Moron Alert: Stephen King

I always realized author Stephen King was a bit off. I didn't know he was a total ass. Evidently he is. What a freaking jerk. The guy writes crap as far as intellect is concerned. Why these basically pop artists, including musicians and actors think they actually have some unique insight into anything but their craft is beyond me. What's really pitiful is how much of the public gives them the time of day when it comes to anything beyond their particular profession.

Early Monday morning, NewsBusters informed readers about a truly disgraceful comment made last month by famed horror author Stephen King concerning people that can't read having to enter the Army (video embedded right).

Hours later, I mentioned in the comments section that I was receiving a lot of strange e-mail messages.

Well, it turns out King wrote about my piece at his website, and instructed readers to "find Sheppard on the internet" -- please notice the embedded link goes to my NewsBusters blog! -- and write me with text that included "Hi, Noel—Stephen King says to shut up and I agree":

Comments

[IslamoLlama]

Should someone inform Dan now or later that Sci-Fi writers have been hired by the Department of Homeland Security?
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-05-29-deviant-thinkers-security_N.htm

Clearly, the GOP administration does not share Dan's views on "Why these basically pop artists, including musicians and actors think they actually have some unique insight into anything but their craft". Perhaps you could ask Chertoff.

[IslamoLlama]

"--

That a right-wing-blog would impugn my patriotism because I said children should learn to read, and could get better jobs by doing so, is beneath contempt. Noel Sheppard says, “Nice sentiment when the nation is at war, Stephen.” I guess he feels ignorance and illiteracy are OK when the country needs cannon-fodder. I guess he also feels that the war in Iraq has nationwide approval. Well, it doesn’t have mine. It is a waste of national resources. . . and that includes the youth and blood of the 4,000 American troops who have lost their lives there and for the tens of thousands who have been wounded. I live in a national guard town, and I support our troops, but I don’t support either the war or educational policies that limit the options of young men and women to any one career—military or otherwise. If you agree, find Sheppard on the internet, and send him an email:

“Hi, Noel—Stephen King says to shut up and I agree.”

Steve
Posted 5 May 200 [sic]
--"

Holy shit! That sounds relatively sane and reasonable!
I'm going to go out right now and buy a copy of Tommyknockers. Thanks Dan.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"Holy shit! That sounds relatively sane and reasonable!"

Ya know *normally* I worry about the 'feelings' of left leaners but sometimes the 'thoughts' of Da Rite........scares hell outta me.

[joeb]

Stephen King is getting a lot of grief over his comments on his website StephenKing.com on the message boards there. Seems to me what he said is incredibly stupid. Mixing apples and oranges. True there are 33 million people in the USA who can't read but the last time I checked you had to be able to read to get in the military. Yes people should learn to read. But I say find Stephen King on the web and tell him I said, "Shut Up".

[templar knight]

Here's what Stephen King said, Willie:

"I don't want to sound like an ad, a public service ad on TV, but the fact is if you can read, you can walk into a job later on. If you don't, then you've got the Army, Iraq. I don't know, something like that. It's, it's not as bright. So, that's my little commercial for that."

If liberals say high school graduates in this country can't read, then that is the fault of the public education system, and the liberals who control it.

[jharp]

I'm having serious problems accessing the posts. As in I can't.

I get one post then can't read anything posted after that.

Maybe that's a good thing.

[templar knight]

Jharp, when one page fills up, there is a set of arrows at the bottom of the page that allows you to go back, if the page is full. You have to click on the arrow to go to the previous page. I hope that helps you.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

Harpie, use the little arrow at page bottom. TK figured it out for us.

TK: I don't take what King said quite so literal. I imagine even DaBoob knows that you must have an HS diploma or GED and be able to read to join the military. I think he meant that without being able to read a person is quite limited in life. Yeah, he could have used a better example but like most of his kind his knowledge of the military is limited to watching "Stripes". I also agree that liberals have messed up the education system to a point where people with HS diplomas are extremely limited. I got a letter a few years ago from an "honner Studant"

[templar knight]

Willie, it's the complete lack of respect for the guys in the military that makes me so mad at Stephen King over this matter. It's his ignorance. He claims to support the military, yet he makes no effort whatsoever to temper his comments.

I know so many fine, young, intelligent men and women in the Army, and that is why I take issue with what he said. He should have known better. It would be like saying, "Well, the Army is the place for blacks and hispanics, since they can't read". It's exactly the same attitude that many of the liberals who post on this blog have.

