Better late than not at all
It probably can't be proven that Joe Klein is responding even obliquely to either Kevin Drum or Atrios with this rather pointed critique of "what it means to support the troops"...but in any event, he gets it pretty much right here. And he exposes Lieberman and McCain as a bonus. Nice.
Mission is a sacred word in the military. When you are given a mission, you are trained to complete it, to keep on trying new tactics until the objective is achieved. It is a matter of duty and honor. And so, when politicians criticize a mission, the reflexive military reaction is to assume they are acting dishonorably, putting politics above duty. This is a common attitude in the uniformed military, and it deserves a serious response.And my response is that politicians have sacred missions too. Their duty is threefold: to be judicious about sending the troops off to war, to give the military everything it needs to complete the mission and, if it appears the mission is futile or compromised, to change it or end it. "You have to ask who is really undermining this mission?" says Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a West Point graduate. "Didn't the Bush Administration undermine it from the start by going to war without sufficient cause, without sufficient planning, without sufficient equipment for our troops? Even now, I would argue that the Bush Administration is undermining this surge by focusing merely on the military part of the mission, ignoring the need to reform the Iraqi government, to find a regional diplomatic solution and, of course, ignoring the real facts on the ground."
Oh, yeah: the bonus...
In the initial debate on Iraq war resolutions last week, Lieberman was at it again. The notably mild Warner-Levin resolution of disapproval would "discourage our troops and hearten our enemies," he said. A day later, I asked Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska about politicians--not Lieberman specifically--who made such statements. "They're despicable," he said, in a decidedly unsenatorial tone. "Those sorts of statements are the last refuge of a scoundrel. They suggest a lack of patriotism on the part of people like me and John Warner and Carl Levin. They hurt our democracy."Lieberman's honorable, if mistaken, support for the war has curdled into demagoguery. Senator John McCain has taken a similar path, calling those who would vote for the resolution "intellectually dishonest." He suggests the "honest" path for surge opponents would be to go ahead and cut off funds for the war. But the Senators who favor Warner-Levin are pointedly opposed to immediate withdrawal from Iraq. So who's being intellectually dishonest here?
It can be argued that journalists have sacred missions too, kind of, sort of.
Klein fudges at the end of the article, leaving giving Lieberman the benefit of an unearned doubt...but as he said, it's pretty damn close. More of this - consistently - and I might be tempted to forgive him for Primary Colors.
(Cross-posted.)Gay in the NBA
This week, former NBA player John Amaechi came out in advance of his autobiography, Man in the Middle, which is to be released on February 14. (Makes a great Valentine's Day gift!) There have been some less-than-enlightened reactions from a couple of NBA players; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James called not being out a trust issue "and if you're gay and you're not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy," while Philadelphia Sixers forward Shavlik Randolph warned, "As long as you don't bring your gayness on me I'm fine." All right then.
Worst, perhaps, was Philly center Steven Hunter, who was quoted as saying: "For real? He's gay for real? Nowadays it's proven that people can live double lives. I watch a lot of TV, so I see a lot of sick perverted stuff about married men running around with gay guys and all types of foolishness." Yes, well, watching the news can be a dangerous proposition. Even still, Hunter tried to extend a very, very prejudiced olive branch: "As long as he don't make any advances toward me I'm fine with it. As long as he came to play basketball like a man and conducted himself like a good person, I'd be fine with it." That is, to my ears, a laughably horrible thing to say—and yet I'm not naïve enough to fail to recognize that it also signals a sea change when that's the worst statement emanating from the cosseted bastion of homophobia that has been the locker room of male professional sports. Progress doesn't happen everywhere at the same rate.
Shaq came out with one of the most unintentionally revealing observations on the topic, illustrating how the locker room is straddling its past and its future regarding gay players. Though it can still function to make a closeted player feel he must stay closeted, it can also be a source of support if he comes out, by rallying teammates to his defense. "If he was on my team," noted Shaq, "I guess I would have to protect him from the outsiders." That reminds me of nothing so much as a solider to whom I once spoke about attitudes regarding gays in the military, who said that all disagreements between soldiers diminish when facing the enemy. It's no coincidence that attitudes in the traditionally male-centric worlds of the military and professional basketball have found commonality in how their respective members respond to gay men in their midst—and that the attitudes seem to be changing at much the same rate.
