Kill Liberals
While he never comes right out and says that Americans should kill liberals, D'Souza's book shuttles his reader swiftly to that conclusion. By defining liberals as a "hidden" second front of terrorism, D'Souza's book invokes a very simple, widely held idea in America: that "War on Terror" means first and foremost, "kill terrorists." Thus, The Enemy at Home gives intellectual legitimacy to a widely accepted, rapidly growing Republican tendency to frame national security in terms of killing Democrats.
Jeffrey Feldman
Sorry for the short post, but time is at a premium these days. Instead I will take the easy way out and quote someone else. Jeffrey Feldman tells us why Dinesh D'Souza and the right wing are so dangerous. It is because they want to kill you if you are not on the right wing.
There is no mystery here. They keep saying the same thing over and over again. They want to eliminate anyone who stands in their way. Words should not be minced any longer. These are very dangerous people and we should be very afraid of them.
The right wing is on a mission, a mission to kill anyone who dares disagree with them.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
How to Choose a President
Just check out this week's Black Agenda Report. If you are disgusted by Hillary or bamboozled by Obama, then read my column on choosing a presidential candidate. In just 10 east steps you will be on your way to doing the right thing.
It is too bad that Russ Feingold decided not to run. He is the only Senator who voted against the Patriot Act. He is now keeping tabs on his Senate colleagues who are set to pass a bill so weak that it looks like a "second authorization for war." Even Carl Levin, who like Feingold voted against the use of force, is falling for the canard of not abandoning the troops. That means continuing to fund the war and the occupation.
The Democratic majority in Congress is a huge disappointment and in large part we can blame Holy Joe Lieberman. He threatens to become a Republican if Dems don't continue funding the Bush plan for an American empire. I say cut him loose. Lieberman is a no good lying bastard. He won his election because he claimed he would remain a Democrat. The Democrats can accomplish something in the minority if they use the power of the filibuster. It is time to call Lieberman's bluff and tell him to get the hell out. Good-by Joe and don't let the door hit you.
Just check out this week's Black Agenda Report. If you are disgusted by Hillary or bamboozled by Obama, then read my column on choosing a presidential candidate. In just 10 east steps you will be on your way to doing the right thing.
It is too bad that Russ Feingold decided not to run. He is the only Senator who voted against the Patriot Act. He is now keeping tabs on his Senate colleagues who are set to pass a bill so weak that it looks like a "second authorization for war." Even Carl Levin, who like Feingold voted against the use of force, is falling for the canard of not abandoning the troops. That means continuing to fund the war and the occupation.
The Democratic majority in Congress is a huge disappointment and in large part we can blame Holy Joe Lieberman. He threatens to become a Republican if Dems don't continue funding the Bush plan for an American empire. I say cut him loose. Lieberman is a no good lying bastard. He won his election because he claimed he would remain a Democrat. The Democrats can accomplish something in the minority if they use the power of the filibuster. It is time to call Lieberman's bluff and tell him to get the hell out. Good-by Joe and don't let the door hit you.
Friday, February 23, 2007
(Christian) Fascism Watch
"I am here to ask the Southern Baptist Convention, and all of you in this room, for your help."
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
Alberto Gonzales is the man who is snooping on your email. He thinks that American citizens can be held indefinitely without trial. Just ask Jose Padilla.
Now he tells us he is concerned about our freedoms, our religious freedoms that is. Yes, Gonzales is in league with the Southern Baptists (yikes) to protect our religious freedoms. A denomination that is joined at the hip with government power would not be my choice to protect anything important to me.
Well this Baptist says no way. There is enough fascism blooming like fungus without getting help from creepy fundies.
If Gonzales offers to protect your relgious freedom tell him no thanks. Then ask him why Padilla is still being tortured.
"I am here to ask the Southern Baptist Convention, and all of you in this room, for your help."
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
Alberto Gonzales is the man who is snooping on your email. He thinks that American citizens can be held indefinitely without trial. Just ask Jose Padilla.
Now he tells us he is concerned about our freedoms, our religious freedoms that is. Yes, Gonzales is in league with the Southern Baptists (yikes) to protect our religious freedoms. A denomination that is joined at the hip with government power would not be my choice to protect anything important to me.
Well this Baptist says no way. There is enough fascism blooming like fungus without getting help from creepy fundies.
If Gonzales offers to protect your relgious freedom tell him no thanks. Then ask him why Padilla is still being tortured.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Defend Science
As I pointed out in today's issue of Black Agenda Report, Americans are getting dumber by the second. Even some scientists don't believe in science. Hard to believe isn't it?
The University of Rhode Island recently conferred a doctorate in geosciences to a creationist. Yes, Marcus Ross believes the earth is no more than 10,000 years old. Wimpy scientists at the university felt they would have engaged in religious discrimination if they had rejected him. Spare me please. It will be interesting to see their reaction when Ross says that dinosaurs rode on Noah's Ark and uses the good name of URI to defend himself. It will serve them right.
Fortunately there are a few brave souls who aren't afraid to speak up for science. The American Association for the Advancement of Science has taken up the challenge. Only 40% of Americans believe that evolution is a fact. That is why the AAAS has to give advice on running for school board elections. Yes, we need to know lobbying techniques to keep fundies from miseducating any more Americans than they have already.
A commitment to teach science should be a litmus test for anybody who is running for president. It will be interesting to see if Hillary and Obama, panderers in chief, will stand up for scientific inquiry. I wouldn't bet on it.
As I pointed out in today's issue of Black Agenda Report, Americans are getting dumber by the second. Even some scientists don't believe in science. Hard to believe isn't it?
The University of Rhode Island recently conferred a doctorate in geosciences to a creationist. Yes, Marcus Ross believes the earth is no more than 10,000 years old. Wimpy scientists at the university felt they would have engaged in religious discrimination if they had rejected him. Spare me please. It will be interesting to see their reaction when Ross says that dinosaurs rode on Noah's Ark and uses the good name of URI to defend himself. It will serve them right.
Fortunately there are a few brave souls who aren't afraid to speak up for science. The American Association for the Advancement of Science has taken up the challenge. Only 40% of Americans believe that evolution is a fact. That is why the AAAS has to give advice on running for school board elections. Yes, we need to know lobbying techniques to keep fundies from miseducating any more Americans than they have already.
A commitment to teach science should be a litmus test for anybody who is running for president. It will be interesting to see if Hillary and Obama, panderers in chief, will stand up for scientific inquiry. I wouldn't bet on it.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Evolution Sunday
Thank you Jesus! I knew I wasn't the only Christian who was unafraid of science. It seems I have a lot of friends out there from more than 600 congregations. Sunday, February 11, 2007 is Evolution Sunday. February 12th will be the 198th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. Happy birthday Chuck!
Tip of the hat goes to Cosmic Log.
Thank you Jesus! I knew I wasn't the only Christian who was unafraid of science. It seems I have a lot of friends out there from more than 600 congregations. Sunday, February 11, 2007 is Evolution Sunday. February 12th will be the 198th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. Happy birthday Chuck!
Tip of the hat goes to Cosmic Log.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Free Mordechai Vanunu
It is rarely acknowledged that Israel has nukes, about 300 of them. No one knows for sure because that nation is not part of the Non Proliferation Treaty. Funny that Iran is, but is threatened with nuclear destruction. Israel isn't and threatens to nuke Iran. Following the rules doesn't help unless Uncle Sam is on your side.
Huffington Post must be congratulated for being one of the few media outlets who have dared to acknowledge that Israel is a nuclear power. Mordechai Vanunu was the first person to give the world proof that Israel is very well armed. He paid a terrible personal price for his convictions. Vanunu was imprisoned for 18 years and is now living under house arrest, just like banned dissidents in South Africa. Desmond Tutu certainly has no qualms about linking Israel to apartheid era South Africa. He has nominated Vanunu for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Vanunu's suffering isn't over. He defied the ban against him by speaking to reporters and he is once again on trial. If Israel is a democracy, it has a funny way of showing it.
It is rarely acknowledged that Israel has nukes, about 300 of them. No one knows for sure because that nation is not part of the Non Proliferation Treaty. Funny that Iran is, but is threatened with nuclear destruction. Israel isn't and threatens to nuke Iran. Following the rules doesn't help unless Uncle Sam is on your side.
Huffington Post must be congratulated for being one of the few media outlets who have dared to acknowledge that Israel is a nuclear power. Mordechai Vanunu was the first person to give the world proof that Israel is very well armed. He paid a terrible personal price for his convictions. Vanunu was imprisoned for 18 years and is now living under house arrest, just like banned dissidents in South Africa. Desmond Tutu certainly has no qualms about linking Israel to apartheid era South Africa. He has nominated Vanunu for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Vanunu's suffering isn't over. He defied the ban against him by speaking to reporters and he is once again on trial. If Israel is a democracy, it has a funny way of showing it.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
A Girl Like Me
A Girl Like Me is a 10 minute film created by a 17 year old New Yorker, Kiri Davis. Ms. Davis interviews other black teens who quite articulately discuss how they see themselves as black females and how those images are created. It is heart breaking to see beautiful young women describe feeling unattractive because of skin color and hair texture.
More heartbreaking is Kiri's recreation of Dr. Kenneth Clark's experiments done in the early 1950s. Clark's test played a key role in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, showing how separation inherently led to feelings of inequality. Just as in Dr. Clark's day, in Kiri's test 15 out of 21 black children chose the white doll as being "nice" or "pretty" and the black doll as "bad."
I do object to the film maker showing the children's faces, they and the families may be embarassed or feel exploited. Aside from that I hope that the film is widely circulated. The teens do give us some measure of hope with their insight and wisdom. It makes the juxtaposition of the small children who believe they are bad or ugly all the more poignant.
A Girl Like Me is a 10 minute film created by a 17 year old New Yorker, Kiri Davis. Ms. Davis interviews other black teens who quite articulately discuss how they see themselves as black females and how those images are created. It is heart breaking to see beautiful young women describe feeling unattractive because of skin color and hair texture.
More heartbreaking is Kiri's recreation of Dr. Kenneth Clark's experiments done in the early 1950s. Clark's test played a key role in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, showing how separation inherently led to feelings of inequality. Just as in Dr. Clark's day, in Kiri's test 15 out of 21 black children chose the white doll as being "nice" or "pretty" and the black doll as "bad."
I do object to the film maker showing the children's faces, they and the families may be embarassed or feel exploited. Aside from that I hope that the film is widely circulated. The teens do give us some measure of hope with their insight and wisdom. It makes the juxtaposition of the small children who believe they are bad or ugly all the more poignant.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Happy Anniversary Colin
Powell effectively de-legitimized the war’s opponents and turned the major U.S. news media into a virtual monolith of misguided consensus for the invasion.
Four years ago today, Colin Powell went to the floor of the United Nations and ruined his reputation, hopefully forever. Colin Powell should never be forgiven for telling bald faced lies about non-existent WMDs in Iraq. He now calls it a "blot" on his record. I'll say.
Powell is no dummy. I'm sure he rues the day he went to work for Bush. He would have been better off running for president and losing. Oh well, couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Making deals with the devil never works out.
Powell effectively de-legitimized the war’s opponents and turned the major U.S. news media into a virtual monolith of misguided consensus for the invasion.
Four years ago today, Colin Powell went to the floor of the United Nations and ruined his reputation, hopefully forever. Colin Powell should never be forgiven for telling bald faced lies about non-existent WMDs in Iraq. He now calls it a "blot" on his record. I'll say.
Powell is no dummy. I'm sure he rues the day he went to work for Bush. He would have been better off running for president and losing. Oh well, couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Making deals with the devil never works out.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Support Spocko
Who is Spocko's Brain? He is an anonynous blogger in San Francisco. He is also a very good citizen. He has undertaken a campaign to notify advertisers on KSFO radio that they are supporting hate speech.
Of course the good deed did not go unpunished. ABC/Disney, owner of KSFO, pressured his ISP to shut him down. He is back up and running, but his story needs to be told.
In this week's Black Agenda Report I tell his story and why it is so important. You see, KSFO radio hosts joke about lynching, castration and burning people alive. The corporate media support them and by association also support lynching, castration and burning people alive. Thanks to Media Matters for bringing Spocko to public attention.
Who is Spocko's Brain? He is an anonynous blogger in San Francisco. He is also a very good citizen. He has undertaken a campaign to notify advertisers on KSFO radio that they are supporting hate speech.
Of course the good deed did not go unpunished. ABC/Disney, owner of KSFO, pressured his ISP to shut him down. He is back up and running, but his story needs to be told.
In this week's Black Agenda Report I tell his story and why it is so important. You see, KSFO radio hosts joke about lynching, castration and burning people alive. The corporate media support them and by association also support lynching, castration and burning people alive. Thanks to Media Matters for bringing Spocko to public attention.
An Open Letter to Judea Pearl
Yesterday Judea Pearl, father of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl, wrote an op-ed in the New York Times opposing al-Jazeera television. Mr. Pearl shouldn't worry. It is almost impossible for Americans to receive al-Jazeera television. No cable company will carry it. For what it is worth, here is my response to him.
Dear Mr. Pearl,
I first want to convey my deepest condolences to you and to your family. Your son's murder was an awful crime and I hope that someday you receive justice.
Yesterday I read your op-ed in the New York Times and I have to say that I disagree quite strongly. Americans live in a bubble of ignorance with no clue about why they are hated around the world, but particularly in the Arab and Muslim world.
I hope that more Americans do see al-Jazeera. It is nearly impossible to get an accurate accounting of world affairs from the U.S. media. Bush administration lies are printed and broadcast as fact. When the president lies and says that Saddam Hussein kicked out WMD inspectors, the networks and newspapers quote him verbatim and never point out that he is telling a blatant falsehood. I see nothing wrong with al-Jazeera pointing out that the war on terror is a phony one. It has been used to eliminate our civil liberties and to bring death to the people of Iraq.
Americans are now living under the abuses of the Patriot Act and crony capitalism. The so-called war on terror is being used to justify these and every other outrageous act committed by our government since 2001.
I understand that you are an Israeli citizen, so I will take great pains to tell you that I do not want Israel to be destroyed or its citizens to be harmed. I am an advocate of non-violence. I say this because critics of Israeli policy are always branded as anti-Semites. While I do make factual but highly critical comments about that government, I also want you to know that those accusations of bigotry do not apply to me.
I mentioned Israel because America's relationship with that nation is the cause of much of the hatred against our country. Israel receives $15 million per day from the U.S. taxpayer. When Israel invades Lebanon, and violates the Geneva conventions by inflicting collective punishment on a civilian population, the U.S. is seen as having also invaded Lebanon. If Israel drops nukes on Iran, then the U.S. has dropped nukes on Iran.
It is a disgrace that the American media rarely point out that Israel is already a nuclear power. If Iranians develop a nuclear weapons capability in the 5 to 10 years that experts estimate, they will still not have as many nukes as Israel. Why is this information never conveyed to us? How can Americans be expected to make judgements about military and other actions if we aren't given simple information, in this case that Israel is estimated to have between 100 and 300 nuclear warheads? If Americans see al-Jazeera they may just get important information that they do not now have.
