Debate on "evil military" with BBH Dec 20, 2004

 <bart> are we ready to rumble?
 <bigbillhaywood> who gets the first shot? the home team or the visitors?

 <bart> I'm missing the vanessa marcil show for this...
 <bart> BBH, we may be alone - are you there?
 <bigbillhaywood> i am

 <bart> Fud, Enk, do we need a whistle to start?
 <bigbillhaywood> start whenever Bart...you're the home team

 <bart> OK, you introduced yourself with "I volunteer to argue the 'soldiers are bad' side of this debate"
 <bigbillhaywood> yup
 <bart> why would you say such a fool thing?
 <bart> did a soldier once break your heart?

 <bigbillhaywood> the us armed forces aren't citizen soldiers bart
 <bigbillhaywood> you're living in the past

 <bart> what?

 <bigbillhaywood> US soldiers are pros
 <bart> you mean they get paid?

 <bigbillhaywood> tell me one time in history that pro soldiers were friends of democracy
 <bigbillhaywood> america has a history of a small standing army...you agree?

 <bart> your attack consists of "tell me one time?"
 <bigbillhaywood> it's not an attack bart
 <bart> remember we're just starting this conversation

 <bigbillhaywood> when the US adopted an all volunteer army we broke our tradition
 <bigbillhaywood> get it?
 <bart> sure, things changed then...

 <bigbillhaywood> professional armies are no friends to democracy
 <bart> volunteers can't be friendly?

 <bigbillhaywood> so you're saying we HAVE an exception to history?
 <bart> I'm trying to figure out what church we're in - then we'll talk pews

 <bigbillhaywood> bart...how do soldiers vote?
 <bart> I guess they vote on paper

 <bigbillhaywood> 69% claim allegiance to the republican party
 <bart> OK, I see...

 <bigbillhaywood> funny....no they vote republican
 <bart> so the military is 69 percent bad?

 <bigbillhaywood> the republicans aren't bad?
 <bigbillhaywood> i'm shocked at you bart!
 <bigbillhaywood> I thought we could agree on that one

 <bart> We're failing to communicate
 <bigbillhaywood> no, you're failing to address points
 <bart> I guess everyone talks in short cuts, I'm just missing some of yours

 <bigbillhaywood> army times...oct 11 2004...78% of the current military support bush
 <bigbillhaywood> ...and you support THEM, right?
 <bigbillhaywood> is there a logical inconsistency here?
 

 <bart> I thought we both agreed the mil is mostly GOP - right?
 <bigbillhaywood> yup, and the worst kind of GOP
 <bart> so all this time we were preparing for a debate, your point is
            the military votes GOP and the GOP = evil so the military = evil?

 <bigbillhaywood> I don't support big republican institutions...why do you?
 <bigbillhaywood> if you want to defend republicans go right ahead
 <bart> I support the guy charging the machine gun because I'm an agnositic pussy

 <bigbillhaywood> because you will find no more republican an institution than the US military
 <bart> what about the 31 percent that aren't evil?
 <bigbillhaywood> yeah...it's smaller that 31% Bart

 <bigbillhaywood> maybe you can support the southern baptists in our next debate?
 <bart> if they take bullets for me - sure

[17:14] <bigbillhaywood> no one's ever taken a bullet for me
[17:14] <bigbillhaywood> and I ask no one to do so

[17:14] <bart> how old are you?
[17:14] <bigbillhaywood> about your age, bart

[17:15] <bart> never served?
[17:15] <bigbillhaywood> nope, but I live right next door to a large base
[17:15] <bigbillhaywood> I'm a social worker
[17:15] <bart> this anti-mil is leftover from the 60s?

[17:15] <bigbillhaywood> lol
[17:15] <bart> I'm serious
[17:15] <bigbillhaywood> I'm not anti-military

[17:15] <bart> have you hated them for 35-40 years?
[17:15] <bigbillhaywood> Nope
[17:16] <bart> you just recognize their inherent evility?

[17:16] <bigbillhaywood> I think you misunderstand what the modern military is, bart
[17:16] <bart> I never said I was too smart...

[17:16] <bigbillhaywood> give me your definition of the modern military
[17:16] <bart> my definition is the one the world uses - you're the extremist in this debate, so you tell me

[17:16] <bigbillhaywood> do you mix with the military often?  I do
[17:17] <bart> and they kick sand in your face?

[17:17] <bigbillhaywood> I vist the beaten wives....the abused children
[17:17] <bigbillhaywood>  i deal with the gang members who come in with the troops

[17:17] <bart> the domestic abuse is up lately, I assume?
[17:17] <bigbillhaywood> it doesn't go down bart
[17:18] <bart> so combat has no effect?  you're sure?
[17:18] <bigbillhaywood> combat? I guess you're referring to PTSD?

