39 Comments

1. BigFire:

I’m beyond contempt. This arrogant bastard is trying his best to get good men kill without the guts of pulling the trigger himself. I have no more words to waste on this puke.

Jan 27, 2005 - 7:47 pm 2. notthisgirl:

Gee Roger, you’ve had enough steam coming out your ears over the past weeks to heat an apartment building in Queens!

I still don’t understand the breadth of pure hatred of Iraq’s impending freedom, and loathing of our possible success in the Middle East. Don’t they (*Liberals*, MSM) understand what it means to support the likes of Zarqawi? These folks think freedom, Democracy, and choice are EVIL! I mean to the extent of extermination! This is the very thing Liberalism is supposed to be against!

I want to know why they don’t get it.

Jan 27, 2005 - 7:53 pm 3. Terrye:

I am with Jarvis here, the irresponsible little prick is sucking up to the bosses and if these guys get hurt..who cares? They are just Iraqis.

Somtimes I wonder if these socalled journalists have souls?

Jan 27, 2005 - 7:54 pm 4. notthisgirl:

Well, Belmont Club has an interesting post on this subject of hatred of freedom and Zarqawi http://belmontclub.blogspot.com/2005/01/religious-war-east-and-west.html

Jan 27, 2005 - 7:56 pm 5. Coriolan:

Fans of Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” will doubtless remember that in the 11th volume, The Grim Grotto, the good guys – the crew of the submarine the S.S Queequeg – all wear a portrait of Herman Melville emblazoned on their uniform, while the submarine crew of villains (headed by the notorious Count Olaf) all wear portraits of Edgar Guest (whom Snickety describes as “a writer of limited skill, who wrote awkward, tedious poetry on hopelessly sentimental topics”)

Jan 27, 2005 - 8:28 pm 6. Rick Ballard:

“Sometimes I wonder if these socalled journalists have souls?”

Of course they have (or had) souls, Terrye, they just sold them to get their job.

Man, you’re on a roll lately.

Jan 27, 2005 - 8:55 pm 7. Katherine:

ìSomtimes I wonder if these socalled journalists have soulsî

Stop wondering Terrye, the answer is No. If they had them they would have sold them long time ago anyway. I hear 30 pieces of silver is the going rate.

Jan 27, 2005 - 9:19 pm 8. Terrye:

Rick:

Yes indeed I am on fire.

But I am worried about the elections. I am even saying a prayer and lighting a candle.

Jan 27, 2005 - 9:29 pm 9. chuck:

Since Alterman has left a bad smell in the air, you might like to get out a bit and thank the troops.

Jan 27, 2005 - 9:44 pm 10. Katherine:

I’ve had a look. It is the same old boring smug piece of invective that we have seen thousand times before. Amazing that a fresh thought never makes into brains of people like Alterman ñ but it also explains their complete inability to learn. Anyway, it would have been entirely yawn-making, except that it has a capacity to make some people dead. But itís OK because they are most likely CIA agents, so, in the immortal words of one of todayís moral giants, ìscrew themî.

Jan 27, 2005 - 11:05 pm 11. Syl:

I think I get it.

It’s racist, for one. Iraqi’s can’t think for themselves therefore it’s impossible for any of them to actually, you know, like America or Americans. Therefore it must be the CIA.

For another, Bush’s grand strategy is giving individual liberty, not that social equality group stuff. And, what’s worse, capitalism in all its glory is coming to Iraq.

If that ain’t enough to make a Lefty froth. Sheesh.

Jan 28, 2005 - 12:12 am 12. Dishman:

As I said on Jeff’s..

I wouldn’t say he has anything against them, just that they’re not Eric Alterman, nor are they contributing to helping him be Eric Alterman, therefore they are not relevant.

Continuing on…

Rave reviews for “Being Eric Alterman”, written, directed, produced and starring by Eric Alterman. Come experience the pomp and pretense!

Jan 28, 2005 - 12:19 am 13. Harry:

Sorry, chaps, but who is Eric Alterman?

Never heard of the bloke.