[joeb]

If you look at the video of him making this comment it was at the Library of Congress. He was speaking to a group of young DC black students. So he was encouraging them to learn to read. But the bit about Iraq is all wrong. You cannot get in the military if you can't read. But he wouldn't know that. John Kerry made some comment before the last election that was like what King said. Sounds elitist to me.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

TK: I worked a big chunk of my career for the ARMY and certainly can attest to the high quality of individual you will find among them. In a comparison of the same age (non-colligate) individuals they are certainly a cut above average. When Kerry said basically the same thing, I found it outrageous. Dude, this is Stephen King.....a guy who makes GWB look articulate. I just dont think he meant it the way he said it.

[joeb]

This is really neat that someone on the web caught King on this remark. I guess King will later apologize to the troops and say he mispoke or was quoted out of context. We have been hearing that from others lately haven't we?

[jharp]

Thank you, Gentlemen.

I guess that Dartmouth education is paying off for templar. We didn't learn that at Ohio State.

[jharp]

Thank you, Gentlemen.

I guess that Dartmouth education is paying off for templar. We didn't learn that at Ohio State.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"We didn't learn that at Ohio State."

You had a better football team though.

[templar knight]

jharp, boob is a graduate of Dartmouth, I am a lowly graduate of Texas Tech.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"I am a lowly graduate of Texas Tech."

Harpie, OSU *STILL* has a better football team.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

TK; Of course Texas girls are legendary. I hear they send the culls to Ohio?

[templar knight]

Willie, are you a Buckeye fan?

[templar knight]

"Of course Texas girls are legendary."

Yep, but I married a Mississippi girl. Go figure.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"Willie, are you a Buckeye fan?"

Nope; My nephew plays for Louisville, I'm not allowed.

"Yep, but I married a Mississippi girl. Go figure."

Ah, tupelo honey.

[templar knight]

Actually, New Hebron, Ms., Willie, not too far from Star, Ms., better known as the home of Faith Hill. As a matter of fact, they know some people in common, although not each other. Both are from small towns in central Mississippi, have a musical background, and sang in church when growing up, although my wife changed to playing the piano later in life. And she's not quite as well known as Faith, either.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

I've been to Star, Ms...Faith's husband is from there too, yes? Mrs Willie is a Sooner and a pianist as well.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

Harpie must've run out to vote or get change or something.

[templar knight]

Willie, Mr. Faith Hill, aka Tim McGraw is from Start, La., near Monroe.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"Tim McGraw is from Start, La., near Monroe."

Oh, ok. I landed at that wee aerodrome in Monroe and I guess I forget the names of these little places. Twas a nice trip to Vicksburg and Natchez. Damn it's already hot in that area in May.

[old trooper]

The usual horseshit and nonsense here.
Checking in. Checking out now.

[templar knight]

Where is everyone?

[LOL]

I GUESS THE RED LINKS INDICATE HOW ANGRY AND OUTRAGED YOU ARE. LIKE A TRUE MAN YOU ARE WHINING AT THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS DAN, KUDOS!

[syn]

King isn't smart enough to know that these days most kids who enter college will graduate dumber than when they entered?

No wonder American hi-tech industries must import their workers, American college kid are stuck reading Stephen King's level of intellect..

[DAve]

How many times must it be said-- if you can't read, YOU CAN"T GET INTO THE ARMY.

The things the army does REQUIRE BASIC SKILLS. If you don't have them, Uncle Sam Doesn't Want You.

Guys like Stephen King always end up in gulags when they don't live in America. Or else they work at "Truth", the newspaper of the State. Novels are a waste of potential productive time when you're a worker of the world, and they're discouraged unless they 're-educate' people as to the greatness of the State.

So King abuses his freedom, literally won by the deaths of soldiers, to call soldiers stupid.

Has anybody noticed that this man is deranged? How else to explain his product?

[Fred Beloit]

"Holy shit! That sounds relatively sane and reasonable!
I'm going to go out right now and buy a copy of Tommyknockers. Thanks Dan.

Posted by: IslamoLlama | Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 03:27 PM"

What's the matter, Moe, aren't your natural knockers big enough for you?

[IslamoLlama]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89702118

"-- How many times must it be said-- if you can't read, YOU CAN"T GET INTO THE ARMY. --"

UNLESS YOU GET A WAVIER.

See, I can type with the capslock key on too. And look...