[17:18] <bart> can you explain that in words I'll understand?
[17:18] <bigbillhaywood> I already have

[17:18] <bart> yes,  "the American military as it always was, is no more"
[17:18] <bart> what's that mean?

[17:19] <bigbillhaywood> the demise of the citizen soldier
[17:19] <bart> we've been there, I didn't recognize your shorthand

[17:19] <bigbillhaywood> the american military has it's own society...they aren't part of ours
[17:19] <bart> so do go-go dancers and guitar players

[17:19] <bigbillhaywood> they're republicans bart....isn't it fun to defend them?
[17:19] <bigbillhaywood> lol
[17:20] <bart> recognizing facts isn't necessarily "fun"

[17:20] <bigbillhaywood> …and ALL armies are by definition conservative institutions….why are you
              supporting the conservatives, bart?  why ?

[17:20] <bart> You see the police, fire dept and soldiers as all different, right?
 

Sidebar: As you can see, we're making no progress.
His point SEEMS to be ALL military people are evil because MOST are GOP.
But I can't pin him down to anything due to the debate format where he's not compelled to answer questions

I see the military as necessary as the police and fire departments, so I'm trying to get him
to agree or disagree with that, but he refuses to take a stand - because how could he?

He's either got to say the military does NOT provide order and safety, like a cop,
OR he's got to say America doesn't need a police force or fire department, which is crazier, still.

The BartCop Quiz has always been set up this way:
Answering the question will FORCE you to agree with me, so his best (or only) chance is to not answer the question.
 

[17:20] <bigbillhaywood> I think you might be a bit older than me....so you held onto a few more of your romantic notions
[17:20] <bigbillhaywood> no i don't

[17:21] <bart> soldiers = evil
[17:21] <bigbillhaywood> no

[17:21] <bart> cops are evil or good?
[17:21] <bigbillhaywood> not at all
[17:21] <bigbillhaywood> neither

[17:21] <bart> splain it to me

[17:21] <bigbillhaywood> are republicans good? are soldiers republicans?
[17:21] <bigbillhaywood> you splain it to ME bart

[17:21] <bart> most soldiers are GOP, yes

[17:21] <bigbillhaywood> how are republicans good?
[17:22] <bigbillhaywood> and therefore?

[17:22] <bart> you see GOP and soldiers are the same thing
[17:22] <bigbillhaywood> no...my premise is that soldiers are the worst kind of republicans

[17:22] <bigbillhaywood> you support them?
[17:22] <bart> the soldiers, yes

[17:22] <bigbillhaywood> and that you shouldn't support them
[17:22] <bart> they CAN be, (the worst kind of republicans) but your brush is ten miles wide
[17:22] <bigbillhaywood> no...it's realistic

[17:23] <bart> "people from Oklahoma are stupid"  many of them are, but not enough
 to say that about the whole state

[17:23] <bigbillhaywood> you don't see repubicans defending institutions that are 70% democratic, do you?  do you?
[17:23] <bart> they defend your commie ass
[17:23] <bigbillhaywood> lol
[17:23] <bart> (joking)

[17:23] <bigbillhaywood> I thought we were to be gentlemanly?
[17:24] <bart> they follow orders
[17:24] <bart> tongue-in-cheek on the commie ass

[17:24] <bigbillhaywood> ok...are you going to present the nuremburg defense?
[17:24] <bigbillhaywood> or the rumsfeld defense?
[17:24] <bart> the nuremburg defense, no

[17:24] <bigbillhaywood> ok...then it's RUMMIE time!
[17:24] <bart> but soldiers DO have to follow orders unless they're insane on their face
[17:25] <bigbillhaywood> no they don't

[17:25] <bigbillhaywood> ever heard of Ghandi?
[17:25] <bart> yeah, they killed him
[17:25] <bart> I've heard of MLK, too

[17:25] <bigbillhaywood> you defy the immoral and passively accept the consequences
[17:26] <bigbillhaywood> you've read Conason's article...the one on your webpage?

