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Taken from John McCain's website
Posted at 5:08 PM on 8/18/2008 by Michael Goldfarb
Smears the Left Can Fight For
In the least credible and most vicious corner of the internet, liberal bloggers at the Daily Kos are accusing John McCain of plagiarizing from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The story Solzhenitsyn told was of a prisoner who drew a cross in the dirt in a Soviet Gulag. McCain's story is of a guard who drew a cross in the dirt in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp.
The only similarity between the two stories is a cross in the dirt, but it is hardly an unlikely coincidence that there were practicing Christians in both Russia and Vietnam, or that in the prisons of those two Communist countries the only crosses to be found were etched in the dirt, as easily disappeared as the Christians who drew them.
But those desperate to discredit Senator McCain's record will have to impugn his fellow prisoners as well. Orson Swindle, who was held as a prisoner of war along with McCain, tells the McCain Report that he heard this particular story from McCain "when we first moved in together." That was in the summer of 1971, Swindle said, though "time blurred" and he couldn't be sure. He said it was some time around then that the Vietnamese moved all "36 troublemakers" into the same quarters, where they "talked about everything under the sun."
It may be typical of the pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons crowd to disparage a fellow countryman's memory of war from the comfort of mom's basement, but most Americans have the humility and gratitude to respect and learn from the memories of men who suffered on behalf of others. John McCain has often said he witnessed a thousand acts of bravery while he was imprisoned, and though not every one has been submitted into the public record, they are remembered by the men who were there (one such only recently reported by Karl Rove though it escaped mention in any of Senator McCain's books). But as Swindle said, this is a "desperate group of people trying to make something out of nothing."
Now a response taken from Wizards of the Coast Website
D&D fans,
Many players have written us about recent disparaging D&D references by a John McCain staffer, Michael Goldfarb. I want you to know that everyone at Wizards is offended and baffled by the ignorance. Obviously, this person harbors some retro prejudices and has no idea what D&D is about or who the fans really are. I thought you should know that my colleagues at Hasbro also take offense and sent a letter to Michael Goldfarb (copied below). Wizards will continue to promote D&D as the great heroic fantasy game that it is and we thank you for your continued support and encouragement.
Greg Leeds
President
Wizards of the Coast
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August 28th, 2008
Michael Goldfarb
1235 S. Clark St, Suite M
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Mr. Goldfarb,
I was disappointed to read the disparaging intent of your comments regarding Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fans, both in your response to New York Times editors, and on the John McCain campaign website.
Dungeons & Dragons is a global game with millions of consumers in the U.S. and abroad. The brand is owned by Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc.
For fans, the game is essentially about heroism and therefore it is not surprising to us that thousands of military personnel play and enjoy the game. Hasbro, in turn, supports the U.S. Armed Forces by sending multiple crates of game products, including Dungeons & Dragons, to our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Recently a soldier who saw your comments online said, “Wizards of the Coast (the makers of D&D) has sent care packages to the troops on many occasions, providing free gaming supplies in support of our men and women serving the country overseas to help them decompress after hours. McCain's people should really check their facts before they spout off. Does John McCain have no idea how many GIs play D&D?”
We would very much appreciate you not making any more condescending comments about D&D -- as it is a great game enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Wayne Charness
Senior Vice President
Hasbro, Inc.
Thanks, Marloc Favirzal, but we all beat this topic to death about a month ago. ;)
News to me. I'm glad to have seen it.
Forgot this one: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?t=240430
Forgot this one: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?t=240430
Thanks, Darrin. Linkified!
(Strangely, I doubt the rest of us will be getting any tax cuts from the Obama, but what the hell, he’s just soooo coooool.)
Really? You don't think so?
Gosh, why don't we look at the actual tax plans from the two candidates?
Are you saying that the rest of us make more than $111,645 a year? Because that's what you'd have to make to be better off under McCain's tax plan. Do you make less than $111,646 per year? Wow, guess what? You're better off under Obama's tax plan!
Don't worry Hasbro. As soon as Obama is anointed Pharaoh, err... elected president, you'll be finally be able to contribute more in taxes to this great country. (You too, Paizo!) Mr. Leeds and Mr. Charness, fret not. You’ll be in that 5% that isn’t going to be getting a tax break either. (Strangely, I doubt the rest of us will be getting any tax cuts from the Obama, but what the hell, he’s just soooo coooool.)
