Spewing the hate

Crooks and Liars: Cheney Worried About Terrorists Having a 'Public Platform Where They Can Spew Venom'

Apparently Liz Cheney is upset that when alleged terrorist are brought to trial in the US, it means that their evil will be spit upon out nation.

Yes, she fails to see the irony. If you have listened to her speak over the last year, it has all been bitter bile and hate. And she hasn't been alone. Conservatives and Republicans have raced forward to lob rhetorical grenades at the base of the great American experiment.

Attacked viciously by conservatives:

• President/Presidency
• Congress
• The court system
• Education
• Military
• Various minority groups
• Science
• Medicine
• History
• Reality
• Common sense

But they are largely not violent. But there have been some moments, and they have, in there words, given some cover to sentiments, fears, and paranoia. See the rifles and handguns at protest. And as we have seen the militias are growing up again, Aryan and white power groups seem to be making a similar comeback. Guns and ammo are flying out the shelf. And then there are the mouth pieces that have suggested the need for violence against the government and even terrorist attack...again words from conservatives that get national coverage.

This is all worse than irony.

Remember when?

TPM: McCain wants you to rip up your AARP cards.

Remember when John McCain seemed occasionally sensible? You could talk to him and interact and coordinate. Then he ran for the presidency and sold out. Well that is over and one might have thought, like Dole and others that he would step back a bit. But more like John Kerry he acts like he has a shot of running again and is still talking in the same manner.

And now this. Hey the old disabled guy at the front wants you to cut ties with the group that lobbies for older Americans, and works with Republicans and Democrats. He would be fine if they just supported Republicans, but the Dems? That is just treasonous. So yeah, listen to the old guy up front on health care and insurance...the guy with both federal and veteran health care insurance...and millions of dollars in the bank...and the other lobbyist calling him and his party demanding certain stands...He's the way. He must speak the truth...When has he ever lead you to something wrong?

Update: Crooks and Liars has a clip from last year when McCain was praising AARP. Hack!

The Media: The Stand

Mark Halperin made a telling and also unsurprising point.

Apparently when Obama makes his stand on where to take operations in Afghanistan, he shouldn't be seen with Dems. He should be seen with Reps.

Which, I think, should be read in the way conservatives have been speaking, just do what we tell you to do.

Halperin: Imagine two scenarios—he announces it standing there by himself, or with Democrats (gasp!) when he makes this decision, or imagine him standing there with John McCain, or other prominent Republicans on national security. It paints such a different picture if he’s with the Republicans.

The assumption is FAR TOO OFTEN the standard with the beltway/village that you have to do what Reps think on National Security...cause...cause...we told you to! The last 8 years of conservative/Republic thinking on security hasn't been enough? Mayve the media could stop acting like they were born yesterday and stop taking the macho posturing of Reps as some sort of sensibility.

Yeah, stand beside those guys who joke about bombing the region he is setting policy, beside people who seem eager to make snide comments about the region and local religion...yeah what an image. And what has happen in the past when he reaches out, as the sage Halperin is suggesting? They try and twist his words and stab him in the back.

Go back to your cocktail party, Mark.

Moral choices

PZ Myers saw a great bit of moral thought from the think tank Answers in Genesis.



Is it immoral to lie? WHat's more, if a lie saves lives, isn't it better to act, even in a lie, to save lives. The classic example is that of Nazi's searching for Jewish refugees and they demand to know if you know where they are. Knowing as you do, do you lie and keep them safe that much longer, or do you refuse dishonesty?



AiG has the answer. Don't lie. Read their explanation. It says it all about faith and religion.



... So, is the greater good trusting God when He says not to lie or trusting in our fallible, sinful minds about the uncertain future? ...



See? Maybe they will get caught anyway...and YOU LIED! God told you not to lie, and when has He ever led you wrong? Beside with God/Jesus in charge they know what they are doing and will protect those that need it when it is needed...Really! The classic, if you are saved it was meant, if you suffer it was meant. What a cods wallop!



But it explains so much.

Reacting to administering of the law

Conservatives have been pissed about the idea of moving forward and holding the terrorist we are holding accountable under our law.

