Private Ryan, Amnesiac: How apt are the analogies to World War II? Don’t they just act to shut off discussion and dissent? ‘The case for avoiding depth was made best, however, by Dan Rather, who was asked by David Letterman to comment on the sources of Islamic rage. The dean of American journalism dismissed the idea summarily. “Hate is hate,” he said, and then followed that up by saying, “George Bush is the president. He makes the decisions…Wherever he wants me to line up, just tell me where. And he’ll make the call.” There was no need, in other words, for journalism, for skepticism, or even for thought. The situation was that simple. Like World War II.’ Freezerbox