And if this post doesn’t get this thread moved out of the gaming discussions, nothing will.
Pharoah? For clarification, did you say that because he looks North African? Is that why some people... think he's cool, too? So people who vote differently than you don't have sound reasons... they're just bowled over by charisma and programming from on high?
Speaking of programming the flock, talking points about how Democrats will lead to billions in spending are the latest commercial attack against the left (saying Obama's going to raise taxes on working families despite the fact that he specifically said he wouldn't, and how the dems can't wait to spend your tax money despite the fact that the Republicans have spent more money than anyone when they were charge). Are we in trouble financially in this country because of tax and spend liberals? Have I had my head in the sand?
Vote for McCain, vote for Obama, vote Bob Barr. It's all good. But suggesting with certainty the further ruination of the US economy at the hands of Democrats seems punch-drinker silly in the face of what's happened to the US financially over the past decade. McCain has voted the Bush way 95% of the time so I'm thinking he's not a good bet for actually attempting to change the status quo. If you're happy with the last eight years, then of course McCain is an intelligent choice for you.
However, IMO, rampant unemployment is certainly more of a problem than a tax hike. After all, people would rather have slightly less of something than nothing at all, and 0% new tax on $0 doesn't keep the lights on. Do I believe the Democrats will do better with the economy? Why yes I do, better than the last administration anyway, although perhaps the damage done will take more than a single presidency to mend. Is what I think open for argument if certain people attempt to belittle my intelligence rather than address the specifics of what I say in an academic manner? Nope. I don't wrestle with children, they'll get hurt and then no one will like me anymore.
Things cost money. Taxes pay the bills. Taxes didn't go up during the Iraq war because we borrowed money from China and others to the tune of almost a trillion dollars. Great thinking there. Better brush up on your Mandarin and not decide you hate the Chinese for their leverage because their hooks are in us to stay. The national debt has now climbed to over 9 trillion dollars, the highest amount in our country's history.
You just don't get anything for free.
Hey, can we please keep political talk to the Off Topic Forum where it belongs? I really don't want to see these forums overrun with this BS.
This whole thread... way off topic.
Hey, can we please keep political talk to the Off Topic Forum where it belongs? I really don't want to see these forums overrun with this BS.
This whole thread... way off topic.
What's BS specifically?
To even open a post with this title is to know ahead of time that there's going to be a spot of political back and forth.
Hey, can we please keep political talk to the Off Topic Forum where it belongs? I really don't want to see these forums overrun with this BS.
This whole thread... way off topic.
What's BS specifically?
To even open a post with this title is to know ahead of time that there's going to be a spot of political back and forth.
Which is, I might add, one of the precepts upon which democracy relies to function.
Don't worry Hasbro. As soon as Obama is anointed Pharaoh
...Pharoah ObamaDon't worry Hasbro. As soon as Obama is anointed Pharaoh
LOL. Well that explains everything.
Nevermind. ;)
And perhaps by BS Dennis merely meant the tone is a bit too ugly for our favorite site. I wouldn't disagree. One other little thing, we're definitely misfiled in the wrong board category here.
I like talking issues, and I'm open to learning from different points of view, but people buckshotting talking points at me just gets my goat sometimes. If someone wants to argue that McCain's administration will be better than Obama's at improving the economy, I'm all ears, so long as hyperbole and passion plays are left a the door. Most conservatives here talk about is's and nots isn't's, and I really respect them for that.
I suppose we can ask to have the "John McCain and Michael Goldfarb..." thread moved out of Pathfinder>General discussion to Off Topic. But since it was here already, and jdh417 posted some grossly general, unsubtantiated statements, possibly tinged with racial bias...well, you just have to respond to that kind of stuff where you find it. Immediately. I regret you got an unplatable coagulated lump of politics in your "John McCain and Michael Goldfarb Slam D&D" oatmeal, Dennis; but, really -- are you you that suprised? :)
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If you stat up a CR 10, CR 19, CR 25, and CR 40 Goldfarb'zuu, demon lord of the basement of the 325th level of the Abyss, demon lord of basementdwelling bloglodytes, "he who yearns to paint the liberal states of Massachusetts and California red in hopes idiot Americans who know little geography won't notice,".....well then it mightn't have to be kicked outta the general discussion thread.