Oh, are we a minority, Lisa! I don't know if it has anything to do with being in recovery from the former president, but many subscribers seem to me to be oversensitive to any fault found with Biden. It may also have to do with the weakness of democracy in the USA. Do you think, paradoxically, that there is an undemocratic flavor to it? I don't mind being in the minority as it isn't a new experience me. Understandably, it feels good to hear Biden talk tough and express what the people themselves (including me) feel about Putin. It is one thing to have your feelings ratified by the president and for the world to hear but another to speak strategically in war time -- why inflame the enemy when his failure in Ukraine is burning bright under klieg lights. Why take any of that negative attention away from Putin?. My uneasiness is the reluctance of quite a few to even consider that perspective.
I hate to jump in here, but I think it’s more a wartime mentality that any harsh criticism of “our” side provides ammunition to the other side, be that our own home-grown autocratic, anti-democracy Republicans, or Putin and Russia. As I said in another comment, I don’t know if what Biden said was a mistake or not. None of us can truly know that, at least not yet. I think it likely that we’re all at least partly right - the comment can both provide ammunition to Putin and reflect western thinking and not matter very much at the same time. And I completely agree with you that we must support people’s right to make these criticisms. I defend your right to do so, but the fear of weakening our own position by doing so is, I think, not entirely misplaced. Thank goodness we still live somewhere where this kind of political discourse is possible.
Oh, are we a minority, Lisa! I don't know if it has anything to do with being in recovery from the former president, but many subscribers seem to me to be oversensitive to any fault found with Biden. It may also have to do with the weakness of democracy in the USA. Do you think, paradoxically, that there is an undemocratic flavor to it? I don't mind being in the minority as it isn't a new experience me. Understandably, it feels good to hear Biden talk tough and express what the people themselves (including me) feel about Putin. It is one thing to have your feelings ratified by the president and for the world to hear but another to speak strategically in war time -- why inflame the enemy when his failure in Ukraine is burning bright under klieg lights. Why take any of that negative attention away from Putin?. My uneasiness is the reluctance of quite a few to even consider that perspective.
I hate to jump in here, but I think it’s more a wartime mentality that any harsh criticism of “our” side provides ammunition to the other side, be that our own home-grown autocratic, anti-democracy Republicans, or Putin and Russia. As I said in another comment, I don’t know if what Biden said was a mistake or not. None of us can truly know that, at least not yet. I think it likely that we’re all at least partly right - the comment can both provide ammunition to Putin and reflect western thinking and not matter very much at the same time. And I completely agree with you that we must support people’s right to make these criticisms. I defend your right to do so, but the fear of weakening our own position by doing so is, I think, not entirely misplaced. Thank goodness we still live somewhere where this kind of political discourse is possible.
KR, I appreciate your thoughtful weighing of our various responses. Thank you. (The second heart is a result of me not being about to open the first.)
My Ability to ❤️ Comments isn’t working well again today, too. Thank you.
KR, thank you.
❤️ KR, I appreciate your thoughtful weighing of our various responses. Thank you.
Trap? Explain