Burt and politics

[mark]

I'd like to make two points.

First of all, this board is to discuss all topics related to Burt Bacharach. I think it would be disingenuous to restrict posters from discussing Bacharach's recent comments regarding the handling of Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq War or President Bush, but I would ask that all posters adhere to the rules of this board and refrain from comments that are abusive, excessively rude, clearly inflammatory or that use offensive language.

I've given posters the benefit of the doubt and left in a few comments that use potentially offensive language because I think they're sincere at heart and I don't want to get into the business of censoring this board. People with strong feelings about Burt's comments--pro or con--are welcomed to post, but please make your case without resorting to profanity or abusive language.

Secondly, as some regulars here know, I, your humble webmaster, am a native of New Orleans and I am one of the hundreds of thousands of residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina. I read Mr. Bacharach's comments about Hurricane Katrina and found them to be less harsh that the sentiments reflected in countless newspaper editorials in the wake of this disaster. If you disagree with his comments, that's your prerogative, but it is clear the handling of this crisis--at all levels of government--was atrocious and unacceptable and the president himself, as head of the federal government, has accepted responsibility for the failure of the federal government to respond adequately.

[scotsgreg]

I applaud both you, Mark, for allowing heated opinions surrounding Bacharach's comments to remain uncensored, and Bacharach himself, for mustering the guts to express his own disgust at the skewed priorities of this president and his administration. Perhaps if more centrists and libertarians like Bacharach had voiced their reservations in honest, civil debate last year instead of the vicious, rancorous attacks waged by both extremists on both sides during the presidential campaign, we wouldn't have to be subjected to a disastrous second term at the hands of this ineffectual leader and his oppressive supporters. Instead, we must bear witness as this administration's rigid take on Republican politics continues to deepen the divide in our nation, disenfranchise the poor and vulnerable, weaken our infrastructure in the face of both natural disaster and terrorism and delegitimize general conservative policy in the eyes of a significant number of Americans. All of the current polls indicate the Mr. Bacharach is not voicing the opinion of small, vocal minority, but an increasing majority of Americans.

I find it disturbing that one of the primary objectives of innumerable supporters of President Bush is to simply silence dissent, whether cloaked in a narrow definition of patriotism or through laughable stabs at personal insult. A political debate is not won through verbal assault, hyperbole or intimidation. However, I find it more disturbing that so many Americans, including some of the posters to this website, choose to remain polite and apolitical when confronted by such inappropriate and misplaced rage and arrogance. Therein lies a greater danger to the survival and future of this great nation.

God bless New Orleans and we all hope that you are safe and well...

[Guest]

I would appreciate it if people who want to state their political opinion or want to make a remark about Burt his political ideas, would make a clear title as a subject, so that visitors that are not interested in someone else's opinion can skip these messages! Thanks!!

[Guest]

Off-topic? Well, yes and no. Funny? You bet! After a week of uncalled-for Burt bashing and maddening blind faith Bush defending, I think a little comic relief is in order!


http://www.thewebshite.net/blogpages/ge ... doctor.htm

[Guest]

I think the american people are disgusted with Hollywood Left Democrats and fed up with the Lies of the Democratic party In washington DC I am Nolonger fan of any one who repeat the Lies of the Democratic party president Bush is NOT liar Or this Terrible man all these Lefty are making out to be shame on all of you belivieing the lies the Democratic Party all of you people in hollywood is embarrestment To Our country

[Guest]

I THINK THE Democratic Party Own The President Bush And the American people Apologize For The Lies They have spread Thro the media Howard deam DNC chairman is national embarrestment Liars what joke he is I think Bert and all of Hollywood Is National embarrestment

[Guest]

IF YOU BELIVIE THE LIES of The Democratic Party Then Your NO LOnger American or Patriotic American Your Haterd for the milltary and this president Is Disgusting YOUR ON THE terriosts side you want them to kill Us That what Boils down to i AM FEDUP WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN HOLYWOOD AND DC

[Guest]

I am glad we have President Bush as President he is good decent honabale man to have in the white house we were Attack on 9/11 we have lost thousands of people that day Dont you ever forget that People GOD is looking down on us protecting us from harm I Thank God We have Christian Honable man in the white house I Think The Left Is Jealous Of The Good Work that Bush is doing They have so much haterd jealous of this man Is disgusting WE will NO More Listen to the Left Likes anymore YOU will cinunte to lose at the ballot box every year WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE BUSH AS PRESIDENT HE DOING ALOT OF GOOD FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE YOUR JEALOUS IS DISGUSTING

[Guest]

Looks like the Republican bloggers are at it again. Like always they are told to do something (bombard the forum with Republican bullshit propaganda) and they follow like the blind sheep they are. Wake up you morons and smell the coffee!

