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Special Interview with Hunter S. Thompson!

Hey folks, Harry here... The following isn't so much a film article, as much as it is just a great interview with a subject that has often fascinated upon the screen. Marty Beckerman, a journalist, had secured time with Hunter Thompson through devious means and at great expense to have for GEAR MAGAZINE, but GEAR's editors apparently decided that they didn't like Hunter... Then, when the interview was shopped around to various publications during the height of the build up for the Iraq War, well... the interview - and what Hunter is saying, wasn't necessarily the "patriotic" thing to be saying at the time, so the interview went unpublished. When Marty Beckerman saw Quint's piece on the upcoming RUM DIARY movie... he decided to send me the interview, so at least it would get seen by a wide audience, and who am I if I don't spread the word of Hunter? Nothing, that's what. Fuck that, I'm publishing it. NOTE: If you are a Republican or a Conservative BUSH supporter, I would recommend leaving now. Hunter isn't particularly kind to the beliefs you have. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Here's Marty... lucky bastard... smoking Hashish with Hunter... sigh...

February 3, 2003

NEW YORK CITY | "WHAT'S THIS GOING TO DO TO ME?" my beautiful girlfriend asks, looking nervously from the Doctor to the small black ball zipped in the tiny plastic baggie. We're sitting across from each other in a luxury suite on the fourteenth story of the five-star Manhattan Carlyle Hotel—the main room is adorned with a glossy grand piano, and the surroundings as a whole most likely cost more to rent per night than I'll ever make in my entire lifetime.

"Nothing, nothing," says Hunter S. Thompson—the aging mastermind behind Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the godfather of Gonzo journalism—removing the hash from the plastic baggie and slicing it with a bread knife courtesy of room service. "You'll be fine, my darling," Thompson says, packing the processed greenery into the compact pipe he demanded—along with a quarter-bag of marijuana—before consenting to this 2 a.m. interview.

"Well, okay…" my beautiful girlfriend says, taking the pipe and sucking down the potent vapors, coughing after the first inhalation.

"You're going to go completely crazy now," 65-year-old Thompson says, grinning like a sadistic hyena and putting his arm lecherously around my girlfriend's shoulder. "Completely fucking psychotic. You're doomed, all right. Jesus."

Good fucking Lord, how did this happen? I ask myself, trying to recall the events of this insane night through the cerebral haze of marijuana and hashish presently clouding my 20-year-old mind. I remember the anticipation, the cancelled plane out of Aspen, the excruciating 24 hours of telephoning clueless publicity agents to reschedule the meeting, and finally the desperate late-night call to Thompson's room, begging for an in-person audience… The mad rush through my girlfriend's NYU dorm, searching for a student majoring in street pharmacology (we couldn't find that goddamn Dell dude)… Christ, is this actually happening? Am I actually smoking Mexican hashish with the greatest writer of my parents' generation? The man who made Rolling Stone magazine actually worth reading at one point long, long ago?

But so much for the past, eh? Thompson's latest book, Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-Crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Century, was published in January by Simon & Schuster, and if the title sounds familiar, don't expect anything different from the message. Surprisingly, it's Thompson's lack of anything new to say that makes him more relevant than he's been in decades.

A recent nationwide CBS News/New York Times survey found that 82 percent of Americans believe another terrorist attack is imminent, and sales of survival supplies and duct tape (which apparently protects against nuclear fallout) have been tripling around the Washington, D.C. area, according to CNN. From all appearances, most Americans seem to be living in the "Culture of Fear" Thompson predicted thirty years ago.

Although Thompson's ravings about the Apocalypse may have gotten stale in the relatively peaceful '90s—during which time he released collections of old letters, occasional ESPN.com columns and The Rum Diary, his excellent "long lost" novel from the 1950s—the Gonzo mentality works best against a cultural milieu of paranoia and uncertainty. With recent developments in North Korea and Iraq (the use of nuclear weapons has been authorized in the Middle East should the conflict reach biological proportions), it's no wonder the Bush-bashing Kingdom of Fear reached #9 on the New York Times bestseller list.

"You write in the new book that Bush is a bigger threat to democracy than Nixon was," I say, trying to ignore the terrible drugs coursing through my cerebellum and crippling any possibility of presenting myself as a Professional Journalist as opposed to a drooling, stoned post-adolescent fan-boy. "Those are big words coming from you."

(Go Q. & A. format! Go!)

HST: Nixon looks like a liberal compared to this guy. I never thought I'd say that. It's a horrible thought.

MB: [Legendary White House reporter] Helen Thomas called him the worst president in American history a couple weeks ago. Would you agree with that assessment?

HST: That's what I said to Charlie Rose today. Easily the worst.

MB: You compare him to Hitler [in Kingdom of Fear].

HST: Yeah. Easy comparison. You can't compare him to Nazi Germany? Wait a minute, of course we can. What else can we compare it to? Two years, he took America from a billion dollar surplus into a poor country. In two years everybody's going broke and we've gotten into this desperate, stupid war. In two years! I mean, who are the Americans doing this?

MB: Bush is already rich and he can't actually want Armageddon on Earth. What's going through his mind?

HST: Hey, that's what I've stumbled on. You have to remember—and I forgot it until I watched him in the State of the Union—you watched it? He was scheduled for 41 minutes. He went 60. The last 30 were creepy. It just got weirder and weirder. He began to glisten and talk about Jesus. What was it? "The American Dream is God's gift to humanity"? We are God's gift to humanity. Our country is basically getting into depression, and [Bush] is still going to start the war.

MB: And people love him.

HST: Yeah… Fuck, if that's not Nazi Germany—you've got Hitler and the good Germans running around—then I don't know what is.

MB: You write passionately about the 1968 Chicago Democratic convention. Was that the death of the American Dream for you? [Protests against the convention were met with unprecedented police brutality]

HST: No, it was just the beginning of the fight. I would say right about now, boy, we're losing. They've got this country turned into a police state. I'm not sure how that term would resound with you, but a police state is a heavy situation.

MB: Well, Bush just authorized the U.S. military to kill American citizens overseas if they're suspected of being terrorists. ["THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Dec. 4, 2002—American citizens working for al-Qaida overseas can legally be targeted and killed by the CIA under President Bush's rules for the war on terrorism, U.S. officials say."]

HST: Yeah, suspected of terrorism. It's not so bizarre that our conversation tonight could be seen by someone in the police station as sympathy for terrorists. What's going on here? Valhalla. All you have to do is keep moving west, and you'll still get arrested.

MB: Bush Sr. has been very quiet these days. Do you think he's still running the show?

HST: The answer is yes, but I wouldn't go out looking for a boogeyman. He's running it in the figurehead sense that his son is the president. I still remember the night, that horrible night I watched the Bush family [on the evening of the 2000 election], the old man laughing like a hyena. I believed Gore could win, and when they called—the whole family, gathered together in Texas—they looked like little piggies, and then the old man and that horrible laugh…

MB: The Bush family history is terrifying. They've been in business with Hitler, Saddam, Osama… [George W. Bush's grandfather, Prescott Bush, had his stocks in Nazi steel manufacturing removed by Congress in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act.]

HST: And they're Jesus freaks on top of it. Carter was one and I loved Jimmy Carter—we're still good friends—but this is a stupid Jesus freak. Carter deserved the Nobel Prize.

MB: Do you believe the end of the world is coming?

HST: Yeah, it is the end of the world. What, do you think it's going to come on a TV show, right on schedule? Shit. They've been digging this for a long time. Read the fucking Book of Revelations… The end of the world is not just coming; it's here. Until Bush came in it was still possible to be successful, happy. That was two years ago, but now the wheel is turning and I don't think what we're in now will possibly get any better.

MB: So are you excited to be here for the apocalypse at all? Of all the generations in human history, we might be the ones around for the end.

HST: It's not going to happen like a thunderclap. I would like that, really. Why not? A gigantic fucking thunderclap… Yeah, the floods, the nightriders, the marauders… It's going to be pretty grim.

MB: Do you think there'll ever be another draft after Vietnam?

HST: Oh God… Jesus, I hope so. The draft was a disaster. The Army has become a pack of vicious, predatory, mercenary hired killers, and a draft would democratize the Army as it always has. That's why Vietnam turned out to be a victory for our side—for the antiwar folks. You think jail's better than going into the Army? If you don't like it, then you don't enlist. Enough people felt that way, and lo and behold. It was an all-bullshit war from the start.

MB: Kingdom of Fear is your first book of new material in ten years. What have you been up to in the last decade?

HST: Oh, the same old thing, I suppose… Yeah, I've worked the same stories.

MB: In Kingdom of Fear you claim that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is as good as The Great Gatsby and better than The Sun Also Rises. That's quite the claim.

HST: [Laughs] In a moment of hedonism, yeah. It's better than Sun Also Rises, better than Gatsby.

MB: It's studied in colleges now. You're part of the canon of American literature.

HST: Yeah, that's good. Yeah…

MB: Why do you think Las Vegas is the book that resonates the most with people over the years? When people think you, they think that book.

HST: Oh God… I know, I know. Why do I think it resonates over and over again with different aged people? Well, I'll play with you on that. I don't really know. I could say it's fun, but it's more than that. Why do you think it is? Why do you think it's true?

MB: Well, the book's a ride. On the surface it's this cartoonish, ether-chugging adventure, but then there are all these darker themes—the death of the American Dream, instant gratification, how Americans find happiness—all that's underneath. So it's like a thrill ride to read the book, but then you pick up other messages along the way.

HST: [Laughs] Yeah, well, that's good enough for me. Weird. It's like Huckleberry Finn or something like that, you know? Travel journalism. I just wrote it down in my fucking notebook. … There's still that controversy whether Mark Twain wrote fiction or not.

MB: Do you ever feel pressure from your fans to live up to the cartoonish image you projected in the old days?

HST: What do you mean I projected? You mean [Doonesbury creator Garry] Trudeau. Try to make a living as a writer and you're turned into the lead character in a fucking popular cartoon… Shit, I don't even know Trudeau. I was never looking for publicity and said, "Hey Garry, why don't you put me in that strip of yours? That's a pretty good idea." [Laughs]

MB: Let's talk about The Rum Diary for a minute. Was it weird to put something out 40 years after you started it?

HST: Well, I like the book. If I thought about it much, it might be weird. Yeah, I didn't worry about it. You can't afford to worry about it.

MB: Was the novel complete before it was published, or did you do touch-up work on it?

HST: [Laughs] Cut out everything. There were scenes in there that the American public isn't ready to handle, to put it lightly.

MB: There was that famous fax you sent to a woman executive overseeing the Rum Diary movie in which you threatened to chop off her hands if things didn't get rolling. How'd that turn out?

HST: Oh yeah… Whoop! Whoop!

MB: [Rolling Stone founder] Jann Wenner is notably missing from the Kingdom of Fear "Honor Roll." What in God's name happened to Rolling Stone magazine?

HST: God… This is the same thing Bob Dylan and I were talking about recently. What happened? I don't know… Generic. Goddamn.

MB: Are you ever going to write for Rolling Stone again?

HST: I doubt it. As a gambler, I'd probably say not likely.

MB: How does it feel to have multiple biographies written about you? Flattering? Terrifying?

HST: Well, there are three or four out there, right? Of course, it's like reading reviews. With Jean Carroll's book [Hunter], what happened was every old friend of mine had been contacted—friends I'd forgotten about—and I got calls from all my friends telling me this lady had come by trying to get quotes for her book. My ex-wife called me a wife-beater and a thief, that crazy bitch. Yeah… That's a long story, but people I hadn't heard from in 30 years called me to ask if it was okay to talk to this lady, and some didn't even call me. I didn't want to say, "No, you can't," but God… that creepy bitch.

MB: You're becoming an elder statesman of the counterculture. What's that like?

HST: I have no idea what it's like… Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Yo! Yo! Eeeek! Eeeek!

MB: Okay, stupid question. So do any of the modern drugs interest you at all, or have you slowed down on that?

HST: Well, ecstasy isn't as elevating… The quality of drugs has gone down with the quality of life. You expect the drugs to get better? No… There are some new drugs around that are extreme downers. Heavy nerve damage, psychotic episodes… You have to prepare to be very out of body, out of your mind. It's a fact—I've enjoyed these drugs for a long time. Drugs will rot your brain. You masturbate all your life and die.

MB: Have you ever overdosed on anything?

HST: [Laughs] Vitamin A. I did beta-carotene and—I'm trying to think of the others—I did a super-overload of like thirty-five or -six vitamin tabs. I'd been up for two days working on this story, on deadline and I'd almost finished it, and I was definitely tired and worn-out. So instead of drugs I did vitamins. I thought, well, fuck—I'm too tired to do speed; it would be too dangerous. Why not go healthy, you know? So I starting eating these vitamins—C, D, E—and I figured if vitamins are good for you in an emergency, why not just double-up, quintuple-up? And I ate vitamins by the handful for like two minutes without stopping, thinking these would pump me up. And if vitamins are good, the more the better… Holy shit. I was turning beet-red, sweating, paralyzed—it's a little bit like hashish, actually.

MB: In the new book you admit you secretly pray to God.

HST: No, this is far beyond God.

MB: God can't save us now?

HST: There is no God.

MB: A lot of the figures from the '60s have passed on in the last 10 years—Ginsberg, Leary, Kesey—how does it feel to see that era fading away?

HST: You morbid little bastard… Yeah, how does it feel to be the last buffalo? Fuck, I don't know. I don't think anybody knows… When you talk about the '60s, you're talking about people who were scared out of their senses, trying to get the feeling for what the fuck was going on.

[Thompson suddenly screams for his assistant to turn the television volume up to eardrum-shattering levels. The History Channel is airing former U.S. ambassador Adlai Stevenson's Oct. 25, 1962 address to the United Nations General Assembly, demanding that the U.S.S.R. immediately withdraw its nuclear warheads from Cuba. The address on behalf of JFK is widely credited as having prevented the Cold War from going nuclear.]

"This one always gets to me," Thompson says wistfully, captivated for the entire duration of the speech. "You know, it haunts me that I never pursued the 'who killed Kennedy' story. I believe it's the one story I consider a failure. Yeah, I failed, and now the assumption is that obedience is normal—the president is king."

Readers Talkback
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  • August 8, 2003 4:54 PM CST

    I'm an independent so I don't care either way

    by Terry_1978

    But I would suggest taking cover as soon as some of the less genial political discussions start to arise on here.

  • August 8, 2003 4:54 PM CST

    FIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiRST!!! HAHAHAHA

    by Rcamacho2278

    ME ME ME!!! FIRST time EVER FIRST!

  • August 8, 2003 4:55 PM CST

    DAMN you TERRY I was supposed to be FIRST!!!!

    by Rcamacho2278

    Damn you !!! I will never be first!!

  • August 8, 2003 5:12 PM CST

    Just because Thompson is fascinating and interesting doesn't mea

    by Ray Garraty #47

  • August 8, 2003 5:16 PM CST

    Comparing Rebulicans to Hitler

    by esad

    Boy, that's original. Why does anyone care what this old fart thinks anymore? He just rambles on without making any real point. This is supposed to be controversially?

  • August 8, 2003 5:17 PM CST

    He's the Babe Ruth of writing

    by 007-11

    Even stoned out of his mind he still managed to write incredibly involving and meaningful pieces. I try to avoid comparing Nazis to Republicans, but it does get hard not to sometimes. I'm not saying they're setting up death camps, but most of the comparrisons in propaganda can't be denied. 9-11 is to Bush, as the Treaty of Versailles is to Hitler.

  • August 8, 2003 5:20 PM CST

    don't lump me in

    by scabking

    I work in the administration, so I'd say I'm pretty conservative and pro-Bush. But I still like the good Doctor. He's an entertainer, not a politician so I take it as that. Although it would be fantastic to see him run for govna of Caly.

  • There, that should save me some trouble.

  • August 8, 2003 5:38 PM CST

    Hey Scabking

    by Sakla

    You are right...he is an entertainer, not a politician. Everyone knows entertainers have no business in politics, and especially in the CA governors mansion, much less the White House. Hey...if you work in the Administration, what the hell are you doing reading AICN? Are those our tax dollars at work???

  • August 8, 2003 5:41 PM CST

    Now I'm just scared to live here....

    by HavokJD

    Thanks alot Hunter!!! In all seriousness, Hunter has a very hypnotic perspective on the world. Reading that interview was mesmerizing...his words are drugs.

  • August 8, 2003 5:49 PM CST

    funny crackhead discusses politics

    by newc0253

    i love HST writing about drugs and shit. but i despair of idiot journos looking to him for serious political analysis. yes, bush is bad. republicans are bad. facist police nazis are bad. maybe this stuff passes for serious insight down at the local crack den, but if i wanted glib, simplistic reinforcement of my own liberal prejudices, i can always smoke up and talk to my friends. AICN can do better.

  • August 8, 2003 6:08 PM CST

    bush=hitler?

    by elviskilledjfk

    Okay... granted, a lot of people seem to feel this way. But we're far from being a fascist state. Bush is retarded, he allows his personal beliefs to determine the laws he tries to pass that will determine the lifestyles of everyone in this country, a majority of whom don't share his religious conservatism. One thing I didn't get about the interview in regards to the Hitler comment is that HST decided to compare Hilter and Bush in terms of economics which I'd have to say is retarded and shows that HST doesn't really have a strong grasp on Depression Era history. If anything, we could use a Hitler in terms of economics because that bastard of a man single-handedly revived the German economy after World War I. And if you think about it, he also allowed for the end of the Great Depression in every other part of the world... War unlike today, actually made money in those days, and by being the evil asshole that he was, Hitler helped revive the American economy as well by providing jobs to people who built the weapons, who used the weapons, etc... to fight Hitler. Bush on the other hand is just fucking everyone economically... They're saying that SARS is causing economic problems in China and Canada, but come on... does anyone else find it out of the ordinary that these economic problems are coming about while Bush is in office?

