If It's Bears You Want ...
--God Offering Rope to Aging Adam,
R. Hanssen (Sweden)
R. Hanssen (Sweden)
If back stairs you like,
If love affairs you like
With young bears you like,
Why nobody will oppose!
--Anything Goes, Cole Porter
In shallow shoals English soles do it
Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
--Let's Do It, Ella Fitzgerald
Pay my respects to grace and virtue
Send my condolences to good
Hear my regards to soul and romance
They always did the best they could
--Human, The Killers
_______________
I'm pretty nonplussed about the reaction surrounding the pull-out of Brett McGurk from his nomination to the Ambassadorship to Iraq.
Slate's Fred Kaplan wrote an apologia today for what seems the correct step-down of an entirely mediocre candidate for the position (Our Man in Baghdad). If the United States is trafficking in its moral rectitude, it can do a whole lot better than McGurk.
If the U.S. stands for dignity of all and morality, if we shun the degradation of women and frown on Afghan's dancing boys, then we must offer something better. Bigamy and adultery, and just generally bragging about your manly bits to women not your wife are behaviors we still frown upon. Such behavior just brought down Army Colonel Johnson, and Representative Anthony Weiner fell from grace last year this month for similar shenanigans.
But here's Kaplan whitewashing those two wild-and-crazy kids -- McGurk and Chon -- not addressing the real threats and offenses involved in the debacle, attempting to make the whistleblowers seem like some backwards malcontents. So what are we: A nation committed to human dignity, or are we dancing bears?
The lesson is, keep your Johnson in your BVD's, unless you are with your wifey. If that is becoming too provincial for us, then we should admit we're going French. However, that is something I have yet to hear any of society's machers proclaim. Not "trending", as they might say today.
My on-site reply to Kaplan's article follows:
Slate's Fred Kaplan wrote an apologia today for what seems the correct step-down of an entirely mediocre candidate for the position (Our Man in Baghdad). If the United States is trafficking in its moral rectitude, it can do a whole lot better than McGurk.
If the U.S. stands for dignity of all and morality, if we shun the degradation of women and frown on Afghan's dancing boys, then we must offer something better. Bigamy and adultery, and just generally bragging about your manly bits to women not your wife are behaviors we still frown upon. Such behavior just brought down Army Colonel Johnson, and Representative Anthony Weiner fell from grace last year this month for similar shenanigans.
But here's Kaplan whitewashing those two wild-and-crazy kids -- McGurk and Chon -- not addressing the real threats and offenses involved in the debacle, attempting to make the whistleblowers seem like some backwards malcontents. So what are we: A nation committed to human dignity, or are we dancing bears?
The lesson is, keep your Johnson in your BVD's, unless you are with your wifey. If that is becoming too provincial for us, then we should admit we're going French. However, that is something I have yet to hear any of society's machers proclaim. Not "trending", as they might say today.
My on-site reply to Kaplan's article follows:
"Does Mr. Kaplan honestly believe Mr. McGurk is the best the U.S. can front for Iraqi Ambassadorship?
"An ambassador should demonstrate impeccable personal judgement, being as he will be the face of our nation abroad. Kaplan offers a Frank Capra-esque tale, Chon's and McGurk's emails, "show(ing) a diplomat and a reporter exchanging flirtatious banter and, in the end, falling ga-ga for each other."
"'Ga-ga'? Puh-leeze spare us your Hollywood overlay. The exchanges were bumptious, sordid and sufficient to force a reporter to be released from her WSJ posting for violating company policy.
"Why are we not congratulating the sources for revealing what would have been yet another in a long line of mistakes in that hapless nation. Who is re-configuring the lines of what makes for suitable journalism? What would a Kaplan have said of a 1970's Woodward and Bernstein?"
Labels: brett mcgurk, embassy, fred kaplan, Iraq, morals, we meant well
posted by Lisa at 7:34 PM
12 Comments:
Yo Jim,
That's along --and lengthening-- stretch that the USSA still stands for the dignity of all and morality,
Been awhile since anything resembling either snuck into our body politic.
'Least since we were in our late teens and early twenties and embarked with the Expeditionary Force to Subdue the Dragon.
But I know you know all this already.
I do have to ask if you have been secretly taking creative writing courses as you missives have taken an exponential leap over the past few months.
I mean this admirably and not in my sometimes snarky manner.
Either that or Lisa is getting more writing and posting time....
Hey..who said "a joke,a joke I say"?
either way :KEEP POURING IT ON: the choir digs it and the rest need it.
There it is.
Deryle
Thanks, Deryle. I wrote it, and most appreciate your appreciation.
DP,
All of our articles are attributed.
jim
DP,
Your cmt begs reply.
We have constant discussions on the nature of RAW.
My position is that it's a Ranger thing-agile,mobile and hostile. I contend that folks come here b/c they want Ranger comment and not feminine dialogue etc..I write out of hostility and anger and try to keep this burning. I write direct and bluntly, but it gets filtered in editing which frustrates the hell out of me.What i say need not be pretty,sweet or socially acceptable.
Maybe my readers could comment on this fact-WHAT DO THEY PREFER??? Soft and smooth or Ranger.?!
i never was a dress blues guy.
Well you started thisso.....
jim
DP,
BTW- i live my life as i write.
jim
When it comes to a reality check, i want Ranger.
Concerning lofty philosophical musings, I prefer soft and smooth.
I think Jim and Lisa strike a decent balance most of the time. Very Yin/Yang
avedis
Thanks for sounding off, avedis.
Ranger may be the "reality czech", but I fancy I can give reality checks, too; it's just -- I prefer to fillet, not bludgeon.
avedis,
I'll help keep your yin stocked up ;)
It's obvious --for me--and Anon., that both your hostile, agile mobile approach is appreciated and necessary. And I do hope you're writing your life as you're living it as I know you are.
And I do appreciate the feminine wisdom Lisa brings to RAW. Would also have to add that I find an edginess to her writing that contributes to her perspective. It's hard enough making a point, even to the choir here at RAW. LIsa's point of view is, as you know, complimentary to yours.
It takes both.
I bet she smells better, too.
Actually, I 'm probably more into the feminine perspective these waning days of theRepublic for which we stand: the women and children weren't the ones to fuck it up --tho, admittedly, many of them stood by they man while HE was/is doing a number on it.
I've worn all the men's uniforms, played all the games and have come to the conclusion that all the majority of men want is to lean against their pick up truck, scratch they crotches, cuss and spit.
That may be biological and unavoidable, but I'm mostly done with it .
Now I have to go..got to read GQ and Men's Health..
There it is ..again.
Deryle
Deryle,
I always appreciate the honesty and directness you bring to the table. You are firmly of that male pedigree, but you have evolved nicely. Women must hone their finer qualities, too.
GQ and Men's Health ... onward and upward ;)
LIsa,
GQ for the style and Men's Health so I can stay healthy.
Your kind reference to my "directness " will be the quote de jour next time I get busted for my "bluntness", which, with history as a precedent
( good, huh?), shouldn't take very long.
Thanks,
D.
Good mag choices for staying healthily manly ;)
Some have accused me of bluntness, but I am direct, and do not seek to offend. But life's too short to tippy-toe on eggshells, no? I ask questions, and those in the business of dissimulation call that "being intrusive"; perception is all ;)
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