To that end, there are a spectrum of responses, and on its other end there were some encouragingly strong supportive statements, too. The Orlando Magic's Grant Hill endorsed Amaechi's decision to go public, saying, "The fact that John has done this, maybe it will give others the comfort or confidence to come out as well, whether they are playing or retiring." NBA commissioner David Stern gave it a big wev. "We have a very diverse league. The question at the NBA is always 'Have you got game?' That's it, end of inquiry." And former NBA star Charles Barkley, never one to be shy about sharing his opinion, said: "It shouldn't be a big deal to anybody. I know I've played with gay players and against gay players and it just shouldn't surprise anybody or be any issue." Heh. I like the little dig that anyone who can't get on with it at this point is kind of, uh, behind the times. Barkley's a clever chap—and knows the value of some well-placed mockery when dealing with bigotry.
Amaechi's former coach, Doc Rivers, however, got right to the heart of the matter. "He's better than a good kid; he's a fantastic kid. John Amaechi, when I was coaching him, was a great kid. He did as much charity work as anybody in our city, and he's still doing it. That's what I wish we focused on. Unfortunately, we're talking about his sexual orientation, which I couldn't care a flying flip about." Right on, Coach Rivers.
But mostly—right on, John Amaechi. One day, being gay in the NBA won't be a story, and when that story isn't written, you'll be a big part of it.
The woman who should have been senator
The state of Missouri, women in politics, progressives everywhere: all of us lost a friend, leader, and fighter with the passing last night of former Lieutenant Governor Harriet Woods, the first woman to hold statewide office here. This from the statement issued by her family:
Surrounded by her immediate family, and exhibiting the same dignity, strength and concern for others that marked her public life, former Missouri Lieutenant Governor Harriett Woods passed away today at age 79, after a year long battle with leukemia. It was an extraordinary life. She will be remembered most as a loving mother and grandmother, but we are also incredibly proud of her life devoted to public service and her passionate and determined efforts to aid society’s most vulnerable – the elderly, minorities and the homeless ... to obtain equal opportunities for women ... and mentor future generations of leaders.
Roy Temple, political blogger and chief of staff to former Senator Jean Carnahan, remembered Woods today:
I last saw Harriet in Washington, DC on the day Claire McCaskill was sworn in as the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri, and Nancy Pelosi was sworn in as the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House. Despite the obvious toll the leukemia had taken on Harriet, she was absolutely beaming.
Woods' career took her from print and television journalism (including a stint as one of the first women reporters for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat to local city council work, the state's transportation commission, and the Missouri Senate. Jo Mannies of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch describes in brief the rest of her career in office:
Her independence prompted Mrs. Woods to buck state Democratic leaders who publicly objected to her bids for the U.S. Senate.In 1982, Woods challenged Republican incumbent John C. Danforth for a U.S. Senate seat after winning the Democratic nomination against the party establishment’s choice: outstate banker Burleigh Arnold.
Her candidacy became a cause for national and local women’s rights groups — and abortion opponents who wage a high-profile effort against her. Woods lost to Danforth by 27,500 votes out of 1.5 million cast.
She blamed, in part, the troubles women candidates faced in raising money. Woods’ loss helped lead to the creation of the national Emily’s List, which now helps bankroll women Democratic candidates.
In 1984, Mrs. Woods bucked a statewide Republican tide with her victory for lieutenant governor. Two years later, she made her second run for the U.S. Senate, losing to Bond.
Afterwards, Woods founded or ran non-partisan boards caucuses dedicated to policy leadership and the advancement of women in politics. She is credited as being a role model by politicians ranging from Senator Claire McCaskill to my own state representative, Rachel Storch.
Her death leaves a great emptiness in the frontier of women's leadership, but Woods herself recognized that such losses are but temporary:
In a commentary she wrote in 2001, Mrs. Woods cautiously optimistic about the political future for women. “Although we have leveled the playing field, we understand that it still belongs to somebody else,’’ she wrote. “That makes it very important to mentor the young women who are our future.”(Cross-posted here and there.)
Question of the Day
Earlier, I mentioned that I always had a special sort of fondness for Anna Nicole Smith, even though she was widely regarded as a joke. Has there ever been a much-maligned entertainment figure for whom you had a special place in your heart, or for whom you felt a particular sympathy, in spite of prevailing opinion?
Quote of the Day
"For some reason, the military seems more afraid of gay people than they are against terrorists, but they're very brave with the terrorists. ... If the terrorists ever got a hold of this information, they'd get a platoon of lesbians to chase us out of Baghdad." — Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-NY), making a (pointed) joke to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about Don't Ask Don't Tell.
More at Pam's place. Evan's got video at AlterNet.
Cheesy Television
Who needs cheesy teevee like American Idol when you've got Cheddarvision?
Cheese lovers can now watch cheddar mature 24 hours a day on the internet.
Watching cheese age: More or less exciting than watching paint dry?
