Sarge Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Yet another hollyweird nitwit :doh: http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49341 HOLLYWOOD VS. AMERICA 'Law & Order' actor: I know more about war than troops NBC's Richard Belzer dismisses '19 and 20-year-old kids who couldn't get a job' © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com According to actor and comedian Richard Belzer, American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are too uneducated to be expressing support for the U.S. military mission since they're just "19 and 20-year-old kids who couldn't get a job" and "they don't read twenty newspapers a day." Belzer, who's best known as Detective John Munch on NBC's "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit," is a frequent guest on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher." On one previous appearance, he threatened to walk off the set when told columnist Ann Coulter was also appearing, calling her a "fascist party doll." On Friday night's live broadcast, Belzer attacked claims by fellow guest Florida Congresswoman Ileanna Ros-Lehtinen's that U.S. soldiers continue to express support for the war. In the lively exchange, captured by the website NewsBusters, Belzer dismisses Ros-Lehtinen accounts of meeting with troops in Iraq and their credibility as "bull----." Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: "Having been in Iraq a few times, and Afghanistan, having met the troops one-on-one with free reign and asking them what they're doing, they're saying 'We're proud of our mission, we know what we're doing over here. We don't want you guys in Washington to lose it over there'. And there is a great sense of determination that what they are doing is making a difference. And yes, it has been an important mission what we're doing ... come on." Richard Belzer: "Yeah, come on. Our soldiers now are at ..." Ros-Lehtinen: "Are a volunteer force, a volunteer force." Belzer: "Okay, fine. No one questions the nobility and the honor that these men and woman who are serving and what they're doing. No one questions that. But now they're targets, they're not going out. Now they're just protecting each other and they're in the middle of a civil war. So it's really not fair to have these people who volunteered their lives to protect our nation under false pretenses to now be a target ..." [Loud applause for Belzer] Ros-Lehtinen: "Ask them. Ask them if it's fair! Wait a minute, wait a minute. My stepson, wait a minute, my stepson ..." Belzer: "That's bull----: Ask them! They're not .. they don't read twenty newspapers a day. They're under the threat of death every minute. They're not the best people to ask about the war because they're going to die any second." Ros-Lehtinen: "Wait a minute! You are talking about my stepson, my stepson who just finished last week eight months of duty ..." Belzer: "God bless your stepson. Doesn't mean he's a brilliant scholar about the war because he's there. And God bless him." Ros-Lehtinen: "Oh, you are though! You are though? Okay." Belzer: "Well I have more time, I'm not there. My life is not under threat." Ros-Lehtinen: "Thank you. Thank you. I'm glad." Bill Maher: "I think the point he's trying to make is that a 19-year-old who is in that army because he probably couldn't find other employment ..." Ros-Lehtinen: "He's a college graduate. He's a Marine officer. He volunteered for the Marines." Belzer: "He's the exception for the rule." Ros-Lehtinen: "He's not the exception for the rule. I've been there ..." Belzer: "You think everyone over there is a college graduate? They're 19 and 20-year-old kids who couldn't get a job ..." Ros-Lehtinen: "Yeah, you know because you've been there and ..." Belzer: "What, I don't f---ing read!? Don't do that!" Maher [to Belzer]: "Woe, woe, woe. Come on. Wait, wait, wait. That ... Don't." Belzer: "Pardon my French." Maher: "Yes ... that was over the line and now you're going to lose ..." Belzer: "It's this patronizing thing that people have about if you're against the war everyone's lumped together. You know, the soldiers are not scholars, they're not war experts ..." Maher: "You're going to lose even me like Michael Moore did when he came down on Charlton Heston in Columbine." Belzer, a conspiracy theorist who once hosted several conspiracy-themed specials for the Sci-Fi Channel, is the author of the 1999 book, "UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have to Be Crazy to Believe." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To view the exchange between Richard Belzer and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, click here [Note: Contains vulgar language]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Ros-Lehtinen: "He's a college graduate. He's a Marine officer. He volunteered for the Marines." Belzer: "He's the exception for the rule." Ros-Lehtinen: "He's not the exception for the rule. I've been there ..." Belzer: "You think everyone over there is a college graduate? They're 19 and 20-year-old kids who couldn't get a job ..." ................ Sadly that is the attitude many share judging from many people I speak with. .............. Belzer: "God bless your stepson. Doesn't mean he's a brilliant scholar about the war because he's there. And God bless him." :doh: Veterans' Voices On Iraq http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/18/AR2006031801497.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancalagon the Black Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 The theory that soldiers aren't the best people to be determining the justification for war is the whole reason we have civil control of the military, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I don't think he was speaking of "justification" for war( that would be from the AUMF) ,rather that he knew more about what was happening in Iraq by reading newspapers Soldiers don't justify...Just execute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 OTOH, I remember reading a quote on this board from one of the people who was lobbying for the war (Rumsfeld?) that he didn't want input from Colin Powell because "he pays too much attention to the lives of the soldiers". (But I'll agree with you, Sarge. Based strictly on the brief portion I read, he's a nitwit.