Sorry?. . .

(from http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2012/sep/12/romney-says-us-embassy-statement-was-apology-was-i/)

". . . What three apology experts say

To explore whether the statement represented an apology, we sent it to the four experts we interviewed for our previous fact-check on Romney's claim about Obama's apology tour. Here are the comments of the three who responded:

•John Murphy, a communications professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who studies presidential rhetoric and political language, said Romney was wrong to label it an apology.

"First, the statement does not use the word ‘apology’ or ‘apologize’ and does not use any synonym for that word. There is no statement here that says, ‘We are sorry.’

"Second, the grammar of the statement condemns the actions of a third party. An apology, to be pedantic, is when the first party says to the second party, ‘I have offended you and I am sorry.’ This statement condemns a third party -- misguided individuals -- that does not officially represent the United States. The term ‘individuals’ dissociates them from the U.S. Therefore, it's impossible to say that this is an apology from the U.S. to anyone.

"Third, the statement does not apologize for the right of free speech; it affirms it. It condemns those who abuse the right of free speech, but it claims that this is a universal right, as is religious toleration. So, the statement does not like what the misguided individuals said and did, but recognizes they have a right to do it."

"It's a condemnation," Murphy said, "not an apology."

• Lauren Bloom, an attorney and business consultant who wrote The Art of the Apology, said that Romney is "once again allowing his emotional allergy to apology to interfere with his judgment."

Bloom said that "if there's anything more central to American values than respecting each individual's right to worship as he or she pleases, I'd be hard-pressed to say what it might be. The statement that ‘respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy’ not only is true, but is as clear an expression of one of our most cherished values as I can imagine."

She said the embassy statement is "not an apology -- quite the contrary, it's a confirmation that the American people recognize the right to worship freely and will not accept religious bullying in the name of free speech. To say that someone who deliberately insults others in the name of religion has acted wrongly isn't an apology -- it's simply a recognition that those insults go too far."

• Rhoda E. Howard-Hassmann, a professor who studies international human rights and maintains the website Political Apologies and Reparations, a database of documents on apologies, said the statement is "not an apology."

Rather, she said, "it is a condemnation of ‘abuse’ of the universal value of free speech. A condemnation is not an apology. … The Embassy statement also reaffirms two American values: the American value of respect for religious beliefs and the American value of democracy.". . . "

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First. . .

. . . of all. . .

  It was the wrong and cowardly thing to do.  It was extreme.  When all is said and done, it will not contribute to the accomplishment any possible goal held by the perpetrators of the murders. But the situation is much more complicated than that (much, much more complicated) and requires more than a simple ‘John Wayne’ response from a reputedly ‘responsible’ and ‘respectable’ public figure for such a response accomplishes no more toward a resolution than the initial, violent action.

Let’s start at the beginning.  A film.  A piece of ‘entertainment’ or ‘diversion’, if you will.  Whether or not in the guise of educational or informational material, merely a film.  Offensive to someone?  Hell yes!.  An excuse that someone with an agenda may use to further their cause, however justified or unjustified it may be. (More on that later.)

So a film was made and exhibited via the Internet.  The origin of the film is extremely hazy and involves individuals from many and disparate origins including a former Marine and longtime religious-right activist (from a group called Courageous Christians United), a Coptic Christian, 15 key players from the Middle East) Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran), an alleged Israeli-born, 56-year-old, Jewish writer and director and who knows how much of this information is accurate.  In any case, all or many involved are now quite frightened of the backlash their venture has unleashed.

First and foremost, in reasonable, rational and educated 2012, a film is a film. A document conceived, written, performed, directed, filmed, manufactured and distributed by human beings.  Mere human beings.  Nothing more, nothing less. Irrespective you spiritual, religious or cultural beliefs, in reasonable, rational and educated 2012, a film is still a film. Nothing more. Any ‘holy’ book that instructs one to kill another over a matter such as this is surely misguided at best. In fact, most ‘holy’ books, to the best of my knowledge, instruct their readers to be merciful; to forgive.  In short, be virtuous; the better man and set the example as opposed to reactionary, vengeful, vindictive and violent.

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Shades . . .

. . . of gray?  Not in Mitt Romney's (and his current defenders') world. . .

After seeing the photo of Libyans holding a sign stating that "Chris Stevens was a friend to all Libyans",  I decided to change tack a bit.

If you want to have a tough-talking, take-no prisoners, shoot-from-the-hip, show-no-mercy-type of president, vote for Mitt Romney.

