Saturday, June 13, 2009

X-post: Snoop, the Left Never Was Proud of its Left Wing Extremists...

With All Due Respect X-post: Snoop, the Left Never Was Proud of its Left Wing Extremists...

...and that may be the point.

In reply to the article Is The Right Still "Proud To Be a Right-Wing Extremist"? , which appears on the People For the American Way's Right Wing Watch blog, Mark Harvey (AKA Snooper) offered the following:

Is The Left Still "Proud To Be a Left-Wing Extremist"?

This was going to be one more rewrite of articles the Leftinistra like to pawn off as fact but I changed my mind.

Right off you can see where this guy is coming from. "Leftinistra"? Yeesh...

The original article posted by one named Kyle is entitled, "Is The Right Still "Proud To Be a Right-Wing Extremist"?" Isn't it interesting how these frauds never ever challenge their own? Isn't it interesting how these frauds on the left side of life never ever acknowledges the heinous acts of their own?

Two things:

Kyle's Right Wing Watch post was replying to those among the right who, in response to the Department of Homeland Security Report, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment”, [pdf] chose to call themselves right wing extremists.

Of course, as Kyle points out in his piece:

The report was not a warning about mainstream conservative political groups or lawful anti-abortion activists or religious organizations - it was a report about violent, radical extremists. But it was the Right that intentionally conflated the two and now, in the wake of two high-profile violent acts carried out by right-wing extremists, it is the Right that is insisting that they have nothing in common with such people.

And that is exactly the point: the report was not about them, but they made it about them because they thought they could score some political points and raise money by doing so.

How ridiculous and crass this phony controversy became can pretty much be summed up by these cards, which the Liberty Counsel is still selling on its website, that, in light of the recent attacks, seem to be in pretty poor taste:





They claim to be right wing extremists themselves when the report first came out (even though the report was clearly about protecting the American people from the possibility of violent right wing extremism, given the political and social climate), and do everything they can to distance themselves and their ideas from real violent right wing extremists when the nutjobs DHS was talking about actually do show up.

Second, it is unlikely you will find your run of the mill leftist applauding left wing extremism, or claiming to be left wing extremists themselves, like those on the right have done. There are no "Proud to be a Left Wing Extremist" cards on sale at liberal websites. Mr Harvey's assertion that the left "never acknowledges or challenges the heinous acts of their own" doesn't hold water...

1) Daily Kos: Why "We're fighting them over there...." is the Biggest Lie of the Bush Administration (Several paragraphs of acknowledgment & challenge to Earth Liberation Front terrorism & sabotage.)

2) Here are a few libs discussing and challenging the actions of the Animal Liberation Front (called PETA in this first link, but corrected here) and some of the 60's radicals. Another. Last one (or two, as the comment just below it continues the conversation.)

3) Finally, here's a link to me from 2008, discussing the idiot blac block ninja wannabees that sometimes show up at peace protests: About Peace Thugs


So much for that leaky bucket...

For instance, the Jihadi that assassinated an Army Soldier in Arkansas. He hated America as well. The left hate America and all she stands for seeing that the left cannot reconcile anything they believe in with the United States Constitution. Ever.

This is just moronic. First off, we libs love America, which is why we keep trying to defend it from the batshit dumb thinking of wingers like this guy.

But even assuming "the left" did hate America, the syllogism (or in this guy's case, "silly gism") he's offering doesn't make sense, and is a perfect example of why some fathers should've pulled out sooner than they did.

Mr. Harvey's basically saying:

Humans drink water.
My pet cat drinks water.
Therefore, my pet cat is human.

Brilliant. Just brilliant.

I have tried to get at least ONE member of the Leftinistra to at least TRY and support their rhetoric with our Founding Documents but none have come up to meet the challenge. Ever. And I don't expect any to try, either. Why? Because they cannot.

Though I predict it'll be fruitless, given this guy's intellect & biases, I'd be glad to support my rhetoric, constitutionally... Pick a subject, Snoop.

They all accuse others of that which they themselves do.They have the Eco Nazis that run around burning buildings down that aren't green enough adding poison gases into the atmosphere. They have arsonists that run around fire-bombing Recruiting Stations across America and the list goes on and on and on.

I'm not sure whether these are supposed to be examples of liberals "all accus[ing] others of that which they themselves do"--the first might be, the second, not so much--or just the next part of the rant, but yes, some liberals exhibit some "do as I say, not as I do" thinkin' (just like some cons), and yes, some libs and cons engage in hypocritical, self-defeating acts (although first off, I've never heard of any eco-terrorist burning a building down because it wasn't green enough--sometimes it's about the land it's on, sometimes it's to cost the company that owns it money, and sometimes it's to destroy records--and second, there are levels of good & evil. Nothing is 100% pure, and one would have to be an idiot not to understand that (but then, look at who I;'m talking to... A guy with a "human" cat.). The terrorists may believe that a little poison smoke is less evil than the company &/or whatever bad thing it's doing.)

To put it in terms Mr Harvey may understand, it's like those wingnuts who kill abortion doctors. They believe all life is sacred in principle, but also believe that murdering one doctor is worth saving all those unborn lives.
Hypocritical? Maybe, but that's how domestic terrorists like Harvey's "eco-nazi's" & my rightwing extremist anti-choice folks think.

You won't find any right-wingers participating in any of those activities.

Well no, that'd be silly... Right wingers by & large are not environmentalists or opposed to military service. Besides, a few of 'em are too busy shooting doctors and potentially gay folks in church, and police/security officers/minorities in the streets, of late... ...just like George W. Bush's Department of Homeland Security said they might be. (Snooper does realize that that report was written while Bush was in office, right?)

