ABC’s Paul Harvey Compares ‘Women And Children’ Killed In Afghanistan To 9/11 Hijackers
Thursday May 03, 2007
Source: Think Progress
On his News and Comment radio show this morning, ABC Radio Networks host Paul Harvey said “the media should put a stop” to labeling “women and children” killed in war as “civilians.” He said, “It was civilians, for goodness sake, who decapitated New York City.”
Dictionaries define a civilian as “one not on active duty in the armed services or not on a police or firefighting force.” Harvey disagrees. According to him, “Since the invention of the aerial bomb five wars ago, there have been no civilians.” In other words, innocent people who are killed in war are military combatants because they are victims of a military attack.
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Paul Harvey News describes itself as “the largest one-man network in the world, consisting of over 1200 radio stations, 400 Armed Forces Network stations that broadcast around the world, and 300 newspapers.” President Bush gave Harvey the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.
This isn’t the first time Harvey has callously wished for more viciousness in American war fighting. In 2005, he said the United States should use nuclear weapons in Afghanistan and Iraq. After recalling the use of atomic bombs during World War II, Harvey lamented that “we sent men with rifles into Afghanistan and Iraq and kept our best weapons in their silos.”
He then warned of the dangers of “civiliz[ing]” ourselves too much that we won’t use weapons of mass destruction:
We didn’t come this far because we’re made of sugar candy. Once upon a time, we elbowed our way onto and across this continent by giving smallpox-infected blankets to Native Americans. That was biological warfare. And we used every other weapon we could get our hands on to grab this land from whomever.
And we grew prosperous. And yes, we greased the skids with the sweat of slaves. So it goes with most great nation-states, which — feeling guilty about their savage pasts — eventually civilize themselves out of business and wind up invaded and ultimately dominated by the lean, hungry up-and-coming who are not made of sugar candy.
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Transcript:
And hear this please. In Western Afghanistan, where NATO forces are involved in some of the deadliest fighting since January, among the 136 dead this morning suspect Taliban. But there are others, 51 villagers, mostly women and children. Might not the news media put a stop to such pulled punches wars as this, if we would just desist from categorizing civilians. It was civilians, for goodness sake, who decapitated New York City. Since the invention of the aerial bomb five wars ago, there have been no civilians.
I don't understand how a man who says something so ignorant and cruel is not taken off the air like Don Imus was.
I really want to know this: In his mind, how is what he said justified? Does he fully understand that he said he thinks it's okay to kill innocents? And what's more, he doesn't think they're being cruel enough already. He wants to use more 'effective' erradication methods.
He flaunts the fact that the Native Americans were slaughtered and robbed of their lands.
I am shocked. And no, I don't think his point of veiw should be respected. I think he should be loathed and... Exiled, or something.
Is it fair to even call him human?
From now on, Paul Harvey is "the thing devoid of all common sense and feeling."
ubergirl
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10 comments:
You are right, Uber - Paul Harvey is a "thing" just as that Imus was. Unfortunately, we can't stop the hate speech of Harvey because he didn't say anything against BLACK people.
Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton don't care about Afghani or Iraqi children. They only care about BLACK people. Those of us who care about ALL people don't have enough of a voice to stop the Harveys or the others who insult women or ethnic groups to which they do not belong.
Sharpton and Jackson are media junkies, jumping in front of a camera every time that they "percieve" a slight against a black person. Unfortunately, when they're proven wrong, they don't seem able to find those same cameras to apologize.
Most of us do not agree with Paul Harvey. Most of us know that we are all humans, and need to care equally for all until those others give up their humanity (Osama Bin Laden, et al)
Over 70% of the American people want the war to stop. We have written to our congresspersons, we have marched and picketed and written letters. Our Congress passed a bill that would have demanded repatriation of our troops - but the evil George W. Bush vetoed it. Unfortunately there are still enough dinosaurs in the Congress that it is not YET possible to override his veto.
We are trying though, Sweetie. It IS our goal, and we ARE working for it. Pray for our success. I need to go call Rep. Pelosi and tell her YES - Impeach them!
Paul Harvey is still alive?
I thought he died years ago.
Maybe I should listen to the radio more.
Eh...but then again, as I can see from reading this, it probably isn't worth it.
That man is completely confused. It is true that it can be hard to tell whether an insurgent, freedom fighter, terrorist or organised criminal is a civilian or military. And there are some armed women fighting in such organisations. Also, terrorists sometimes claim that their men who have been killed were "civilians".
But ordinary unarmed men, women and children are still civilians. And they are often targets for terrorists, or killed by mistake by security forces, or massacred by people like Saddam.
The word "innocent" is over-used, though. It is supposed to make you feel more sorry for the victims than you would otherwise be. It is a button-pushing word.
Paul started broadcasting right after WWII, during which all sides completely erased the line between combatant and non-combatant, mostly due to aerial bombing, as he mentioned. The idea of total war seemed logical to his generation. But his generation's time is past, as are its ideas about warfare. He's a dinosaur.
The "we gave smallpox-infected blankets to the Indians" story is a total myth, by the way, debunked by historians. But lots of people believe it anyway. To see it held up as an example of how tough we used to be... the mind boggles.
This is an extreme view Uber. It doesn't represent what the majority of people in America think. I've never even heard of Paul Harvey. He is obviously a complete jerk.
This guy is an idiot. I doubt he'd say "there are no civilians" if there is another attack in the USA.
This guy is no different than bon Laden, they bopth believe it is okay to kill women and children to further their ideas.
I was initially surprised at his views, but then I realized:
A) No one actually cares about Paul Harvey
B) There's no coherency in his statements. He's implying that everyone killed during a war is "on active duty in the armed service/police/firefighting force". Of course, it sounds just as ridiculous as it needs to be :-D .
I don't agree with Paul Harvey statements but I understand what he is trying to convey. In the past, without the media present, victims of wars remained anonymous. Politicians were able to send entire armies to slaughter yet the results of the carnage were only dry numbers.
This is no longer true today. Here in Canada, all our soldiers killed in Afghanistan are featured in the news as are their devastated families. Each death hurts the public on a very personal level. The wars are getting sentimental and protests against armed conflicts grow. The result is that the Western world can no longer win. To win a war against a ruthless enemy (and who can doubt Al-Quaeda ruthlessness?) one needs to be ruthless. We are no longer that and that may be our doom.
By the way, ubergirl, how did you enjoy Voltaire's Candide? What are your thoughts on the book?
eva: I read it about two years ago. From what I remember, I thought it was good. I remember laughing quite a bit (I'm not sure I was supposed to.) I won't tell you what I found funny, in case you haven't read it. I wouldn't want to ruin it for you.
I should really reread it.. I don't remember many of the details. But yeah, it was good.
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