I think there simply were no plans for what was to happen once the invasion of Iraq was complete. As a result things went into a tailspin for far too long. Battle troops playing the role of public servants. It’s a big ask. I just hope they make us proud and not ashamed.
What intelligible guidance or help to the poor is possible from any superstition that worships invisible super-beings and serves up a moral landscape of archetypal dichotomies; Godly/ungodly, holy/unholy, moral/immoral, sacred/profane, good/bad etc? Primarily they provide the ideal stamping ground for opportunists who glorify ignorance, preach bigotry and aspire to tyranny. They will always resist anything that empowers women in any way.
@ritchloui uhm women have some genetic problems with them becoming "empowered", it's called lack of muscle, testosterone, and courage. People are not equal. Many atheists including christopher hitchens have gone on record as saying they'd prefer if the mom brought up the kids and stayed home, but if she wants to work, go ahead.
@SeeProfileForDetails Lack of muscle, testosterone and courage; mmm, if these are the important characteristics of the men of our species it would suggest that chimpanzees should be our masters. In fact mankind would be deeply inferior to all of our ape cousins. Stephen Hawking is presumably not worthy of any comment whatsoever - or is he a woman?
@ritchloui You should really do some actual scientific research on this, please watch DNA and the Brain by James Watson, a nobel prize winner. Thanks.
@SeeProfileForDetails Thanks. I did. I thought I'd just clarify what I meant by 'empower'. Women must have control over their fertility. That is what I mean by empower women, not that they could take on men in a rugby match. Yes, it will always be more difficult for women. Always.
What intelligible guidance is possible from any superstition that worships invisible super-beings and serves up a moral landscape of archetypal dichotomies; Godly/ungodly, holy/unholy, moral/immoral, sacred/profane, good/bad etc? Primarily they provide the ideal stamping ground for opportunists who glorify ignorance, preach bigotry and aspire to tyranny.
On the WMD, we were debriefed in 1997 on the thorough destruction of any industry that might look like it could be used as weapons manufacture.
Iraq did not have the technology to make chemical and biological weapons after that. Chrisrophers claim of a buried centrifuge unit has no bearing on the ability to make nuclear weapons.
If Christopher really said what is bandied on the net, then he is technologically wrong.
Im so glad Hitchens quit smoking. It'll do the world a great goodness to have him argue rational thought for a long time to come. Getting cancer due to smoking would be such a loss of a brilliant mind.
I agree that saddam had to go, but I think hitchens is fighting a losing battle on the whole WMD issue. Saddam invited the states in to look with its own investigators...they found no evidence and reported as such. So for all practical purposes we knew there was no WMDs.
Kevo, I've just done you an injustice and pressed a thumbs down button by mistake. So you have a thumbs up! I don't reckon that it was his fault; they must have used a ten quid korean camcorder.
7:15 - 7:33 i dont see why receiving charity should be regarded as insulting. i was laid off and struggled to find work for several months, i received a little financial help from the government until i could get back on my feet. i considered it an investment in my potential and felt no shame. sometimes people are hit with bad luck, and there is no shame in asking for a helping hand once in a while, as long as your motives are honest.
When he speaks of the "poor," I'm pretty sure he is talking about the "third world"-style poverty, not to unemployment insurance, welfare, grants, etc.
Charity is freely given by the giver. There is no charity in any definition of government nor should there be because the giver cannot give out of compassion or love for his/her fellow man. The giver always gives out of threat of harm (see IRS). So called charity in government is mandatory. True charity comes from within. The former is taken, the later is given. I personally would fell many things if money were given to me that was taken form another. Shame would be one of those emotions.
In any case, considering Hitchens' political background, I very much doubt that he's referring to social security networks within industrialized nations, he's referring more to foreign aid.
In this respect, I mostly agree with him, although the biggest problem with foreign aid isn't the nature of charity itself, but rather corruption and the lack of accountability...and knowing quite a few people who have been involved with such things, those are huge problems.
It boggles the mind why so many of these various freethinker interviews are so BADLY produced.
I can hardly hear Christopher Hitchens in this at all. He mumbles a lot at the best of times and he desperately needs a shirt microphone or a desktop microphone.
Even a simple $20 desktop USB microphone would have saved this interview.
Sorry for the rant, but maybe whoever recorded this interview reads what I've written could go out and put down a couple of microphones next time.