[17:26] <bart> In general, is "Take Fallujah" a war crime?
[17:26] <bigbillhaywood> it seems the torture orders came right down the chain of command

[17:26] <bigbillhaywood> Was guernica a war crime? and if it was were only the officers guilty?
[17:27] <bart> dunno about guernica
[17:27] <bigbillhaywood> i do

[17:27] <bart> use another example
[17:27] <bigbillhaywood> so did picasso
[17:27] <bigbillhaywood> my lai?
[17:27] <bigbillhaywood> the ludlow massacre?
[17:27] <bart> my lai was a bad thing

[17:27] <bigbillhaywood> sand creek?
[17:28] <bigbillhaywood> wounded knee?
[17:28] <bart> you can stop now

[17:28] <bigbillhaywood> ok
[17:28] <bigbillhaywood> does that mean I win? (:

[17:28] <bart> picking out a dozen atrocities and slurring tens of millions of men,
             many who died without the Jesus guarantee, is a wrong thing

[17:28] <bigbillhaywood> maybe,  maybe not

[17:29] <bart> that's why we're here
[17:29] <bigbillhaywood> I say that individuals should bear the responsibility

[17:29] <bart> you just let Bush off the hook
[17:29] <bigbillhaywood> no i didn't

[17:29] <bigbillhaywood> and those who are aware of the perpetrators should expose them
[17:29] <bart> I say hold Bush rsponsible, let the 19 year old go home

[17:30] <bigbillhaywood> after the 19 year old has committed murder?

[17:30] <bart> EnK, is your offer to moderate still open?

Sidebar: EnK is a moderator, or boss of the chat room.
He offered to referee, and at this point I needed help because we were going nowhere
and it was either change gears or turn out the lights.
 
 

[17:30] <bart> BBH, hold on, we need a translator
[17:30] <bigbillhaywood> what's the problem, bart?

[17:30] <bart> we're not speaking the same argument language
[17:30] <bigbillhaywood> ok...reframe it

[17:31] <bart> we're arguing "what is the meaning of bad?"
[17:31] <bigbillhaywood> actions define evil...good enough?

[17:31] <bart> your paint brush is so wide, I can't see any margins
[17:31] <bigbillhaywood> look closer
[17:31] <bart> your argument is wider than the Pacific

[17:32] <bigbillhaywood> I'm not anti-military
[17:32] <bigbillhaywood> once again....the army of today is NOT representative of america

[17:32] <bart> So, you think a DRAFTED soldier is better than a volunteer?
[17:32] <bigbillhaywood> It is made up of people who are supporters of anti-american right wing extremism

[17:33] <bigbillhaywood> you better believe it bart
[17:33] <bigbillhaywood> I know a LOT of ww2 vets....
[17:33] <bart> OK, you semi have a point - they are more likely to own guns and be for Bush, true the majority

[17:33] <bigbillhaywood> and they're the best of the best, a true cross section of america

[17:33] <bart> first, they are WILLING to join, that says the most
[17:33] <bigbillhaywood> I think that's who you REALLY support....

[17:33] <bigbillhaywood> but they ain't there no more
[17:34] <bart> losing the draft meant trouble?
[17:34] <bigbillhaywood> yes, exactly
[17:34] <bigbillhaywood> and democracy will suffer as a result

[17:34] <bart> you realize you're alone on that?
[17:34] <bigbillhaywood> no i'm not
[17:35] <bigbillhaywood> any country that develops a 'warrior' class loses democracy
[17:35] <bigbillhaywood> talk to soldiers bart - listen to them
[17:35] <bart> soldiers or ex-soldiers?

[17:35] <bart> so we lost this in 1973 or so?
 

[17:35] <EnK> Okay y'all

[17:36] <bigbillhaywood>  I once had to protect my 71 year old mom from some
shaved head punks in uniform who overheard her insulting bush

Sidebar: This may have been the most telling sentence of the debate.
Earlier he said he "knew" military guys and I asked of they kicked sand in his face.

This is human nature.
People who have been mugged by blacks are more likely to dislike blacks.
Having a run-in with some military types seems to have given BBH the idea
that ALL military are punks who'd use violence on old ladies.

This is an understandable reaction, but it's a bad foundation for forming policy
that leads to "all military men are evil" wrong conclusions.

[17:36] <bigbillhaywood> it damned near came to blows

[17:36] <EnK> BBH - you need to be on focus with your point:  Are you saying all military folks are bad?
              Or, perhaps you're saying that it's gotten a hell of a lot worse!
[17:36] <EnK> Clarify your point for us...
 

[17:36] <bigbillhaywood> I'm saying that the institution of the US military IS bad
[17:36] <bigbillhaywood> and an institution is made up of it's componenets

[17:37] <EnK> The Institution itself then?!

[17:37] <bigbillhaywood> yes, and WHAT is an institution other than it's members

[17:37] <EnK> Ah... Bart !!  You want to chew on this or clarify your own point?

[17:37] <bart> I see your point, BBH, but how is the military diff from cops & firemen?
[17:38] <bigbillhaywood> you can argue that the soldiers are propagandized...but so are southern baptists
[17:38] <bigbillhaywood> you don't know the difference?  firemen wear funnier hats, for one

[17:38] <bart> stay with me - no army is like no cops, right?
             Isn't a flawed army better than a 280,000,000 person cage match?