Like Kit Bond:
Cowardly Kit Bond Carries Water for the Bush Administration and Whines About Terror Trials in NY

Even Wolf Blitzer seems to be carrying the water:
Blitzer Rolls Out the Right Wing Talking Points on Terrorist Trial Decision


Despite the spite, even among the 9/11 widows there is support to move forward:
9/11 Widow Kristen Breitweiser On "9/11 Terrorist" Going To Trial In New York City


Jonathan Turley also gave some thoughtful legal analysis on events:
Countdown: Terror Trials

Being Orwellian: To be anti-choice is to be pro-choice

The Hunting of the Snark looks at a truly twisted claim at a pro-choice position in regards to access to abortion services.

You really have to read the points and the counterpoints to believe it. Suffice to say if you don't allow anti-choice women to take away your rights...you are not being pro-choice.

Beck meets the African Americans

Crooks and Liars makes note of Glenn Becks attempts to understand blacks in America. Through bringing, presumably, all of the black conservatives in the United States in one room to represent.

Among is thoughts, why do blacks call themselves often African Americans, as he doesn't point out his whiteness.

... Had Beck even a smidgen of American history, particularly pertaining to civil rights, he'd know that white Americans for most of the decades of the past century used the word "American" and "real American" almost exclusively to refer to white people -- and that this motif lingers even today (see, e.g., Sarah Palin's references to "real Americans" during the campaign -- speaking before small-town, all-white audiences). ...

One of the best points to emerge is the idea that came from the group that conservatism and Christianity have been vital to success in the African American community....which ignores the work of atheist, secularist, Jews, liberals, etc in the work to fight for freedom, rights, and the later defense and maintenance of success in the black community and the United States in general. So conservatives wanted to up heave society and end slavery? They wanted to alter things to ensure the civil rights movements success? How about the conservatives of the black community when MLK Jr started? Weren't they the ones telling him to shut up and not make trouble?

If you want to be conservative or Christian fine. But don't rewrite history to make yourself it's hero.

Stupaks a real piece

So what has Stupak, the twit that brought us the hope of far stricter abortion laws, said since giving us his early Christmas gift?

He's threatened Congress...what a Lieberman...

Apparently if the amendment (his) doesn't stay in place and unchanged...he's been betrayed.

So it's all about the affront to him. So if the meeting of both houses doesn't do what HE says, HE's been double crosses...What a Republican.

Again, who is pushing the stricter abortion laws? Republicans? No, we Dems are!

What the fuck?

Christian generosity

There have been charming examples of Christlike charity recently.

Catholic priorities must be maintained!

Catholics are big on helping those in need of aid and services...unless a city they are working in is in anyway friendly to gays. Then your dead to them. 10's of thousands abandoned to scare government about same sex marriage. I'm sure it is what Jesus would do. God would firebomb, but dad's can be real pricks.


We have a military based on Christian-based principles?

In another city an American Legion post is threatening to cut scholarships to students...if they can't bring prayer into the school as part of the ceremony. Again that says everything about how committed they really are to helping the kids.

Looking at Stupak and beyond.

Here is a view of the amendment foisted on the bill this weekend.

Abortion and Health Care Reform: How The House Bill Forces Women to Accept Less Coverage Than They Already Have


Likewise a look at concerns about what the setup of the bill at it is affects women looking for basic medical attention.

The Democratic Party: Still Looking Out for Women's Health!


Addendum:
And another under noted area of the bill...prayer.

Paying for Prayer in Health Care

...Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has slipped in a provision to the bill that would require reimbursement for prayer services. Although not mentioned by name, it is thought that the provision is aimed at Christian Science prayer. ...

Let's not work together.

Atrios notes an interesting turn of events. While not a big deal in the news, apparently, Lindsey Graham was censured. By Congress? No. But by the Republicans in one of the counties of his home state of South Carolina. Why? For working with Democrats on a climate change and other issues. Hard to remember the last time this has happen, he doesn't seem keen to be seen with Dems, but when it has happen has been enough to raise the ire of Reps back at home.

Does he really think he claim to not be part of the Party of No?

Who do we work with?

Thematically this is a bit like a point I made in a previous post.

