I think Obama was simply recognizing Robin Williams for his body of work.
If he didn't say something, people would be jumping on him for not caring. Politicians will be criticized for everything and nothing. It's the nature of the beast.
This got brought up in the Robin Williams thread and it certainly doesn't belong there, but I am curious what others think. To avoid interrupting the Mrs Doubtfire love too much or offending anyone I thought I would just start a new thread.
Somebody posted a quote from Obama on William's death, to which I pointed out the irony of his mourning the loss of a life while he simultaneously orders the taking of others. I suggested the american government uses these things as distractions, and people didn't seem to like that.
To be clear, I do not think Obama played a role in Robins death, nor do I think he encouraged Miley Cyrus to perform her outrageous VMA skit. While everybody was talking about Miley however, he did sign the National Defense Authorization Act and people didn't take much notice. Now, another country is slated for bombing by the US and Obama makes a point of reminding America how great Robin was and how we should all be thinking of him at this difficult time.
I have no problem with Obama. I really couldn't care less about politics to tell you the truth, so this has nothing to do with him, but am I the only one who thinks that maybe the US likes to use big pop culture events (celebrity scandals, etc) as a smoke screen while they push through unpopular legislation and do things they would otherwise prefer to go un-noticed? Is that such a stretch?
I think Obama was simply recognizing Robin Williams for his body of work.
If he didn't say something, people would be jumping on him for not caring. Politicians will be criticized for everything and nothing. It's the nature of the beast.
10 Team, Points Only, Cash League
25 Man Roster (no position), top 20 point getters count at end of month
Keep 20/25 at seasons end, Cut 5 to FA for redrafting
Goalie points W=2pt L=-1pt SHO=2pt
Stamkos, Tavares, Eichel, Mercer, JRobertson, RThomas, Kucherov, Nugent-Hopkins, Tuch, KConnor, Necas, Point, Konecny, SJarvis, Cozenz, Morrissey, Bouchard, Josi, Novak, Tolvanen, Peterka, SBennett
G- Vasilevskiy, Sorokin, Oettinger
"Cleavage is like the sun. You can look, but dont stare.. Unless you're wearing sunglasses."
Bottleneckers (12/16 in 2022)
16 team, points only. G: 2-W, 4-SO.
Top 9F, 4D & 1G . Keep 15, Max 23
F: J. Robertson, J. Hughes, Tavares, Lafreniere, Cozens, Newhook, Teravainen, Domi, R. Strome, Laine, Rossi, Raymond, Holtz, Perfetti
D: Bouchard, McAvoy, Morrissey, Heiskanen
G: Vasilevskiy
They also love to use social issues to polarize us and mask the complete failure of their parties to actually accomplish or solve anything. The government exists because of our hard earned tax dollars. The only issue should be how to properly allocate said dollars. How I feel about gay marriage, legalizing narcotics and abortion should be respected and not become a litmus test for which party I belong to and thus vote for. Please do not fall for it they are ignoring the REAL issues!
16 Team Dynasty Weekly H2H Fantrax (starters in bold)
G A P +/- PIM SOG PPP H+B FOW --- W SV SV% GAA SO
(C) Krejci, Spezza, Koivo, Statsny Faksa
(LW) Zetterberg, Duclair, Ehlers, M Domi Belesky, M Martin
(RW) Pastrnak, Oshie, Larkin, Toffoli S Reinhart, Brouwer
(D) J Honka, Seabrook, Goligoski, D DeKeyser, Vatanen, Parayko L Schenn, S Johns
(G) Ward, Lack
Prospects- W Nylander, C Dvorak, I Barbashev, C White, T Rattie, M Dal Colle, A Mantha, R Barber, L Crouse, M Barzal, C Keller, L Brown, C Fischer, B Point, J Forsbacka-Karlsson
i'm aware of the timing, but he doesn't do this for every celebrity death... What determines who gets a public statement and who doesn't?
What about Philip Seymour Hoffman?
What about Lou Reed?
What about James Gandolfini?
What about Elizabeth Taylor?
Maybe it's the current political temperature that determines whether or not he wants to add fuel to the media circus following a celebrity death...
10 Team, Points Only, Cash League
25 Man Roster (no position), top 20 point getters count at end of month
Keep 20/25 at seasons end, Cut 5 to FA for redrafting
Goalie points W=2pt L=-1pt SHO=2pt
Stamkos, Tavares, Eichel, Mercer, JRobertson, RThomas, Kucherov, Nugent-Hopkins, Tuch, KConnor, Necas, Point, Konecny, SJarvis, Cozenz, Morrissey, Bouchard, Josi, Novak, Tolvanen, Peterka, SBennett
G- Vasilevskiy, Sorokin, Oettinger
"Cleavage is like the sun. You can look, but dont stare.. Unless you're wearing sunglasses."
I hardly think the government is failing to deal with the real issues by acknowledging Williams' death. The real issues take time to deal with, and if politicians kept us updated every day as to what they were doing to fix those issues, they wouldn't get anything done. A short word about the death of a beloved actor shouldn't constitute failure in a real world problem. In fact, I think it should give us pause to remember that even the President of the United States his human.
Bottleneckers (12/16 in 2022)
16 team, points only. G: 2-W, 4-SO.
Top 9F, 4D & 1G . Keep 15, Max 23
F: J. Robertson, J. Hughes, Tavares, Lafreniere, Cozens, Newhook, Teravainen, Domi, R. Strome, Laine, Rossi, Raymond, Holtz, Perfetti
D: Bouchard, McAvoy, Morrissey, Heiskanen
G: Vasilevskiy
I can't speak for the masses but I follow the news. Being in the military I am more concerned with whats going on with the conflicts overseas compared to pop culture but that doesn't mean I don't follow it as well. It's all news to me. Some people just feel more connected to pop culture than they are to conflict but that doesn't neccesarily mean they are narrow-minded. It just means that what happened to Robin Williams hits them differently than conflict in the middle east. To each their own.
10 Team, Points Only, Cash League
25 Man Roster (no position), top 20 point getters count at end of month
Keep 20/25 at seasons end, Cut 5 to FA for redrafting
Goalie points W=2pt L=-1pt SHO=2pt
Stamkos, Tavares, Eichel, Mercer, JRobertson, RThomas, Kucherov, Nugent-Hopkins, Tuch, KConnor, Necas, Point, Konecny, SJarvis, Cozenz, Morrissey, Bouchard, Josi, Novak, Tolvanen, Peterka, SBennett
G- Vasilevskiy, Sorokin, Oettinger
"Cleavage is like the sun. You can look, but dont stare.. Unless you're wearing sunglasses."
I still don't think you are seeing the irony. He is acknowledging the sadness of one human death, while also ordering the death of others. I don't think it's right to do both. It's like a vegetarian who spouts off about animal rights, then goes home and beats her dog. Or are the people americans kill just not as valuable as Robin Williams?
10 Team, Points Only, Cash League
25 Man Roster (no position), top 20 point getters count at end of month
Keep 20/25 at seasons end, Cut 5 to FA for redrafting
Goalie points W=2pt L=-1pt SHO=2pt
Stamkos, Tavares, Eichel, Mercer, JRobertson, RThomas, Kucherov, Nugent-Hopkins, Tuch, KConnor, Necas, Point, Konecny, SJarvis, Cozenz, Morrissey, Bouchard, Josi, Novak, Tolvanen, Peterka, SBennett
G- Vasilevskiy, Sorokin, Oettinger
"Cleavage is like the sun. You can look, but dont stare.. Unless you're wearing sunglasses."