This is a small thing, but I thought it worth sharing.
For some reason I got wrapped up in existing threads here yesterday and forgot to post something I wanted to. On my way home from work I have about a ten-minute stretch in the car each day from the train station to my house. I generally listen to Randi Rhodes although at least 3 of the ten minutes is usually taken up by ads.
Yesterday my train was very late and I ended up getting in the car and turning on Randi at about 6:15 pm. She took a caller and they were talking about how the * machine tries to smear people who served their country. Randi responded by referring to Cleland and Kerry, and talked about Kerry's courage to first volunteer and serve honorably, then come home and have the intelligence and courage to stand up against the war. It was only a minute or so that she talked about him but it was very nice. I had been trying to figure out Randi's attitude on Kerry - I never heard her say anything negative but also sometimes she would leave him out when I thought she should have mentioned him. But then, I only listen 10-20 minutes a day. Anyway, I thought this was very, very good. I don't know if there's an archive to listen to yesterday's show. If there is and you want to hear that bit, it was on at about 6:15 pm EDT (45 minutes before the end of the show).
I was reminded of this by this DU post today:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1998520which references this BuzzFlash article:
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/05/08/edi05059.htmlIt is actually about Cindy Sheehan and Rove attacks in general, only mentions Kerry as one of several patriotic Americans they have smeared, but it reminded me of the Randi show yesterday.
Between the two items, I am thinking that every time they try to smear a vet, Kerry's name will be mentioned - at least in places like AAR and BuzzFlash, but also MSNBC et al occasionally - as a true patriot who served his country honorably.
Repetition is a good thing. Of course I wish the * machine would suddenly become decent human beings and stop trying to trash good people, but as long as they are going to do it anyway I think the repetition that JK served
honorably is a good thing, because it is subtly going to influence people to respect him more.
That's my thinking, anyway. Yours?