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Just a warning in advance, I am in a bad mood today. Not in any kind of mood to mince words…
Strange Scottish Girl, who has a snazzy new site by the way, asked me the other day for a political post. I’ve not written one in a while, largely because the whole Sarah Palin nomination/ Republican circus has just depressed me. I’m depressed at the cynicism of the McCain campaign thinking that disaffected Clinton voters will flock to Palin just because of the number of X chromosomes that she bears. I’m depressed that the Republicans are falling back on extreme social conservativism to engorge their base. Again. I’m depressed that the oldest presidential candidate in history has selected a viciously pro-life, creationist, anti-science, book banning neo-fascist to be a malignant melanoma away from the reins of my homeland.
Mostly I’m depressed that it seems to be working. The most recent Real Clear Politics aggregate polls have McCain up three points on Obama, the first time he’s led since he became the presumptive Republican nominee back in the Spring. This isn’t because of McCain’s slightly histrionic and more than slightly disingenuous speech last week, it’s because of Palin.
I don’t even want to post about Palin, I just can’t drum up the words. She represents everything that I think is wrong with the Republican Party and American politics as it stands today. I was really pretty optimistic about things because it looked like things were changing – even the G.O.P. had weeded out the wing nuts and nominated a socially moderate candidate, but then Palin.
But this isn’t about Sarah Palin, it’s about book banning. Sarah Palin likes the idea of banning books by most accounts. Sarah Palin asked the librarian in the town she ran how she would feel if Palin asked her to remove some books from the local library. The librarian said she would never do anything of the sort. The librarian was “asked to resign” a few days later. The McCain campaign has tried to quiet this story by saying that Palin’s request was speculative and that the librarian wasn’t fired because she said no to Palin, but for other reasons. Whatever.
I know book banners and I know what they look like and sound like. I grew up in a small town on the steaming pine flats of north Florida. This particular town was famous for two things. One, Ted Bundy killed his last victim there. Two, they banned Chaucer from the schools. When I was a Freshman in High School, my county school board banned a humanities text book that contained excerpts from Aristophanes’ “Lysistrata” and Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales”. That’s right, 5th century B.C. Greek drama and 13th century English frame tales were too dirty for our developing minds. A local preacher’s wife was helping her daughter with her homework one day and came across the mere mention of the existence of sex in Lysistrata and the “The Miller’s Tale” – a farcical story in verse that includes medieval fart jokes – and went all histrionic. She got her husband on to the case, who used his own little bully pulpit to get a rise out of his Southern Baptist congregation. As these things do in small towns, in a matter of weeks there was fury from the community about their precious innocents being forced to read such smut. Smut that 99% of them hadn’t bothered to read. Smut that the vast majority of them couldn’t pronounce, never mind spell.
The irony, of course, is that in the late 80’s most of these delicate flowers were having more sex than Aristophanes could ever conceive of and the jokes I heard in the halls of my school would have caused Chaucer to blush. But logic and reality tend to be irrelevant when a community is stricken with a righteous fury and the school board, with a cowardly unanimous vote, caved under the pressure and banned both the humanities book and the original text.
At the time, I didn’t know Greek comedy from situation comedy and I didn’t know that Chaucer was the father of English literature and laid the path for seven centuries of words to come. I was 15 and had bigger issues to deal with and I just didn’t really care about the ban. I was young and still labored under the illusion that elected officials knew best and had my best interests at heart. I’ve always been a little bit ashamed that I wasn’t angry at the time, that I didn’t get angry until I went away to college and read “Lysistrata” and “The Canterbury Tales”. It was at that point that I realized what had been done to me by the preachers and the school board.
I have no problem with anyone’s religious beliefs, none whatsoever. Largely because what anyone else believes is absolutely none of my business. If you don’t want to watch a movie or read a book or listen to a song because it flies in the face of your religious beliefs, that’s fine. If you don’t want your child to read a book or listen to a song because it flies in the face of your religious beliefs, that’s fine, though you probably ultimately do your child a disservice. Nonetheless, none of my business. But the Christianists that banned Chaucer and Aristophanes went a step too far, they didn’t want anyone to read, watch or listen to something that offended their faith. This is where I have a problem. This is where your religion offends me. This is where your beliefs tread on not only my beliefs, but my freedom to practice them. This is where it becomes my business.