Certainly, you will not find right-wingers attending a DNC election convention or any other DNC meeting of the mindless tossing bleach at their opposition. You won't find any right-wingers dropping rocks, bricks and or sandbags from overpasses onto passing vehicles occupied by their opposition. You won't find any right-wingers stealing campaign signs from the front yards of their opposition. You won't find vitriolic attacks on their Leftinistra version of Sarah Palin coming from the right-wingers, either.

I'm not going to try to dig up each & every one of whatever bullshit stories Mr. Harvey is referring to, here... If he's too lazy to back his claims with supporting evidence, why should I?

Suffice to say, yes, there are individual morons on both sides of the aisle who do bad things, and Mr Harvey's denialism (Thanks, Professor!!) that right-wingers ever do such things shows how far off the reservation Snoop really is. One can argue that the birthers are pretty vitriolic, and the hate overheard at Palin rallies is documented truth--& don't forget McCain (to his credit) correcting the idiot accusing Obama of being a muslim. (Which to too many on the right, means "terrorist.")

Tell ya what... The campaign sign thing is just too easy...
1) ginger's-obama-sign
2) Dawn Teo: YouTube Those Campaign Sign Thieves for the Pleasure of Local Police and the Global Public

And sometimes, Snoop, you right wingers even victimize each other, campaign sign-wise:
3) Mike Huckabee President 2008: Romney Campaign Caught Stealing McCain Signs

But you just keep up those denials, Mr Harvey... It shows everyone who you really are...

You won't find any right-wingers trying to get their opposition removed from the internet because they might be dangerous or that they disagree with anyone. Need I go on? You won't find any right-wingers trying to hack into a web site they don't like.


Woops. Here's one... publish.nyc.indymedia.org | Right Wing Hackers Target IndyMedia Network. Look!! Here's another. Brave New World: Hack Attack: The Talk of the Town: The New Yorker As the kids say, Epic fail, Snoop.

You won't have any right-wingers running all over Blogspot and hitting the "FLAG" button because they won't "shut up". You won't find any right-wingers writing emails to their opposition describing how dead they want them to be.

Um...
1) Gawker - On The Internet, Everyone Knows You Want to Kill Them - we get letters
2)Daily Kos: Saturday hate mail-apalooza
3) Hating the Hate Mail | Media and Technology | AlterNet
4) The Online Lunchpail ™: When PBS got right-wing hate mail

All of that comes from the left-wingers. Period. End of discussion.

Well, all except that stuff I mentioned (as well as a good bunch I didn't.) Sorry Snoop, but your claims are demonstrably false, and your unwillingness to see it shows you to be the fraud you are.


You won't find any right-wingers defecating, urinating and desecrating any flag of any sort in public at "peace rallies" or "anti-war rallies".


Perhaps not at peace rallies, but at anti-illegal immigration protests? Whole other story:

1)Group burns Mexican flag in front of consulate - KVOA News 4, Tucson, Arizona - If you prefer, here's the report from Freeperville, home of Roeder & von Brunn: Group burns Mexican flag in front of consulate (Tucson AZ)

2) Spoke too soon. This mexican flag was torn down & stmped at a peace rally by an "Eagle," YouTube - american eagle stops on mexican flag at pro war~anti war rally

You will fiind that after a right-wing gathering, the area is left behind cleaner than it was when they got there.

Well there are all those symbolic tea bags...

The murder of Tiller the Baby Killer was a gross act of stupidity and the right-wing immediately yelled out for this cretins' just deserves...life-time in prison or worse.

Not all of 'em, Snoop...
Drake: Tiller's Murder "An Answer to Prayer" | Right Wing Watch
From two Freeper threads: Little Green Footballs - Bad Craziness Watch: Right Wing Reaction to the Tiller Murder


Yet, when attacks on Soldiers and other military personnel across this nation take place, not a peep of outrage comes from the alleged most tolerant people on the globe.

First off, bringing soldiers home safely is one of the big reasons libs protest against unnecessary and poorly planned military missions like the one in Iraq. But aside that obvious fact...
Kos: Daily Kos: Another Religious Nut With A Gun Shoots Army Recruiters.
Juan Cole: Balloon Juice � Blog Archive � Soldier Dead in Arkansas
C&L: Crooks and Liars � Now the right-wingers want to blame military-recruiter slayings on liberals

And then there's the stupidity of even comparing the two murders, in the first place:
Dr. Tiller and the Army Recruitment Station Killing | Lean Left

They are a lot of things but tolerant is at the bottom of the list. The worst of the worst are in the Bay Area in California. Just ask Code Pink - the people that sent in excess of $600M in "aid" to the enemy to kill, wound, maim and fight our Troops. There's tolerance for you right there. I call that treason and you won't find any right-winger doing that at all.

Jordanian authorities ban protest by US anti-war group: "The group recently sent 600,000 dollars worth of humanitarian aid to residents of the Iraqi town of Fallujah who were displaced by a massive US-led assault in November."

Humanitarian aid to help the unintended victims of war, the citizens we went there to liberate...
Isn't that what our government is doing to this very day, with all that rebuilding of hospitals, schools, roads & whatnot? How much did the Bush administration alone send to Iraq & Afghanistan, for the very same purposes? Treason my ass, Snoop. I call bullshit. Put up or shut up.

You also won't find any right-wingers spying on their own country and passing of vital national secrets to the enemy either. That is reserved to the left-wingers. Facts are hard to hide people.

Hard to hide, but impossible to show any of 'em in your post, apparently... Left wing spies?

Besides, right wingers expose their state secrets in front of TV reporters: Those "National Security" Republicans Are Disclosing Intelligence Secrets. Gee, Wonder Why? | Crooks and Liars and spy on fellow American citizens, instead: Is the Pentagon spying on Americans? - Lisa Myers & the NBC News Investigative Unit- msnbc.com.

