I have refrained from commenting on politics in regards to the war and partisan politics in this blog for many reasons. The biggest is that I never feel like I have all the facts. My gut always tells me that the info that gets filtered down through the media is half truths, or has some spin on it, so I like to reserve my judgements. Also, my comments here, after I felt I did not get all the information would only go to stir people up for no reason.
With that said, I am not sure this is even a political comment as much as a comment on the current events in general. I have a lot more to say as far as my own thoughts politically, but I will keep them to myself.
I was listening to Michael Savage last night. Very often he makes comments I whole heartedly agree with. Yet for every agreement, he says something that rubs me the wrong way, which does not put him on my favourite people list. He was playing sound clips of people commenting on the murder of Nick Berg, but in the middle of it he played the "soundtrack" if you will of Nick Berg's beheading. I instantly broke into hysterical tears had nightmares all night.
This whole event has made me sick to my stomach. First the grim pictures of the US soldiers abuse in the Iraqi prisons, which was plastered on every newspaper cover. Not only was that upsetting enough, but the way the media used to it spin anti-Bush sentiments was just horrible and tiresome. It's like it was too much to deal with the issue and we couldn't just get facts, but everyone's opinion about why Bush is horrible on top of that. Please give me enough credit to form my own opinion.
On top of that, I was horrified enough to read the description of what happened,
I didn't need to see no pictures! I had to hide the newspapers from my kids-they didn't need to see that either. Why did we need to see that?
Now this poor guy-I can't imagine how scared he must have been. Things are a mess these people are crazy. They did this in the name of God?
I am becoming very afraid of what the future holds because I think we are seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Sorry, I had to vent a bit after my restless night.
Did they print graphic pictures or just the one of him sitting in front of the masked murderers? Honestly, I have trouble even looking at that one knowing what was about to happen. I'm not saying it's terrible of them to publish it, but I feel invasive looking in on his last moments of life. I have not seen any other pictures from that event nor warnings that they were there at CNN, Yahoo, NY Daily News which I often find sensationalist...
It was not an image.Michael Savage is a radio show host and the played the sounds from the videos the Arabs made. It was horrible, I guess because you knew what was happening.
Oh, you said something about hiding the newspapers from your kids too.
Pansy,
I completely agree with your post. I have felt the same way.
I can't bear to watch or hear the Nick Berg thing.It's just too much for my heart to handle.
I still have trouble with 9/11 video (especially the jumpers),I cant handle anything else like that.
It's a double edged sword we -as American Catholics- have to live with,and its very hard.We are told one thing by the Church, but then were told were Un-American if we adhere to the churches opinion.I have been agonizing over all of this for months now,trying to seperate my anger from what I think is right, and what I'm told is right. Isn't it interesting that the whole concept of the "cafeteria Catholic" comes in to play again?
I think it's horrible how personal political aspirations are being used thru all of this so someone can gain the upper hand in the race. It disgusts me,and quite honestly has breeded nothing but pure contempt in me for the person/party in question.
Steve,
When Michael Savage played that sound clip on the radio, I dd not realise he was going to do that (i did not even realise they had such a thing). He was commenting on the story saying "play sound clip number such and such" and it would be a quote from like Nick Berg's father or something, and in the middle of this they played the scene. I felt rather betrayed. He then explained he did not play that to be sensational to prove how horrendous this was that they prayed as they did this or something. I dunno.
As also agree that as Catholic Americans we are caught between a rock and a hard place. But it's like what else is new.
I feel like the Vatican officials who seem pretty negative on this war are countered by so many generally trustworthy Catholic Americans talking about "prudential judgment" and the fact that the Pope's opinion on the war is not claimed as infallible. So I do not think you have to be a cafeteria Catholic to support the war but I also do not feel informed enough to have an opinion on whether this is a just war and am grateful not to be in a position where I really need to have one. I would think the benefit of the doubt (and I see plenty of room for doubt here) goes to refraining from war, but I do not believe everyone who supports the war wholeheartedly is a bad Catholic (not that anyone here said they were) and I realize I do not know everything that factors into determining whether it is just.
And I really did not get enough sleep so please forgive me if this is even less readable than usual...
Davey's Momma,
I did not mean to suggest that they were "bad catholics" per se,but it seems to me like a whole lot of people in the U.S.-regardless of religion- see the Iraq war as "payback" for 9/11, and I think that perhaps the Holy Father said what he did as a bid to stymie a tide of hate.This war has done nothing but generate more hate towards us, and by us.
Well, I did say "not that anyone here said that" :)
I saw a charming T-shirt tonight which said "Now it's our turn" with an American-flag-patterned airplane. Sigh...
Pansy,
That radio host was wrong to do that and I'm sorry you had to hear the tape unwittingly. I cant stomach stuff like that either,it just makes me sick.I still cant bear to watch 9/11 video,I had nightmares for months after that.