LA Times Columnist defends saying that he does not support the troops

[coldiggs]

L.A. Times writer defends incendiary Iraq column

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Los Angeles Times columnist who infuriated conservatives by writing that he does not support American troops fighting in Iraq -- and calling those who do "wusses" -- stood by the article on Tuesday.
Joel Stein said he has been "bombarded" by hate mail over the incendiary article -- which was headlined "Warriors and Wusses" and held that U.S. soldiers in Iraq were "ignoring their morality" -- but does not regret writing it and stands by the premise.

"I don't support what they are doing, and I don't the see point of putting a big yellow magnet on your car if you don't," Stein told Reuters in an interview. "I don't think (soldiers) are necessarily bad people. I do plenty of things that are wrong too. But I don't agree with what they are doing so I don't see the logic of supporting it."

The article, which ran on the Times opinion page on Tuesday, was quickly linked on conservative sites across the Internet, where readers poured scorn on Stein, on the newspaper and on liberals in general.

"If I ever run into the a**hole, I'm going to knock his frickin' block off," one man wrote on the Little Green Footballs (www.littlegreenfootballs.com) Web site, one of nearly 500 people who had commented on the article by mid-afternoon.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060125/3/2emvs.html

[Psephos]

1. Stein sounds like someone who doesn't have family/friends in service

I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

Peace.

[1620rock]

2. Yeah, well he has a point there.... n/t

[formernaderite]

3. he's a very brave writer

not many in the MSM willing to put their beliefs on the line. I really don't disagree with anything he wrote.

[SteppingRazor]

4. It's actually a column that manages to be both humorous and decent...

His primary point in the column was not "man, those troops sure do suck" but instead "man, we should be giving them heathcare and anything else they need. But don't pretend you like what they're doing."

I think the column was a realistic, moral view on the travesty that is the Iraq War.

[0007]

7. I'll second that!

[gratuitous]

5. If you don't genuflect before the altar of redemptive violence

This is what you can expect, and I think that Joel Stein knew this going in. There's a lot of pointless wrangling over whether the United States has a national religion and just what that might be, but the point is indisputable that the vast majority of folks believe so deeply in the power of violence to redeem violence that they don't even question the premises and process of this National Myth.

[GDAEx2]

6. I've wrestled w/ this myself

Being a vet, I know that service members are not obliged to obey an unlawful order.

[atreides1]

8. Vet Here

You're right they are not obliged to obey an unlawful order. The trick is getting enough of them to stand up and say NO.

You and I, and all military personnel swore an oath, and we swore our allegiance to the Constitution.
To support and defend that document, because without it the United States of America would not exist.

The passing of the Patriot Act, violated some of the guarantees of that document, but did the U.S. military fullfill its promise, no, they followed right along with the rest of the sheep. Now the troops are in the country of Iraq, dying so that Halliburton can get million dollar contracts and Cheney can build up his stock portfolio.

They cannot be dying to keep us free, because our freedoms get eroded more and more each and every day, they are dying to make some companies rich and their stockholders richer.

I read the article and he has a point, most importantly he has the courage to say what he said.

I wish those here who have loved ones in the military would honestly ask them 2 questions:

1. Why are they in Iraq?

2. And why did you not live up to your oath?