"-- Back in the early 1990s almost 100 percent of Army enlistees had a high school diploma. But the Army documents show the percentage has dropped to 79 percent in recent years. --"

So now 21% of new recruits - one in five new enlistees - are guys who got waivers for medical conditions, for criminal activity, or for a lack of education. The army used to be the place you went to start a career. The educational benefits were supposed to put you through college. The job training was supposed to give you options in the civilian sector. Now - with Stop Loss policies and repeated medical scandals and educational benefits that don't actually cover the cost of education (something Webb tried to fix with his New GI Bill, but got shoot down because McCain is too busy running for President) - the military isn't a noble and viable option for every American. It's a place of last resort for people with no other choice.

Fewer and fewer Americans, with an option to go elsewhere, are giving the military serious consideration. Iraq has become a dead weight on the US Military, like Vietnam was some 40 years ago. Steven King recognizes that fact. He also recognizes that an education system that has been under attack by the GOP for the last 50 years is producing more and more people who can't read. This despite NCLB, charter schools, and voucher programs that have been rolled out in red states.

But wingnuts are too blinded by the flag they've wrapped themselves in to see the truth for the rhetoric. It's too easy to scream "SUPPORT THE TROOP!" at the top of your lungs. Too difficult to actually fix the problems at hand. That's why King's efforts to encourage literacy go unheeded while his anti-war rhetoric gets top billing.

[seekeronos]

Obviously, a person of Stephen King's erudite status and knowledge of our social and military conditions is well qualified to speak of his solutions to all our problems.

Funny thing is, for a man as undoubtedly gifted in literacy and the expression of thought in written form as he is, he still finds himself unable to avoid stooping to criticizing the either intelligence or the occupational prospects of our men under arms who faithfully serve this nation in a manner that may strike a good many folks as elitist.

As for the GOP wrecking education, the better answer is why did we persist in allowing all sorts of perverse and unnecessary things be added to education and to our budgets beyond reading, writing, mathematics, science, and history, to say nothing of removing the Word of God, from our classrooms?

If anything, the Dept. of Ed. is one of many things the federal government wastes too much taxpayer money on - money that should be returned or apportioned to the states.

There is no significant constitutional basis for a federal dept. of education.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

ROFLMAO Pookie the LLama:"UNLESS YOU GET A WAVIER" A conundrum! Believe you and NPR or the ARMY. You're not incorrect, just typically inaccurate.
'Some criminal offences can be waived."

The Army divides criminal offenses into one of four categories: Applicants with six or more minor traffic offenses (where the fine was $100 or more per offense), or three or more minor non-traffic offenses, or two or more misdemeanors, or one or more felonies, requires a waiver. "

You MUST be able to pass the ASVAB (which requires one to read ona 7th grade level) though "education" can be sort of fudged.

http://www.army.com/enlist/active-duty-requirements.html

No, the Montgomery Bill does not allow you to do four years in the Ivy league at $1075.00 a month, but it got me through Maryland. But a soldier can get most of his semester credits through readily available DoD training sources. Yeah, maybe we should cover school through a PHd but it's a lie to say they dont get enough for college.

Did you really write that the GOP has messed up education for fifty years???? So it was the GOP that lowered test requirements because a certain segment of the population didn't know what a 'saucer' is? Kept lowering standards all that time basically to make things equal on the LOWER end of the scale. In fairness, I agree that GW and his no idiot left behind program allowed 'special needs' kids test scores to be added in with the mainstream. Boy that helped. Of course the GOP made discipline totally impossible so that teachers are assaulted routinely and fired for fighting back. Humn and here I had no idea the NEA and ACLU are GOP puppets.

[Ed]

And what do YOU do for a living other than blog?

[templar knight]

WTH?

[IslamoLlama]

"-- As for the GOP wrecking education, the better answer is why did we persist in allowing all sorts of perverse and unnecessary things be added to education and to our budgets beyond reading, writing, mathematics, science, and history, to say nothing of removing the Word of God, from our classrooms? --"

See, I like how you've basically run your question in a loop. First you ask why education allows anything but the above in the classroom. After 13 years of education (K-12), I honestly can't remember taking a class that wasn't in one of those categories - with the exception of music and art classes that were elective credits (read: optional) and consisted of nothing more radical than learning to draw, sing, and play the clarinet.