West country farmers set up the Cheddarvision website featuring a 25 kg block of cheddar, reports ITN.Indeed. I can't think of a single cheese besides this one! And if there's any cheese that deserves its fifteen minutes of feta, it's totally the Somerset cheddar.
Farmer Tom Calver said: "How many other cheeses do you know of on the internet that have their own webcam and a live feed to the internet? I don't think many."
The highlight of the day on Cheddarvision.tv is at around 10am when the cheese at the Somerset dairy is turned.That's 10am in Somerset, which is 5am EST, so set your alarms.
For my money—and palate—the real excitement is at the end of the process, because the final result makes my mouth water just looking at it.
Mmm. Cheese.
And I know I'm not alone. I recall a "favorite foods" Question of the Day in which many, many Shakers professed an ardent adoration for all things cheese. Well, okay—maybe not all things. In Cheddarvision, we may have found the line for all but the most dedicated cheesemonsters.
RIP Anna Nicole Smith
Anna Nicole Smith "collapsed at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, and was rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood just after 2 p.m. ET." She died after attempts to revive her were unsuccessful.
Unexpectedly, this news has made me really sad. I always felt quite sorry for Anna Nicole Smith, always had this urge to give her a hug and a pep talk about self-esteem—a big sister talk, which seems funny, since she was older than I.
Holy Crap
Gunmen Kill 3 Illegal Immigrants in AZ
TUCSON, Ariz. - Gunmen stopped a pickup truck full of illegal immigrants, shot several and took the rest captive Thursday in an attack that left at least three men dead and two people wounded, authorities said.
Authorities were trying to determine who the gunmen were.
The men shot three people, one fatally, along a known smuggling corridor near Tucson, then forced the six or seven other immigrants in the group to leave with them, Pima County sheriff's officials said.
The bodies of two of those immigrants were found a few miles north in the cab of the pickup truck that had been carrying the group. The other four or five immigrants had not been found by midday Thursday.
Investigators did not immediately know a motive for the attack, but gangs of bandits are known to roam border areas preying on illegal immigrants as they cross into the country. Feuding among smuggling organizations also is not uncommon, sometimes involving demands for ransoms from the immigrants relatives to gain their freedom.
Deep Down Inside, You're Dirty. Do You Hear Me? Dirty!!
Women are filthy, filthy creatures and should be ashamed of themselves. After all, the name for your groinocological parts is a dirty word!! Vagi... oh gawd, I can't even bring myself to type it.
Irony calling, line one...
Briefly…
Limbo
The rumor is that Melissa and Amanda have been fired.
The right-wing blogosphere has gotten its scalps -- John Edwards has fired the two controversial bloggers he recently hired to do liberal blogger outreach, Salon has learned.
The bloggers, Amanda Marcotte, formerly of Pandagon, and Melissa McEwan, of Shakespeare's Sister, had come under fire from right-wing bloggers for statements they had previously made on their respective blogs. A statement by the Catholic League's Bill Donohue, which called Marcotte and McEwan "anti-Catholic vulgar trash-talking bigots," and an accompanying article on the controversy in the New York Times this morning, put extra pressure on the campaign.
Speculation from sources that the two bloggers might be rehired was bolstered by Jennifer Palmieri, a spokeswoman for the Edwards campaign, who said in an e-mail that she would "caution [Salon] against reporting that they have been fired. We will have something to say later."
Tons of links here.
Consider this an open thread.
Update: Pam has posted, and I really like this:
Whatever opinions Melissa and Amanda hold on a variety of political issues, they are completely their own. The fact is that they have used profanity in their posts, and wrote rants that many disagree with, but their forums are about personal expression and opinion, not journalism or op-eds for a major paper. They were selected by the Edwards campaign to put on a different hat, a professional hat -- as if no one else out there does the same thing each and every day if they have a personal blog and work in a venue that is dependent on writing copy or business correspondence. They know the difference, but that's clearly not the issue at work here. It's about getting someone in the kill zone, and trying to knock off John Edwards in the process.
The worst thing in the world
ABC News' Terry Moran transparently sides with Bill Donohue with his "When did you stop beating your wife?" approach to Donohue's attack on the John Edwards campaign. Even worse - from an objective, best-journalistic-practices viewpoint - is the breathlessness with which Moran parrots the tired "lefty bloggers are evil because they curse!" meme. Listen to enough journos and you come away believing that the "profanity" of liberal bloggers represents the gravest threat to the Republic imaginable, truly the worst thing in the world.
Never mind that calls for the imprisonment or execution or intimidation of politicians or other public figures - including reporters! - has long been a matter of routine for right-wing bloggers. Never mind that such "calls to action" and more oblique threats have often been promoted by more prominent figures in the righty blogosphere, the knd of people who wind up interviewed on talk shows or quoted as authoritative sources in the paper.
