Selfish Hedonist

For anyone reading this blog who thought that Thomas Friedman was anything other than a megalomaniacal inane lunatic with less credibility than Bizarro Quinn on world affairs ... check this out:

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has urged the U.S. government to create blacklists of condemned political speech--not only by those who advocate violence, but also by those who believe that U.S. government actions may encourage violent reprisals. The latter group, which Friedman called "just one notch less despicable than the terrorists," includes a majority of Americans, according to recent polls.

He wants the State Department to publish a quarterly "War of Ideas Report" that singles out specific religious figures for condemnation. No threats to the First Amendment there! I'm sure Jerry "queers are responsible for 9/11" will be high on that there list, yup.

The money quote from TF's little screed is here:

Every quarter, the State Department should identify the Top 10 hatemongers, excuse makers and truth tellers in the world. It wouldn't be a cure-all. But it would be a message to the extremists: you are free to say what you want, but we are free to listen, to let the whole world know what you are saying and to protect every free society from hate spreaders like you. Words matter.

Truth tellers!?! God damn, Tom. Haven't you been paying attention? This administration's propaganda machine is the most politically focused, protective-of-those-in-power monstrosity of the past 50 years. Condi Rice wouldn't know a "truth teller" if he or she were sitting on her lap.

Normally I would agree with your last sentence, "Words matter." Then I read your article. Now I realize that there are plenty of words that don't matter, and they all seem to spew out of your pen.