Here's the deal with Guillen. He is once again being pilloried for saying or doing something which is hardly uncommon.

Am I in favor of homophobic slurs? God, no. But we're talking about professional male sports teams, here. Wanna know why there aren't any "out" current players in the major male sports here? Because virtually all of the pro locker rooms are bastions of homophobia. I suppose a sociologist could devote a whole career to the issues behind why there is an undercurrent of homophobia amongst a group of young, buff men who regularly shower together, but that's not my point here.

The point is that Ozzie's language is standard fare in locker rooms all over the country (and not just the pros). It's a shame, yeah. We all wish it weren't so. But stop with all BS about Ozzie being some kind of aberrant, frothing-at-the-mouth bigot. Just like many in the press need to stop with all the BS about Ozzie being some kind of blood-thirsty freak for wanting a pitcher to throw at an opponent after one of his own guys got plunked. Ozzie is NOT the exception, he's the rule.

You want to change the culture of pro sports? Knock yourself out. But Ozzie isn't the cause of what may be wrong, merely a symptom.

I'm not sure which memorial to Lincoln it is that GK is describing.

I've always found the Lincoln Memorial in Washington quite inspiring in it's stark but powerful silence. His tomb in Springfield, on the other hand, is indeed a dark, cold cavern. But the new Lincoln Library, also in Springfield, shows that the presidential library can be an inspiring place as well. I have yet to visit, but look forward to seeing it for myself soon to see if it lives up to the reviews I have read.

I am also interested to see how it compares with those of Kennedy and Carter. The Kennedy facility in Boston is pretty, but rather dry. The Carter facility by itself is a mere repository, but coming as it does within the broader Carter Center, and all that institution stands for, increased, for me, its import.

In all, I think that any memorial serves best when it inspires one to remember, reflect and learn. Be it an obsidian wall, a white marble statue, a library, a poem, song, book or dance, what matters is whether it touches the observer in a way consistent with that person or event being memorialized.

Tim Howe

The reaction from the CBC parallels a situation in Chicago (Cook County, actually) which is currently playing out. Just before the primary, the incumbent County Board President, John Stroger (who happens to be black), suffered a serious stroke. Despite his obviously dire medical situation, he won the primary and, given that this is Cook County, would be a virtual shoe-in for re-election even if he were demonstrably comatose.

There has been talk of having the ward committeemen replacing him on the ballot, and one of those mentioned was Stroger's son, a Chicago alderman. Some people thought that this would be a bit sticky, considering most would agree that the son is clearly not ready for prime time. In response to those who voiced that opinion, much of the black political leadership has taken a stand that essentially says: "the whites have been abusing their power in the interest of corrupt nepotism for years, and nobody's gonna tell us we can't have our turn at the trough."

I suppose that this illustrates one of the problems with overall political corruption. For every person who fights to gain a foothold against it in order to eliminate it, there seem to be two fighting for a foothold so they can get their own slice of the poison pie.

Tim Howe

I was hoping that I could show my sly sarcasm by noting that Garrison had some nerve: a divorced man, after all, writing about a wholesome family; a noted anti-catholic prattling on about god. You know, the usual crap folks sling at this fine fellow just for writing a little essay to lighten our day.

And here comes Anonymous, beating me to the punch with his pithy observations. Damn, if only I were that keen!

Forget for a second that the Fox folks also think Bush is brilliant . . .

I don't suppose this Fox 411 mope ever considered that Ms. Hilton has an agent for setting up all these lucrative appearances? Or does he really think she negotiates all these deals herself?

The irony of so many of these responses is simply too rich . . . .

Confusing censors and censers when talking about the Catholic church just as The Holy See is working into a real lather over The DaVinci Code . . . .

All of the back-and-forth ripping from the Minneapolis locals in response to an essay that highlighted the vitriol in local politics . . . .

I have but one thing to add. In referring to his past descriptions of Republicans, Garrison misquotes himself. The 1996 essay called Republicans "nihilists in plaid pants," at least in the version I have. When I posted the entire quote on my office wall a few years back, that was one of the images that leapt out at me. I don't thing "golf pants" is nearly as delicious.

Tim Howe

This administration lauds the folks who have monumentally screwed things up intentionally. Do you really think they're going to punish someone whe only accidentally messed up?

I find it ironic that the legislative branch is now taking steps to investigate perceived ethical lapses by judges, insofar as it has been utterly ineffective in investigating its own members and fulfilling its constitutional obligation to check the current runaway executive branch.

Tim Howe

Wauconda, IL

It would appear that the administration flunkies and MSM fawners claiming that Colbert "just wasn't funny" are simply all so dense that they are utterly incapable of understanding satire. It takes a sharp mind and the capacity for perspective to appreciate this form of humor. They obviously lack both.