  • August 8, 2003 6:11 PM CST

    Look, here's how it is...

    by Lobanhaki

    The Republican party has become progressively more belligerent as time has passed. Government shutdowns, Impeachments, recalls, and current efforts at redistricting in my home state of Texas mark this pattern well. They have decided that they are going to get their way no matter how much turmoil they cause in the government, in society, and in the world at large. Domestic Security is an important issue. I have a suggestion to those of voting age: show the people in Washington that we are not a mere rubber-stamp. Next one that supports an effort like this, lets kick the bum out.

  • August 8, 2003 6:13 PM CST

    Who writes this trash?

    by Mitch Cumstein

    Love HST. But anyway, I can only say that whoever wrote this interview is a cliched, un-original, amatuerish hack if there ever was one.

  • August 8, 2003 6:39 PM CST

    Well, he's right about two things--Bush is the worst U.S. Presid

    by Andy Travis

    I'd vote for a patch of moss before I'd vote for Bush.

  • August 8, 2003 6:41 PM CST

    nice

    by ReDWasK

    Hunter always makes me smile

  • "I'm just a patsy, brother."

  • August 8, 2003 6:49 PM CST

    Hunter Thompson is blind. Drugged-up hungover unbathed liberal

    by darth jobu

    What a joke. The Socialists in this country are underachievers. Apparently not worried about the stigma of being hash smokers either. Underachievers are usually academics or artists among other professions that require FREEDOM to pursue. THE SOCIALISTS would tell us we do not have the right to accumulate wealth becuase they have not the desire to own it, nor the ability to accumulate it. Those that do are good politicians that bleed out their hearts for the have-nots. How much do they pay you for those pop-up adverts Harry? How much of that money to you keep? Or do you send it all to the ACLU? I doubt it. Would you tell us we can't own our own resources, as you do, or would you rather have the government own everything and dispense it through one giant fallacious welfare system at the whim of a SOCIAL elite as in China. The poor academics and artists would SURELY suffer under such a system. Or not exist at all. And they would not be free to post their mind in this forum or any other. You people think John Ashcroft has a microscope in this forum because of our political opinions? HOGWASH. He is looking for those who despise what America has become (under ANY President, lefty or righty). I dont like loosing some of my personal freedoms, but what price liberty and what price safety? You choose. Love it or leave it, America stands for consumerism. Thats why we are all together here in this forum. To premeditate future consumption of celluloid tripe that the film industry will dump out its back door like so much fish cuttings. And America is here to stay for another 100 years as long as the Constitution stands. During that time we will have the right to accumulate wealth, or happiness as it is written (but we know what it really means) and not give the goverment 75% of our income in taxes as the Russians did to the Soviet Union. You keep preaching the social agenda folks, and we'll all be living like cossacks smoking our hash pipes just to get out from under the oppression of a elitist Socialist government. I'm no fan of big government, but I choose a capitalist state over the socialist alternative.

  • August 8, 2003 6:49 PM CST

    Hulk Hogans riffs

    by teedadawg

    Damn me, but I laugh at every single ONE of them! "I'm just patsy, brother!" Fucking great!

  • August 8, 2003 6:59 PM CST

    bitch has a 55+ approval rating

    by MiltonWaddams

    and i don't know one motherfucker that doesn't think he's the worst president of all time. god damn.

  • August 8, 2003 7:01 PM CST

    Very Cool

    by IndustryKiller

    Nuff said.

  • ...of course, that might have a lot to do with the fact that he is way too stoned, drunk and/or generally burned out to make it worth taking him seriously. It's like listening to your crazy old Grandpa...entertaining but hardly relevant.

  • Other than you're insinuating, as many conservatives do, that all liberals are secretly commies. Conservatives really need to turn the magnifying glass on themselves. A motion was just passed, to the delight of Ashcroft, that requires you to give your address and phone number when checking in for a flight so they can make sure you're paying your bills. If I want to be a deadbeat that's my own damn business. It all sounds very Orwellian to me.

  • August 8, 2003 8:27 PM CST

    Marty Beckerman

    by JI-WEEEEEEEEEEEE

    Marty Beckerman rules. His book Death To All Cheerleaders: A teenage journalist's cheerful diatribe against teenage plasticity is funny as hell. He got fired from his job (at the anchorage daily news) for asking a pint sized cheerleader what it felt like to be a urine stain on the toilet seat of america.

  • A top quality writer who can still functon despite whatnot, that is a true idol to waste of life like myself.

  • August 8, 2003 9:11 PM CST

    i will do as simon says

    by lush

  • August 8, 2003 9:14 PM CST

    accidently hit enter

    by lush

    hs thompson is a fucking caricurture. Where is the substance you goddam ass? The real poets and wirters of your time are long gone, much like your relevance and influence.

  • August 8, 2003 9:30 PM CST

    Teedadawg...

    by Mitch Cumstein

    I agree. With all the lame running gags on this site(tomboyboy beanpole; etc) I don't think there has ever been a Hulk Hogan line I havn't at least smiled at. Here goes. Hulk as Robocop: "Book 'em, he's a cop killer, brother."

  • August 8, 2003 9:34 PM CST

    Republicans just want us to shut up and let them fuck everythin

    by JohnnyBarrett

    Okay, let me get this straight. According to Republicans, celebrities aren't allowed to talk politics. Hunter S Thompson isn't allowed to talk politics. AICN isn't allowed to post politics. But...Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge, the unqualified pundits on the FOX NEWS SOAPBOX...they can do whatever their high-school-dropout-asses want. Hunter is preaching the scary truth. If you don't like it, make your point. But don't fight to silence the opposition. THAT is fascist.

  • August 8, 2003 9:44 PM CST

    OH MY GOD!!!!!!!

    by Mitch Cumstein

    They're remaking Better off Dead, with John Malkovich as Lane Myers and Hulk Hogan as the paperboy. "I want my two dollors, brother."

  • August 8, 2003 9:44 PM CST

    "The Army has become a pack of vicious, predatory, mercenary hir

    by Mister Pink

    Fucking poetry. This man is a goddamn genius.

  • August 8, 2003 9:57 PM CST

    Ann Coulter to Hunter S. Thompson: "You're a filthy treasonous s

    by FD Resurrected

    I expect this tirade from the horse's mouth - he wrote political essays and articles for Rolling Stone and other publications that are in published books such as Great Shark Hunt, Generation of Swine and Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie (also called Gonzo Papers). His style of writing touching on political & social topics is so versatile and shamelessly entertaining you tend to overlook the obscurity of events and no-names he writes about. He's alternatively maddeningly brilliant, devilishly funny and just plain insane. I could care less if Hunter's a Socialist in alliance with Fidel castro, Che Guevara, Michael Moore and other left-wing fundamentals or a right-wing Fascist (John Ashcroft, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity & other right-wing fundamentals who prefer name-calling, hate speech and intimidation rather than subscribe to respect of free speech (agree to disagree without resorting to verbal and physical violence) and rationale advocated by the Founding Fathers and such world-class philosopher as John Locke, Henry David Thoreau and Voltaire), HST is a fascinating writer to read if you're literate enought to understand his long ramblings with a C average in political science and history. I wonder what Bill O'Reilly and Ann Coulter think of the Duke - they'll just have temper tantrum on the air till their faces turn blue. Likely they'll defend traitorous right-wing scums like Oliver North and John Poindexter while decrying liberals, libertarians, greens, independents and moderate conservatives for being unpatriotic. Don't fuck with the Doctor!

  • August 8, 2003 10:03 PM CST

    REPENT, SWINE! The Doctor's nuts, but he knows what he's talking

    by Judge Mental

    Excellent interview. This cub smoked with the best and now can retire from journalism with pride. (Too bad Gear Magazine is a publication by and for EUNUCHS.) Pro-Bush Talkbackers can suck tailpipe. ... HST is as relevant as ever. Three-eyed mad prophet. The truth he sees is timeless and we should all be so aware of Fear and Evil in this sick country. ... I've been bugging on the same issues as of late: The Bush Empire (Prescott definitely did business with the Nazis)and the SKULL & BONES Secret Society (Mantra: "The Hangman equals Death. The Devil Equals Death. Death Equals Death") & the Graham/Robertson fundies may be up to something really sinister as they have been doing the direct opposite of what Jesus would do. With all the war, pollution, global warming, disease, poverty and chaos that the Republicans have brought to this world, I can't say I'd be surprised if we ever found out they were intentionally trying to incite ARMAGEDDON. Why do you think the cabinet's full of oil lovers? Because Oil comes from DEATH and leads to DEATH. Why the hell do you think they care so much about Israel? Because they're waiting for the goddamned big daddy Messiah to show up! After the Rapture and Tribulation, of course... Think about this stuff, people. Something's very wrong. It very well could be an all-new face of clean efficient pseudo-Christian Nazi fascism that's deceived some, but not all of us. I seriously hope I'm wrong about all this shit and these are just redneck businessmen and I'm just a burnt out conspiracy-nut writer who can't find a job. God help us all. --Peace.

  • August 8, 2003 10:04 PM CST

    I HATE this topic

    by Orange Bat

    I love Hunter Thompson, but I truly HATE this Democrats vs. Republicans debate. In the end, both of these parties are filled with exclusive elitists that think that "career politicians" are the only ones that should be allowed to run for office. Case in point - Ahnold for Guvner. We are constantly being reminded that he doesn't have the "credibility" to be Governor. Why not? An actor is as good as a former baseball team owner? Since when could only "career politicians" run for office? I thought you only had to be a citizen to run? Here's another case: Bush vs. Gore 2000. Two wealthy southerners, sons of politicians running against each other. That was our choice? Why should they be eligible Presidents? Oh, that's right, their FATHERS were politicians. Look, in the end John McCain is right. Our politicians do nothing but cater to special interest groups, whether its a republican with oil or a democrat granting pardons. Until we get rid of the current two parties we're never going to change.

  • August 8, 2003 10:25 PM CST

    I'll tell you what FrankBlackRules...

    by morGoth

    ...Dubya is, after all, much like Sauron...just another Loathsome evil wizard.

  • August 8, 2003 10:29 PM CST

    It's Simple, Really

    by Jervis Tetch

    Per Hunter S., all Republicans are Nazis. Per Ann Coulter, all Democrats are Communists. So pick your side, slaughter your enemies, catch a buzz, and have a cocktail, brother!

  • August 8, 2003 10:35 PM CST

    I'll try to set the record "straight"

    by Baron Funke

    I own all the books, read all the ESPN articles, seen all the movies. So obviously, I love the guy. But anyone who takes anything Hunter has to say as FACT is missing the boat. He's more a philospher than anything else - he has great ideas, values (under all the sarcasm) and the most interesting world-view I've ever heard of. He admits HIMSELF that most of what he writes is bull, but BASED on facts. Listen to what he has to say, try to walk a mile in his shoes, but don't take it as gospel. Learn from him, don't decry what he says, or treat his writing as gospel. He wouldn't WANT to be a politician. He's one unchangeable man in a morass of liars, fakes, and ignorant people. I for one thank everything holy that we still have a political maverick in the spotlight, to help us to question everything, accept nothing at face value, and most importantly have FUN while we're still here. Life's too short for anything else.

  • August 8, 2003 10:50 PM CST

    What the fuck is this monkey crap????

    by Vieri

    What is this socialist trash? I thought this was a movie review / plant site? I hope this site dies a quick death, half the stuff on here makes no sense and what does is of no value. Just like Caddyshack II, which I happen to be watching! Jackie Mason isnt funny, neither is Dan Ackroyd. Why am I watch this? This site blows! PS Drop a few pounds you fat freak! _______________________________ I know you think, I`m no match for you baby You like making it rough on me, don`t you? My my... Back to the shadows, ah ah yeah Nothing suits me better than that In time to start the healing Got to learn to be the ball And I can`t keep from laughing at it all Whoa whoa, I`m going now I`m going all the way Sooner or later, gotta love somebody I don`t care how long it takes Like a shot to the heart, I`ve got news for you I may not look so smart, but I`m nobody`s fool Oh no, lassoing love for you baby Taking it slow, it`s too much for me to analyze Still alright, heading into the rhythm of the southern light Winds of wild insanity, blow with me tonight Shouting love to all you cowboys, alright Whoa whoa, I`m going now I`m going all the way Sooner or later, gotta love somebody I don`t care how long it takes You can turn up the heat, but I`m playing it cool I know it`s hard to believe, but I ain`t nobody`s fool I`m going all the way Sooner or later, gotta love somebody I don`t care how long it takes You might think that I`ve not gone to school on you Baby like it or not, I ain`t nobody`s fool My illusion nation become a sound surprise You may turn to deny it To the place when the clouds stops the wind in the face Leaves you dumbfounded there in his waste I`m going all the way Sooner or later, gotta love somebody I don`t care how long it takes Like a shot to the heart, I`ve got news for you Maybe I`m not so smart, but I`m nobody`s fool I`m going all the way (Ooh yeah) I`m going all the way (Nobody`s fool baby, nobody`s fool) I don`t care how long it takes (I don`t care...listen to the right) I`m going all the way (Who`s fooling who?)

  • August 8, 2003 11:04 PM CST

    SCABKING! Did you say you worked in the administration?

    by TedSallis

    ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....ok, now get back to work and get Condi her $75 latte......

  • August 8, 2003 11:06 PM CST

    "Fluffy-Puff air-puffed sugar delights, hand-puffed at the facto

    by Noriko Takaya

    Don't mind me, I'm just nuts. LOOK LIVELY!

  • August 8, 2003 11:14 PM CST

    GOOD WORK, HARRY!

    by JohnnyBarrett

    This is not simply a movie review site. There are hundreds of those all over the net. Go to them. NOW. This is a movie review site with a POV, Harry's POV. If you don't like it, click elsewhere. I don't watch Bill O'Reilley, you don't have to read Aint it Cool News. This interview proves 2 things: 1) the mainstream press is totally cowardly, and 2) the internet is the last remaining free-speech medium. Good work, Harry. Now, you need to get your own, lengthier interview with the good doctor.

  • August 8, 2003 11:24 PM CST

    I didn't even finish reading this article, I am too fucking drun

    by super Cucaracha

    Oh yeah, fuck Rush Limbaugh beeeatches!!!

  • The great Dr. Gonzo once agian hits it on the head agian..Yes hetalks in extremes..But thats the great Hunter S Thomson for you..No not all republicans are nazis..But alot of them are symethetic to the cause..And you have to wonder why the media really never looks into Bush's and Arn-ulds familys nazi past..Never confermed but yet strangly never denied..

  • August 8, 2003 11:53 PM CST

    Harry to Bushers: Go Fuck Yourselves

    by Jeff Fries III

    Broken record.

  • August 9, 2003 12:12 AM CST

    Nice article Knowles, don't stop

    by watashiwadare

    news.

  • August 9, 2003 12:28 AM CST

    Timeless

    by NakedYossarian

    The thing I love most about Chaffro is his Clint Eastwood "Man with No Name" style. He makes the joke and shuts up. Then he probably smirks (I bet he spits a lot, too). You can laugh (I always do) or you can bitch about him. But he NEVER posts twice in the same TB. You can't make him squeal. That's intestinal fortitude right there. And how did Marty Beckerman get to be the "spokesman for his generation" (as his web site claims) at 20 years old growing up in god-forsaken Alaska? I never heard of the guy and I'm 25. I vote Chaffro as my generation's spokesman. His Hulk Hogan whatifs are far superior to some wannabe Maxim-man's description of a frat party - with a dictionary definition intro.

  • August 9, 2003 12:32 AM CST

    We can handle anything!

    by Lumin Kadare

    Please. There was stuff cut out of The Rum Diary that the American people weren't ready to handle, says Thompson. This guy's got the ego of Hitler, and is just as wrong. I read that book - silly and good in equal parts. It mostly seemed to be a litany of drunken nights and abusive altercations with his victim wife. American lit. has said some pretty fucking insane things, Hunter. Your wee little book wasn't one of them. Sorry, you rambling old embarrassment to the counter-culture (how could someone so ridiculously pickled be anything other) movement, but your time is long over. And all you really gave us was a crazed memoir on a drugfest in Las Vegas and a (far finer) book about the '72 election. Go to bed, you old fogey.

  • August 9, 2003 12:35 AM CST

    And . . .

    by Lumin Kadare

    And a book about the Hell's Angels we all discovered was somewhat fabricated (in part not to make you seem the cowed runt you were in their dangerous company).

  • August 9, 2003 1:20 AM CST

    FUCK LIBERALS

    by Clockwork Taxi

    FUCKING DEMOCRATIC LIBERAL COCKSUCKING PLAGUES OF THE UNIVERSE. FUCKING BITCHES. FUCK HUNTER S. THOMPSON THAT DRUG INDUCED PEDOPHILE. FUCK ALL THE LIBERALS WHO EMBRACE THIS SOULESS COCKSUCKER. YOU THINK BUSH IS HITLER? WELL I HOPE WHEN HE'S DONE WITH THE RAG-HEADS; WHO MOVES ONTO THE FRENCH; THEN CANADA; THEN THE COMMIE COCKSUCKING LIBERALS IN THIS COUNTRY. KILL 'EM ALL.