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpillian Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 The theory that soldiers aren't the best people to be determining the justification for war is the whole reason we have civil control of the military, isn't it? The reason we have civil control of the military is to seperate those that make policy from those who execute it. Purely a check on the use of force. This guy's perspective is that the majority of soldiers are too stupid to know a just cause when they see it. Everyone knows how well-informed actors are. You know, the folks who have embraced as their "profession" their talent for escaping from reality. Certainly he knows what's going on in Iraq vicariously through the 20 newspapers he reads a day, versus the folks actually on the ground. Sounds like a complete and total twit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Weirdo Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Richard Belzer is funny. But he's crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winslowalrob Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Richard Belzer is funny. But he's crazy. Ditto. Good actor, funny dude. Clearly insane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 The reason we have civil control of the military is to seperate those that make policy from those who execute it. Wouldn't it be the other way around? Civil control makes it so those that make the policy are those that have the authority to execute it. By the way the reason you have civil control is so that ELECTED OFFICIALS are in charge of the armed forces. Otherwise you wouldn't have much power if the military leaders could simply refuse the will of the people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted March 20, 2006 Author Share Posted March 20, 2006 The reason we have civil control of the military is to seperate those that make policy from those who execute it. Purely a check on the use of force.This guy's perspective is that the majority of soldiers are too stupid to know a just cause when they see it. Everyone knows how well-informed actors are. You know, the folks who have embraced as their "profession" their talent for escaping from reality. Certainly he knows what's going on in Iraq vicariously through the 20 newspapers he reads a day, versus the folks actually on the ground. Sounds like a complete and total twit. He probably reads Pravda and the Workers Weekly among others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpillian Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 The policy makers are the elected officials. Those who execute the policy are the military (at least in regards to armed conflict). I think we're saying the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I think this just goes to show how out of touch with reality many in this country are. And it's not just the hollywood types, either. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I think we're saying the same thing.*resist urge to disagree just for the hell of it*I think you are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spjunkies Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I think most old people feel that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LApunkrocker72 Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I saw that episode of "Real Time with Bill Maher." My reaction: I think Richard Belzer mostly hits the nail right on the head. Way to go, Richard! Meanwhile, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen came off like a total buffoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 So Belzer thinks he knows more about the war because he reads the newspaper? :doh: and double-:doh: I want to see Belzers credentials. Does HE have a college degree? Seems to me that actors as a group are just as uneducated as soldiers. Actually, scratch that last, I dont give a **** what this clown thinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
th869 Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Why do we even listen to people like Belzer? Has he ever served? What some people just cant seem to comprehend is that those same young uneducated men are the ones that secure his right to say such things. Try saying those kind of things under Mr. Stalin's regime. In my book (and it doesnt really matter much) Mr. Belzer you are a :loser: STFU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Monk Fan Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Why do we even listen to people like Belzer? Has he ever served? What some people just cant seem to comprehend is that those same young uneducated men are the ones that secure his right to say such things. Try saying those kind of things under Mr. Stalin's regime. In my book (and it doesnt really matter much) Mr. Belzer you are a :loser: STFU Belzer was kicked out of several schools and never managed to get a degree. He actually joined the Army, but quit soon thereafter and became a stand-up comic. He has the same disease so many others in Hollywood has: he misconstrues his pop-culture status for actual real-world relevance. He has the luxury to sit around reading all day and the money to spend most of his down time in France. He believes he's better than the rest of us and that his success is proof of that point. He, Striesand, Depp, etc. are all living in the same echo chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Belzer was kicked out of several schools and never managed to get a degree. He actually joined the Army, but quit soon thereafter and became a stand-up comic. He has the same disease so many others in Hollywood has: he misconstrues his pop-culture status for actual real-world relevance. He has the luxury to sit around reading all day and the money to spend most of his down time in France. He believes he's better than the rest of it and that his success is proof the point. He, Striesand, Depp, etc. are all living in the same echo chamber. Well said. I think that just about wraps this one up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themurf Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 He's complaining because he's "being lumped together" with others who don't approve of the war and then he's lumping all of the service members together and saying they're all screw ups who couldn't cut it in the real world. What a tool. And sadly, people will listen to him because he's on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelms Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Belzer was kicked out of several schools and never managed to get a degree. He actually joined the Army, but quit soon thereafter and became a stand-up comic. He has the same disease so many others in Hollywood has: he misconstrues his pop-culture status for actual real-world relevance. He has the luxury to sit around reading all day and the money to spend most of his down time in France. He believes he's better than the rest of it and that his success is proof the point. He, Striesand, Depp, etc. are all living in the same echo chamber. Well said. I think that just about wraps this one up. Agreed. MODS - please close this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 He probably reads Pravda and the Workers Weekly among others As opposed to WorldNetDaily? :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 All I saw was the title of this thread and I said, "it has to be that hack, Belzer running his gums again". Guess I was right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Reading 20 newspapers a day makes you smart? After the 1st three with the AP and Websites that do it for you and consolidate, how does that make you smarter.. Seems to me he's just got too much idle time on his hands... He's just a funny man that thinks if he belittles others it makes him seem superior.. You see it all the time .. even on this board.. The type is easy to spot because they also belittle the people that work for them in front of others and have no concept on what they did to get him to succeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonBurgundy&Gold Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 You don't think he makes a valid point, although he could have found a better choice of words? Most kids over there don't know what they're fighting for. Most 19-20 year old kids arent exactly keen to most politics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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