The Monk Breaks Its Vow Of Silence

Well, I'm back after neglecting the Monk for awhile. I got sucked back into facebook debates, something I was trying to avoid with this site. Now, facebook does make it much easier, as you all are visiting it everyday to catch up with the goings on of your friends. And, you get that handy e-mail notification when someone trashes your post and calls you a right-wing nut job or Progressive tool.

But, there is an advantage to posting here. Everyone and their creepy uncle doesn't see it unless they look for it. Many times on F.B. I will become engaged in a conversation/debate/spitting contest with someone, only to have Random Friend I Don't Really Know put in their two cents. And I find it's usually these folks who drive the debate off rails into a loony-bin train wreck of name calling, straw man arguments, or just generally stupid posts. Some examples-

It started with Ari David's post about the recent shooting at Ft. Hood.
>Ari David
My prayers to the military people killed and wounded and second a wish that our Government, whose #1 job is to guard us from our enemies would rightly call the Fort Hood attack an act of Islamo-Facsist terrorism. Until we call these acts of war what they are, we are doomed to suffer more of them. Remember the Ari David doctrine, what we do to our enemies is our business and it's going to be their problem.

John Durham
So was the attack on the Federal Building in Oklahoma City Christian-Fascist terrorism?

Fair enough. Ari is a conservative Congressional hopeful from LA I met while trying to score free drinks at a rally he was having at the Formosa Cafe in Hollywood. Well, the drinks weren't free (ARI! Rule #1 at a fundraiser- get em' juiced on free booze!) and Ari engaged me in conversation for about 45 minutes. I actually almost felt bad that he was ignoring his guests to debate economics with me. But Ari replied- "I know I have their vote, it's you I need to persuade." I appreciated this. Not as much as I would have appreciated free booze, but I may still buy a tee shirt. After all, Waxman is the reason there's no Subway to the Sea in LA.

So, back to the post. I commented that it was wrong to try and politicize the attack less than 24 hours after, when we still had very few facts. And, yes, the facts now seem to indicate that Hasan may have had contact with a radical Muslim cleric, and the attack could be qualified as a terrorist attack.
John Durham
My point is, the suspect is still alive and in custody. Shelly, how do you know he was yelling 'Allah Akbar" as he shot? From the news? The same news that reported that he had been killed? We could maybe wait for a couple of FACTS to emerge before we all make up our minds. Could be he's just crazy as a shit-house rat. If he espouses a political agenda, then, yes, it's an act of terrorism. And the response should be....round up all the Muslims in Virginia? I'm being cheeky, I realize, but, seriously, what is the response?
Then, of course, the Wing-Nut floodgates open.
There was this charmer...

Michael J. Fell
Jeremy--You want to talk about gross oversight?

Devout Muslims will never be good Americans. Their allegiance will always be to Islam and Shariah law as prescribed by their "holy" Koran, which is 100% incompatible with the United States Constitution.
People who think like that shouldn't even be in this country, much less in the U.S. military....
Letting this philosophy spread on American soil will lead to a lot more than 13 dead soldiers.
This is an American security issue, not a caucasian vs non caucasian issue.
I know, I know. I should have bowed out gracefully at this point. Debating these people makes as much sense as yelling at the wall. But, sometimes the wall just eggs you on...
Michael J. Fell
Muslims want to bring about the end of times through the world wide destruction of all who don't submit to the preachings of Allah as instructed by the prophet Muhammad through the Koran.
Christians want to bring about the end of times through spreading Christ's gosple (sic) of peace and love throughout the world.
Seems like a pretty simple choice.
Wow! Kareem Abdul Jabbar wants to bring about the End Times? Muhammad Ali wants to destroy America? Yes, I took the bait.
John Durham
Michael, your anti-Islam, pro-Christian rants are the most disgusting racist addle- brained un-American comments I've seen on here. But I'm sure that's a compliment to you coming from me. And a theocracy is a theocracy whether it's Muslim, Jewish, or Christian.
Which led to...
JoAnn Erhardt
John Durham: You need to grow a set of balls and stand up for your country. Some day when the Muslims take over this country because of people like you, you will be crying to the Christian soldiers to protect you. American men need to stop being weak and weepy.
Oh man! This is getting terrible. Now I have no reproductive organs, and because of it, Muslims are going to take over America. So, just because I felt the need to give more time I could have been spending watching porn over to these people, I presented what I thought was a reasonable and persuasive argument.
John Durham
Dear JoAnn- you might want to move out of the middle ages. And why don't you and Michael spew your vile crap to the family of CPL. Kareem Rashad Khan, who was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, and was killed in Iraq in 07, protecting your idiotic right to insult his religion. I'm sure they might have a thought or two for you. Or maybe Ayman Taha's family. He also won the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, and was killed in Iraq in 05. Sgt. James Ahearn's family would love to hear from you, too, I'm sure. Bronze Star, Purple Heart- killed in Iraq in 07. Ari, you seemed like a reasonable fellow. I can't believe you associate with these Ultra Right Nut Jobs.
Yeah, the 'Right wing nut job' part weakened the post, but, fuck 'em, I was angry. I also noticed that Mr. Ari David, the originator of the thread, wisely made no further comments after his first two. A smart politician, indeed.
I've been in too many of these pointless rants to count now. I admit they're fun for a time. Your blood boils, you can't wait to come back with a witty retort. Everyone's a warrior behind the keyboard. You know you're right both factually and morally. But, at the end of the day, it doesn't make any difference. Michael never responded to my comments about the dead Islamic American soldiers. He didn't have to. And, my views were in no way the majority held in the thread. But, even in threads where people agree with you, you still find ways to argue with one another.
So, I'll try to leave facebook to the kitty videos, quizzes about how many Metal Band songs you know, and sending birthday wishes to that girl I had a crush on in 3rd grade who ignored me and has now had 4 kids and is (HA!) overweight.
I'll try, but I know I won't...
But, when the Patriots and Real Americans come out of the woodwork, we can take the debate here. Kind of like being at a lame party, stealing some booze, and grabbing the cool kids to come back to your place cause your parents are still out of town for the weekend. So, steal the good stuff from facebook, and join me here, won't you?