  • August 9, 2003 1:27 AM CST

    George Bush is a child rapist

    by Tall_Boy

    and he should be electrocuted for war crimes.

  • this isn't "does Obi-Wan have a goatee in Episode III", this shit is actually important. Let a real journalist take over. thank you.

  • August 9, 2003 1:59 AM CST

    Just Lame

    by TheVerizonGuy

    I love the hatred that liberals have for Republicans. I thought that liberals were tolerant and peace loving people. Just go to any major university and watch the vemom and hatred directed toward students or teachers with beliefs right of the center. Often conservative newsletters are burned or thrown away by "tolerant" liberal minded students at these campuses. Whens the last time youve seen a group of Young Rebulicans destroying property and running around in the streets like a bunch of maniacs. Its always liberal groups like PETA and Greenpeace who resort to violent and destructive means to try and impose thier point of view on everybody. The last time I checked it was a Democrat president that locked away hundreds of thousands of people in prison camps just for being Asian. It was a Democrat who dropped two nuclear bombs on innocent civilians in Japan. What has George Bush done that is remotely even comparable to these actions. Where are the prison camps filled with Arab Americans? Where are our rights been taken away in our day to day lives. The prisoners taken over in Ahganistan were rightly locked away and treated more than fairly.

  • August 9, 2003 2:28 AM CST

    I'm glad i didn't read his latest book like I was planing

    by TesticleTom

    Geeze, I have recently been thinking about reading some of this guys books but not any more. I didn't realize he was such a political fool. Just reading through talk back, can it be that so many would really perfer another Clinton instead of Bush? I must be living in the twilight zone. I don't support everything Bush does, but I sure as hell would vote to keep him to prevent a Gore or Clinton from coming to office. Every self proclaimed liberal I have ever met is a drug fiend. What does that say? The more I hear liberals talk, the more I realize they just want politics to support their self gratifying lean-on-society nature. Liberalisim = any view that gets one step closer to government control, makes it easier to do any drug you please without responsibility and taxes the shit out of us to support the consequences of their 'do anything you want, as long as it doesn't hurt others' narrow ass view. HST is a creative writer, but I hope his drug dealer shoots him in the bald head soon if this is the kind of shit he will put out from now on.

  • August 9, 2003 2:29 AM CST

    The kid's damn smart... like a Cameron Crowe of sorts except on

    by EL Duderino

    And another crazy thought for you: What in God's good name would the love child of Hunter S. Thompson and Ann Coulter look like?!? My guesses are that Coulter's egg and Thompson's sperm would both commit seppuku before making contact or the mating process would be just as unsuccessful as mating a walrus with a jackelope.

  • August 9, 2003 3:52 AM CST

    What if?

    by cornstalkwalker

    what if the actions of the bush administration are the stepping stones toward middle east peace? Im sure europe looked much the same as the middle east the first 50 years of the 20th century. Would the world look the same if we, the united states of america, didn't get involved with world war 1 and 2(which, im pretty sure, the public didnt want.) Im sure you will trash me and say im a conservative pig but just a thought. this country didnt rise from doing what the rest of the world wanted so why should we start now.

  • August 9, 2003 3:54 AM CST

    Whatever I say doesn't matter and will piss someone off, but fuc

    by AbleThought

    OK...here it goes.... 1. ANYONE'S view on politics deserves to be heard and is valid. It is the nature of democracy and its backbone. Just because you don't agree with it doesn't make it less valid, nor does it mean that person shouldn't run for office. 2. THEVERIZONGUY- you can't classify a group of people based on what the outliers of that group do. Therefore, you can't say all liberal protesters are violent. It's a minute percentage of them that resort to violence. I've been to dozens of protests in the north and southeast of the country and the only violence I've seen was a drunken fight outside of a bar i was walking past. And the Young Republicans are too scared to protest because if their daddies see them in the school paper or on TV that Daddy will take away his new BMW that he just bought him and take away his food allowance and make him get a part time job, and we wouldn't want that, would we. Also, at the prison compound in cuba that we all heard so much about this past year, they set up an execution chamber. Yeah, those prisoners are being treated fairly. Also, look at the problem legal immigrants are having. They are forcibly being interrogated without legal representation upon entering the country. VERY fair and just. And I would go off about our rights being taken away, but i don't have the time to transcribe every bill and policy to come out of the department of homeland security or the recent strangle on independent media that Powell, Jr. has thrown in the mix. Oh, and liberals are tolerant and peace loving individuals. As are most republicans(I hope.) But we are not tolerent of injustice and thinly veiled socio-economic prejudice. 3.TesticleTom-Ok....Clinton vs. Bush debate. Clinton-our economy was the greatest it has ever been. We were never at war. The world view on the US was much more positive. Gas was cheaper. Sonny Bono and Clint Eastwood were the only entertainers in office. Bush- Each day we are leaping closer to the next Great Depression. We're picking military targets like Marlon Brando making his selection at Krispy Kreme. Assuming you drive, I don't need to tell you about gas prices. And for Final Jeopardy, the answer is "Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gary Coleman, Larry Flynt, Gallagher, Jesse "the Body" Ventura" "What are entertainers currently running for or in office, Alex?" And as far as government intervention goes, I'd much rather have a laissez faire Cool Older Brother Government than a fascist Big Brother "I'm going to discipline you if you don't do what we say you have to" one. Oh yeah, and Hulk Hogan portraying Billy Bob Thorton's character (based on James Carville) in Primary Colors getting mad at the black campaign manager- "I got slave in me, I can FEEL IT Brother!"

  • August 9, 2003 4:28 AM CST

    the world had a better view of usa during clintons term?

    by cornstalkwalker

    hello, the 911 attack was planned way before while clinton was in office. why didnt clinton take care of bin laden when sudan had him in prison saying come take this sick fuck? why didnt he take care of him when laden attacked american embassies in kenya and tanzania. oh yea he fired some patriot missles at his camp. clinton lived through the polls and sometimes you gotta make decisions that the polls wont like. everyone is gonna hate america no matter how much money we give to worthless countries. is there any rational person in the world saying that the leaders of iraq(saddam hussein), iran (ayatollah ali khamenei)and n korea(Kim Jong-il) are/were the leaders we want in a peaceful world? come on please people think. dont just accept the nonsense that the new york times tells ya (jayson blair)

  • August 9, 2003 4:32 AM CST

    ebonic_plague

    by Almost Sexy

    Thank you for your post. I doubt anyone else here will give it a second thought (assuming anyone else reads it at all). It seems like people are more interested in apportioning blame and inculcating divisiveness than say, trying to dig themselves out of the hole that's been dug by an entire nation's complacency. Probably easier to just point fingers. When it comes to ad hominem attacks, republicans and democrats seem identical to me.

  • August 9, 2003 5:16 AM CST

    Great article

    by Sheamus

    And whether you agree with HST or not, he has a view, and an important one at that. Here's another view that you'd be hard to opposte: anyone who thinks Bush is a good president, or that he has been beneficial to the US, is an idiot. And with both the US and the UK going to hell faster than Emilio Estevez's film career, who knows how long it will be before the bulk of radical and significant literature comes from outside of these two once-great countries?

  • August 9, 2003 5:34 AM CST

    What this world needs now is....

    by KID AB

    ....for Rage Against The Machine to reform.

  • August 9, 2003 6:02 AM CST

    Liberty Bustas

    by foucult111

  • August 9, 2003 6:05 AM CST

    second comming

    by foucult111

    Anyone who would trade a little liberty for a little order, shall lose both and deserve neither. yanks go home!!!

  • August 9, 2003 6:41 AM CST

    CORNSTALKWALKER....

    by AbleThought

    Oh please. You really think 9/11 had anything to do about what people thought of our president, whoever it was at the time of the planning? Spin Spin Spin....And by saying that you are using Bin Laden as a representative of the world view. That's just sick. 9/11 happened because of our Capitalism, our role in Israel, and our exploitation of the arab world for oil. not clinton, bush, reagan, carter. it was over policy with religion used as a recruiting tool. And to answer your question, look at the surveys, the US approval rating was much higher during Clinton's term than Bush's. You better read up before you catch a case, son.

  • August 9, 2003 6:44 AM CST

    Harry? love Hunter, but where'z yer FREAKY FRIDAY REVIEW DAMNIT?

    by MentallyMariah

    Jamie Lee Curtis ROCKS!! I was hoping to see a fun Freaky Review but I guess Harry is too busy reading about the guy who fucked a horse in Illinois!

  • August 9, 2003 7:37 AM CST

    To say Bush isn't HItler is denial: Which one of this men went i

    by silentbobafett2

    Power (not justice) grows! Was it Hitler or Bush? Or both? Genocide? Ask the PUBLIC (not the soldiers) of IRAQ. Women and childeren, families, sons and daughters like yours. THEN WHO THE FUCK IS RIGHT? HUH! How would you like your family killed and have the whole world saying ITS YOUR FUCKIGN FAULT FOR LIVING IN THAT COUNTRY! This is so fucke dup - the world is ending and you blind fucks who belive in Bush and the power over justive regime will be the end of us all! Muthafuckers

  • August 9, 2003 8:05 AM CST

    holy testicle tuesday

    by billyhitchcock

    wow, what a talk back. HST is so damn relavent it's unbelieveable. he accomplished his mission the second this talkback exploded. to all you 'conservatives/republicans/whateverthefuckyoucrazybastardsare', look how fucking steamed he got you after just reading a couple of answers to a couple of questions! maybe if we could get you all to read one of his books you might explode and make the world a better place. and to any harry/AICN detractors, GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THIS SITE. just by the fact that this has happened here means it is the PERFECT place for this kind of discussion.

  • August 9, 2003 8:35 AM CST

    You'd think Hunter would have a soft spot for a any coked-up dru

    by Son Of Batboy

    One other thing, Ann DIPSHIT UGLY HO Coulter should be raped with a wire brush dipped in gasoline.

  • August 9, 2003 8:36 AM CST

    You'd think Hunter would have a soft spot for a any coked-up dru

    by Son Of Batboy

    One other thing, Ann DIPSHIT UGLY HO Coulter should be raped with a wire brush dipped in gasoline.

  • August 9, 2003 9:48 AM CST

    Left versus Right

    by RightFlank

    The funniest part of this whole debate is the Socialist vs NAZI bullshit. HELLO??!! 'NAZI' is slang for 'National Socialist!' Hitler was a Socialist. Mussolini was a Socialist. Clinton, Reagan, and the Bushy-wooshies were/are all Socialists. It's all about putting ALL of the power into the hands of a small group of old men. This whole Democrat/Republican ruse is just a smokescreen. The labels you people cling to don't even mean what you think they do. 'Conservative.' 'Liberal.' 'Left-wing.' 'Right-wing.' The whole world is now an overgrown southern milltown. The mill barron owns the factory, the company store, the church (and its preacher), the school(and its teacher). You're all slaves. God fucking bless Hunter Thompson.

  • August 9, 2003 10:55 AM CST

    It bothers me to see the word "Nazi" used casually. It's like t

    by Ralph Cifaretto

    Don't cry Nazi! Terrorist! Rape! or anything else unless it's true. People who have first hand experience with these things know the difference.

  • August 9, 2003 11:06 AM CST

    Another Opinion

    by RowanM

    It's good to see a little political debate every now again. Even in a talkback like this. Education is good. I'm an Irishman living in Ireland and my interest in world politics and what's happeneing in the States especially didn't really develop until about 2 years ago. Thank you Mr. Bush. You see, I don't like that man. Not many people over this side of the Atlantic do. We all think he's a fucking asshole who is dragging your good image through the toilet. Don't get me wrong, I like Americans. It's just Washington I don't like. Who the fuck do they think they are? Get those fucking Republicans out at the next general election, please. Whatever these terrorists agenda are, they seem determined to drag the rest of the world down with ye. America are only 5% of the world's population for God's sake. How the fuck did ye let Bush in there? Things were rosy when Bill was there. I know that if you got caught with Weed and stuff during the Clinton Era, you were in deep shit. I work for an American company and I guess I'm just a passive spectator. all I want for Christmas is to see Bush removed from office. I was against the whole Iraq thing. Granted, Saddam and sons were Evil bastards. happy to see them go. Now it's time for the american troops to pull out. Seriously, Body bags will be flying home on a daily basis. The US Army can't survive against Guerilla tactics. The Iraqis dont want them there. If anything good comes out of this it will be that the American public will come to their senses. Don't believe what Fox tell you. It's scripted by The White House. If you want impartial journalism about what's really going on in the world. Look outside your country. Try the BBC. they're good.Good journalism is about reporting the facts. Not taking sides like Fox are.It drives biased opinions in the American mindset. To see the full picture you have got to step outside it. Rant over for now..

  • August 9, 2003 11:06 AM CST

    again, does anyone take this seriously?

    by newc0253

    poor HST. he's been reduced to talking out of his ass to some two-bit wannabe hack: "yeah, bush is a nazi", "ha, yeah, republicans are nazis". as a leftwing liberal and a HST fan, this stuff don't make me laugh: it's more like watching your favourite but now-incontinent uncle mess himself.

  • August 9, 2003 11:23 AM CST

    I rather compare Dubya to Dark Seid, actually.

    by Uncle Sam

    I can see it now... cities in ruin, silent black helicopters hovering through the air, HUGE posters saying "FREEDOM SHALL PREVAIL" and "AMERICA IS" in big red, white and blue letters, Dubya executing "subversive elements" by shooting omega rays from his eyes...

  • August 9, 2003 11:24 AM CST

    I rather compare Dubya to Dark Seid, actually.

    by Uncle Sam

    I can see it now... cities in ruin, silent black helicopters hovering through the air, HUGE posters saying "FREEDOM SHALL PREVAIL" and "AMERICA IS" in big red, white and blue letters, Dubya executing "subversive elements" by shooting omega rays from his eyes...

  • August 9, 2003 11:53 AM CST

    Bush no Nazi, just using the same playbook

    by cheese0012

    While Bush may not be a Nazi, he is certianly using the same playbook. From using a national emergency as a springboard to restricting freedoms and jailing dessenters, rallying a one sided definition of patriotism and feeding it's fire bringing it to a fevered pitch to preemptivly invading another country based on the sole reason of "they were gonna attack us first!" which in both cases (Poland, Iraq) seems to be false. http://www.democrats.com/view.cfm?id=3524 And while it is one sided, it's still an interesting read. This administration is deceptively more conservative then most people realize, from John Ashcroft's belief that DANCING is the work of the devil, to Bush's money for African aids relief going largely to christian missionary groups to go over and convert them all to christ. Their goal for America seems to be some Leave it to Beaver nightmare that I for one will fight tooth and nail against. Rock on Dr.HST.

  • August 9, 2003 12:18 PM CST

    Fuck it, I'm drunk. I'll throw my $.02 in

    by Toby O Notoby

    Rowan - good post. Don't agree with everything you say, but, unlike most people here, you made your point in a logical manner. My problem is when you said that the BBC was true and Fox was false. Look, the BBC presents its point of view and Fox presents theirs. Neither is right, just apposing sides. The BBC is incredibly liberal, Fox is incredibly right-wing, neither is objective. (For example, the first use of the word "quagmire" by the BBC happened on the *third* day of the war. Um, it takes more than three days for a quagmire.) My advice to everyone else is this: don't wear your politcal party like a badge. You are not a Republican. You are not a Democrat. You are not a Conservative. You are not a Liberal. You are you. You have your beliefs and that is fine, but listen to the other side because God knows, they just might be right. And when you compare a man who has, admittedly, made politcal missteps to a man that killed six million jews and started a World War, you do nothing for your side. (Much the same way that the Republicans pissed me off with the bizzare Clinton conspiracies.) I never thought it was cool to be the guy who said that life sucks, because that is the easy way out. Be the guy who says the world will, eventually, get better - partly because of my actions. It's the harder path, but in the end it's the better one. Keep walking. (Ps. sorry about any typos, but if you haven't ever drank a New Zealand Monteith's Celtic Red beer, watched the Animatrix and smoke some fresh Marlboro Lights, you just haven't lived. Pps. Rowan - My wife is from Cork, does that give me a pass?)

  • August 9, 2003 12:21 PM CST

    Tsk Tsk

    by TesticleTom

    Oh how I love people that compare Clinton with Bush and try to bring up war. You obviously never studied the Bosnian war. Which Americans got involved in as well, for just as much lies as the Iraq war. Where was HST then? Where were all you liberal dumbshit anti-war bastards then? You all swallowed Clintons lies hook line and sinker while he was fucking interns and lying to his wife, you all swallowed that shit with a stupid smile on your faces like a baby with poison candy. Just because Bush is a worse liar than Clinton, somehow makes him a worse president? I don't get it. Research the Bosnian war and the REAL reasons America got involved. They are just as corupt, selfish and retarted as Iraq. Not to mention the fact that Clinton supports the Iraq war and would have done it now if he were in office today. So shut the fuck up about the Iraq war being your reason that Conservatives/Bush suck. Your anti religion and drug culture redereick makes more sense than your anti war bullshit. As for Europeans, I don't blame you for having such a biased oppinion. I spent a lot of time in Europe and experienced the total bias of the media over there, every publication and every newscast with total liberal slant. It's imposible for those poor Europeans to have a balanced view of anything there. They live in an ultra socialist welfare state, and they all think its roses. Most people in most European countries don't work, the government works for them. Thats life, thats what they are use to, sucking on a giant government nipple most of their lives, and they think its normal, and any president America has that doesn't push a socialist/ boarderline communist agenda, they will hate and want dead. I just feel sorry for Europeans, they don't know better.