I learned that in my first year of a private Christian college in South Carolina. I learned that I should be angry about what had been done in my hometown. I learned about book banning. It didn’t just happen in that small town in north Florida. It had happened throughout history when zealots with a modicum of power and more than their fair share of influence convinced an ill informed population that a book threatened their morality. And I got angry. And I wrote an essay for a literature class about book banning and book banners. My professor encouraged me to send that essay to my local newspaper and they published it as a guest editorial.
My small salvo in the war against book banning got me my first job as a writer. The surprisingly progressive publisher of our local paper gave me a summer job as an intern reporter. I spent two summers reporting on the local politicians . It was during those two summers that I became a liberal, that I began to question authority, that I learned the dirty truth about small town politics. During those two summers I got to know Sarah Palin. I got to know small minded people that are so convinced that their personal morality is right that they are willing to force it on everyone else by any means necessary. I learned that if people wouldn’t listen and change, the Sarah Palins of the world will litigate their world view. There are lots of Sarah Palins on school boards and county commissions and, yes, in mayors offices in small towns around the country, particularly in the South. I know her, I’ve worked for her and I’ve worked against her and I have had enough of her.
Now most of the time, these people don’t get far in politics. But every now and again one of them is clever enough, glib enough or charismatic enough to climn the political ladder. Sometimes they get elected to the State legislature, sometimes they might be elected to the House of Representatives. Occasionally one of them becomes governor or even a Senator. Increasingly, these small-minded proto fascists are making a dent on the national stage. Recently they’ve made their way on to the U.S. Supreme Court and into the White House itself.
I had high hopes that this year was going to be different. But then came Sarah Palin, with her snide, sarcastic speech and her fundamentalist agenda and I realized that it was just the same old shit from the G.O.P. So, I don’t want to hear from Sarah Palin. I don’t want to be polite about this election anymore. I don’t want to try and balance the two parties and try to be fair. I’m angry and I’m tired of these people and I want them to go away. I want their mandate taken away. I want them beaten and beaten soundly. Am I a member of the “Angry Left”? You’re damn right I am.
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Excellent post and just in time for me to plug one of my favorite American Library Association events: Banned Books Week (September 27th-October 4th): http://www.ala.org/bbooks/ . Go to your local public library (if you’re in the US) and support some of the amazing men and women who have been fighting the good fight against censorship!
I replied in my comments replying to yours, anyhow. Thanks for this post, perfect considering tomorrow(today in your land) is Patriot Day.
I’ll say it again. The best thing the far right does is expound on their agenda over and over and over and over again. And clearly, this expounding shapes the views of many of the undecided. They say not giving Bush a 2nd term threatens our security and people listen, nevermind, uh, he threatens our national security.
So, we have to expound too, and stop being so nice and respectful. I would never use the word stupid(to a person’s face or in print) but I know people who say they might vote for Palin who also fiercely believe the very things she stands in opposition to. Huh? What? Really?
I have voted in every presidential election since I was a legal voter, not only is it a right, I think it’s a requirement to bitch later. I know so many people in our age group who have allowed their apathy to elect people who’s values are so out of wack it frightens me.
Tomorrow is Patriot Day in the US. I’ve heard a lot of conservatives say that speaking out against your president is unpatriotic, standing in opposition to a war the US is a part of is unpatriotic. Bullshit. And our founding father’s would call bullshit too because speaking out against your government was only like, the biggest 1st thing they all agreed upon, it was THE START OF EVERYTHING.
Patriotic is defined as loving one’s country, and protecting it. It’s time we start getting a little louder and angrier in protecting America from the people who want to dismantle piece by piece the fundamental values that were set up by some pretty fucking smart guys.
Chriss last blog post..Has Anyone Seen My Soapbox?
Wow, good post! I have been waiting for a political post from you. I too was hoping that this election would be different and that the far right Republicans would be soundly defeated, and I still hope for that. Its just not as likely as it seemed a few weeks ago. It drives me crazy that so many people want a leader that is “one of them” and someone that is not elitist. Nothing about Obama nor Biden seems elitist to me in the truest sense of the word, however I think that people don’t mean “elitist”. Rather, they just don’t want someone that is better and/or smarter than they are. I think this is ridiculous. The president (and VP, for that matter) SHOULD be better and smarter than me. In the past 8 years, we’ve seen what happens when you elect the village idiot…..can you tell I feel strongly about this???
Jenn – right, everyone, you heard the librarian. Go down to your library and check out some dirty books!
