When Atheists Attack

Part 2:

"she is a beauty queen/sports reporter"

Response: Wow. That almost needs no response. Perhaps, like the Obama ad joking about McCain being unable to use a computer without knowing that his war injuries made it impossible for him to type, the author's statement is merely based on ignorance. His research apparently failed to uncover that Palin participated in beauty pagents to help pay for college. She didn't come out of some fancy Hawaiian prep school.

Besides, what the hell does that mean -- I was a lifeguard in high school. Lots of people have dumb, silly jobs when they're young. What does that have to do with qualifications.

"Yes, all too ordinary"

Response: I guess only if by ordinary you mean someone who is raising a family of five while at the same time being the most popular governor in the United States, and who won office against all odds by taking on the corrupt senior leadership in her own party.

"Sarah Palin does not seem competent even to rank these items in order of importance, much less address any one of them"

Response: The author fails to identify what he believes would render one competent to do so, how one would demonstrate that, or what about Obama's experience suggests that he is able to do so. Perhaps it's that he spent some time growing up in Indonesia...

"What doesn't she know about financial markets, Islam, the history of the Middle East, the cold war, modern weapons systems, medical research, environmental science or emerging technology? "

Response: Great questions all. Let's ask Obama these questions. I'm not aware of anything in his background that qualifies him on any point above. In fact, let's go back and ask the then-Governor of backward Arkansas those questions and see how he does.

"Palin's most conspicuous gaffe in her interview with Gibson has been widely discussed. The truth is, I didn't much care that she did not know the meaning of the phrase "Bush doctrine."

Response: Sure enough, there it is. I'd have loved to hear how the author would have responded to the same question before seeing the Palin interview.

Stay tuned for part 3.

I can't help but dissect this piece of trash, almost sentence by sentence. Need to do in multiple parts because of the character restrictions.

"Her fans seem inclined to forgive her any indiscretion short of cannibalism."

Response: The author fails to point to a single indiscretion.

"However badly she may stumble during the remaining weeks of this campaign, her supporters will focus their outrage upon the journalist who caused her to break stride, upon the camera operator who happened to capture her fall, upon the television network that broadcast the good lady's misfortune."

Response: She has had no significant stumbles yet that I'm aware of. If the author is referring to the Bush Doctrine question, that's laughable -- the consensus among foreign policy experts is that there is no single "Bush Doctrine," and that that was an unfair and trick question. Speaking of stumbles, no mention of Barack Obama proposing taking the Georgia matter to the UN Security Council, which may be one of the dumbest statements by a candidate for President in history because... Russia is a veto-weilding member of the Security Council.

The author also seems to suggest that the attacks on Palin are fair and unbiased, which is literally incredible.

"The point is that she comes to us, seeking the second most important job in the world, without any intellectual training relevant to the challenges and responsibilities that await her."

Response: Second most important job in the world? Is he serious? This statement demonstrates complete ignorance about how the executive branch works, the Constitution, and history. As Dwight Eisenhower said when asked what Nixon accomplished as VP, he replied "Give me a few days and maybe I'll think of something."

Leaving that aside, what "intellectual" training is he referring to? John Edwards's undergrad degree was in "textile manufacturing" at NC State. Did we hear liberal elites complaining about his intellectual training? Reagan didn't have a fancy education, and he was the most influential foreign policy President since Roosevelt. Wasn't Harry Truman a failed haberdasher? It's part of this whole elitist culture on the Left that only a good educational pedigree leads to success. In fact, studies show that the CEOs of fortune 500 companies overwhelmingly come from public universities. As Bill Buckly famously wrote, I'd rather entrust the government to the first 400 people in the phone book than the Harvard faculty.

Stay tuned...

How is it that a witch hunter anointed Ms. Palin (as a God) - on TV - and it was hidden and erased from their archives? Now playing on youtube.
A witch hunter.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/the-witch-hunter-anoints_b_128805.html

Thank you Newsweek. Thank you Sam Harris.

Though the title may suggest otherwise, this article is not about religion in any way. It is about a great deal of Americans' love of mediocrity.

When did being smart, open-minded and worldly become such a stigma?