The Leftinistra are the singularly most ugly, mean-spirited pieces of trash outside your viral Haji yet the Leftinistra support the enemy over their own nation and those that protect their very rights to exist. And yes, the Leftinistra toss the term "neocon" around like they know what a "neocon" is or something. I merely laugh in disdain because their use of the term "neocon" is allegedly a term of derision - tolerance at work I am sure. If they ever learn what a "neocon" is, they would drop it like a hot Pelosi panty.

Unsubstantiated trash talk like this deserves no reply. If you're going to take the time to speak, you ought to actually say something folks can understand...

The Leftinistra labeled the holocaust Museum shooter a right-winger when it has been shown that he was/is nothing of the sort.


Snoop, even the FBI & Homeland Security are calling him a right wing extremist. "In another alert, the agencies said von Brunn was associated with right-wing extremism." [Link] You folks really ought to give up denying it... It only makes you look blinded by partisanship, and out of touch with current events...

All we hear no is silence from their sheeple.

Liberal silence? Really??...

He was one of their own - a hater of Christianity, an anti-Semite (there are no anti-Semites on the right-wing) and a hater of the "neocon".

Have you really never heard of Paleoconservatives? Does the name Pat Buchanan ring a bell? (Scroll to the section on Jews.)
Nope... No anti-Semitism there, Snoop.

Amazing isn't it? Yet the fools on the left try and blame others for what they themselves partake in on a regular basis and call it good. Why? Because they did the deed and the Leftinistra never do anything wrong. Just ask this buffoon Kyle.


Mr Harvey cannot quote Kyle (or me, or much of any other lib) saying the left never does wrong, because it'd make us look as stupid as Mr Harvey does here, denying that von Brunn was/is a right wing extremist. Of course libs make mistakes large & small. Alot of 'em, more'n'likely... And yes, there are certainly left wing extremists here in America. (See Snoop... It isn't so hard to admit your side isn't perfect... I bet you could do it too, if you really tried...)

Right Wing Watch? By all means, watch. We are watching back and we are better at it and I wear my Right Wing Extremist Badge with honor and courage.

You do that, Spanky... ...but then, don't get all bent outta shape when real right wing extremists like Roeder & von Brunn make you look like an asshole for voluntarily claiming that title for yourself, thus willingly associating yourself with murderers and kooks. (Some people are just too damned stupid to come out of the rain...)

The Leftinistra do not because they are the very cowards they hate. The self-loathing of the Leftinistra is all too obvious.

Perhaps the Left-Wing Extremist Report by the DHS is "right" after all, eh?

Well yeah, that report probably is right, Snoop. Does anyone doubt that left wing extremists will use the internet itself to attack? (And, does anyone doubt that right wing extremists will follow suit, or are we still denying they exist... ...or suggesting that they're too stupid to understand how to hack, like we leftists?)

I have a question for these cretins on the left-wing. If the right-wing is as you all claim that we are, seeing that there are millions of us and we are all killers, murderers and such, is it wise to back us into a corner and piss us off?

Just sayin'. Think about that.

Yeah... Because after insisting on linking yourself with murderous nutbag extremists--even going so far as to proudly call yourself one--the next thing you want to do is threaten folks with violence. Gotta love it.

The thing that Mr Harvey fails to understand is that almost no one here on the left is calling him or his fellow right wingers murderous killers. HE'S doing that, by insisting on wearing his DHS approved Right Wing Extremist badge so friggin' proudly. Unless he was fixing to hurt or kill any of his fellow Americans because of his political beliefs, THE REPORT NEVER WAS ABOUT HIM!!! One of the very first paragraphs of the report talks about VIOLENT RADICALIZATION. Not violent? You're probably not a radical... at least as far as DHS is concerned. It's clear as a mountain stream, except to those who refuse to open their dang eyes.

We can debate issues and beliefs and argue various programs, policies and laws on their constitutionality or not. We are willing but the Leftinistra are not because they would lose every time.

Yeah.

Right.

Remember, Conservatism wins every time in elections and that is why in tough races, democrats put up conservative candidates against liberal republicans...and win. John McCain lost because he might as well join the DNC because he is in fact one of them at heart, just like his esteemed colleague Arlen Specter and Lindsey Graham. There isn't a conservative bone in their bodies.

But um... Wasn't McCain still more conservative than Obama? And, for that matter, aren't the Republicans in those races against the "conservative" Democrats generally MORE conservative than the Democrats they're running against? Can you explain why the Dems won in those cases, Snoop, if conservatism wins every time?

No?

Thought not... Another very leaky pail of nonsense...

This is why candidates like Sarah Palin frighten the Leftinistra on the democrat side and the republican side.

Been there, done that... Palin ran, and Palin lost. Perhaps she'll do it again, but few fear her... She's played the game once on the national stage, and the American people already judged her unfit...

I am neither.

If I have a label, I am a conservative libertarian constitutionalist. Neocon? Don't make me laugh.

Always convenient, when one doesn't have to adhere to any political party's platform... Makes it easier to criticize the ones actually in the game, too.

Catch the chatter of those that agree with little boy Kyle at Memeorandum.

Another Leftinistra moonbat spanked.

Someone was spanked, that's for sure...

Though not part of the original argument, I came across this comment while researching for this post. It succinctly explains why the DHS report applies to von Brunn.: trex on June 11, 2009 at 3:50 PM

Also, a h/t to Professor Douglas at AmPow... His post on this was a cut'n'paste of Mr Harvey's, and said very little else... (In fact, the best thing about Donald's version is that it elicited Cracker's wise & witty take on Mr Harvey's assertion that there are no anti-Semites on the right. He's got a way with words, that boy...)