And yet the mainstream media - of which Moran is both member and symptom - not only ignores these very public and unequivocal expressions of right-wing hatred, but often willfully serve their political ends.
Somewhere in the depths of the DSM-IV, there must be a clinical term for this kind of pathology. I'm just not sure if there's a treatment.
(Cross-posted.)news which surprises no one
New York, NY, February 6, 2007 � The Ku Klux Klan, which just a few years ago seemed static or even moribund compared to other white supremacist movements such as neo-Nazis, experienced "a surprising and troubling resurgence" during the past year due to the successful exploitation of hot-button issues including immigration, gay marriage and urban crime, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).Given the similarities of beliefs with the far right, this was fairly easy to predict. The article goes on to note:
The League, which monitors the activities of racist hate groups and reports its findings to law enforcement and policymakers, has documented a noticeable spike in activity by Klan chapters across the country. The KKK believes that the U.S. is "drowning" in a tide of non-white immigration, controlled and orchestrated by Jews, and is vigorously trying to bring this message to Americans concerned or fearful about immigration.
"If any one single issue or trend can be credited with re-energizing the Klan, it is the debate over immigration in America," said Deborah M. Lauter, ADL Civil Rights Director. "Klan groups have witnessed a surprising and troubling resurgence by exploiting fears of an immigration explosion, and the debate over immigration has, in turn, helped to fuel an increase in Klan activity, with new groups sprouting in parts of the country that have not seen much activity."
The troubling Klan resurgence has manifested itself in a number of ways:
* Longstanding groups have increased their activity and experienced a rapid expansion in size.
* New groups have appeared, causing racial tensions in communities previously untroubled by racial issues. They hold anti-immigration rallies and recruitment drives and distribute racist literature with a new emphasis on the immigration issue, and Hispanics.
* Klan groups have become more active in parts of the country that had not seen much activity in recent years, including the Great Plains States such as Iowa and Nebraska, and Mid-Atlantic states such as Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
* Klan groups increasingly are cooperating with neo-Nazi groups, especially the Minnesota-based National Socialist Movement.
* The Klan has adopted new publicity tricks, such as sending racist fliers to school teachers during Black History Month, and has embraced the Internet as a means to spread anti-Semitism and racism. One group, the Empire Knights of the KKK, runs an Internet-based radio station, dubbed "KKK Radio," which broadcasts white power music and racist and anti-Semitic propaganda.
Reading this reminds me of an incident I wrote about in late 2005. The Klan held a rally for the marriage amendment in TX but some of the "regular folks" who also wanted to ban same-sex marriage were just mortified that the Klan was there and that they were on the same side. One person was quoted as saying that he didn't want to be linked with the Klan. Because, what, it makes you see just how ugly your SAME BELIEFS are?
Anyway, the full ADL report is available at the link above, as is a state-by-state listing of local chapters, and a list of states that are 'notable' for growth & activity.
Anti-Catholic Bigot
I'm not going to say a lot about this right now, but suffice it to say that the fact I cast a vote, without hesitation, for a Catholic during the last presidential election might suggest I'm not anti-Catholic.
My degree from Loyola University might also suggest the same.
No!! You're Kidding!!
I know this is going to completely shock you all... perhaps we should position ourselves by the fainting couches, yes?
As Shakes pointed out yesterday, Bill O'Reilly's completely baffling attack on kidnapping victim/captive Shawn Hornbeck was proven to be completely unjustified. O'Reilly said he would "apologize" if he was proven "wrong." Well, guess what? He's as wrong as he can possibly be.
True to form, he isn't apologizing. In fact, he's claiming he knew it all along.
Words cannot begin to describe how vile Bill O'Reilly is.
Nevertheless, on the February 5 edition of The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly not only failed to apologize for his remarks, he did not even mention them. Discussing the new charges, O'Reilly claimed: "[W]e all knew this was coming. ... These poor boys [were] subjected to this monster. ... [A]s journalists, we have to say 'alleged' and this, that, and the other thing, but ... we all know what this is."
More, with video at the link, if you can stand it. Nice to see that Fox is continuing their standard of excellence in broadcasting.
Ol' Bill is ticked
You know you're doing something right when Bill Donohue (president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights) is pissed off at you. And, hooooo-boy, is he PISSED. Check it out:
(Washington) Two bloggers hired recently by Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards were criticized Tuesday by a Catholic group for posts they had written elsewhere on the Internet.BWAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, right.
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, demanded that Edwards fire Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan.