If more Americans see al-Jazeera they will learn that all Arabs and Muslims are not just crazy fanatics out for blood. They will instead learn that there are many legitimate grievances against the U.S. That knowledge will be helpful to us all and will help the entire world.
You should not be afraid that Americans will get information from outside this country's media. We should fear that Americans do not. We have deliberately been kept ignorant and ignorance is quite dangerous.
Thank you.
Freedom Rider
Yesterday Judea Pearl, father of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl, wrote an op-ed in the New York Times opposing al-Jazeera television. Mr. Pearl shouldn't worry. It is almost impossible for Americans to receive al-Jazeera television. No cable company will carry it. For what it is worth, here is my response to him.
Dear Mr. Pearl,
I first want to convey my deepest condolences to you and to your family. Your son's murder was an awful crime and I hope that someday you receive justice.
Yesterday I read your op-ed in the New York Times and I have to say that I disagree quite strongly. Americans live in a bubble of ignorance with no clue about why they are hated around the world, but particularly in the Arab and Muslim world.
I hope that more Americans do see al-Jazeera. It is nearly impossible to get an accurate accounting of world affairs from the U.S. media. Bush administration lies are printed and broadcast as fact. When the president lies and says that Saddam Hussein kicked out WMD inspectors, the networks and newspapers quote him verbatim and never point out that he is telling a blatant falsehood. I see nothing wrong with al-Jazeera pointing out that the war on terror is a phony one. It has been used to eliminate our civil liberties and to bring death to the people of Iraq.
Americans are now living under the abuses of the Patriot Act and crony capitalism. The so-called war on terror is being used to justify these and every other outrageous act committed by our government since 2001.
I understand that you are an Israeli citizen, so I will take great pains to tell you that I do not want Israel to be destroyed or its citizens to be harmed. I am an advocate of non-violence. I say this because critics of Israeli policy are always branded as anti-Semites. While I do make factual but highly critical comments about that government, I also want you to know that those accusations of bigotry do not apply to me.
I mentioned Israel because America's relationship with that nation is the cause of much of the hatred against our country. Israel receives $15 million per day from the U.S. taxpayer. When Israel invades Lebanon, and violates the Geneva conventions by inflicting collective punishment on a civilian population, the U.S. is seen as having also invaded Lebanon. If Israel drops nukes on Iran, then the U.S. has dropped nukes on Iran.
It is a disgrace that the American media rarely point out that Israel is already a nuclear power. If Iranians develop a nuclear weapons capability in the 5 to 10 years that experts estimate, they will still not have as many nukes as Israel. Why is this information never conveyed to us? How can Americans be expected to make judgements about military and other actions if we aren't given simple information, in this case that Israel is estimated to have between 100 and 300 nuclear warheads? If Americans see al-Jazeera they may just get important information that they do not now have.
If more Americans see al-Jazeera they will learn that all Arabs and Muslims are not just crazy fanatics out for blood. They will instead learn that there are many legitimate grievances against the U.S. That knowledge will be helpful to us all and will help the entire world.
You should not be afraid that Americans will get information from outside this country's media. We should fear that Americans do not. We have deliberately been kept ignorant and ignorance is quite dangerous.
Thank you.
Freedom Rider
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Rewarding the Evildoers
Robert Scheer used to write for the Los Angeles Times. He was one of the leading critics of the occupation of Iraq. He was right about everything. The L.A. Times fired him and replaced with warmongering cheerleader Jonah Goldberg. He was wrong about everything.
Over and over again the evildoers have been rewarded with better gigs, more cash, and bigger speaking fees. Radar Online tells the sad story. It is sad, but not at all surprising. The ruling class want war, their friends at Halliburton and other corporations are making plenty of cash. So the war will go on to make sure that they keep getting rich. The riches extend to the corporate media and their cheerleaders. No wonder Scheer got the pink slip.
New York Times columnist Tom Friedman always had a lust for other people's blood and he didn't try to hide it in 2003. He has a closet full of Pulitzer prizes but it isn't clear why. He must have a relative on the panel. He is also one of the big winners in the pundit clean up sweep stakes. His writingss are an absolute waste but that hasn't stopped him from making a fortune.
Take a look at this interview from C-Span's Book TV in 2005. At about 24 minutes into the program a caller asks about the neocons push for war because Israel wanted it. Friedman pretended not to understand the question and the wimpy interviewer let him off the hook. The caller hit the nail on the head. We went to war in large part because Israel wanted it and Friedman thinks that is fine. Just don't bother to ask him about it.
Why should he bother answering? He isn't beholden to any of us. He can keep writing crap and keep making millions.
Robert Scheer used to write for the Los Angeles Times. He was one of the leading critics of the occupation of Iraq. He was right about everything. The L.A. Times fired him and replaced with warmongering cheerleader Jonah Goldberg. He was wrong about everything.
Over and over again the evildoers have been rewarded with better gigs, more cash, and bigger speaking fees. Radar Online tells the sad story. It is sad, but not at all surprising. The ruling class want war, their friends at Halliburton and other corporations are making plenty of cash. So the war will go on to make sure that they keep getting rich. The riches extend to the corporate media and their cheerleaders. No wonder Scheer got the pink slip.
New York Times columnist Tom Friedman always had a lust for other people's blood and he didn't try to hide it in 2003. He has a closet full of Pulitzer prizes but it isn't clear why. He must have a relative on the panel. He is also one of the big winners in the pundit clean up sweep stakes. His writingss are an absolute waste but that hasn't stopped him from making a fortune.
Take a look at this interview from C-Span's Book TV in 2005. At about 24 minutes into the program a caller asks about the neocons push for war because Israel wanted it. Friedman pretended not to understand the question and the wimpy interviewer let him off the hook. The caller hit the nail on the head. We went to war in large part because Israel wanted it and Friedman thinks that is fine. Just don't bother to ask him about it.
Why should he bother answering? He isn't beholden to any of us. He can keep writing crap and keep making millions.
Arnold for President?
"He clamped his right hand over my boob and was wrestling with me... He wouldn't let go. I fought him. The size of his biceps coming across my chest, they were enormous. I couldn't get away from him... Any time you make a woman feel that vulnerable or that overpowered, it changes you forever."
Schwarzenegger assault victim
Have you noticed that the media are giving Arnold Schwarzenegger more attention than usual? Last week the New York Times felt compelled to tell readers that his broken leg still hurts. The announcement of his universal health care plan is newsworthy, but he has no way to pay for it. It probably won't go anywhere. Let's see if he gets the same kind of scrutiny that the Clintons got over their attempt to create a national single payer plan.
The attempt to get Arnold in the White House has never abated. There is a big problem, however. He wasn't born in the U.S., so there is now an effort to change the constitution so that he can run. Make no mistake about it. This effort will be about putting Arnold in the White House.
And what is up with the Golden Globe awards? Why was Schwarzenegger a presenter last night? Oh, I forgot what I just wrote. It is all an effort to put him in the White House.
"He clamped his right hand over my boob and was wrestling with me... He wouldn't let go. I fought him. The size of his biceps coming across my chest, they were enormous. I couldn't get away from him... Any time you make a woman feel that vulnerable or that overpowered, it changes you forever."
Schwarzenegger assault victim
Have you noticed that the media are giving Arnold Schwarzenegger more attention than usual? Last week the New York Times felt compelled to tell readers that his broken leg still hurts. The announcement of his universal health care plan is newsworthy, but he has no way to pay for it. It probably won't go anywhere. Let's see if he gets the same kind of scrutiny that the Clintons got over their attempt to create a national single payer plan.
The attempt to get Arnold in the White House has never abated. There is a big problem, however. He wasn't born in the U.S., so there is now an effort to change the constitution so that he can run. Make no mistake about it. This effort will be about putting Arnold in the White House.
And what is up with the Golden Globe awards? Why was Schwarzenegger a presenter last night? Oh, I forgot what I just wrote. It is all an effort to put him in the White House.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Happy King Day!
"...the gallows were built to international standards ...
Poor Martin is rolling in his grave today. As usual, this man of peace must suffer the indignity of having pro-war politicians claim to honor his memory. This year is even worse.
Barzan Ibrahim, Saddam Hussein's half-brother, was decapitated when he was hanged today.
“In a rare incident, the head of the accused Barzan Ibrahim al-Hassan was separated from his body during the execution,” said a government spokesman. Well, I guess it is hard to get those nooses just right, not too loose and not too tight either. Bummer.
King risked so much to speak against the war in Vietnam. He risked the support of the Johnson administration, he faced the wrath of the media. His outspoken opposition probably cost him his life.
This year the U.S. prepares to go to war or allow Israel to go to war against Iran. Yes, our tax dollars will be used to incinerate Iranians because Israel wants to be the only nuclear game in that part of town.
Happy King Day. May next year's be better.
"...the gallows were built to international standards ...
Poor Martin is rolling in his grave today. As usual, this man of peace must suffer the indignity of having pro-war politicians claim to honor his memory. This year is even worse.
Barzan Ibrahim, Saddam Hussein's half-brother, was decapitated when he was hanged today.
“In a rare incident, the head of the accused Barzan Ibrahim al-Hassan was separated from his body during the execution,” said a government spokesman. Well, I guess it is hard to get those nooses just right, not too loose and not too tight either. Bummer.
King risked so much to speak against the war in Vietnam. He risked the support of the Johnson administration, he faced the wrath of the media. His outspoken opposition probably cost him his life.
This year the U.S. prepares to go to war or allow Israel to go to war against Iran. Yes, our tax dollars will be used to incinerate Iranians because Israel wants to be the only nuclear game in that part of town.
Happy King Day. May next year's be better.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Barbara Boxes with Condi
Ay caramba! What is a feminist, black nationalist, peace and justice advocate to do? Surely not defend Condi Rice. During Senate hearings yesterday, Democrat Barbara Boxer of California had this to say to the Secretary of State.
"The issue is, who pays the price? I'm not going to pay a personal price. My kids are too old and my grandchild is too young. You're not going to pay a particular price, as I understand it, with an immediate family. So who pays the price? The American military and their families."
I don't know why Boxer had to get personal, about her family or Rice's. It is enough to say that a small segment of the population is represented in the military and is paying the price for the occupation of Iraq. Who cares if she or Rice has kids to send?
Well, that is what happens when the personal substitutes for the substantive. At any rate there is a debate going on among feminists about the propriety of Boxer's comments. Of course we also have to contend with phony right wing concern for feminism. Please!
Instead of reinventing the wheel, I will just repeat what I said in a letter to Salon.
"Tony Snow and the rest of the right wing had nothing to say when Laura Bush dissed Condi. The first lady opined that Condi couldn't run for president because she didn't have a spouse to lean on. The right wing said nothing about this obvious insult.
I have to say that Boxer's comments were a great disappointment to me. As a single, childless woman myself, I have experienced first hand the innuendo and derision directed Rice. I am also a fierce opponent of the Bush regime, so I don't let any supposed loyalties, I am also African American, keep me from denouncing true believing neocons like Rice and her ilk.
So, I think Boxer was wrong to phrase her concern the way she did. Should she apologize? Well, when Rice apologizes for lying about mush room clouds, Barbara Boxer should apologize too."
To repeat, Boxer was wrong, but until she kills 600,000 Iraqis, she doesn't owe Rice anything.
Ay caramba! What is a feminist, black nationalist, peace and justice advocate to do? Surely not defend Condi Rice. During Senate hearings yesterday, Democrat Barbara Boxer of California had this to say to the Secretary of State.
"The issue is, who pays the price? I'm not going to pay a personal price. My kids are too old and my grandchild is too young. You're not going to pay a particular price, as I understand it, with an immediate family. So who pays the price? The American military and their families."
I don't know why Boxer had to get personal, about her family or Rice's. It is enough to say that a small segment of the population is represented in the military and is paying the price for the occupation of Iraq. Who cares if she or Rice has kids to send?
Well, that is what happens when the personal substitutes for the substantive. At any rate there is a debate going on among feminists about the propriety of Boxer's comments. Of course we also have to contend with phony right wing concern for feminism. Please!
Instead of reinventing the wheel, I will just repeat what I said in a letter to Salon.
"Tony Snow and the rest of the right wing had nothing to say when Laura Bush dissed Condi. The first lady opined that Condi couldn't run for president because she didn't have a spouse to lean on. The right wing said nothing about this obvious insult.
I have to say that Boxer's comments were a great disappointment to me. As a single, childless woman myself, I have experienced first hand the innuendo and derision directed Rice. I am also a fierce opponent of the Bush regime, so I don't let any supposed loyalties, I am also African American, keep me from denouncing true believing neocons like Rice and her ilk.
So, I think Boxer was wrong to phrase her concern the way she did. Should she apologize? Well, when Rice apologizes for lying about mush room clouds, Barbara Boxer should apologize too."
To repeat, Boxer was wrong, but until she kills 600,000 Iraqis, she doesn't owe Rice anything.
Reuters/Jim Young
Bush in Tears
The prez boo-hooed at the post-humous medal of honor ceremony for Marine Corporal Jason Dunham. Gee, I recall another historical figure who wept for his troops. His name was Hitler.
What a cynical bastard. The ceremony took place the night after Bush gave us all the finger and declared that he would keep on killing. The rest of us ought to be crying our eyes out.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Bush to U.S.:Go F_ _ k Yourselves!
These are the words of Scott Thill in Huffington Post. Like Thill, I didn't bother to watch the president last night. I never do.
What does it take to wake everyone up around here? Who has to suck W.'s cock to get him impeached in this country?
I dont' know what it will take, Miss Nancy has said that she won't impeach him. The Republicans used a magazine article to impeach Clinton. Bush can lie to Congress, open our mail and take our civil liberties but the namby pamby Dems won't lay a finger on him. Too bad.
By the way, if you wanted to know what the Dems said in response, you didn't find out from any of the networks. None of them bothered to show it. Only PBS and cable gave up the air time.
These are the words of Scott Thill in Huffington Post. Like Thill, I didn't bother to watch the president last night. I never do.
What does it take to wake everyone up around here? Who has to suck W.'s cock to get him impeached in this country?
I dont' know what it will take, Miss Nancy has said that she won't impeach him. The Republicans used a magazine article to impeach Clinton. Bush can lie to Congress, open our mail and take our civil liberties but the namby pamby Dems won't lay a finger on him. Too bad.
By the way, if you wanted to know what the Dems said in response, you didn't find out from any of the networks. None of them bothered to show it. Only PBS and cable gave up the air time.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Uncle Sam and Saddam
"The missing pages implicated twenty-four U.S.-based corporations and the successive Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. administration in connection with the illegal supplying of Saddam Hussein government with myriad weapons of mass destruction and the training to use them."
Saddam Hussein could never have developed a chemical weapons program without the help of the United States. Of course the media will never tell you this, but the Bush administration removed over 8,000 pages from a report that detailed the extent of Iraq's chemical weapons capabilities. Why the editing? Well, without it Reagan and Bush (41) administration officials could be charged as war criminals.