Jan 28, 2005 - 12:59 am 14. David Thomson:

ìLook, unlike. Mr. Moral Outrage, Iím a Jew, but I donít expect Arabs to pay tribute to my peopleís suffering while Jews, in the form of Israel and its supportersóand in this I include myselfóare causing much of theirs. Would Andrew want to go to a service in honor of the suffering of gay bashing bigots? (Wait, donít answer that. Would a gay person who didnít regularly offer his political support to gay bashing bigots want to go?) Anyway, Iím sure what Iím saying will be twisted beyond recognition, and so I suppose that makes it stupid to do, but Iím sorry. The Palestinians have also suffered because of the Holocaust. They lost their homeland as the worldóin the form of the United Nationsóreacted to European crimes by awarding half of Palestine to the Zionists.î

—Eric Alterman

The above comments represent the subconscious, if not even the conscious views of many Jewish Americans who voted for John Kerry. Are they thoroughly guilt tripped, or even self hating? Whatever, if Kerry had won the election—the world would probably be facing a catastrophe. ìWould probably?î Isnít that rhetoric a bit extreme? Shouldn’t I at least qualify it to read ìmight be facing a catastrophe?î Nope, I am going to stick with ìprobably.î

Jan 28, 2005 - 2:13 am 15. scaramouoche:

Holocaust denial from the nation currently building a bomb to nuke Tel Aviv. Well, I guess that’s one way to justify their murderous intentions.

Jan 28, 2005 - 6:41 am 16. Morgan:

I think I get Alterman’s argument. There are three precepts:

1) Every nation has a right to choose its own form of government

2) The Iraqis chose dictatorship (and why wouldn’t they, under Saddam it was all kite-flying and, in Terrye’s words “laughing flowers”)

3) Almost everyone agrees with him on those points (well, everyone he knows agrees with him)

1, 2, and 3 imply that few Iraqis can be pro-American, because we overturned their chosen form of government. This suggests strongly that the ITM guys and all other pro-American/democracy bloggers are CIA plants.

1 and 2 render the war inherently unjust. No way around it.

3 suggests that those who disagree with him are oviously abnormal, immoral, and out of step with reality.

Jan 28, 2005 - 6:45 am 17. Percy Dovetonsils:

But it’s OK because they are most likely CIA agents…

By that logic, Alterman certainly can be accused of being a Al-Queda agent, considering his support for anti-U.S. forces in Iraq. In which case, I’m sure no one could possibly object to his being sent to a nice little hostel set up for his ilk at a little U.S. territory in Cuba. Until we’re sure he’s not an Al Queda agent.

I mean, hey, as long as we’re throwing around accusations, let’s be consistent, why don’t we?

Jan 28, 2005 - 6:47 am 18. richard mcenroe:

Eric Alterman is a Jew like Flavius Josephus was a Jew.

For those like Mr. Alterman who seem to have learned their history in public school, Flavius was a Jew who went over to the Romans when the Jews rose against them, persuading troops under his command to suicide and then deserting his own post to save his own life. He then went on to serve the Romans, producing speeches to demoralize the defenders of besieged Jewish cities and later writing an obsequious history of his Roman masters.

Some Jews should be self-loathing. Mr. Alterman is joining a very old, if undistinguished, club.

Jan 28, 2005 - 7:17 am 19. Knucklehead:

Morgan,

You may have hit this nail square on the head, but I suspect some elaboration is in order.

I think I get Alterman’s argument. There are three precepts:

1) Every nation has a right to choose its own form of government

I think this one includes the notion of “we get the government we deserve” and the bigotted link that “those swarthy ayrabs deserve their dictatorships” just like those “yellow kohreans and chinks deserve theirs”

2) The Iraqis chose dictatorship (and why wouldn’t they, under Saddam it was all kite-flying and, in Terrye’s words “laughing flowers”)

This one includes the Freudian notion that its all about sex. Just like people choose S&M as their preferred sexual proclivity entire societies of tens of millions of people choose S&M forms of government.

3) Almost everyone agrees with him on those points (well, everyone he knows agrees with him)

This includes intellectual conceit. No doubt Alterman got a really good SAT score and went to a really good college where he got really good grades because, after all, he’s an intelligent person who could always write well. And he hangs out with really intelligent people who got really good SAT scores and went to good colleges and got high GPAs and, well, that proves their superior intellects and, therefore, whatever pops into their brains and out their fingertips must, by definition, be really intelligent and, therefore, anyone who sees things differently is, by definition, and inferior intellect.

Jan 28, 2005 - 7:21 am 20. chuck:

Hey, lay off Flavius Josephus. At least he wrote a history. These letters to the future cast on the waters of time (heh, heh) serve to bind us across the centuries.

