There is a pathetic excuse for a human being out there that seems to feel his narrow-mindedness has value. His name is Matt Barber from the Liberty Councel. Here he is commenting on the Matthew Shepard act recently (From District Chronicles):

Conservative Christian leaders are fighting a bill that would provide federal hate-crimes coverage to gays and lesbians, prompting questions of who, if anyone, should be protected by such laws.

With a Democrat-controlled Congress and a president who has indicated his support for the Matthew Shepard Act, time may be running out for the bill’s opponents. To stop the legislation, a few Christian leaders have suggested repealing all hate-crimes law, which would undo historic protections for race and even religion.

“The entire notion of hate-crimes legislation is extraneous and obsolete,” said Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs with the conservative nonprofit Liberty Counsel, adding that he believes hate-crimes laws are unconstitutional.

And, once again a few weeks back, on other issues:

A Christian college in India allows applicants to indicate whether they are male, female, or transgender when they enroll.

Matt Barber, cultural affairs director at Liberty Counsel, says Madras Christian College administrators must have misread the book of Genesis, believing God created male, female, and transgender.

“You know, this is just ridiculous and insane,” he contends. “It’s really sad that a Christian college is joining in and entertaining this leftist, secular, humanist delusion that is transgenderism.”

Way back when I was a younger man I wrote an opinion response in the New York Post voicing my opposition to a commenter who criticized Michael Dukakis for marrying a Jewish woman. At 24-years-old, this kind of religious descrimination sickened me as much then as it does now.

There’s little I despise more than a religious figure or religious “representative” quietly (or, sometimes, not so quietly) promoting racial intolerance in the name of God. Many of these religious leaders on the far-right are doing just that. From the old school group of Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggart to the current assholes holding onto that last handful of hate in a world that has less and less to do with them, their words and actions are embarrassments to the rest of the human race.

Fortunately, in this country, the people are on the other side of their nasty rants:

A 2007 Gallup poll showed a majority of Americans (68 percent) favor expanding hate-crimes protections. Majorities of frequent churchgoers (62 percent), conservatives (57 percent), and Republicans (60 percent) also were in favor of the legislation.

It is no doubt in my mind that this, along with much of the molestation trouble the churches have been publicly dealing with over the last 20 years, is what’s made organized religion less and less appealing to the audience it used to own. The average religious person might want to believe in God, but they sure as hell don’t want to do it in the name of hatred and narrow thinking. This is why the only “religions” that seem to be flourishing are the extreme ones of which include The Catholic Traditionalist Movement and Al Qaeda. So sad that the weakest minded of our world are finding each other.

And, as far as Matt Barber is concerned, this narrow-minded fuckhead may well find that if there is a heaven, there is also a hell - and his statements might make him the perfect candidate for that particular institution.

Current News, Lifestyle liberty councel, matt barber

I was 5 years old when The Jackson Five came into my life. I got up early Saturday morning to watch the cartoon (followed in earlier years by the Beatles cartoon and a few years later by the Osmonds). I had a Jackson Five poster on my wall till the age of 7 and missed their music as the seventies left them behind.

Then, in my first year of college 1982, Michael Jackson came back. Off The Wall was a huge hit, “Rock with you” was part of the soundtrack of my freshman year and a few years later, the hits from “Thriller” became the videos you waited for when lounging around and watching MTV. Loved “Human Nature” and “She’s out of my life.” Pretty much considered Michael Jackson part of the tapestry of growing up.

I was 12 years old when Farrah Fawcett burst onto the scene. Along with Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson, I collected every poster the three of them graced. I, of course, had Farrah’s most famous and, along with my male friends, would move in close on it to contemplate the one, lone nipple impression. We watched “Charlie’s Angels” religiously and hoped for the best when Farrah ventured into features with “Somebody Killed Her Husband.” Every girl I knew copied her hair (yes, even in elementary school) and every guy had a thing for her. She was the face of the 70s, more of a phenomenon than Britney is today and a part of our memory of that time.

With both of these icons gone, a part of my youth has been taken away. As a middle-aged man I don’t lament these things with the level of emotion I would if I were in my teens or twenties, being preoccupied with family, children and obligations. Maybe that’s good - the distraction.

Nonetheless, I remember them both fondly, thank them for being the latent images of my childhood and hope in years to come their impression remains in the public eye so I can tell my kids, “These were the people I loved when I was your age.”

