Flag at half mast?

[Tonto 1]

South Africa will be flying its flag at half mast (for a week!) in respect for the death of Yassir Arafat.

I think that's going a bit far. Anyone think I'm out of line?

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[DrunkMonkey 0]

We're going to drink a toast at Hooters to him tomorrow:

"To Yassir Arafat: Good riddance to bad garbage. Say hi to the Ayatollah and Hitler for us."

[IanHarrop 42]

I think you're right. This is a bit much. I say good riddance to bad rubbish. Let the fucker burn in hell.

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[IanHarrop 42]

This is scary! We think too much alike.

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[lawrocket 3]

No. I think it'd be similar to having US flags at half mast In September, 2006 to mourn the 40th anniversary of Hendrik Verwoerd's death...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[ahegeman 0]

Nope, its perfect for the UN, a pathetic organization of dictators and anti-semites. They kissed his ass when he was alive, why should it be any different now?

---------------------------------------------------------------
There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.
--Dave Barry

[wmw999 2,452]

As a person, it's going too far. He was a pretty despicable person. As the head of a group of people who have, in fact, been shit on (partly by him), no. It's a toughie, frankly.

Their identification as a people is in no small part due to him. And that's important to many Palestinians; pride in who you belong to is strong. How many Americans here would be upset at rejoicing in other countries at Bush's death? Thought so.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[ltdiver 3]

Just a hint from another post about half mast vs half staff.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[Tonto 1]

Sorry. I was in the Navy. Old habits...

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Muenkel 0]

No, I don't think you're out of line. It's a sad day when the world reveres a vile man.

_________________________________________
Chris

[gmanpilot 0]

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How many Americans here would be upset at rejoicing in other countries at Bush's death?

Here is a salient story about the immediate reaction of some foreign visitors on 9/11, can you imagine what their reaction would have been if Bush had been killed?:

Well, one day last summer I took a call from my contact—I had done this often enough that we were on first-name terms—at the Foreign Visitors Program. They had a major event coming up, he told me. A large group of Chinese media people, TV producers and the like, were coming over in a single batch. “The cream of 30-40-year-olds at major Chinese media outlets,” he gushed. A series of discussion groups and lectures was being arranged. Would I care to address these people? I said I’d like to see names and titles. He e-mailed me a list. Scanning it, I was impressed. These were indeed heavy hitters in Chinese media circles. News Director, Shanghai Broadcasting Network … Deputy Editor-in-Chief, China Newsweek Magazine … Editor, International Affairs, Global Times … News Anchor, CCTV. I called the guy back. Yes, definitely I’d be interested.

In the fullness of time, arrangements were made, a program published. There would be an event at the State Department’s New York City office on 53nd Street. I would speak for an hour, 10:30 to 11:30, on the subject “Perceptions of China in America’s Right-Wing Press.” I would then be the guest of the Department for lunch. There would be an honorarium of $250! And the speaker right before me, 9:30 to 10:30, would be Dr. Henry Kissinger. The date: Tuesday, September 18th.
On the Friday following the September 11th attacks, I got a call from my man at State. The whole thing was off, he said. Why? I naturally wanted to know. “I can’t tell you, really can’t tell you. Anyway, it’s off. We’ve told Kissinger.” Where were the media hotshots? “Gone back, gone back to China, the whole lot. It’s all off.”
In the weeks that followed I was able to piece together what had happened. This, I should say, was from informal sources, whose versions of events did not always agree in precise detail. All the accounts told the same basic story, though. The Chinese media types came over on September 8th. They were in a room together with some State Department minders, receiving some kind of cultural acclimitization, when the World Trade Center was hit. There was a TV set in the room, and everyone got to see the second plane hit. When this happened, some of the Chinese party stood up and cheered. My informants differ on how many, from a lower bound of “only three or four” up to “at least half a dozen.” (The list of participants I had been given contained fifteen names.) This made the State Department minders very angry. A shouting match broke out. A report went up the chain of command. Whether it went all the way to Colin Powell I am not clear; it certainly went as far as Richard Armitage, Powell’s second-in-command. The Chinese media people flew back to China shortly afterwards—whether voluntarily or not, my informants do not agree.

I realize that the situation in Palestine is not the same as in China But, if this is representative of the generic, anti-American sentiment in response to thousands of innocents being targeted and murdered, I have a real problem honoring a thief and a terrorist with our flag.

_________________________________________
-There's always free cheese in a mouse trap.

[Darius11 12]

Wendy
You forget.
You unlike many have the ability to see both sides. Many unfortunately see things only threw their narrow vision.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[falxori 0]

give me a break, its absurd.

look, i have no problem with the fact that one's terrorist is another's freedom fighter but i dont rememeber many "leaders" (even non terrorist leaders) that received such an honor when they died.

and as always, the UN at its best :
(from cnn.com)

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Outside the Arab world, North Korea declared three days of mourning for Arafat and ordered flags to fly at half-staff at some buildings to honor "a close friend," the official KCNA news agency reported, according to Reuters.

"The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea decided to set the period from November 15 to 17 as a mourning period and fly flags at half mast at some institutions in this period," KCNA said, using North Korea's official name.

"A close friend of the Korean people, President Yasser Arafat visited the DPRK six times from October 1981 to June 1993," KCNA said. "He was awarded the title of Hero of the DPRK during his first Korean visit."

