So Mike Huckabee is the "likeable" sort of candidate, an honest and decent man fighting the big bullies of the Republican machine. Really? As Jack Nicholson in The Shining sneeringly says to Shelly Duvall while locked in the food locker, "Wendy? Wendy? You got a big surprise comin' to you. You're not goin' anywhere. Go check out the Sno-Cat and the radio and you'll see what I mean. Go check it out. Go check it out! Go check it out."
Mike Huckabee's certainly got a big surprise for us. Go check out his remarks conflating homosexuality and bestiality and you'll see what he means. He apparently wants to change the Constitution to conform to God's standards. OK, Mike, whatever you say. Had to go there, didn't you? You sort of had me for a while thinking you were at least decent. Now you're just a bat-shit crazy, hateful motherfucker. And in a more insidious and less smarmy way than George W. Bush could ever be. And that's what makes your candidacy all the more deadly.
You will notice that the Republican Establishment will not be condemning him for these blatantly bigoted remarks. No, what they hate is his populist and quasi-eco-friendly message. How dare he talk about reforming health care! How dare he talk about being good to the earth! He's not a true Republican...like Ronald Reagan! He's not a true conservative! As if the the right wing blowhards ever had the slightest idea of what the word 'conservative' means. Christ these people are freaks. And they just can't get over their obsession with Mr. Senile-While-In-Office, Mr. Welfare-Queen-Driving-Cadillacs, Mr. Deny-AIDS-Is-An-Epidemic-While-Thousands-Suffer-And-Die-In-New-York-And-San-Francisco Ronald freakin' Reagan. Go ahead, have him, Republicans. He's in every fucking one of your freak candidates for president, only you're too blind, confused and otherwise fucked up in the head to see it. And yes, he's in John torture-boy McCain, too.
Republicans(TM). Hating On America For Thirty Years (And Getting Away With It)!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
And Now, Corporate Media Douchebag #3: Tim Russert
Way to go, Timmah, asking those important questions about climate change and Iraq -- oh right, you were too busy concerning yourself with ridiculous "pledges" candidates should make, or asking insipid questions about "strengths and weaknesses" that any moron asks college interns at job interviews. You fucking washed-up corporate douchebag. Oh, and then there's that pretty-boy frat punk Brian Williams joking about shooting craps and sounding "serious" about yellow lights and red lights and being seven feet away from the candidates.
Please do not be fooled by these shows of "civility" and "respect," for these inhuman corporate-bots moderating these "debates" (one cannot speak of our network corporate media these days without using quotes ad infinitum, and frankly I'm sick of it but this is what has to happen when you have a culture that values what these morons say over other more independent and intellectually competent voices such as those of Truthout, The Nation, MotherJones,...oh let's face it, the left is just smarter, more innovative, creative, interesting, moral and all around better!) will only turn on the Democratic nominee come summertime, and anoint John McCain as the "serious" candidate for these "serious" times. Expect the Rethuglicans to swift-boat whoever is the presumptive nominee, assuming we have one by May or later; and watch with horror as the All-Knowing Media that is ABC/NBC/CBS/FOX/CNN just repeat the allegations as if it were news, like the fucking stenographers they are. Think it won't happen? Just look at what happened to John Kerry in '04, and he was a true war hero. The corporate media just do not like Democrats, this is fact and has been since the 2000 election cycle. These primaries and debates are just a ruse to butter the Democratic candidates up and set them up for a sucker punch. And whoever is our nominee had god-damned better be prepared to call these bastards out on all their shit. And she/he had better go after McCain/Romney/Ghoul-iani/Fuckabee hard and not give up. No trips to Sun Valley, ID for a ski vacation, no wind-surfing in Nantucket Sound, no assuming that your reputation is unimpeachable and not worthy of responding to attacks like Kerry did in '04. Because, Dem nominee, if you do this then You. Will. Lose.