The Bush administration is now doing serious damage control, after having managed to make the tyrant look heroic. How coincidental that the trial of Saddam's co-defendants now includes tapes of conversations that included ordering WMD attacks on the Kurds.
Nice try. The Bushies have been busy tap dancing since the hanging took place. First reminding us that Saddam was really, really bad and then twisting Maliki's arm and getting him to claim that it was he who hurried up the Saddam Swing.
Sometimes damage cannot be undone. In this case it keeps getting worse. Not only is there a video showing what looks like a masked street gang taunting Saddam before he died, there is a new video showing his bloody corpse.
"The missing pages implicated twenty-four U.S.-based corporations and the successive Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. administration in connection with the illegal supplying of Saddam Hussein government with myriad weapons of mass destruction and the training to use them."
Saddam Hussein could never have developed a chemical weapons program without the help of the United States. Of course the media will never tell you this, but the Bush administration removed over 8,000 pages from a report that detailed the extent of Iraq's chemical weapons capabilities. Why the editing? Well, without it Reagan and Bush (41) administration officials could be charged as war criminals.
The Bush administration is now doing serious damage control, after having managed to make the tyrant look heroic. How coincidental that the trial of Saddam's co-defendants now includes tapes of conversations that included ordering WMD attacks on the Kurds.
Nice try. The Bushies have been busy tap dancing since the hanging took place. First reminding us that Saddam was really, really bad and then twisting Maliki's arm and getting him to claim that it was he who hurried up the Saddam Swing.
Sometimes damage cannot be undone. In this case it keeps getting worse. Not only is there a video showing what looks like a masked street gang taunting Saddam before he died, there is a new video showing his bloody corpse.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Anti-Semitism in the 21st Century
Those poor stupid Arabs. They hate Israel because they believe the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. They mindlessly soak up any anti-Semitic screeds because well, they just hate Jews and their stupid.
If you watched the new PBS documentary Anti-Semitism in the 21st Century without knowing any of the history of the Middle East, that is what you would think. Arabs have legitimate grievances against Israel. In July 1948 the Israelis massacred Palestinians at Deir Yassin and sent thousands more to their deaths in the desert. Israel now inflicts collective punishment on civilian populations, a no-no in the Geneva Conventions, and is planning to kill millions of Iranians in order to make sure that no other nation in that region has the bomb. (Israel has been 100 and 300 nukes.)
Thanks for nothing PBS. Americans will remain stupid thanks to you.
Those poor stupid Arabs. They hate Israel because they believe the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. They mindlessly soak up any anti-Semitic screeds because well, they just hate Jews and their stupid.
If you watched the new PBS documentary Anti-Semitism in the 21st Century without knowing any of the history of the Middle East, that is what you would think. Arabs have legitimate grievances against Israel. In July 1948 the Israelis massacred Palestinians at Deir Yassin and sent thousands more to their deaths in the desert. Israel now inflicts collective punishment on civilian populations, a no-no in the Geneva Conventions, and is planning to kill millions of Iranians in order to make sure that no other nation in that region has the bomb. (Israel has been 100 and 300 nukes.)
Thanks for nothing PBS. Americans will remain stupid thanks to you.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Israel Plans Genetic Germ Warfare
Tonight PBS will tell us that anti-Semitism is increasing and the Arabs just hate the Jews, etc. I wonder if they will ever get around to telling the world that Israel tried to develop a chemical weapon that would target only Arabs? Of course that will never happen. I'll watch tonight's documentary, if I can stomach it, and review tomorrow.
Anti-Semitism in the 21st Century: the Resurgence, is part of an ongoing campaign to shut up critics of Israel. Norman Finkelstein said it best regarding the controversy surrounding his book Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History. Finkelstein stated that the controvery took place because of "...Israel's horrendous human rights record in the Occupied Territories and the misuse of anti-Semitism to delegitimize criticism of it."
Amen brother Finkelstein, who debated Jimmy Carter's book on Democracy Now. Finkelstein is always worth listening to.
Tonight PBS will tell us that anti-Semitism is increasing and the Arabs just hate the Jews, etc. I wonder if they will ever get around to telling the world that Israel tried to develop a chemical weapon that would target only Arabs? Of course that will never happen. I'll watch tonight's documentary, if I can stomach it, and review tomorrow.
Anti-Semitism in the 21st Century: the Resurgence, is part of an ongoing campaign to shut up critics of Israel. Norman Finkelstein said it best regarding the controversy surrounding his book Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History. Finkelstein stated that the controvery took place because of "...Israel's horrendous human rights record in the Occupied Territories and the misuse of anti-Semitism to delegitimize criticism of it."
Amen brother Finkelstein, who debated Jimmy Carter's book on Democracy Now. Finkelstein is always worth listening to.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Saddam Hangs, Rumsfeld Doesn't
"But perhaps most importantly, the missing pages contain information that could potentially make a case for war crimes against officials within the Reagan and the Bush Sr. administrations. This includes the current Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld — for his collaboration with Saddam Hussein leading up to the massacres of Iraqi Kurds and acting as liaison for U.S. military aid during the war between Iraq and Iran."
If you read this blog you probably already know that Rummy and Reagan gave Saddam all of the chemical weapons he used against the Kurds and Iranians. You may not know that the Bush administration removed 8,000 pages from a UN report that not only said the same thing, but detailed how many U.S. corporations helped in the dirty work.
The story of the edited UN document was among the Project Censored top 25 stories of 2002. It is a righteous but sad list. By their nature all of the stories are important, but if they made the list it means that few know about them.
I will have more in next week's Black Agenda Report.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Colin Powell's Pants are on Fire
Colin Powell, the ultimate political survivor, is back in the news. In response to recent suggestions that troop levels in Iraq should be increased, he replied that the U.S. army is "about broken."
No one should thank Powell for telling us what has been obvious for a long time. Any ideas of increasing the numbers of troops in Iraq are pure fantasy, unless of course the Bushies go along with Congressman Charles Rangel's proposal to bring back the draft.
Anyway, Powell is a gigantic liar. Sam Husseini, who you probably never heard of, was the only member of the press to ask Powell hard questions after a Face the Nation appearance last week.
Sam Husseini: Do you know that Hussein Kamel said that there were no WMDs? Did you know that?
Colin Powell: What’s that?
Husseini: You cited Hussein Kamel in your UN testimony. Did you know that he said that there were no WMDs, did you know that at the time?
Powell: I only knew what the intelligence community told me.
Husseini: But did you know that fact?
Powell: Of course not!
Husseini: You didn’t know that he said that, even though it was reported?
Powell: I -
Husseini: You didn’t know -
Powell: I’ve answered your question.
Husseini: You didn’t know that he said there were no WMDs.
As Powell attempts to resurrect himself from the ashes of the Bush team, he should be asked these questions again and again. He lied and those lies had horrific consequences. Maybe Husseini can do us all a favor and clone himself. Any puncturing of the American bubble of ignorance is a good thing.
Colin Powell, the ultimate political survivor, is back in the news. In response to recent suggestions that troop levels in Iraq should be increased, he replied that the U.S. army is "about broken."
No one should thank Powell for telling us what has been obvious for a long time. Any ideas of increasing the numbers of troops in Iraq are pure fantasy, unless of course the Bushies go along with Congressman Charles Rangel's proposal to bring back the draft.
Anyway, Powell is a gigantic liar. Sam Husseini, who you probably never heard of, was the only member of the press to ask Powell hard questions after a Face the Nation appearance last week.
Sam Husseini: Do you know that Hussein Kamel said that there were no WMDs? Did you know that?
Colin Powell: What’s that?
Husseini: You cited Hussein Kamel in your UN testimony. Did you know that he said that there were no WMDs, did you know that at the time?
Powell: I only knew what the intelligence community told me.
Husseini: But did you know that fact?
Powell: Of course not!
Husseini: You didn’t know that he said that, even though it was reported?
Powell: I -
Husseini: You didn’t know -
Powell: I’ve answered your question.
Husseini: You didn’t know that he said there were no WMDs.
As Powell attempts to resurrect himself from the ashes of the Bush team, he should be asked these questions again and again. He lied and those lies had horrific consequences. Maybe Husseini can do us all a favor and clone himself. Any puncturing of the American bubble of ignorance is a good thing.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Jimmy Carter vs. Israeli Apartheid
At long last the New York Times (registration required) has decided to mention that former president Jimmy Carter has written a new book that is on the Times bestseller list. For some strange reason, the only mention is in the Arts section and only the book's critics are quoted.
The book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, has gotten little attention in the print media. The American media routinely ignore or excoriate critics of Israeli government policy. It is a little harder to do if the critic is a former president and prolific author. So the Times finally covers a book that deals with a critical national and foreign policy issue but only in the Arts section.
Carter has done the American people a great service by writing this book and by adamantly and unapologetically using the word apartheid. My two cents is in this weeks Black Agenda Report.
At long last the New York Times (registration required) has decided to mention that former president Jimmy Carter has written a new book that is on the Times bestseller list. For some strange reason, the only mention is in the Arts section and only the book's critics are quoted.
The book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, has gotten little attention in the print media. The American media routinely ignore or excoriate critics of Israeli government policy. It is a little harder to do if the critic is a former president and prolific author. So the Times finally covers a book that deals with a critical national and foreign policy issue but only in the Arts section.
Carter has done the American people a great service by writing this book and by adamantly and unapologetically using the word apartheid. My two cents is in this weeks Black Agenda Report.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Christmas in Seattle
"Threatening a lawsuit, I feel, violates the Jewish principle known in Hebrew as Kiddush HaShem, interpreted in the Talmud, part of ancient Jewish wisdom, as an action that encourages people to admire Jews. One need only read the comments on the Internet following the news accounts of the tree removal, to know that most people are feeling indignant and hurt. They certainly are not feeling more warmly toward Jews as a result of this mess."
Rabbi Daniel Lapin
Lapin hits the nail on the head. When Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky threatened to sue Seattle's airport if they didn't add a menorah to its holiday display, he in effect asked for the Christmas trees to be removed. As Lapin said, ". . . when one throws a punch (which is what bringing a lawyer and threatening to sue is equivalent to) and one gets decked in return, one cannot plead that one didn’t intend that outcome."
Sea-Tac airport should have told the litigious clergyman, "See you in court," and waited for a judge to instruct them on how to respond. Instead they took the wimpy way out and caused great resentment among Christians, whose opinions apparently don't count for much.
Because of vociferous complaints, the trees are back up, but what will happen next December? I don't really care if there is a menorah at Sea-Tac, but knowing how it came to be there will leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Black people are always told to accept our status as a minority. When we are outnumbered at election time and can't get black officials in office, well it is just too bad. If Jews chafe in December because theirs is the minority religion, it is just too bad. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander too.
"Threatening a lawsuit, I feel, violates the Jewish principle known in Hebrew as Kiddush HaShem, interpreted in the Talmud, part of ancient Jewish wisdom, as an action that encourages people to admire Jews. One need only read the comments on the Internet following the news accounts of the tree removal, to know that most people are feeling indignant and hurt. They certainly are not feeling more warmly toward Jews as a result of this mess."
Rabbi Daniel Lapin
Lapin hits the nail on the head. When Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky threatened to sue Seattle's airport if they didn't add a menorah to its holiday display, he in effect asked for the Christmas trees to be removed. As Lapin said, ". . . when one throws a punch (which is what bringing a lawyer and threatening to sue is equivalent to) and one gets decked in return, one cannot plead that one didn’t intend that outcome."
Sea-Tac airport should have told the litigious clergyman, "See you in court," and waited for a judge to instruct them on how to respond. Instead they took the wimpy way out and caused great resentment among Christians, whose opinions apparently don't count for much.
Because of vociferous complaints, the trees are back up, but what will happen next December? I don't really care if there is a menorah at Sea-Tac, but knowing how it came to be there will leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Black people are always told to accept our status as a minority. When we are outnumbered at election time and can't get black officials in office, well it is just too bad. If Jews chafe in December because theirs is the minority religion, it is just too bad. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander too.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Jews Against Israel
" . . .'the underlying cause of strife and bloodshed in the Middle East, namely the state known as Israel, [should] be totally and peacefully dissolved'. "
Rabbi Aharon Cohen
Yes, there are anti-Zionist Jews. They are such anti-Zionists that they will show up in Iran and participate in President Ahmedinajad's Holocaust Conference. They don't question that the Jewish holocaust took place, but that it has been used as a "tool of commercial, military and media power". Ouch! Sounds like they read The Holocaust Industry by Norman Finkelstein. If you haven't read this or other Finkelstein works, you should.
Of course, I don't deny that the Jewish holocaust happened, I do deny that it gives Israel the right to commit a holocaust against the people of Iran. Unfortunately, inviting David Duke to a conference is not a way to win friends or influence people. It makes it easy for stupid and/or blood thirsty Americans to advocate killing.
" . . .'the underlying cause of strife and bloodshed in the Middle East, namely the state known as Israel, [should] be totally and peacefully dissolved'. "
Rabbi Aharon Cohen
Yes, there are anti-Zionist Jews. They are such anti-Zionists that they will show up in Iran and participate in President Ahmedinajad's Holocaust Conference. They don't question that the Jewish holocaust took place, but that it has been used as a "tool of commercial, military and media power". Ouch! Sounds like they read The Holocaust Industry by Norman Finkelstein. If you haven't read this or other Finkelstein works, you should.
Of course, I don't deny that the Jewish holocaust happened, I do deny that it gives Israel the right to commit a holocaust against the people of Iran. Unfortunately, inviting David Duke to a conference is not a way to win friends or influence people. It makes it easy for stupid and/or blood thirsty Americans to advocate killing.
Gay Fundies
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Fundies are busting out of the closet. This article appeared in today's New York Times, but I have linked to the International Herald Tribune because there is no registration required.
The article tells us what we already knew, that gay people follow every religious, political and ideological belief system on earth. The individuals profiled in this story don't believe that the earth is 4 billion years old. They take the bible literally, except for what it says about them.
Hopefully, they will become more open minded in their religious world view too. If they don't believe what the bible says about homosexuality, they should consider that humans evolved and that the earth is older than the bible says it is.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Fundies are busting out of the closet. This article appeared in today's New York Times, but I have linked to the International Herald Tribune because there is no registration required.
The article tells us what we already knew, that gay people follow every religious, political and ideological belief system on earth. The individuals profiled in this story don't believe that the earth is 4 billion years old. They take the bible literally, except for what it says about them.
Hopefully, they will become more open minded in their religious world view too. If they don't believe what the bible says about homosexuality, they should consider that humans evolved and that the earth is older than the bible says it is.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Iraq Study Group
The title sounds like a group of college kids studying for a test, but it is far more serious. Today Bush's baby sitter, James Baker, essentially said that occupying Iraq was a very bad idea.
Occupying Iraq was morally wrong and without justification. More than 600,000 people are dead and the rest of world hates America more than ever.
The Study Group proposals don't really amount to much. A plan for withdrawal is the only way to save lives. A plan to compensate the Iraqi people for their suffering is the only moral thing to do.