Roundup and Commentary - 6/12/09

Know more about yourself than other people know about you.


Blog:

Snoop, the Left Never Was Proud of its Left Wing Extremists...

Commentary:

von Brunn: domestic terrorist, rightwing extremist, or both, according to law enforcement officials? -
Alleged Holocaust Museum Shooter Had Given Up Hate Site, Planned Other Attacks | Hatewatch | Southern Poverty Law Center (or von Brunn and Domestic Terrorism, Security Procedures)

"A place where there isn't any trouble... Beyond the moon... Beyond the stars..." -
Chasing Shadows | Comments from Left Field: "June 12th, 2009 10:51 am" comment (Another blog without comment permalinks...?!?) (A society where no one is forced or coerced by rule of law or threat of punishment to do anything against their will... Sure sounds nice, doesn't it?...)

Clinton's moist cigars, and "no anti-Semites on the right wing":
With All Due Respect: Snoop, the Left Never Was Proud of its Left Wing Extremists...

Outrageous, lying, denialist claims of a Clinton cigar obsessed, self appointed proud right wing extremist:
American Power: Thoughts on Our Civil War

Friday, June 12, 2009

X-post: "AmericanNeoCon" Donald Douglas envisions himself the real victim, here...

Gimme a friggin' break...

American Power: A Neoconservative Hate Crimes Prevention Act
---

An American Nihilist X-post

X-post: Where was FoxNews?

Wingnuts & Moonbats X-post
---

"According to TVeyes.com, Fox News last night during primetime (8-11 p.m.) mentioned the words "Holocaust" and "van Brunn" a grand total of three times. For the entire night."

"Falafel" O'Reilly managed to find more to say about gay penguins and duck sex than this shooting...

While both CNN & MSNBC led with the story at 8:01 pm, FoxNews pretended it didn't happen. It was like their own little holocaust (museum) denial, right before the eyes of their numerous elderly viewers...

Either they just didn't care, or they intentionally downplayed the story for reasons that are unclear...

Pretty friggin' odd, though, especially given all that baseless whining about how CNN supposedly didn't cover the recruiter shooting (which they did, of course.)

Anyway... I'm just putting it out there. Speculate at will.

Others talking:
Fox News Boycott: Fox News Limits Reporting on Holocaust Museum Shooting
Fox News downplays the Holocaust Museum killing | Media Matters for America

X-Post: Maybe we ought to read that Homeland Security report again...

Wingnuts & Moonbats X-post
---

Rightwing Extremism:
Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment


And just to be clear... This is what they said about veterans:

Disgruntled Military Veterans

DHS/I&A assesses that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat. These skills and knowledge have the potential to boost the capabilities of extremists—including lone wolves or small terrorist cells—to carry out violence. The willingness of a small percentage of military personnel to join extremist groups during the 1990s because they were disgruntled, disillusioned, or suffering from the psychological effects of war is being replicated today.

— After Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-1991, some returning military veterans—including Timothy McVeigh—joined or associated with rightwing extremist groups.

— A prominent civil rights organization reported in 2006 that “large numbers of potentially violent neo-Nazis, skinheads, and other white supremacists are now learning the art of warfare in the [U.S.] armed forces.”

— The FBI noted in a 2008 report on the white supremacist movement that some returning military veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have joined extremist groups.


It doesn't say that veterans are terrorists. It says that right wing extremist groups target returning vets, and that a small number of those vets do become extremists. It is the military training that makes the small number of extremist vets more of an issue to DHS than the small number of extremist accountants or extremist small business owners, not their service.

The wingnut paranoia about this report--and the spineless reaction to it by those career security people, and moreso their political counterparts--was nonsense the first time, but would be unforgivable now, given recent events. If the mainstream right cannot admit that there are extremists and nutjobs lingering at the edges of their ideology, so be it. But that does not mean that those political and career security personnel who take oaths and pay to keep we Americans safe should cover their eyes and ears to rightwing extremism because some of our friends on the right are sensitive to the implications of rightwing violence. Their issues of identity and place should not deter us from defending this country from domestic terrorists, right or left.

Roundup and Commentary - 6/11/09

Blog:

Coverage of the Holocaust Museum shooting (or more specifically, the lack of it) on the TV "videoblog" of the right. - Where was FoxNews?

There just are no words.. "AmericanNeoCon" Donald Douglas envisions himself the real victim, here...

Comments:

Exposing a few of the more nutty wingnuts on the right, ladies edition - at-Largely: Debbie Schlussel finds a way to blame Muslims for today's shooting...

When Shepherd Smith starts making sense... - A Civil War Breaks Out On Fox News over the Holocaust Museum Shooting | Politicususa.com

According to a few of the deeper darker deranged denizens of Right Blogistan, Joan Walsh hates Jew people. - Letters: Can right-wing hate talk lead to murder? - Salon (Of course, I'm sure they think I do, too.)

Thursday, June 11, 2009

X-Post: Right wing nut Kathy Shaidle tries to link holocaust museum shooter to left wing

Wingnuts and Moonbats X-post
---

Holocaust Museum shooter von Brunn a 9/11 "truther" who hated "neo-cons", Bush, McCain

Of course, Kathy & those citing her conveniently ignore his "creepy freeper" posts on the conservative site Free Republic, espousing the same "Obama is not a US citizen" birther nonsense as more than a few Republican/conservative loudmouths, talking heads, bloggers, and other assorted nutballs.

Does being a Freeper (or a birther, or a truther, or a hater of Bush, & Obama, & neocons, &/or all folks "not like you") make one a domestic terrorist? of course not. Crazy, perhaps, but not a terrorist. Anyone, right or left, who tries to tell you that a whole political/social/ethnic/religious/??? group is responsible for the actions of one of their nuttiest members is a lying weasel with snake oil to sell. Don't buy into their crap.

