope that the leaders and decisionmakers among the Democratic party can see why someone like me is moving more right by the day after listening to the defeatist crap they offer as 'opposition' to the Republicans. I don't identify as a Republican just yet, but after a couple of years it looks possible... but this shouldn't be taken as a threat. I'm an independent person capable of making decisions on what is best for me and my country, and what's more I believe strongly in the responsibility to do so.

People like Michael Moore and Seymour Hersh need to be denounced as Big L 'Losers'. That's all I got to say. Belmont Club has the latest on Hersh's most recent screed and it's pathetic.

Eh, what can you do. I better get to school so I can look at and talk to some of the pretty women- I mean, I have some studying to do.