Chris – Patriot Day, huh? I really liked your post today and am glad you went out on the political limb. The more talking, writing, blogging, whatever, about the election this year the better. I’d rather hear about politics than celebrity gossip or who’s
I’m the same as you, I’ve voted in every election since I was old enough and continue to do so, even from abroad. And will continue to do so until the results just sap the will to live from me – could be this year, actually.
Jason – I want our president to be smarter than you too.
Seriously, I agree with you. If you’re not smarter than the average American then why are you qualified to lead? It’s such a bullshit argument and one that I just don’t understand.
Fantastic post. Palin is the anthisesis of who I am. I’m sending the link to this blog to everybody I know.
Thanks,
Norman
I’m scared of the direction our country’s headed.
Fucking awesome post. Yeah, it is getting me depressed too, even if I’m not American. I have this feeling that LOTS of people are liking Ms Palin as she goes to some big Christian church, makes her kids play Hockey and gives them stupid names, kills animals for fun and IS stupid. Don’t people like what they can relate too? Do you think some people will NOT vote for Obama because they think he’s too “far from the people” he’s “too educated” – do they want someone they could talk to on the bus, gossip and bitch about people? And why is there so much bitching? Rather than making people vote for your party because you have good policies, why do they spend so much time pointing out the bad in others? As if no-one can think for themselves, as if you want your motto to be ” vote for us cos we’re not as bad as them”- that’s utter crap. And as for the pig / lipstick thing, don’t even get me started. Man, I was excited, I thought America could be on the verge of change, and now I see there is LOTS of coverage of Palin, everywhere I look, and that means LOTS of people are interested. Fuck, I may as well move to Easter Island. or the North Pole, but wait, there may not be much left if they start drilling into it.
Book burning, book banning, all of it stinks… isn’t freedom of speech a constitutional right, or am I getting confused?
SSGs last blog post..Animals
Like I said. Americans hate the meritocracy. It gets in their way.
headbang8s last blog post..The Munich autumn. Al fresco is finito.
If it wasn’t so damn early here, I’d get outta my chair and dance around the room because you are FINALLY wrong, and I finally get to tease you about it. I mean, it sucks to communicate with someone who is right as often as you, you know?
Anyway… what are you wrong about? I do NOT disagree with this post! You probably haven’t noticed that I haven’t posted a single thing about the Republican party being saved… blah, blah, blah. I don’t like Palin. I don’t agree with her. I’m not the kind of person to jump on board the hype train just because it’s running.
You’re going to have to do what I finally had to do. Some weeks ago, I got so tired of reading and hearing about it all, I just simply refuse to listen to it anymore. I don’t watch tv or read articles I’m pushed toward reading. In my own time, I do research that isn’t influenced by either party or by the media. It’s the only way to know any truths whatsoever.
Not to mention, I’m sick and tired of people thinking I’m some kind of whoremonger zealot because I’m a Republican. I don’t think everyone who registers Democrat is a welfare stealing lazy ass. I deserve the same open-mindedness, but I haven’t been getting it. It was upsetting me to the point where it was starting to interfere with my everyday life. Am I upset with the way my party has handled the last eight years? Absolutely! But I didn’t vote for the dumbass four years ago. Go blame the people who did! There are two blogs that I still read the political posts on, and yours is one of them. Now, even the blogs I read everyday, when I see it’s a political post, I’ll close it and move right along. I’m just that tired of it all.
I can tell you all something useful, however. For every negative post you write about her from here on out, she’s probably going to secure one more vote. There are way too many exhausted defeated women out there who are simply too tired to research the facts, and they’ve connected with her. When they read the negative stuff, they don’t even believe it. They simply get defensive, and it guarantees a vote for McCain/Palin. I won’t even type her name on my blog. I believe this because at a family function a few days ago, I heard a complete diehard Democratic cousin of mine campaigning for McCain/Palin! She was a Hilary fan previously. There’s no way to explain what a shock this was, but trust me, I never thought I’d see the day she’d be voting Republican. And every negative thing my dad and uncle would say about Palin, she’d just dismiss it! Didn’t even try to have a valid argument against it! She didn’t care!
That’s the scary part for me. That, and people who party vote straight across the board without any hesitation toward who might be the better person.
By the way, couldn’t you have known you’d be one of the links in my post because I said I respected those people? Did it HAVE to be because we disagree so often? I mean, it was a compliment, dude!