At the United Nations, Arafat was honored as a head of state although the Palestinians only have observer status at the world body.

At Secretary-General Kofi Annan's request, the U.N. General Assembly accorded Arafat the honors of a head of state because that's the way he was treated for many years by the 191-member body, AP reported U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard as saying.

As a result, the blue-and-white U.N. flag flew at half-staff outside U.N. headquarters on Thursday, and the General Assembly held a memorial tribute to the Palestinian leader, AP said.

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[Darius11 12]

I am not saying that Arafat was a great guy.

All I am saying is I like it when people can see both sides.
There are too many people who only think their way is the only way.


You know why I feel people are making a big deal about this.
I think in a way they feel by making a big deal of Arafts death it is a sort of protest agents Israel, and maybe even Bush.

I wish the Palestinian people luck. I hope they find a brave, fare, honest, and smart leader I wish the same for the Israelis.

The only way we will ever have peace is having good leaders on both sides.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[falxori 0]

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I wish the Palestinian people luck. I hope they find a brave, fare, honest, and smart leader I wish the same for the Israelis.

The only way we will ever have peace is having good leaders on both sides.

i wish them the same.

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The only way we will ever have peace is having good leaders on both sides.

not that the israeli side is free of mistakes, but since the peace process started in 1991 there were 5 prime ministers in israel (6 if you count the temporary government after Rabin was killed).
there were 3 US presidents who sponsered the negotiations and endless US and EU messengers to the region.
there was only one arafat.

and i think you already know i see both sides.
i think he did more damage to his own people than to israel.

O

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[metalslug 36]

Yassir Arafat, Moammar Gadaffi, Fidel Castro, Robert Mugabe, Saddam Hussein...

The old South Africa was harshly judged for its racism and bigotry.
Will the new South Africa be judged by the company it keeps ?
...and which is the lesser of two evils ?




-

No 'mericans were harmed during the making of this post.

[Darius11 12]

and I think you already know I see both sides.

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I know you do, and that is why I replay and discuss things with you. You are not blind and your points are valid.

I think he did more damage to his own people than to Israel.

Quote

Unfortunately the governments in the whole region are corrupt. That is mainly the reason for the poverty.
The Middle East is one of the richest places on this planet but unfortunately that is also what keeps it from growing. There is many times i wish Iran never had any oil.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

• Quote

[billvon 2,998]

>I think that's going a bit far. Anyone think I'm out of line?

Tough call. Castro posed one of the biggest threats to the US in the past 50 years. If Castro died, he would deserve no such honor as a person, but there could be cause to show our respect to the country of Cuba that they lost their leader.

[lawrocket 3]

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I hope they find a brave, fare, honest, and smart leader...

So do I, Darius. The issue is that they haven't had one. Well, yes, Arafat was smart, but not fair or honest.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Tonto 1]

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...and which is the lesser of two evils ?

I'm fortunate in that I have no doubt as to the answer to that question.

Sure, the New South Africa has plenty of revolutionary friends. Those friendships were forged when the ANC was in need of every means of support available in its struggle against apartheid and in it's quest to secure democracy for all South Africans.

While many democratically elected governments were proping up the apartheid government, sneaking by the Sulivan principles and allowing Kodak, Polaroid, Coke, Pepsi etc to make fortunes out of the people of South Africa, many of those on your list were doing all they could to end apartheid.

I'm glad they suceeded.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[ahegeman 0]

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cause to show our respect to the country of Cuba that they lost their leader.

Bullshit. They would have lost their oppressor. Sure, show some respect to the syncopants who like living in a communist society, and at the same time diss those who have yearned for freedom under his thumb. Very revealing choice you've made there.

---------------------------------------------------------------
There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.
--Dave Barry

[gmanpilot 0]

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The issue is that they haven't had one. Well, yes, Arafat was smart, but not fair or honest.

The Times columnist summed it up well when he said that Arafat has been a symbol and leader for the "Palestinian people" for 30 years. Yet ultimately, history will show that his death will contribute more good for Palestine than his life ever did. What a fucking legacy.

_________________________________________
-There's always free cheese in a mouse trap.

[billvon 2,998]

>Very revealing choice you've made there.

Indeed. I think there are foreign-policy choices other than "we're your ally" and "go fuck yourself." Despite some recent comments by our administration, there are more than just two colors out there.

[slug 1]

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South Africa will be flying its flag at half mast (for a week!) in respect for the death of Yassir Arafat.

I think that's going a bit far. Anyone think I'm out of line?

t

Out of line for expressing a different opinion Hell no. Thats why we have elctions some times and the elections can get very close. So it's rare to find people who agree on anything.

If you shoot the poor guy who raises and lowers the flag your wrong big time.

(please don't hurt me for expressing my opinion that may be different than yours)

R.I.P.

[ahegeman 0]

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Indeed. I think there are foreign-policy choices other than "we're your ally" and "go fuck yourself." Despite some recent comments by our administration, there are more than just two colors out there.

Based on our government's relationships with China, France, Pakistan, and a host of other countries it seems you're not the only one who thinks so. But good on you for acknowledging the obvious.

Tough call my ass. Sometimes, people are just motherfuckers, even if they managed somehow to take over a country. Sometimes, its just that easy.

---------------------------------------------------------------
There is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'.
--Dave Barry