Like it or not, James W. von Brunn considered himself a part of the right wing, which is why he posted to Free Republic. From what I can tell, he was far from the typical freeper, but Freeperland is one of the places he supported, whether or not they supported him. (& until I see otherwise, I believe that his fellow freepers did not support anything more than his "birtherisms," & probably knew nothing of the rest...) Kathy Shaidle and those on the far right selling her "von Brunn as left winger nonsense" are just trying to protect themselves from the same guilt by association they so readily offer others. As so often happens with these types, there is nothing behind their baseless accusations, wild speculation, and childish name calling but more of the same empty words...

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Manhattanhenge

Twice a year, the sunset lines up with New York City's street grid -- making for spectacular views. Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York, identified the cosmic event over a decade ago and coined it Manhattanhenge. Last weekend was the first Manhattanhenge of 2009 -- we watched the sun from 42nd street, along with about 50 other astronomical enthusiasts
.




For those who want to plan to see the next one, the next Manhattanhenge for this year will be July 11th and 12th.

More info:Scifri Videos: Manhattanhenge: Watch A Star Align. Also thanks to the NPR: Shuffle podcast, where I learned about this.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Roundup and Commentary - 5/18/09

Have a firm handshake.

Friday, May 15, 2009

15 Reasons Mister Rogers Was the Best Neighbor Ever

I remember there was a time when I was embarrassed to be a Mr Rogers/PBS fan--I was 4-6 years old, & my cousins were watching cartoons, and laughed at me for wanting to switch over to my special friend--but looking back, I'm proud to've known the man... ...figuratively, anyway... I'm pretty sure he affected how I see things, even to this day.

mental_floss Blog - 15 Reasons Mister Rogers Was the Best Neighbor Ever

I'll give you all the info on my favorite reason--#5--but you'll have to follow the link for the rest of the stories.

01. Even Koko the Gorilla loved him

02. He Made Thieves Think Twice

03. He Watched His Figure to the Pound!

04. He Saved Both Public Television and the VCR

05. He Might Have Been the Most Tolerant American Ever
Mister Rogers seems to have been almost exactly the same off-screen as he was onscreen. As an ordained Presbyterian minister, and a man of tremendous faith, Mister Rogers preached tolerance first. Whenever he was asked to castigate non-Christians or gays for their differing beliefs, he would instead face them and say, with sincerity, “God loves you just the way you are.” Often this provoked ire from fundamentalists.

06. He Was Genuinely Curious about Others

07. He was Color-blind

08. He Could Make a Subway Car full of Strangers Sing

09. He got into TV because he hated TV.

10. He was an Ivy League Dropout.

11. He composed all the songs on the show...

12. He was a perfectionist, and disliked ad libbing.

13. Michael Keaton got his start on the show...

14. Several characters on the show are named for his family.

15. The sweaters.


h/t to Brett McKay (brettmckay) on Twitter

Roundup and Commentary - 5/14/09

It does no good to try to impress a person with some thought he can't relate to.
But if you can make him realize the obvious, that might change his life.

Commentary:

Bachmann: Remember the Amero! (Old post UPDATED, in reply to another Donald Douglas link) and American Power: Will Leftists Launch 'Currency Trutherism' Against Nouriel Roubini? (Read the post, follow the conversation in the comments.)

Dirty Carrie, Sarah Palin, and free speech: American Power: Palin Backs Prejean, Blasts "Liberal Onslaught" (Before anyone gets excited, "Dirty, nude, Carrie Prejean" is one of the top google set of search terms. I don't, in fact, think Carrie Prejean is a dirty girl, and challenge those gleefully counting all the blog hits to verbally denounce those pervs coming to their political blogs for the nudie pix, and to change the wording of their posts so that they no longer show up. You "Rule 5" folks know who you are...)

The drunk dating habits of wingnut trolls: Kind and Gentle Progressive Eruptions: MICHELLE OBAMA MAKES TOP 100 LIST FOR MAXIM MAGAZINE'S "HOTTEST WOMEN IN THE WORLD"

Ephemera:

Wordie: RepMasterBarebacker3: Sorry girls... The "college man" behind clever nicknames like this one is already married... ...and besides, I have it on good authority that he's a doodiehead.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Roundup and Commentary - 5/13/09

The key to everything is to find balance. - George Lucas

Commentary:

Investigate how America came to torture, and let the political and legal chips fall where they may, without regard for partisan politics: American Power: On Torture, Democrats Have No Decency

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Roundup and Commentary - 5/11/09

What works for you may not work for someone else. So what makes you think your way is so much better?

Commentary:

Satire? Close, but no meatstick: And Doctor Biobrain's Response Is...: Everyone's Racist, But the Racists

Ephemera:

Conservative lesbian makes with "teh gay prez" joke that's sweeping wingnuttia like a CA wildfire. By golly, it's almost like satire -- but no, it isn't: Activism wasn’t the only thing Barack experimented with in college … — Cynthia Yockey

Monday, May 11, 2009

Roundup and Commentary - 5/10/09

Commentary:

Someone doesn't know what satire means: And Doctor Biobrain's Response Is...: Everyone's Racist, But the Racists

"'taking down' 'nihilist' windmills like a punchdrunk Don Quixote," Gay Marriage Strikes Again: Part 2

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Mother’s Day: 5 Things (still) Worth Knowing

It's a repeat from last year, and yet, it's still fresh and timely. Also see: Mother's Day Proclamation, another retread from Mother's Days past.
------

mental_floss Blog: Notes on the History of Mother’s Day: 5 Things Worth Knowing

Mother’s Day: 5 Things Worth Knowing
by David K. Israel - May 8, 2008 - 4:49 PM

1. Mother of the Pharaohs

As with many of our calendar-specific events and customs, some of the earliest records of a society honoring a mother can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians, who held an annual festival for the goddess Isis, sometimes referred to as the Mother of the Pharaohs.

