All this woman is doing is telling the truth about her own experience. You remember the truth? She's a journalist, for heaven's sake, telling the truth is her job!

I believe, deep down, our fearless leaders and the bastards at Fox were hoping she'd be killed - it would have fueled support for their idiotic positions. Since she's alive and free, they have to marginalize her - anything less might leave people wondering if the insurrectionists aren't the irrational, bloodthirty ideologues they're made out to be.

That, in turn, might re-raise the question: Who really killed Margaret Hassan? Islamists, for all their faults, have shown a reluctance to butcher helpless women. Zarqawi even called for Hassan's release, saying she'd done nothing wrong!
It doesn't make sense that a women who was for all intents and purposes Iraqi would be not only killed, but brutally dismembered - unless it was a sick publicity stunt on the part of one of Iraq's pro-American factions.

I'm glad Jill Carroll is home and safe. To those who question her motives: surprise! She's not on your side! She's a journalist doing her damn job - something we could use a lot more of in this country.

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... how many of these pompous asses have even MET Jill Carrol??? Oh yeah... not a single one of them.

Disgusting. I have already written to MSNBC petitioning for the firing of the racist idiot on Imus's show. I would encourage anyone disgusted by this type of behavior to do the same.

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Maybe Jill Carroll not having a vindictive and defiant attitude is part of why she was released. We should all be grateful at least one person was salvaged unharmed from the debacle that Bush set in motion with his "pre-emptive attack", (Hey, Shrub, at least the Japanese made long term plans to follow up on their illegal attack on Pearl Harbor) on Iraq. Attacks on Jill Carroll by parts of the $1.6BillionDollarSpinMachine are just the random flailing around of a dying animal, the Bush Administration and it's supporters, striking out at anybody to divert attention from their own failures. Time to look out for a lot of diversions between now and Nov. '06 while the Rethugs try to force the paperless machines or electronically scanned paper ballots on us. If the scanner is "unreliable" with the final totals, it is just as vulnerable as the paperless voting machines.

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plus his cowboy hat is dirty and probably stinky. how's that for an ad hominem attack?

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Maybe Ms. Carroll was being held by actual Iraqees. Maybe what we see (are shown by the media) as "Terrorists" aren't really from Iraq. There are 75% more "mercenaries" in Iraq than "Allied Forces". Some have already been arrested by U.S. Marines in "terrorist garb with AK-47s and wayside bombs".

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Off hand, I'd say that the American right-wing hates Ms. Carroll because she is the kind of truly compassionate Chritian that they profess to be, but are not. In the style of every spineless bully everywhere, they think they can build themselves up by tearing her down. Haven't we seen this before? Some story or other about some kind, gentle, loving man who preached what he practiced and a bunch of pharisees? . . .

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FYI - IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR A HOSTAGE TO BE RELEASED AND TO REMAIN SILENT FOREVER. PERHAPS ON THE ADVICE OF HER CAPTORS. BERNARD, YOU'RE SOUNDING JUST PLAIN STUPID. IF SHE SAID SHE WAS TREATED WELL - JUST LET IT GO AT THAT. NOTHING ENTITLES YOU OR ANYONE ELSE TO FURTHER DETAILS. GET A LIFE.

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Great points, all of you. I was so angry, I could barely speak, but your comments have brought me back to the point of coherence. I support JoshuaLudd's call for McGuirk's removal.

Here is the letter I just wrote on WFAN's contact page:

I would like to express my sincere concern in regards to Bernard McGuirk's comments about American hostage Jill Carroll.

Jill's courageous perseverance and humble honesty provide a model for all Americans -- regardless of race or creed. In the context of our current war on terrorism, it is imperative that Americans stand up and be counted as a force for decency, tolerance and honesty -- and Mr. McGuirk's comments comparing her to a suicide bomber because of her simple statement that she emerged unharmed were way beyond the pale of good humor or even superlative satire. They served only to cast the U.S. further into a mire of international scorn.

This goes beyond mere entertainment, and it's shameful that MSNBC would allow this type of slander on its airways. If his comments aren't met with a quick censure, MSNBC should expect to face the ire and reproof of all its reasonable listeners.

Please remove Mr. McGuirk from his on-air position.

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It seems like right-wingers feed on this kind of hateful defamation. It's not enough for them to have numerous enemies abroad - they have to find demons at home, too, in their fellow citizens, even where none exist. Gotta keep the hate machine fed.

Here's an expanded list of winger sites that have felt the need to question Jill Carroll's "experience." Even the "let's wait and see what she does next before we condemn her" line is repugnant. Go let 'em know what you think.

HOLD OFF ON JUDGING JILL CARROLL, FOR NOW

If you feel the need, like I did, e-mail the above author and tell him he's in no position to judge her regardless of what Jill Carroll thinks.