Rather a concubine for racist right wing zealots who're eager to whitewash their crimes by having an attractive black woman on their side.... I admire her as a person and admire the fact that she's an atheist, but hate her politics. Sometimes I just think that her revolt is more a revolt against patriarchy than against religion (her father, Somali culture, etc), but it's ironic that she chose to associate with American chauvinist pigs at the AEI...
I like the chairs, what are they called?
arabie2006 1 month ago
I think there simply were no plans for what was to happen once the invasion of Iraq was complete. As a result things went into a tailspin for far too long. Battle troops playing the role of public servants. It’s a big ask. I just hope they make us proud and not ashamed.
ritchloui 1 year ago
What intelligible guidance or help to the poor is possible from any superstition that worships invisible super-beings and serves up a moral landscape of archetypal dichotomies; Godly/ungodly, holy/unholy, moral/immoral, sacred/profane, good/bad etc? Primarily they provide the ideal stamping ground for opportunists who glorify ignorance, preach bigotry and aspire to tyranny. They will always resist anything that empowers women in any way.
ritchloui 1 year ago
@ritchloui uhm women have some genetic problems with them becoming "empowered", it's called lack of muscle, testosterone, and courage. People are not equal. Many atheists including christopher hitchens have gone on record as saying they'd prefer if the mom brought up the kids and stayed home, but if she wants to work, go ahead.
SeeProfileForDetails 1 year ago
@SeeProfileForDetails Lack of muscle, testosterone and courage; mmm, if these are the important characteristics of the men of our species it would suggest that chimpanzees should be our masters. In fact mankind would be deeply inferior to all of our ape cousins. Stephen Hawking is presumably not worthy of any comment whatsoever - or is he a woman?
ritchloui 1 year ago
@ritchloui You should really do some actual scientific research on this, please watch DNA and the Brain by James Watson, a nobel prize winner. Thanks.
SeeProfileForDetails 1 year ago
@SeeProfileForDetails Thanks. I did. I thought I'd just clarify what I meant by 'empower'. Women must have control over their fertility. That is what I mean by empower women, not that they could take on men in a rugby match. Yes, it will always be more difficult for women. Always.
ritchloui 1 year ago
What intelligible guidance is possible from any superstition that worships invisible super-beings and serves up a moral landscape of archetypal dichotomies; Godly/ungodly, holy/unholy, moral/immoral, sacred/profane, good/bad etc? Primarily they provide the ideal stamping ground for opportunists who glorify ignorance, preach bigotry and aspire to tyranny.
ritchloui 1 year ago
the way the interviewer can't help laughing at 10:20 cracks me up every time XD
eriksensei2 1 year ago 2
"The Secular Society and its Enemies", is a paraphrase of Karl Popper's book "The Open Society and its Enemies"; can't miss!
coppens 1 year ago
Tilting at windmills
MrCuntyballs2U 1 year ago
On the WMD, we were debriefed in 1997 on the thorough destruction of any industry that might look like it could be used as weapons manufacture.
Iraq did not have the technology to make chemical and biological weapons after that. Chrisrophers claim of a buried centrifuge unit has no bearing on the ability to make nuclear weapons.
If Christopher really said what is bandied on the net, then he is technologically wrong.
foathkent 1 year ago
Im so glad Hitchens quit smoking. It'll do the world a great goodness to have him argue rational thought for a long time to come. Getting cancer due to smoking would be such a loss of a brilliant mind.
Domzdream 1 year ago
@Domzdream Are you sure you meant to say "would be"? Unfortunately he already has cancer now, hopefully he'll get better.
Relaxe 1 year ago
@Relaxe
Who, Hitchens has cancer? No way.
Domzdream 1 year ago
@Domzdream You really didn't know? It's true, it's very recent actually, look it up.
That's what a lifetime of drinking and smoking does to you :-(
I wish him the best, we need more rational and brilliant minds like him, not less.
Relaxe 1 year ago
@Relaxe
Hell, I agree. Man, that sucks!
Domzdream 1 year ago
I agree that saddam had to go, but I think hitchens is fighting a losing battle on the whole WMD issue. Saddam invited the states in to look with its own investigators...they found no evidence and reported as such. So for all practical purposes we knew there was no WMDs.
boorens18 1 year ago
Try a little bit of front lighting too...
GowanBray 1 year ago
this audio quality is worse than the Thunderfoot interview with Dawkins
Slacktoo 1 year ago
You shouldn't sleep. The theists will get you before you know it. Constant vigilance, brother, constant vigilance.
akallabror 2 years ago
+1, man.
wizardmanninja 2 years ago
hahahahahahahahahaha thats such a funny comment. hahahahahaha. I feel the same way dude
ChaosDrumming 2 years ago
You would have hope anyone embarking on interviewing a man as eloquent as CH would have thought to employ a sound engineer.
