Writer's Block: A few good men

[mlknchz]

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Interesting that quite a few people find the mere asking of this question "US-centric", are "annoyed", or think even asking the question is "ignorant"
I'm interested in hearing what people from other countries or cultures think on a variety of subjects, including this one. Had the question been about British Prime Ministers, I wouldn't have immediately gotten up in arms and thought it "Anglo-centric" or biased or ignorant. I would have either stated my opinion, or ignored it, and gone on about my day.

I'm also cheered to see so few "JFK" responses to this.

-EDIT-
Apparently even suggesting that asking this question in itself, and starting a dialogue with people all over the world, is not entirely a bad thing is "ethnocentric" and enough to get one labelled a "priveleged white male" from people who think they are PRIVELEGED to sit in judgement and put labels on people they don't know. Also a free and honest discussion is BAD if that discussion is about the US? I guess I simply don't understand closed-mindedness.
*scratches head*
I understand the point that this question is, in itself, US-centric, but what is stopping people from posting questions about other places or cultures and starting an open discussion? Isn't that how people learn about one another?

Comments

[maddogairpirate.livejournal.com]

Go back a page. There are a handful of Kennedy responses, and mentally I just go, 'but, the Bay of Pigs! Cuban Missile Crisis! Early entrenchment in Vietnam!' (Nice Freudian slip there in my first reply.)

People get rosy views and keep to them, what can you say.

It was nice to see some intelligent responses.

[mlknchz.livejournal.com]

There ARE a few JFK responses, but relstively few, especially as I was expecting a JFK landslide (much like the one his dad paid for in 1960 :) ).
Most people are woefully ignorant of history, to the point of praising him for his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis without realizing there might not have even BEEN one were it not for his cynical mis-handling of the Bay of Pigs. Kind of like praising someone for putting out a fire they themself started. *sigh*

[maddogairpirate.livejournal.com]

As long as you don't mind, I'm going to watch you. From now on when I start seeing someone I respect, I'd be smarter to pay heed to that a bit more.

[mlknchz.livejournal.com]

How can I say no to such a charming request?

And thank you for your support about reqbats journal...I thought her response quite childish, especially as my comment was polite

[maddogairpirate.livejournal.com]

Oh, I did that before you ever posted yours. She's just got a stick up- well, you can complete the thought on your own.

[maddogairpirate.livejournal.com]

Though if it helps... knowing me I probably would have just the same. Rational gentlemen are in rare supply these days.

[mlknchz.livejournal.com]

What a jerk, she now claims I'm a "priveleged white male" who "deleted my comment" when SHE delelted it, and banned me for having the temerity for disagreeing with her in a polite manner. The internet is full of idiots these days.

[maddogairpirate.livejournal.com]

She struck me as pretty touchy at best and downright unpleasant at worst, yes.

I don't get it, myself. I understand the case for the U.S. centrism of the question, but if all she was going to do is gripe and then not even bother to answer about her nation's origin, or give her thoughts on the topic, then all she was doing was cursing the darkness without lighting a candle, so to speak.

[karinmollberg.livejournal.com]

Hm, I may have to remove someone from my f-list, there...

w/ zero hesitation

[apresminuit.livejournal.com]

Re: w/ zero hesitation

[mlknchz.livejournal.com]

Bully!

[chocolatebark.livejournal.com]

But how many Taft responses are there, is the question!??!?

[mlknchz.livejournal.com]

sadly few...Taft definitely had the greatest impact on the White House furniture, though

[chocolatebark.livejournal.com]

A true giant of his era!

[karinmollberg.livejournal.com]

I am afraid, you´ll have a lot of such reactions even inside one single country (I here think of certain so-called "discussions" at the Spiegel Online http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Spiegel I read daily, mainly the german version to see what is going on back in Teutonialand from a fairly well-informed and ditto written source, bit like Time Magazine). But, luckily also a few different responses. I agree to how one hopes an open discussion might contribute something worth reading it´s only it hardly ever is possible due to consistent narrow-mindedness on the side of the Better-Knowers which is a typically german epithet that I fear, is most international... Which is no reason to stop trying for something else, on the contrary. I won´t say Jefferson because that would be too depressing a thought, though I believe he actually did some good back when;) and it appears it wasn´t Wilson either, about whom Dotty Parker infamously remarked her: "how could they tell?" at the announcement of his passing away. Also, the labelling of good vs. bad leads to nothing much. With a differentiated view, even someone whom one might regard as highly unsympathetic and incompetent may have had a positive impact in the long run. No names, I´m german so have no humour... Interesting Q. nevertheless!

[mlknchz.livejournal.com]

my favorite presidential put down was from Speaker of the House Tom Reed about William Mckinley:
"He has all the back-bone of a chocolate eclair"