Norman must have found you through my post. I’m sorry, man. (JUST KIDDING, Norman. You know I love ya.)
Oh, and I take great pride in being able to read banned books. Don’t tell me what to do. It pisses me off.
Norman – glad you enjoyed this and I’m pretty scared too.
SSG and Headbang for that matter – I think one needs to be careful before making blanket statements regarding Americans as a species. We’re far too diverse for that kind of thing. That being said, the pig/lipstick crap does sort of make the whole country look like they belong on the short bus.
Angel – first, could you repeat the part about me being right most of the time? Second, I actually was working on something else when I said that you would probably disagree with me. I know that your not the book banning kind of Republican, or at least I hoped that was the case. I would be surprised if any of my readers would support book banning, largely because they all read.
As for sending Palin votes, I just don’t care anymore. Nobody is going to read this post and have a miraculous conversion to progressive politics. I’m not trying to convince, I don’t have that kind of power. I’m not that good. I’m just pissed off and venting at this point.
Hey, I don’t live in the U.S. anymore. I’m casting my vote, what will be will be. If you guys want to go to hell in a handbasket – off you go. Just don’t send any of that G.O.P crazy down here. We’re full up.
This is why I hate even thinking about politics. All it does is piss me off. Makes me want out of this country sometimes.
In actuality, book banning can be a good thing. What do you do when someone tells you can’t do something? You go ahead and do it. Ban a book and people will read it. That’s what I did when my school banned “Wizard of Oz” and “Catcher in the Rye”
Andrews last blog post..If only I could submit many mixtapes
why did they ban the wizard of Oz?
SSGs last blog post..Palin, no, not Michael
I was wondering just how long you can keep quiet on this, so I am really glad you posted. What scares me to no end is that the truth seems to be totally optional for such a large number of people in the US. Facts make no difference whatsoever! How can that be? I am angry at the bottomless pit of Republican hypocrisy. Don’t people see that? And like Angel, I have a female friend w/ values as democratic/liberal as you can get. And she tells me she really liked Sarah Palin?!?!?!? She was also a Hillary supporter.
Someone somewhere said that Republicans are riding on the success of Reagan’s second-term ad “Sun will rise in America” which showed a family w/ young kids moving into a new house with a yard and white picket fence. The ad, apparently, contained no truth at all, but had great emotional punch. And that emotional punch is important and can trump reason. So use emotions where reason fails. Someone in Obama’s campaign ought to be able to figure out how to do it. Or if they can’t, get those Hollywood supporters to help!
What also worries me is that Obama is falling into academic verbosity, which is terrible. I understand that he is incensed by Palin’s comment on how captured terrorists shouldn’t be read their rights, and he should be incensed by the ad saying he wants to educate kindergartners about sex. But stand up and give them a good punch, like a man, don’t debate it as what people perceive to be a wussy academic or like Dukakis (in reality, successful academics are shrewd and mean SOBs). Olbermann was desperately giving him pointers the other night during the interview (use one word exclamations, make economic issues really simple, …), and Obama was saying “yes, yes, that is exactly what we are going to do, we will … ” and then he went into this drawn out explanation (sensible, but dull). Biden seems better to me at this folksy stuff for which there is now such desperate need.
Everything I’ve found has said that the book banning thing is urban legend… not true. Have you found valid sources that this rumor actually happened? If so, please link to them.
I just hope that people can see through the palin cover before it’s too late. The one (only) thing about McCain that I DID like was that he wasn’t at the religious right extreme of the political. It seemed like the republicans were finally going to move a little toward reality. And now this???
*sigh*
Laras last blog post..We got your lipstick here, bitches
The larger problem is that the Republican Party have mastered the art of appealing to the least informed voters, and these are the people who ultimately decide elections in this country. Discrediting legitimate media (who, to some extent, allow themselves to regularly be discredited) and feeding fabricated red meat to the guns, gays, and God crowd has proven to be an unbeatable strategy, despicable though it might be.
The Democrats are once again, unbelievably, reacting in the same flatfooted way that cost Gore and Kerry the White House, and if Obama doesn’t take the gloves off soon and start punching back hard, the party of Bush, Cheney, Gingrich, DeLay, Hastert, Frist, et al will continue their march toward the total destruction of the Constitution.
McCain/Palin represent nothing less than an American Taliban.
