[Hanging this at the top of the site for a while. What, me pissed? Nevah happen, G.I.]
WaPo Weasels II
Contributed by Russ Vaughn
Want to slam our soldiers, Arkin?
Well here is one to slam.
I got used to Lefty slamming
When I came back from Vietnam.
So you want to put a muzzle
On our brave fighting men?
Well try muzzling me you jerk,
Just tell me where and when. ...
The Gatekeepers Take Over
John Hinderaker
The Washington Post's William Arkin has now posted this "Note to My Readers on Supporting the Troops." Unlike Arkin's first response to his critics, which was online only briefly before being removed, this one shows unmistakable signs that the Post's editors have now caught up with Arkin, and had heavy involvement--to say the least--in drafting this sort-of-apology.
As apologies go, it is innovative in one respect. We are all used to seeing pseudo-apologies by people who express their regret to "anyone who misunderstood (or misinterpreted) my words." Arkin reverses that formula:
Mercenary, of course, is an insult and pejorative, and it does not accurately describe the condition of the American soldier today. I sincerely apologize to anyone in the military who took my words literally.
Which means, what? Relax, guys, it was only a metaphor? Beats me.
There isn't much else worth commenting on. This seems to be the key paragraph: ...
Where Arkin screwed up
Don Surber
I don’t want to write about this again, but here is where military/homeland security blogger Bill Arkin of the Washington Post went wrong: He picked on a kid.
Ernie Pyle never did. The American reporter takes on the brass, never the troops.
Arkin’s woes began when Spec. Tyler Johnson, 21, was asked by NBC News what he thought of the war protesters. He said:
“You may support or say we support the troops, so you’re not supporting what they do, what they’re here sweating for, what we bleed for, what we die for. It just don’t make sense to me.”
Arkin lit into him on Tuesday:
[...]
Whoa. The kid was asked a question. He answered it honestly. Arkin should back off.
If he wanted to call someone a mercenary, he should take it up with Gen. Pace or CSM Mellinger, guys who could fight back: Men who are in charge of the operation. ...
