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Reader comment on:
Jim Webb's War
in response to reader comment: The Difference Between Ignoring an Irrelevancy and Missing the Point

Submitted by Fred, Nov 15, 2006 12:32

I guess defensiveness is all relative?

Mr. Gitell does not insinuate much in his article, if I am reading the same one as you are. The way I read it, he pointed out that the same supporters of Mr. Webb's campaign, who lashed out at Senator Allen for having a Confederate flag in his dorm room in college, do not heap any of that same indignation upon Mr. Webb for his book excerpts in which he somewhat glorifies the Confederate flag. Further, they attacked Senator Allen relentlessly for holding views which I am supposing (but with the best evidence I have seen at this point) are very close to the same views Mr. Webb holds. I thought Mr. Gitell went to some lengths to point out that holding such views are not evil, even saying that they shouldn't be held to the standars of "the politically correct absurdities of the American college campus." His main point it seemed to me was that liberals who denounced Sen. Allen have given Mr. Webb a pass. I felt he was very fair to Mr. Webb, therefore, I thought the criticism of his article was misplaced, and yes: defensive.

The other responses to the article pretty much support my point. Ms. Ward's response was just not as ranting, and better written.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.

Other reader comments on this article

Comment By Date

Seth Gitell wrote: "In his breathless praise of Forrest, Mr. Webb is paying tribute to the Confederate general in charge... [MORE]

Michael Kelley

Nov 16, 2006 07:59

For the writer, and "Fred", and all of those who wish to end this perpetual war of words about the... [MORE]

Val Green

Nov 15, 2006 19:57

Reference to your Webb article and his Confederate leanings-- had George Allen not denounced the Confederate flag, joined the NAACP... [MORE]

Brag Bowling

Nov 14, 2006 22:17

Mr. Gitell apparently belongs to the odd Northern school of thought which says that one can never talk about Nathan... [MORE]

Carla Ward

Nov 14, 2006 09:34

Mr. Gitell employs the classic Clinton maneuver of parse, attack, and obfuscate. Like many of the Webb critics during the... [MORE]

R Buckley

Nov 14, 2006 14:17

Ms. Ward apparently belongs to that odd school of thought that when someone like Forrest's name comes up, one should... [MORE]

Fred

Nov 14, 2006 14:30

The author should indeed have noted that Webb was talking about culture, customs, tradition, upbringing--and not genetics. Regarding Southern culture,... [MORE]

Richard L.A. Schaefer

Nov 14, 2006 14:58

Fred suggests that I am defensive for objecting to Mr. Gitell's insinuation that Mr. Webb owed it to the readers... [MORE]

Carla Ward

Nov 14, 2006 16:13

they must have missed the honest version of that American history. Like the story that Pearl Harbor was "unprovoked." Just... [MORE]

G. Ashleigh

Nov 14, 2006 20:32

I guess defensiveness is all relative? Mr. Gitell does not insinuate much in his article, if I am reading the same...

Fred

Nov 15, 2006 12:32

Mr Gitell wrote "...He has words of praise for the founder of the Ku Klux Klan..." Mr Gitell, Sir, I... [MORE]

Billy Bearden

Nov 14, 2006 07:44

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