By the way, the American media has said little about what the Iraqis want. CNN actually took a step towards behaving like a news organization when it reported that Iraqis say, "Get the hell out of our country." Only 1 out of 20 believe that security is better now than under Saddam Hussein, 9 out of 10 are afraid of American troops and 2 out of 3 will feel better when U.S. troops get out. Too bad the press isn't hanging on to their every word. It is the only opinion that ought to count.
The title sounds like a group of college kids studying for a test, but it is far more serious. Today Bush's baby sitter, James Baker, essentially said that occupying Iraq was a very bad idea.
Occupying Iraq was morally wrong and without justification. More than 600,000 people are dead and the rest of world hates America more than ever.
The Study Group proposals don't really amount to much. A plan for withdrawal is the only way to save lives. A plan to compensate the Iraqi people for their suffering is the only moral thing to do.
By the way, the American media has said little about what the Iraqis want. CNN actually took a step towards behaving like a news organization when it reported that Iraqis say, "Get the hell out of our country." Only 1 out of 20 believe that security is better now than under Saddam Hussein, 9 out of 10 are afraid of American troops and 2 out of 3 will feel better when U.S. troops get out. Too bad the press isn't hanging on to their every word. It is the only opinion that ought to count.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Apartheid
"But there‘s no doubt that within the Occupied Territories—Palestinian land—that there is a horrendous example of apartheid. The occupation of Palestinian land, the confiscation of that land that doesn‘t belong to Israel, the building of settlements on it, the colonization of that land, and then the connection of those isolated but multiple settlements—more than 200 of them—with each other by highways, on which Palestinians can‘t travel and quite often where Palestinians cannot even cross."
Jimmy Carter
When a former president of the United States writes a book, it gets attention. Well, not if the book criticizes Israel. Jimmy Carter's latest work, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, has received no attention from the national print media. The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times have all ignored the book.
The Israeli government was one of the few governments on earth that advocated for the occupation of Iraq. It is the only other nation on earth that wants nuclear war against Iran. Unless full and open debate about Israeli policies are permitted to take place, this country will suffer. If New York or another city is attacked it will be because of hatred of America's unqualified support of Israel.
"But there‘s no doubt that within the Occupied Territories—Palestinian land—that there is a horrendous example of apartheid. The occupation of Palestinian land, the confiscation of that land that doesn‘t belong to Israel, the building of settlements on it, the colonization of that land, and then the connection of those isolated but multiple settlements—more than 200 of them—with each other by highways, on which Palestinians can‘t travel and quite often where Palestinians cannot even cross."
Jimmy Carter
When a former president of the United States writes a book, it gets attention. Well, not if the book criticizes Israel. Jimmy Carter's latest work, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, has received no attention from the national print media. The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times have all ignored the book.
The Israeli government was one of the few governments on earth that advocated for the occupation of Iraq. It is the only other nation on earth that wants nuclear war against Iran. Unless full and open debate about Israeli policies are permitted to take place, this country will suffer. If New York or another city is attacked it will be because of hatred of America's unqualified support of Israel.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Bring It On
Virginia Senator-elect Jim Webb wanted to punch Dubya's lights out after the two had this exchange.
At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.
Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.
“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.
Well, aren't we testy. This moment reveals so very much about the president. He doesn't like to be questioned, he doesn't like to hear any disagreement, and he doesn't give a damn about the soldiers he gets misty eyed over. Hitler was like that too.
He is a self-centered, narcissistic, SOB. He has no empathy, and he certainly has no charm or sense of diplomacy. As he said, being president means you can do what you want. You can open a can of whoop ass without fear of an ass whooping.
Virginia Senator-elect Jim Webb wanted to punch Dubya's lights out after the two had this exchange.
At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.
Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.
“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.
Well, aren't we testy. This moment reveals so very much about the president. He doesn't like to be questioned, he doesn't like to hear any disagreement, and he doesn't give a damn about the soldiers he gets misty eyed over. Hitler was like that too.
He is a self-centered, narcissistic, SOB. He has no empathy, and he certainly has no charm or sense of diplomacy. As he said, being president means you can do what you want. You can open a can of whoop ass without fear of an ass whooping.
Black Agenda Report
It's Hump Day, and that means it is also Black Agenda Report day. As usual, you will get a take on the news that you won't get anywhere else. Obamamania? Not at BAR, thank goodness.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Jesse, Jesse, Jesse
"I can't speak for the television industry."
Michael Richards
"We are all racists."
Dr. Brenda Wade
I'm trying to give Jesse Jackson the benefit of the doubt, but I have to go with my gut instinct. When I read that Jackson would interview Richards on his radio program, I could only ask, "What the f**k for?"
Jackson says he wants to talk about the chance for healing, and discuss the dearth of black images on television. I'm all for healing and I want to see more black people on the tube, but it was frankly a waste for Jackson to ask Richards about it. Maybe he had a brilliant reason for this program, but it eludes me.
As for this Dr. Wade, I don't know what is up with her. She said that racism was subconscious, but it certainly isn't for the KKK and it wasn't for Richards. There is nothing subconscios about his hatred. It was front, center and very present in his brain.
There is nothing to be gained from engaging the likes of Michael Richards. He is a bigot, he is only sorry because he got caught. There has to be a clear expression of outrage directed at him, and that can't happen if Howard Rubenstein calls Jesse and says, "Please put my client on your show." That helps Rubenstein, Richards and Jackson but it certainly doesn't help anyone else.
"I can't speak for the television industry."
Michael Richards
"We are all racists."
Dr. Brenda Wade
I'm trying to give Jesse Jackson the benefit of the doubt, but I have to go with my gut instinct. When I read that Jackson would interview Richards on his radio program, I could only ask, "What the f**k for?"
Jackson says he wants to talk about the chance for healing, and discuss the dearth of black images on television. I'm all for healing and I want to see more black people on the tube, but it was frankly a waste for Jackson to ask Richards about it. Maybe he had a brilliant reason for this program, but it eludes me.
As for this Dr. Wade, I don't know what is up with her. She said that racism was subconscious, but it certainly isn't for the KKK and it wasn't for Richards. There is nothing subconscios about his hatred. It was front, center and very present in his brain.
There is nothing to be gained from engaging the likes of Michael Richards. He is a bigot, he is only sorry because he got caught. There has to be a clear expression of outrage directed at him, and that can't happen if Howard Rubenstein calls Jesse and says, "Please put my client on your show." That helps Rubenstein, Richards and Jackson but it certainly doesn't help anyone else.
Michael Richards is Jewish
For the last week the Michael Richards racism controversy has generated another one, or rather a question. Is Michael Richards Jewish? Jew, not a Jew. Some said no, he is Catholic. Some said his mother is Jewish and that settles the question. Others said he is a Mason and that means he can't be Jewish.
His flack, Howard Rubenstein, answers the question.
"As for reports that Richards shouted out anti-Semitic remarks during another standup comedy routine in April, Rubenstein confirmed his client did, but that he was only role-playing. 'He's Jewish. He's not anti-Semitic at all.'
Well, Rubenstein should know how his client identifies himself. If his flack says Richards is Jewish, then he is. Case closed.
For the last week the Michael Richards racism controversy has generated another one, or rather a question. Is Michael Richards Jewish? Jew, not a Jew. Some said no, he is Catholic. Some said his mother is Jewish and that settles the question. Others said he is a Mason and that means he can't be Jewish.
His flack, Howard Rubenstein, answers the question.
"As for reports that Richards shouted out anti-Semitic remarks during another standup comedy routine in April, Rubenstein confirmed his client did, but that he was only role-playing. 'He's Jewish. He's not anti-Semitic at all.'
Well, Rubenstein should know how his client identifies himself. If his flack says Richards is Jewish, then he is. Case closed.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
I Lied, So Did Michael Richards
OK, so I am posting before Monday. I really had intended to take off for the weekend, but that was before a friend told me that Michael Richards was never heckled by anyone before he spewed his sick tirade last week. Kyle Doss and Frank McBride, victims of the hate filled routine, were interviewed on the Today Show today. Watch the video.
Both men report that Richards attacked them from the moment they walked in with a group of friends. As soon as he saw them Richards made a comment about “stupid blacks and Mexicans.” Someone in their group responded, “You’re not funny,” but only after Richards flipped the bird and used the word nigger numerous times.
Now that the truth is out, damage control has gone into high gear. Richards is calling Al and Jesse and any other famous black person he can find to take his calls.
I had Richards pegged as a racist from day one. If he had been heckled, so what? Comedians have to deal with rowdy patrons all the time. Richards evocation of lynching revealed a sick, hateful mind. End of story.
OK, now I’m finished until Monday. I think.
OK, so I am posting before Monday. I really had intended to take off for the weekend, but that was before a friend told me that Michael Richards was never heckled by anyone before he spewed his sick tirade last week. Kyle Doss and Frank McBride, victims of the hate filled routine, were interviewed on the Today Show today. Watch the video.
Both men report that Richards attacked them from the moment they walked in with a group of friends. As soon as he saw them Richards made a comment about “stupid blacks and Mexicans.” Someone in their group responded, “You’re not funny,” but only after Richards flipped the bird and used the word nigger numerous times.
Now that the truth is out, damage control has gone into high gear. Richards is calling Al and Jesse and any other famous black person he can find to take his calls.
I had Richards pegged as a racist from day one. If he had been heckled, so what? Comedians have to deal with rowdy patrons all the time. Richards evocation of lynching revealed a sick, hateful mind. End of story.
OK, now I’m finished until Monday. I think.
Happy Thanksgiving
Sorry about causing heart burn the day before we all chow down, but Black Agenda Report always keeps it real. You will never think of Thanksiving the same way again. If you want a more light hearted approach to the same theme, check out the Onion. It may help the stuffing go down a bit easier.
Thanks to Smirking Chimp for posting my work again. Torture anyone? Not to worry if your white, even if you are a terrorist.
Eat well, don't drink and drive, and whatever else you do, don't shop on Friday. I'm taking the weekend off, next post on Monday.
Sorry about causing heart burn the day before we all chow down, but Black Agenda Report always keeps it real. You will never think of Thanksiving the same way again. If you want a more light hearted approach to the same theme, check out the Onion. It may help the stuffing go down a bit easier.
Thanks to Smirking Chimp for posting my work again. Torture anyone? Not to worry if your white, even if you are a terrorist.
Eat well, don't drink and drive, and whatever else you do, don't shop on Friday. I'm taking the weekend off, next post on Monday.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Seinfeld Damage Control
Poor Jerry Seinfeld. He is sitting on a pile of cash from his days of Seinfeld success. The show is in endless reruns and DVDs of the first six seasons are on sale. Just when the latest DVDs are set for release, and more cash is flowing in, Michael Richards ruins it for everyone.
What is Seinfeld to do? There he is going on Letterman to hawk a must have Christmas gift but he knows that he will have to talk about his friend's sick, racist rant.
Voila. Have him on satellite and tell him to apologize but quick. Better for Seinfeld, Richards, and better for Letterman's ratings.
What is a black person to do? As I noted in yesterday's post, it is hard to know what to do about white celebrities. Should we like them? Who knows if they are closet racists? Well, you never know, but that sums up life for black people in a variety of ways. We don't know what to expect on job interviews, when we are stopped by police or if we go shopping in a store.
Richard doesn't have much of a career, so he can't even be boycotted. It doesn't make much sense to avoid all television and movies with white stars. We wouldn't have much to watch.
I guess I'll have to go with the shows on WB and UPN that I used to make fun of. Some of them aren't so bad, and I won't have to wonder if I'm feeding the hand that will bite me.
We should do what we always do. Enjoy life as much as possible, but be ready for the worst. Well, there is a depressing thought. I guess I'll go watch a sitcom and relieve my stress.
Poor Jerry Seinfeld. He is sitting on a pile of cash from his days of Seinfeld success. The show is in endless reruns and DVDs of the first six seasons are on sale. Just when the latest DVDs are set for release, and more cash is flowing in, Michael Richards ruins it for everyone.
What is Seinfeld to do? There he is going on Letterman to hawk a must have Christmas gift but he knows that he will have to talk about his friend's sick, racist rant.
Voila. Have him on satellite and tell him to apologize but quick. Better for Seinfeld, Richards, and better for Letterman's ratings.
What is a black person to do? As I noted in yesterday's post, it is hard to know what to do about white celebrities. Should we like them? Who knows if they are closet racists? Well, you never know, but that sums up life for black people in a variety of ways. We don't know what to expect on job interviews, when we are stopped by police or if we go shopping in a store.
Richard doesn't have much of a career, so he can't even be boycotted. It doesn't make much sense to avoid all television and movies with white stars. We wouldn't have much to watch.
I guess I'll have to go with the shows on WB and UPN that I used to make fun of. Some of them aren't so bad, and I won't have to wonder if I'm feeding the hand that will bite me.
We should do what we always do. Enjoy life as much as possible, but be ready for the worst. Well, there is a depressing thought. I guess I'll go watch a sitcom and relieve my stress.
Obama Speaks with Forked Tongue
"The first part of this strategy begins by exerting the greatest leverage we have on the Iraqi government – a phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq on a timetable that would begin in four to six months."
Barack Obama, November 21, 2006
"What is needed is a blueprint for an expeditious yet responsible exit from Iraq. A hard and fast, arbitrary deadline for withdrawal offers our commanders in the field, and our diplomats in the region, insufficient flexibility to implement that strategy."
Barack Obama, June 21, 2006
Like any good politician, Mr. Audacious minces words. Five months ago he very carefully distinguished between phased withdrawals without definite dates and total withdrawals with dates attached. However, it is clear if you read both speeches that Obama stuck his pinkie in the wind two weeks ago. He knows that voters made their feelings clear and want a troop withdrawal now. The DNC and DLC talking points that said, "Don't mention Iraq," went into file G in Obama's office.
He is still talking out of both sides of his mouth on this issue. He was against it, but thinks we can't leave. How very convenient. The celebrity Senator gets to have it both ways and look good to his ever more fawning fan club.
The truth is that the U.S. presence has created all of Iraq's problems. Some 600,000 Iraqis are dead, a fact that Obama thinks is unimportant. He certainly doesn't mention it in any of his brilliant, terribly thoughtful speeches.
No one else does either. Even those Senators who had the courage to vote against war, now advocate leaving Iraq because of American losses only. The thousands of dead Iraqis are never an issue for any of them.
Obama was conveniently not in the Senate in 2003. If he had been he would have voted for war and occupation. In reality he isn't audacious at all. He is a standard politician with presidential ambitions, and that means his thoughtfulness and intelligence are no where to be seen.
Obama would be a great Senator if he didn't also want to be president. If he can survive his case of Potomac Fever we may begin to see someone who is truly audacious and worthy of admiration. Until then, don't believe any of the hype.
"The first part of this strategy begins by exerting the greatest leverage we have on the Iraqi government – a phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq on a timetable that would begin in four to six months."