  • August 9, 2003 12:51 PM CST

    Hitler...Bush.... Queen Victoria....

    by SandBag

    Lots of countries invade other countries... Britain is so small, and yet it once ruled half the world...Italy (Rome) had a huge empire. America was formed at the expense of the (Red?) Indians... Hitler was just doing the same, until he started killing all the Jews. You have to respect leaders that take a smaller country and make it great. (Exclude Hitler of course). I know America isn't in great shape right now, compared to when Clinton was in power, but it has huge respect. Bush has more charisma in his little finger that Clinton had. The reason why 9/11 happened was because Bin Laden was used to the "Clinton" response to terrorist acts, and I bet he didn't know what hit him when Bush took his time and then crushed the Taliban. Countries now know that when you attack America, while Bush is in power, you'll get more than a few cruse missiles sent your way. I

  • August 9, 2003 12:59 PM CST

    TesticleTom - your comments...

    by SandBag

    I hope you were excluding Britain from your post... We suported the war... We were lied to by Blair.. but I think the was is justified to Liberate Iraqies, but not justified on the pretence of getting rid of WMD. Yes the europeans are all liberal fools (exclude some countries.. maybe spain..) , but if they get to much for you, just send about 30 or 40 Marines over to France, and the whole lot will surrender to you. Germany might take a few more...maybe 50 or 60, but Belgium will surrender if you phone them up and tell them to.

  • August 9, 2003 1:01 PM CST

    this guy may be the smartest guy in all of europe, are there mor

    by TesticleTom

  • August 9, 2003 1:13 PM CST

    JohnnyBarret and ebonic_plague

    by darth jobu

    Your missing the point. Free speech is a privilege we all enjoy. The anarchist utopian arguments draw criticism because they are simply contradictory. Actors, academics, journalists currently enjoy a well-fed audience of consumers. The extreme of their arguments is that they wish to do away with their own audience. Without some restriction on what we say or put in our bodies, or laws preventing us from exposing our genitals at will, anarchy would prevail. If that were to happen, civilization would collapse and we would all live in a steaming cesspool of our own blood, urine and feces. There would be no national government and no national audience. Local government would consist of gangs of muscle-bound sodomites enforcing their petty will on the meek. "Gimme a haircut or I'll rape you." Armageddon dude.

  • August 9, 2003 1:44 PM CST

    Sandbag....

    by Splinter

    You're not Irish, mate. You're loyalist British. The fact that you were born on my island is a cruel coincidence. How fucking dare you diss the Irish you spineless fuck. You come on here and start mouthing off about other countries who refused to fight in the sick, lie-soaked New Imperialist fiasco that was the war on Iraq - jamming your head up every fucking neo-con Yank neanderthal's ass who knuckles onto this site in the process. Hav you no pride? Do you WANT rednecks like Testicle Tom to pat you on the back? A guy who comes out with this little gem? This laughable, juvenile ill-informed bilge? (Europeans) "They live in an ultra socialist welfare state, and they all think its roses." You want to be CONGRATULATED by a moron like that? Christ Sandbag, thats just plain embarassing. Really fucking deeply embarassing. You admitted yourself that Blair led you up the garden path, and yet under your comments lies the distinct philosophy that Imperialism is OK? That its right? Have you any concept of how much the majority of the world detests the British for what they did to the world? But you reckon its a positive thing? You disgust me. Fuck, I despair of people. Man oh man. On a positive note though, I love that as the occupation of Iraq continues, as it descends inexorably to chaos, as world opinion against the Bush Regime increases exponentially, the neo-cons come to Talkbacks like this less and less.

  • August 9, 2003 1:45 PM CST

    Watching the History Channel isn't the same as actually being ab

    by DoctorSpectrum

    It's a bit disturbing that many posting here can nonchalantly compare the current political leadership to the rise of Nazi Germany by merely venting their spleen and not having any actual historical basis. Your opinions are valid in the sense that this IS a democracy in its base sense, and you have every right to post and disagree, but here's some hard facts: 1. Thompson claims that because the economy fell and a war began within 2 years of a Bush presidency that Republicans are revisiting Nazi Germany. BUT...the German economy was already in a disgusting depression before the Nazi Party had any political power. It was because there were too many political parties in the Weimar Republic that radical conservatives like the National Socialists were able to gain power...the United States does not suffer from that problem, in that there are only 2 major parties, and contrary to popular belief, they manage to check and balance each other relatively well in the long run. 2. The Bush Presidency has been unable to make a dent in the current recession/depression...and statistically Bush will leave office with the worst economic record since Herbert Hoover. Nazis in Germany within 4 years built such a strong military-industrial complex that their depression was completely wiped out by 1937...while a democratic U.S. under Roosevelt still had major economic problems. If Republicans were Nazis, the current military action would be a huge boost to our economy, but that is not possible in today's dollars or pocio-political climate. The very fact that Democracy still has economic difficulties while National Socialism would have solved the problems means that Bush cannot be a Nazi. 3. Is the U.S. establishing for itself a hegemony that could be considered its own Reich? Arguable, but certainly possible. Only a country trying to hearken back to 19th century imperialism would overthrow a country like Iraq so quickly, and only a country so full of itself would think democracy and capitalism would find a foothold in a region where only 2 democracies have ever existed historically, and they are certainly not republics (small r...as in representative government). BUT the Iraqi people as a whole, according to Iraqi spokespeople, are glad to be liberated...if not overjoyed at current conditions. And countries like Liberia are begging for U.S. intervention, in a nation that the U.S. had a hand in building in the first place. Not all international involvement is necessarily interference. 4. My Point? - I'm just trying to argue on some tangible basis. And the Republican party is not the Nazi party. But I still love that stinking Johnny Depp movie..."Let's get down to brass tacks...how much for the ape?" That crap's hilarious! 5. If you read all this, I'm surprised. Check out some books and tear me a new one...but at least you read a book - and not the newest Thor Comics, though they deal with similar empirical themes. Later!

  • August 9, 2003 1:56 PM CST

    Say what?

    by 007-11

    The Taliban hasn't been crushed, in fact they still control part of the country and are trying to take back control. And everyone needs to shut the fuck up about Clinton causing 9-11 by not capturing Bin Laden. Bin Laden has never been captured by anyone. Although he might have been captured when he was at his son's wedding, but Bush was in the White House during that. We tried to get our hands on him for the U.S.S. Cole, but as usual the Arabs didn't want to give him up without proper proof. What we had wasn't good enough. Oh and to the guy shooting his mouth off about Arab prison camps, they're right there in Guantanamo, and not everyone there is a terrorist. A lot of them are there for very unclear reasons, and it's hard to find out why because the administration refuses to release any names. Once again, shut up about Clinton letting Bin Laden escape, last time I checked Bush didn't have him hogtied in front of the cameras just yet.

  • August 9, 2003 2:34 PM CST

    yeah.

    by milesmonroe

    i dig that a bunch of lame ass movie geeks fashion themselves as blustery politicos when the opportunity presents itself. dr. thompson is a journalist, always has been, always will be. and whomever mentioned the foolishness taking his opinions as fact gets that. facts are not opinions, thompson is quite aware of that. so all of you money grubbing conservative fuckwits, and wannabe boho liberal bastards can just shut your word holes, because your opinion doesn't matter. neither does mine, nobody's does. also, i'd like to see Gus van Sant re-remake Psycho with Hulk Hogan as Norman Bates. "a boy's best friend is his mother, brother!"

  • August 9, 2003 2:37 PM CST

    Hunter S Thompson

    by Mark D

    Hello there like M Rowan I too am irish and living in Ireland. I have a brother in Spain. He was born in America and was for many years a Democratic supporter, but after Gore lost the election and 9/11 happened, he has swung behind, Dubya, Politically. Since the cold war ended with "the fall of the berlin wall and the end of Communism" most americans cheered and celebrated all this, but did you never look behind all that stuff? No, of course but you werent allowed. What your government was and is doing, was adopting elements of Chinese and Russian rule. Dont Believe me? China and Russia were ruled by Committee. Your beloved Country is now being ruled like this. China and Russia both had one absolute ruler and now america has an absolute ruler. The Chinese and Russian Press came under the control of the Absolute ruler and Now ditto for the American press. The Chinesse and Russian absolute leaders crushed ruthlessly any party dissent, apart from "republicans mumbling dissent" when was the last time you heard anyone from the Republican party standing up to DUBYA. whether you all agree with what I have said is up to yourselves. But just think about it.....

  • August 9, 2003 3:24 PM CST

    >TesticleTom and SandBag

    by fontinau

    TesticleTom >> Actually, Europe has plenty of conservative publications (the British "Economist", the French "Le Figaro", etc.). The problem is that America is so socially behind the times that they look "liberal" to you. Anyway, the European "ultra-socialist welfare state" you refer to may indeed result in a lot of indolent people mooching off the taxpayers, but it also results in two other things: (1) In western Europe it would be unheard of for over 10% of the population to be below to poverty line. In America it's a fact of life. (2) Big businesses are more or less kept in check in Europe (outside of Italy, anyway, where a media mogul runs the country), meaning that the media and government are to some degree independent entities. In the meantime, your American government is in the pocket of the oil lobbyist. Even worse is America's media, which exists not so much report news as to tell people what they want to hear (more profitable that way, see?). Example: CNN showed enough skepticism about the war in Iraq to keep the liberals happy, but whenever it came to reporting something really inflamatory - for instance the fact that the entire "Jessica Lynch rescue" was an exercize in staged propaganda - they wimped out. Other media stations followed suit (excepting FoxNews, which has found its own special niche marketing to neo-cons and beer-swilling morons from middle America). Oh, and one other thing: To those of you who have argued that capitalist America is "freer" than socialist Europe, tell me this: why then is Europe so far ahead of America in terms of being flexible with drugs, tolerant of homosexuality, and open to women and minorities?(A woman running Great Britain, a Jew running France. I'm not saying that affirmative action is a good idea on any level, least of all governemntal, but does it concern you that in a country as diverse as America, all but one of the predsidents have been WASPs?) This is not to say that Europe doesn't have problems - GOD do they have problems - but compare it to America, who's foreign policy is stuck in the eighties, and who's social situation is rapidly regressing toward 1950, and things look pretty damn rosy. ******* SandBag >> Why exactly is it okay for the Americans to slaughter the Indians, but not okay for Hitler to slaughter the Jews? "Manifest Destiny", as Americans charmingly call it, was a genocide on par with the holocaust. And British "empire building" in India, Africa, and Austrialia wasn't exactly an exercize in humanitarianism either. Oh, and about your mockery of the French and German armies. Yeah, the French are pricks, but while Britain and America were beating on a third-rate Middle Eastern power which lost most of its defensive capabilities 12 years ago, the French were knee-deep in a REAL war, trying to keep the peace in the D.R. of the Congo (yeah, they did it to protect their diamond mines, but at least they have the guts to get involved in wars that aren't a forgone conclusion). And if I remember correctly, the last time you Brits got into a war with Germany, you needed the Soviet Union and America to save your asses.

  • August 9, 2003 3:34 PM CST

    >Doctor Spectrum

    by fontinau

    True, the Liberians are asking for American peace keepers. And, since another war would probably not give Bush's popularity a boost like his last two did, the American high command is refusing to set foot in the country until stability is restored. As a result, the great USA has been beaten to the punch by Nigeria. Friggin' Nigeria is sending peace keepers to Liberia while America is scared to.

  • August 9, 2003 3:44 PM CST

    Splinter...

    by SandBag

    I

  • August 9, 2003 4:07 PM CST

    fontinau...

    by SandBag

    Good post.. very informative... and I agree with pretty much all of it. Espically the Independent News part. The difference between the slaughter of the Jews and the killing of Indians etc. is that American killed the Indians in order to take over their land and then protect themselves in that stolen land. Nazi Germany killed the Jews just because they did not like them. They caused no threat to Nazi Germany, and they were killed AFTER they were taken prisoner. I'm sure some Indians were killed as captives, but not on the same organised ruthless scale. I know the result is the same, but I believe there is a big difference. Yes Britain needed help when fighting Germany, Ill be the first to admit that. Germany had a bigger and better equipped army. HOWEVER, we put up a hell of a fight and had no intention of giving in (like the French)... Churchill

  • August 9, 2003 4:10 PM CST

    Falkland Islands and disliking America

    by fontinau

    I'm not sure why you think the Falkland War proved that Britain still has backbone, SandBag. The British may very well have backbone, but Argentina and the rest of Latin America have never exactly been what you would call a military giants. If it came to a war between the Argentines and the Belgians, I'd say it would be about even money. As for people saying they like/dislike America, it's a matter of definition. For example, I don't dislike most American people. They are generally somewhat self-righteous, and often have very little notion that there is a world outside of their country's borders, but are otherwise nice and well-meaning people. I do not dislike the American land. America has one of the most beautiful and varied countrysides in the world, as well as some of the most cosmopolitan cities (New York, Chicago, San. Fran., Boston, New Orleans, etc.) So, if those are your criteria for liking or disliking a country, then I like America very much (as I'm sure to many of the other people being less than kind to Bush-and-co). If, of the other hand, your criteria involve foreign, social, or environmental policy, then I despise America.

  • August 9, 2003 4:25 PM CST

    SandBag.

    by fontinau

    Good point about the Indians vs. the Jews. I have immense respect for the British resistance under Churchill against the Nazis (the Battle of Britain and Montgomery's campaign is Africa were particularily nice pieces of work). However, without the English Channel, the British would have gone down just as quickly as the French. The French did not "give in", they were overrun. That is not to say that France shouldn't have been more prepared for a war, or have had a better defensive strategy than the ridiculous Maginot line. (Do you suppose that anyone bothered to say to themselves, "Hey, this feels like 25 years ago. Maybe we should actually keep an eye on Belgium this time." at the beginning of the war?) But IMO people are too quick to forget that thousands of French soldiers died fighting the Nazis, and that even after the occupation of Paris some Frenchmen continued to do what they would, either in the French Resistance, or serving under deGaulle.

  • August 9, 2003 4:37 PM CST

    No one will read this.

    by NoNameNoSlogan

    Those of you who believe the problems we face now with Bush are as simple as the republicans vs. democrats debate are missing the point. They win when you buy into that model, and you lose. It's divisive. Hunter S. Thompson may believe, as many do, that George Bush Jr. is the worst president ever, but he also had many unflattering things to say about Clinton in his book Better Than Sex. The problems we're dealing with aren't the fault of "The Republicans", unless you want to blame all the members of that party (surely including members of your families) who were so easily duped by the closet nazis in charge. Many members of the republican party oppose Bush and the things he's done. There are people like Ron Paul and John McCain in the party. Look at the flipside. There are democrats who are, like Bush, members of Skull and Bones and even the Ku Klux Klan. This isn't about partisan politics. The plan under way that caused 9-11 and the war with Iraq is a "conspiracy", but it's not even a secret. It's been posted on a web site by the conspirators, complete with signatures, for years! They hide in plain site! They were trying to get Clinton to invade Iraq before, but without success. On of the members of this not-at-all-secret conspiracy was quoted as saying that America would need a new Pearl Harbor to get behind their planner wars of conquest, which started with Afghanistan and Iraq and are intended to go on for many years, conquer many nations, and will require a permanent military presence in the conquered territories ala the Roman empire and the Nazis. You can read their plans and see that they are carrying them all out exactly as planned. The members of this conspiracy wrote their documentation in the '90s, and rigged the election to get their people into the key positions they're in today. They are all in the current administration. This isn't about party affiliation. It's about a relatively small group of rich and powerful people trying to assert American imperial dominance of the planet. http://www.newamericancentury.org Go to the web site of the Project for the New American Century and see who is behind it. Check out their Risk map in the front page. Any intelligent person can look at this and see that it is exactly what they're doing, and that they will not allow their plan to be diverted or even to fall behind schedule. Your next election will be rigged with ES&S electronic voting machines, and no one will do anything about it. Voter fraud exposed during the last election was ignored. You're all going to sit lazy in your chairs watching television, hoping that the revolution will be televised. Not one of you has the courage to actually do what has to be done, so you'll get what you deserve from these neo-nazis. Your freedom will be taken away, and you won't even notice. Hunter S. Thompson is only one voice out of many thousands of dissenters, but all those thousands of voices are just talking. 9-11 is just like the February 27, 1933 Reichstag fire in Germany. You're watching history repeat itself, but you're just watching, not participating. That's why it's your fault.

  • August 9, 2003 4:39 PM CST

    fontinau....

    by SandBag

    Yes, When I jarr the French or Irish, I hope everybody realises that I am just generalising. There were thousands of Irish and French that fought bravely in the World Wars. The French gave in too quickly... I know you say they were overrun, but it was still too quick.. (And besides, I like to poke at the french...) Yes the English Channel is a great little streach of water... but Hitler did respect Britain a lot. He could have slaughtered thousands of British Troopes that were trappen in France, but he stoped pursuing them and let them excape...He did this because he wanted to reach a deal with Britain.. Anyway.. I'm not the best at History... My Point, to get back to the subject, is that in my opinion Bush has made the World respect America, somthing Bill couldn't do.

