So the Bush Administration has had six gaffes in a row, in a short period of time. Barrie Dunsmore authored this article (Source 1 below) and seems to believe that somehow this will turn the tide, once we realize Dick Cheney is the Great Satan.
First of all, I can knock that 6 down to 4 in no time: 9 servicepeople being killed in Iraq is no longer novel enough to register in the conscience of America and dead Iraqis, Shiite or otherwise, never registered in the first place.
Second, the idea that there is anywhere lower to sink is the fundamental flaw here. No one expects greatness from this Administration. No one demands accountability. We've been taught that both ideas are futile. The only thing that can happen now is that further crap ideas might not get implemented. No one is getting impeached. No one from the Administration, Chuck Schumer's idea to the contrary (see Source 2), is getting canned. No one is coming home en masse from Iraq.
All this to say: who cares how much bad news occurred? It won't help. Myriad violations of civil rights that have occurred during the last six years will take decades to remedy. The social programs that have been getting robbed ever since faith-based initiatives took over aren't ever getting it back. All by itself, our approach in Guantanamo has ensured generations of terrorists who hate us. The schools that don't have enough money so that we can put a war on (but not outfit our soldiers correctly) will stay forever poor. We stand for this every day. We've come to accept it as the norm. We're trogs, slogging back into the cave.
Someone tell me what 4 newsworthy items does for you when your country is already at the bottom of the piddle puddle.
Sources:
1.http://www.netscape.com/viewstory/2007/03/11/bush-administration-takes-six-blows-in-a-row/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rutlandherald.com%2Fapps%2Fpbcs.dll%2Farticle%3FAID%3D%2F20070311%2FFEATURES15%2F703110301%2F-1%2FHSSPORTS&frame=true
2.http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/16885353.htm
Monday, March 12, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Glass Houses
Today's NYT contains an article about Condi & Co's assessment of human rights in the world. The State Department has come to the conclusion that freedoms are "eroding" in its annual survey of human rights practices. (TrogDigression: Has no one in the State Department taken a grammar class? Freedoms are not active doers, thus must take a passive stance. Freedoms have been eroded.)
Apparently in the report, lots of countries were examined. 193, to be exact. But guess which country's human rights practices weren't examined? Can you guess? Us! Can you believe that? You'd think we'd be right up there, as a model. Maybe not. Maybe Condi et al also had a hard time justifying our practice while simultaneously dunning everybody else.
Source #3 tells some stories that might make you sick. If you read them, you should feel very proud that you aren't being represented by those other, terrible, 193 countries with human rights violations. Yessirree.
Sources:
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-US-Human-Rights.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2007/03/01/truth-in-prints
Apparently in the report, lots of countries were examined. 193, to be exact. But guess which country's human rights practices weren't examined? Can you guess? Us! Can you believe that? You'd think we'd be right up there, as a model. Maybe not. Maybe Condi et al also had a hard time justifying our practice while simultaneously dunning everybody else.
Source #3 tells some stories that might make you sick. If you read them, you should feel very proud that you aren't being represented by those other, terrible, 193 countries with human rights violations. Yessirree.
Sources:
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-US-Human-Rights.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2007/03/01/truth-in-prints
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Ann Coulter
annoys the living hell out of me. Why can't John Kerry make a valid point about the quality of military personnel without it being blown back in his face in under 4 seconds, but Ann Coulter can use derogatory, defamatory language and it's all good?
The fact that she posits herself a Deadhead is sheer lunacy. She's just. not. kind. I can't believe she and I were ever at a show together, but apparently we were: Sandstone Amphitheater in Lawrence, Kansas on July 4th, 1990. It was over 100 degrees that day and the Dead opened with Cold Rain & Snow. Ice was a commodity more precious than gold that day. Strangers brought each other drinks because there was no other choice. That's how hot it was, and the seats were plastic to boot and had been heated up good by the sun, so sitting wasn't an option.
But Coulter, in her description of the show, never mentions the weather. This leads me to conclude she either didn't go or sat in an air-conditioned car in the parking lot the whole time. Nor can she tell when her first show was or her last. These are details no Head forgets.
I think she's a poser and I'm done paying attention to her.
