Comments on: Goodbye to Andy Olmsted

By: louise

louise — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:14:02 +0000

http://bangornews.com/a/class/obituaries/obituary.cfm?id=69751

His obit and a story about him in the Bangor Daily News- also, his death and nice interviews with some of his Maine family have been on WCSH, the NBC affiliate out of Portland. All nicely done.

By: The Raving Atheist

The Raving Atheist — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:34:55 +0000

My fondest memories of blogging were the debates I had with Andy (heresee here and here) and those like him; what a shame that he's gone.

By: whatsername

whatsername — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 01:07:55 +0000

By: Shayne

Shayne — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:57:16 +0000

Thank you, Jill. Whatever reasons the men and women in uniform have for going over there are their own.

The one thing I have despised about all of this is that both sides have no problem using the dead. Thank you so very much, Jill.

By: louise

louise — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:45:16 +0000

” If there is any hope for the long term success of democracy, it will be if people agree to listen to and try to understand their political opponents rather than simply seeking to crush them.”

I’ll try to keep this final bit of wisdom in my heart; I’m crying too. :(

By: Bitter Scribe

Bitter Scribe — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:43:23 +0000

Damn this war, and damn every war that ever was or will be. Why, WHY can’t human beings think of better ways of settling their differences?

By: r@d@r

r@d@r — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:30:10 +0000

i’m still reeling from this commenter over at agonist who essentially sneered “good riddance to the imperialist murderer” and said that soldiers in the military are morally culpable for being involved in an occupation like ours in iraq. i wanted to engage that person in an argument but i just felt too depressed and disgusted. but i still can’t stop thinking about it.

i don’t like the fact that my brother in law is in the stryker brigade. i don’t like the fact that he was in favor of this war of occupation. i don’t like the fact that he knows about a dozen different ways to kill people with his bare hands. but i am glad that he is alive and back with his family. i would be glad he’s back and alive even if he wasn’t related to me by marriage. if he’s guilty of committing murder – which i don’t think he is, knowing some of his story, but it happens even in what we call “just wars” – then i want his reckoning to come lawfully.

death is not justice. it never is, it never can be. this is actually one reason why war is wrong. not really believing in god like most other people do, i think that the only justice there is comes from us. it’s not meted out by god, or history, or fate, or even death. and being glad when someone dies is another way to kiss goodbye a part of your humanity – just like saying torture is okay.

By: Tobes

Tobes — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:08:44 +0000

Wow– I’m crying— and I’m at work. Really odd but I don’t even care at this point.

I wasn’t aware of this blogger, Andy, but I’m glad I know of him now.

By: Natalia

Natalia — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:58:16 +0000

Oh Christ, I just saw that too. *facepalm*