Stephen King being bashed re: Army comment

[mae]

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sh...d-army-or-iraq

Remember shortly before Election Day 2006 when Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) suggested that if you don't get a good education, "you get stuck in Iraq"?

Well, last month, famed horror author Stephen King was speaking in front of a group of high school students at the Library of Congress, and he virtually made the exact same statement.

For those that can bear it, what follows is another in a long line of liberal media members bashing the military:

I don't want to sound like an ad, a public service ad on TV, but the fact is if you can read, you can walk into a job later on. If you don't, then you've got, the Army, Iraq, I don't know, something like that. It's, it's not as bright. So, that's my little commercial for that.

Nice sentiment when the nation is at war, Stephen.

Angry comments follow.

[Matt]

I believe that SK has a right to his opinion and a right to say it.

The fact is that a lot of underprivileged people find their way to the military because you graduate high school with no prospects for college (for whatever reason)--the military is a heck of a way to build some kind of life beyond Pizza Hut and McDonalds.

So essentially his statement is correct but using the military as a starting point is not a bad thing imo.

[Matt]

Stephen King's reply as posted on SKMB

"That a right-wing-blog would impune my patriotism because I said children should learn to read, and could get better jobs by doing so, is beneath contempt. Noel Sheppard says, “Nice sentiment when the nation is at war, Stephen.” I guess he feels ignorance and illiteracy are OK when the country needs cannon-fodder. I guess he also feels that the war in Iraq has nationwide approval. Well, it doesn’t have mine. It is a waste of national resources. . . and that includes the youth and blood of the 4,000 American troops who have lost their lives there and for the tens of thousands who have been wounded. I live in a national guard town, and I support our troops, but I don’t support either the war or educational policies that limit the options of young men and women to any one career—military or otherwise. If you agree, find Sheppard on the internet, and send him an email: “Hi, Noel—Stephen King says to shut up and I agree.”

Steve"

[jayson]

Thanks for posting the response Matt. It's interesting to read how SK responds to criticism like this.

“Nice sentiment when the nation is at war...”

I'm glad that this was the part that King chose to call the writer out on. The notion that any country is beyond criticism at "war time" is preposterous. If the troops really are "fighting for our freedom" like the pundits and the bumper-stickers claim, then surely expressing our freedom of speech is supporting the troops.

[Matt]

I agree. Its the main point of my piss off about this.

I started a thread for former and current military personnel to let Stephen King know that he is free to voice his opinions no matter what they are.

That is what we fight for.

[jayson]

I started a thread for former and current military personnel to let Stephen King know that he is free to voice his opinions no matter what they are.

that's a great idea.

[Daghain]

I grew up in a mainly blue collar neighborhood, and I can tell you, if you barely graduate high school, there are not a lot of opportunities out there for you, like Matt said. I found it interesting in my hometown that the highest concentration of recruiting offices were right near the schools in the worst part of town - let's face it, what other options do most of those kids have? I'm sure a regular paycheck and a chance to travel sounds a whole hell of a lot better than flipping burgers at Mickey D's. Besides, college is not for everyone, and the military can be good for some people - they can learn a skill and if they choose to go to college when they get out, they have the GI bill.

But King does have a point - some people who would have benefited from education didn't get it, and that's unfair.

[mae]

Thanks for posting King's reply. It's amazing he'd take time out to check the blog and write out a reply as he did, and so swiftly, too! Go Steve!

[ladysai]

I started a thread for former and current military personnel to let Stephen King know that he is free to voice his opinions no matter what they are.

Way to take the bull by the horns!

That is what we fight for.

Damn straight.

[ZoNeSeeK]

Fucking good on him for sticking to his guns.

Blanket statements like "The nation is at war" and branding like "liberal media members" are designed to discourage any kind of criticism and slap any kind of opposing opinion to government foreign policy into the "whinging liberalism" compartment. King was commenting on the state of the US education system and what that meant re: opportunities for young people who are being failed by this system. The same thing is happening here in a way, with illiteracy numbers growing alarmingly for high school students over the last decade or so - the only difference is that we have no upfront university fees for undergraduates and anyone over the age of 21 can take a mature age entry exam, so there's always a chance for someone to go back to study, even if they left school @ 15.

So instead of using dumb-down histrionic statements like "the nation is at war" (which sounds as though Canada has just mounted an invasion and Minnesota and the Dakotas are in flames), perhaps Sheppard should put his little old thinking cap on and look at your education system (which is essential for America to remain a great country in 2 decades) instead of defending a war which involves the majority of your forces mired down in the wrong bloody nation and is draining an economy teetering on the brink of recession.