Current News, Lifestyle Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson

From CNBN:

Sarah Palin’s announced a press conference this afternoon to discuss a disturbing discovery she made last night while rummaging through a neighbor’s garbage. To her dismay, she found an autographed photo from her early TV anchor days with a sloppily markered Adolf Hitler mustache.

“This is an outrage to all women, especially those who are family oriented. The intention of this photo is clear: My neighbor is attacking my oldest son, Track, for simply being a formidable young man. While I am aware that the photo is a likeness of me, and was deep inside my neighbor’s garbage bin flanked by two half-eaten burritos, I am also aware that she is a democrat and has ties to the Wasilla P.T.A.

We will take the appropriate actions to make sure this woman cannot do this kind of thing to American’s ever again - and to those democrats who obviously hate all my children, I will hold another press conference tomorrow so they can give voice to their own objections.”

Okay. Maybe the first quote on this posting is somewhat fabricated. Well, maybe completely fabricated. But it doesn’t seem to far from reality, does it? Here’s reality:

From CNN:

Who even KNOWS what this photo means. I sure as fuck don't. Nonetheless, it's called freedom of expression.

Palin’s latest response comes after liberal Alaskan Blogger Linda Kellen Biegel doctored a photograph of the former Republican vice presidential candidate with her 1-year-old son Trig, who suffers from Down Syndrome.

Biegel, who blogs in support of the Alaska Democratic Party under the name “Celtic Diva,” superimposed a picture of conservative Alaskan radio host Eddie Burke over Trig’s face in an apparent effort to show how close the radio host is with the Alaskan governor.

“Recently we learned of a malicious desecration of a photo of the Governor and baby Trig that has become an iconic representation of a mother’s love for a special needs child,” Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapelton said in a statement provided to CNN. “The mere idea of someone doctoring the photo of a special needs baby is appalling.”

Please. Give me one…little…break. The photo in question had NOTHING to do with insulting a special needs child. In fact, any FOOL can see the blog photo she’s referring to is a metaphor that is simply using her son’s image comment on a particular radio host. Most abstract-thinking adults can parse this little bit of visual commentary. Anyone but the far right wing and the Palin family. Will someone please shut this woman up?

Sarah Palin will do ANYTHING to remain in the spotlight. She is a vindictive high-schooler who exploits her children any chance she gets. I truly hope she is the Presidential front-runner in 2012.

Verbal Paintball Alaska Democratic Party, Meghan Stapelton, Sarah Palin

Mark Sanford's hike to the summit.

From Huffington Post:

Sanford apologized at a press conference to his family, and his staff at a press conference for “the way that I let them down.” He said he had a conversation with his father-in-law a few weeks ago about where “my heart was … laying my cards on the table.”

“There are moral absolutes, God’s law is indeed there to protect you from yourself. There are consequences if you breach that. This press conference is a consequence.”

At first it was not clear what Sanford was referencing.

“I’ve been unfaithful to my wife and I’ve developed a relationship with what stared as a dear, dear friend from Argentina,” he finally said. The affair has been going on for a year, he later explained

Several months back, Sanford was one of the primary republican voices on rejecting stimulus money. After discovering he could not stop it from arriving in his state, he decided, for purely political reason, that the money was not going to go to the programs and people it was intended for. He would shift it into paying off the state debt. Good representative of the people, isn’t he?

Well, he was apparently screwing more than just the people of his state - and doing so with complete disregard for proper protocol.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and judge this man’s affair. Life is complicated. Relationships are complicated. He must have reached some crossroad. That’s not what is at issue here. It is the way he did it. What I expect to hear from the republican side is the following excuse:

“Well, Sanford may have lied to the state and his family, but at least he didn’t do it under oath.”

Yeah, well, the republicans have destroyed our economy, destroyed their moral authority, lied us into a war and bullied their way to bills that ONLY benefit the top 1% and the corporations. And now they have two of their own - two people who flew under the “I’m a moral Christian and you’re not because you’re a democrat” flag - within the last month that exposed themselves for the hypocrites they really were.

Sorry for his family. Sorry for his state. Not sorry for those who voted for him. They should have known better.

Verbal Paintball affair, Mark Sanford, stimulus

From NY Magazine:

Here’s the link to a video of Rabid Letterman Protesters Turn Out to Be Big Leno Fans

Or, if you can embed an IFrame:

Probably the best response to this grotesque display of hatred and ignorance comes from a commenter named msdusti who wrote the following:

WOW. Looks like a bunch of people fell through the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down!