"John Edwards is a decent man who has had his campaign tarnished by two anti-Catholic, vulgar, trash-talking bigots," Donohue wrote in a statement. "He has no choice but to fire them immediately."
And "trash talking bigot"? From this guy:
"Name for me a book publishing company in this country, particularly in New York, which would allow you to publish a book which would tell the truth about the gay death style.[...]"
"We've already won. Who really cares what Hollywood thinks? All these hacks come out there. Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. It's not a secret, okay? And I'm not afraid to say it. ... Hollywood likes anal sex. They like to see the public square without nativity scenes. I like families. I like children. They like abortions. I believe in traditional values and restraint. They believe in libertinism. We have nothing in common. But you know what? The culture war has been ongoing for a long time. Their side has lost."This person who spoke at "Justice Sunday II: God Save the United States and this Honorable Court" and bitched about Joan Osborne's song "One of Us" (called it "catholic-baiting" and, of course, sacreligious)...he calls Melissa a "trash talking bigot"? What-fucking-ever, you deluded jackass.
Anyway, the article goes on (emphasis mine):
Donohue cited posts that the women made on blogs in the past several months in which they criticized the pope and the church for its opposition to homosexuality, abortion and contraception, sometimes using profanity.Heh. I, for one, would looooove to see this list compiled by Donahue.
"The Catholic church is not about to let something like compassion for girls get in the way of using the state as an instrument to force women to bear more tithing Catholics," Marcotte wrote on the blog Pandagon on Dec. 26, in an excerpt cited by Donohue.
Among the McEwan posts that Donohue listed was one she posted on Feb. 21, 2006, on her site, Shakespeare's Sister. She questioned what religious conservatives don't understand about "keeping your noses out of our britches, our beds and our families?"
And you know what? I'm not anti-Catholic. I'm anti-ignorance and bigotry--which are what your ideas on gay people, abortion, and contraception are, Mr. Donahue. Ignorance and bigotry. And you can take them and shove them right up your ass.
I speak as myself and not as Melissa's representative or in any way attatched to the Edwards campaign. Hat tip to commenter Pat G.
The Non-Apology Apology
This is just one gift the Right and our lovely Prezint have given us, and oh, I just love it to little bits. It's the passive voice, non-apology apology, and it's just so in vogue now. Give the appearance of apologizing, while not admitting any wrongdoing! It's just so cool and hip and with it and what the kids are talking about on the streets with their ipods and pong and Huey Lewis and the Blowfish and whatnot.
You've just run an incredibly offensive, homophobic ad campaign during the Superbowl. Human/Gay Rights organizations are pissed. Take it away, Masterfoods USA!
Snickers Pulls Plug on Superbowl Smooch Ad
I love how it's a "smooch ad," and not a "gay bashing" ad. Come on, queers... can't you take a joke?
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- After a number of groups objected, Masterfoods USA, the maker of Snickers candy bars, has pulled the plug on a controversial Super Bowl commercial that showed two men accidentally kissing.They conveniently don't mention that part of the reason these groups were so upset is because one of the "alternate endings" featured the two men beating each other up. That might be, you know, important to the story. It might also be important to state that the reactions of the NFL players, supposed "role models," were, to say the least, negative.
The 30-second commercial featured two mechanics who end up sharing both a Snickers bar and an inadvertent kiss, and then react by pulling out a clump of chest hair to "do something manly."
On its Web site, the candy maker posted three alternate endings to the commercial and reactions from NFL players.
Groups such as the Human Right Campaign and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) condemned the ad, saying it promoted anti-gay prejudice and condoned violence against gay Americans.
So, they're backed into the corner, they've screwed up... what do you do? Sleaze your way out of it, of course!
Masterfoods, which has discontinued the ad campaign, said the intent of the ad was not to offend, and noted that feedback from its target audience had been positive.Yes, humor is "highly subjective." And there it is, the "we're sorry if you were offended" apology. Read: "We're sorry if you were somehow offended by this advertisement, however, we're not sorry in the least for running it. It's all subjective, after all!" *cutsey shrug*"We know that humor is highly subjective and understand that some people may have found the ad offensive. Clearly that was not our intent," Masterfoods said in a statement. "As with all of our Snickers advertising, our goal was to capture the attention of our core Snickers consumer."
Oh, and apparently, the "core Snickers consumer" is a bigoted, highly homophobic 18 to 24-year-old male. So color me unsurprised that their focus groups somehow didn't notice that their hilarious advert might miff a few people.
I'm not a big candy eater, but I now have a list of foods that I can cut out of my diet. Glad I'm a Cadbury man.
Greg Saunders has more, and notes,
Homosexuals Are Disgusting, But Snickers Really Satisfies™
