Rick Perry digs the hole deeper, putting himself even farther from the growing mainstream of American thought:
And the growing mainstream answers back:
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Aaaaand … then I discover I’m the THIRD FreeThought Blogger (or worse) to toss this little tidbit at you. Heh.
A “Halloween-themed email” from the Loudoun County, Va., Republican Committee featured an image of “a ghoulish-looking President Obama with a bullet hole through his head.”
“Apparently, some individuals have interpreted an image of Barack Obama that appeared within the email as intending to portray the President as a victim of a violent crime. Nothing could be further from the truth. We deeply and sincerely apologize to the President and anyone who viewed the image if that was the impression that was left.”
So: The way it works is, you do something deeply offensive — deliberately — then offer a lame not-pology and act like it never happened.
And again, all those of us on the other side of this line have to ask:
“If this had been an official Democratic Party representative, making this “joke” about George W. Bush … do you think we’d hear the end of it sometime in the next 50 years?”
Not on your life.
In 3 … 2 … 1 …
Cue Rush Limbaugh and the Fox News talking heads …
… to blame the Democrats …
… and Liberals …
… and “liberal media” …
… for “over-reacting.”
This was buried fairly far down in a previous post, Obama’s Speechwriter … sort of, and I thought I’d pull it out on its own and repost it. Because, damn, I’d love to hear him make it, or something like it. (Click through to the earlier story to read the context, which was a freelance speech I wrote for the 2008 campaign.)
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ABCD Speech
(1,188 words, about 10 minutes to deliver)
One of the major issues of this presidential campaign, for all of the candidates, has been the war in Iraq. Yet in speaking of the war, and of so many other issues – issues of national security, energy issues, economic issues, issues of the global environment – we have reacted to emergencies now before us, rather than taking a more thoughtful, proactive approach, to foresee and avoid potential emergencies to come, and to foresee and help create the countless opportunities which may lie in our future.
America has had a number of great victories in military battles, but one of our greatest victories in recent memory was not a victory of war, it was a victory of this type of forward-looking proactivity, a victory of invention and research, a victory in an epic quest for a quintessentially American achievement. Continue reading “Pro-Science Presidential Speech (repost)”
Ever the optimist, I write letters to people.
It’s been surprising, over the years, the people who have actually answered back. Continue reading “Obama’s Speechwriter … sort of”
Those of you in the U.S., you’ve probably heard about this by now. But in case you haven’t, there is now a political party for unbelievers.
The National Atheist Party is forming RIGHT NOW, and is probably going to sweep like wildfire across American society.
Whether it does or not, though, we’re going to see some very serious shit come down in the near future in the U.S., and it’s time WE had some say in how things go.
We’ve left all the big decisions to the godders for the past several thousand years, and look at how THAT turned out.
We are an American political party, uniquely formed as a true, constitutional movement, reaching out to all who seek a secular government as outlined in the First Amendment to our United States Constitution. Our mission: To politically represent U.S. atheists and all who are drawn to our mandate, in a political process that has thus far marginalized and ignored one of the largest and growing segments of the U.S. population.
The National Atheist Party is a diverse, all inclusive, progressive, secular political movement and a response to the lack of representation for all free thinking people who are legal, law abiding citizens of the United States. We demand emancipation from the religious dogma that has infiltrated our government and has unfairly influenced political decisions and policy making. We are for the people, by the people, and therefore incorporate the right to use the power of the people to restore equality to our Democracy using reasonable, rational and non-violent means.
If you’ve got some extra time, lots of energy, and a desire for a very different future from the one we seem to be sliding towards, get involved.
Oh, and if you have that “we atheists don’t get involved” thing in your head …
First of all, I think that’s shit. It’s not a carefully reasoned and necessary part of atheism, it’s a remnant of all those years when godders would kill us just for speaking up, much less trying to convince others to abandon religion.
Second, this is not about converting people, it’s about demanding the political power that our segment of society deserves. We’ve been ignored, mistrusted, hated, feared and laughed at …
… but now it’s time we were RESPECTED. Given some say. Allowed to enjoy equal rights to express ourselves, be represented, and given our just portion of time at the podium when decisions are made.
This is it, kids. The next step.
Time to make a difference.
Read this and see how it makes you feel:
The president of a gay rights group says that there are 28 members of Congress who are gay or lesbian, but only one of them feels comfortable revealing that fact.
Gay Coalition of America (GCA) president Bob Silverman told The Guardian that his group was aware of many members of Congress who weren’t ready to make their orientation known.
“Privately, we know that there are 27 other members of Congress who have same-sex attractions and relationships,” Silverman claimed. “But we don’t ‘out’ people.” Continue reading “27 Secret Gays in Congress”
I’m going to make two predictions.
First, Rick Perry is going to be the GOP presidential candidate. No question.
With that in mind, picture this:
Tall handsome Christian conservative “just folks” white guy with ultra-photogenic hair vs. skinny, nappy-headed, big-eared black guy who turned out not to be the savior of the world. Continue reading “The President of Rich Christian White Men”
Why do you suppose we have the secret ballot?
The answer is something most of us understand instinctively. In the one vital moment when a citizen gets to express his/her own individual political opinion, no one – not mom and dad, not your wife or husband, not your boss, not the local sheriff, not stern-faced community or union leaders, not your well-meaning neighbor – gets to loom over your shoulder and help you vote “right.”
The principle is enshrined in election law all over the world. Here in the U.S., various measures prevent overt campaigning within a certain distance – as much as 300 feet in some places, the length of a football field – of the polling place. Not only can you not stand outside the door and hector people entering, in many places you can’t even wear your own quiet campaign buttons as you go in to vote.
It’s really an issue of freedom, isn’t it? On the theory that every woman and man has the right to wrestle with their own political conscience and vote their heartfelt private values, we protect from outside influence those final moments prior to voting.
Except when we don’t. Continue reading “Jesus is My Co-Voter”