The last remaining residue of conservative idiocy is available for all to see on 54th and Broadway - but the emotion we are seeing here isn’t too difference from what happened after Nixon took office in 1969. Shortly thereafter, we saw the rise of angry far-left activists like the Weathermen and the SLA who went as far as bombing and kidnapping to spread their messages. While those two groups had manifestos to define their rebellion, these morons have only bad judgement.

Now, I’m not suggesting these particular people who stand in front of the Ed Sullivan theater will move to that level, but their anger and frustration at losing a political voice - and in the case of many conservatives having a kindred spirit in their prejudices and discrimination - is displaying itself in abortion doctor assassinations and attempts on Obama himself.

All in all, I find these people pathetic. They are all lemmings - and don’t have one independent thought between them. Their anger is completely irrational - in fact, what it does show us is that these people are simply looking for a way to vent anger any way they can and this tame Letterman joke provided them with a vessel for their hatred.

Hannity, Limbaugh, Coulter and Fox News are fanning the flames. If this were happening on the left instead of the right, the right would be screaming “treason!” We’re a little more level headed than those idiots.

So anyway, far right, if you want to continue with this stupid support of an ignorant hick from Alaska who can’t even form a coherent sentence, have at it. If you want to convince yourself that David Letterman, a perfectly gentlemanly mid-westerner who I think is funny most of the time, is a closeted molester, you are alone in your stance.

Verbal Paintball conservative losers, David Letterman, Sarah Palin

There. Does that get your attention? There’s nothing “funny” about this title, but that’s the point. Others may argue about the “filthy” and “bitch” part. The lying is pretty well documented. Take umbrage to being called a bitch? Well, how do you think David Letterman feels when you call him a molester, you filthy, lying bitch. Shock words can go both ways. If you want to swing that gauntlet, don’t feign shock when it swings back in your direction. Don’t like my assessment what you are? Well, go fuck yourself.

It’s one thing to show your distaste for a joke involving your family, but to viciously LIE about the intention of that joke, and the target of it, and use it as a vehicle to destroy the reputation of a man who’s far more talented, intelligent and experienced than you will ever be - in every aspect of life - is sad.

Intelligent (and for that matter, unintelligent people) recognized that Letterman was directing that barb to the only daughter the public knows, Bristol. Having nothing else to offer the public than your division and passive-aggressive hate rants, I guess you saw this as another opportunity to take the spotlight for a while. You’ve already pimped out your children to further your naked ambition. Now you’ve got an issue when it backfires on you?

Well, I don’t really believe that’s the case anyway. I think you love this. I believe your concern for your children in the spotlight is a little bit false. I think it’s a far more cynical reason for your attacks. You were finding yourself unrepresented in the media and this was a convenient avenue back in. What does it matter if others are the casualties of your ambition. What does it matter if you can’t actually get press for something important - such as ideas. How important is it that you’re not intelligent or morally strong enough to get in front of the cameras and tell the truth rather than resort to easy lies to drum up support for your platform.

Heck, our last President lied about things far more important like the benefactors of the middle class tax cuts, the reason for starting a war with Iraq, the true laziness of his response to Hurricane Katrina, the real inner workings of Valerie Plame’s outing, the Justice Department firings, torture, etc. etc. etc.

Looks like you learned from the experts. And what did you learn? I’ll tell you. Repeat after me:

“I cannot win an argument based on my ideas or the facts. I do not have the articulation capacity to persuade anyone that my ideas have merit. I do not have the credibility to get anyone on my side because of my slim accomplishments and flighty past. So, in an attempt to overcome these obstacles, I will do the most politically expedient thing: I will lie as strongly as I need to in order to gain the upper hand. If my lies are not strong enough, I will lie some more - and do so in a way that will trigger emotions and press buttons - probably buttons that shouldn’t be pressed so casually. I will lie like this because I am insecure…and uneducated on what I’m talking about…and not up to the task. But maybe if I lie, nobody will see that.

Maybe if I lie, I can get my way like I used to when I was five years old. What does it matter whether I spilled the milk or not. My brother can get spanked for it, because, really, it’s all about me and my needs, isn’t it?