Rays last blog post..September 11
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/The_antiPalin_email.html
They banned Wizard of Oz because it had a witch in it. And the religious zealots in the area believed their children would practice witchcraft because of it.
Excellent post. You know, when McCain beat out Ron Paul and all the other right-wing whackos for the nomination, I was pretty psyched. I wouldn’t be voting for him, but it was nice to see someone who isn’t afraid to break with the party. But Palin? She is nasty. And fundamentalist. And a huge, huge step backward from any sort of moderation the Republicans were beginning to practice.
And if you’d like one more reason to hate her, she also condones shooting wolves from airplanes in Alaska. Very sportsmanlike, no? It’s also inhumane because aerial shooters rarely get a clean hit. You can read about it here: http://www.slate.com/id/2199140/
courtneys last blog post..I’d Like To Buy The World A Non-Carcinogenic, Responsibly Packaged, Healthier Alternative To Coke
Totally agree with Ray here. We don’t have to ‘fabricate’ the way the Right does but I do think the gloves have to come off and we have to pick an issue(like they do with gay marriage and abortion) that appeals to people emotionally, not intellectually. Maybe as dems, we’re too intellectual,we look at the facts, the figures, the vast supply of information out there and think, how could anyone think any different? We need to do things like JibJabs of Sarah Palin running naked with the wolves and then pouncing on one and eating it alive, maybe get her clubbing some seals… the crazy imagery the Republicans use, like called Obama Osama and trying to convince people he’s muslim, ugh. No more fighting fair, I want some cheap shots dammit. The Republicans have proven it works.
I wish they’d banned Chaucer at my high school, because then I wouldn’t have the prologue to the Canterbury Tales in middle-English deeply ingrained in my memory taking up valuable space that could be occupied by Monty Python quotes or something. Now you’ve got “Whan that Aprille, with his shoures soote, The droghte of March hath perced to the roote…” running through my head. Damn Senior year AP-English Lit and my horrible teacher Merciless Ms. Mercer.
In case it’s not obvious, I’m just kidding. The whole Palin thing pisses me off too much to allow myself to think about it, and depresses me about my countrymen.
Aprils last blog post..The Voyage Home
“This is where your religion offends me. This is where your beliefs tread on not only my beliefs, but my freedom to practice them. This is where it becomes my business.”
As a Christian I can tell you that this is not MY religion but some perverted form of the same. I am embarrassed by this brand of so called Christianity.
I fart in its general direction (that was for you April).
As for Palin. in my naivety I always assume people will see through nutjobs like this. She hunts moose for f***’s sake. What? Is she hungry? Sadly I am reminded that the people get the government they deserve…….
arizaphales last blog post..The B Word
Wow, the gloves have come off, huh? I think everyone except true liberals and die-hard Republicans was undecided on this race until the conventions. Now… Oh my Lord, people act like it’s their own mother they are defending.
Of course I am against book banning. I think it’s ridiculous. I also don’t know that it’s any more true than the rumors that Obama is a muslim who will invite the taliban to dinner at the white house if elected. There is a lot of complete bullshit out there on both sides. I like Palin. There… I said it. After watching him at the convention I like McCain as well. I will be interested to watch the debates to see if ANYONE will give a straight answer on the issues.
My best friend and I had a four hour conversation on my front porch the other night about the election (she is leaning toward Obama, me McCain), and it was very enlightening. As open-minded as most liberals claim to be, they have no ability to have a calm educated conversation about issues. As soon as a question is raised to which they don’t like the answer, defenses fly up. She, however, was confident enough in what she was saying, that she didn’t do that, and I learned a lot. It’s sad that that is an unusual situation to be in. In this blog world especially, if I say I am a Republican who plans to vote for the wrinkly white dude and the cutie-pie running mate, I am a racist, ignorant, bible thumpin’, redneck with no right to an opinion. That’s not me. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now: Obama has nothing but charisma. They are touting him as the new Kennedy, and it’s true. Kennedy was elected because he was good looking, eloquent, and stylish. He accomplished nothing while in office except the Bay of Pigs fiasco and being assassinated. If Obama has anything more than that, he might want to start to show it.
Jessica Ks last blog post..Letter Hunt
Jessica,
You say you ‘like’ Palin and you ‘like’ McCain but does their stance on the issues line up with yours? I don’t ‘like’ Barack Obama but when you line up where he stands on key economic issues, women’s rights, reproductive freedom, equal pay, a careful balancing of business with the environment, a sense that the American system of healthcare is broken and more, he is the better candidate for me.
