My jaw dropped on this letter to the LA Times 1/13/05

[rumpel]

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I think the torrential rainstorms have hit California because we are a blue state. God is obviously on President Bush's side, and we are being punished for not voting for him. I hope God knows what he is doing!
Arthur Friedman
Newport Beach

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/letters/la-le-species13.2jan13,1,4882053.story?coll=la-news-comment-letters

[skypilot]

1. "WE"?!?!?! "WE"?!?!?

Yeah, sure. I believe that a Democrat wrote that.:eyes:

Nice try Mr.Friedman.

On edit: On reading this again I realize that the guy is probably being sarcastic. I've read too many LTTE from supposed "Democrats" claiming that they think Bush was the better choice for President.

[shaolinmonkey]

2. Art only hopes God knows what he's doing. God is punishing Art

for his lack of faith.

Honestly, what went on in that meeting? "Let's print the nut-job letter" "that's a great idea Ken!"

Dumb.

[purduejake]

3. I don't get it.

It almost sounds like sarcasm, but then I realize there are a TON of idiots out there who think like this. I don't know what to think.

[Jo March]

4. Sounds like he is blaspheming to me

That is the only unforgiveable sin, you know - blasphemy of the Holy Ghost.

He is trying to read the mind of God and then questioning God at the end there.

Tsk. Tsk. Arthur has some serious issues.

[Der Blaue Engel]

15. This is true

(And I can't tell you what a RELIEF it was to me the day I realized I myself had committed the Unforgivable Sin. Incredibly freeing!)

:evilgrin:

[Jo March]

33. I have tried not to commit that sin

but haven't been to smart on some of the other ones. :(

[Sandpiper]

5. What about the four Hurricanes that hit Florida?

Which was a Red State?

[darkism]

43. It was a blue state both times before it was stolen for the reds

But coincidentally, didn't all the hurricanes hit pure red counties?

[Sandpiper]

45. Hurricanes and Tornadoes

Are both pretty much confined to Red States.

[bobweaver]

6. So how does he explain the huge wildfires right after Arnold was sworn in?

[LisaM]

7. Maybe it's because they elected Arnold

did he ever think of THAT?

[aden_nak]

8. Maybe God is trying to wash the stupid off of this guy's face.

[LeftCoast]

9. I think it's sarcasm

But these days...who knows? :shrug:

[Wickerman]

10. I think Art has a subtle sense of humor n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

11. I think he was using satire.

[tex-wyo-dem]

12. Unreal...

Also, didn't some prominent religous fanatic say recently that the tsunami was caused by God as retribution for something...some people are just living in the dark ages.

[mattclearing]

13. Don't you guys know sarcasm when you see it? n/t

[smartvoter]

28. That was my reaction, but if you look at what is written at places

like Free Republic, you'll see that plenty of people really think this way. My money is on sarcasm, but you can't be sure.

[BrklynLiberal]

14. I cannot believe the LATimes printed such garbage!

edited for reconsideration...
Maybe it was a sarcastic letter and the LA Times was showing a sense of humor instead of a total lack of sanity.

[parasim]

16. What I thought he meant was...

...because California is a blue state, "we" meant California as a whole, even though he himself voted for Bush... But I could be wrong, it very well could be sarcasm... what the hell do I know?

[pk_du]

17. Just shows there are Fundies in CA too..........................n/t

[Mistwell]

18. That looks like sarcasm to me

Yeesh guys...that was clearly a joke. You could practically see the eye rolling going on with that note.

Take it easy folks...have we lost our sense of humor while taking a dip in the paranoia pool?

[Mike Niendorff]

19. Luke 13:1-5

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

-----


MDN

[Jo March]

32. Well, if you read the Cliff's Notes of the Bible, you might miss those

verses!

Thanks for posting that. :)

[RaleighNCDUer]

20. LOL!!!

"I hope god knows what he's doing."

Think maybe it was a bit tongue in cheek?

[Blue_In_AK]

21. Some people's idiocy never ceases to amaze me. n/t

On edit .... okay, maybe it was sarcasm. I sure HOPE it was sarcasm. :crazy:

[helderheid]

22. That brilliant boy ought to check out what's happening

here in one of the reddest states:

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2523313



http://www.thespectrum.com/news/stories/20050113/localnews/1862349.html

Cost In Millions: 17 homes plunge into river; at least 10 more left uninhabitable
Rivers peak and begin to recede; cleanup begins

[mbee]

23. Can't stop laughing! What does this person think of what

happened to FL? Inquiring minds want to know?

[pk_du]

24. On further review........it is sarc

OR-

a. He's really conflicted about shrub's pResidency
b. Someone else used his name/city

Cause here's a letter "he" wrote to Orange County Register about the war in Iraq in 2003.

I just turned off the TV after watching the president's speech. I felt a terrible sense of deja vu. I thought I was listening to Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon explaining their rationale for being in Vietnam and the basics of the domino theory. We are now in a quagmire that was justified on false pretenses and are trying to impose a form of government that the people we are fighting for do not want. We are doing this at a projected cost of $87 billion that will be added to a multibillion-dollar deficit that the president has already created. Why don't we exit gracefully before the quicksand of the situation increases the financial cost and more importantly increases the cost of American lives?

Arthur Friedman

Newport Beach

http://www.ocregister.com/commentary/warliberty/

[rumpel]

35. Thanks for finding this.

[Vektor]

49. This fellow is clearly...

an outspoken progressive with a sense of humor!