Jan 28, 2005 - 7:23 am 21. photoncourier.blogspot.com:

Since Roger brings up the Dorothy Parker poem…

We need some rhyming lines on Eric Alterman, with a similar theme. I’m usually good at things like this, but I’m drawing a blank. Anyone?

Jan 28, 2005 - 7:44 am 22. richard mcenroe:

photoncourier ó Well, if we go free verse we can do something with Alterman and alter kocker….

Jan 28, 2005 - 7:49 am 23. richard mcenroe:

Alterman,

Alter kocker,

All fackachte,

So we mocked ya…

Jan 28, 2005 - 7:53 am 24. Sandy P:

Eric Alterman was on the now former Jay and current Eileen show on WLS-AM pushing his book.

Jay was gone, Eileen read the book. It was funny.

He hung up on her.

Lady! Lady! Lady!

Jan 28, 2005 - 8:10 am 25. Silicon valley Jim:

the submarine crew of villains (headed by the notorious Count Olaf) all wear portraits of Edgar Guest (whom Snickety describes as “a writer of limited skill, who wrote awkward, tedious poetry on hopelessly sentimental topics”)

Does he offer a description of Dorothy Parker? She has quite a reputation for somebody whose oeuvre consists nearly entirely of wisecracks.

Jan 28, 2005 - 9:20 am 26. Charlie (Colorado):

3 suggests that those who disagree with him are oviously abnormal, immoral, and out of step with reality.

Morgan, what makes you suppose that Alterman bothered with steps 1 and 2?

Jan 28, 2005 - 9:30 am 27. Charlie (Colorado):

Does he offer a description of Dorothy Parker? She has quite a reputation for somebody whose oeuvre consists nearly entirely of wisecracks.

That’s just all anyone remembers, more’s the pity. She wrote hilarious light verse (funnier, if darker, than Ogden Nash), brilliant book reviews with an amazing ear for what she could get away with — but also glowing with real praise if she thought a book deserved it — and some pretty terrific short stories.

Jan 28, 2005 - 9:33 am 28. Robert Schwartz:

To answer Harry’s question: “Sorry, chaps, but who is Eric Alterman?”

He is a New York based left wing scribbler. In 2003, hoping to refute Bernard Goldberg, he wrote a book: “What Liberal Media?” which argued that “not only do the media lack a liberal slant but that quite the opposite is true. . . the conservatives in the newspapers, television, talk radio, and the Republican party are lying about liberal bias and repeating the same lies long enough that they’ve taken on a patina of truth.”

Quote from review at:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0465001769/

Compare Alterman’s actions to Alterman’s words:

The Trial of John Kerry By William Rivers Pitt 12/10/03

http://truthout.org/docs_03/printer_121003A.shtml

There are but a few weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. Time has grown short. In an effort to galvanize the message Kerry wants to deliver in the time remaining, he convened a powerful roster of journalists and columnists in the New York City apartment of Al Franken last Thursday. . . The crowd I joined in Franken’s living room was comprised of:

Al Franken and his wife Franni;

Rick Hertzberg, senior editor for the New Yorker;

David Remnick, editor for the New Yorker;

Jim Kelly, managing editor for Time Magazine;

Howard Fineman, chief political correspondent for Newsweek;

Jeff Greenfield, senior correspondent and analyst for CNN;

Frank Rich, columnist for the New York Times;

Eric Alterman, author and columnist for MSNBC and the Nation;

Art Spiegelman, Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist/author of “Maus”;

Richard Cohen, columnist for the Washington Post;

Fred Kaplan, columnist for Slate;

Jacob Weisberg, editor of Slate and author;

Jonathan Alter, senior editor and columnist for Newsweek;

Philip Gourevitch, columnist for the New Yorker;

Calvin Trillin, freelance writer and author;

Edward Jay Epstein, investigative reporter and author;

Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., who needs no introduction.

. . . “Senator,” said Alterman, “I think you may be the most qualified candidate in the race, and perhaps also the one who best represents my own values. But there was one overriding issue facing this nation during the past four years, and Howard Dean was there when it counted, and you weren’t. A lot of people feel that moment entitles him to their vote, even if you have a more progressive record and would be a stronger candidate in November. How are you going to win back those people who you lost with your vote for this awful war?” . . .

. . . Kerry completed his answer by leaning in close to Alterman, eyes blazing, and said, “Eric, if you truly believe that if I had been President, we would be at war in Iraq right now, then you shouldn’t vote for me.” . . .