If you look at Sarah Palin’s record and John McCain’s and they have voted and aligned with issues in a way you find acceptable then vote for them. Sure, John McCain seems like a nice guy but we only see what’s being twisted and manipulated by consultants. Would I have him over for dinner? In a heartbeat but given his record, he’s not my president.
Chriss last blog post..Where Were You?
Jessica,
Jessica, you say you ‘like’ Palin and you ‘like’ McCain but does their stance on the issues line up with yours? I don’t ‘like’ Barack Obama but when you line up where he stands on key economic issues, women’s rights, reproductive freedom, equal pay, a careful balancing of business with the environment, a sense that the American system of healthcare is broken and more, he is the better candidate for me.
If you look at Sarah Palin’s record and John McCain’s and they have voted and aligned with issues in a way you find acceptable then vote for them. Sure, John McCain seems like a nice guy but we only see what’s being twisted and manipulated by consultants. Would I have him over for dinner? In a heartbeat but given his record, he’s not my president.
Chriss last blog post..Where Were You?
Sorry, so nice I had to say it twice, damn twitchy finger.
Chriss last blog post..Where Were You?
Jessica,
Wow, that was one of the most ugly posts I have seen from someone who claims liberals cannot have a “calm, educated conversation.” The nasty remark that Kennedy’s only accomplishment was his “assassination”–as if he had brought that upon himself–is neither calm nor educated, but heartless and ignorant. If you would bother to educate yourself instead of attacking others, you would find that the historical record shows Kennedy made substantial gains in promoting civil rights (especially at the University level), women’s rights, and health care for the elderly (of course, Johnson did much more in these areas, given his superior abilities to bend Congress to his will). Now, since Republicans show little interest, if not active hostility, to civil rights, feminism, and expanded health care, I guess you could say he accomplished nothing.
But I agree that it is hard to have a calm, educated conversation with a conservative, ever since conservatives abandoned the “reality” community. Palin has continually repeated the lie that she opposed the “Bridge to Nowhere”, when there is videotape of her supporting it. When you simply lie in political debate, even after it is proven false, that does tend to make it difficult to have an educated conversation. You make the same play – you dismiss as a rumor that Palin tried to have books banned, when it is a well-documented fact. Palin herself admitted she approached Wasilla’s librarian about banning books, only excusing herself as it was a “rhetorical” question. So yes I get angry when I have to argue with nutters like you, not because of your selfish, failed opinions, but because you will not even acknowledge any facts that don’t fit your ideological world view. If 1+1 no longer equals two for Republicans, how is any debate even possible?
Oh, here is a link from the New York Times (oooh, scary Liberals!) with the story, which has also been covered by Time and numerous other publications (although, not I admit, by Fox News – I wonder why?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/us/politics/03wasilla.html?em
Good post Chris. Hopefully things will get turned around by November.
Andrew – you’re right. Because of my history with banned books I bought a whole series of “Banned Books” from the Independent (London). Most of them are pretty damn dull. No one would have read them if they hadn’t been banned. It’s just like all these fundamentalist approaches – prohibition with the ultimate result that people do more of what you’re trying to prohibit.
SSG – because they’re morons.
Vera – what’s wrong with academic verbosity?
You’re right about the Reagan thing. The G.O.P. has been squeezing the dozy fuckers corpse for the past 20 years trying to get every ounce of political mojo out of him. Did you notice that Reagan got mentioned frequently at the convention but Bush was never mentioned, neither or them.
Lara – I cited sources (links within) including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, NY Times, Time, CBS News. I know they’re all the liberal mainstream media, but what do you want. I know that the McCain campaign is trying to kill this, but it seems solid to me.
Ray – do you know what would be funny? If the media said, “OK, you don’t want us, screw you.” And stopped covering the G.O.P at all. Just radio silence from the McCain campaign. What do you think they’d say then?
Andrew – I though it was because of the political undertones – the artificial nature of Bryan. The Gold Standard. No? Are you sure it’s not because they’re morons?
Courtney – same and that’s why I’m angry. I voted for McCain in the primaries in 2000 because he was different. Now, he’s just a hack with a scary zealot as his right hand woman.
Chris – the naked wolf-killing, seal clubbing? Awesome. We may as well, because that’s what the Right accuses left wing bloggers (such as yours truly) of doing.