[17:38] <bigbillhaywood> I'm not arguing for NO army

[17:39] <bart> so you're pro evil?
[17:39] <bart> how can you live with yourself?
[17:39] <bigbillhaywood> I'm saying that we fall into a republican trap by being
              forced to voice support for a republican institution
[17:40] <bigbillhaywood> and there is no larger a group of republicans than the us military

[17:40] <bart> so you call the soldiers "GOP" and then what, you want them disbanded?
[17:40] <bigbillhaywood> no

[17:40] <bart> what is your solution?
[17:40] <bigbillhaywood>  I think I've been clear that i prefer the military as it has existed throughout our history

[17:40] <bart> give me a date - it changed when?
[17:41] <bigbillhaywood> ...and that the development of a large standing professional army is WRONG
              it changed when it went all-volunteer....

[17:41] <bart> OK,. so tell me what's RIGHT

[17:41] <bigbillhaywood> why do I have to keep repeating myself?

[17:41] <bigbillhaywood> what's right is a small army...  with draftees when needed
[17:42] <bigbillhaywood> so a large politically biased army doesn't corrupt democracy

[17:42] <EnK> BBH : I'm curious, perhaps this might help.  Are you saying that when they dropped the draft
               in 1974, the US military became a GOP institution - hence rendering it a "bad institution"?
[17:42] <bigbillhaywood> no..it evolved quite naturally into one

[17:42] <bart>  I think you're who Rush has in mind when he says "we can't trust the liberals with our freedom"
[17:43] <bigbillhaywood> that's pretty silly bart...and beneath you
 

Sidebar: No, I think this is exactly on-point.
When you stand up and say "The military is an evil institution," the voters know Osama wants us dead
and they know they cannot vote for the anti-military party - another reason I wanted Wesley Clark.
 

[17:43] <bigbillhaywood> have you read the history of the Abraham Lincoln brigade?
[17:43] <bart> BBH, you seem incapable of capsulating your point

[17:44] <bigbillhaywood> need I repeat myself again?
[17:44] <bart> please, no
[17:44] <bigbillhaywood> lol

[17:44] <EnK> Well - let's change the venue and look at this another way:
[17:44] <EnK> Bart - perhaps you can help us understand what's GOOD about the US Military!
[17:44] <EnK> BBH - you can look for bart's points and chew on them from that angle....

[17:44] <bart> First, they keep foreign tanks from riding thru town

[17:44] <bigbillhaywood> simple bart...you can't support the troops without supporting the institution,
              bart...and the institution is as right wing as they come

[17:45] <bart> soldiers are like cops, I'm hearing "disband the police force"  yet you fail to explain yourself

[17:45] <bigbillhaywood> I won't attack the concept of soldiers, bart...so you really shouldn't defend the concept
[17:45] <bigbillhaywood> you're hearing something I'm not saying, then

[17:46] <bart> I feel we have hit a brick wall
[17:46] <bigbillhaywood> no...
[17:46] <bart> let's open up and let everybody in

[17:46] <bigbillhaywood> just answer my question...why are you defending republicans?
[17:46] <bart> why do you have a tail?
[17:46] <bart> I don't play that

[17:46] <bigbillhaywood> no fair

[17:46] <nuvee-scribn> don't you have any Republican friends, Big Bill?
[17:46] <bigbillhaywood> lol

[17:46] <EnK> <chuckling>  Okay folks... are we done or do you want to go on for a bit longer?
[17:47] <bart> nah... we're done

[17:47] <bigbillhaywood> thanks for the opportunity Bart....you're a great guy
[17:47] <bart> BBH, at least you were polite
[17:47] <bigbillhaywood> yeah...that's 'cause I like you

[17:48] <bart> maybe it's because I've been typing my thoughts for 10 years,
              but I can get most points made in 50 words or less

[17:48] <bigbillhaywood> anyone else want to jump me?

[17:48] <EnK> You're okay BBH...  You did just fine buddy...

[17:48] <ramper> Logical fallacy on Bart's part: false choice.
"If you don't think all soldiers are heroes, then you should disband the police."

[17:49] <bart> ramper, let's talk about that

Sidebar: We do, some, on Thursday's page
 

[17:49] <bigbillhaywood> I think our military in ww2 was the finest that ever existed
 

Sidebar: This too, made me question his motives.
Absent other possibilities, BBH SEEMS to want to climb into the Wabac Machine
and return to the days when things were better. That's not an answer to anything.

When I asked for his solution, the closest he got to answering was "a smaller army,"
which is a guaranteed loser for any candidate, especially  a Demo candidate.

Maybe we'll have better luck at the next debate.

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