  • August 9, 2003 5:03 PM CST

    Bush, Bill, and world respect

    by fontinau

    On your last point, I must disagree completely. I am no fan of either the Bush or the Clinton administration (chosing between Republicans and Democrats in America is essentially a case of picking your favorite poison). But one thing Clinton was good at was getting the world to follow America. On his campaigns in the Balkans Clinton had the world community eating out of his hand. He knew how get nations like France to do exactly what America wanted while deluding them into thinking that they were acting on their own. The world may not exactly have respected America under Clinton, but they were lead by America nevertheless. With his arm-twisting and chest beating, Bush has now suceeded in alienating virtually every major power in the world (even in Great Britain there was massive popular opposition to the war in Iraq, though Blair supported it). No one is following America anymore. In fact, Schroeder got himself reelected in Germany on a platform that amounted to "I'll do everything America doesn't want." Of course, you could argue that "respect" does not mean following America, but recognizing America as a powerful, dangerous nation. However, America isn't even that intimidating these days. The suits in Washington are terrified of Kim Jong Il and his big bad nukes. Worse, America has proven in the past week that it is so petrified of potential military casualites that it won't even risk going into third world countries like Liberia. Another blow to America's tough-guy image will come in a few months, when Bush pulls out of Iraq with his mission of "bringing freedom to the people of Iraq" abandoned. It's coming, just wait...

  • August 9, 2003 5:16 PM CST

    re: No one will read this. (I read it!)

    by fontinau

    I agree with you in general, NoNameNoSlogan. Americans are completely apathetic about politics, even as the government perverts the democratic system they claim to love in plain sight. Political parties are irrelevant in America, everything is determined by businessmen. But I do think you are a attributing more influence to these conspiracy groups than they actually have. American policy has no real direction today. Instead, it is the product of the government trying to satisfy as many lobbyists and campaign donors at once as possible. Also, America does not actually have the ability to swallow the world. It is not a self-sufficient nation (the famous American industrial core was shipped to Mexico and China over the last few decades), its economy is slowly dying, and its army is already overextened. *** Even if you are correct, when you say "Not one of you has the courage to actually do what has to be done, so you'll get what you deserve from these neo-nazis.", tell me this: Why don't YOU do "what has do be done"? Or if you are, tell us about it so we can do it too.

  • August 9, 2003 5:29 PM CST

    Re: Bush, Bill and World Respect...

    by SandBag

    I'm not meaning respect in the sense of liking or looking up or wanting to please... I mean it in a powerful way... You say Bill had France etc. eating out of his hand... but these were on matters much much less controversial than the Golf War II. Bush did a very very good job getting support for the war.. Take Britain for example. Tony Blair is a Socialist and if he was the opposition party in Britain when Bush called for war, he would have been the loudest opponent of it... Yet he got Blair to support him. Spain and Italy did the same. As did good ol' Australia. I don

  • August 9, 2003 6:26 PM CST

    Sandbag...

    by Splinter

    If you're a day over 18, I'd be very surprised. I've gone head to head with a few people on these boards, and your ignorance, juvenility and blaring stupidity have you beaten before I have to open my mouth. But I will anyway. First things first. I have no problem with America. I have at least 20 close American friends, the majority of whom I work with here in Dublin. The country is beautiful, its people friendly and forthright. What those I know(and the more discerning ones who inhabit these boards) will readily admit to is a blinkered worldview, a tendency toward isolationism, and news-services so steeped in propaganda its embarassing to watch them. I don't hate America, Sandbag. I HATE the Bush Regime, HATE what they're doing in the world, and DESPAIR that people don't just open their FUCKING EYES and see what's going on. Similarly, despite the fact that your country invaded mine over 800 years ago and still have soveriegnty over 6 counties of my fucking country, I don't hate the British. Again, I have loads of British friends. I hate BritishNESS, if that makes any sense. The pompous, nauseating arrogance of administration after administration, people who still give out MBE's (ummmm... Member of WHAT Empire, exactly?), still indulge yourselves with an antiquated and vaguely embarassing monarchism which is so out-moded and irrelevant its laughable, still cling to your pathetic little currency as if its important in the grand scheme of things etc etfuckingcetera. But I digress. Let me address some of your 'points'. ****** "And yet you all go to America for holiday.. you run off to Britain for jobs and university... and you watch British TV more than Irish TV. You listen to British Radio... but hold on... you still really hate Britain." ***** You see, Sandbag, if you were any older than 18, you'd realise that by throwing unqualified rubbish into the fray like that, you immediately render both your arguments and your credibility obselete. I don't know a single person who has gone to Britain for a job, or a university career. I don't know anyone who goes to America on holiday. I don't know anyone who listens to British Radio. You have a very VERY strange view ofThe Republic Of Ireland if you actually believe any of those things are true. ******* "My Point, to get back to the subject, is that in my opinion Bush has made the World respect America, somthing Bill couldn't do." ***** Possibly the most ludicrously naive and ridiculous thing I've ever read on these Talkbacks. With respect to the Americans on this board who are as disgusted at the Iraq situation as much as the VAST majority of Europe, America has NEVER BEEN SO UNPOPULAR. And guess what, Sandbag. Its all down to one, monosyllabic moron of a man. The most fucking powerful man in the world, the President of the United States. And his Regime, of course. Yup, its a Regime. I'd like to personally thank NoNameNoSlogan for bringing up this *** http://www.newamericancentury.org *** Put your investigative hat on, Sandbag. Do a bit of research into what it actually IS. If what you discover doesn't scare you shitless, you're dumber than I thought. And its no conspiracy theory. Its all there, in red, white and blue. Fluttering dramatically. ****** "I don

  • August 9, 2003 6:41 PM CST

    splinter? get a clue.

    by newc0253

    so it's wrong for a stronger country to invade a weaker country, huh? then tell me something, wiseass: is it okay for that weaker country to torture its inhabitants? to gas them? to round up dissidents, shoot them in the backs of their heads and shovel them into mass graves? maybe you're okay with that kind of thing. because, from where i sit, it'd actually be wrong for the stronger country *not* to invade to stop that kind of shit. but i'm sure you have a different moral perspective, seeing as you're clearly a nobel-prize-winning genius and all. clearly the improving the human rights situation for ordinary iraqis matters slightly less to you than smugly pontificating from what you imagine to be the moral high ground. here's a newsflash for ya buddy: if and when the iraqi people do ever manage to get a working democracy up and running, the last people they'll thank will be fuckwit losers like yourself who preferred to wank off about 'western imperialism' rather than actually take action to improve the human rights situation. p.s. just to anticipate what will no doubt pass for your arguments: no i don't think iraq posed any imminent threat, no i don't think they were linked to al qaeda, and yes i think bush is only in it for the oil. that don't matter: if your neighbours house is burning down, who gives a rat's fuck about the motives of the firemen?

  • August 9, 2003 7:11 PM CST

    re: splinter

    by SandBag

    This is going to surprise you

  • August 9, 2003 7:35 PM CST

    Comparing Bush to Hitler...

    by KryptonsLastSon

    Only with freedom of speech could you compare your national leader to the most sadistic mass-murderer who ever existed. When did it become a bad thing to be a Republican? Or a conservative? Not everyone in this country wants to run around and ass-fuck people while smoking crack and burning flags. Why do I even try, these Talkbacks are usually full of self-loathing Americans and the usual Euro trash that Hunter seems to idolize. I appreciate him as a writer of fiction and little else.

  • August 9, 2003 8:03 PM CST

    to ebonic:

    by newc0253

    like i said, who cares whether the firemen have ulterior motives, or "aren't really firemen"? so long as they put out the fucking fire. as lousy as the situation is in iraq right now, does anyone seriously think they were better off under the likes of uday and qusay? re intervention in other deserving countries: last i heard, they had troops sitting off the coast of liberia ready to go in. but even if they are intervening on a selective basis, how is that somehow worse than not intervening at all? if a lifeguard can't save everyone who gets into trouble, does it follow that they should refuse to save anyone?

  • August 9, 2003 8:11 PM CST

    Come, enjoy sceanic Eschaton.

    by McCormic

    Tired of the same old hum-drum of conservative media? Looking to understand why people on the left are so pissed off right now? Then why not visit beautiful Eschaton at http://www.atrios.blogspot.com. Its your one stop source for news and information, from a liberal perspective. Come and enjoy our wide variety of obvious lies, flawed information, and wacko assertions (all of which are completely verifiable as fact). Feel our Nazi like wrath at the destruction of your civil liberties. Thrill at our subversive liberal humor. And chill, as you become informed and aware of the state of our nation, and beyond. Yes, your friendly Caption, Atrios, and his attentive staff are all waiting to keep you informed and up to date with approximately 20 news bulletins though out your day. You'll never fall behind on current events again! And with its handy talk back system, Eschaton insures that you can have your say, right away. So, come, be informed. Come be entertained. Come, to Eschaton. Remember, that's Eschaton at *women singing* http://www.atrios.blogspot.com *Ding, ding, ding!*

  • August 9, 2003 8:51 PM CST

    Actually Stalin is the most sadistic mass murderer ever

    by 007-11

    In numbers at least. He was also a commie. Look out ladies, double-threat guy coming through!

  • August 9, 2003 9:02 PM CST

    Quest for Fire Ebonic

    by darth jobu

    Its a given that exposed genatalia came at some point prior to today. That is a brilliant expose on your part, Ebo! Way to go! Lets hear it for higher education, folks! (golf clap for ebonic-plague). I'm sure that public mating was kosher too a-la "Quest for Fire" Or even shitting on your neighbors door step. The right to free speech does not include exposing EVERYONE to material that offends them. Yes, yes, this is the part about censorship that will freak you anarchists out but I've already pushed some fun buttons, why not one more? If it makes you happy for society to regress to an anarchic morasse of drugged up unbathed uneducated feces-covered pedophiles worshipping at the altar of phallic idols thats fine. Do it. Make it happen. But do it at your house, inside, just like where I watch my DVD's --> in private. The right to free speech also includes the right to complain and urge legislation limiting what I wish NOT to be exposed to in THE PUBLIC ARENA. You seem to think that those who do not want to see your "art" do not have the right to free speech. Well my friend, we all have the right to take action to prevent their kids from seeing something they are not ready for their kids to see. Why is this a sin dude? Are you a parent? I'm willing to bet not, at least not intentionally am I right? Would you have me arrested for shitting on your pillow? How about if I labeled it ART? Your friend's problem is he got caught moving his "product" too close to the public envelope. And you call me an idiot? PUSHAWWWW! I dont care if you want to smoke banana leaves, film humans having sex with fresh lava babies, or stick an ignited twinkie in your ass, just dont do it in my front yard where my kids can see it. Your right to liberty of expression comes with the responsibility of keeping it out of sight of those who dont want to see it, or want their kids to see it. By the way, my "stupid" point was a silly illustration of anarchy which you took WAY too seriously. Chewie and I will snigger with the ewoks about that one for weeks.

  • August 9, 2003 9:05 PM CST

    Fontinau: Media, European "freedom", etc

    by Darth_Inedible

    The American media failed to report that the Jessica Lynch rescue was an "exercize in staged propaganda" because the media were the ones who created the whole mess. Go back and look at what the Administration and the Pentagon released about Lynch's rescue, they never said anything about a heroic battle to rescue her, they just released some grainy footage and gave out the facts and the media then hyped the shit out of it. Read the Newsweek crap. I suppose you could blame the Administration for not actively blasting the retarded media speculation that created this idiotic "scandal". ---"those of you who have argued that capitalist America is "freer" than socialist Europe, tell me this: why then is Europe so far ahead of America in terms of being flexible with drugs, tolerant of homosexuality, and open to women and minorities?"--- This is because it's FUCKING CRIMINAL TO SAY ANYTHING OFFENSIVE ABOUT MINORITIES/"PROTECTED GROUPS" in Socialist Europe, there is no real free speech in any of these Social Democrat countries. Of course they're going to be more tolerant when you get thrown in jail for being intolerant. That's what most Americans mean when they say Europe is less free... Sure there's also less economic freedom, but without true freedom of speech all the other freedoms are worthless. Also the comparison between American Indians and Germany's Jews is really offensive. It's estimated that 90% of America's aborigines were dead from European diseases after the first century of American colonization, how can this unfortunate result compare to the systematic annihilation of Jewish people in Europe?

  • August 9, 2003 9:43 PM CST

    2 or 3 cents

    by jibril

    To compare republicans to nazis is easy. Why? it goes in a circle, really... start with communists, then move a bit clockwise and find liberals (democrats) a little more you find libertarians, then a little more is conservatives (republicans) and not a whole lot further than republicans is fascists. also.. some guy was spouting off about capitalism.. nice to see you've bought into the idea that capitalism is actually the same as democracy. True, the government doesn't have much control over your lives.. they let the corporations do it for them instead. And BTW.. Bush IS the worst president ever... There's a reason why, prior to 9/11 he had the lowest approval rating ever. Makes you think he might have had something to do with 9/11 simply because there's no person alive who has profited as much as he has because of it.

  • August 9, 2003 10:41 PM CST

    Ebonic, why you should care and damn right you should have the r

    by darth jobu

    Three points: 1) However, you should give a shit about what I think about flailing your meat mace in public. Not necessarily me, but the majority who once decided to enact the law. If you dont like it fight it, its your right. If you so choose, get your Public Masturbation group together, and lobby for legislation that allows daisy chains in the subway queue for all I care. When you have a majority you're golden. And when you win, I'll keep my kids out of the subway, no problem. Until then, keep it zipped or go to jail. Its that simple. In fact, I will lobby with you for a ban on poor hygiene in a public place. I am not against sexual acts, bodily functions, xeroxed adult materials. I am against its public display. 2) Im a relatively non-religious conservative Texan, (this takes alot of nerve to admit in this forum for I'm sure some of you Robin Williams disciples are now picturing me with a toothless grin with 10 undiapered kids all with tobacco in their mouths running with the chickens around my double-wide trailer, YEEEEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAW!) but the Supreme Court of the United States just overturned our Sodomy law and I applaud that. The state has no right to govern where "ye put yer willeh" in private. And I say this with a nod to my three gay friends, damn their perversion. I'm also pro-abortion. WOW, how about that? 3) Majority rules folks, and capitalism is the rule of the day. Its not always fair, but capitalists produce revenue, not welfare leaching sod-offs. This is why socalism is doomed to failure. Socialism stifles economic growth, and without growth there is no revenue for social programs. Poverty prevails in both systems.

  • August 9, 2003 11:37 PM CST

    I can't wait until I look on a news site one day and read the he

    by scythe1138

    Then I get to laugh at all the sad reflections posted by his few pathetic fans. I would go into a long-winded political argument, but frankly, all of you are hopeless losers full of baseless, frail accusations against the current administration that pretty much amount to childish insults and paranoid schizophrenic delusional rantings Jeffrey Goynes would envy. Christ, you fucking candy-assed hippies couldn't imagine life under a totalitarian regime. Unless of course you live in Europe.

  • August 9, 2003 11:42 PM CST

    Damn

    by darth jobu

    I have to laugh. My neighbors just called me up and asked me to turn my guitar down. Where do we draw the line?....*grumble*.

  • August 10, 2003 12:55 AM CST

    ebo

    by darth jobu

    You, sir, are an idealist. Kudos. But, alas, we must agree to disagree. Im going to melt into The Magnificent Seven with all manner of liquid and olfactory refreshment. And I salute your restraint, though you probably should have said it since my quoting that everywhere in college is why I got the nickname. And it was "Master of Puppets" that made you miss a beat on your dial-a-pimp hotline. Wave to the kiddies for me. Thus Sayeth Jobu.

  • August 10, 2003 12:57 AM CST

    a note to the H.S.T bashers...

    by magnumshaft

  • It's a fairly new thing to be intrigued by posts on this site.

  • August 10, 2003 7:10 AM CST

    Bush is Hitler, damn right...and the fact that only a drugged up

    by JackBurton

    George Bush is pretty much the most dangerous man on the face of the earth right now, and the fact that almost no one sees this, or wants to, is perhaps the scariest thing of all. Bush is on a crusade, pure and simple, and he has a "my way is the only way for I am right, and no matter the cost I will prevail" God complex exactly the same way that all true dictators have, and it's one that could flare up and potentially if not kill us all, then at least kill a damn lot of us, the likes of which we haven't seen in our history. But he's american, he's the president, so we don't want to say it and we don't want to see it. But choose not to see it all you want, it's a damn scary proposition all the same. We never do learn from the sins of the past, do we?

  • August 10, 2003 7:56 AM CST

    Back to Bashing Harry

    by SandBag

    When's the next competition? You said it would be in the next few days.. and that was about a week ago. I think I'm gonna win the next one... I'm getting pretty darn good at MS Paint

  • August 10, 2003 8:13 AM CST

    No

    by Brucey-O

  • August 10, 2003 8:27 AM CST

    okay ebonic

    by newc0253

    so the US only intervenes for the sake of strategic or commercial interests, huh? then tell me what was their interest in somalia? getting a stranglehold on the world's supply of sand? or kosovo? can you honestly say that they had any real interest in controlling kosovo, other than to protect kosovans. and what's their interest in liberia right now? take your time in answering that. in the meantime you can ponder this one: maybe the US intervenes selectively, because invading every country in the world with a shitty human rights record would mean about 130 wars simultaneously. people moan and bitch about the body count from iraq and that was a relatively easy war. if you seriously think the US should militarily intervene in more places, then you can't also whine about the cost of lives when they do intervene. okay, now i'm seriously bored of this talkback.

