On Tue, 23 May 2006 16:19:33 -0400, in a place far, far away, Pat
Flannery made the phosphor on my monitor glow in
such a way as to indicate that:

Here, Pat. Let's watch you attack Professor (and former head of the
Executive Committee of the National Space Society) Glenn Reynolds now
(since you obviously are incapable of responding to the substance).

http://instapundit.com/archives/022447.php




As I wrote earlier, this is off-topic, and I'm not going to post on it
anymore; As to why a statement on international politics by the former
head of the Executive Committee of the National Space Society should
carry such weight

I wasn't making an argument from authority, other than to point out
that it wasn't an administration sock puppet, which seemed to be what
you were whining about the last time. Once again, you seem unable to
address the substance of the argument, but I'll let you off, since it
is indeed off topic. I hope that you'll refrain from repeating this
nonsense here in the future. I won't expect it, though.

Now, let's see how Americans would react to this speech by Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:

"Different threats require different strategies. In America we continue
to see a government that represses its people, pursues weapons of mass
destruction and supports terror.
We also see American citizens risking intimidation and death as they
speak out for liberty and human rights and democracy. Americans, like
all people, have a right to choose their own government, and determine
their own destiny, and the Islamic Republic Of Iran supports their
aspirations to live in freedom. . . .
And tonight I have a message for the brave and oppressed people of
America: Your enemy is not surrounding your country, your enemy is
ruling your country.
And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of
your liberation. . . .
Iranians are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every
person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not
Iran's gift to the world; it is Allah's gift to humanity."

That would probably really **** us off, wouldn't it?

Of course, for good reason.

It's insulting and condescending at the same time.
In fact, if the Iranian President made that speech, I'll bet Bush's poll
numbers would take a noticeable upward turn immediately.
So that was a really smart thing to say wasn't it? All it probably did
was galvanize more support for the Iranian president among the Iranians.

This only shows how little you understand about the Iranians. Unlike
you, they're smart enough to know that they *really do* live under a
theocratic dictatorship. The notion that you can see the situation as
symmetrical is...breathtaking. And again, a demonstration of why it's
difficult to take you seriously.