Please do not be fooled by these shows of "civility" and "respect," for these inhuman corporate-bots moderating these "debates" (one cannot speak of our network corporate media these days without using quotes ad infinitum, and frankly I'm sick of it but this is what has to happen when you have a culture that values what these morons say over other more independent and intellectually competent voices such as those of Truthout, The Nation, MotherJones,...oh let's face it, the left is just smarter, more innovative, creative, interesting, moral and all around better!) will only turn on the Democratic nominee come summertime, and anoint John McCain as the "serious" candidate for these "serious" times. Expect the Rethuglicans to swift-boat whoever is the presumptive nominee, assuming we have one by May or later; and watch with horror as the All-Knowing Media that is ABC/NBC/CBS/FOX/CNN just repeat the allegations as if it were news, like the fucking stenographers they are. Think it won't happen? Just look at what happened to John Kerry in '04, and he was a true war hero. The corporate media just do not like Democrats, this is fact and has been since the 2000 election cycle. These primaries and debates are just a ruse to butter the Democratic candidates up and set them up for a sucker punch. And whoever is our nominee had god-damned better be prepared to call these bastards out on all their shit. And she/he had better go after McCain/Romney/Ghoul-iani/Fuckabee hard and not give up. No trips to Sun Valley, ID for a ski vacation, no wind-surfing in Nantucket Sound, no assuming that your reputation is unimpeachable and not worthy of responding to attacks like Kerry did in '04. Because, Dem nominee, if you do this then You. Will. Lose.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Brenda Dickson Like You've Never Seen Her!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
World's Second Biggest Douchebag: Lou Dobbs
...Because he is such a xenophic, racist and, of course, elitist asshole. Number 3: Bill "Roll 'em" Bennett, also of CNN, declaring how nice Iowa was because people weren't shooting other people like in Iraq, a war WE started and a mess WE created. Fuckwad!
On another note, about that Obama "big win" in NH. Oops. I guess it's good that it's now a real race. Whatever. We should have one national primary, or at least a series of regional primaries, and they should start no earlier than March. Why states get all selfish about being "first" when it comes to picking a president for the WHOLE FRIGGIN' COUNTRY I can't really fathom. Really. So two small, largely white states making up maybe 2% of the population get to choose which 3 or 4 candidates are "viable" for the rest of us? Really.
So, to recap. Matthews, Dobbs, Bennett: Douchebags! John King, Howard Fineman, Andrea Mitchell, and oh yeah that really old looking pasty guy that stands in a corner with Soledad O'Brien yapping away about what voters are thinking in the deepest recesses of their cerebral cortices -- wankers, all of them. Obama: hope. Clinton: getting better when actually faced with the possiblity of losing the nomination. Edwards: a fighter I'm still going to vote for. Kucinich: a dream candidate I would love to support but can't afford to. BOLLOCKS!
On another note, about that Obama "big win" in NH. Oops. I guess it's good that it's now a real race. Whatever. We should have one national primary, or at least a series of regional primaries, and they should start no earlier than March. Why states get all selfish about being "first" when it comes to picking a president for the WHOLE FRIGGIN' COUNTRY I can't really fathom. Really. So two small, largely white states making up maybe 2% of the population get to choose which 3 or 4 candidates are "viable" for the rest of us? Really.
So, to recap. Matthews, Dobbs, Bennett: Douchebags! John King, Howard Fineman, Andrea Mitchell, and oh yeah that really old looking pasty guy that stands in a corner with Soledad O'Brien yapping away about what voters are thinking in the deepest recesses of their cerebral cortices -- wankers, all of them. Obama: hope. Clinton: getting better when actually faced with the possiblity of losing the nomination. Edwards: a fighter I'm still going to vote for. Kucinich: a dream candidate I would love to support but can't afford to. BOLLOCKS!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
My Prediction for NH '08 Primary: Chris Matthews Will Become World's Biggest Douchebag
Chris Matthews, a.k.a. Tweety. Expect him to fawn over McCain's come-from-behind victory, milking that story over Obama's likely big win and over the likely scenario that Obama takes more independents than McCain. Just as he condescendingly described the youth vote going to Obama in droves in Iowa as being desperate, watch him tonight as he tries to crown McCain the Repub (more like Rethug) nominee, going against an inexperienced Obama. Maybe he'll say there's still hope for Clinton -- after all, even though Edwards finished second in Iowa, she was the story about being the viable one. Stupid fucking arrogant, entitled, elite asshole. Keith Olbermann should have Matthews' seat, hands down. Ever notice the puzzled Jim-from-The-Office-like look on Olbermann's face looking into the cameras after having to endure Matthews' completely insane and baseless commentary? I love that he doesn't engage in the madness but rather moves on to the straight story. You'll see it again, tonight. And Matthews looks tired, pasty and old, and he is completely insane. He only knows what he hears at DC cocktail parties, he's washed up.
And then there's this. Chris Matthews is a disgusting, sexist pig.
Olbermann for top political MSNBC desk anchor!
And then there's this. Chris Matthews is a disgusting, sexist pig.
Olbermann for top political MSNBC desk anchor!