Wasted opportunity.
Kevo216666 2 years ago 5
Kevo, I've just done you an injustice and pressed a thumbs down button by mistake. So you have a thumbs up! I don't reckon that it was his fault; they must have used a ten quid korean camcorder.
neighbour666 2 years ago
Wow, that guy is nervous.
12AX74Life 2 years ago 4
try headphones.
'bless you...my son'
blahblahhuh1 2 years ago
it would be a great idea to get this videos with caption
it would help a lot for deaf and us whose native tounge is no t english
kapachangos 2 years ago
Is there any chance of getting a transcript of this talk? So much of it is inaudible.
papacarpenter 2 years ago 21
Hail Chris Hitchens!
Akatam0t0ma 2 years ago 5
It's Christopher!
CondorDM 2 years ago 2
@Akatam0t0ma It's Christopher. He promised his mother. :D
preemptivestrike20 2 months ago 3
7:15 - 7:33 i dont see why receiving charity should be regarded as insulting. i was laid off and struggled to find work for several months, i received a little financial help from the government until i could get back on my feet. i considered it an investment in my potential and felt no shame. sometimes people are hit with bad luck, and there is no shame in asking for a helping hand once in a while, as long as your motives are honest.
sheepwshotguns 2 years ago 6
When he speaks of the "poor," I'm pretty sure he is talking about the "third world"-style poverty, not to unemployment insurance, welfare, grants, etc.
Converge88 2 years ago
Charity is freely given by the giver. There is no charity in any definition of government nor should there be because the giver cannot give out of compassion or love for his/her fellow man. The giver always gives out of threat of harm (see IRS). So called charity in government is mandatory. True charity comes from within. The former is taken, the later is given. I personally would fell many things if money were given to me that was taken form another. Shame would be one of those emotions.
ervickviola 2 years ago
No, that's communism, and communism always leads to atheism !!!! Didn't you know that ??? ;)
akamola 2 years ago
You probably mean 17:...
In any case, considering Hitchens' political background, I very much doubt that he's referring to social security networks within industrialized nations, he's referring more to foreign aid.
In this respect, I mostly agree with him, although the biggest problem with foreign aid isn't the nature of charity itself, but rather corruption and the lack of accountability...and knowing quite a few people who have been involved with such things, those are huge problems.
zebionic 2 years ago
*fan boy scream!*
Nades129 2 years ago 6
Just like you and your handle on grammar and spelling.
ultraviolet99 2 years ago
It boggles the mind why so many of these various freethinker interviews are so BADLY produced.
I can hardly hear Christopher Hitchens in this at all. He mumbles a lot at the best of times and he desperately needs a shirt microphone or a desktop microphone.
Even a simple $20 desktop USB microphone would have saved this interview.
Sorry for the rant, but maybe whoever recorded this interview reads what I've written could go out and put down a couple of microphones next time.
deconverts 2 years ago 3
Yeah, indeed a shame that a video with a great person like Chris Hitchens has such poor sound quality.
Akatam0t0ma 2 years ago 5
This comment has received too many negative votes show
'bless you, my son'
blahblahhuh1 2 years ago
Hitchens needs to go on celebrity Jeopardy and donate his winnings to the Richard Dawkins Foundation or the Reason Project
rkulla 2 years ago 5
As much as I admire Mr Hitchens, I had to give up on such a poor audio track....pity.
billybee53 2 years ago 4
Hi billybee53, it's not the first time we've been frustrated with poor quality audio on what should have been a quality discourse.
The audio track is far more important than the video. Maybe next time just record Hitch using your tape recorder, or an iPhone or something similar.
Please get the audio right, or it's just a wasted opportunity :(
For an idea of how to do it; have a look at some fundamentalist evangelical interviews...
deconverts 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
From what I know of Hirsi Ali she's a sellout to consumer culture.
bcosten2007 2 years ago
Rather a concubine for racist right wing zealots who're eager to whitewash their crimes by having an attractive black woman on their side.... I admire her as a person and admire the fact that she's an atheist, but hate her politics. Sometimes I just think that her revolt is more a revolt against patriarchy than against religion (her father, Somali culture, etc), but it's ironic that she chose to associate with American chauvinist pigs at the AEI...
yamuboy 2 years ago
Comment removed
deconverts 2 years ago
Gotta love the Hitch!
Thanks for posting!
JesusSavesAtCitibank 2 years ago 3