Given the following list of a.k.a.’s, it’s no wonder she had her own day of celebration (top this moms!): Queen of Heaven, Mother of the Gods, The One Who is All, Lady of Green Crops, The Brilliant One in the Sky, Star of the Sea, Great Lady of Magic, Mistress of the House of Life, She Who Knows How To Make Right Use of the Heart, Light-Giver of Heaven, Lady of the Words of Power, and She Who Dominates the Remote (okay, okay, but she probably WOULD have, had there been remote control domination issues at the time).

2. Magna Mater

Of course, the Greeks and Romans had to have something like an Isis day, too. In Greece, there was a special day to celebrate the annual spring festival, in honor of Rhea, the Mother of Zeus, a.k.a., “The mother of the Gods.” The Roman’s (and some Greeks) called her Cybele, or Magna Mater. According to a few sources, male Magna Mater wannabees would castrate themselves, don women’s clothing and assume female identities. (Do we know any modern-day mom’s who’ve had the same effect on men?)

3. The Mother of all Churches

As Christianity spread through Europe, it became fashionable to honor the church in which one was baptized. People would honor their “mother church” with flowers on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. Then, in England, in the 1600s, a decree took hold, widening the celebration to include actual mothers, and voila, we have the birth of “Mothering Sunday,” as it was called. Christians were also allowed to eat on this Lenten Sunday, which meant a one-day break from the 40 day pre-Easter fast. In addition to flowers, it was a time for families to travel in order to be together, much like our present-day Mother’s Day.

4. The Hymn for Womyn

What do Mother’s Day and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” have in common? Julia Ward Howe, of course. It was her eyes that saw much more than the glory of the coming of the Lord. In 1870, 12 years after penning the infamous lyric, she wrote a Mother’s Day Proclamation that said:

Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise all women who have hearts…
We women of one country
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.

It was an anti-war protest of sorts, in which she insisted on an international Mother’s Day celebrating peace and motherhood. She proposed July 4th, but ultimately June 2nd was picked as the day. The new holiday, however, slowly fizzled out and by 1900, it was no longer celebrated.

5. The Hallmark of Hard Work

Then, in 1908, Mother’s Day was born again at Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, thanks to the efforts of one Anna M. Jarvis, who was looking to honor her mother Anna Reeves Jarvis, who’d recently passed away after spending more than 20 years teaching Sunday school at the church. Every mom who showed up to the memorial received 2 white carnations. The event was so successful, Anna quit her job and went all over the country petitioning state governments, women groups, churches, anyone who’d get behind her cause to create a national Mother’s Day. Her hard work paid off and in 1912, West Virginia became the first state to recognize Mother’s Day. Two years later, good old President Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, reserving the second Sunday in May as the official Mother’s Day. And there was much rejoicing in the offices of Hallmark. (You think I’m joking, but the card company was founded in 1910, so it’s entirely possible.)

Roundup and Commentary - 5/9/09

All people are born free and equal.

Saturday, May 09, 2009

X-Post: Donald Douglas sez: Democrats are Racists

American Nihilist X-Post

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American Power: Mainstream Bigotry and Racism on the Democratic-Left

Once could parse the thing, explaining why each of his allegations makes no sense (in fact, someone did), but sometimes Donald is best exposed as the intellectually and morally bankrupt individual he is by simply reading his own words.

You have to read the whole thing to get the full effect, but here is my favorite paragraph:
"But, of course, the nihilists endlessly deny leftist bigotry and intolerance, for example, at my Garofalo post, where Repsac3 suggested that "No single individual is representative of the whole group." So true, that's why you have to link around to show just how common leftist bigotgry is today. What we find is that genuine, widespread, and MAINSTREAM bigotry in contemporary American politics is on the radical left end of the spectrum. See more of this at American Nihilist, Impending Arrival of BlackState

There's "widespread mainstream" bigotry on the "radical left" (defined in this piece and others as the Democratic party)? Associate Professor of Political Scienc,e Donald Douglas... You're one of the few whose performance is so bad, you should quit your day job. You are no doubt the weakest link. Thanks for sharing, though...

Others Blogging:
alicublog: IRONY-POOR BLOOD
Whiskey Fire: Black Ghost Pie
Sadly, No! � Creep Learning Curve
(Read the comments... They're at least as good as the posts, themselves...)

Roundup and Commentary - 5/8/09

Remember other people's birthdays.

Blog Post:
Donald Douglas sez: Democrats are Racists

Commentary:

Namecalling, Lies, and disingenuous wording; All in a day at American Power: American Power: Old-Fashioned, Un-Subtle Bigotry Against Traditional Families

Donald Douglas misses the point. The only person responsible for offensive words and deeds are the individuals that perform them, not everyone in the political or social group to which they belong.: American Power: Mainstream Bigotry and Racism on the Democratic-Left

More reaction to Donald Douglas' "Dems are bigots" post"

Friday, May 08, 2009

Roundup and Commentary - 5/7/09

America was not built by conformists, but by mutineers. - Jim Hightower

Commentary:

More about bigotry, or the lack of it: Beer: Definitely a check; Steers: Well, he eats red meat, so check; Queers: Eh, not so much | Comments from Left Field

The "outrageous" "offensive" tip of the movement iceberg: American Power: Inside the Mind of an Extremely Bitter Gay Man

"Breeder": Homosexual slur for people who contribute to population growth, or term for those who have kids, but don't parent them? (or, is it just a member of a good 80's band?): American Power: Old-Fashioned, Un-Subtle Bigotry Against Traditional Families x2

The establishment clause, and the art of not being "better than": Conservatives Live in a Different Moral Universe than Liberals-- And Here's Why It Matters

Posting the name of God in public, Hate speech, and Political correctness: Is it just me...