Barack Obama, November 21, 2006
"What is needed is a blueprint for an expeditious yet responsible exit from Iraq. A hard and fast, arbitrary deadline for withdrawal offers our commanders in the field, and our diplomats in the region, insufficient flexibility to implement that strategy."
Barack Obama, June 21, 2006
Like any good politician, Mr. Audacious minces words. Five months ago he very carefully distinguished between phased withdrawals without definite dates and total withdrawals with dates attached. However, it is clear if you read both speeches that Obama stuck his pinkie in the wind two weeks ago. He knows that voters made their feelings clear and want a troop withdrawal now. The DNC and DLC talking points that said, "Don't mention Iraq," went into file G in Obama's office.
He is still talking out of both sides of his mouth on this issue. He was against it, but thinks we can't leave. How very convenient. The celebrity Senator gets to have it both ways and look good to his ever more fawning fan club.
The truth is that the U.S. presence has created all of Iraq's problems. Some 600,000 Iraqis are dead, a fact that Obama thinks is unimportant. He certainly doesn't mention it in any of his brilliant, terribly thoughtful speeches.
No one else does either. Even those Senators who had the courage to vote against war, now advocate leaving Iraq because of American losses only. The thousands of dead Iraqis are never an issue for any of them.
Obama was conveniently not in the Senate in 2003. If he had been he would have voted for war and occupation. In reality he isn't audacious at all. He is a standard politician with presidential ambitions, and that means his thoughtfulness and intelligence are no where to be seen.
Obama would be a great Senator if he didn't also want to be president. If he can survive his case of Potomac Fever we may begin to see someone who is truly audacious and worthy of admiration. Until then, don't believe any of the hype.
Monday, November 20, 2006
"Kramer" Loves White Supremacy
"Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your ass."
Michael Richards
When comedians get lots of laugh they say they "killed" their audience. I thought that was just an expression. Michael Richards takes the word literally and uses it when he isn't making such a good impression.
What is a thinking black person to do? Can we watch tv and movies and enjoy white performers or should we just forget about it? My father has said that he wouldn't have spent his money at Saturday matinees watching so many westerns if he had known that John Wayne was a racist.
I regularly watched the old Seinfeld series for several years and loved the character Kramer, the wacky next door neighbor that no sitcom can do without. Like my dad, I now wish I had known better.
Michael Richards, the actor who portrayed Kramer, was performing a stand up routine at the Laugh Factory comedy club in Los Angeles when he was heckled. The hecklers were black, and that was simply too much for Richards to take.
He not only pined for the days when black people were tortured and murdered on any white person's whim, but he continued using the word nigger over and over. Thankfully it was all caught on video.
"You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now motherf**ker. Throw his ass out. He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! A nigger, look, there's a nigger!"
The rules haven't changed very much in the 21st century. White people do not like it when black people challenge them. They feel entitled, to say or do as they wish while we are entitled to nothing, except punishment. If we step out of line, we are immediately reminded that we can and should be killed. Notice that Richards used the first person in his blood lust fantasy. He clearly fantasizes about the good old days for white people and sees himself in the gruesome lynching picture.
I don't know if Richards will flee to rehab or cry and beg forgiveness. His words should not be forgotten and and he shouldn't be hired to perform anywhere ever again.
The only thing positive about this situation is that it will have what I call a smokeout effect. Anyone who expresses sympathy for Richards, or doesn't understand the outrage, or says we are being too PC or overly sensitive is not to be trusted. Some of those people may be black, but the rules don't change. They are not to be trusted either.
Randall Kennedy is such a person. The black Harvard professor makes a very good living defending the use of the word nigger and the white people who use it. He even took the trouble to testify in court on behalf of a white man, Nicholas Minucci, who was on trial for committing a hate crime against a black person. The jurors had better sense than Kennedy and convicted Minucci.
Kennedy has been joined by John Ridley, the newest kid on the block who beats up on black people for personal gain. Ridley not only says there is nothing wrong with the word nigger but uses it to disparage all black people he says have created their own problems. In Ridley's world every black person on public assistance or in jail or on the unemployment line is responsible for their own problems and is a nigger too.
We will learn a lot more as this story unfolds. The next few days will tell us a lot. We will know who would stick forks up our asses if they got the chance. We shouldn't be surprised if some of those people look like the victims in the lynching photos.
"Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your ass."
Michael Richards
When comedians get lots of laugh they say they "killed" their audience. I thought that was just an expression. Michael Richards takes the word literally and uses it when he isn't making such a good impression.
What is a thinking black person to do? Can we watch tv and movies and enjoy white performers or should we just forget about it? My father has said that he wouldn't have spent his money at Saturday matinees watching so many westerns if he had known that John Wayne was a racist.
I regularly watched the old Seinfeld series for several years and loved the character Kramer, the wacky next door neighbor that no sitcom can do without. Like my dad, I now wish I had known better.
Michael Richards, the actor who portrayed Kramer, was performing a stand up routine at the Laugh Factory comedy club in Los Angeles when he was heckled. The hecklers were black, and that was simply too much for Richards to take.
He not only pined for the days when black people were tortured and murdered on any white person's whim, but he continued using the word nigger over and over. Thankfully it was all caught on video.
"You can talk, you can talk, you're brave now motherf**ker. Throw his ass out. He's a nigger! He's a nigger! He's a nigger! A nigger, look, there's a nigger!"
The rules haven't changed very much in the 21st century. White people do not like it when black people challenge them. They feel entitled, to say or do as they wish while we are entitled to nothing, except punishment. If we step out of line, we are immediately reminded that we can and should be killed. Notice that Richards used the first person in his blood lust fantasy. He clearly fantasizes about the good old days for white people and sees himself in the gruesome lynching picture.
I don't know if Richards will flee to rehab or cry and beg forgiveness. His words should not be forgotten and and he shouldn't be hired to perform anywhere ever again.
The only thing positive about this situation is that it will have what I call a smokeout effect. Anyone who expresses sympathy for Richards, or doesn't understand the outrage, or says we are being too PC or overly sensitive is not to be trusted. Some of those people may be black, but the rules don't change. They are not to be trusted either.
Randall Kennedy is such a person. The black Harvard professor makes a very good living defending the use of the word nigger and the white people who use it. He even took the trouble to testify in court on behalf of a white man, Nicholas Minucci, who was on trial for committing a hate crime against a black person. The jurors had better sense than Kennedy and convicted Minucci.
Kennedy has been joined by John Ridley, the newest kid on the block who beats up on black people for personal gain. Ridley not only says there is nothing wrong with the word nigger but uses it to disparage all black people he says have created their own problems. In Ridley's world every black person on public assistance or in jail or on the unemployment line is responsible for their own problems and is a nigger too.
We will learn a lot more as this story unfolds. The next few days will tell us a lot. We will know who would stick forks up our asses if they got the chance. We shouldn't be surprised if some of those people look like the victims in the lynching photos.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Why Harold Ford Lost
"It was this combination of hostility, immaturity, and poor character that I believe cost Ford a significant amount of votes from liberals - and therefore the election. Considering that Corker only won with a margin of less than 50,000 votes, that breaks down to about 21 votes per precinct."
According to the Crusader at Daily Kos, Ford lost his race for the Tennessee Senate seat because he is an ass. I'm not quoting Crusader, but that is what it boils down to. Ford went out of his way to emphasize his anti-abortion, anti-immigrant, pro-war credentials, making little distinction between himself and Corker.
Ford is a menace, but as we have seen with Carville's idiotic musings, the DLC loves him and will find some way to prop him up. Hopefully more intelligent minds will prevail and the stake will stay firmly implanted in his heart.
"It was this combination of hostility, immaturity, and poor character that I believe cost Ford a significant amount of votes from liberals - and therefore the election. Considering that Corker only won with a margin of less than 50,000 votes, that breaks down to about 21 votes per precinct."
According to the Crusader at Daily Kos, Ford lost his race for the Tennessee Senate seat because he is an ass. I'm not quoting Crusader, but that is what it boils down to. Ford went out of his way to emphasize his anti-abortion, anti-immigrant, pro-war credentials, making little distinction between himself and Corker.
Ford is a menace, but as we have seen with Carville's idiotic musings, the DLC loves him and will find some way to prop him up. Hopefully more intelligent minds will prevail and the stake will stay firmly implanted in his heart.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Carville is a Jack Ass
I seem to recall that Terry McAuliffe never won anything. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee before Howard Dean, the Howard Dean who won last week.
McAuliffe raised tons of cash, but could never manage to use it to win. Anything. Ever. Not an off year election for dog catcher in Podunk, not anything. Republicans were in the House majority from 1994 until last week, a twelve year period of time.
Someone needs to bring these little factoids to the attention of James Carville. Carville makes a fortune on CNN because he was a top Clinton campaign staffer. He is now compromised by the theology of triangulation and his marriage to a top Dick Cheney staffer, Mary Matalin.
He is furious that Howard Dean worked a winning strategy. Carville's partner in crime, Paul Begala, dismissed Dean's people as "nose pickers" who were wasting money. Only Carville and Begala could manage to find fault with success.
They are angry because they are terrified of real Democrats. Dean is a Democrat, a real one, and Carville and Begala hate him because of it. They are also afraid of losing their hold on the title "head Democrats in charge" among professional pundits.
By the way, Rahm Emanuel, another Clinton accolyte, is not the boy genius that the media make him out to be. Thirteen of22 House candidates hand picked by Emanuel lost.
"The Dems have picked up 28 seats so far, maybe more. So out of that 28, Rahm's choices accounted for 8! Since the Dems only needed 15 seats to win the House, Rahm's efforts were completely unnecessary. Had the campaign rested on Rahm's choices, there would have been only 8 or 9 new seats, and the Dems would have lost."
Of course the media are showing their allegiance to corporate power and not to accurately reporting the news. The New York Times (registration required) tells us that the Democrats are fighting among themselves. Not true. The Clinton gang are the only sore winners fighting against other Democrats.
Carville didn't say jack when McAuliffe lost again and again. Why? Because McAuliffe was Clinton's boy. Dean isn't, so Dean can't win for winning.
Get used to it. James Carville, Paul Begala and Rahm Emanuel will be in rare form between now and 2008. The boss's wife needs their help.
I seem to recall that Terry McAuliffe never won anything. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee before Howard Dean, the Howard Dean who won last week.
McAuliffe raised tons of cash, but could never manage to use it to win. Anything. Ever. Not an off year election for dog catcher in Podunk, not anything. Republicans were in the House majority from 1994 until last week, a twelve year period of time.
Someone needs to bring these little factoids to the attention of James Carville. Carville makes a fortune on CNN because he was a top Clinton campaign staffer. He is now compromised by the theology of triangulation and his marriage to a top Dick Cheney staffer, Mary Matalin.
He is furious that Howard Dean worked a winning strategy. Carville's partner in crime, Paul Begala, dismissed Dean's people as "nose pickers" who were wasting money. Only Carville and Begala could manage to find fault with success.
They are angry because they are terrified of real Democrats. Dean is a Democrat, a real one, and Carville and Begala hate him because of it. They are also afraid of losing their hold on the title "head Democrats in charge" among professional pundits.
By the way, Rahm Emanuel, another Clinton accolyte, is not the boy genius that the media make him out to be. Thirteen of22 House candidates hand picked by Emanuel lost.
"The Dems have picked up 28 seats so far, maybe more. So out of that 28, Rahm's choices accounted for 8! Since the Dems only needed 15 seats to win the House, Rahm's efforts were completely unnecessary. Had the campaign rested on Rahm's choices, there would have been only 8 or 9 new seats, and the Dems would have lost."
Of course the media are showing their allegiance to corporate power and not to accurately reporting the news. The New York Times (registration required) tells us that the Democrats are fighting among themselves. Not true. The Clinton gang are the only sore winners fighting against other Democrats.
Carville didn't say jack when McAuliffe lost again and again. Why? Because McAuliffe was Clinton's boy. Dean isn't, so Dean can't win for winning.
Get used to it. James Carville, Paul Begala and Rahm Emanuel will be in rare form between now and 2008. The boss's wife needs their help.
Bye-Bye Harold
We can thank Black Agenda Report for this great image and for its great reporting. If you don't know why the Harold Fords of the world are so dangerous, you have to check out BAR.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Don't Blame Black People
O.J. Simpson is back, worse than the proverbial bad penny. Not content to have gotten away with murder he has written a book to tell us how he would have killed two people. Mind you he didn't, he just spends his time thinking about how he would have done it.
I don't want to hear anything about black people loving him. Black people have no sway at Fox News, the purveyor of not one, but two nights of insanity featuring the aforesaid Simpson. Judith Regan got Simpson his book deal and two evenings on Fox. What do you expect from someone who would bang Bernard Kerik?
We can only hope that no one watches this nonsense or reads Simpson's book. I for one wouldn't watch for 30 seconds, much less two nights straight.
O.J. Simpson is back, worse than the proverbial bad penny. Not content to have gotten away with murder he has written a book to tell us how he would have killed two people. Mind you he didn't, he just spends his time thinking about how he would have done it.
I don't want to hear anything about black people loving him. Black people have no sway at Fox News, the purveyor of not one, but two nights of insanity featuring the aforesaid Simpson. Judith Regan got Simpson his book deal and two evenings on Fox. What do you expect from someone who would bang Bernard Kerik?
We can only hope that no one watches this nonsense or reads Simpson's book. I for one wouldn't watch for 30 seconds, much less two nights straight.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Mehlman Outed from Closet and Job
Yesterday Republican National Committee Chairman,Ken Mehlman, announced that he is stepping down. Not coincidentally, they day before that Bill Maher announced on Larry King Live that Mehlman is gay.
CNN censored those comments from the rebroadcast program. Thank God it is Larry King Live. Maher had already done his duty as a citizen before the corporate media could shut him up.
Will that same corporate media dare ask Mehlman what everyone else is asking? Did he leave as quickly as he did because he would be asked if Maher spoke the truth?
Mehlman's homosexuality has been an open secret for a long time. I often wondered if the gay prostitute (2/15/05 post) in the White House press room was his special friend. We will never know the truth of that either.
It has come to this. Stand up comics are now doing the work of the press.
Yesterday Republican National Committee Chairman,Ken Mehlman, announced that he is stepping down. Not coincidentally, they day before that Bill Maher announced on Larry King Live that Mehlman is gay.
CNN censored those comments from the rebroadcast program. Thank God it is Larry King Live. Maher had already done his duty as a citizen before the corporate media could shut him up.
Will that same corporate media dare ask Mehlman what everyone else is asking? Did he leave as quickly as he did because he would be asked if Maher spoke the truth?
Mehlman's homosexuality has been an open secret for a long time. I often wondered if the gay prostitute (2/15/05 post) in the White House press room was his special friend. We will never know the truth of that either.
It has come to this. Stand up comics are now doing the work of the press.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
"We'll Keep Killing" - Ehud Olmert, Israeli Prime Minister
I admit it, I'm parphrasing. Although I'm not off by much. Israel keeps killing Palestinians in Gaza. Eighteen women and children were killed by IDF shells yesterday. Olmert can call their deaths a "technical error" if he wants, but that isn't how the rest of the world sees it.