The Church, the Catholic Church, the ones that hate gays, but love the kiddies...

They have been active. First they led the charge to strip away gay rights in Maine, after taking a background role in California. This follows on trying to get Anglican bigots globally to come on in, and after embracing Holocaust deniers again. Good image.

This past week or so they have also took an interest in health care in America. Namely pushing to use health care reform to further remove women to access to reproductive control.

AMERICAblog says it best:

"Members of Congress and the Obama administration have to decide just how closely they want to align with the protectors of pedophiles."

As it is the president and White House have been more than neutral on gay rights, with the Justice Department attacking the rights. The DNC in promoting voting in Maine, ignored suggesting voting to protect gay rights. Then we get a speech.

I have been willing to wait on many of these issues that we Dems believe in. We needed stimulus and health care reform. But the stimulus was widdled down and health care is being compromised into a potential boondoggle. Is this what the fight for the rights of American was put aside for? Weak reform and stricter controls on abortion access? As has been noted by some news commentators, under 8 years of Bush and nearly 6 years of Republican legislative control, reproductive rights were left untouched. (Granted under Obama the Global Gag Rule is gone.) Why are we ceding our positions still? [INSERT Capt. Picard's Falling Back and Drawing a Line In the Sand speech from First Contact HERE.]

Or Here.


And the counterpoint defending limited rights for women and less business regulation.

Conservatives never miss a time to hate and deny.

TPM has looked at the various conservative reactions to the murders at Ft. Hood. Suffice righty Christians want all Muslims out of the military. And other paranoid conspiracy types want to take action against any and all Muslims in the country. We really have grown so much since the first Gulf War, huh?

Now I have been willing to be critical of Islam, and some Muslims. And I will be still. But this can be too easily about hating the other.

The book about the Muslim Mafia was just nutty and the follow up press conferences about the secret plan to subvert Congress is just tin foil americana.

We do have troubles even in the US, but there are those that criticize that want to protect their beliefs (rightly or wrongly), those who want to ensure a secular society, and those that just fear and hate. And as an atheist and skeptic it is important to know where to draw lines and where to stand. Do we work with conservatives in the US? Are the righties in the Netherlands who we want to stand with? These are questions we should address. We need to find out balance. The Dutch politicians have common cause with us in the area of Free Speech (and with the pressures in the UN these days we need to defend speech fervently), but beyond that...I am not comfortable.

As the story of Ft Hood continues there is some ties to more radical elements of Islam and periphery touch to terrorist. It may prove to be a solid connection, or a coincidence. But to drive so quickly to alienate all of Islam in this country, people who have so far proven to be as loyal to the nation as Christians or Jews as a whole, is simply illogical. And worse the conservatives (like Joe Lieberman) are taking focus off the ever present stressors that are hurting those in the armed forces. Suicide is way up, the destruction of families and well being continues to too often be a C or D story on the news. Is it not big enough?

Why go to war" with ourselves (fellow citizens)? That is such a conservative thing to do. We need to criticize and challenge the radical, hold to the importance of secularism and the rights of the people, and also protect the right to speak out.

Resurrecting a skeptic

Another Halloween story.

As is done every Halloween, a skeptical seance was done to call on Houdini to come back with a message. Apparently he, or Elvis, are still AWOL.

It was done by the JREF and WeirdThings.com.


They then have a wrap-up.

Laughing at the Right

Some more laughs.

TPM is linking to a great bit that Jon Stewart did riffing at the whole Glenn Beck experience. From glasses to books...to gestures...to the board. Watch and laugh.

And SNL, along with giving Frank props, mocked the ridiculous one sided coverage FOX News gives...via the elections last Tuesday.

Into the Frying pan.

PZ Myers has pointed to great debate over Catholicism. It has two Catholic dignitaries (one is a British Tory MP) and Christopher Hitchens and the ever great and witty Stephen Fry (who we all love).

You can check it out on YouTube.

Giving a little credit

I have been a bit hard on the History Channel...not that they haven't deserved it...but I want to give some credit.