Friday, January 04, 2008
Immigration Is a Fake Issue Drummed Up by Republicans & Mimicked by the Corporate Media
First, last night's caucuses. A hearty congratulations goes to Obama for an incredible turnout and getting new voters and independents to support him. And what an awesome speech he gave -- Jeff and I were in tears. That said, I am still supporting Edwards because I like his anti-corporate message better and because I think he is hitting all the right notes regarding the awesome destructive power corporations have wielded in this country and in Iraq, and the influence they have had in making us a fearful and consumptive and anti-intellectual society. That said, I think Obama could be an absolutely amazing, energizing candidate, the force for change we desperately need. And he could easily get elected President. I admit, emotions play a factor with me when I think about Mr. O, but I am confident he, like Edwards, is on the progressive side of the Democratic Party, the side needed so badly right now.
So, on to my subject for this post - immigration. The reason I made the title so long is because I want to drive home the point that immigration as an issue in this presidential race is one wholly fabricated by the right-wing machine, and now, as is usually the case in these dumbed-down times, it is being faithfully echoed by the corporate political press as a major issue. It is not, and has not been, a major issue for a majority of Americans. It is entirely a Republican issue and one that those who identify as Republicans make an issue because those who identify as Republicans act like sheep and do what the right-wing media and political (i.e. Republican) machine tell them to do, and believe what the right-wing media and political (i.e. Republican) machine tell them to believe. No, most people know that immigration is what made us who we are, that we have in place now rational immigration policies that have worked well for over a century, that need only minor tinkering so as to let more good people who are not citizens to become citizens. Of course, the Republicans would never end our corporate "free" trade that enslaves and disenfranchises millions of non-Americans, that enriches the pockets of American CEOs, that allows us to and begs us to mindlessly consume more and more stuff we do not need. No, no, no. The answer, these Republican terrorists tell us, is to deport these undesirable brown people and have more Americans report them to "authorities" so that they can deport even more undesirable brown people.
This is just the latest Republican wedge issue du jour, desperately employed by desperate old white men desperate to hold on to power.
So, on to my subject for this post - immigration. The reason I made the title so long is because I want to drive home the point that immigration as an issue in this presidential race is one wholly fabricated by the right-wing machine, and now, as is usually the case in these dumbed-down times, it is being faithfully echoed by the corporate political press as a major issue. It is not, and has not been, a major issue for a majority of Americans. It is entirely a Republican issue and one that those who identify as Republicans make an issue because those who identify as Republicans act like sheep and do what the right-wing media and political (i.e. Republican) machine tell them to do, and believe what the right-wing media and political (i.e. Republican) machine tell them to believe. No, most people know that immigration is what made us who we are, that we have in place now rational immigration policies that have worked well for over a century, that need only minor tinkering so as to let more good people who are not citizens to become citizens. Of course, the Republicans would never end our corporate "free" trade that enslaves and disenfranchises millions of non-Americans, that enriches the pockets of American CEOs, that allows us to and begs us to mindlessly consume more and more stuff we do not need. No, no, no. The answer, these Republican terrorists tell us, is to deport these undesirable brown people and have more Americans report them to "authorities" so that they can deport even more undesirable brown people.
This is just the latest Republican wedge issue du jour, desperately employed by desperate old white men desperate to hold on to power.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
'In Rainbows' Disc 2 Kicks ASS!
I've been listening to the songs of disc 2 ("bonus CD" as they called it on their blog) of Radiohead's In Rainbows on YouTube. Oh. My. Fucking. God. It is absolutely among the best music ever recorded in history.
Timeline of American Fascism, 2001-2007
Holy fucking shit. The number of laws passed by Congress, signing statements by Bush-monkey defying Congress, and US Supreme Court decisions upholding what amounts to a police state these last seven years is quite staggering. Whoever becomes president next year (assuming monkey-boy doesn't declare martial law, halt the election and declare himself president for life) had better acknowledge these blatantly un-American, illegal, immoral and destructive acts, laws and decisions.
This little-noticed blurb regarding this act of terrorism by our Senate got my attention:
This little-noticed blurb regarding this act of terrorism by our Senate got my attention:
October 2006
• The U.S. Senate passes the John Warner Defense Authorization Act. The act allows a president to declare a public emergency and station US military troops anywhere in America as well as take control of state based national guard units without consent of the governor or other local authorities. The law authorizes presidential eployment of US troops to round-up and detain "potential terrorists", "illegal aliens" and disorderly" citizenry.