Israeli soldiers shot and killed two Palestinian women last week. The women were part of group acting as human shields. They were helping men holed up in a mosque escape from the soldiers. The men had guns and they were shooting, but they didn't kill any Israelis. The women, the ones who got shot, were unarmed.
By the way, every shot fired, every shell that falls, has Uncle Sam's name on it. Israel insists on putting a bulls eye on every American's back.
I admit it, I'm parphrasing. Although I'm not off by much. Israel keeps killing Palestinians in Gaza. Eighteen women and children were killed by IDF shells yesterday. Olmert can call their deaths a "technical error" if he wants, but that isn't how the rest of the world sees it.
Israeli soldiers shot and killed two Palestinian women last week. The women were part of group acting as human shields. They were helping men holed up in a mosque escape from the soldiers. The men had guns and they were shooting, but they didn't kill any Israelis. The women, the ones who got shot, were unarmed.
By the way, every shot fired, every shell that falls, has Uncle Sam's name on it. Israel insists on putting a bulls eye on every American's back.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Good News and Bad
Good News
Democrats win control of House
Deval Patrick wins
Harold Ford defeated (see earlier post)
Michael Steele defeated
Lynn Swann defeated
Ken Blackwell defeated
South Dakota abortion ban defeated
Missouri approves stem cell research
Bad News
Affirmative action outlawed in Michigan
Joe Lieberman won
Dem. control of Senate depends not only on votes in Virginia, but on turncoat Lieberman
Nancy Pelosi, new House Speaker, refuses to discuss impeaching Bush
Rahm Emanuel and other Clintonian triangulators in charge (see refusal to impeach)
Forget the Hype, Doesn't Really Matter
Rumsfeld resigns
Good News
Democrats win control of House
Deval Patrick wins
Harold Ford defeated (see earlier post)
Michael Steele defeated
Lynn Swann defeated
Ken Blackwell defeated
South Dakota abortion ban defeated
Missouri approves stem cell research
Bad News
Affirmative action outlawed in Michigan
Joe Lieberman won
Dem. control of Senate depends not only on votes in Virginia, but on turncoat Lieberman
Nancy Pelosi, new House Speaker, refuses to discuss impeaching Bush
Rahm Emanuel and other Clintonian triangulators in charge (see refusal to impeach)
Forget the Hype, Doesn't Really Matter
Rumsfeld resigns
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Little Rebel Harold Ford
Reuters
I never liked Harold Ford. He is an opportunistic, lying little suck up who throws black people under the bus when he thinks he can get ahead by doing it. As I pointed out back on March 21st, this is a guy who claimed his black grandmother was white. I kid you not.
I can't stand the guy. If I had liked him before the thrill would now be gone upon seeing this 1,000 word picture. Ford is doing some last minute flesh pressing at the Little Rebels Club, yes the real name, in his last day of campaigning for the Tennessee Senate seat.
How can you trust a guy who spent months proclaiming that he loves George Bush? To add insult to injury he just looks pathetic. He has taken off his tie and plopped an Elmer Fuddish redneckesque cap on his head, but he just looks like an Uncle Tom pleading for kindness from the local branch of the KKK.
This picture shows why Ford never had a chance. Tennessee is red neck, and no matter what they tell pollsters, white people in red neck states won't vote for anyone black. Black politicians are often placed in untenable positions when running for state wide office. It is a difficult conundrum, but if the state requires singing kumbayah with goold old boys then it just isn't worth it. Ford in the Senate would be a menace to black people.
Bye bye Harold and good riddance.
Reuters
I never liked Harold Ford. He is an opportunistic, lying little suck up who throws black people under the bus when he thinks he can get ahead by doing it. As I pointed out back on March 21st, this is a guy who claimed his black grandmother was white. I kid you not.
I can't stand the guy. If I had liked him before the thrill would now be gone upon seeing this 1,000 word picture. Ford is doing some last minute flesh pressing at the Little Rebels Club, yes the real name, in his last day of campaigning for the Tennessee Senate seat.
How can you trust a guy who spent months proclaiming that he loves George Bush? To add insult to injury he just looks pathetic. He has taken off his tie and plopped an Elmer Fuddish redneckesque cap on his head, but he just looks like an Uncle Tom pleading for kindness from the local branch of the KKK.
This picture shows why Ford never had a chance. Tennessee is red neck, and no matter what they tell pollsters, white people in red neck states won't vote for anyone black. Black politicians are often placed in untenable positions when running for state wide office. It is a difficult conundrum, but if the state requires singing kumbayah with goold old boys then it just isn't worth it. Ford in the Senate would be a menace to black people.
Bye bye Harold and good riddance.
Blonde, Blue Eyed White People Prevented from Voting
I predicted this would happen in my Black Agenda Report column entitled, How to Steal an Election. It is clear that voter ID requirements are preventing eligible voters from casting their ballots. So much so, that very well known white people are having problems voting too.
Robin Carnahan is Missouri's Secretary of State. She is the official in charge of that state's voting regulations. Her father was Governor and her mother was a Senator. As you can see from her official photo she is very, very white. The last point was probably the only thing that allowed her to vote by absentee ballot last week.
A Missouri law mandating photo ID was struck down by a federal court, but a poll worker insisted that Carnahan could not submit her absentee ballot without an ID. Carnahan persisted and was eventually allowed to vote without photo identification. "To have that experience personally was very troubling," said Carnahan. Now there is an under statement.
Steve Chabot is an Ohio Republican Congressman. He submitted his driver's license as ID but it displays his office address and not the home address listed on the rolls. The Congressman was forced to return home to retrieve additional identification.
Unlike Carnahan, Chabot didn't complain. "I guess this just shows the poll workers are really doing their job." Actually the incident showed just the opposite. As a state of Ohio website clearly states, "You may also use your Ohio driver's license or Ohio photo ID, even if it shows a previous address."
If well known very white people are having trouble at the polls, what hope do poor people have who don't have the luxury of time or the wherewithal to argue or the positive assumptions that come with having white skin. If the results tomorrow show another Republican victory, don't be surprised. Remember you heard it here first.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Israel Slaughters Palestinians
Here is a nice little factoid to think about as the week begins. As you can see on the chart above, there have been 76 Palestinians deaths for every Israeli death since July 1. It is a slaughter, not a conflict.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Rev. Ted Haggard, A Hateful Little Man
"I offer a deep tissue and swedish style massage with the pleasure of the man in mind. If you like a strong muscle man to bring pleasure to you then please call me." - Mike Jones, drug dealing prostitute and friend to down low, right wing, evangelicals
Imagine Mike Jones' surprise. The sex worker was in a gym, watching tv when he saw a regular customer on the tube. It turned out that the man he knew as "Art" was in fact Rev. Ted Haggard, pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs and president of the National Association of Evangelicals. What did Jones say to himself at the moment? "Hey, I get high with that guy and I lick his balls!" Well, something to that effect.
Preacher Ted Haggard is the latest closeted conservative in the hot seat. When Jones first claimed to have both had sex with and used methamphetamines with Haggard, Haggard called him a liar. He said he didn't know him at all. Period. End of story.
Well, that version of events lasted for about one day. Everything changed when Jones produced taped voice mail messages left by Haggard. Not only did they talk, but they talked about buying methamphetamines. Finally Haggard cracked and owned up to knowing Jones, getting a massage from him, and buying meth from him, but only to throw it away and not use it. The New Life Church was as unconvinced as everyone else and fired Haggard, who now cops to being a "deceiver and a liar."
I first lost any inclination to be compassionate towards Haggard when gave an interview in his car with the wife and kiddies by his side. A reporter asked him if he would step out so they could talk in private, but the lying deceiver had clearly lost any vestige of common sense decision making and dug himself in deeper with his family in tow.
Jones did the public a great service when he revealed Haggard's hypocrisy. I admit to not knowing anything about the guybefore the scandal, but a 2005 Harper's article is an eye opening and frightening revelation about the evangelical movement.
"In America the descendants of the Protestants, the Puritan descendants, we want to create a better future, and our speakers say that sort of thing. But with the influx of people from Mexico, they don't tend to be the ones that go to universities and become our research-and-development people. And so in that way I see a little clash of civilizations.”
“I teach a strong ideology of the use of power,” he says, “of military might, as a public service.”
Haggard is a pro-war fascist cult leader. He spreads hate and promotes American wars of aggression. I hope he won't be missed, but the sickness that gave him followers will not disappear. In the fine American tradition of religious hucksterism, he will be followed by others who are equally vile.
posted 11/05/06
Black Agenda Report
I have been seriously remiss in not mentioning last week's debut of Black Agenda Report, of which I am a columnist and editor. BAR will tell you what the corporate media will not. While they carry water for the GOP and make John Kerry's lame remarks a front page story, BAR will tell you how to keep an eye on Congress, even in Dems are back in control, and the history of an American genocide.
In this week's issue, my column covers the ever present threat of election theft by the Republicans. National elections were stolen in 2000, 2002 and 2004. Don't be surprised if polls showing Democratic victories are once again mysteriously wrong.
Whatever the outcome, Black Agenda Report will explain it all for you.
I have been seriously remiss in not mentioning last week's debut of Black Agenda Report, of which I am a columnist and editor. BAR will tell you what the corporate media will not. While they carry water for the GOP and make John Kerry's lame remarks a front page story, BAR will tell you how to keep an eye on Congress, even in Dems are back in control, and the history of an American genocide.
In this week's issue, my column covers the ever present threat of election theft by the Republicans. National elections were stolen in 2000, 2002 and 2004. Don't be surprised if polls showing Democratic victories are once again mysteriously wrong.
Whatever the outcome, Black Agenda Report will explain it all for you.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Barack Obama Disappoints
No, I'm not crazy about Mr. Wonderful and I don't care if everyone else has fallen under his spell. No, I don't care if he runs for president or not. He has proven himself to be no better than other Democrats, so I see no reason for the hyperventilation. Anyone promoted by right wing columnist David Brooks is no friend of mine.
My lack of love for Barack Obama is a result of both my cynicism in general and his failure to do what any Democrat ought to do. Support for Ned Lamont in his Connecticut Senate race should be a litmus test for all Democrats and the celebrity of the moment has failed that test.
In August Connecticut Democrats made their feelings clear. They were sick of Joe Lieberman and gave him the back of their hands as soon as they had someone else to vote for. Lieberman felt entitled to hold onto his seat and decided to run as an independent. His biggest supporters are Republicans, so the independent label is a very sick joke.
Obama endorsed Lieberman before the primary and made a public appearance with the rat bastard to make good on his endorsement. He was shrewd enough to support Lamont after the primary but has avoided being seen in public with him. Hillary Clinton has done the same thing. She loaned Lamont her fund raiser and has met with him privately, but it was Lieberman who got Clinton face time and a photo op.
Senator celeb is criss crossing the country raising money for Democrats and promoting his book. Yet he can't seem to find his way to Connecticut and Ned Lamont, the party nominee in that state. Maybe he has a one visit per state rule.
Lieberman may well help the GOP retain Senate control. He may take a job with the Bush administration and let the Republican governor choose a successor. Or he may just switch teams and hand the Senate over to the Republicans.
If that happens Obama lovers must then ask their idol and other Democrats some hard questions. Where were you when Dems needed you?
It isn't really hard to figure out. Obama is playing it safe. Whether he wants to run for president or settle for veep with Hillary, he has to loe the line. If he has to toe the line, why get excited about him? Clintonian triangulation in black face is no cause for celebration.
No, I'm not crazy about Mr. Wonderful and I don't care if everyone else has fallen under his spell. No, I don't care if he runs for president or not. He has proven himself to be no better than other Democrats, so I see no reason for the hyperventilation. Anyone promoted by right wing columnist David Brooks is no friend of mine.
My lack of love for Barack Obama is a result of both my cynicism in general and his failure to do what any Democrat ought to do. Support for Ned Lamont in his Connecticut Senate race should be a litmus test for all Democrats and the celebrity of the moment has failed that test.
In August Connecticut Democrats made their feelings clear. They were sick of Joe Lieberman and gave him the back of their hands as soon as they had someone else to vote for. Lieberman felt entitled to hold onto his seat and decided to run as an independent. His biggest supporters are Republicans, so the independent label is a very sick joke.
Obama endorsed Lieberman before the primary and made a public appearance with the rat bastard to make good on his endorsement. He was shrewd enough to support Lamont after the primary but has avoided being seen in public with him. Hillary Clinton has done the same thing. She loaned Lamont her fund raiser and has met with him privately, but it was Lieberman who got Clinton face time and a photo op.
Senator celeb is criss crossing the country raising money for Democrats and promoting his book. Yet he can't seem to find his way to Connecticut and Ned Lamont, the party nominee in that state. Maybe he has a one visit per state rule.
Lieberman may well help the GOP retain Senate control. He may take a job with the Bush administration and let the Republican governor choose a successor. Or he may just switch teams and hand the Senate over to the Republicans.
If that happens Obama lovers must then ask their idol and other Democrats some hard questions. Where were you when Dems needed you?
It isn't really hard to figure out. Obama is playing it safe. Whether he wants to run for president or settle for veep with Hillary, he has to loe the line. If he has to toe the line, why get excited about him? Clintonian triangulation in black face is no cause for celebration.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Forget 9/11
Here we go again with candlelight, bag pipes, poems, and George and Laura. It can only mean one thing. It is September 11th.
I hate the way September 11th is remembered. It is the day of the year when Americans are most encouraged to stay in their bubble of ignorance about the rest of the world and think that their suffering is more significant than anyone else's.
The Americans who died on September 11, 2006 are not more worthy of mourning than the thousands of Iraqis killed by U.S. government terror. If we are going to engage in this display of grief every year, we should at least include memorials to other people.
How many Afghans were killed so that the U.S. could "save" their country? How many Iraqis? Let us acknowledge that governments sponsor terror every time they drop bombs. We should also acknowledge that other families mourn their dead. Iraqi families don't cry more than American families do. Dead is dead. Death by violence is always terrible. We might spend time remembering the Americans killed by random violence.
Are their families ever made whole? How do they spend the anniversaries of their loved one's death? What can we learn about the universality of human suffering if we think of them too?
September 11th should be a day of mourning for the families and friends of those who perished that awful day. It is their thoughts and feelings that count the most. Do they really want to publicly grieve? Anniversaries of deaths are hard enough, how does it feel to be constantly reminded of one's pain? I wish someone would ask them, all of them, and not just the self-appointed few we see most often who are said to represent 3,000 people.
So let us remember the victims of terror, all the victims, all over the world.
Here we go again with candlelight, bag pipes, poems, and George and Laura. It can only mean one thing. It is September 11th.
I hate the way September 11th is remembered. It is the day of the year when Americans are most encouraged to stay in their bubble of ignorance about the rest of the world and think that their suffering is more significant than anyone else's.
The Americans who died on September 11, 2006 are not more worthy of mourning than the thousands of Iraqis killed by U.S. government terror. If we are going to engage in this display of grief every year, we should at least include memorials to other people.
