and instructions.
Posted on 10/04/2001 12:30:53 PM PDT by Dane
Limbaugh wannabe interrogates college kid
by MELISSA BALIK Columnist October 04, 2001
I try to stay away from politics, but somehow it keeps pulling me back in.
Wednesday morning, I received a message from someone at WPXI News that they wanted to interview me in response to an article I wrote two weeks earlier in The Pitt News. In this article, “In time of crisis, where have all the skeptics gone?” (Sept. 20), I condemned the “war on terrorism” and expressed distaste for the U.S. government. I called the phone number I was given and left a message on a machine.
About 20 minutes later, I got a call back. “I’m with the Channel 11 News, and we would like to know if you’re available for an interview in about 10 minutes.” Confused and not knowing what to expect, I agreed.
Less than five minutes later, I found myself speaking with a news personality on live television. I had no idea to whom I was speaking. But it was immediately clear that whoever was on the other end of the line stood on the far right side of the political spectrum.
He read a portion of my article, then questioned me on how I could find the U.S. government “oppressive” — a claim I had made in my article. He also questioned my assertion that the United States engages in cultural imperialism.
I simply am not very politically minded. Politics makes me angry and upset sometimes, and I write about it. But I have a great deal of trouble holding my own in political debates — I simply do not have the memory for it.
When he asked about our government’s oppression toward other countries, I could only think about what was currently on my mind: That the United States funded, trained and armed Osama bin Laden against the Soviet Union without ever checking to make sure we agreed with his politics. Now we plan to do the same for Afghan rebels.
This is not exactly an example of oppression. It works better as an example of our country’s pride and ignorance.
He countered this by saying that our friends and enemies change all the time. After all, didn’t I remember that Revolutionary War we fought against one of our current strongest allies, England?
What I should have said was that those two things are completely different. We should never give people weapons while ignoring their politics, especially people who live in extremely politically turbulent areas. Enemies and allies change, of course. But does that mean that the U.S. government should train and arm the Michigan Militia to help us fight killer bears, or might that be a tad risky to us in the long run?
The thus-far unnamed television personality went on to say that U.S. business does not engage in cultural imperialism and, even more outrageously, stated that the people of other countries simply adore America and the way we invade their culture.
Oh please. I suppose next he’s going to claim that guns don’t kill people.
After the interview ended, I scrambled to find the television station he was on to see to whom I had been talking and what he was saying about me now.
I learned later that day that it was one Fred Honsberger, a local Rush Limbaugh wannabe. When I found the show on the television, he was talking to a woman who had called in. Both were more or less talking about what an idiot I was. Honestly, I probably did sound like an idiot.
But I was completely unprepared. What sort of person chooses to fight college sophomores rather than picking a more educated foe?
What a cheap way to make yourself look good. I would probably sound more intelligent than a fifth grader if I called one up and started asking him questions in my own forum without affording him the opportunity to gather his thoughts too.
Unfortunately, people like this really pose a threat to our world’s well being.
On Honsberger’s Web site, www.kdkaradio.com/talk.html, he writes, “The peace-nicks have surfaced, telling us how horrible a war against innocent people will be.”
It’s frightening that anyone could feel such contempt for a person because he of she wants peace and thinks war would suck. “Peace-nick” just doesn’t feel like an insult to me.
I would call a person like this, who is so eager to fight wars against whomever we might end up going to war with, a “war-head.” And that, to me, sounds like an insult.
First of all Melissa, the US did not fund Bin Laden. The US funded the mujahadeen who were fighting the Soviets. You know the country in the 80's that was run by Breznev, Andropov, and Gorbachav.
Fred Honsberger of KDKA Pittsburgh is the target of this article and said of this Melissa Balick quote.
I would probably sound more intelligent than a fifth grader if I called one up and started asking him questions in my own forum without affording him the opportunity to gather his thoughts too.
That a fifth grader would sound more intelligent.
What kind of person writes a newspaper column when she admits that she's ingnorant as dirt, and then whines like a whipped puppy when someone expects her to defend her views?
What a spoiled little brat.
If it quacks like a duck...
Been reading that little red book again, Melissa?
Yup...the typical liberal. All emotion, no intellect.
some people call it memory, most call it a brain.
Ashland, Missouri
If people like this are our nations future, we are doomed.
Memory = brains.
I thought the Pitt News was bad last year (I'm an evening student) but this year it is even worse. The funny thing is that Honsburger is anything but "on the far right".
This babe sounds like she has the right to not be critiqued.
Question.
I simply am not very politically minded.
Answer.
Are you posting to the same thread as the rest of us?
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