The Iowa Caucuses Are a Sham
Why do we keep doing this? The fact that so many people are shut out of this undemocratic procedure because they simply can't make it to the precinct location at 7pm on a weeknight, for up to 2 hours or more, because they have to work/take care of kids/etc. is simply wrong. It's elitist in all the wrong ways, it allows 20% of one small state's voting population, mostly white and mostly able-bodied -- and who are vastly made up of the political activists responsible for continuing this travesty of a sham of a joke of the democratic process, the ones least likely to actually need government assistance -- to be able, in large part, to decide which two or three candidates of each party (out of 8 to 10 candidates) are viable for the rest of the primary season. And the corporate media has decided, unthinkingly and unfailingly, to declare "winners" based on delegates each candidate supposedly "won" based on not how many show up to vote/caucus (maybe an undecided person will switch to Clinton in the second round of voting/caucusing because her supporters are giving out cake) but rather based on turnout in the precinct's previous two general elections. If this all sounds complicated and obfuscatory it's because it is. Oh, and then there's this rule for the Democratic caucuses that says a candidate is only viable to pick up any delegates in each precinct (there are 1,781 precincts in Iowa for Thursday's dog and pony show) if he or she receives 15% of that precinct's caucus-goers, with two rounds of voting to try and pry off supporters of one candidate to make another viable. So, ba-bye to Richardson, Dodd, Biden, Kucinich and Gravel right off the bat.
This isn't a game, and I hate it when I hear people in Iowa staying away because they just can't make it or are uninterested. Part of me wants to kick them. Take the night off, or just bring your kids to the precinct, figure it out. But then I think, no, actually some of these people actually could lose their job for deciding to help pick a president, or just can't drive themselves, or who are just too old to be out and about that late in the evening, when it's dark. And it's fucking early January in fucking Iowa.
This sucks. It is way too early to be deciding who will be the Democratic and Republican nominees for POTUS. At best we can hope for a virtual tie in the delegate count at the end of the night Thursday, just so it can be competitive through New Hampshire (there's another sham, albeit a more democratic sham -- and New Hampshire is even whiter than Iowa) and beyond. The sad thing is it might just practically be over and a nominee all but declared by our Dear Corporate Media by February 5th, when most of the country gets to actually vote on their choices. We should really have a national primary on one day, say in late May, when everyone votes at once and candidates are forced to campaign everywhere. But no, Iowa and New Hampshire are king, "momentum" is the game, and winners must be declared before virtually anyone actually votes. Total bullshit.
This isn't a game, and I hate it when I hear people in Iowa staying away because they just can't make it or are uninterested. Part of me wants to kick them. Take the night off, or just bring your kids to the precinct, figure it out. But then I think, no, actually some of these people actually could lose their job for deciding to help pick a president, or just can't drive themselves, or who are just too old to be out and about that late in the evening, when it's dark. And it's fucking early January in fucking Iowa.
This sucks. It is way too early to be deciding who will be the Democratic and Republican nominees for POTUS. At best we can hope for a virtual tie in the delegate count at the end of the night Thursday, just so it can be competitive through New Hampshire (there's another sham, albeit a more democratic sham -- and New Hampshire is even whiter than Iowa) and beyond. The sad thing is it might just practically be over and a nominee all but declared by our Dear Corporate Media by February 5th, when most of the country gets to actually vote on their choices. We should really have a national primary on one day, say in late May, when everyone votes at once and candidates are forced to campaign everywhere. But no, Iowa and New Hampshire are king, "momentum" is the game, and winners must be declared before virtually anyone actually votes. Total bullshit.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Why I'm Voting For Edwards
At the recent Democratic debates, regarding health care Edwards said:
"Some people argue that we're going to sit at a table with these people [insurance and drug companies] and they're going to voluntarily give their power away. I think it is a complete fantasy; it will never happen."This in a nutshell sums up my whole political philosophy. History bears this out time after time after time.
Whaaaaah?
Speaking of Oprah's fans and how they relate to Obama's hoped-for supporters, Frank Rich in his latest column says (pull the string, folks),
I thought it was supposed to be lattes! Damn, that's sooo...original!
Douchebag!
This is hardly the chardonnay-sipping, NPR-addicted, bicoastal hipster crowd that many assume to be Mr. Obama’s largest white constituency.Hipsters sipping chardonnay? (Shipsters hipping sardonnay? Sipsters shipping harddonay? Whaaaaaaaaaaa?)
I thought it was supposed to be lattes! Damn, that's sooo...original!
Douchebag!