[Guest]

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CANT THINK FOR THEM SELFS YOU ARE BLINED BY YOUR PARTY LIES wake up morons fools your out of touch with reailty BERT SHAME ON YOUand the rest of hollywood AT least US Repubilcans can think for them selfs YOU CANT

[dang]

hi: when a man of bacharach's status and musical talent makes off the cuff remarks about our President and his policies he should back it up with some evidence and facts. opinions are cheap. politics, international relations, the economy, and any war are grossly complicated matters with thousands, if not millions of people studying real data and trying to make the best decisions they can. if you dont like em dont vote for em. unfortunately, many listen to stars of bacharachs caliber and take their comments serioulsy. in the several years before world war II, many english and french entertainment personalities, philosophers, and academecians voiced their opinions of how meek hitler was, how evil the u.s. was, how neat communism was. they were all wrong as hitler, stalin, mussolini,etc. stormed over europe and were stopped in the nick of time thanks to winston churchill, franklin roosevelt, the u.s. and the allied soldiers. millions died due to this violence that the singers, actors, etc. previously would not happen. therefore, these talented folks should shut up and sing or whatever and thats it. their comments cannot be taken objectively by many, especially the young and the uninformed. dg

[Guest]

george w bush is not evil or Liar Like the Democratic party is

[ProudFlagWaver]

I disagree with Mr. Bacharach in his misguided opposition to President Bush and his efforts to possibly change the geopolitics of the entire Middle East for the better in terms of more democracies and fewer tyrants such as the monster Saddam Hussain. It is fortunate that the United States did not need Mr. Bacharach's loyalty and service during World War II, which lasted four years and cost the lives of 405,399 patriotic Americans. Putting this sacrifice in perspective, less than 2000 American lives have been lost in fighting for Iraq fledgling democracy!

Real change always tests our character to perservere, and not cut and run. Otherwise, Americans would be subjects of the Hitlers, Stalins and Huesseins of this world today.

Wake up Burt. Wake up Hollywood. Wake up Democrats!

Let's not hate other Americans so much. Lets try to have a respectful dialogue and work as one nation, much as Americans pulled together to preserve our democracy and those of Europe during WW II.

Also, let's not mindlessly shred American leaders, in an angry and self-destructive act. Former President Ronald Reagan was ridiculed for calling the Soviet Union an evil empire and for taking a tough line on military strength. But those critics were proven wrong as the Berlin Wall fell and we liberated millions of people from Soviet oppression.

Burt and I are alike in one sense. We each have the right to express our opinion. This is my opposing opinion to Mr. Bacharachs: President Bush is a great leader who is earnestly working to keep all Americans safe from terrorism, by taking the fight to deadly enemies wherever they chose to operate or hide. Someday, even Mr. Bachrach and his Democrat Hollywod friends will see that once again America's advocacy for freedom and democracy will result in a more peaceful world.

[xeric]

How many of these proud flagwavers have signed up for Bush's criminal war? These blowhard cheerleaders for corruption and war are armchair warriors willing to send other people's kids to a war based on lies and deceit to further the profits of Bush's oil buddies and Cheney's Halliburton. The treasonous underlings that outed the CIA agent in order to lie the country into war will soon be in jail. Bush should be impeached and forced to resign for the disgrace to the country that he is.
Burt is a great American for speaking up and using his talents to help educate the people about this failed, criminal regime.

[Guest]

The first thing that happened on this thread was a blatant attack. And I don't have to convince the readers that most of them have very poor english.

It is apparent most of these posts are coming from outside the US from poor Enblish speaking people. Like a bunch of phone callers, seems the republicans have hired a foreign company to respond and black-ball the forums.

There seems to be one man of intellect as apparent in his written response here. But I have to laugh at the company he keeps.

I wasn't too long ago Bush gave a speech and he had no tie on. On close expection, it was noted his blue shirt was buttoned wrong. So here is what happened, he never figured out his shirt was buttoned wrong and became frustrated because the tie would not 'fit right'. So he left his tie off and walked on TV... still having his shirt buttoned wrong.

What an idiot.

And you guys think he is smart??? I would suggest he is not the only idiot.

-Ken in Ellensburg, WA