C-Span 7:45 ET: The first ethicist to discuss *'s ethics. might be good.

[LittleApple81]

The President of Good and Evil
C-SPAN, Washington Journal
Peter Singer , Princeton University

[LittleApple81]

1. Bush sees himself as being called to lead the forces of good against the

forces of evil.
Makes the author uncomfortable.

This attitude made him play Saddam into his simplistic assumptions leading us to war.

[LittleApple81]

2. Bush uses "evil" as a noun not an adjective. This allows him

to emphasize his view of the world.
Reagan had to be convinced to use the "evil empire" name for the USSR. But Bush uses it continously and semantics are subtle but allow him to do what he wants.

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Thanks for the heads up

[LittleApple81]

4. Bush write about his faith in a very naive way. Not a very critical

view of the gospels (when he visited Israel and standing in the place where Christ stood). Doesn't realize that the Gospels are not "absolute truth" in terms of geographical situation of where Jesus spoke.

[LittleApple81]

5. Even the Afghan war was not of "last resort." Powell said that

Bush wanted to "kill someone" after 9/11. Did not give a chance to get a tribunal to try to judge Osama if the Taliban gave him up.

[LittleApple81]

6. Repug caller says the author has a "liberal bias" in his book.

Author is not saying that Bush is a liar. But he examines what Bush* says and then judge him on the result of that examination.

[LittleApple81]

7. He analyzes Bush*'s opposition to stemcell research because

of the "potential" life of embryos. And then he attacks Iraq killing innocent men, women, and children destroying real lives.

[LittleApple81]

8. Repug: what about Muslim religion compared with Christians?

Christians are better, according to the caller.
Response: he has not said Christianity is horrible but we should not characterize Islam as horrible (cites the inquisition, the Holocaust, etc. which we don't use to characterize the Christian faith.)
Bush has handed the decisions that will kill people to Pentagon. Bombing residential areas to capture a general in Tikrit for example.

[LittleApple81]

9. Conference of religious organization where Bush created based

faith groups to get government money to provide services. (by the way, I didn't know he has expanded the faith-based initiatives so much! EEEEEEWWWWWW)

[no_hypocrisy]

10. * is not even doing the wrong thing for the right reason.

The ethicist would do better to discuss the pathology of narcissism and examine *'s need to correct every slight he's ever received in his life, his mother's life, and his father's life.

[LittleApple81]

11. Bush* has done nothing to improve the life of the poor. Just given

money to faith based institutions.

[LittleApple81]

12. Bush is too simplistic to be the leader of a country like the US.

Does not read, does not analyze.
Caller asked what right author has to judge Bush. The guy essentially said "think!"

[LittleApple81]

13. Somebody mentioned the Berg beheading's theories on the web.

First time I have heard that on C-Span. Mr. Singer said he has no opinions or views on those theories but that if AlQaida did it they really committed a political blunder because of the timing.

[LittleApple81]

14. A RW called and he anchor let him go on and on after he was

rude and lied about a quote from the author on the New York Times. She should just have hung up on him after he said to Singer "You had your time to talk, BOY..."

[onecitizen]

16. These right wing zealots.....

have me scared. Goodness, that man needed a big dose of Thorazine and some leather restraints.

[ixion]

15. thanks for the updates, LA81!

:yourock:

[LittleApple81]

17. When Bush uses religious language: freedom is a gift from God.

He only wants to talk to people that share his beliefs and then tries to marginalize those who don't.
Public discourse should be based on rational, thought out ideas not just religious beliefs.

[LittleApple81]

18. RW caller says that Bush has the right to express his religious beliefs.

She cites the Weekly Standard. Enough said.

[LittleApple81]

19. Singer said that Pentagon talked about the Weekly Standard

and said that the information had not been "properly vetted." And we know that when Pentagon says that it means that the lie is too big to be passed to the public.
He said AlQaida is happy not to have Saddam.
He said Chalabi was the source of much of the information and he had been passing info to Iran (and Iran using Chalabi to have the US to overthrow Saddam)

[Sentath]

21. Thats gotta sting.

Thats a very 'enlightenment' type idea, and there's very little the zealots hate more.

{rlg}

(thank you)

[LittleApple81]

20. A democrat was talking about Ollie North and Boykin saying

that "our God is better than the Islamic God." The Christian ethos has dehumanized the enemy and perverted rational thought to enable them to attack Moslems and kill them with impunity.
Singer said that Bush as not personally said anything like this but the military has and it is very worrying

[LittleApple81]

22. Singer said that the president should not necessarily be "secular" but

whoever is president should not let religion influence his decisions and policies for the entire country.

[Eurobabe]

23. I have seen him before, Singer is terrific!

This was an excellent segment, IMHO. I am headed out to pick up this book.

After listening to Singer's very cogent arguments it struck me, this is why I despise Bu$h and his ilk so much, they are illogical. They consider only one side of an argument, theirs.

Since when is it a weakness to consider ALL sides of an argument before making a decision?? It is downright dangerous that Bushit Admins. habit of makes decisions WITHOUT considering the opposing POV.

I think John Kerry needs to take charge of this stupid, negative meme that he is a flip-flopper, and turn it into a positive one. I want a president that uses critical reasoning skills and considers ALL the ramifications of something important before he makes a decision. Bu$h's thought process is too limited and non-critical to be in such a position of leadership. I want someone who uses their head and their gut, thank you.