[seito]

50. Imagine that

:eyes:

[Vektor]

54. Tee-hee....

Is there even a question?
:-)

[rumpel]

25. Newport Beach is in Orange County, quite red, I hope it is

sarcasm, but I also have a feeling, that Mr. Friedman is not happy about CA being a blue state?

[Im with Rosey]

46. I don't think it's sarcasm

I live in SOUTH(read repub) Orange County, it is VERY republican ( much to my chagrin). Newport Beach is BIG money, conservative W04 stickers all over the place. There are only a few of us that haven't let the sand cloud our brains. I just don't understand why LA Times printed it, O.C. Register, definitely, Times??? It's hard work living here!

[Systematic Chaos]

26. Total sarcasm, I think (See post #24)

It almost sounds like something I'd say just to yank people's chains.

[Vinca]

27. Definitely a "gotcha."

The writer has a great sense of humor and is exploiting Dubya's "hotline" to the Almighty.

[NationalEnquirer]

38. Yeah, pretty obvious.

I dont believe anyone would seriously write such a message.
Sarcasm is a dying art.

[seito]

51. Interpretation of sarcasm

seems to be in even more peril. lol

[IndyPriest]

29. I think I like this Friedman guy.

He's got enough wit to do well here at DU!

[bush_is_wacko]

30. Did it ever occur to this man that God has bigger things to deal with

his small mindedness? I knew someone was going to say something like this OUT LOUD, eventually. The disasters are more fodder for the fundies and evangelicals. I remember similar garbage in 1999 right before the turn of the century. I also remember reading the same type of stuff was happening in 1899! Does he have an explantion for the flooding in Ohio? Must be God crying because * stole another election and his administration and judicial appointees in that state covered it up!

[bemis12]

31. Definitely sarcasm

Amd well-done, too.

[Carolab]

34. No, God is ending the drought because CA stayed blue!

And what about the fires last year? Were those punishment for electing the Gropenator?

[LittleClarkie]

36. Then why did Florida get nailed three times

And Ohio get that blizzard.

God must be an equal opportunity kind of deity.

[Carolab]

37. Yeah, and what about those floods in Tennessee?

Bush voters are getting a real gift from God!

[demo dutch]

41. Make that 4 hurricanes in FL and floods in NC

[Bill Bored]

39. I think this is meant to be tongue in cheek, but I could be wrong!

And of course, it doesn't explain those FL hurricanes, does it?

The Lord works in mysterious ways!

[kerstin]

40. I definitely think he's making a point.

And his comment about hoping God knows what he's doing sounds like a sly indictment of the Bush regime in general. Kind of like, "God -- what were you thinking?"

I doubt a true evangelical/fundamentalist/follower of Bushitler would allow himself to even sideways question or criticize the judgment of either the Almighty or Bush (one and the same to these guys) and certainly wouldn't append their name to it.

Of course I could be wrong but I think the fellow is just being very subtle.

[JerseygirlCT]

42. You don't think this is satire?

[SmokingJacket]

44. "Arthur Friedman" doesn't sound like a Fundamentalist to me.

More like a bitter old Jewish guy.

My money's on sarcasm here.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

60. LOL! That is my thought. :)

[super simian]

47. Has to be a joke....

...the LA Times is not so dumb. Still, wish they had printed my letter praising the courage of Barbara Boxer! Guess not much chance of that with all of these entertaining paranoics writing in.

:shrug:

[Vektor]

48. I think he's being facetious...

Like the time Pat Robertson said that Florida gets hit by so many hurricanes because God hates "gay day" at Disney World. That prompted a lot of run-off jokes, too.

[seabeyond]

52. first blame god for deaths, then suggest god has a side

then question gods judgement. oh ya, this guy gets god,...........lordy, taking a few steps back,.....lol lolllol

to be out of the stiking distance

[d.l.Green]

53. We could determine whether it's sarcasm...

or not by determining who those poor 10 people- who are now missing- voted for.

Right? Same logic.

[Democrat Dragon]

55. I KNEW IT I KNEW I KNEW IT!

I knew the Rethuglinazis were going to claim that! It's ovious because of the way they reacted to the Tsunami.

Oh and Southern California needed some rain after a dryspell notmetion some middle school kids may have gotten their first, and perhaps last snowday. So it was both a blessing and a curse. Yet another example how Rethuglinazis see things(or at least want their supporters to) black and white.

[Laurab]

56. Methinks maybe Arthur is a frequent contributor

since someone pulled up a previous LTTE of his, articulate and intelligent sounding. It's quite funny, actually, but if you've spent any time at all over at freeperville, it's easy to see why you'd think the guy was serious. Hey, maybe he's spent time at freeperville, and wrote it after reading some of the posts.

[ChiciB1]

57. Down Here in Florida...

Many of us have been talking about all the tragedies happening since THE IDIOT "fixed" the election so he wouldn't have to move.

BTW, and I really hate to say this... WE NEED RAIN! Badly! Last rain here was on Christmas Day. Supposed to be getting some tomorrow, but I've HEARD that before!

[driver8]

58. Rainstorms hit because you are a freakin' idiot! n/t

[OnionPatch]

59. My first opinion was

sarcasm. And pretty good too! He's making fun of the way conservatives were saying the tsunami was caused by God being mad at the Muslims.

[NVMojo]

61. hey, Utah and parts of southern Nevada are flooded ...those are red

states!!! God must be confused????

[genieroze]

62. Maybe Arthur Friedman and all his wacko friends should move then.