Debbie Schlussel, the worst of the bunch

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Good Christ, you rightwing nutjobs! The girl has been free for barely 24 hours!

I might have a bit more sympathy for this meanspirited, needless, downright unamerican tripe (There really aren't enough words in any language to truly espress my disgust and all of the ones that come closest are not fit for human consumption. I'd like to think I have a relatively expansive vocabulary, but I truly cannot even begin to find the words.) if there was at least a tiny bit of reason behind these claims... even a tiny bit.

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Jesus was hung on the cross, tortured, and died. He forgave all mankind. Did Jesus have the Stockholm Syndrome? He had compassion, but apparently, Jill Carroll is just a liar.

Why do people call themselves Christians?

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Even if you believe her captors were Iraqi or other "insurgents" which is unlikely, the reason the Right is trashing her is pre-emptive character assassination
She is going to come back to the USA, and tell a lot of the truth that The Right does not want told, and certainly not heard. She is about to have wide media exposure, and they must try to paint her as a Leftie Arab-loving Loonie as fast as they can.
Thanks-
DR

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Thank God Jill Carroll is released. I was entrapped in an Islamic society several years ago. The first thing I did when I was free was rip off my hajib, try not to speak Arabic, and get as far away from the people who kept me in Libya. Even now I have a difficult times with flashbacks and night terrors. During my year long stay in Libya I watched many American women slowly convert to Islam because it pleased their husband and his family. The wearing of the hajib; especially to ensure that no hair is shown is common with fundamental Islamic people. I couldn't talk about my story for years and I could not be around anything familiar or reminded me of Libya for almost a decade. It is common for women to sympathsize (sp) with the Arabic men who fight for a cause they are very charesmatic (sp) intense and sympathetic; I never could - though but then I was treated badly. Over ten years later I can finally talk about it; I've published a book about my experience "Forbidden Prayers." JillCarroll could be in shock...

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How long must we viewers be subjected to the venal,vile and arrogant spewings of hatred,ignorance, and conservative bias regularly offered by Don Imus and his Cretinous Crew?
The fecal comments regarding Jill Carroll are but the latest examples of their hideously disgraceful lack of even a single trace of human decency. Chief among them is Bernard McGuirk...a.k.a. McJerk. He relishes his role as resident skin-head so convincingly; it must represent reality, rather than a sick joke!
Chris Carlin and Rob Bartlett appear much too decent to continue associating with the Imus scumbags and should follow the sterling example of Contessa Brewer( MSNBC Anchor) and now this viewer.... Imus Morons, take your stupid pond-scum mentality and shove it!

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She's a fraud from day one with her way that she dress and hang out with the local culture, a sign of passion for the people there which was her own doing and I respect that, but I sincerely believe that she in fact offered herself as a bargaining chip since the day she was supposed to die and then she didn't for weeks. At one point I remembered the movie 13 days..... Robert Kennedy told the Russians that USA does not response to any threat, but we have plan to remove missiles in 6 months anyway, so that the 2 incidences does not seems to be related if the Russians remove the mid-range missiles from Cuba right now, and we need an answer tomorrow morning. The USA government said we already have plan to release the female prisoners anyway before the deadline, didn't this sound familiar???

However, now, I am more so thinking that she was in fact offering herself to the questionable characters there. I myself also believe in helping anyone at hand at the location, in a way that I should say "whatever it takes". I think she is the same specially with her naive nature and her lack of experience in life, the difference between me her and I is that I wouldn't get myself involve there and as simple as that, and I wouldn't get myself involve in other matters because I am older now. Have anyone seen anyone released after months looking and acting like her? The thing about her saying "I can't comment right now" is more like I am not ready to lie yet. The truth is very easy to tell, but a lie would take a great deal of time to practice inside ones head first before a press release.

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... Now that Jill Carrol has actually made a statement... never forget that all of the criticism against her by all of these worthless hacks came before the girl even made a single statement... in fact most was within the first 24-48 hours of her freedom... and without a single one ever having met her or heard of her before she was kidnapped... anyway... now that she has made a statement, don't these jackasses feel a bit stupid.

Or maybe they would like to continue their assault by claiming she is lying... with absolutely no basis for such claims.

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Onward Christian Soldiers,
Marching in your sleep.
You destroy your enemies
And then yourselves
Both Judas Goat,
and Sheep.

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Show of hands!

Who want's to drive cross-country with Imus?

Anyone..? Bueller..? ......................

You know,

If we could just... Gee, I dunno-Perhaps... somehow harness The-Other-Don's grouchy bitterness.

We might just get out of this whole "energy dependency" thing.

Imus would put the "Cold" back into Cold Fusion, that's for sure.

At least he won't go "China Syndrome" on us. Too Xenophobic.

Love the hat though, he looks like a rugged Indoorsman. He ought to switch them up from time to time. One week he's a cowboy, the next, a construction worker, Highway Patrolman, Indian Chief...

