Feherty under fire for joke...

[Dub]

Don't know which is funnier; the joke he made or the OTT response from CBS etc etc. Have Pelosi or Reid said they're offended? I can't see it's anyone else's business really but these days it appears to be the in thing to be offended on behalf of everyone else. Who cares?

Nope....they've been too busy defending their lies and bullcrap on every media outlet imaginable. Joke.....this entire administration is a joke....not an honest one among the bunch.

David Feherity has done more for American Armed Forces in a single year than any of these sorry excuses for leadership have done in their entire careers.

[Surefire]

Best Feherty joke was when Tiger Woods made a good shot years ago and he said, "he's got a touch like a gay florist"

Thats a pretty good line. The thing is, of the gay people I know all of them would find this line funny.

The people who would take offence would be liberals, but people who are not actually gay. Stupid really!

Whilst I see what you are trying to get at, you have to look at arguments from both angles.

I am not a liberal, but I can clearly see that gay people generally aren't anti straight, they are just pro gay. So when they speak out, they don't speak against straight people, they just speak for themselves. Where as a conservative person doesn't want to benefit themselves so much as punish a gay person. This is why you have 'all hell breaking loose' when a conservative person speaks their mind.

[pjsnyc]

[jorruss]

PLEASE..DON'T UPSET THE LIBERALS!!!! PLEASE DON'T SPEAK YOUR MIND!!! PLEASE DONT SAY YOUR MIND AGAINST GAYS, ABORTION, OR SCIENTOLOGY...or anything that Hollywood deems as uncool...

There is a double standard that exists. Conservatives such as Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh have dominated the airwaves, and Liberal media outlets like NPR and Air America Radio have struggled to find a voice. On TV, we have a generally left leaning CNN and the decidedly right wing Fox News.

Those in the minority have always wanted to get what they don't have or were told they can't have, and therein lies the double standard. If you are gay or Black or Hispanic for example, you are treated different than other people because of your differences. It is human nature to gravitate to people who have similar viewpoints, so in order to do that they have OutQ (Gay station) on Sirius Radio, BET (Black Entertainment Television) on cable, and a host of Spanish programming stations. In golf, we have clubs like Augusta National where women are not allowed, yet Martha Burke tried to barge her way in the door in the name of women's rights. Why doesn't she use that energy and media attention to start a woman's only golf club? Do you think men would complain about not being admitted? Now, what would happen if someone started a White Entertainment Network, or a Straight only station? That's what's great about the USA. If you don't like what Rush Limbaugh or Howard Stern are saying, change the station! If you can't find a TV channel that has the programming you want, get some investors together and start one! If you are a woman and a bunch of old, rich, white guys won't let you into their club, go start your own! We can do that in the USA. We can speak our minds and do anything we put our minds to, so stop complaining about all the things you don't have or can't have, and start looking at all the things you do have by simply living here.

[NM Golf]

For crying out loud, liberals have to be the most up tight bunch of SOB's to ever tiptoe around this great planet. They can say whatever they want about Bush and drive around in the hybrid cars with their liberal bumber stickers and conservatives merely roll our eyes. But god forbid we get off a good one, then all hell breaks loose. Liberals don't have the exclusive rights to being pissed off at the government.

I would find it hard to believe that the current administration is all that popular with our men and women in uniform. Why would they like him, Obama started weakening our nations defenses the minute he got into office.

What Feherty said is freakin' hilarious. I myself believe this country, without Pelosi and Reid, would no doubt be a better one. I don't condone killing them by any means, as they are human beings, but an early retirement by both would be like a gift from heaven.

[Leftygolfer]

For crying out loud, liberals have to be the most up tight bunch of SOB's to ever tiptoe around this great planet. They can say whatever they want about Bush and drive around in the hybrid cars with their liberal bumber stickers and conservatives merely roll our eyes. But god forbid we get off a good one, then all hell breaks loose. Liberals don't have the exclusive rights to being pissed off at the government.

amen to that.

[HighSchool Golf Freak]

First of the soldier wouldnt be able to kill Pelosi cause she's a gad damn vampire. And secondly I think that by having the article posted and not recorded audio, it let many people re-examine the comment over an over until they think that they can call him on. You liberals need to learn to take a joke. Thousands of Bush jokes for you and one for us, are joke hurts the left more, and I didnt even think the joke packed that much of a punch. Lets change the characters to Hastert, Cheney, and Bin laden, and see how many people would have found it funny.

