Letters posted here are associated with the following Salon Premium Member:

dust1969

Published Letters: 570
Editor's Choice: 3

Sunday, June 14, 2009 12:26 AM

I was watching "Soldiers in the Army Of God" Last night...

...which I recommend to anyone who wants to start understanding the true nature of these people.

My favorite part? My full-body clench when an AOG activist, Bob Lokey, describes how one night God guided his hand as he circumcised himself with a razor blade. He doesn't mention medical care afterward, but he does speak glowingly of feeling free from lust for women afterward. Which I suppose is for the best, given what he's probably left with.

A lot of them talk of how important it is for them to separate themselves both from women, or from thoughts toward and attraction toward them. One young guy in particular, who was no different than an Al-Quaeda recruit except insofar as he was Christian and American, obsessed over this. And the more he did, the more his obvious readiness to bomb a clinic increased.

And then there's Neil Horsley throughout, famous for proudly admitting he once screwed cows.

Throughout you rarely see women, if at all. These men are not fathers. They haven't GOT babies. Mostly they live alone; Horsley lives with another man.

So this is interesting, because for them "babies" are an abstract. And women are something to be feared, for whatever reason. And the more they deny themselves the more ferocious their commitment to violence becomes; they speak throughout openly of how impatient they are to blow up a clinic or kill a doctor, in the same manner as others might be excited about a movie premiere.

It isn't about babies for them. Not really.

Sunday, June 14, 2009 01:28 AM

@trudy b

Because it's taught in schools, which are part of the conspiracy. Duh! Haven't you been paying attention to them?

Sunday, June 14, 2009 08:48 PM

As Usual, Worthless

Salon, please get rid of this. It doesn't help. I feel like I'm reading Dana Perino's press releases.

I think I know who GW(hm) is: Michael Steele.

Monday, June 15, 2009 06:58 AM
Original article: The street protests mount

The election is beside the point now

No matter who won, though we now know who must have. No government that resorts to this against its own people is legitimate.

The mullahs and president have destroyed themselves. I am wondering if they will manage now to keep their army under control. This is not Iraq. (and we should not, not, NOT intervene) These are people who had the illusion they had some say over their government and now have had it proved they do not. And I do not think they will be as callow as we were about it.

Monday, June 15, 2009 07:06 AM

@barrington89

Absolutely so.

Unlike conservatives, most of us aren't adherents to Unified Cults of Personality.

Monday, June 15, 2009 07:12 AM
Original article: The street protests mount

Khamenei values his neck

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/13/iran-demonstrations-viole_n_215189.html

He's ordered a probe into voter fraud, thus admitting the possibility. And, perhaps, he's realized how stupid all this was as he would have remained supreme leader either way, had he let the people keep the illusion that their votes counted. Now it's too late. I wonder if he can get the toothpaste back into the tube.

Monday, June 15, 2009 07:15 AM
Original article: The street protests mount

They're rallying

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8099952.stm

Fuck the ban, they're saying.

I like these students. They've got themselves some balls.

Monday, June 15, 2009 07:23 AM
Original article: The street protests mount

And Moussavi has appeared at the rally

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/15/iran.elections.protests/index.html

Monday, June 15, 2009 05:10 PM

It's good that he spoke

But beyond that, is there anything he can actually do about it?

And why is Salon, like the MSM, only giving this event token coverage? People are being killed by the government. The protesters are trying to get the message out. And you're, well, updating now and then.

This is why old journalism is dead.

Monday, June 15, 2009 05:14 PM

And if people are more interested in this than Joan's TV appearance...

Here's what Salon is skimming. This is a picture of one of the murders the Iranian government committed today.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/.a/6a00d83451c45669e2011571166ed5970b-800wi

And here are two sources to update.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/13/iran-demonstrations-viole_n_215189.html

http://twitter.com/IranElection09

Monday, June 15, 2009 05:44 PM

Good

Thanks, Salon, for pushing this subject to the top.

And I wish American Fascist would go away.

Monday, June 15, 2009 06:50 PM

Even Joan commenting can't keep them from lifestyle headlines

And Salon pushes it back down, and instead has something about white men dating Asian women. With history occurring, and the internet showing that the MSM has dropped the ball, it's depressing to see Salon on the wrong side of media history.

Monday, June 15, 2009 06:51 PM

Here's a better question

With history happening in Iran and students there needing the word to be gotten out, why is this story at the top?

Come on Joan, you even talked about it on HARDBALL. Surely that makes it important enough.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 01:21 AM

Seriously, Salon, What is Wrong With You?

Iran is exploding. Ahmadinejad has left the country, possibly to keep his hands clean of a massacre, and you have this bullshit at the TOP of the page? And have pretty much since this afternoon?

What is wrong with you?

Most Active Letters Threads

683

Obama's exceedingly familiar justifications for escalation

The "new" approach to Afghanistan touted by White House officials seems quite old
543

The crazy, irrational beliefs of Muslims

Tom Friedman explains the real problem: stupid Muslims think the U.S. is about war and aggression.
506

The commendably missing element from Obama's speech

There was no pretense that human rights is our goal, or the likely outcome, in escalating the war
440

The face of rotted Washington

Evan Bayh demands more debt-financed war - fought by others - while boasting that he's a stern "deficit hawk."
303

Yes, it's Obama's war now

An uninspiring speech sells a dubious policy, but progressives who feel betrayed have only themselves to blame

View all »

Letters Help

Currently in Salon