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Roundup and Commentary - 5/5/09

The secret of life is balance, and the absence of balance is life's destruction. - Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary:

"People don't understand the dictionary—it's called queer. Queer means strange and unusual. {SNIP} I've had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn't have them anywhere near my children." - Joe (Sam), the (non) Plumber. But Donald Douglas, (the Professor) says Sammy Joe's not a bigot: PoliBlog: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts - More on JTP’s Comments as well as, Beer: Definitely a check; Steers: Well, he eats red meat, so check; Queers: Eh, not so much - Comments from Left Field

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Roundup and Commentary - 5/4/09

The angry people are those who are most afraid.

Commentary:

Response to a non-response: Immoderate Monk: "Biological Equality" Man of Straw

"...NEVER let an opportunity go to denigrate the president" or, How people gawking at the president & his wife out on a date in public become an "army of followers": American Power: Obama's Army of Followers It takes a real mean streak...

Blacks self report feeling better about their standard of living since Obama took office. Real, or a "PlacebObama?": American Power: Change! Blacks Better Off Under Obama

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Roundup and Commentary - 5/2/09

Respond to rudeness with kindness.

Commentary:

Partisan political pettiness (compared to remembering those killed on 9/11, anyway), socialism, and of course, tea bagging: Is it just me...

Specter ain't the only one who came out: Flopping Aces - Specter Comes Out - Philly Bloggers Respond

What's in my pocket? W.R. Case & Sons “What’s In Your Pocket?” Pocket Knife Giveaway | The Art of Manliness

Saturday, May 02, 2009

X-Post: American Power: Professor Douglas Catches "Nihilist" Spelling Error!

American Nihilist X-Post
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Professor Donald Douglas caught "nihilist" blogger Dr. Hussein Biobrain's misspelling of the name of newly minted Democrat Senator Arlen Specter as "Arlon" late yesterday, and did his best to broadcast it throughout his network, posting about it as a blog post or comment on at least three different blogs. While it appeared to be big time news to Donald, reaction to the misspelling from friend and foe alike was pretty much non-existent. As of the time of this writing, no one has verbally joined in and laughed with professor Douglas, or defended Biobrain's letter choices at any of Douglas' posts on the subject. We'll update this post should that change.

Meanwhile, we take you to Donald's most wordy comment on the subject, found at his own "American Power" blog: Arlon the Democrat!:
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Look, we all make mistakes blogging, and in the blogosphere your adversaries will be the first to point them out!

If anyone would know that, it'd be Donald. When he's not making his own errors, he's writing outlandish posts like this one, making fun of some "enemy nihilist" who did.

So, let me take this opportunity to get a good laugh out of Dr. Hussein "There's No Class Warfare" Biobrain and his post on Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, "Arlon the Democrat."

No, no one really knows why Donald occasionally tosses in irrelevant links to arguments he's lost, like the one here about class warfare, except to say he apparently thinks he came out on top, there... Sad.

Yes, that's right: "Arlon" Specter. I thought Dr. Biobrain was laying down the snark, since that's pretty much all the guy does (being unable to provide actual critical commentary and analysis on the issues). But no, this post is genuine, "Arlon the Democrat":

Notice Donald's need to keep talking about his delusion that he is superior to the person he's attacking, telling the reader--without proof, as usual-that Bio is unable to provide actual critical commentary and analysis on the issues. (Like Donald does in this brilliant critical commentary about Bio's misspelling of the word "Arlen," I guess...)
One of the big things I don't understand about the debate on Senator Specter's switch to the Democratic Party is how his detractors imagine they're making any sense ....

I think we're going to see a different Arlon Specter. I think Arlon is looking out for Arlon and that means he's going to be siding with us. Not that he'll take the lead on much or give as much support as we'd like, but I predict that he'll be a much better Democrat now that he's a Democrat.

Okay, I admit it: I typed in Arlen "Spector" when I first wrote about the defection yesterday, but caught it before hitting "publish." Maybe Phil Spector's murder conviction had something to do with it, being recent news and all.


This is the kicker... Donald's misspelling of "Specter" is perfectly reasonable... It was a simple mistake that could happen to anyone. Professor Douglas even goes out of his way to rationalize it. But Biorain's misspelling of "Arlen?" Completely different. Proof of sheer stupidity, even. It's classic Donald Douglas.

But "Arlon"?

Where in the world did that come from?


It's a misspelling, Professor. It probably just seemed right, at the time... (How many people do you know named Arlen, anyway...?)

Pray tell, what are your theories?

Klingon?

Doubt it.

A Biobrain turn-on?

Oh look... It's Donald Douglas' big gay Malaysian lover, again... The last time Donald went on a mostly off-topic posting spree to a whole bunch of other folks' blogs like this, it was because he found a link on someone's blog that lead to a website, which in turn linked to a blogroll with 1290 blogs listed on it, and one of the blogs on that list belonged to Donald's new man-crush, a gay Malaysian guy who Donald keeps posting about, all the while accusing everyone else of being "too gay friendly," if ya know what I mean, because there are less than six degrees of internet separation between this gay Malaysian and the folks on my blogroll... (Of course, Professor Douglas is on my blogroll...) I debunked his batshit crazy theory at length here, but Donald is not one to let go of a bone, no matter how rancid.

Beats me?

We pretty much always beat you, Donald... We suspect that that's why you're so cranky.

Maybe Dr. BioDenialistBarebackerNihilist needs to take a break from Reppy's place so he can catch up on some actual news and information!

