I zinged a conservative tonight.

Had some friends over tonight to watch some hockey. While none of them are very politically oriented, they do tend to lean right. I got in a conversation with one of them about Jessica Lynch. He told me he couldn't understand why "us liberals" wanted to defame her so badly. She'd been through heck, and she deserved to be treated as a hero, and so did the people who rescued her.

There were so many ways to attack this argument, but I decided to try something new. I told him that her story was blown out of proportion and over-dramatized by a media desperate to shed the war in a favorable light with stories of heroes and rescues. They latched onto the story because she exemplifies the ideal American daughter. I told him to imagine if Jessica Lynch was black; how much would we have heard about her were that the case?

He replied that there was a black woman who was a prisoner of war, along with others in her group (many of whom were minorities, he added with some pride). He said they were treated like heroes too, and he saw their story on TV.

I asked him what her name was.

He thought, and thought, and thought. In the end, he could not remember the black woman's name.

And that was my point.

(Later in the evening, in the period break of one of the many hockey games we watched together, the CBC news (Canadian) came on for a couple minutes to mention the explosion in Istanbul, today's downed helicopters and dead US soldiers, and a few other things. I imagine it was a bit of culture shock compared to the Fox "news" he's accustomed to. He was silent throughout the CBC news, totally aphonic. I don't think I made any converts tonight, but I probably got someone thinking...)

Oh, right... I've been paying attention...

Nice way to make your point to him :-)

where the hell did you acquite that graphic?

This guy knew everything there was to know about Kobe's case, Herr Gropenfuhrer in California, and lots of other so-called news stories, but not much about what's really going on.

despite her injuries, while made-for-TV Lynch gets 80% disability pay.

I fail to see how getting in a Humvee accident makes someone a "hero." A cause celebre, certainly. But what, precisely, did she do that was so heroic? Not die? She's not a villain either - she's just a soldier injured in the line of duty. Not everyone who gets a Purple Heart deserves to be called "hero."

A co-worker of mine was so adamant that Bush was right and could do no wrong regarding Iraq.
The other day he asked, why has the media and people been so quiet on how Bush keeps screwing veterans if he is so for the troops?

I asked him if he really needed me to answer and he laughed and said I guess not...

Slowly, ever so slowly, people are changing their minds.
I don't believe the fox/cnn polls because they probably keep calling the white house and asking the same people the questions over and over again.
I think Bush's popularity is lower than we could imagine and the conservatives are waking up.

One of my republican friends said he will vote for Bush just to cancel my vote in PA. Democrats vote and people who feel strongly about issues vote too. Many average non-political bushies don't care enough to vote for him.

I haven't bothered to ask a Fanatic who was thinking for him since Regan left office.

"Give 'em enough rope". :D You even argue in Zen fashion! :donut:

I bet they have never heard of Lori Piestewa either (or couldn't name her), the Hopi soldier killed in action, and a friend of Lynch.

By the way, I do miss CBC's 'Hockey Night In Canada'. Is Don Cherry back for more of 'Coach's Corner'?

From the looks of him, I'd say he's hitting a little more of the Canadian Club than he used to.

Yeah, it's best when your opponent defeats himself. What really strikes a memory though is the way they were watching when CBC news was on. It was kind of spooky; you know they don't see that stuff on Fox or CNN. They were probably wondering why the Canadian news was reporting such awful stories. :shrug:

But he destroys the stereotype of the mild-mannered Canadian anyway. I have a soft spot for outspoken loudmouths... I wonder why? :shrug: :D

I do miss CBC news. No jingoism, no fluffy celebrity obsessions, and you find out that the world does not revolve around us. THAT alone would make your friends mull a bit, I hope. If not, you are still doing them a favor by exposing them to something different.

Then he's probably been lost to the Bushistas. You don't have to batter him, but feed him a few facts from time to time. He'll figure it out. You don't need to make him a rabid evil DUer -- we'll settle for getting his vote in November.