Sam Harris is being blunt, and with good reason: I don't really even see this article as directed at Sarah Palin , but at this country's unbelievable distrust of intelligence.

Let's put Sarah Palin in front of as many cameras as possible. Maybe the distrust of intelligence so many Americans harbor will finally be vanquished by what will undoubtedly be an extraordinarily extreme example of not just mediocrity, but downright ignorance.

I agree 100% with this author. It's scary that her supporters don't question her intellect. Elite is not a bad word. I feel like it is being framed. Just like Dukakis was framed with "liberal." (Also, not a bad word.)

Sam Harris is the man. What a wonderful deconstruction of the Palin robot. Scary as hell.

Newsweek-
Why would you try to delegitimize the importance of this article with the triteness and meanspiritedness of this title? Sam Harris has articulated the fears that I have of a Sarah Palin in office, and, I might add, of the anti-intellectual Americans who embrace her. Palin may lose this election, but her like is still out there, and I fear for the safety of my children, our country, and the Earth itself. God isn't going to save any of us when the zealots get their finger on the button. Christian fundamentalists are no better than Islamic fundamentalists.

ok where do I start. I think if there wer an athesit in the white house, it would dive their thinking as well. Her faith is a part of her, so of course it will be mentioned. I am sick and tired of people making somones faith their weak point! And she is only vp, what about people voting for Obama because he is balck and understands black people! This was one sided and its ashame they preint this stuff cuz iggnorant people will take it and run with it before getting all the facts.

This is by far the best and clearest article per Palin I have read. It speaks so many truths, hence why it has rattled the un-entertained. I am comforted knowing that others see past the fog of zany religious extremist beliefs. Yet, I am still afraid that not enough have the intelligence and common sense to see how scary the possiblity of this being true is.

you have undercut the power and urgency of this article with a misleading, gutless title---again the mainstream media strains to offend no one by playing the ridiculous, bogus "fair and balanced" game....

It is hard to imagine that any rational person doesn???t recognize the problematic and irresponsible self-serving behavior of the Bush administration and their repetitive arrogant and obnoxious assumption that the public is both naïve and gullible. Like with everything, today???s problems are the natural result of all that has transpired beforehand and, in this case, that which we the American people accepted when supported by the subterfuge our elected officials presented us. For this next election and for the well being of this country, for ourselves and for future generations, we must now be willing to conscientiously drop our emotionally biased/prejudiced preferences and follow real objective thinking to decide on what and who will turn this country around. When we see that the Republican Party truly believes that Sarah Palin has limits that even they don???t want exposed, when we see that the Republican Party, including John McCain, has strongly and continually supported the Bush-Cheney policies and only now just talks of change, we would certainly be naïve and gullible again to not accept what that really means and then literally question everything they offer. One thing that this time of crisis should have brought us is real clarity.

"When Atheists Attack" Whats with this extremely poor title?

What a poor title. Who chose that?

Thank you for the "Moral Clarity" of this article. This sums it up better than anything I have read anywhere else:
"For all my concern about Bush's religious beliefs, and about his merely average grasp of terrestrial reality, I have never once thought that he was an over-the-brink, Rapture-ready extremist. Palin seems as though she might be the real McCoy." We might as well just bring the Taliban in to govern us.

Mr. Sam Harris has done a wonderful job. He could not have stated his feelings any better. The world has become a very complex place and Sarah Palin has no clue about most of the issues described. Leading the world is a lot different from leading Alaska. It is sad to note that the country favors mediocrity as it does. A leader with intelligence and a vision for the future is what we really need. Obama has those qualities.

Mr. Sam Harris has done a wonderful job. He could not have stated his feelings any better. The world has become a very complex place and Sarah Palin has no clue about most of the issues described. Leading the world is a lot different from leading Alaska. It is sad to note that the country favors mediocrity as it does. A leader with intelligence and a vision for the future is what we really need. Obama has those qualities.

I can agree with the majority of the assertions in this article. However, let's not forget that Obama's meteoric rise was also due in large part to his ability to connect with the creamy, mediocre middle. It wasn't until he had fully stretched his candidacy legs that people were like "Hey, this guy's a smart cookie. Wait...maybe too smart...ELITIST!!!!"