How many Afghans were killed so that the U.S. could "save" their country? How many Iraqis? Let us acknowledge that governments sponsor terror every time they drop bombs. We should also acknowledge that other families mourn their dead. Iraqi families don't cry more than American families do. Dead is dead. Death by violence is always terrible. We might spend time remembering the Americans killed by random violence.
Are their families ever made whole? How do they spend the anniversaries of their loved one's death? What can we learn about the universality of human suffering if we think of them too?
September 11th should be a day of mourning for the families and friends of those who perished that awful day. It is their thoughts and feelings that count the most. Do they really want to publicly grieve? Anniversaries of deaths are hard enough, how does it feel to be constantly reminded of one's pain? I wish someone would ask them, all of them, and not just the self-appointed few we see most often who are said to represent 3,000 people.
So let us remember the victims of terror, all the victims, all over the world.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Krikey!
Has it been more than a month since I last posted? Yes it has. Let's see, what has transpired? Photos of celebrity spawn fetch millions, Joe Lieberman thinks he has a God given right to his Senate seat, the Katrina anniversary has come and gone with half of New Orleans population still displaced, al-Qaeda has more #2s than a toilet seat, and Katie Couric began receiving her $25 million salary for reading the news. Her debut included showing said photos of celebrity spawn, but that's not all. A man who made a name for himself by getting way too close to wild animals finally died because of his actions. His homeland must have a serious inferiority complex because their government offered a state funeral for a man who died for lack of common sense.
More tomorrow, just wanted you to know I am still here.
Has it been more than a month since I last posted? Yes it has. Let's see, what has transpired? Photos of celebrity spawn fetch millions, Joe Lieberman thinks he has a God given right to his Senate seat, the Katrina anniversary has come and gone with half of New Orleans population still displaced, al-Qaeda has more #2s than a toilet seat, and Katie Couric began receiving her $25 million salary for reading the news. Her debut included showing said photos of celebrity spawn, but that's not all. A man who made a name for himself by getting way too close to wild animals finally died because of his actions. His homeland must have a serious inferiority complex because their government offered a state funeral for a man who died for lack of common sense.
More tomorrow, just wanted you to know I am still here.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
CNN Keeps Americans Stupid
I wish the American media could be tried for war crimes. I don't exaggerate. They have wilfully kept Americans in a bubble of ignorance about the rest of the world. Even those of us who are dedicated to speaking truth to the powerful are hamstrung by the need to constantly seek out reliable news sources.
Take CNN, please. In this link you can see that CNN international will take an Israeli government spokesperson to task for its lies about the bombing at Qana which killed dozens of civilians. Americans got an edited version that gave Israel the last word and thus the benefit of the doubt.
I wish the American media could be tried for war crimes. I don't exaggerate. They have wilfully kept Americans in a bubble of ignorance about the rest of the world. Even those of us who are dedicated to speaking truth to the powerful are hamstrung by the need to constantly seek out reliable news sources.
Take CNN, please. In this link you can see that CNN international will take an Israeli government spokesperson to task for its lies about the bombing at Qana which killed dozens of civilians. Americans got an edited version that gave Israel the last word and thus the benefit of the doubt.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Mel Gibson
"What do you think you're looking at, sugar tits?"- drunk Mel Gibson to female cop
Mel, Mel, Mel. It is better to be thought an anti-Semite and a lout than to open your mouth and prove it. When I read that Mel Gibson was arrested for DUI in Malibu, California I didn't think twice about it. Drunk celebrity arrests seem to take place every day. Boring!
Well, Gibson's arrest has proven to be far from ordinary. It seems that not only was the actor/director wasted out of his mind, but he blamed Jews for "all the wars in the world." When I first saw a headline about his rantings I thought it must have been April Fools Day.
I wrote about The Passion of the Christ back on March 2, 2004. At the time, the film directed by Gibson was a box office hit and the cause of a controversy that lasted for months. Most of the controversy was the result of Jewish complaints of anti-Semitism in the film.
I thought that Gibson made the Jewish religious leadership greater villains than Pilate, but so it was in the gospels. I also felt that Christians received a bum rap, considered incapable of seeing this film without starting pogroms at the local multiplex.
Christians were as annoying as some of their Jewish brethren, treating Gibson as if he were their church pastor. There was nothing in the movie that Christians didn't know, yet the movie was treated as divine revelation.
Gibson sucked up to the Christian and political right to market his movie. He certainly needed the political muscle because his father's history as a holocaust denier certainly didn't help him.
I was willing to give Gibson fils the benefit of the doubt about his own beliefs. He couldn't very well publicly condemn his own father. Well, I should have followed my own dictum and been cynical about him.
He apologized for his behavior and the comments made during his arrest. He admitted to being an alcoholic.
"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said."
One can only hope.
"What do you think you're looking at, sugar tits?"- drunk Mel Gibson to female cop
Mel, Mel, Mel. It is better to be thought an anti-Semite and a lout than to open your mouth and prove it. When I read that Mel Gibson was arrested for DUI in Malibu, California I didn't think twice about it. Drunk celebrity arrests seem to take place every day. Boring!
Well, Gibson's arrest has proven to be far from ordinary. It seems that not only was the actor/director wasted out of his mind, but he blamed Jews for "all the wars in the world." When I first saw a headline about his rantings I thought it must have been April Fools Day.
I wrote about The Passion of the Christ back on March 2, 2004. At the time, the film directed by Gibson was a box office hit and the cause of a controversy that lasted for months. Most of the controversy was the result of Jewish complaints of anti-Semitism in the film.
I thought that Gibson made the Jewish religious leadership greater villains than Pilate, but so it was in the gospels. I also felt that Christians received a bum rap, considered incapable of seeing this film without starting pogroms at the local multiplex.
Christians were as annoying as some of their Jewish brethren, treating Gibson as if he were their church pastor. There was nothing in the movie that Christians didn't know, yet the movie was treated as divine revelation.
Gibson sucked up to the Christian and political right to market his movie. He certainly needed the political muscle because his father's history as a holocaust denier certainly didn't help him.
I was willing to give Gibson fils the benefit of the doubt about his own beliefs. He couldn't very well publicly condemn his own father. Well, I should have followed my own dictum and been cynical about him.
He apologized for his behavior and the comments made during his arrest. He admitted to being an alcoholic.
"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said."
One can only hope.
Bring on Armageddon!
I am not making this up. You are not reading the Onion. You are not reading a transcript from Saturday Night Live. This interchange actually took place on Good Morning America between Robin Roberts and Tim LaHaye.
ROBERTS: As my mom often says, you better get right -- better get right in these times that we're living in.
LaHAYE: Amen.
ROBERTS: You see what's going on: the bombing in Haifa and Israel, and it's so close to the valley of Armageddon. And when you think about that and people see this and think about -- is it indeed Armageddon?
JENKINS: Well, we feel Armageddon comes later.
Too bad. When Armageddon comes we'll be rid of Good Morning America.
I am not making this up. You are not reading the Onion. You are not reading a transcript from Saturday Night Live. This interchange actually took place on Good Morning America between Robin Roberts and Tim LaHaye.
ROBERTS: As my mom often says, you better get right -- better get right in these times that we're living in.
LaHAYE: Amen.
ROBERTS: You see what's going on: the bombing in Haifa and Israel, and it's so close to the valley of Armageddon. And when you think about that and people see this and think about -- is it indeed Armageddon?
JENKINS: Well, we feel Armageddon comes later.
Too bad. When Armageddon comes we'll be rid of Good Morning America.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
George Bush, Sex Harasser
"In other words, he is indeed That Guy, like the best man at the wedding party, the one standing out in the center of the room, casually and cluelessly telling off-color jokes that offend everyone but which he thinks are gul-dang hilarious and, hell, if you're offended then you're just some gul-dang hippie liberal. Haw." Mark Morford
That G8 meeting certainly created a hostile work environment for German Chancellor Angela Merkel. See for yourself.
I feel your pain Angela, Bush creeps me out too. A leader of one of the world's most powerful nations was treated like a secretary working for a moronic, sexist, clueless boss.
The scary thing is that Bush thinks he is just swell, as Mark Morford points out.
"In other words, he is indeed That Guy, like the best man at the wedding party, the one standing out in the center of the room, casually and cluelessly telling off-color jokes that offend everyone but which he thinks are gul-dang hilarious and, hell, if you're offended then you're just some gul-dang hippie liberal. Haw." Mark Morford
That G8 meeting certainly created a hostile work environment for German Chancellor Angela Merkel. See for yourself.
I feel your pain Angela, Bush creeps me out too. A leader of one of the world's most powerful nations was treated like a secretary working for a moronic, sexist, clueless boss.
The scary thing is that Bush thinks he is just swell, as Mark Morford points out.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Israeli Genocide of Palestinians
The Death March, as the Palestinians call it, along with the massacre at Deir Yassin, represent two of the central traumas that form the Palestinian catastrophe. Countless thousands fled from their villages, many because of "whispering campaigns" by Israeli military intelligence agents, which, following Deir Yassin, were designed to spark Arab fears of another massacre. Tens of thousands more were driven from their homes by force.
The Palestinian Catastrophe, Then and Now
Did you know that the Israelis sent thousands of Arab men, women and children on a death march through the desert? Don't be ashamed, I didn't know about it either. Read the above link and then weep.
The Death March, as the Palestinians call it, along with the massacre at Deir Yassin, represent two of the central traumas that form the Palestinian catastrophe. Countless thousands fled from their villages, many because of "whispering campaigns" by Israeli military intelligence agents, which, following Deir Yassin, were designed to spark Arab fears of another massacre. Tens of thousands more were driven from their homes by force.
The Palestinian Catastrophe, Then and Now
Did you know that the Israelis sent thousands of Arab men, women and children on a death march through the desert? Don't be ashamed, I didn't know about it either. Read the above link and then weep.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Father Michael Jude Fay is Gay
"Jude was always chasing after him."
Today's New York Times has an article about a Catholic priest who was fired from his Connecticut parish for stealing money. Father Michael Jude Fay had highlights in his hair, directed musical productions, and owned property with a male friend.
In other words, he was gay. The New York Times seems to be coy about saying so, however. I copied the article below. (You will have to pay for it if you look it up on the Times site.) Decide for yourself about Fay, and why the Times won't state the obvious.
July 9, 2006
Before the Downfall of a Priest, a Fondness for the Good Life
By ALISON LEIGH COWAN
DARIEN, Conn., July 8 — The Rev. Michael Jude Fay had his hair highlighted each spring at a local salon at prices of $85 or more, his hairdresser said. His vacation getaway was an ocean-view condominium in Florida that he owned with a close friend from Philadelphia. And he repeatedly spent thousands of dollars on luggage, jewelry and designer clothes, even though his salary was a modest $28,000 a year.
To many of his parishioners at St. John Roman Catholic Church in Darien, Father Fay's lavish ways came as a shock nearly two months ago when the Diocese of Bridgeport demanded his resignation because of questions about his suitability for the priesthood, his lifestyle and his financial stewardship of the church.
To those parishioners, he was the dutiful son of a New Jersey police officer and an advocate for the poor in wealthy Fairfield County. At times aloof, he was also sensitive in dealing with grief-stricken parishioners and showed flair in producing Broadway-style plays with local talent.
"People loved him," said Richard Manegio, a Darien businessman whose ex-wife relied on Father Fay when she was battling cancer.
But a handful of parishioners, current and former employees and local merchants had nursed suspicions for years about the longtime pastor. In interviews, they — and investigators, lawyers and church officials who came into the case more recently — said Father Fay's taste for the gilded life seemed to have spun out of control in recent years.
"He was the most high-class priest I've ever seen," said Frank Colandro, the owner of a deli across the street from the church, mentioning Father Fay's expensive-looking shoes and watches. And the more Father Fay spent, his critics say, the more autocratic and secretive he became about the church's finances.
Parishioners say there were warning signs about his spending, such as a black-tie bash he threw for himself at the Pierre Hotel, one of the premier hotels in Manhattan, in May 2003 to commemorate his 25th anniversary in the priesthood. But the Bridgeport Diocese did not pressure him to step aside until this year, after private investigators hired by the parish's bookkeeper and associate pastor documented at least $200,000 in questionable spending by Father Fay.
Now, F.B.I. agents are investigating his case, and parish officials have been passing the plate at services with extra pleas for offerings to ease the parish's debt load. The diocese, which violated its own policy by not auditing the parish's finances for more than five years, has said it will not comment on Father Fay until its own investigation is done.
Father Fay has not commented publicly, nor have the two lawyers who have told investigators they represent him. Attempts to obtain a comment from Father Fay were unsuccessful. His 85-year-old mother, Mildred Fay, said in a brief interview, "He's a wonderful person, and he's been wrongly accused."
Even people who thought they knew him well now say Father Fay, 55, has become a riddle to them. "This is a shock," said Ken Bruno, a building inspector in Palisades Park, N.J., whose children were confirmed by Father Fay about eight years ago. "I'm still trying to make sense of it."
Father Fay's story begins in Palisades Park, a tight-knit, working-class town that barely covers one square mile. His father, Martin Terrance Fay, was a co-captain of the football team at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, N.J., just as a new assistant coach, Vince Lombardi, was taking the team to new heights.
Martin Fay served in the Marine Corps during World War II and played minor-league football briefly until an injury sidelined him. Joining the Palisades Park police force in 1946, he ultimately became its chief. And when he died 10 years ago, the borough mourned, according to Frank A. Patti, a mortician who doubled until recently as the town historian. Father Fay "comes from good stock," Mr. Patti said.
Michael James Fay, the third of the Fays' five children, attended the local parish school, was active in Catholic youth organizations and appeared in a school play.
None of Father Fay's siblings responded to requests for interviews. After a stint at St. Francis University in Loretto, Pa., he earned a degree from St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore in 1977, adopted the middle name Jude and earned a Master of Arts degree in 1986 from Manhattan College, according to school records.
After being ordained in 1978, he worked as parochial vicar at some of Connecticut's most prosperous parishes, including St. Paul in Greenwich and St. Aloysius in New Canaan.
In 1991, he was put in charge of another wealthy parish, St. John, Darien's oldest Roman Catholic church. Parishioners say he urged them to show compassion to the needy, and they obliged by putting $10,000 or more a week into the church's collection baskets.
Parishioners also appreciated the spirited theatrical productions he helped direct at the church, including "Nunsense," "Guys and Dolls" and "Fiddler on the Roof." Starting in 2000, Father Fay's star seemed to rise. Sacred Heart University honored him for community service in 2002, and the Bridgeport Diocese appointed him to a sexual misconduct review board that year.
For all his outward success, it was evident that Father Fay had an appetite for little luxuries, such as the blond highlights his Darien hairdresser said he put in his hair. A small bridal shower he threw for a Sunday school teacher had a three-piece combo and jaw-dropping flower arrangements, a person who attended said.
Parishioners said he spent thousands of dollars sprucing up the church and expanding the house where the priests lived. When one parent questioned the cost of a tapestry, Father Fay cut her off by saying, "What makes you think it wasn't a gift?" said Regina Damanti, a parishioner who heard the exchange.
