Do you have any idea how much experience Stevens has in the military?

Yes.

The answer is: more than Justice Thomas.

I have resisted writing about the rape charges against three members of the Duke Lacross team until now  and I m still hesitant. I am unwilling to prejudge a case like this, outside of a courtroom, possessing only partial evidence, evide…

As such, Stevens servie in the Navy doesn t elevate him to status of military strategist.

Just like Dugger, you’re trying to turn this upside down. Nobody wants to elevate Stevens to military strategist. OW pointed out that the activist judge who criticizes Stevens familiarity with military matters has–unlike Stevens–zero military experience.

So unless you want to continue to make jokes about Thomas’ (alleged, but unconfirmed) links to porn, I would suggest that the subject is closed.

Back to Limbaugh and Viagra

First of all, OW asserts that Thomas attacked Stevens unfamiliarity with “combat” and Thomas said no such thing. Believe it or not, there is a difference between combat and warfare. I know guys who have been in combat, but they wouldn’t know the first thing about warfare. They were good at taking orders and following those orders. That’s it.

FDR never served a day in uniform. But it was obvious he was very familiar with the realities of warfare. Neither Clausewitz nor Eisenhower commanded troops except from a very high perch, but both are considered at the top when discussing military strategy.

I know some barbers who do a lousy job of cutting hair. But I d still go to them before I d ask an auto mechanic take a whack at it.

Yeah, and to use the illustration above, cutting hair a few times doesn’t make somebody a stylist and changing the oil in your car once, doesn’t make a person a mechanic. As such, Stevens servie in the Navy doesn’t elevate him to status of military strategist.

You guys pretend that military experience is of primary importance when the military person is saying or doing something you agree with.

Your imagination is working overtime.

No one pretended that Stevens’ military experience is of primary importance. OW simply pointed out that the person who says that Stevens service grants him no knowledge asserts his own insight into military matters, even though he has zero experience.

See?

Pointing out that Justice Thomas is just flappin’ isn’t the same thing as claiming Stevens as one of our own.

How is that so? There are people I know who have served in the military that I wouldn t trust to win a game of Stratego or Risk. The last thing I want them doing is pontificating about warfare.

I know some barbers who do a lousy job of cutting hair. But I’d still go to them before I’d ask an auto mechanic take a whack at it.

“In this case, as in so many others, a conservative with no military experience denigrates the experience of someone who has served.”

No. The point stands. You guys pretend that military experience is of primary importance when the military person is saying or doing something you agree with. And he did not denigrate (to use your word) Steven’s personal experience. Thats malarkey.

Bush has military experince and (I assume) OW deosn’t. How can, then, using your logic, OW criticize Bush on anything with military implications. he’s disqualifiedf, right?

Dugger

SPUTTER!!! Harumph!!

/typical right-winger

How is that so? There are people I know who have served in the military that I wouldn’t trust to win a game of Stratego or Risk. The last thing I want them doing is pontificating about warfare.

The left persists, when and only when it suits their ideological purpsoes, that any military service equates to military smarts.

No, The Left doesn’t.

In this case, as in so many others, a conservative with no military experience denigrates the experience of someone who has served. No one here has tried to claim that Stevens is a grand military theorist. OW has simply pointed out that the man questioning his familiarity with military matters has zero experience himself and is woofing out his trousers.

For someone who eagerly trots out the “Left Hate the Troops” shibboleth, you’re surprisingly willing to stand up for those who marginalize a veteran’s experience.

I admit that as a black man, the likes of Clarence Thomas embarasses the hell out of me.

That would be like me saying, “I admit that as a white man, the likes of John Paul Stevens embarasses the hell out of me.” After all, I certainly don’t like the way he votes in the Supreme Court, and I find his occasional use of foreign precedent alarming.

So, you disagree with Justice Thomas politically. Why would that embarass you more than the white justices with whom you disagree?