Friday, December 07, 2007
Republicans: Destroying the Earth Since 1981
Yet another example of the stark differences between our two major parties: Senate Blocks Energy Bill. Republicans have shown themselves to be the unfeeling killers that they are: of common sense, of innovation, of solutions to problems i.e. climate change, of people (see Iraq War), of truth (also see Iraq War, and Iran's nuclear bomb nonexistence), of anything that is good. Are they really trying to lose big next year? I don't get it, but I hope so. The terrorist organization known as the Republican Party needs to be defeated, permanently.
Sixty Democratic senate seats next year. At least.
I'm tired of this.
Sixty Democratic senate seats next year. At least.
I'm tired of this.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Nasty-Ass Motherfuckers
Yesterday's revelation that U.S. intelligence knew in 2003 that Iran had no nuclear bomb program (see article in WaPo) just shows what cold-hearted killers we have in Bush, Cheney et. al. The fact that they would hide this until now, lying the whole time about Iran and threatening yet another illegal war, just for the sake of ego in the last miserable, pathetic year of this god-damned fascist administration, just reinforces the very real danger of having them around for another year. God-damn them. We must go back to the trials of Nuremberg for a comparison of the crimes these thugs have committed. And damn us for not getting these rats, these Goebbels's and Himmler's of this American regime, the justice they deserve. I used to just think that impeachment/removal from office was good enough punishment. Power is, after all, their thing -- THE thing, really, the only thing that matters to them. Take away that, and they're left squabbling like children. But no. People who kill this way, from comfortable chairs in comfortable offices with the mere stroke of a pen -- they do not, in any sense, deserve life. We witnessed the hanging of war criminals some 60 years ago, and though we cringe at the finality of death -- any death -- we still have a sense of peace that these killers, these nasty-ass motherfuckers who value production, abstraction, efficiency over the wonderful and awesome and enchanting thing that is life; who joyously participated in the misery and cruelty of other human beings -- got their ultimate due. They were hanged. Do we reflect back on their deaths with regret that we did this? Call me crazy, but I don't think so. Then what is it? I used to think, well, these were human beings, too, no need to go there, to go to that place which is rage, which "eats you up" inside, all the lies pacifists tell us that we then "become just like them." Bullshit. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit! I can hate just as humanely, just as humanly, as I can love. And of course my hate for George W. Bush in no way negates my love for my family and friends. And I do hate him, for what he has done to us psychically and physically, killing souls, hopes, soldiers in Iraq -- killing everything that is wonderful about being human. But these killers kill remotely without seeing the physical consequences on the ground, face-to-face, close up. They are not human beings in the true sense at all, but rather anthro-machines, lumps of biomass that shrugged off any sense of humanity long ago and traded it for profit, wealth, power, all amassed from the exploitation of others. So is, then, locking them up in prison for life the answer? Is not this a form of taking away their lives? Is this cruel, being that cruelty and inhumanity is the real culprit here? The idea of punishment itself, of justice, of behavior modification through incarceration, which is really just a form of slavery, which IS cruel. So many questions of what to do with these people which could be a model of how we carry out justice humanly and humanely, to human monsters that are neither human nor humane.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Addendum to Last Post
I suppose I have to give some credit to the NY Times and WaPo, for their editorial pages. We get a few crumbs of truth in the form of Paul Krugman, Frank Rich, Maureen Dowd, and a few columnists at WaPo I can't name right now. Fine. Thanks so much for that, for making us have to go to the back of the A section in order to get the real story. What is the reason for this disconnect? Why do I have to read in the Times editorial section of a loss for privacy rights? We pretend we live in a democracy where we all have a say, that it has always existed thus, that a free press is necessary for it, and on and on. The "press" protects the powerful, gives deference to them every time, is disdainful of us "masses" and pretends we give a shit about "soccer moms" and "spirited" debates about nothing, and other meaningless "issues" no one really cares about, using language only they understand but no sane person would use.
Our Corporate Media At Work
This snippet from WaPo's website reveals quite a lot:
Romney, Giuliani Clash On Immigration Issues
Republican presidential candidates engage in a free-for-all as they field video questions in the most spirited debate of the 2008 campaign
Michael D. Shear and Dan Balz
· Republicans Get Mixed Bag of Questions
· The Fix: A Battle in Fla. Live Q&A, NOW
· Media Notes Podcast Channel '08 VIDEO
· Foes Use Obama's Muslim Ties to Fuel Rumors
Yeah, I'm talking about that last part about Obama. Oh yes, and also, Republicans have a "spirited" debate because, of course, they are the true holders of "American values" and are true "Christians." Notice the bias here with the use of "spirited." There's plenty more of it regarding, Giuliani, Romney et. al. Why is it that all debates must be commented on as "spirited" for them to be acceptable? Always appealing to our "feelings," our wish for politicians to be "like us." Never actually focus on the issues at stake. No, debates have to be "spirited" and said spiritedness must be what we focus on. Fuck you, WaPo.
