Should those who politicize tragedies be banned?

[LaMidRighter]

I will say this, my behavior in dealing with some very insensitive idealogues has been sub par for myself lately, but I am watching my people suffer. The big question is whether or not to ban those that would use a human tragedy such as this to advance an agenda from Debate Politics.

 

[JOHNYJ]

Honest criticism is not politicizing ! President Bush does not handle criticism well.Thats why he never appears in public for real .His crowds are screened any sign of opposition and their not allowed any where near him.Very unbecoming for a democracy.

 

[vergiss]

What, like creating an irrelevant war over the 9/11 tragedy?

 

[LaMidRighter]

What, like creating an irrelevant war over the 9/11 tragedy?

I wouldn't call this an irrelevant war, but I think this middle eastern brand of terror is something that we must adress one way or the other, I am for taking care of the situation this way but am open to fair minded opinions on the issue. It is slightly different however in that 9/11 was a man made disaster and those who perpetuated it must be eliminated, there is no way to retaliate against a hurricane, in fact it's already dissapated into the history books, all we can do at the present moment is repair the lives of survivors, bury our dead, and repair the damage.

 

[LaMidRighter]

[wikipedia]Heavily politicized issues are often called "hot button issues" because almost any position taken is sure to please one group of people and offend another. Politically active people and orgainzations will often employ a 'litmus test' to evaluate a candidate. For example, a candidate for political office who shares the same view on abortion as a political organization may receive their endorsement regardless of the candidates views on other subjects.

Sometimes the term "politicized" itself becomes a negative label. A group holding one opinion on an issue will sometimes accuse their opposition of "politicizing the issue". The implication is that they are honestly dealing with the issue on the merits while the opposition is bringing the issue up purely for political gain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/politicized_issues

- So this is what I am getting at, people have every right in the world to say neutrally that something should have been done differently, as well people are doing better than that by asking "what can I do to help?" but then there are others who make this an environmentalist issue and then turn to say "see, the republicans are doing this to people" and some are making this a derilection of duty issue against the president, he is in Baton Rouge right now btw touring the emergency response HQ-11a. till question marks - 9/5/05.

[QUOTE JOHNYJ] Honest criticism is not politicizing ! President Bush does not handle criticism well.Thats why he never appears in public for real .His crowds are screened any sign of opposition and their not allowed any where near him.Very unbecoming for a democracy.

You are right that honest criticism is good, and it gets things done, but then you go on to say that our president does a,b, and c wrong, others are involved in this too, instead of focusing on the negative to make your opponent look bad,let's focus on what is going well currently and fixing what could be done better, how about the good N.O. police that stayed and served admirably in circumstances that were crumbling around them(note, some of their fellow officers did desert and others participated in the chaos), or the professionalism and humanity displayed by our Louisiana guard, the military, and other states and in fact people worldwide.

 

[LaMidRighter]

http://www.thedoor.com/
From Randy Jackson of the band Zebra:

My name is Randy Jackson. I was born in New Orleans in 1955 and lived in New Orleans until I moved to Long Island, New York in 1977.

I have been watching the news day and night since Sunday and my heart has been breaking while I have tried to help as many people as I can in my hometown. Early this morning on the news I watched church leaders and politicians fighting with themselves and with reporters like I hadn't seen all week and my heart can’t take it.

and....

I am asking anyone reading this to pass this message on to someone, anyone who might be able to convey this to a church leader or reporter or anyone in our government. It would really help me get through the saddest Labor Day weekend In my life.

Also.

Here it is!!!

Political discourse in a public forum is not morally acceptable to me in this crisis. George Bush loves everyone in this country and he is doing everything he can for us in this crisis.

By the way I have never voted for a Republican for president in my life. We are people in crisis. From the President of the U.S.down to the baby that is breathing it's last breath in an attic in the 9th Ward with both of it's parents already dead and it's whole family waiting in Houston, Dallas, Baton Rouge, and a 21 year old uncle who is a private serving in Iraq.

Do I know there really is such a baby? Let anyone in this world who is hampering the rescue workers with any nonsense spend the next 2 months of there valuable time proving I'm wrong. I'll be glad to admit I overestimated the scope of this tragedy.

I have met these guys on a few occasions and they are heartbroken at the moment, Randy eloquently put out what we are feeling right now, notice he has never voted for a republican for president, I urge all to go to the website and read the rest for yourselves it is quite compelling and puts perspective on things.