In the midst of the Kennedy Conspiracy week dreck they did have one good show. Kennedy: Beyond the Conspiracy. A whole show that actually tears through the claims and inaccuracies to get to the realities of what happen and what is actually known. Really, with all the conspiracy shows on it is a breath of fresh air to watch that. And the way it tears into the Stone JFK film is just a joy. They even had it on a few times that week...in the midst of hour after hour of the other stuff...

But I like it and they should do more legit history...they might learn to like it. There is one other show I saw once. On History Channel again, it was on right after this one, back a few years. It also looked at the claims of how Oswald couldn't have done it, or been at certain places (There is no way he could have walked to...in ...minutes...). They tested those claims only to show that, actually, he could do it and he could then be at the places he was seen. Again, dealing with facts. I notice they didn't show that one.

But they had an interesting minute by minute show with the actual things airing as the assassination happened, and as the sad day proceeded, up to Oswald's later death. It was actually quite evocative, drawing you into the time in this country. Try doing more stuff like these. HC, try reality and history, instead of paranoia and pure myth.

Bible Code synopsis

Going back a few weeks, the Atheist Experience blog did a nice look at the joke that is the Bible Code (not this has stopped the History Channel from repeatedly showing to separate shows on the Code, Yeah, such a dearth of insight you need to shows to cover it all...). It is a good read if you haven't heard much about it before.

Halloween's End

Eve's End?

I wanted to get back on sooner..but...

So I missed the Christian killjoys scaring kids about candy.

I do love Halloween...it is creepy and spooky, and people like to have fun, dress up, and just go for that certain motif. Then the next day it is dead to everyone. The back to back shows on various channels and the movie marathons go away...though these days they do pop up more often as a way to fill up hours (and I've got DVD's and the Internet). Still it is a little sad to see it pass. Kind of like the Christmas season, and it's merriment and friendliness that seems to fade the next day (But bills and handovers do that.).

So thanks to the likes of SNL we get bits and pieces to keep the feeling alive.

i09 has a sketch from last week with a rival for the Twilight movie and book dreck.

Anytime there is some poking at that series is great. And finally Frankenstein('s monster) gets his.

But the comments point to some great videos parodying/mocking some more.

First a great mocking of the poor vampire who can't share his love normally...and what it is really all about.


The other is from G4 with the AOTS gang reminding all the people out there with hearts a flutter over moody vamps just what crude that idea is.


I love that last one. The love of the vamps is one that is just plain weird...have you every seen the Twilight groupies express there thoughts on being with a vampire...? A lot of them are excited about it and about getting "taken." Are you freaking kidding me? It really crystallized for me watching Queen of the Damn (yeah I saw the film and admit to it.). At one point the female "protagonist" is going gaga over Lestat and wants to be with him, and just all in awe. He tries to explain what crap her opinion is on this...and he gets to the point he charges a nearby woman and prepares to kill and drain her...and this brain trust, watching is shocked and confused and can't believe he would do this...ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME! He's a vampire, unless shown otherwise in a story...that is about all a vampire does. What fricking idiots...

So, yeah, I like that second vid...

Cruel History

I saw another show on History Channel that has just bugged me. I was turning passed it all hour, uninterested, but stopped there at the end. The show, Biblical Disasters.

Heaven help us. Sure they have a lot of crap on that I let pass without comment. But at the end, in the midst of some religious comments was this, paraphrased, DISASTERS ARE GOD'S WAY OF BRINGING US CLOSER TO OUR NEIGHBORS.

Join with me brothers and sisters, FUCK YOU. I actually wished I had seen it now. Did they give us a nice spin on the Noah flood wiping out all human life, but for this family, that quickly interbred...which I guess brought them all closer. Disaster in Sodom? It did being a far closer daughter-father-daughter dynamic.

The point is they showed all these clips of disaster and suffering and said, "Gee, it clears away the structures around us so we see and appreciate each other, talk to each others, and rely on each other." Uh...yeah. As we bury my only child we can get to chatting. While we struggle to find food or medicine, I can get to know your hobbies. Let's all turn those frowns upside down.

Now a positive attitude and community can be vital to make it through hardships, but to try and make it seems like a gift, a divine gift...and to make it your History Channel shows epilogue...FUCK YOU.