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Apparently the "powers that be", the Bush mafia and the CSM have gotten to Ms. Carroll since she has retracted all she said previously regarding her captors. I am very thankful she has been released.
Regarding Imus and the rest of the league of fools/cretins/nitwits, there are rooms reserved in Hades for them.

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not the culture of corruption (well, it's that too). Dubya's minions have spread it like a virus to the idiots that don’t even need a cue anymore.

Everything bad in Iraq is the fault of everyone that had the audacity to question the wisdom of this venture. Amazing that even 31 percent of the people buy it.

The Muse’s April Fools gift to the fools in the White House: Bush to Appoint Secretary of Vilification.”

...Phase II of “Operation 2008 Can’t Come Soon Enough” will involve the creation of a post designed to put out existing fires and resurrect a legacy that’s horrendous even before it exists. The appointment of a Secretary of Vilification will consolidate scapegoating efforts and attempt to bring competence to what is widely seen as a ham-handed effort to shift the blame for a litany of foreign and domestic policy debacles.

“The concept of a Department of Vilification was Dubya’s,” said a source so secret our communication was conducted through soup cans and a string. “It came to him after that news conference when a reporter asked him if he’d ever made a mistake and it caught him so off guard that he soiled his Underoos searching for an answer…

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These stupid people who call themselves Christian and then act like anything but really take the cake. They can never just be happy. They are so busy being angry about everything that even when something good does happen they turn it into something evil. I hope the real Christians in America don't pay attention to those pinheads. It must be awful to be so angry about everything and to be able to blame all that anger on someone else. I say instead of rounding up all the immigrants we should round up all the really stupid people in the media who are out there making this crap up. They really aren't part of the solution but they are a huge part of the problem.

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Imus is my favorite grumpy old fart. They're always saying stuff that's gonna outrage somebody. That's what they do. This morning they quoted McCain on what happens to people who are held captive. You can't take those guys seriously. It's entertainment. Bernard is a right wing nutso. Listened to AM radio lately? There's a bunch of them out there. I'm always a little nervous when my fellow progressives want to gag someone in radio and tv. Get over it. Work for progressive candidate. You don't need to be watching tv or listening to talk radio in the morning anyway. Read a book. Register a voter. Get a life. Vote Democrat--Vote Often

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My reaction is that this is an attack on her because she is a woman.

I believe the extremist fundamentalists, both Christian and Muslim, want women to be subservient.

I believe that's what the attack on contraception and abortion is about in this country.

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Thank God Jill Carroll is home and well. It took great courage and strength for her to travel to an oppressed society and report much needed news. She went through a horrible ordeal and I imagine she is still in shock. When your freedom is on the line and so is your life; you will say anything or be in aggreance to save your life. She had to say what they wanted her to say - even though her heart must have been torn she knew to say anything other than what was demanded of her could most certainly cause death and if not death torture. Give her time to heal and feel safe again; she will tell her story in her own time. I am very proud of her; I pray for her well being. God Bless, Alexandria Pearl

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She has been quiet for how many days now? This goes with her family and friends also. Why?

First, she said the worst thing she could ever have said upon release (true or not), she was then advised to correct her prior statement, and how she have been told to shut the hell up, probably accompanied with a death threat. All these is not new and have been done before by government and gangster (legal / illegal) all over the world, with that saying of "hoping that nothing bad might happen to your family". I can't wait until CIA knock on her door and pay everyone there multiple visits. I can tell you that her phone is definitely tapped at the moment.

Jill Carroll is the kind of reporter who follows her beliefs and passion hence naive and bias, not necessary dead on with the truth. She is the kind who tells you what she wants you to hear, and most certainly she does not have the entire big picture in her head. When she was first released, she said what was on her naive mind, then she realised that she was endangering everyone close to her at home, hence the very quite her at the moment, and I certainly do not believe she could snap out of her brain washed mind in a day if that was the case, simply because that was not the case, and she does not need this huge long rest before speak to the public again as she certainly does not have any mental difficulty to do so. I am not certain whether this was all a hoax, but I am certain that it is in some way some kind of a hoax to some extend.

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In fact, it is not quiet, but in fact too quiet, so to let things die down, and I refuse to let this cool off according to her or whoever’s advise, shifting our attention onto something else, etc. We need to remain active, and keep questioning until we get to the bottom of this. Her “cooking show” at Iraq didn’t look right to me, then when she was kidnapped, she was supposed to die when the deadline was met, but she didn’t, now she gave two statements with two extremely different directions, she has a lot of explaining to do.

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Jill Carroll as I said after 1 week, and then 1 month and now 2 months after her release, is a self created hoax. Is she even talking at all after all this time has passed? Why? Think about what country she is in now and that might offer some insight.

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