Most people who have been paying attention (who just plain pay attention) know that Obama's religious status has been quite the obsession for the right-wing nuts out there. The talking point here is the lie that Obama is Muslim. They refer to his childhood in Indonesia and that his stepfather and grandfather were Muslim. Of course we all know this is what's called Swift-Boating, that tactic of spreading lies among so many sources that eventually it sows doubt about someone. The really sickening thing here is that the Washington Post would publish this trash and sell it as "rumor." We all like to tell ourselves that papers like The New York Times and The Washington Post are intelligent, thoughtful, credible sources of information. The truth is that they are just like any other corporation trying to make a profit, and so they push stories like this off as "news" so that we can get some "perspective" on what "all sides" are saying. I could give a flying fuck what religion Obama calls his own, or where he chooses to "worship." It's sad, really, that he has to emphasize his "Christianity" so much. Hmm, does the phrase "convert or die" ring a bell to anyone who knows what so-called "Christians" did (and are still doing, but in more PR-friendly ways but still in ways that destroy minds) to people all over Asia who didn't acquiesce to their culture of abstraction that is religion?
We truly are a culture of competition, of abstraction, of exploiting others to amass wealth. We worship the god of production. The "God" of Christianity, of Islam, of Judaism -- is really just a ruse to get people to follow, to get people distracted enough to kill each other over who is the "one true God," to get the masses to not direct their ire toward those in power, toward those who are doing the real harm to them, exploiting them, abusing them, killing them.
Expect articles like this one, and more vicious, next year, whoever the Dem nominee is. (Republicans? Why pick on them -- they just want to "lower your taxes" [sic] and "keep you safe" [sic]?) And, expect to find these articles on the front pages of corporate newspapers. This is what passes for "informed," unfortunately, for our culture.
Romney, Giuliani Clash On Immigration Issues
Republican presidential candidates engage in a free-for-all as they field video questions in the most spirited debate of the 2008 campaign
Michael D. Shear and Dan Balz
· Republicans Get Mixed Bag of Questions
· The Fix: A Battle in Fla. Live Q&A, NOW
· Media Notes Podcast Channel '08 VIDEO
· Foes Use Obama's Muslim Ties to Fuel Rumors
Yeah, I'm talking about that last part about Obama. Oh yes, and also, Republicans have a "spirited" debate because, of course, they are the true holders of "American values" and are true "Christians." Notice the bias here with the use of "spirited." There's plenty more of it regarding, Giuliani, Romney et. al. Why is it that all debates must be commented on as "spirited" for them to be acceptable? Always appealing to our "feelings," our wish for politicians to be "like us." Never actually focus on the issues at stake. No, debates have to be "spirited" and said spiritedness must be what we focus on. Fuck you, WaPo.
Most people who have been paying attention (who just plain pay attention) know that Obama's religious status has been quite the obsession for the right-wing nuts out there. The talking point here is the lie that Obama is Muslim. They refer to his childhood in Indonesia and that his stepfather and grandfather were Muslim. Of course we all know this is what's called Swift-Boating, that tactic of spreading lies among so many sources that eventually it sows doubt about someone. The really sickening thing here is that the Washington Post would publish this trash and sell it as "rumor." We all like to tell ourselves that papers like The New York Times and The Washington Post are intelligent, thoughtful, credible sources of information. The truth is that they are just like any other corporation trying to make a profit, and so they push stories like this off as "news" so that we can get some "perspective" on what "all sides" are saying. I could give a flying fuck what religion Obama calls his own, or where he chooses to "worship." It's sad, really, that he has to emphasize his "Christianity" so much. Hmm, does the phrase "convert or die" ring a bell to anyone who knows what so-called "Christians" did (and are still doing, but in more PR-friendly ways but still in ways that destroy minds) to people all over Asia who didn't acquiesce to their culture of abstraction that is religion?
We truly are a culture of competition, of abstraction, of exploiting others to amass wealth. We worship the god of production. The "God" of Christianity, of Islam, of Judaism -- is really just a ruse to get people to follow, to get people distracted enough to kill each other over who is the "one true God," to get the masses to not direct their ire toward those in power, toward those who are doing the real harm to them, exploiting them, abusing them, killing them.
