2006-07-05 07:50:39 · 9 answers · asked by christine2550@sbcglobal.net 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
It's called "Dehumanization", it's much easier to fight an army of "wackos" and "psychos" than seeing the other human being who has a wife and 2 kids waiting for them to come home too.
Actually when you think about it, the government doesn't call our enemies crazy as much as radio hosts do. The government is more content talking about "evil" (Saddam) and "godless" (the Communists). Spooky language, spooky language.
2006-07-05 08:00:56 · answer #1 · answered by Matt B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, but when the adversary publicly denies that the holocaust existed or wants to remove a country from a map, it does give rise to question their mental capacity. When an adversary starves their people and uses resources to build a military might it makes you wonder "What is this nut thinking?". Did the US or anyone else think the previous leaders of the USSR was crazy? Nope they sure didn't. That was just a difference in ideology and government.
2006-07-05 15:03:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes.
This was first documented during the smear campaign conducted by then vice president Thomas Jefferson against the incumbent president John Adams.
The French and the American people were having skirmishes in the frontier lands that we now call Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi.
President Adams would not let go of the prospect of peace with France which he finally attained a treaty a few months before the end of his term.
Jefferson characterized Adams as being a lunatic for wasting time trying to make peace with France and was rallying the people to go to war with France who owned most of the center of the Continent. The people were ready to follow Jefferson into war voting him into the presidency not even knowing that a treaty had been signed with France insuring a lasting peace between the two nations.
2006-07-05 15:37:24 · answer #3 · answered by sprcpt 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pretty much, yes. Check out our depiction of the Germans in WWI, the Japanese in WWII, the Chinese in Korea, the Viet Cong in our little "police action" in their country, the Soviets during the Cold War, the Sandanistas, the Iraqis ... pretty much every enemy we have ever made, we treat as incurably mad, immoral, despicable, subhuman, stupid, and/or evil.
It is part and parcel with the whole American Racist ideal ... people you don't like are not REALLY people, see, so it's okay to hate/kill/maim/steal/rape them.
We've been at it for 230 years now, and we're pretty good at it.
Why, it used to be we'd call them "Redcoats" or "Rebels" or some such identifier and then try to make THAT villanous. But now, we just slam their whole RACE ... dang Ay-Rabs!
Short answer, yes.
And we'll probably keep it up until someone kicks our patriot butt.
And now that I think about it, that's probably why the US has never gotten very involved in Africa ... it would be very un-PC to villify Africans, wouldn't it? Much easier to pick on semitic peoples.
2006-07-05 15:01:51 · answer #4 · answered by Grendle 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Too often, our adversaries are clinically paranoid psychopaths. Calling them crazy is an act of self-restraint and charity.
2006-07-05 14:53:13 · answer #5 · answered by pachl@sbcglobal.net 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes I have noticed that but than some of them do Not act very rational. All though I have never heard of bin laden being called crazy.
2006-07-05 14:52:52 · answer #6 · answered by Stand 4 somthing Please! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Its hard to begin an open and honest dialog after insulting someone.
2006-07-05 15:10:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course. Standard practice. The communists are better at it but you have to live in their sphere of influence for them to effectuate. ( Which we aren't too different from. )
2006-07-05 14:52:55 · answer #8 · answered by vanamont7 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yea, the pot calling the kettle black!
2006-07-05 14:52:05 · answer #9 · answered by cantcu 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