  • August 10, 2003 10:20 AM CST

    Yet Another Opinion

    by RowanM

    The general topic of conversation is about Mr. Bush. Makes sense. Okay you get the odd sidetracked topic here and there and it's there I want to make a point to Sandbag. Splinter has it more or less right. I just have to say about your opinion that the English treated the Irish better than Saddam did the Iraqis as both ignorant and insulting.Irish stand up comic Ardal O' Hanlon said it best on a British chat show during the last World Cup. The host asked why when the English will support the Irish team on their campaign, why won't the Irish support the English team. To which Ardal replied "*Oh I dunno, 800 years of Opression and Tyranny". That's your history right there Sandbag. Saddam may have been a brutal dictator for the last few decades. Ireland had to deal with it for Centuries. You call us farmers? The don't call Ireland of Saints and Scholars for nothing you know. That and a few others things is all we could be while under British Rule. Before the British we were dealing with Vikings. You say you're over 18. Maybe physically, definately not intellectually. Get your facts right. On the main topic concerning Bush, I still think he is one of the most unpopular people on Earth. I'm all for the global balance of power. Everybody keeping everyone else in check. If someone steps out of line, someone else can tell him to shut the fuck up and get his act together. Europe is growing in economic power with 10 i think more countries joining the European Union. The sleeping giant is waking up. A broad diversity of opinions and cultural stand points makes for a refreshing change to the American "What we say, goes" attitude.

  • August 10, 2003 10:44 AM CST

    Rise of the European Union, huh. . .riiiiiight. . .

    by scythe1138

    O yes we quiver in terror at the mere mention of this mighty Colossus astride the opposite side of the Atlantic. Come on RowanM, be serious, the French and the Germans can't cooperate, let alone all of Europe. The whole loose confederation idea doesn't work, especially not in the clutch, believe me its been tried. The European "powers" may currently appear be on the right economic track, but any western European nation has the same idea that entrepreneurship is evil and ignore laissez-faire, a dangerous policy when the winds change. And militarily all of Europe is laughable. Just look at NATO, in which the US stands supreme in equipment, training and personnel. Many of the member states will likely leave once they realize that the French are just dragging them around by their Johnsons. Any attempt Europe made to "put us in check" is futile. Funny thing about America: competition only makes us stronger. Your little European club is cute, but don't stand on the tracks when the train's coming through.

  • August 10, 2003 11:12 AM CST

    Re: RowanM

    by SandBag

    I saw Ardal O' Hanlon when he said that... Ok, so Saddam hasn't been around as long as the British. Ok, so Ireland has had a few writers and poets... etc. Good for you. You still haven

  • August 10, 2003 11:34 AM CST

    This just in: Stoners don't like President Bush.

    by FrankCobretti

    I'm shocked. Shocked!

  • August 10, 2003 12:04 PM CST

    Sandbag, you fucking dipshit, The US didn't remove Musolini

    by Tall_Boy

    He left. He was always under the control (technically) the Italian King, so when things were going bad with the German and Alies going back and forth at each other they just politely asked him to leave. And he did. Then he came back and the Italians hung his ass in the square and spit on him. Now THAT'S how to take care of your elected officials, in my opinion.

  • August 10, 2003 12:10 PM CST

    In response

    by RowanM

    Granted, Europe is in no position to get it's act together just yet. I still think that in time we will see something come together. I'm talking future tense here. Not present. In respect to Ardal O' Hanlon. I didnt see it. I was told. So what if I watch British or American television from time to time. I like being Entertained visually. That's why I visit this site. I'm a movie fan like everyone else here. A lot of Irish fought in WW1 and died. The 1916 Rising failed partly because a lot of able bodied men were fighting in another country. We only had our Independance 21 years when WW2 broke out. A lot of people still remembered the last pounding Irish youth recieved the last time. We didn't want to go through that again. And besides, nobody knew the full extent of the atrocities the Nazi's caused until the end of the war. Ireland was still getting her house in order. Yet still, a lot of Irish fought in WW2 even though they weren't politically sanctioned by their government.p.s Toby, I'm a Corkonian too. I understand why you married her.You're welcome any time. No pass needed.

  • August 10, 2003 12:27 PM CST

    Re: RowanM

    by SandBag

    **"And besides, nobody knew the full extent of the atrocities the Nazi's caused until the end of the war"** And yet you still condemn US and Britain for going to war? You don

  • August 10, 2003 1:09 PM CST

    Hhmm...

    by TheMoly

    Just the one comment. To have moral objections to the action taken regarding Iraq does not equate to dissaproving of the new found "freedom" of the Iraqi people. The reason for war, provided to the public by their democratically voted representatives, was that the Iraqi government presented a clear and present danger to world security [Read: the security of USA and UK]. Evidence was provided for this. Evidence which now appears to be rather... shoddy. The Niger Connection... Disproved. The WMD... not located. Any viable proof, whatsoever, of WMD has not been found. Tales of reported "sexing" up of official documents pertaining to Iraqi WMD capabilities. It appears that we have been hoodwinked by the very people who we voted. The very people who espouse the the qualites of a democracy have broken the "rules". My gripe is just that. I've been lied to. Now we have an Iraq with all law and order broken. Water and electricty supplies are severly limited. The Iraqi people have "freedom" [when not being shot at by trigger-happy US soldiers] but no country left. It was said of Mussolini that sure he was a bad guy but at least he got the buses running on time. If what Iraqi people have now is freedom then I hope to God I never have to experience that kind of back-water freedom.

  • August 10, 2003 1:11 PM CST

    This just in: Brain-dead simpletons love Bush!

    by TedSallis

    Thats raht! Lets make that whole A-Rab area one big demo-cracy. Now wheeel own tha gas stay-tion...yeeee haaaa!

  • August 10, 2003 1:14 PM CST

    liberal propoganda

    by ZO

    from a movie site??? no way

  • August 10, 2003 1:16 PM CST

    This just in: Brain-dead simpletons love Bush!

    by TedSallis

    Thats raht! Lets make that whole A-Rab area one big demo-cracy. Now wheeel own tha gas stay-tion...yeeee haaaa!

  • August 10, 2003 1:22 PM CST

    Wimpish mentality?

    by Splinter

    Dear Christ, Sandbag. I wasn't going to retort as old RowanM was giving your 'arguments' a good enough thrashing as it was....but this I can't resist. Wimpish mentality, you say? How is it exactly that you only ended up with 6 counties, you fucking child? Wimpish mentality? This from a guy who lives in a 'country' which exemplifies the 800 years of tyranny we're talking about. A 'country' borne of blood. A 'country' which is built on the bones of generations of innocent Irishmen who didn't ask to be invaded, murdered, starved - didn't ask for their language to be bastardised and diluted, their culture and traditions to be swept aside by the insufferable, twisted arrogance of the British. A 'country' which stands like a wart on the arse of the United Kingdom. A 'country' which clings to the back of the UK like a proboscis - a parasite sucking ever resource, every comfort, every protection it needs while doing nothing to provide it for themselves. A 'country' utterly incapable of sustaining itself without the dripping teat of Westminster. Christ Sandbag. Wimpish attitude? You come from the greatest fucking non-country in the world! You're made up! Half your population (soon to be more) don't want your 'country' to be the 'country' the other half of you suckling monarchists want it to be. You're a helpless child of a country. Here's the cruncher though, Sandbag. Do you think Britain actually WANTS you? Are you fucking blind enough to believe that the BILLIONS you cost them a year to keep you in existence is OK by them? The day will come, my friend. The 32 counties will be whole again. Whether Britain cauterizes you like the unwanted growth you are, or Republicans out-vote you, it will happen. What will you do then, Sandbag? Here's what you'll do. You'll spit and piss and moan and curse us Micks with every fibre of your being, trussed up in your Union Jack Boxers singing Rule Brittannia. What will us 'wimps' do? We'll welcome our brothers back with open arms. We'll celebrate the end of tyranny, of bloodshed, of British Rule in our land. You really REALLY don't know the Irish, Sandbag.

  • August 10, 2003 1:24 PM CST

    Mr.T Vs, Hitler!

    by mbaker

    http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view.php?id=70092

  • August 10, 2003 1:56 PM CST

    Gregory Hines R.I.P

    by SoulOnIce

    Of cancer

  • August 10, 2003 2:21 PM CST

    Controversial?

    by Purple Toupee

    Hmmm.....I wouldn't call this controversial anymore, because many of Thompson's points are obsolete. Besides, when did AICN become a forum for political discussion? Since when do a bunch of fat geeks with extensive internet porn collections who live in their mothers' basements know anything about politics, regardless of where they fall on the spectrum. Losers!

  • August 10, 2003 2:25 PM CST

    Re: TheVerizonGuy

    by Purple Toupee

    Well stated. I think the point is that people are too quick to label each other as Liberal or Conservative, when most of the country takes a little bit of column A, a little bit of column B. But I agree--why do people harbor such animosity towards those who have different political ideals? I think that if we are open mined enough, it doesn't matter. I've changed my mind about both Bush and Clinton so many times, it's scary. Who cares?

  • August 10, 2003 2:43 PM CST

    Re: Splinter

    by SandBag

    ***

  • August 10, 2003 3:12 PM CST

    In response yet again

    by RowanM

    Well said Splinter, well said. You put things down I could not. Fucking poetry. I dont hate the English on a person to person level. I have loads of cousins living over there. My uncles moved there out of desperation due to massive unemployment in Ireland. Not because they wanted to. Because they had to.Yet although my cousins have both Irish parents, they are essentially English. I don't hate the English. If I met an Englishman in a pub, I'm not going to scream ENGLISH BASTARD YOU RAPED MY COUNTRY followed by a head butt. I hate England in general for what they have done in the past.You can't change that. That resentment is reflected in our songs and poetry. It will be several generations to come. things are moving forward I feel in the North. A lot of scary shit still goes on up there I know. A lot of Irish people couldn't care less whether or not Ireland is re-united. I personally would like to see that as a gesture saying that the book has finally been closed. I think it will happen. apparently the Irish up there are breeding like rabbits. It's a matter of time.I have to admit sandbag that you truly don't understand the Irish mentality when it comes to political stuff like this. Don't go there man. Let it lie. Slan (slawn) p.s. I embarrased to say I got my dates wrong. I indicated that Ireland was Independant 21 years before WW2. My mistake. Ireland got her independance in 1922 not 1916. Apologies

  • August 10, 2003 3:16 PM CST

    *YAWN* Sandbag.

    by Splinter

    Yet again you're betraying your obvious youth - and your inherited, hybrid patriotism. If you had ANY IDEA what it felt like to live in a country which still harboured those who tore it from your grasp, you'd understand what I mean by oppression. I don't mean guns, you insipid twat. I mean PRESENCE. I mean HISTORY. I mean in my FUCKING BONES - and in the bones of generations before me. Melodramatic? Only someone who knows nothing about love of their country, or pride, or nationalism would call what I'm talking about melodramatic. Now would you shut the fuck up, please. You're boring me now.

  • ... a poorly written piece of shit. And there is nothing more irritating than an uneducated liberal (which is actually pretty redundant). You leftists are pretty great at calling names, but absolutely have no proof to back up your claims.

  • August 10, 2003 3:44 PM CST

    Re: Splinter

    by SandBag

    Ok, your right, this has gone on enough, I

  • August 10, 2003 3:47 PM CST

    I better see a Gregory Hines talkback on here come Monday mornin

    by Terry_1978

    And dammit, ALL his starring roles better be showcased, not just Cotton Club and Tap.

  • August 10, 2003 4:12 PM CST

    Unofficial Gregory Hines Memorial TB!

    by KryptonsLastSon

    This TB has just been requisitioned from the dope smokers to honor Gregory Hines.... Don't dispute the greatness that was Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal in "Running Scared".

  • August 10, 2003 4:59 PM CST

    PROUDLY CANADIAN

    by Short Stack

    These days, more than ever Canadians, like myself are very happy to BE Canadians. Canadians do not live in a culture of fear. We do not live in what is becoming a police state or have a leader being compared to Hitler. Don't get me wrong. I think Americans are awesome. I admit, I don't think much of Bush or his cronies in office at the moment however. When you have a majority of the citizens in the country believing another terrorist attack is immiment and people resort to buying duct tape, gas masks, chemical suits, etc. There is something very wrong. I would agree that if not already dead, the American dream is dying. The American Dream was not about living in fear, or the government putting the FBI in Libraries, eavesdropping on phone conversations and arresting people for "Suspicion" of being a terrorist sympathizer. There's a wide umbrella there that basically means you can be arrested for anything at any time and they can label it "Suspicion of terrorism" How many people are right now being held prisoner by the government without counsel, a phone call or any rights at all - who have not even been charged? Sounds like something we hear about in the middle east. The biggest question that seriously needs to be addressed is "WHY?" Why is it happening? Why has it been allowed to happen? Why are things this bad in the first place? Because of 9/11? Sure, in part... but there's more to it than that. Why is America so unpopular around the world right now? Certainly, Bush isn't making any friends. He says "You're either with us or you're against us!" The world spoke up about Iraq. Millions and Millions protested at home and around the world. He has ignored everyone. The republicans will do what they want when they want and to hell with what anyone else thinks. This behaviour has clearly been demonstrated already. It's a pity because it shows a clear disregard for democracy, which bush says he so clearly values. If Another country invaded another without approval from the UN - The United states government would jump on the media band wagon and denounce that country, calling it a "Rogue Nation". Well... What now that Bush has done the same? The American government would never admit to any wrong doing. Most people I have discussed the issue with feel that a cover up will happen and evidence will be fabricated. Ultimately, the responsibility of the the actions of the government lie with the American people - sadly. They allowed him to win his office by means of the courts. Bush continues to take away rights and freedoms of the American citizens and you let him do it. The man should be impeached and thrown from office. The legitimacy of his presidency is suspect anyways. I talk to American citizens every day and many of them are ashamed of What their government is doing and I am asked regularly about how they can move to Canada. That is really sad. I never would have dreamed that I wold encounter such numbers of Americans desiring to forsake their country. Canada is far from perfect I grant you, but at least we do not live under the constant fear of an unknown doom that threatens to jump from the shadows and strike without warning. Something has gone terribly wrong with American culture and the government and the people of this once great country need to rise up and change it. You have a voice. Use it. You can vote. Do so. The power to change the unfortunate situation America finds itself in is in the hands of the people - like it or not. I will sit north of the border, safe and sound...and watch what happens.

  • August 10, 2003 5:21 PM CST

    Shrug.

    by Tarmac Adam

    Not a great Thompson interview. Then again, Kingdon of Fear was not a great book either. Especially the bits about having sex with an 8-year-old girl. Thompson has had his day in the sun. Bush stole the election; dresses in army duds but never saw combat in his life. Blair is a mentally ill mendacious man on the way out. None of our opinions count. The anti-war demonstrations showed us that. We are not rich and famous and do not matter. The rich have complete and utter contempt for us and can do as they wish. Check this out: www.rebelinccoffeeshop.com/show_news.php?id=576 Then www.bushwarsblog.com Then www.mchawking.com The media is just a propaganda tool, more so in America than Europe, but we still get lied to here too. Too many people in the world, too few resources. Things are fucked, which is why Thompson's antediluvian 'no future but the rapture' agenda rings true today; Jihad in other words. He's nuts; has been rambling on like Reagan about this Apocalypse Now stuff for decades. So many people, so little intelligence. Sigh.

  • If the US ever becomes a *true* totalitarian state (how many people here have actually ever lived in one?) or succumbs to terrorism, Canada will not be very "safe and sound" for long.

  • August 10, 2003 9:21 PM CST

    canda= safe?

    by jibril

    if the US decided to invade us- which thankfully will take a much stupider/more insane person than Bush to do, as the international repercussions would be immense (something like every nation in the world- with a hadful of holdouts of course- attacking the US because there can be no justification for such an attack) Canada would not be safe at all. The US armed forces are just a wee tad bigger and better equipped (although, i'm told, by and large not better trained. like it matters in a 15- 1 fight) canada would be fucked. Oh and to Ugo (i think) what accusations are liberals making without proving them? That Bush is a bad president? It's proven He sunk the US economy in less than a year. Not to mention attacked 2 countries- one sorta justified, the second not even a tiny bit justified (attacking a nation that has not made a single aggressive action in a decade on the RUMOUR of WMDs is NOT adequate justification) Finding evidence to show why Bush is a collosal fuck up is easy. I'd say he's a strong candidate for being the first US president to get brought up for war crimes (can someone tell me why depleted uranium shells are legal?)

  • August 10, 2003 10:10 PM CST

    Fear and Loathing in Cyberspace

    by ADigitalMan

    Hunter S. Thompson is proof positive of why drugs are bad for you. When you equate America with the Third Reich, either you're too full of piss and vinegar, or you've had one too many trips on the brown acid, or been chasing the dragon far too long. In Nazi Germany, Hunter S. Thompson would have been exterminated by the S.S. long ago. That hop-head is taking his First Amendment rights for granted these days.