Here's what Elizabeth Edwards had to say about Coulter calling her husband a faggot:
Hate words and you
Elizabeth Edwards
3/03/2007 at 1:32 PM EST
When Miss Coulter spoke about John at the conservative convention in Washington yesterday, she used a word that she intended as a nasty and derogatory suggestion. John and I have long ago shrugged off the vile words of this person. When she made a joke about the exact moment of death of Charlie Dean (Howard's brother and a schoolmate of mine), and when she attacked the courageous 9-11 widows, she told you all you need to know about what she is made of: her compassion -- or lack thereof. Now we need to find out about you.
Although her words did not hurt us, they may have hurt some in the gay community. We are all sick and tired of anyone supporting or applauding or introducing hate words into the national dialogue, tired of people thinking that words that cause others pain are fair game. And we are sick and tired of people like Miss Coulter thinking that her use of loaded words about the homosexual community in this country is remotely humorous or appropriate.
John gave a graduation speech at NC State several years ago, and in it he said that none of us can stand by when words of bigotry and division are used. It is only when the rest of us stand up and say that this is not acceptable that we drum out the hate-mongers from amongst us.
The first reaction in the room at the conservative convention yesterday was a gasp -- a horrified gasp, even -- but it did not last. In a few seconds, those who were not horrified started clapping and drowned out the gasps.
Now it is our turn to drown out the hate. Find a way -- whether it is contribution here that sends a message to Miss Coulter and those who applauded her (which, of course, I prefer) or whether it is a statement on this blog or others or all of the above -- but please find a way not to sit silent in acceptance.
It doesn't change until we say we will not be silent when this happens.
Sources:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20070302/cm_thenation/45171092
http://www.jambands.com/Features/content_2006_06_23.06.phtml
The fact that she posits herself a Deadhead is sheer lunacy. She's just. not. kind. I can't believe she and I were ever at a show together, but apparently we were: Sandstone Amphitheater in Lawrence, Kansas on July 4th, 1990. It was over 100 degrees that day and the Dead opened with Cold Rain & Snow. Ice was a commodity more precious than gold that day. Strangers brought each other drinks because there was no other choice. That's how hot it was, and the seats were plastic to boot and had been heated up good by the sun, so sitting wasn't an option.
But Coulter, in her description of the show, never mentions the weather. This leads me to conclude she either didn't go or sat in an air-conditioned car in the parking lot the whole time. Nor can she tell when her first show was or her last. These are details no Head forgets.
I think she's a poser and I'm done paying attention to her.
Here's what Elizabeth Edwards had to say about Coulter calling her husband a faggot:
Hate words and you
Elizabeth Edwards
3/03/2007 at 1:32 PM EST
When Miss Coulter spoke about John at the conservative convention in Washington yesterday, she used a word that she intended as a nasty and derogatory suggestion. John and I have long ago shrugged off the vile words of this person. When she made a joke about the exact moment of death of Charlie Dean (Howard's brother and a schoolmate of mine), and when she attacked the courageous 9-11 widows, she told you all you need to know about what she is made of: her compassion -- or lack thereof. Now we need to find out about you.
Although her words did not hurt us, they may have hurt some in the gay community. We are all sick and tired of anyone supporting or applauding or introducing hate words into the national dialogue, tired of people thinking that words that cause others pain are fair game. And we are sick and tired of people like Miss Coulter thinking that her use of loaded words about the homosexual community in this country is remotely humorous or appropriate.
John gave a graduation speech at NC State several years ago, and in it he said that none of us can stand by when words of bigotry and division are used. It is only when the rest of us stand up and say that this is not acceptable that we drum out the hate-mongers from amongst us.
The first reaction in the room at the conservative convention yesterday was a gasp -- a horrified gasp, even -- but it did not last. In a few seconds, those who were not horrified started clapping and drowned out the gasps.
Now it is our turn to drown out the hate. Find a way -- whether it is contribution here that sends a message to Miss Coulter and those who applauded her (which, of course, I prefer) or whether it is a statement on this blog or others or all of the above -- but please find a way not to sit silent in acceptance.
It doesn't change until we say we will not be silent when this happens.
Sources:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20070302/cm_thenation/45171092
http://www.jambands.com/Features/content_2006_06_23.06.phtml
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