April – consider yourself lucky. At least Chaucer is funny. We had to memorize fucking Tennyson. Could barely get the words out for all the yawning.
Jess – First, good on you for standing up in a virtual crowd of people who are going to disagree with you, vehemently. Which you know that I do. The thing about having calm educated conversations with the other side. When it comes to actual issues – the economy, the war, gas prices, education, etc., we can definitely have measured debates. The problem is that the G.O.P. knows that they’ll lose on these issues. The economy is in the tank. The wars are stil dragging on. The health care system is shot. All under THEIR watch. So, rather than having a real debate, they bring a charismatic right wing hack into the picture to distract with the social issues. To try to win like they did in 2004 with gay marriage. Palin is the gay marriage of 2008.
Jess, no, we can not have a reasoned debate about teaching creationism in schools, about gay marriage, about book banning. Because both of us absolutely believe that out sides are 100% right. There is no middle ground. There is no grey. Creationism is a lie. Gays should absolutely have the same marriage rights as anyone else. Censorship is absolutely immoral. By the RIGHT injecting this into the campaign, the time for reasoned discussion is over. Sarah Palin is absolutely anathema to everything that I believe.
Chris – damn good point. This should be about principles, not personalities.
Jamie – be nice to the conservative! But Jess, it’s a good point, Kennedy initiated the Civil Rights movement, the drive to put a man on the moon, etc. He would have likely gotten a lot more done with more time.
You’re right about the lying, but its because we let it work. Bush lies three times and it magically becomes true because the press gets tired of trying to get the truth AND because he has what is essentially state media spewing his garbage. FOX – talking to you.
Sorry, Ariza, I missed you. The thing about these kind of posts and my post on creationism is that it implies that I’m anti-religious. Not at all. I respect people of faith – like you – I have my own kind of faith, though not a Christian faith. I was raised in a church, though a liberal one. Some of my heroes growing up were members of that church. The people that fought the ban in Lake City were Christians. There’s an excellent book about the banning called “Stifled Laughter” by Claudia Johnson that talks about some of those right thinking Christians. Anyway, I know you weren’t defending Palin or fundamentalists, but just wanted to get on the record.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but are your dawgs getting knocked down this Saturday? Nice to see you at your new location! Sorry for ruining this great convo you got going on, but I am wondering if you are at all fearful of Spurrier’s GameCocks?
How did you view UF’s win over um? Again, great to see the blog doing so well!
Go Gators!!!!
I’ve got a post coming, Ben, don’t worry. Who do y’all have this week?
I had no idea about the book banning.
Why are some people so simple? Attach female to Standard White Old Man and BAM, a recipe for magic! You’re right, it’s completely depressing.
Would he have EVER in a million years picked her as a running mate if he were not running against a black man? A black man who narrowly defeated a woman?
maggie, dammits last blog post..September 11th
Hey, who is this other Gator fan on this horribly biased pro-UGA site? So while Florida was beating Miami (a reduced yet major program), Georgia was playing some high school junior varsity team. Does Georgia have my wife’s alma mater, Smith College, scheduled for next year?
We don’t have Smith, but we do have a pansy ass school down in Gainesville to pound on at the end of October.
As for strength of schedule: http://www.philsteele.com/FBS%20Info/toughestschedule.html
Sorry, your links didn’t show up any different than the standard text in my browser so I missed them the first time through. And knowing you, I expected links to your sources!
I’ll be re-reading it and checking them out, now that you pointed that out. Thanks.
Laras last blog post..We got your lipstick here, bitches
Sorry Jamie & Chris. I forgot for a moment that only liberals were allowed to have opinions. Silly little ignorant me. Oh, and I guess I used the wrong word. I don’t “like” McCain and Palin as personalities. Chalk that one up to the fact that I’m a nutter. Can’t always depend on us nutters to use the right word.
Thank you for writing such a well-thought out and passionate post. I enjoyed it, and I agree. I watched both conventions this year. I actually found myself liking McCain despite myself–until he announced his VP choice. Gah! My entire trip to Sweden is going to be filled with Swedes asking me what the fuck is wrong with politics in my country. I just want a pizza, man! Pass the parmesan and shut the fuck up.