Expect articles like this one, and more vicious, next year, whoever the Dem nominee is. (Republicans? Why pick on them -- they just want to "lower your taxes" [sic] and "keep you safe" [sic]?) And, expect to find these articles on the front pages of corporate newspapers. This is what passes for "informed," unfortunately, for our culture.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Abuser and Media Whore: Larry Craig & Matt Lauer
Actually, in a way they are both abusers. Craig, of the state of Idaho and of the country by his anti-gay rights voting record; and Lauer, of the truth and of honest journalism. Lauer's soft-ball approach may have snagged Craig and made him look pathetically emasculated at times, but he failed to ask the larger questions of why Craig is so anti-gay and votes the way he does; why he "doesn't agree with" the gay lifestyle. Does he find it abhorrent, and why? Press this motherfucking abusive right-wing asshole on it. Oh, and Suzanne, wasn't she the picture of the dutiful wife, wearing that red tunic and smiling all the while? I wonder if Craig orders her to wear a suit and tie and shave her head before she goes down on him? Is that a wig you're wearing, Suzanne, you right-wing witch? The whole interview was so creepy, and so illustrative of this fucked-up culture. A whole hour devoted to getting "their side" of the story, of being lied to again and again and again. "Senator, are you gay?" America is dying to know. Bush wants to spy on you sans warrant, and grant immunity to telecoms, and torture and kill some more, but AMERICA WANTS TO KNOW IF LARRY CRAIG IS GAY. Of course he is, you morons! Now boot him the fuck out of office!
Keep distracting us: of course! -- the behavior of the abuser to get us to look the other way while, say, Iraq explodes, and global warming is torching southern California.
In the end this gets us no gay rights, more global warming and more war. Duh.
As for the Minnesota laws on "disorderly conduct" in public restrooms: dude, you really need to re-write those laws. Craig is totally going to win his appeal, clear his arrest record, and continue his gay-bashing ways. Guilty plea? What guilty plea? Fuck no public sex, fuck all cops everywhere, fuck Larry Craig and fuck the Republican Party.
Keep distracting us: of course! -- the behavior of the abuser to get us to look the other way while, say, Iraq explodes, and global warming is torching southern California.
In the end this gets us no gay rights, more global warming and more war. Duh.
As for the Minnesota laws on "disorderly conduct" in public restrooms: dude, you really need to re-write those laws. Craig is totally going to win his appeal, clear his arrest record, and continue his gay-bashing ways. Guilty plea? What guilty plea? Fuck no public sex, fuck all cops everywhere, fuck Larry Craig and fuck the Republican Party.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Republican Party as Abusers
Rep. Pete Stark of California last week remarked on the House floor, regarding the lie that is the Iraq War and the inability of Congress to override Bush-Monkey's veto of child health insurance: "You don't have money to fund the war or children. But you're going to spend it, to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq, to get their heads blown off, for the president's amusement." For this the House of Representatives cell of the terrorist organization known as the Republican Party wants to censure him. God-damn them. They will do what they can, every time, to get what they want, to destroy people, to lie, to steal, to exterminate opposition through terror. Abusers often do these things.
But Bush is amused by the deaths and dismemberment of soldiers in Iraq. Just read Justin Frank's Bush On the Couch to get a sense of the reach of Bush's cruelty. There are no limits. There never can be, of course.
But never mind that. The fact that there was a vote in the House to censure Stark for saying the above is indicative of the insanity that is the American culture. Stark did not go far enough. Republicans -- our American Taliban -- will lie and tell us we can't afford this program or that, all the while spending us into an oblivion to pay contractors like Blackwater extortion money to kill innocent people and destroy infrastructure in Iraq. Classic behavior of an abuser. And the all-too-familiar behavior of the abused, i.e. Democrats like Stark, is to apologize (for what!?).
And Republicans ARE the abusers. Of people, of the earth, of common sense, of science, of the truth. They need to be collectively shoved up against the wall with our collective hand on their throats, and told, "If you fuck with us one more time we will kill you."
No apologies.
We need to have a world where Republicans are systematically denied any say in governing or in policy, denied in having any power to rape our minds and bodies. They are willfully and gleefully destroying the earth and all that is beautiful about it, and getting rich in the process. They are shredding our Constitution, laughing at justice and viciously attacking those who would only disagree with their policies. Derrick Jensen pretty much sums up the abuser's twisted psychology in his book Endgame: " 'You asked for it by wearing those clothes,' says the rapist." ..." 'Don't worry about it, I'll take care of everything. Things will change, you'll see,' says the abuser."..." 'I promise I will never hit you again,' the abuser repeats." And most Americans go along with this abuse, are willing to be abused. Absolutely insane.