  • August 10, 2003 10:20 PM CST

    Hi Kiddies, here's how the world really works...

    by Michel Delving

    In the 1940's Hitler left nearly 1 million of his own troops dead on the snowy fields of Russia (800,000 german sons frozen and dead), they begged to surrender and were by Hitler to die on the battle field. Before WWII was over, 70 million people were dead. Hitler was a NATIONAL SOCIALIST. Not a conservative and not a republican. The communist regime that took power during the vietnam war era in Cambodia ordered every single person, men women and chlidren, out of the cities in which they lived, to go to the fields in the hopes that a new agricultural epiphany would take place. 3 million people died. This was a Communist government decision. At the end of the Vietnam war nearly 250,000 people took boats to come to America in fear of the North Vietnamese regime which took power. Once again, a COMMUNIST Government. Every day our Coast Guard stops people floating on rafts from Cuba. They risk sharks, bullets and drowning to reach freedom. Fidel Castro is a Communist. This is the price of the far left. Every time a republican is accused of being Hitler, I'm reminded of all the times the left agenda has cost people their lives. HUNTER IS A DRUGED UP FOOL. CAN YOU REALLY TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY? George Bush is a Nazi? If I really thought Harry had the intellectual capacity to understand this arguement, I'd be offended, but instead I'm only amused. And let's not forget Stalin, the biggest leftist communist of them all. He had nearly 50 million people killed in gulags during his reign. Free speech is one thing, out right lies are another.

  • August 10, 2003 10:27 PM CST

    SilentBobaFett2

    by ADigitalMan

    "How would you like your family killed and have the whole world saying ITS YOUR FUCKIGN [sic] FAULT FOR LIVING IN THAT COUNTRY!" Gee, kinda like what the Arab world was saying about Americans who died on 9/11? That door swings both ways, pal, and right now it's a simple case of survival between the West and the Middle East, and if the ME had its way, there wouldn't be a Hollywood to put out shitty movies for us to build web sites about and then discuss politics instead of websites. No, instead you and your family would be killed because your beard isn't long enough, or you skipped one of your five daily prayers towards Mecca, or your wife drove a car.

  • August 10, 2003 10:35 PM CST

    Here is the definition of Communism

    by Michel Delving

    Oh, I almost forgot. The definition of Communism is the redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor. IE: Everyone with money gets it taken away, and everyone without gets the money. Unfortunately, this means there is no incentive whatsoever to work. The people will get the money anyway so why try. It sounds pretty good so far, however, as society becomes complacent, there is no reason for anyone to do anything. Another drawback is that as society becomes complacent, the government must begin to crack down harder and harder in order to maintain economic stability. In the end, it becomes a police state. People are ordered to go to work for no reason and productivity comes to a stand still. Thus the Ugo. Ever drive one of those?

  • August 10, 2003 10:36 PM CST

    Supreme Chancellor Bush?

    by ADigitalMan

    And one other point ... Hitler appointed himself Supreme Chancellor (ahem) for life (which, now that I think about it, is a term he fully met. HA!) No matter what comes in November 2004, by January 21, 2009, George Bush will positively, without question, not be President of the United States. See, that's the beautiful thing about Democracy, if you hate the fuckers enough, get your ass to the polls and vote them out. Oh, wait, I forgot, 90% of all talkbackers are 13-year olds ... what the fuck am I doing on this board with all you kids?

  • August 10, 2003 10:37 PM CST

    I agree with DigitalMan

    by Michel Delving

    THEY BEAT THEIR WOMEN FOR SMILING! Fuck you Hunter. Have some more hash.

  • I never thought I'd say this either, but Thompson's obituary for Nixon was the last interesting thing he's said or written. Now he's Ozzy Osbourne, without the funny kids.

  • August 11, 2003 2:23 AM CST

    ahem.. Michel Delving

    by jibril

    You are confusing the NAME of Hitler's political party (National Socialist) with the actual politics espoused by said party.. fascism. Socialism (and communism) assumes that all people are equal and should be treated accordingly. Fascism assumes that people are most certainly NOT equal, that in fact some are better than others because (insert reason here). Fascism is EXTREME FAR RIGHT politically. The National Socialist Party was not in the least bit socialist in it's politics, just like here in British Columbia (a province of Canada) the most right- wing party politically is known as the Liberal Party (they took over from the now- defunct Social Credit party) the name of a party rarely has much to do with it's actual politics these days. How it is that you haven't figured this out escapes me.

  • August 11, 2003 2:36 AM CST

    economy

    by jibril

    Want proof? well... do you belive it to be pure coincidence that the economy was doing unbelievably well right up until the elections.. budget surpluses, etc. and suddenly there's a new president and suddenly there's budget over- runs the US dollars starts going down, etc. People couldn't talk enough about how bad a job Bush was doing up until Sept 11th. Then suddenly he gets to send troops somewhere and he's a saint with no possibility of doing anything wrong? That's insane! He is doing a terrible job as president and has hit upon the best strategy ever to avoid criticism- fear. It's not even a new idea, as this was all done in the 50's (Anyone else notice how the old MaCarthy- esue term "un-american" has re- entered use?) but anyway, the econmy goes well up until a change of president and policy comes into existence, then goes downhill rather fast. I don't see how this could possibly be a co- incidence.

  • August 11, 2003 2:40 AM CST

    DU bullets

    by jibril

    oh yeah (sorry about all the posting) DU bullets ARE radioactive and have caused an unignorable upsurge of radiation related birth defects everywhere they have been used (most of the evidence can be found in Iraq as they were used there in the early 90's)

  • August 11, 2003 2:46 AM CST

    Hehe, now I'm a redneck because I compare Bosnia and Iraq?

    by TesticleTom

    This whole discussion was at first entertaining but now is nausiating. I don't align myself with Bush, or conservatives or liberals. I think for myself. I look for integrity in things and find it nowhere. I am an American that wishes he could move somewhere that was a political Utopia but there is no such place. I just get so sick of the brainwashed people in America and the brainwashed people in Europe that think they know what is really going on argue about what they really don't know. In fact, Bush is just a puppet for something that has been controling this country for a long time, and we are all the victims. The whole 'most powerful man in the world' shit is total nonsense. We are all consumers of the big lie, the media lie. It's impossible to know any amount of truth or reason for any action taken by a country. Not the real reason, not the real truth. Only a very select few see the big picture. The only solace I find is in realizing all this, and its damn sad to see so many people around the world express themselves on here in a way that makes me want to leave this planet all together. God I wish I could. **Splinter** Your as brainwashed and 'redneck' as any so called 'patriot' in America and it shows. I don't hate you though, you can hate America, it's obvious you do. You can hate bush, you can hate who you want, but your main problem is you hate. Just like the 'rednecks' you like to point fingers at here, and it perpetuates the problems that frustrate you, this goes for a lot of people on this silly board. I leave you with this great quote by a great man "The only way evil can prevail is if good men do nothing". Take this how you want. I won't waste any more time here with so many bottom feeders.

  • August 11, 2003 3:23 AM CST

    jibril you're wrong

    by Michel Delving

    Hitler instituted a state run control of everything in the country. If that isn't a socialist state, I don't know what is. Which part was the conservative part? The Church? Outlawed. Private Enterprise? Nope, all state run. Taxes? No need, every penny was poured into the war machine. You fucking liberals think you have the monopoly on freedom as you take away property rights in the name of environmentalism, money in the name of fair taxation and redistribution, and more than anything lately you disregard the constitution by taking everything to the courts in the hopes that some liberal judge somewhere will hand you the ruling you seek in spite of the law. HAVE FUN WITH THE FUCKING RECALL IN CALI A-HOLE, YOU DESERVE IT. HERE COMES THE TERMINATOR. HASTA-LA-VISTA-BABY.

  • August 11, 2003 4:08 AM CST

    Michel Delving

    by earthworm

    I've not read all this TB, but couldn't leave without challenging your comments. Nazi Germany was not a socialist state. Hitler never had control over the industrialists and business sector (Stalin controlled EVERYTHING) Hitler did pay for everything through taxes but Mercedes, VW, Skoda, Messcherschmit and more, all were fully functioning business at the time. So he was right wing. Extreme Socialism and fascism are indistinguishable on a lot of levels though.

  • August 11, 2003 5:56 AM CST

    ZombieKiller, I'm no expert on Canadian politics...

    by earthworm

    ...but I doubt Canada is a truly socialist country, as opposed to having a leftish government a la GB in the 70's (I don't count Tony Blair as a socialist.) Communism was the Russian flavour of Socialism. The underlying principles are largely the same, namely, state control of the economy and all people being equal (though some were more equal than others in Russia.) Without getting into a discussion on ideology however, my initial point was that there is no way on earth you can say Nazi Germany was a socialist state. The point about the industrialists is an important one. They were not state controlled, Hitler bought what he needed from they. They just happened to believe in what he was doing, (a fact largely ignored when the same men were required to rebuild West Germany as a bulwark against Communism from 1945.) Compare that to the way in which Stalin was able to move entire factories and hence cities 3000 miles across the Soviet Union. But I'll concede that there is a reason why the political spectrum is usually represented as a crescent, extereme Left and Right wing ideologies do share a lot. Incidentally, again I can't claim to be an expert, but I've been led to believe that there is at least a case for further investigation into DU (though how the hell that entered into this tB I've got no idea.)

  • August 11, 2003 6:17 AM CST

    And having read a little further up...

    by earthworm

    ...I'd say Michel Delvings views on Communism and Nazi Germany bear the hallmarks of a dangerous thing, a prejudiced man with a few facts to back his arguments, while neatly ignoring those that don't fit. Either that or he's a politician. ;-)

  • Calling Bush the worst President of all time is just really, really stupid. First of all, the recession started before ANY fiscal law Bush passed. Then, I don't know if you remember or not but this country shut down for almost a whole year after Sep 11th. No one was travelling, it crippled our airline and tourism industries, it shut down our financial markets, etc, etc, etc. Oh yeah, you left-wing extremists think Bush allowed 9/11 to happen so we could go to war to help his buddy war contractors and oil companies. This is why no one believes your shit. This time next year the economy will be roaring back, their won't have been another terrorist attack on US soil, Saddam Hussein will be dead, we'll have found WMDs in Iraq, and we'll not have heard from the scared little cockaroach cave-dweller Osama bin Laden. The what will all of you loonies be saying? Does it even bother you that you are SO far away from what the rest of the country thinks and believes? Just vote Howard Dean for Prez! He's not sure if Saddam Hussein not being able to gas or slaughter his people anymore is a good thing, either.

  • August 11, 2003 8:30 AM CST

    The Economy

    by RowanM

    I'd agree with ZombieHunter whereas I think the economy was already slowing down when The Bush Regime took over. Take technology for example. Supply and demand. It works in cycles. Hardware and software. Someone like Dell build kick ass computers. 6 Gigabyte hard drive, 800Mhz Pentium 3 processor, 8MB graphics card, 56k modem ect. This is your foundation. The Hardware. Now you need Software to build on it. The Hardware is waiting for the software to fully utilise what The Hardware is capable of achieving. People already are buying the hardware. Pretty soon loads of people have one. Nobody needs to upgrade for a while. Pretty soon the software catches up. You got games demanding more from your hardware so you upgrade. You buy a pentium 4 processor. You buy a 32MB graphics card. You want to MP3 more albums onto your hard drive so you buy a 80 Gig hard drive. You see what I'm driving at? Software catches up with hardware so you up grade your hardware. Then you wait for the software to catch up again. It works in cycles. I think that during the waiting period for the software to catch up, nobody is buying hardware. I work for an american hardware company and there has been a major slump for the past year. Our Irish economic boom known as the "Celtic Tiger" is over. Inflation is high ect ect. A lot of countries feel the pinch right now. But demand will always need a supplier. I think the Economy will pick up again, I just hope it will be when Bush is voted out of office (Please God, let it happen) and so every one will welcome the new President and blame Bush for their woes. Please keep the Republicans out. The greater of the two evils in my opinion

  • August 11, 2003 9:28 AM CST

    Dr. Thompson's irreverence

    by Hud

    is making a mockery of satire.

  • August 11, 2003 9:43 AM CST

    And another thing Zombie

    by earthworm

    "Saying that those companies were capitalist organizations...ergo they were right wing is just....well..silly." No it bloody well isn't. They were capitalist. If they were left wing they would have had to believe in labour rights, property as theft, redistribution of wealth and state control of their business. Turkeys and Christmas anyone?

  • August 11, 2003 10:07 AM CST

    Yeah!!!!!!Youre all right?

    by RUBBERSOUL12

    Politicians are supposed to be Career Politicians after all none of us should be in any office, were just peons, it should always be the people with the power and money. Shmart Fart, intelligence, integrity, compassion, responsible, why should any of that shit have anything to do with it, if we wanted that Jimmy Carter would still be our president, right? As for entertainers, hell why not many of them don't possess any of those qualifications either. I don't know about you but I'm still convinced ROBERT CULP is playing the part of DONALD RUMSFELD, in addition to ALFRED E. NEWMAN as the PRES.

  • August 11, 2003 12:42 PM CST

    Bad Canadians? I don't think so!

    by Short Stack

    It's unfortunate that some Canadians (Zombie Hunter?) and others feel bad that Canada isn't right in there with guns, tanks, preaching Paranoia, trading in Lies and deceit... like the Bush Administration is doing. It was not my intent to suggest that We're safe only because The US hasn't invaded us. They won't - Though they certainly have no difficulty hurting us economically or blaming us for letting terrorists into their country, conveniently forgetting the fact that we don't let anyone into their country - their own cutsoms officials do that. Yes, Canada may be doing Nothing - just as many other countries are. Why Should Canada Jump in with guns blazing? The invasion was Illegal. No evidence to support the invasion has been found and The Bush administration is now desperate to either find SOMETHING or fabricate it. Yes, a country may be defined by it's foreign policy - which is exactly why the United states is so much disliked and hence, a target for terrorism. Canada is not a target because Canada does not screw around other countries, make promises, break them, etc. Why should the United States be the world's police force? I'm sure if Bush had his way, he'd appoint himself Emperor before too long. Let's hope he's gone long before that though.

  • August 11, 2003 1:07 PM CST

    Jibril and RowanM - economy & Hitlers indusrialists

    by darth jobu

    Thought I would throw this in the mix. 1) you are correct about cyclicity of markets. The US economy was already faltering the summer of 2000, prior to November election of Bush. The Dow industrial average, S&P500, Vanguard500 and Fidelity Magellan indices were all falling that summer. This means that the machinations of economic cycle downturn were already in motion for most of the year 2000, under the Clinton administration. The spending defecit was already shrinking prior to Bush and the wars. 2) Economic socialism is simply state controlled wealth. If you dont think Hitler controlled all wealth in Germany, even that of the Industrialists, you are seriously misguided. If the industrialists were not loyal to the Nazi party they were out. Mercedes manufactured everything ever instructed by Hitler. Nothing else. There are plenty of companies in the US that do not cowtow to the demands of Bush administration, and people still consume their goods. Some of you people are seriously delusional and infuriatingly stupid about this Bush=Hitler issue.

  • August 11, 2003 2:15 PM CST

    Jbril

    by qtheeskimo

    The single biggest mistake the US could ever do would be to invade Canada. Your military is vast and you have a lot of money. But we arent a bunch of ill educated religious fanatics walking around with swarthy skins in a desert halfway around the world. We look like you, can sound like you, know your system and culture. Think about it. We do.

  • August 11, 2003 3:17 PM CST

    Regardless of what position we have, everyone seems to agree...

    by Short Stack

    Bush is a bastard, who needs to go. I think everyone can agree on that one. He's bad for America. Hitler was bad too - but he's dead. We need to concern ourselves with the present.

  • August 11, 2003 3:25 PM CST

    I think we should

    by iamnicksaicnsn

    all shut the fuck up, and stop thinking about how retarted Bush is, and how he's fucking up the country, and start thinking about ways to get him to stop. I mean, there are so many things wrong with this country, it's sick. But it's not going to help to sit here and bitch at each other, when we should start at least planning ahead to who the hell we're going to have take Bush's spot when his term is done (which will hopefully be no longer than tomorrow, but that's just wishful thinking). Honestly, who the fuck are we going to vote for? Who's going to be able to fix all this bullshit? And fuck all you Arnold haters, i mean, maybe he doesn't have the experience, but at least he has the passion and the balls to stand up to the establishment, to want to get rid of all the dirty, vile, and disgusting politics up in Sacramento. In terms of that, I'm still a little skeptical (I saw him on Leno and felt like his interview could be compared to Mr Burns' dinner with the Simpsons when he ran for gov) until his political agendas are more layed out and specific. But anyway, he's trying to get rid of at least some of the corruption in our government, and I almost think that it's a travesty that he can't run for president... yet...(well, that is, if he DOES win the governorship, and if he DOES do what he says he's going to do)

  • August 11, 2003 3:48 PM CST

    A Question:

    by IAMNOTAGEEK

    What is the real difference between power hungry Republicans and power hungry Democrats? I mean, when I hear that the same corporations are giving equal contributions to members in both parties, it only tells me one thing: all politicians can be bought. As for W. Bush, I don't think the Hitler comparison is accurate, because Bush leads a much stronger nation, capable of much more harm than pre-war Germany ever was. The hope is, of course, that America would never be so evil as to unjustly persecute others.

  • August 11, 2003 3:50 PM CST

    A Question:

    by IAMNOTAGEEK

    What is the real difference between power hungry Republicans and power hungry Democrats? I mean, when I hear that the same corporations are giving equal contributions to members in both parties, it only tells me one thing: all politicians can be bought. As for W. Bush, I don't think the Hitler comparison is accurate, because Bush leads a much stronger nation, capable of much more harm than pre-war Germany ever was. The hope is, of course, that America would never be so evil as to unjustly persecute others.