Current News republican lies, Sarah Palin

Errol Morris, director of films such as The Thin Blue Line and A Brief History of Time made a statement recently in defense of the truth that, while being common sense to me might come off as profound to others:

There is such a thing as truth, but we often have a vested interest in ignoring it or outright denying it.

Also, it’s not just thinking something that makes it true. Truth is not relative, it’s not subjective. It may be elusive or hidden. People may wish to disregard it. But there is such a thing as truth. And the pursuit of truth: Trying to figure out what has really happened; trying to figure out how things really are.

After eight years of George W. Bush, the truth has suffered a fatal blow in the collective conscience of this country. While others might pinpoint the beginning of this decline to Clinton’s “is” statement, I believe the truth on that is a little clouded. Clinton was in a court of law and, being of a law background himself, it is not unreasonable to demand the parsing of words, especially when you’re the one on the chopping block.

Bush and Cheney, however, were the real culprits. They spent years trying to turn the truth into a gray area. Suddenly, under these guys, a vague satellite image of trucks becomes a chemical weapon laboratory. A suggested meeting between a 9/11 hijacker and Saddam, always a lie, becomes a possible truth. An economy heading into the abyss is still “vibrant.” The fact is, the truth isn’t really malleable. It is what it is. Words don’t define the truth. The truth is that space between words and interpretation.

This brings me to one of the biggest abusers of the truth, Sara Palin. This shrew, short of actual political skill, has co-opted the Bush administrations failed “truth as a gray area” strategy and is attempting to use it to remain valid (another falsehood. She never was).

David Letterman recently made a joke about her daughter being knocked up by A-Rod. Anyone with an ounce of common sense could see who the subject was of this ribbing - Bristol Palin. She’s the one known for having been “knocked up” and it’s her life that has been under the microscope. Palin and her idiot husband have been trying to get mileage out of this by suggesting it was their younger daughter they were talking about, thus delving into the idea that Letterman was promoting the “rape” of their 14-year-old.

Was the younger daughter at the Yankee game in discussion? Sure - but comedy is not a gray area nor is it linear in it’s thinking. You have to be on-target to make a joke work and this one could only work with the recognition of who the subject matter was. It was Bristol. End of story.

The “truth” of this situation is not in parsing the words, it’s the space between. Letterman, of course, would never suggest anything so inflamatory. It’s not in his nature. The fact that these two media whores are trying to ruin his reputation so they can grab another minute in a spotlight they don’t deserve is more than pathetic, it’s borderline criminal.

Unfortunately, that 22% of the public that still loves George Bush now hates Letterman (if they didn’t before). Therefore, you’re getting numbskull responses like these in the blogs from people who have no sense of either truth or humor:

I don’t like Palin, but let’s be honest, he was talking about her 14 yr old daughter. She was the one at the Yankees game with Palin, not the 18 yr old. This guy is a sick freak. -Bob

Anyone who thinks any jokes about rape regardless of age is funny has serious issues. Another example of far left lack of class and plain meanness. You do not see the right joking about these things do you? - Mr. Joshua

Letterman just lost one more viewer any kind of joke about a raping any girl or women is in bad taste if someone had said the same thing about one of Obama girls or wife or Bill Clintons daughter they would be history. - Old Man

The fact that these morons above might be a little bit partisan is besides the point. In fact, on some level it is the point. The republican party has completely embraced this notion of the truth being gray. It’s sad. I have friends of mine that I cannot have a rational conversation with - a conversation or debate regarding well-known facts - without the truth being twisted by them. And even when you tell them the truth, they’ll tell you it’s the main stream media that’s promoting these “lies.” Hopefully, someday, the truth will be valuable again to these people. As it is right now, it’s just another casualty of their need to control the argument.

Verbal Paintball

My heart goes out to these two women currently held in North Korea. This situation has haunted me for the last week and it’s easy to understand why. It is the same anxiety one would feel at the prospect of finding themselves in the middle of nowhere, miles from civilization, distant from familiar help and facing an immediate unknown that will not include those you love.

The only thing to do is to hope there is an ounce of compassion from the North Koreans. It was obviously a case of mistaken intentions. The best thing they can do is return these two women to their families quickly. Even in the most dire of circumstances, we can only hope that people who do not know freedom the way we do will find some sense of justice and satisfaction in reuniting a mother with her daughter and a wife with her husband.

Hopefully the Obama administration will find a way to reason with this country. In the meantime, the best thing to do is to keep our mouths shut and pray there is resolution soon. And for those who have criticism - this is not the time.