To be fair, not a few Democrats behave and vote the way of their "opposition." The difference is that Republicans and their "party" are defined by power. That is the single biggest reason for their existence. And how do they maintain power? By terrorizing opponents, of course. Make it so that their position is always the right position, and make the opposition look like the enemy if they disagree. Witness the fraudulent "war on terror." Anyone who disagress with the Patriot Act [sic] must be on the side of the "terrorists." The real terrorists being, of course, Republicans, the ones (always) projecting their terroristic side. They just can't help themselves, you see.
Jensen uses the metaphor of the abuser (wife-beater, child abuser, rapist, etc. -- almost always men) to describe our culture as a whole. But I'd like to point out how singularly abusive and destructive the Republican Party is, and has been since Reagan. And this is the machine that spit out the current abuser-in-chief, George W. Bush. Bush is the ultimate abuser. Witness the smirk, the joking about not finding WMD under his desk at that charade that's known as the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association Dinner, where all the white-owned corporate media types had quite a laugh at the cruel mocking of the misery and suffering in Iraq, a nation full of worthless brown people, of course. What assholes. And we wonder why Iraq is not the lead story on every newscast. The more to distract us with the news of Britney's comeback.
To quote JFK, as Jensen does: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable."
To those who would censure Pete Stark: Go Fuck Yourselves. No apologies.
But Bush is amused by the deaths and dismemberment of soldiers in Iraq. Just read Justin Frank's Bush On the Couch to get a sense of the reach of Bush's cruelty. There are no limits. There never can be, of course.
But never mind that. The fact that there was a vote in the House to censure Stark for saying the above is indicative of the insanity that is the American culture. Stark did not go far enough. Republicans -- our American Taliban -- will lie and tell us we can't afford this program or that, all the while spending us into an oblivion to pay contractors like Blackwater extortion money to kill innocent people and destroy infrastructure in Iraq. Classic behavior of an abuser. And the all-too-familiar behavior of the abused, i.e. Democrats like Stark, is to apologize (for what!?).
And Republicans ARE the abusers. Of people, of the earth, of common sense, of science, of the truth. They need to be collectively shoved up against the wall with our collective hand on their throats, and told, "If you fuck with us one more time we will kill you."
No apologies.
We need to have a world where Republicans are systematically denied any say in governing or in policy, denied in having any power to rape our minds and bodies. They are willfully and gleefully destroying the earth and all that is beautiful about it, and getting rich in the process. They are shredding our Constitution, laughing at justice and viciously attacking those who would only disagree with their policies. Derrick Jensen pretty much sums up the abuser's twisted psychology in his book Endgame: " 'You asked for it by wearing those clothes,' says the rapist." ..." 'Don't worry about it, I'll take care of everything. Things will change, you'll see,' says the abuser."..." 'I promise I will never hit you again,' the abuser repeats." And most Americans go along with this abuse, are willing to be abused. Absolutely insane.
To be fair, not a few Democrats behave and vote the way of their "opposition." The difference is that Republicans and their "party" are defined by power. That is the single biggest reason for their existence. And how do they maintain power? By terrorizing opponents, of course. Make it so that their position is always the right position, and make the opposition look like the enemy if they disagree. Witness the fraudulent "war on terror." Anyone who disagress with the Patriot Act [sic] must be on the side of the "terrorists." The real terrorists being, of course, Republicans, the ones (always) projecting their terroristic side. They just can't help themselves, you see.
Jensen uses the metaphor of the abuser (wife-beater, child abuser, rapist, etc. -- almost always men) to describe our culture as a whole. But I'd like to point out how singularly abusive and destructive the Republican Party is, and has been since Reagan. And this is the machine that spit out the current abuser-in-chief, George W. Bush. Bush is the ultimate abuser. Witness the smirk, the joking about not finding WMD under his desk at that charade that's known as the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association Dinner, where all the white-owned corporate media types had quite a laugh at the cruel mocking of the misery and suffering in Iraq, a nation full of worthless brown people, of course. What assholes. And we wonder why Iraq is not the lead story on every newscast. The more to distract us with the news of Britney's comeback.
To quote JFK, as Jensen does: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable."
To those who would censure Pete Stark: Go Fuck Yourselves. No apologies.
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