  • August 11, 2003 4:08 PM CST

    The Postings! The Postings!!!

    by JohnJay

    MAN!! Those of you tossing off the casual, "HST is no longer valid.." comments must be amazed at the sheer volume of TB after the posting of his interview. Bush is Hitler? Well, probably not, but consider this: Peter Jennings of ABC (a Canadian!!!) did a bit recently on Gerald Ford's 819th birthday, and played what is quite possibly the single most frightening piece of film footage I have ever witnessed. Whatever your political affiliation, viewing this stuff will make you question why we bother having elections at all. The time was 1972, about a year or so before Nixon was to resign in shame. The footage features Nixon, Ford, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, George Bush, and a 26 year old, bubble gum chewing GeeDubb, huddled together, tackling the issues of the day. My friends, rant and rave all you want. Look up big words in the dictionary and try to incorporate them into your post in order to make it sound like you read alot. Just understand that no matter which mascot wins the election (Haaaa Hooo!!! That's a good one...! After 2K, we all know winning doesn't matter!), the same power-drunk cabal of whores will run the show from behind the curtain come inauguration day. You know they were in power long before the footage dated 1972, people. 19 fucking 72. 31 years and counting. During the Carter & Clinton years, these roaches were just hiding under the cupboards, waiting for the lights to go out. When the courts flipped the switch and doomed the nation to four years of darkness, out they came. Leave it to a Goddamn Canuck to educate us. Fucking Peter Jennings. (Just kidding, you crazy drunk Canadian bastards.)

  • August 11, 2003 5:23 PM CST

    Liberals and 'Hate' LawrenceHugnut....

    by Splinter

    'Hate'? I'm not sure that's the right word. Although it certainly comes into it. I think the word you're looking for is disbelief. Or maybe consternation. Shock. Disgust. The fact that after all that has happened, all that has emerged since the invasion of Iraq began - the non-existent connection with Al-Qaeda, the non-existent WMD's, the non-existent threat from Iraq, the tacked on (2 weeks before invasion) 'Liberation' of Iraq, the decimation of a sovereign nation already crippled, the thousands upon thousands of cvilian casualities, the concentration on securing oil while museums were looted, sacred sites defiled, the chaos which rages like fire in Basra, Nasiryah and Baghdad, the countrywide dissent of the Iraqi people, the crippled infrastructure, the lack of electricity, clean water, sewage systems, hospital care, government, security, hope of a future, the lies which were piled on top of each other by your monkey president and his poodle, Blair, the vast majority of world opinion turning against America in disgust, the backtracking, the deceit, the revisionism, the mindless jingoism and flag-waving bravado, the contracts for rebuilding what you destroyed handed without exception or competeition to Bush's cronies......Despite ALL this, Lawrence, despite ALL THE ABOVE, there are STILL people like you who actually think it was right. Hate? Maybe you're right. But would you fucking blame us?

  • August 11, 2003 9:18 PM CST

    I'm starting to get embarrassed by the stupidity I see on this s

    by Jeff Batt

    First of all, what the hell is an illegal war? Our congress voted to give the Prez the OK to go to war like our Constitution says it can. Congress declared war, period. It doesn't say in the Constitution that Congress must say "The US declares war against Country X." Congress saw the reports on Iraq's weapons programs, saw the terrorist training camps, and saw that Saddam wasn't going to allow his weapons to be found. Again, what are you morons going to say a year from now after we've found WMDs, Saddam is dead, the economy has roared back, and there STILL hasn't been another terrorist attack? Oh yeah, you people were happy Saddam was gassing and slaughtering his own people, paying off suicide bombers in Israel, and trying to assasinate former Presidents. Gee, I sure wish Howrd Dean was President!

  • August 11, 2003 9:25 PM CST

    There IS a conection between bin Laden and Iraq! The Czech Repub

    by Jeff Batt

    Oh yeah, you guys take the word of Governments that already hate the US over your own Government!

  • August 12, 2003 2:55 AM CST

    qtheeskimo

    by jibril

    umm.. I'm not sure where' you're form but I'm from canada... and in case you hadn't noticed, Iraq wasn't run by religious fanatics. Bush is far more of a fanatic than Saddam is (note: I'm not saying Bush is a fanatic.. he's religous for sure but he's nowhere near fanatic level) Iraq under Saddam was the ONLY secular arabic nation- something that bugged the hell out of many groups within the country who are the cause of some of the riots going on there right now- religious extremists want the control they were denied under Hussein. Aside from the Hussein and especially his sons are evil bastards bit, the country was the most forward thinking arab nation since the Moors were kicked out of spain a few hundred years ago. Women not only could go out on their own and show their faces, but they could work and hold public office (a few of Hussein's ministers were women) Oh and the only reason the US invading Canada would be a bad move on their part is- while the US army outnumbers Canadas, we've got a few tough football hooligans for cousins by the name of Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. North America in general would be a pretty fucked up place pretty quick, really. Not good for all concerned.

  • August 12, 2003 6:34 AM CST

    All this talk and no perspective!

    by Webchef

    You know, i read alot of these posts.. i sit back and watch while everyone talks politics and says his view on how the world should be...let me ask you something.. do you really think that an iraqi hates america? they have no idea what america really is.. they hate the image of america, the one the media seems to portray. what they hate is themselves. they hate the little rut they have dug themselves in and in so hating, they hate the icons that keep rubbing the fact in thier faces. lets not forget that the arab empire was the biggest ever. Much bigger than the Roman Empire. but not anymore. now we are just patsies. used toys. we are tools. we make sure we keep spilling out oil for the rest of the world to take. no one, and no government gives a damn about anything else inthe arab world. AND THAT IS NOT A VIEW. ITS FACT. ok so you say bush was right about going into iraq. Saddam was evil.. no shit sherlock.. don't you think we knew that? Bush didn't go in there after saddam, there were no ethics or morals involved. Clinton went into the Baltics for moral purposes. It was the right thing to do. If you want a just war.. why not africa? God knows how many atrocities are committed each and every day in Africa. but no one has done much more than send a small peacekeeping force. Why? Africa, as it currently stands, is worthless... so why bother? Iraq on the other hand has plenty of worth. Think second or third largest oil reserves. Weapons of Mass Destruction? believe me.. The west knew exactly what iraq had.. they are not sophisticated enough to hide anything. If they destroyed during the buildup..then why didn't America know? it had both eyes on iraq? how come they didn't know that? there were no WMD. Period. Yes perhpas saddam was trying to make them. but he was far from completion. much further than say Iran. or Korea! but that brings up another point. IRAQ IS THE MOST STRATEGIC BASE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. you can attack syria from iraq. you can attack Iran from Iraq. you can keep tabs on the whole midddle east from iraq. which is why it was once the capital of the greates empire ever. but anyway. fuck all that. point is this. there is no such thing as good intentions. no country uses that much resources if it wasn't getting anything in return. its as simple as that.. first come first serve. if you are strong enough. you can do what you want and noone can stop you. literally. i think its sad. this is what john lennon spoke of. this is what ghandi was trying to preach. this is what OUR RILIGIONS try to tell us. would it really be so bad, if there were no countries? if everyone took care of thier own messes and no own laid the blame on anyone else? oil would be cheaper. i'll tell you that for sure.

  • August 12, 2003 8:31 AM CST

    All right, you're right! Our government lies to us constantly. Y

    by Jeff Batt

    This is a horrible country to live in. You know, there is evidence to support all my "predictions". Saddam's sons were caught and almost all of Saddam's bodyguards, which leads me to believe that HE will be caught or killed soon. The economy has been slowly growing for a year and its output was double what was expected last quarter. There hasn't been a foreign terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11 and I feel safer with this government than I would with a Gore government. But you and Hunter just keep telling people Bush=Hitler. I can't believe no one else sees the parallels! And one more thing, all the times Clinton was lobbing bombs I don't seem to remember all the protests and chants of "Clinton's a mass murderer!" Oh yeah, that's right, THERE WEREN'T ANY!!! Can you explain that? Why didn't Hunter S. Thompson say anything then? Could it be because he liked Clinton's politics? I'm not even faulting Clinton as much as the lying, hypocrite weasels that didn't care what he did because he was a liberal!!!

  • August 12, 2003 9:16 AM CST

    Clinton did what he did for different reasons

    by earthworm

    With the exception of Desert Fox (?) the day before his impeachment (or something connected), the Balkan intervention was humanitarian. You've got to respect him for the fact. On the other hand, you don't have to respect him because he was too scared of fatalities (Somalia) to send in any ground troops, thus prolonging the war and leading to the destruction of far more of the country they were trying to liberate than was necessary. But that's a different matter. Bush/Blair lied about their motivations (see Kelly investigation in GB at the moment) but a least they got the job done properly.

  • August 12, 2003 9:16 AM CST

    Morons

    by Rand Race

    When did trolling and White House official policy meet? I'm sorry, but anybody still willing to support this corrupt, lying, and - worst of all - utterly incompetant administration is a fucking backbirth and deserves to be beaten within an inch of their lives by anyone with the foggiest notion what Freedom means. And that doesn't hinge on whatever the fuck that scumbag - a competent scumbag though - Clinton dipped his wick into.

  • August 12, 2003 9:21 AM CST

    GEORGE W. BUSH SHOULD BE ASS-RAPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    by Doctor Detroit

    THAT BASTARD HAS FUCKED US ALL!!!!!! GODDAMN HIM!!!!!!!!!! HE SHOULD BE IMPEACHED AND THROWN IN JAIL FOR MURDER (HENCE THE ASS-RAPE)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FUCK ALL REPUBLICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU BASTARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BURN IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • August 12, 2003 9:24 AM CST

    sorry

    by Doctor Detroit

    that was a friend joking around, NOT ME...... i'm sorry

  • August 12, 2003 12:59 PM CST

    once again, i am very sorry

    by Doctor Detroit

    once again, i am very sorry. please do not report me to the police.

  • August 12, 2003 1:03 PM CST

    once again, i am sorry

    by Doctor Detroit

    once again, i am sorry. please do not report me to the police.

  • August 12, 2003 1:07 PM CST

    one more time, sorry (maybe this one will post properly)

    by Doctor Detroit

    so sorry

  • August 12, 2003 1:16 PM CST

    once again, i am very sorry

    by Doctor Detroit

    once again, i am very sorry. please do not report me to the police.

  • August 12, 2003 2:01 PM CST

    Peter Jennings citizenship

    by mbeemer

    JohnJay - Peter Jennings is now an American citizen. Just FYI.

  • August 12, 2003 2:13 PM CST

    Who was the interview with again?

    by IAMNOTAGEEK

    As a person who actually purchased the Hardcover edition of Hunter's Collected Letters (Big, sick fanboy)I have to say that his recent work lacks the vision and insight of his earlier work (pick up "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail"). The info regarding our less than perfect government is out there for anyone to find, but we also need the town-crier. We need that slightly off kilter madman willing to spit the truth in in our faces, to rub our noses in the shit. No one did it with more style and intelligence than The Good Doctor. As for you Conservatives and you Liberals: I think that you two are nothing more than two sides to the same coin. You don't really give a fuck about your country or the people in it, other than to tell them exactly what to do with thier lives. Liberals: Quit trying to piss your Daddies off! Get a haircut, a shower, some deodorant, and a job! Conservatives: Quit wishing for the good old days when those "people" knew their place! The civil war is OVER!

  • August 12, 2003 3:05 PM CST

    Hmmm...

    by Halloween68

    I wouldn't exactly call myself a conservative, but I made a pledge of allegiance to my flag a long time ago. I support my president through the thick and the thin when it comes to national security. If his own people don't back him up, who will? I couldn't stand Bill Clinton as a person, but if he made a stand for what he thought was for the benefit of the country during his time in office, I'd be right there behind him, no matter what. That said. Hunter S. Thompson is a loon. If you don't believe me, then you obviously haven't read Hunter S. Thompson. I don't take offense for any of his rants because they carry about as much weight as my senile old one-legged dog howling at squirrels in the closet. When I start getting attacked by bats in my car while driving zooming the road, I'll start putting more stock in what the guy has to say. Until then, he's a darn entertaining loon. Ain't he? Nicely put together interview by the way.

  • August 12, 2003 3:54 PM CST

    I've actually read HST's latest book...

    by Mahasamatman

    And it is awful. Just awful. I love the guy, but it's painfully clear, he has nothing left to say. The most telling part of this interview is his response to the question "What have you been up to"? HST replies, "Oh, I dunno, the same old stuff, I suppose." That's sad. Saying Bush is Hitler is easy. It's the kind of thing you say when you can't think of anything else to say. Fact is, the nation's situation is a helluva lot more complicated than "Bush fucked it up, he is Hitler, fuck him." Anyone remember the argument that Clinton was responsible for the nation's moral decline? Both arguments are willfully ignorant.

  • August 12, 2003 5:38 PM CST

    bush=hitler because...

    by number-34

    Whoever alluded to "backing our president through thick and thin no matter what" neatly explained the Bush=Hitler comparison. The Germans did the same thing for Hitler--don't question the leader if you love Germany, all good Germans do as they are told, good Germans do not dissent or ask exactly what their governemtn is doing or why. Of course, if more "good Germans" had spoken up in 1937, there might not have been so many killed. As it was, those who did ask just what the hell Hitler was doing and why and since when did the Jews (and the gays, and the gypsies, and the mentally ill, and...) become the enemy were considered "unpatriotic." If they were lucky, they got run out of the country, if they weren't... well, you know where they wound up. Considering as my family fled Germany once their less-than-enthusiastic attitude toward the Fuhrer came to light, i'm pretty damn sensitive to the fact that any reasonably honest, reasonably non-evil administration should not fear dissent, should not fear a closer examining of their motives. Those who insist anyone who questions the goverment is a dangerous subversive--well, see how many more pages they wind up yanking out of the S.S. handbook.

  • August 12, 2003 8:19 PM CST

    ZombieHunter

    by ADigitalMan

    "Liberals make accusations they can

  • August 12, 2003 9:28 PM CST

    republinazis?

    by Andy_Christ

    The things that come out of Ari Fleischer and John Ashcroft's mouths make the comparison impossible to avoid. But Bush is no Hitler. Don't give him that much credit.

  • August 12, 2003 10:29 PM CST

    Typical Leftist thinking going on here....

    by KryptonsLastSon

    Saddam never did nothing to me so what business do we have saving the Iraqi people from rape, murder, torture, and mutilation even if its also in our national interest to do so? Fucking Bush is just like fucking Hitler! We should kill him and kill all the fucking baby killers in the military! They're disgusting! Now I'll just go back to smoking weed and wait for a Democrat to take office so I can get more welfare. --- I must again express this thought, if you don't like the party you are free to leave. And the worst mistake ever made was pardoning the Vietnam deserters who went to Canada during the war. If they had real guts to stand up for their convictions they would have gone to jail for avoiding the draft and not packed up and headed out to Canada, fucking weasles.

  • August 13, 2003 9:56 AM CST

    kryptonslastson

    by qtheeskimo

    The obligation to get killed in a small asian country while GWB is flying planes in Texas? Give it up.

  • August 15, 2003 3:54 PM CST

    You're all ignorant morons

    by Urallwrong

    Everyone who has posted a message here is so far up your own arshole, you wouldn't know if the fucking sun went out. You talk about war as if you know about it. Bush is a twat, Blair is a twat, Hitler was a twat, their all twats. Their all wrong and their all right. Hitler and Nazi Germany sincerely believed that what they were doing was right, Osama Bin Laden sincerely believes his right, Bush doesn't know if his right, but who gives a fuck, we're all going to die anyway, so fuck off.

  • September 1, 2003 8:47 PM CST

    THX HARRY!

    by sinner_13

    Thx for posting the interview with HST! It's a great read!

  • June 23, 2004 2:31 PM CST

    Hitler-Bush Comparison, logical conclusion

    by battered_hat

    It has been a while since someone posted on this forum, but I was brousing and I noticed a lot of people discrediting the Bush-Hitler comparison. The Nazi's were guilty of "waging aggressive war". This is considered the worst of crimes by the international community. Bush and Blair launched an unprovoked attack (There was never any link between Al Qaeda and Iraq, one of their biggest criticisms of the west was our funding of Saddam Hussain.) and an unprovoked attack is considred "waging aggressive war". Sorry folks, to the rest of the world your government are acting like Nazi's. Plus it discredits a republican argument to say "what about the iraqi people, you lefties don't care about them", because the justification for the war was weapons of mass destruction and a terrorist-iraq link. If you change your justification after the act you lose credability and logical consistancy.

  • December 10, 2008 3:05 AM CST

    Recantation

    by fontinau

    Ah, the joys of Google. No longer do you have to settle for SUSPECTING that you were a moron back in high school. Now you can dig up records of your old conversations and CONFIRM it. I hereby apologize for my various idiotic anti-Americanisms above. If I could travel backwards through time and hit myself at the exact moment I typed "everything is determined by businessmen", I would. I'm also not entirely sure why I apparently believed that peace keeping in the DRC qualified as a "real war". I realize there is a very low chance of anyone ever actually reading this. But writing it makes me feel better.

  • December 10, 2008 8:19 PM CST

    Recantation (Part 2)

    by fontinau

    I forgot to single out my "Manifest Destiny was a genocide on par with the holocaust" line for special penance. Even measured against some of my other comments, that was a particularly inexcusable combination of stupidity and malice.