Bravo to feherty for voicing the opinion of many soldiers around the world

[Dub]

First of the soldier wouldnt be able to kill Pelosi cause she's a gad damn

I was watching her squirm during her denial speeches about her knowledge of enhanced interogation techniques. I couldn't help but notice her overly large hands....sort of conjures up images of Nosferatu.....she's a witchy old bat.

[PEZGolf]

Notice as well that he

In my opinion, certain topics cannot be joked about---religious beliefs, rape, pornographic films involving children under the age of 5, political assassinations, etc. If I made a "joke" about David Feherty's parents being gunned down in Ireland, which is normal because all Irish are drunks with guns, and the fewer of them the better, does that qualify as a "joke"? Bear in mind, I would never make such a "joke" or tell it to anyone because the idea of poking "fun" at the murder of someone's parents is not a joke, and a "joke" putting down all Irish people is NOT a joke, either. Shooting or choking some of our political leaders is not funny. It is not a joke, and people cannot cover up for Feherty by saying it is a joke.

[Surefire]

In my opinion, certain topics cannot be joked about---

But in other peoples they can.

[iacas]

In my opinion

Key part of the phrase right there. Your opinion is yours and yours alone.

Shooting or choking some of our political leaders is not funny.

... to you. I recognized the joke right away (I've seen it before - you haven't?) and found it an amusing way to put what he was trying to say.

Does that mean in any way that I condone killing any U.S. politicians? Of course not.

It is not a joke, and people cannot cover up for Feherty by saying it is a joke.

We're not covering up, and we're not making things up when we re-iterate that it's a classic joke. The "two bullets, three people" joke has been used hundreds of times before. And just because you don't think something is funny - in your opinion - doesn't make it "not a joke."

PEZ, you're the same guy who said awhile back "He is not MY president" when referring to George W. Bush. So I have a golf-related question for you: do you use a Stack and Tilt swing? I ask because you seem to lean pretty heavily to the left.

[Surefire]

So I have a golf-related question for you: do you use a Stack and Tilt swing? I ask because you seem to lean pretty heavily to the left.

In my opinion thats a pretty amusing joke.

[zeg]

I don't think this is as much of a left versus right issue as you guys are making it out to be. Most of the complaints I've seen boil down to this being a disrespectful way to characterize the military, not simply "you can't say that about our leaders."

I identify as independent, but I voted for Obama, I'm embarrassed for my country by the Bush administration, and I'd probably vote for Pelosi and Reid over many of the Republican Congressmen in a heartbeat. And yet I found the joke amusing (forgettably so, but certainly not deeply offensive). So I don't think it's just a "liberal media" issue.

[Rob]

David`s a funny man,maybe went overboard to some, but we have alot more to worry about in todays world.Leave him alone,cuz I really enjoy his articles and commentary.

[st0wgolf08]

Key part of the phrase right there. Your opinion is yours and yours alone.

I agree, and while I don't want this to make this a political view battle, I think it is awkward how PEZ thinks its ok to dis-own a president, but when a joke is made about the left, hes quick to jump on whoever said it. I have to admit, I agree with David tho.

[Awsi Dooger]

Dismissing Feherty's comment as a joke is comical in itself. For one thing, Feherty in his pathetic apology doesn't even claim it as a joke. He wobbles through a metaphor comparison.

More relevantly, did anyone actually read Feherty's full column? The preceding SENTENCE veered distinctly from humor. He was in full apology mode for George Bush. This is the passage, "And, anyway, it will be that long before any of us knows the truth about how and why he played some of the rotten cards he was dealt."

There you have it, George Bush the victim. That's a very serious angle, from any perspective, with a severe political tilt. Feherty is willing to disregard all the convenient falsehoods told to congress and the American people on the determination of war. Then at the end of the next paragraph, the two bullets paragraph, Feherty concludes, "The fact is, Americans in America have been safe since 9/11, almost the whole length of G2's term as president, and for that we should be thankful."

Again, that's a serious bottom line evaluation of the Bush presidency, the only-one-domestic-attack theme. Sorry, but you don't get to offer right wing apologetic blanketing twice within a few sentences, and then expect us to chuckle at a bullet-aimed creamy interior.