If you prefer a rational, sympathetic, empathetic, thorough, fact-loving, humanitarian, logical, intelligent and reasonable president, DON'T.
====================================================================
(from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/11/mitt-romney-consulate-attack_n_1875906.html)
The Romney campaign's statement seemed to be an attempt to capitalize on the appearance that the Obama administration -- which has overseen the Arab Spring, and the rise of Islamist governments in both Egypt and Libya -- was capitulating to the sensitivities of an unruly Muslim crowd, rather than backing the right of an American citizen to release a disrespectful film.

But the statement criticized by the Romney campaign came early in the day, before the attacks on the two embassies, and was put out not by the White House, but by the Cairo embassy itself.
The White House later disavowed the statement as not approved by Washington, according to a senior administration official speaking to Politico.

Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt also commented on the statement from the Romney campaign. “We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose to launch a political attack,” LaBolt said in a statement.


(from http://www.mediaite.com/uncategorized/cnn-sort-of-calls-out-mitt-romney-and-newt-gingrich-for-lying-and-politicizing-libya-tragedy/)
CNN’s Brooke Baldwin and John Berman did an excellent job of keeping the facts straight as they interviewed former Speaker Gingrich on the subject, no mean feat given Gingrich’s comical contempt for facts. Early in the interview, Gingrich opined that the protests in Libya and Egypt were the result of “collusion and a fair amount of planning,” which may or may not turn out to be true, but which there is no evidence of. When Berman asked the Speaker “Do you have any proof that there is a connection right now?” Gingrich prefaced his response with a long, derisive laugh that tells you everything you need to know about the former Speaker and Romney surrogate’s regard for facts.
“Look, I don’t have access to the NSA listening devices,” Gingrich responded.

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So Much Malice. . .

. . . and so few facts. . .

(from factcheck.org)
". . . Paul Ryan’s acceptance speech at the Republican convention contained several false claims and misleading statements. Delegates cheered as the vice presidential nominee:

• Accused President Obama’s health care law of funneling money away from Medicare “at the expense of the elderly.” In fact, Medicare’s chief actuary says the law “substantially improves” the system’s finances, and Ryan himself has embraced the same savings.

• Accused Obama of doing “exactly nothing” about recommendations of a bipartisan deficit commission — which Ryan himself helped scuttle.

• Claimed the American people were “cut out” of stimulus spending. Actually, more than a quarter of all stimulus dollars went for tax relief for workers.

• Faulted Obama for failing to deliver a 2008 campaign promise to keep a Wisconsin plant open. It closed less than a month before Obama took office.

• Blamed Obama for the loss of a AAA credit rating for the U.S. Actually, Standard & Poor’s blamed the downgrade on the uncompromising stands of both Republicans and Democrats. . . "

Of course the other side takes advantage of the 'spin' quite frequently as well.   When will it end?

The Bitter End
©2003 Raymond M. Jozwiak



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Humanity. . .

. . . stinks. . .

Why is it that, in the interest of one's self, it is so easy to be impatient, rude and inconsiderate towards one(s) that you love the most?   It's just not right.  I hope I can stop myself from being that way the NEXT time it occurs.

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A Man. . .

                                                                               Orson Welles from The 3rd Man

I know a man who tries too hard
'Cause he wants to be liked
Both near and far
But it's not all that simple
A story to tell
And I'm sure it all started
Way back when
He was only a child
The whole world laying ahead of him
He couldn't get what he craved
No matter how much he tried
An uphill battle awaited
Then something clicked inside

Maybe he's okay
Not quite as bad as he seems
Am I expecting too much
It's not intentionally
Maybe it isn't polite
Looking so critically
Maybe I do it because
He's just not like me

I know a man who talks so much
He's got nothing to say
But it's never enough
And it's like second nature
He's as social can be
But the topic is always 'about me'
From his self-centered view
His egoist perspective
Subject of interest he's found
His world revolving around him
The real one beyond his touch
With real people there too

Please won't you understand I don't want every man
Doing just what I would do or moving the way that I move
or the the way that I sit or stand

Maybe he's okay
Not quite as bad as he seems
Am I expecting too much
It's not intentionally
Maybe it isn't polite
Looking so critically
Maybe I do it because
He's just not like me

I Know A Man (Just Not Like Me)
©2012 Raymond M. Jozwiak



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Faith. . .

(from "Thelonious Monk:  The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D.G. Kelley)

". . . Valerie W. [Journalist Valerie Wilmer]:  Do you believe in God?
Monk:  I don't know nothing.  Do You?
Valerie W.:  No. I do not.
Monk:  It's a deep subject, you know, trying to think about it. I kinda go along with you. . . "

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