[Matt]

I posted the following on the SKMB in support of Stephen Kings right to say what he likes in this country. Weather I agree or not.

I'm sorry if this thread seems self serving, its really to offer my support.

Even if you don't agree, you must agree with the fact that we all joined the military to preserve the thing that makes a free society unique.

That is the right to speak your mind--have your opinions.

The only thing that angers me about this whole thing is how reactionary people are. Is it a surprise that we can't get along as a country when something like this can be so polarizing? Not to me.

Stephen King has a right to his opinion, just like you do.

Think our country is going to hell in a hand basket? Good for you, I fought for your right to think that.

Think the war in Iraq is wrong? Good for you, I fought for the right for you to say that where ever and however you feel.

Have strong opinions on why people join the military. Good, in this country you can voice them.

Lets stop taking this so personally you guys--we live in a free society and we all want the same thing for it. To preserve it.

So from me to you SK--you go right on saying what you feel, that's what we all fought for.

I am now part of the focus of this guys right wing blog.

He thinks I was a plant because I spelled Solider wrong--obviously he doesn't know me at all.

[MrsSmeej]

It doesn't do to bait these guys Matt. They can get frightening if you become their target.

[Matt]

I totally agree--however, I can't let his folks think I am a plant.

I'm an independent guy who is a veteran and wants to support King's rights to free speech.

I may let it go, I may sign up on the blog and give them what for.

Funniest part about this? I'm not really a liberal.

[alinda]

I personally do not think WAR is ever a good idea.
But by the same token Matt, I think your comments & SK's
are spot on. These statements and the right to express them
have been the very reason touted for fighting the wars to begin
with. Freedom to speak your mind and live free all come with
responsibilty that some folk can't seem to handle ( the I'm so
offended brigade) it seems enough to have them wanting to
start a whole new war over the personal feelings of common
men and women. I say "Hurray for You"!

[MrsSmeej]

I see what you're saying Matt. And I agree with you and Alinda that the freedoms we (former Navy, here) fought to protect are the ones Stephen is making use of... Still, I do wish he'd expressed himself a little more diplomatically. There were some seriously hurt feelings over on the SKMB. I really didn't think that the majority were trying to be trolls, either. Just seeking to correct a mistake. And it was a mistake... Literacy rates in the military are higher than those in the general population - lower recruiting standards or not. But, I don't think any of us speak as clearly off-the-cuff as we'd like... Apparently, not even Stephen.

[alinda]

Quote MrsSmeej:
But, I don't think any of us speak as clearly off-the-cuff as we'd like... Apparently, not even Stephen.
In all seriousness, I agree with this, yet it seems to me the reactionary
response's are the more dangerous of the two. Oh if only dialog were
something humans were better at. Could be something could be taught
in all those schools that were spoken about?

P.S. Nice to have your input here MrsSmeej...welcome again!

[MrsSmeej]

Thank you Alinda... I just wish my first post were more in the lines of how wonderful I think Stephen's work is... Not about such a difficult topic as this.

And I'm afraid Logic and Rhetoric are Master's level courses these days.

[jhanic]

I'm a Vietnam veteran (not a Vietnam era veteran, I was there!) and I also defend King's right to say what he did, although I definitely DO NOT agree with it. I just wish his phraseology had been better. He comes across as an elitist, which, I am sure we all agree that he is not.

John

[alinda]

You got that right.

(see edit statement below)

[ladysai]

PFT!
To me this whole brouhaha suggests that we (as people in general) should spend more time listening to each other when we speak, and understanding that none of us speaks with total precision 100% of the time.
We can disagree in a civil manner, but I think we'd all disagree less if we paid attention to the intentions of the speaker.

I LOVE the idea that Matt is some great internet conspiracy leader. It gave me a good laugh to read that bit about the 'plant' in the messageboard.

[alinda]

[MrsSmeej]

An almost complete newb here guys. What is a "PFT"?

And, I'd long suspected that Matt was a covert operative. No one could be that nice for real.

[alinda]

its a sound one makes when having heard
something preposterous...

[jayson]

it's been very interesting so far hearing from all of the veterans who have posted. it's a perspective on the situation that i don't have since i have never been in the military. it's refreshing to hear that what all of you seem to care the most about is King's right to express himself.

[alinda]

Well, maybe saying kids should learn to read
in school too. After all I wouldnt want to live
in a world without books in it!