No doubt native Texans -- or people who have adopted Texas as their home, like Feherty -- are particularly defensive regarding Bush' reputation and how their home state is viewed as a result. I've seen that on message boards of every type. And I've experienced something similar as a USC alum. During the O.J. Simpson saga there was persistent unease among Trojan alums toward how the school, or anyone associated with it, was viewed, due to Simpson's obvious guilt in the double murder. Feherty is probably uniquely vulnerable to that type of sensitivity due to recent transition. If he'd been in this country all his life you learn to roll with the shifting reputation of a beloved state or area. I was born in Florida and had to deal with all the condemnation of the state during Bush v. Gore in 2000, and years beyond.

***

I listened to Feherty on CBS golf today and couldn't think of anything besides his two bullets remark, whenever he spoke. I certainly wasn't ready to laugh at anything. How long that will last, I have no idea. Admittedly, I've always considered him overrated. And yes, I lean left and vote left. Anyone who wants to portray that as a negative is drowning in the tide of shifting demographics.

[ERC7.5]

In my opinion, certain topics cannot be joked about---religious beliefs, rape, pornographic films involving children under the age of 5, political assassinations, etc.

So jokes about pornographic films involving children from the age of 5-18 are perfectly acceptable? Must be a Bob Saget fan....

Dismissing Feherty's comment as a joke is comical in itself. For one thing, Feherty in his pathetic apology doesn't even claim it as a joke. He wobbles through a metaphor comparison.

Source: http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/localknowledge/2009/05/fehertys-attempt-at-humor-land.html “This passage was a metaphor meant to describe how American troops felt about our 43rd president,” Feherty said in a statement. “In retrospect, it was inappropriate and unacceptable, and has clearly insulted Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid, and for that, I apologize. As for our troops, they know I will continue to do as much as I can for them both at home and abroad.”

That's wobbling through a metaphor? Looks to me as though it is simply stating that it was a metaphor. Like a member of the US armed forces would knock off an American prior to taking out Bin Ladin. We've dealt with those two yam-bags for this long.... And whether it's a "joke" or a "metaphor"....it's not a direct threat to the named....so why is this still getting so much attention?

I listened to Feherty on CBS golf today and couldn't think of anything besides his two bullets remark, whenever he spoke. I certainly wasn't ready to laugh at anything. How long that will last, I have no idea. Admittedly, I've always considered him overrated. And yes, I lean left and vote left. Anyone who wants to portray that as a negative is drowning in the tide of shifting demographics.

Have you stopped sobbing yet?

[zeg]

Dismissing Feherty's comment as a joke is comical in itself. For one thing, Feherty in his pathetic apology doesn't even claim it as a joke. He wobbles through a metaphor comparison.

Joke... metaphor... whatever you want to call it, it was not literal. That is clear to anyone capable of critical reading.

More relevantly, did anyone actually read Feherty's full column? The preceding SENTENCE veered distinctly from humor. He was in full apology mode for George Bush. This is the passage, "And, anyway, it will be that long before any of us knows the truth about how and why he played some of the rotten cards he was dealt."

The surrounding material is largely irrelevant. Actually, given that it's apparently a serious piece (no, I don't care enough to look it up), that probably explains why he calls it a metaphor instead of a joke, although I think it's better described as hyperbole. Still, it should be clear that the "metaphor" simply means "US servicemen and women strongly dislike the politics of Pelosi and Reid." Really, that's all. If you find yourself unable to get this out of it, I'm sure there are some very good English classes at your local community college that focus on this sort of thing.

There you have it, George Bush the victim. That's a very serious angle, from any perspective, with a severe political tilt.

It seems that this is your real issue. I actually agree with you (modulo not having verified your claims about the contents of the article) about Feherty's overall article. The Bush presidency was a horrible, utter failure, and it's pathetic to try to defend it on grounds such as "safe since 9/11" (since you could just as well point out we were safe since 1993, oh except for that American citizen's work in Oklahoma in 1995, until Bush got into office). It's fine to disagree with his position. I think it's "comical" to focus on an intended joke (metaphor, hyperbole, whatever) instead.

So jokes about pornographic films involving children from the age of 5-18 are perfectly acceptable? Must be a Bob Saget fan....

If they're funny and told in front of an appropriate audience, then they're perfectly acceptable. I'm capable of distinguishing between a crude joke and actual advocacy of child abuse.

That's wobbling through a metaphor? Looks to me as though it is simply stating that it was a metaphor.

I agree 100%.