Actually, apart from the unfortunate misspelling that has so entranced professor Douglas, Bio offered a pretty cogent analysis of the actual news of Arlen's party switch. Perhaps you agree, or perhaps you don't, but one would have to be a fool to suggest that Bio was not discussing actual news.


Posted by Donald Douglas at 5:32 PM Labels: Democratic Party, Radical Left

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Fascinating stuff, obviously. But of course, that's not all...

Check out his contribution to Bio's blog, where the dreaded misspelling actually took place:

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"Arlon? Klingon?

Dr. BioDenialistBarebackerNihilist needs to step away from the TV!


It seems to me it's professor Douglas who has this fascination with TV sci-fi languages, not Bio...

I'm looking for the snark here, but I think you just don't know how to spell the guy's name...

I think he's on to something here... The professor must be a super-genius, to've figured that out...

Or, maybe you've just heard of Arlen Specter right now, this week...

A theory disproved by the post to which Donald's replying, not that he'd notice... (The fact that he recognized the spelling error is itself kinda surprising...)

...when he threw whatever principles he had to wind in selling out to the dark side.

Popular opinion on both sides of the aisle seems to be that Arlen Specter was always on the fence, politically. The theory that he's suddenly changed his principles is not widely accepted by much of anyone.

But please, don't correct it. This is gold. No wonder you blog anonymously, LOFL!!

It took Donald three tries to get every word in a comment correct last night. (He deleted the evidence, of course, but those who get comments via e-mail see all the deleted, disappeared commentary...) The idea that a misspelled word in the blog post of an "enemy" so tickles him says a lot about the kind of man Donald really is...

Yo, I have an accountant here who can help you pay WAY more in taxes! Ouch!"

Ouch, indeed.
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Still want more? Donald apparently did. Not content to shoot his "misspelled word" wad at Bio's blog and his own, he next came to visit here at American Nihilist, and spread his happy at a post having nothing to do with Specter, Biobrain, misspellings, or anything else that might be considered vaguely relevant.

While the content was removed from that post for being off-topic, it was cleverly kept alive and viable, for a post such as this one. Here then, is that missing content:

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I love it, "Arlon the Democrat!".

You nihilist nasties are the best!

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Man... If that don't show us, nothing will.

When I confronted professor Douglas about his off-topic post, his reply was some whiney rant about this blog, having very little to do with anything up to now, not even the all important spelling error:

Repsac3: Take it down. Take American Nihilist down, okay. Your whole program is an attack on me personally, and my blogging, and my values.

You are full of hypocritical baloney!

I posted to American Nihilist because that's your anti-Douglas blog. I did not post at Batnutz, or What'd I Say, or ... well, any of your other half dozen excoriation blogs.

I commented at where you guys attack me as Doug the Dog and God knows what else.

TAKE IT DOWN! Then I'll respsect your space.


My favorite part is, of course, the spelling error in professor Douglas' comment. When I casually call him on it in the next comment, saying, "Donald, I think you've already proven that it's highly unlikely you'll ever "respsect" me or my space. You're just not a particularly "respsectful" person...", his reply is a case in karmic justice:

"...unlikely you'll ever "respsect" me..."

God man, learn to spell. You're getting to be as bad as Biobrain.

Being identified as nihilist is an ideological characterization, not a personal attack. That is what you and your henchmen are, nihilist.

I seriously doubt anyone would believe "Doug the Dog" has anything to to with debating ideas. In fact, this blog is about ideas. American Nihilist is about excoriating me personally, and in the most demonically deviant way. The stuff you and your allies post there is literally beyond belief. And you love to play gotcha ...

Yet, now you hypocritically cry foul.

Of course, turnabout is fair play. Quit your whining or take it down.


That's right... Donald Douglas attacks me for his typo. Brilliant. Typical. Donald.

I also love how his blog is about ideas. Ideas like how to attack people for spelling errors, apparently...

There's more, including how Donald finds it significant that missing a typo is different from missing an actual spelling error--a distinction that seems to make him feel less stupid for his typo and his attacking me for it, I guess--and his suggestion that I write this post (Thanks professor.), but you can follow the existing links and read the whole thing for yourselves...

In another recent post, Donald Douglas threw a little hissy fit about people not believing he is a college professor, or worrying about his students. (He'll tell you "Note here that I am just reporting this, not complaining.," which he seems to think inoculates him from the obvious conclusion that most reading it will draw from his rant; he's complaining.) And, while he tries to make it about ideology, the vast majority of folks that I've seen questioning his being a professor do so after reading one of these unprofessional, immature, petty attacks on others over things like spelling errors, that are sadly so frequent on his blog. I think most Americans want to believe that when they send their kids to college, it isn't to have them taught by someone who will comment on three separate blogs about a guy's spelling error. I think they expect more...

Roundup and Commentary - 5/1/09

Wake up and watch a sunrise at least once a year.

Blog:

American Power: Professor Douglas Catches "Nihilist' Spelling Error!

Commentary:

Gay marriage, diplomacy, and definitions: The Joan of Arc, and/or Joe the Plumber of the Anti-Gay Marriage Movement

Friday, May 01, 2009

There just isn't enough good news...

11-year-old hero saves
friend's life


Lonnie Knight receives award for
quick thinking

Cynthia Smoot
BROOKSVILLE - 11-year-old Lonnie Knight and 10-year-old Roderick Reynolds have been friends since pre-kindergarten. But they never imagined that one of them would save the other's life.

Read the rest here.

Roundup and Commentary - 4/30/09

America did not invent human rights. In a very real sense...human rights invented America - Jimmy Carter

Commentary:

Donald Douglas, superiority, spelling, nihilism, and underlying arguments: American Power: Arlon the Democrat! x2

Nerd Score (Do nerds score?)