Then you ask about the horror of removing God from the classroom when, low and behold, "religion" isn't anywhere in your list of educational courses. Le Gaspe! How "removing God" somehow scoured a student's ability to read or write continues to baffle me. What you think students are actually learning - particularly in the elementary level where basic literacy is traditionally taught - is beyond me. Are teachers skipping out on ABCs to indoctrinate their 7-year-old audience with Marxist Proliteriate Rhetoric? Is Reader Rabbit getting switched out for Mao's Little Red Book? If reading, writing, and arithmetic aren't the core subjects, what on this green earth do you think is? Wingnuts have gotten so deep into slandering the educational system, I question whether they even remember what happens in a classroom anymore.

All that said, this still doesn't address the basic issue of an enlistees educational aptitude. When record numbers of new recruits are getting waived of basic educational requirements and you guys continue to drone on about how mean old Steven King is destroying America, I think you've got your anger aimed at the wrong dude. King isn't affecting enrollment numbers. King isn't destroying the plumbing at Fort Bragg or filibustering the New GI Bill. King isn't pimping a 5 year war opposed by 70% of Americans. King is, however, a ripe target for cheap shots. So while the GOP keeps sniping horror story authors as the ban of modern civilization, the GOP will continue to lose elections like they did just last week in Louisiana - flipping a seat blue that they'd held since 1975.

The least you could do is go after actual politicians. If Steven is so unimportant, so menial, so not-worth-listening-to, why is he the highlighted topic for the thread?

[WAHOO WILLIE]

TK it looks like Ed is asking a question. Would be nice to know who the question is for.

[seekeronos]

"--- See, I like how you've basically run your question in a loop. First you ask why education allows anything but the above in the classroom. After 13 years of education (K-12), I honestly can't remember taking a class that wasn't in one of those categories - with the exception of music and art classes that were elective credits (read: optional) and consisted of nothing more radical than learning to draw, sing, and play the clarinet. ---"

There are many things wrong with this.

First, is the lack of the most important thing: teach respect for adult authority, and along side that, providing responsible adult leadership.

This key teaching is contained in the Bible. To be fair to teachers, though, it is an equal failing on the part of parents who let their kids be indoctrinated with all the garbage on the TV and the internet without doing much to monitor or censor what they have access to (I am talking about PARENTAL consent here, not governmental).

However, when you have evil legislation such as California's LGBT education bill (SB777 - link: http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58130 ) that forces perversion upon our young students, and a deliberate assault on Christianity in our schools, and the doctrine of Biblical creation for the tawdry, man-made dogma of Darwinism, you breed many more evils to come.

When I was a kid, if I mouthed off to a teacher or an administrator, I could full well expect that I'd get paddled in the Principal's office, and then get a smart spanking when I got home that same day.

Now, kids come to school with weapons and plans to murder or assault other kids or adults that look the wrong way at them... and the Lord help you if try to apply corporal discipline, because the ACLU certainly won't. Even parents have no expectation of the right to properly discipline their children beyond a futile "time out" or removal of privileges.

For all the clichéd talk of "doing it for the children" that Liberals make, God says that this sort of permissiveness is a sign that such people actually hate their children:

"----- He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. -----" (Proverbs 13:24, KJV)

"----- Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. -----" (Proverbs 22:6, KJV)

And this needs to be consistent: we have a double failure when parents AND teachers neglect to properly teach their kids right and wrong, define clear boundaries, and instruct them in the fear and reverence of the Lord.

[tally]

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/obamas_former_friend.html

[pst314]

"Should someone inform Dan now or later that Sci-Fi writers have been hired by the Department of Homeland Security?"

Yes, although we should remember that Stephen King is nowhere near in the same league as Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven, and Greg Bear. They are all highly knowledgable in various disciplines and have demonstrated themselves to be capable of highly creative speculation which remains grounded in rigorous adherence to known science and to theories currently being studied.

[Ed]

My question "what do YOU do for a living is for Dan, the hired gun of the blogworld

[ZZMike]

I cannot resist answering IslamoLlama's little dig - even though pst314 said it perfectly.

King is a popular writer - no question, based on book and movie sales. But he is definitely not a science-fiction writer, and I notice that he is not included with Pournelle, Niven, and the rest - all of whom write rings around him.

There are a few comments on "so you say the GOP wrecked education...". I couldn't find the original comment, but that has got to be the silliest thing I've heard all year (but it's early yet). The liberal organizations like the NEA have done the wrecking all by themselves. Take a look at "Left Back: A Century of Battles over School Reform", by Diane Ravitch. It's a well-documented history of the "progress" of education in this country - one failed experiment after another, since the time of Dewey. Each failed experiment tries to do better than the tried and true "3 R's", and depspite failure after failure, they keep trying new things guaranteed to fail again.

Then they wonder why our students are doing so badly.