Not Afraid To Use Its last blog post..Zero to Sixty
BTW–watch the first 5 or so minutes of this. Jon Stewart comparing the campaign speeches. Brilliant.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/33504/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-fri-sep-5-2008
Not Afraid To Use Its last blog post..Zero to Sixty
Never said you weren’t allowed to have an opinion Jessica, in fact, I said quite the opposite. I just asked if your opinion was based on the issues and if you like where McCain and Palin stand on these issues?
Pretty snarky considering I asked the questions rather respectfully. I contend that most of those I know who call themselves conservative act from emotions based on perceptions, rather than information that can stand up to verification. You haven’t answered the question of whether you support these candidates on the issues. Do you know the issues? Do you know where Palin and McCain sit on the major issues of our time.
I have to be honest with you, your responses sound purely emotive. And in terms of, as you put it, “people act like it’s their own mother they are defending,” yeah, I think it’s at least that important. My mother’s actions might have me on speed dial with my therapist but she can’t misjudge the possible beginnings of a cold war or do more harm to the environment than her own personal carbon footprint.
Chriss last blog post..Where Were You?
Don’t get me started on how backward schools are in Florida, and still. I’m glad I made it out with any kind of education in me. (Thanks to my parents for shipping me to 8 different schools between kindergarden and HS. Yes, we lived in the same house all those years!)
Truly awesome post! Had I come here sooner, I could have saved myself a few lines in yesterday’s political rant and just wrote, “What he effn’ said.” But that was my cheap therapy.
This ‘P’ problem has really got me distraught. I’m not sure if Americans can diaper it.
Early this week, I actually got up out of bed in anger and wrote a much meaner, filthier post but then sat on it and canned it. Maybe I shouldn’t. Is it time to stoop to their level?
I’m all for hammering her with questions ’till she bleeds them out. It may be the only way to get people to blink.
Can I just step in to urge civility in terms of sort of personal comments? I used to write for a blog review site that will remain nameless for a few months this Spring. Ultimately, however, I decided to step down because a lot of time the reviews and particularly the comments that people left got to be bullying. I don’t want that to be the case here. I think that you, my readers who take the time to comment, are fantastic and leave thought provoking and well reasoned comments. Hell, sometimes you even change my mind about things. I know that some of the topics I choose to write about, and this is intentional, can elicit passionate responses. BUT, let’s keep things civilized and well mannered when dealing with each other, OK?
Ok, I’m sorry about the Kennedy comment. You are right, and it was a very Hannity-esque thing for me to say. Unthoughtful and unfeeling.
Chris, on re-reading your comment to me today, I took offense when I shouldn’t have. I felt attacked by the other guy and lumped you with him. My bad. Truce?
Jessica Ks last blog post..Yesterday
Okay, I’spose, truce. Jessica, I really do respect other opinions. I just happen to know a lot of people who call themselves conservative or Republican based on what the party used to be, not what they are now. I no longer consider the Republican party truly economically conservative, which held some appeal for me.
Like I said, if you stand where they stand on the issues, I think you should vote the McCain/Palin ticket and I wouldn’t think you’re dumb or emotional or whatever. My concern is that people are willing to cast their vote without looking at the facts. And I’m not talking about the spun facts, which we know are in great supply on both sides, just the facts, the empirical info free from bias either way.
Chriss last blog post..I Love These 50’s Ads, Makes Me Nostalgic
A-freaking-men. I couldn’t agree more with every word in your post, including backwards Floridians, with which I’m all too familiar.
The fact that many women seem drawn to Palin completely escapes me.
Gypsys last blog post..Once Bitten
Hey, this came my way via e-mail. I’m going to assume that the person who sent it wants to remain anonymous. I’ve not looked at this in detail, but the site purports to check the facts regarding Palin’s book banning and other issues. Don’t know the source, if it’s objective or reliable – but have a look and make your own decision. I’ve got a birthday party to get ready for, so maybe someone could tell me what they think:
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/09/09/palin_fundamentalist/print.html
Ok, I am so pumped up after reading this I wish I was back in Florida so I could be a part of making sure we don’t have to be subjected to four more years of insanity.
When my husband and I were trying to decide whether or not to take the opportunity in Australia– part of our motivation was that we’d be getting the hell away from the right wing extremists and all the evil GWB has brought upon us.
Thanks for reminding me I need to do my part to make this change happen. I’m going to have to revise my blog posting from a couple of days ago in which I referred to Palin without saying how horrible everything she stands for is (or maybe I did say that– but I’d better make sure). I need to help the cause.
Florida Girl In Sydneys last blog post..Run Daddy Run
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