. . . Alterman, for one, was sold. In his MSNBC blog report on the meeting, he wrote, “It was all on the record and yet, it was remarkably open, honest and unscripted. Let’s be blunt. Kerry was terrific. Once again, he demonstrated a thoughtfulness, knowledge base and value system that gives him everything, in my not-so-humble-opinion, he could need to be not just a good, but a great president.”

====================

There you have it. Eric Alterman, part of a not just a liberal but a “Left Wing, Liberal ACTIVIST Media,” that he wrote an entire book to prove does not exist. What does that make him? A Liar? A Fraud? or just Scum.

Jan 28, 2005 - 10:57 am 29. Knucklehead:

I am pulling the following entirely out of context, and I realize the words and views of John Derbyshire are unwelcome (to say the least!) here at Roger’s Place, but the sentence fits the likes of Alterman, so here goes:

Let me tell you, the world is teeming with lunatics armed with iron conviction and reams of theoretical justification for their crackpot notions.

Context, schmontext, I love it!

Jan 28, 2005 - 11:56 am 30. pk:

roger;you might want to research where eric went to high school. altough you may have something in common at that point in your lives, the years between then and now only confirm to me the difference the “liberal” of then and the “neocons” of today.

Jan 28, 2005 - 12:12 pm 31. scaramouoche:

Chicks seldom make passes at LLL asses.

Jan 28, 2005 - 12:18 pm 32. Knucklehead:

I’m very embarrassed to ask this but my ignorance has gone on long enough. I assume that the “LLL” I see so frequently in the blogosphere does not mean any of:

- La Leche League

- Lutheran Layman’s League

- Lubbock Lake Landmark

- Learning Language in Logic

- Libraries for Life for Londoners

- Lenstra, Lenstra, and Lovasz algorithm

- LigaÁıes de LÌnguas e LinguÌstica

So what on earth does “LLL” stand for?

Jan 28, 2005 - 12:28 pm 33. Knucklehead:

Oh, and how do LLL folks differ from run-of-the-mill moonbats?

Jan 28, 2005 - 12:29 pm 34. PeterUK:

The Devil tells Eric Alterman, “Look, I can make you richer, more famous, and more successful than any journalist alive. In fact, I can make you the greatest journalist that ever lived.”

“Well,” says Alterman, “What do I have to do in return?”

The Devil smiles, “Well, of course you have to give me your soul,” he says, “but you also have to give me the souls of your children, the souls of your children’s children and, as a matter of fact, you have to give me the souls of all your descendants throughout eternity.”

“Wait a minute,” Alterman says cautiously, “What’s the catch?”

Jan 28, 2005 - 12:34 pm 35. BigFire:

Re: Knucklehead

LLL == Loony Liberal Leftist. As with many phrases, I believe this short hand first got populized in Little Green Footballs weblog.

Jan 28, 2005 - 1:39 pm 36. Silicon valley Jim:

That’s just all anyone remembers, more’s the pity. [Doroth Parker] wrote hilarious light verse (funnier, if darker, than Ogden Nash), brilliant book reviews with an amazing ear for what she could get away with — but also glowing with real praise if she thought a book deserved it — and some pretty terrific short stories.

We’re just going to have to agree to disagree about that. I’ve read some of her light verse and stories and I don’t think they’re very good.

Jan 28, 2005 - 2:57 pm 37. Ben:

For my money, Alterman’s view can be explained with reference to the idea first noted by Lee Harris. This is currently being explored by Marc Cooper http://marccooper.typepad.com/marccooper/2005/01/activism_and_an.html , Michael Totten http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/000703.html , Bravo Romeo Delta http://www.demosophia.com/2005/01/activistism.html and, finally, Joe Katzman http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/006186.php .

Alterman is not opposing democracy in Iraq because he opposes democracy; he’s opposing it because it makes him feel good to oppose George Bush. You see, it’s all about Eric. Pathetic.

Jan 28, 2005 - 5:00 pm 38. chuck:

Lenstra, Lenstra, and Lovasz algorithm

Sometimes it does. Gosh, one meets up with old friends in the strangest places. This is a number/lattice theory algorithm. Very useful.

Jan 28, 2005 - 5:56 pm 39. Knucklehead:

Chuck,

Sounds to me as if you are a reflexive LLLophile. I hope, for your sake, that this is transitive and that you have not given yourself over to the forces of antisymmetry. There must be order, even if only partial.

Jan 29, 2005 - 6:25 am

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