Investigators say that friends and family of Father Fay seemed to receive special privileges or favors from the parish. For instance, the church paid last fall to fly another priest from Baltimore to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where Father Fay owns a condominium, parish records show.
Father Fay also asked the church's caretaker to paint his mother's home in New Jersey and to repair the bungalow he once owned in western Connecticut, on church time, the investigators said.
Ellen Patafio, who was the parish's secretary from November 2004 until she quit in February, said Father Fay "really changed a lot over the time I worked there."
Parishioners would call the office, wanting to discuss their problems with the priest, she said, and "every time Jude would get on the phone, he'd roll his eyes." Over time, she and others said, they noticed that he left more of the pastoral work to his parochial vicar, the Rev. Michael J. Madden.
Father Fay learned he had prostate cancer, but Ms. Patafio and other parishioners said he cited problems from the cancer to avoid duties he disliked. He called it playing his "cancer card," they said.
Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport told a recent gathering of parishioners that he may have given Father Fay latitude because he assumed the priest was in dire health. The severity of Father Fay's cancer problems is not known.
Father Fay did not relinquish his tight control over the church's finances, however, according to accounts provided by Ms. Patafio; the church's bookkeeper, Bethany D'Erario; her lawyer, Mickey Sherman; and the investigators she and Father Madden hired in May to look into possible improprieties at the church.
Father Fay typically kept donations to the church in his desk drawer instead of promptly depositing them in the church's bank account, making it difficult to track how the funds were used, said Vito Colucci Jr., one of the investigators hired by Father Madden.
In recent years, Father Fay also picked the members of the church's lay boards rather than let parishioners cast ballots, as they once did. None of the members of the parish's finance council returned calls seeking comment.
At least one member of the finance council, William Besgen, attended the black-tie event that Father Fay had at the Pierre Hotel in 2003, according to a seating list and Mr. Besgen's lawyer. In the spring of 2005, Father Fay and his friend from Philadelphia, Cliff Fantini, a wedding consultant, jointly bought a $449,100 condo in Fort Lauderdale, property records show. Furnishings and monthly cable bills were charged to the parish, church records show.
The two men are also listed as tenants of a luxury apartment on East 63rd Street in Manhattan, the building's staff said. Mr. Fantini, known professionally as Cliff Martell, also stayed at the rectory for extended periods, Ms. Patafio said. Ms. Patafio said Father Fay showered gifts, meals and trips on Mr. Fantini. "Jude was always chasing after him," she said. Mr. Fantini did not respond to multiple messages left at his home.
In April, the bookkeeper and Father Madden took their concerns to the diocese. Father Fay appeared before the bishop on May 9 to respond to the allegations but left without being relieved of his duties. Frustrated, the bookkeeper and Father Madden asked Mr. Colucci and Wendy Kleinknecht, another investigator, to review records the bookkeeper had copied. On May 17, the investigators took their findings to the Darien police. The bishop asked Father Fay to resign and to leave the premises that same day.
Parishioners say they have not seen him since, although his sister Kathleen showed up recently to retrieve his personal belongings, including a cabinet full of Waterford crystal he left behind.
Alain Delaquérière and Nate Schweber contributed reporting for this article.
"Jude was always chasing after him."
Today's New York Times has an article about a Catholic priest who was fired from his Connecticut parish for stealing money. Father Michael Jude Fay had highlights in his hair, directed musical productions, and owned property with a male friend.
In other words, he was gay. The New York Times seems to be coy about saying so, however. I copied the article below. (You will have to pay for it if you look it up on the Times site.) Decide for yourself about Fay, and why the Times won't state the obvious.
July 9, 2006
Before the Downfall of a Priest, a Fondness for the Good Life
By ALISON LEIGH COWAN
DARIEN, Conn., July 8 — The Rev. Michael Jude Fay had his hair highlighted each spring at a local salon at prices of $85 or more, his hairdresser said. His vacation getaway was an ocean-view condominium in Florida that he owned with a close friend from Philadelphia. And he repeatedly spent thousands of dollars on luggage, jewelry and designer clothes, even though his salary was a modest $28,000 a year.
To many of his parishioners at St. John Roman Catholic Church in Darien, Father Fay's lavish ways came as a shock nearly two months ago when the Diocese of Bridgeport demanded his resignation because of questions about his suitability for the priesthood, his lifestyle and his financial stewardship of the church.
To those parishioners, he was the dutiful son of a New Jersey police officer and an advocate for the poor in wealthy Fairfield County. At times aloof, he was also sensitive in dealing with grief-stricken parishioners and showed flair in producing Broadway-style plays with local talent.
"People loved him," said Richard Manegio, a Darien businessman whose ex-wife relied on Father Fay when she was battling cancer.
But a handful of parishioners, current and former employees and local merchants had nursed suspicions for years about the longtime pastor. In interviews, they — and investigators, lawyers and church officials who came into the case more recently — said Father Fay's taste for the gilded life seemed to have spun out of control in recent years.
"He was the most high-class priest I've ever seen," said Frank Colandro, the owner of a deli across the street from the church, mentioning Father Fay's expensive-looking shoes and watches. And the more Father Fay spent, his critics say, the more autocratic and secretive he became about the church's finances.
Parishioners say there were warning signs about his spending, such as a black-tie bash he threw for himself at the Pierre Hotel, one of the premier hotels in Manhattan, in May 2003 to commemorate his 25th anniversary in the priesthood. But the Bridgeport Diocese did not pressure him to step aside until this year, after private investigators hired by the parish's bookkeeper and associate pastor documented at least $200,000 in questionable spending by Father Fay.
Now, F.B.I. agents are investigating his case, and parish officials have been passing the plate at services with extra pleas for offerings to ease the parish's debt load. The diocese, which violated its own policy by not auditing the parish's finances for more than five years, has said it will not comment on Father Fay until its own investigation is done.
Father Fay has not commented publicly, nor have the two lawyers who have told investigators they represent him. Attempts to obtain a comment from Father Fay were unsuccessful. His 85-year-old mother, Mildred Fay, said in a brief interview, "He's a wonderful person, and he's been wrongly accused."
Even people who thought they knew him well now say Father Fay, 55, has become a riddle to them. "This is a shock," said Ken Bruno, a building inspector in Palisades Park, N.J., whose children were confirmed by Father Fay about eight years ago. "I'm still trying to make sense of it."
Father Fay's story begins in Palisades Park, a tight-knit, working-class town that barely covers one square mile. His father, Martin Terrance Fay, was a co-captain of the football team at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, N.J., just as a new assistant coach, Vince Lombardi, was taking the team to new heights.
Martin Fay served in the Marine Corps during World War II and played minor-league football briefly until an injury sidelined him. Joining the Palisades Park police force in 1946, he ultimately became its chief. And when he died 10 years ago, the borough mourned, according to Frank A. Patti, a mortician who doubled until recently as the town historian. Father Fay "comes from good stock," Mr. Patti said.
Michael James Fay, the third of the Fays' five children, attended the local parish school, was active in Catholic youth organizations and appeared in a school play.
None of Father Fay's siblings responded to requests for interviews. After a stint at St. Francis University in Loretto, Pa., he earned a degree from St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore in 1977, adopted the middle name Jude and earned a Master of Arts degree in 1986 from Manhattan College, according to school records.
After being ordained in 1978, he worked as parochial vicar at some of Connecticut's most prosperous parishes, including St. Paul in Greenwich and St. Aloysius in New Canaan.
In 1991, he was put in charge of another wealthy parish, St. John, Darien's oldest Roman Catholic church. Parishioners say he urged them to show compassion to the needy, and they obliged by putting $10,000 or more a week into the church's collection baskets.
Parishioners also appreciated the spirited theatrical productions he helped direct at the church, including "Nunsense," "Guys and Dolls" and "Fiddler on the Roof." Starting in 2000, Father Fay's star seemed to rise. Sacred Heart University honored him for community service in 2002, and the Bridgeport Diocese appointed him to a sexual misconduct review board that year.
For all his outward success, it was evident that Father Fay had an appetite for little luxuries, such as the blond highlights his Darien hairdresser said he put in his hair. A small bridal shower he threw for a Sunday school teacher had a three-piece combo and jaw-dropping flower arrangements, a person who attended said.
Parishioners said he spent thousands of dollars sprucing up the church and expanding the house where the priests lived. When one parent questioned the cost of a tapestry, Father Fay cut her off by saying, "What makes you think it wasn't a gift?" said Regina Damanti, a parishioner who heard the exchange.
Investigators say that friends and family of Father Fay seemed to receive special privileges or favors from the parish. For instance, the church paid last fall to fly another priest from Baltimore to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where Father Fay owns a condominium, parish records show.
Father Fay also asked the church's caretaker to paint his mother's home in New Jersey and to repair the bungalow he once owned in western Connecticut, on church time, the investigators said.
Ellen Patafio, who was the parish's secretary from November 2004 until she quit in February, said Father Fay "really changed a lot over the time I worked there."
Parishioners would call the office, wanting to discuss their problems with the priest, she said, and "every time Jude would get on the phone, he'd roll his eyes." Over time, she and others said, they noticed that he left more of the pastoral work to his parochial vicar, the Rev. Michael J. Madden.
Father Fay learned he had prostate cancer, but Ms. Patafio and other parishioners said he cited problems from the cancer to avoid duties he disliked. He called it playing his "cancer card," they said.
Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport told a recent gathering of parishioners that he may have given Father Fay latitude because he assumed the priest was in dire health. The severity of Father Fay's cancer problems is not known.
Father Fay did not relinquish his tight control over the church's finances, however, according to accounts provided by Ms. Patafio; the church's bookkeeper, Bethany D'Erario; her lawyer, Mickey Sherman; and the investigators she and Father Madden hired in May to look into possible improprieties at the church.
Father Fay typically kept donations to the church in his desk drawer instead of promptly depositing them in the church's bank account, making it difficult to track how the funds were used, said Vito Colucci Jr., one of the investigators hired by Father Madden.
In recent years, Father Fay also picked the members of the church's lay boards rather than let parishioners cast ballots, as they once did. None of the members of the parish's finance council returned calls seeking comment.
At least one member of the finance council, William Besgen, attended the black-tie event that Father Fay had at the Pierre Hotel in 2003, according to a seating list and Mr. Besgen's lawyer. In the spring of 2005, Father Fay and his friend from Philadelphia, Cliff Fantini, a wedding consultant, jointly bought a $449,100 condo in Fort Lauderdale, property records show. Furnishings and monthly cable bills were charged to the parish, church records show.
The two men are also listed as tenants of a luxury apartment on East 63rd Street in Manhattan, the building's staff said. Mr. Fantini, known professionally as Cliff Martell, also stayed at the rectory for extended periods, Ms. Patafio said. Ms. Patafio said Father Fay showered gifts, meals and trips on Mr. Fantini. "Jude was always chasing after him," she said. Mr. Fantini did not respond to multiple messages left at his home.
In April, the bookkeeper and Father Madden took their concerns to the diocese. Father Fay appeared before the bishop on May 9 to respond to the allegations but left without being relieved of his duties. Frustrated, the bookkeeper and Father Madden asked Mr. Colucci and Wendy Kleinknecht, another investigator, to review records the bookkeeper had copied. On May 17, the investigators took their findings to the Darien police. The bishop asked Father Fay to resign and to leave the premises that same day.
Parishioners say they have not seen him since, although his sister Kathleen showed up recently to retrieve his personal belongings, including a cabinet full of Waterford crystal he left behind.
Alain Delaquérière and Nate Schweber contributed reporting for this article.
Chat Room Terror
First there were terrorists in Miami who plotted to blow up the Sears Tower. OK, they hadn't been to Chicago, they had no explosives, and the only witness against them is a government informant.
Now we have terrorists plotting to blow up either the Holland Tunnel or a PATH train tunnel, no one is sure, but a big deal is being made out of it anyway. The would be terrorists were caught because they hatched their top secret plot in an internet chat room. None of the men had ever met one another, and all were captured abroad.
Here we go again. It is just 4 months before the elections and we are all being scared to help the Republicans stay in power. We haven't had any terror alerts since the last election. What a coincidence. Those terrorists certainly know when to scare us.
First there were terrorists in Miami who plotted to blow up the Sears Tower. OK, they hadn't been to Chicago, they had no explosives, and the only witness against them is a government informant.
Now we have terrorists plotting to blow up either the Holland Tunnel or a PATH train tunnel, no one is sure, but a big deal is being made out of it anyway. The would be terrorists were caught because they hatched their top secret plot in an internet chat room. None of the men had ever met one another, and all were captured abroad.
Here we go again. It is just 4 months before the elections and we are all being scared to help the Republicans stay in power. We haven't had any terror alerts since the last election. What a coincidence. Those terrorists certainly know when to scare us.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Ken Lay Checks Out
Ken Lay died of a heart attack yesterday. Life is hard enough, so don't swindle thousands of people, the state of California, the state of Rhode Island and the state of Connecticut. You may get caught, get convicted and start worrying. Stress is a killer you know.
Ken Lay died of a heart attack yesterday. Life is hard enough, so don't swindle thousands of people, the state of California, the state of Rhode Island and the state of Connecticut. You may get caught, get convicted and start worrying. Stress is a killer you know.
Bush Homie Commits Rape and Murder
". . . conspired to rape a woman, and instructed SOI1 to monitor the radio while they went to the house . . ."
United States v. Steven D. Green
Steven D. Green is from George Bush's home town, Midland, Texas. He raped an Iraqi teenager and then shot her in the head.
He and his friends saw a young woman they thought was hot and decided to rape her. In the best tradition of thugs everywhere, they got liquored up first. They took off their uniforms and went to the girls home, raped and killed her and killed the rest of her family too. So much for Iraqi freedom and spreading democracy.
Green was arrested last week, but there has been no comment from the "stay the course" crowd or the "Iraqis need to get their act together" group either. Silence isn't golden in this case.
Iraqi PM Maliki hasn't been silent. He has spoken very eloquently against the immunity that the U.S. gave itself for crimes committed in Iraq. Sweet deal for Uncle Sam, hell for Iraq.
So, why do they hate us?
". . . conspired to rape a woman, and instructed SOI1 to monitor the radio while they went to the house . . ."
United States v. Steven D. Green
Steven D. Green is from George Bush's home town, Midland, Texas. He raped an Iraqi teenager and then shot her in the head.
He and his friends saw a young woman they thought was hot and decided to rape her. In the best tradition of thugs everywhere, they got liquored up first. They took off their uniforms and went to the girls home, raped and killed her and killed the rest of her family too. So much for Iraqi freedom and spreading democracy.
Green was arrested last week, but there has been no comment from the "stay the course" crowd or the "Iraqis need to get their act together" group either. Silence isn't golden in this case.
Iraqi PM Maliki hasn't been silent. He has spoken very eloquently against the immunity that the U.S. gave itself for crimes committed in Iraq. Sweet deal for Uncle Sam, hell for Iraq.
So, why do they hate us?
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