Current News Euna Lee, Laura Ling, Lisa Ling, North Korea

Orrin Hatch started shooting his mouth off again in his signature way: Try to sound like a soft, accommodating “team player” on the healthcare issue - then tell us how you really think. Here are a few words (USA Today):

“This is too big for political gamesmanship,” says Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, a member of the Senate health committee. “The partisan part of me says, ‘Oh, I hope they do that; they’ll have to live with every stinking problem that comes up’ ” in a system passed without significant GOP support.

and a few more:

Mr. Hatch predicted that such an approach would meet the same fate as President Bill Clinton’s plan for universal coverage.

“If the Democrats go ahead with a purely partisan bill,” Mr. Hatch said, “you saw what happened on Hillarycare, and this will be just as bad.”

and lastly:

“If we go to a government plan, the government will be setting prices. They’ll be telling people what they can do. They’ll be injecting themselves between your doctor and yourself,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, calling a public plan “tremendously costly.”

and, so, Orrin Hatch will vote against the bill - but that’s nothing new. This prick would have voted against it anyway. All he’s doing now is providing the “easy out” for himself - and doing so by trying to make Obama and the democrats be the villians here.

None of this would mean anything if Hatch weren’t a flak for the Healthcare insurance lobby.

You see, Hatch makes a shitload of money from the same people Obama is trying to put some controls under. The same folks who charge $50 for a pill that costs them 50¢ to make (even after insurance and money going back into research). He’s got a reason to vote against this bill - but if you listen to his rhetoric it’s as if it’s all our fault the bill won’t get passed.

Fuck him and the horse he road in on.

Verbal Paintball Add new tag, Orrin Hatch

Many years from now, a post like that of the following will be a nice little relic of this era, a time when many fearful people stood behind a President who lied to us for eight years and used the good will after a terrible U.S. tragedy to set in motion an agenda that was morally corrupt before it even began. Many of the true believers will not show their face in daylight - and, like Peter in the story of Christ, will deny they ever believed in George W. Bush and his ilk.

But this is not the future, yet. Here’s a few pathetic points from HughS at Wizbangblog.com:

A US leader should not embrace the language of appeasement while we are at war for many reasons, not least of which is that it sends the wrong message to our enemies.

and another one from a second pathetic loser, Shawn Mallow:

One of the tidbits Obama shared with us yesterday was his assertion that the United States is “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world.” Huh? There are estimated to be between 5 to 7 million muslims in the US, about the same number of Jewish Americans. In contrast, we have about 60 million Christians. But, during his European apology tour, he made it a point to state we are not a Christian nation.

and a few comments by idiots who have no concept of reality:

I’m so tired of the president of this nation going around telling the world we tortured people. He is an embarassment to our nation. - WildWillie

In making that foolish statement Obama has confirmed in the minds of Muslims that the United States did torture and linked it to Guantanamo Bay. - Mac Lorry

Obambi isn’t smartest tool in the shed though he was smart enough to fool the dhimmi masses. When the kool aid wears off, it will be one ugly fall from grace for the King. - Kat

Surprisingly, you don’t see a whole lot of counter-argument on this site by the far right-wing. It may be because they don’t have the education, intelligence or articulation capacity to cross swords with anyone here at Daily Kos. It might also be due to the fact that an actual debate might threaten their tenuous hold on this fantasy world they embrace. I’m caught between wanting to shake them and say, “What the fuck is wrong with you, man! Wake up!” and just simply telling them how pathetic they are. Much like the apprehended terrorists, they consider anything contrary to their reality a deadly threat worthy of a fight. Sad.

Years from now, when all this is history, many of them will agree with us, just as many who favored Vietnam have, somehow, revised their own histories to suggest they were never as adamant about the war as we remember them to be. In their revisionist histories, they will tell us they always had doubts about George Bush, knew the Iraq war was based on fear-bating and never were as stupid as we know they are now.

Sorry, idiots. Your ignorance and fear has cost lives. It’s set us on a course that our current President has to spend his entire term fixing. It’s made our fight alot more difficult when it didn’t need to be. We know you’re hard, tough guys now about this and, in the future, when you finally concede that you’re wrong, we’ll forgive you your ignorance - but let it be known that we won’t forget who you were then.

Current News, Politics George W. Bush, republican ignorance