Now They’re Afraid of “Joe the Sailors”
posted at 6:36 am on April 14, 2009 by Legal Insurrection
printer-friendly
Well, that didn’t take long. The crew of the Maersk Alabama, including Captain Richard Phillips, are being warned not to give advice on attacking pirates, lest they become “Joe the Sailors.” And we know what that means: Smears, caricatures, investigations, and abuse from the netroots.
This from the UN Dispatch blog in a post aptly titled, Joe the Sailors, accompanied by the photo of GI Joe Sailors:
Yes, they were the ones who heroically defended their ship from a full pirate takeover, but it seems a little presumptuous for the crewmembers of the Maersk Alabama to be advising the U.S. president on anti-piracy policy.
They were not “advising” the President. They were stating their opinions, loudly and clearly, as they are allowed to do. To some, when ordinary people express an opinion on important matters, it’s called “presumptuous.” Capt. Phillips and the crew have as much right to opine on piracy, something they have studied and experienced, as the author of UN Dispatch has to opine in The Guardian that the U.S. should participate in the anti-Israel Durban II conference, or to criticise the truly heroic Nathan Sharansky.
And there was no cause for this thinly veiled warning:
Calling for American leadership on an important global issue is not exactly making false claims about a candidate’s tax plans — and it’s something we agree with, to boot. The crew of the Maersk Alabama does actually know what it’s talking about — having been trained, through their union, no less, to thwart pirate attacks — but let’s hope Officer Murphy’s comments are not Wurzelbacher-ed into some sort of ubiquitous green light for pirate snipings.
Note the reference to Joe Wurzelbacher (“Joe the Plumber”), the plumber from Ohio who had the audacity to ask obvious questions about Obama’s tax plan and express an opinion that was not convenient for the Obama campaign. And we know what happened to Joe. Unlawful access of this private records by Ohio state officials, and general demonization by the netroots and mainstream media.
What is the doughboy afraid of?
Cross-posted at Legal Insurrection Blog
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Greenroom Feed
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
So, I’m confused as to what exactly the problem is. Is it that they asked for help on an issue to which they are closely related, or that they dared to talk directly to the One? Are Americans not even allowed to question their President anymore? This is a far cry from the eight years of endless A.N.S.W.E.R. anti-war marches.
For leftists, what Obama said apparently never enters the question. This is maddening. It’s worse than dealing with toddlers.
amkun on April 14, 2009 at 6:48 AM
Presumptuous? With how many pirates has The Precendent had personal contact? Should he want information from those who have come into contact with pirates?
Oh yeah, I forgot. He is The One – the all knowing. Blech.
ladyingray on April 14, 2009 at 7:26 AM
Oh, I’d be absolutely fine with that. I like the idea of shooting pirates. I like it much better than a policy that promotes stealing ships and holding crews hostage. If it’s all reward and no risk, we’ll get lots and lots of it. If being a pirate gets you killed, there’s a much better balance in the risk/reward category.
Natan Sharansky, btw.
Pablo on April 14, 2009 at 7:35 AM
“It seems presumptuous for the guys who have experience in the area and know what they’re talking about to dare question the wisdom of The One.”
Jim Treacher on April 14, 2009 at 7:39 AM
Did they raise their hands first? If they’re offering advice without TOTUS calling on them, that’s totally out of line. Next time, no Navy Seals for you.
Pablo on April 14, 2009 at 7:41 AM
real crew members who were actually there and actually carried out the actions are far less qualified to comment on the situation than say . . . an actor who will portray them in a hollywood film in the next year
seaniep on April 14, 2009 at 7:42 AM
Don’t you think that the real problem is if “Joe the Sailors” talked, the one would be exposed for the fraud he is?
Exactly what did the one do again?
tarpon on April 14, 2009 at 7:48 AM
Another great Green Room post.
Yes, they were the ones who heroically defended their ship from a full pirate takeover, but it seems a little presumptuous for the crewmembers of the Maersk Alabama to be advising the U.S. president on anti-piracy policy.
Riiight. Like no one was ever “presumptous” enough to give George Bush advice on war policy in, say, Iraq. Like candidate Barry Obama who devised a timeline which, if followed, would have had us surrender in Iraq before the surge occurred.
Buy Danish on April 14, 2009 at 8:01 AM
Exactly. That’s why we drop bombs and not gum drops. They don’t like it. It’s called negative reinforcement.
FuriousAmerican on April 14, 2009 at 8:09 AM
Unbelievable. I think I heard Treacher cracking on the inevitability of JTP style attacks on the captain/crew last week, his jokes come true.
SarahW on April 14, 2009 at 8:53 AM
The people who write these types of blog posts are just throwing things against the wall, hoping that something sticks, and that there are libnuts out there who will take a clue and run with it. It’s insidious, but in their world it works.
Were I to have the name of the author of that piece I would certainly hope that the right would not use the same tactics on me that the left used on Joe-the-Plumber. I would google my name and be frightened that some armchair-joe-the-sailor might glance a few entries down the list and confuse me with someone with the same name, but a horrible habit.
Good thing Conservatives have higher moral standards.
Yoop on April 14, 2009 at 9:20 AM