Terry Jones

[DAVOUT]

Two articles by one of the founders of Monty Python:

http://www.observer.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,882459,00.html

http://www.observer.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,910022,00.html

[DanS]

Why do celebrities all of the sudden believe that they have any special credibility when talking about foreign policy?

Just like the Dixie Chicks, they are better left ignored. Or boycotted.

[srholmes]

they have the access to the media that the rest of us don't. at least terry jones is using this to voice the fears of most non famous ppl.

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by DanS
Why do celebrities all of the sudden believe that they have any special credibility when talking about foreign policy?

Just like the Dixie Chicks, they are better left ignored. Or boycotted.

I agree for all celebrities, except for Terry Jones in this particular case. I found it really funny, but that is just me

BTW he does not act here as an interviewed celebrity, but as a writer.

[Agathon]

The anti-celebrities argument is fallacious; it is just a version of an ad hominem argument: i.e. you're a celebrity so I can ignore what you say.

The correct way to proceed is read the celebrity's argument and evaluate it on its own merits. A good argument is a good argument, even if Mariah Carey reads it out it while standing naked in a vat of warm custard.

I think Jones does a good job of pointing out the morally absurd logic of the Bush position. And in fact some of the celebrities are bright people with good arguments: I saw Janeane Garofalo get the better of Tucker Carlson last week. Perhaps Ms Garofalo should become a political pundit and Mr Carlson should become an indieish film actor.

And if we are going to talk qualifications: who in their right mind thinks that stupid b***h Paula Zahn's opinions on the Iraqi crisis are worth anything? Or any of the other bimbos that read the news, or that fathead moron Jonah Goldberg (who manages to make himself look dafter the more he speaks)?

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by DanS
Why do celebrities all of the sudden believe that they have any special credibility when talking about foreign policy?

Just like the Dixie Chicks, they are better left ignored. Or boycotted.

Why are you so inflamed? What's the difference with Terry Jone's pieces from an op-ed in a newspaper? I don't see you get all huffed up with editorials supporting Gulf War II.

[Agathon]

UR - they seem to think that a person has more credibility if they are paid by a think tank, even though that requires one to sacrifice objectivity on the issue since think tanks only pay for agreement.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by DanS
Why do celebrities all of the sudden believe that they have any special credibility when talking about foreign policy?

Just like the Dixie Chicks, they are better left ignored. Or boycotted.

As opposed to b-grade actors, who didn't fight in WWII, acted as mouthpieces for corporate America on t.v. and radio, evince no great depth of intellect and end up as Governor of California and President.

What were Reagan's qualifications exactly?

An ability to read scripts written for him?

Mr. Jones is at least able to write his own pieces. And speak in coherent joined up sentences- even when caught on the hop.

[The Mad Monk]

Tell me, what argument do you resort to if the person in question dosen't like Reagan?

[Urban Ranger]

It doesn't matter if the other person likes Reagan or not. That's not the point.