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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
david-smith
Published Letters: 181 Editor's Choice: 8
Kamiya’s insightful take on the moral ambiguity and irrationality of rooting for Bonds is equally applicable to those of us who regard him with unqualified loathing. After all, is he any more culpable than the other petulant, sullen egomaniacs patrolling major league ballparks? Is there not something disproportionate, if not outright hysterical, about the intensity of our contempt for his transgressions? Can anyone seriously doubt the racial component to the public’s seething hostility towards Bonds?
True enough; but hardly sufficient reason to swear off wallowing in a mudhole of justified hatred.
Though I’d agree that the political culture of Rexburg is characterized by a deplorable level of parochialism and insularity, I have to concede that many of the responses herein reflect an unfortunate level of narrow-minded intolerance of their own. Specifically, I’d argue that however pervasive the bigotry in Rexburg might be, it's a function of the cultural prejudices of an isolated, racially homogeneous small town, not its residents' Mormon faith.
On another note, it’s evident that the leading Mormon institution of higher learning is doing a singularly shitty job of educating its undergraduates. Greg Fetterman writes,
Conservativism is undoubtedly a prevailing way of life in Rexburg, but you'll rarely, if ever, see bigotry of any kind here. The fact that a Democrat Society even exists on campus should tell you different viewpoints are respected – even if no one follows them.
No, sorry; the mere existence of some desolate outpost of Democratic political ideology on campus, to which virtually no one among the faculty or student body subscribes, hardly constitutes evidence of respect for a diversity of viewpoints among the Mormon faithful. More irritatingly, Fetterman states,
I think it's irresponsible what you, Tim, did to Rick Davis' interview. You're like any other dirt-bag columnist – red or blue – that molds your information into something that supports your ideology. You've tarnished a respected professor's reputation by taking his words out of context, and in my mind owe him an apology and retraction.
This reflects the execrable trend in recent years of invoking the phrase “taken out of context” as some kind of magical incantation of moral absolution. Guess what: words taken out of context can be put back in context to convey their original meaning. If Davis’s reputation has, indeed, been tarnished – and I’d sure as hell agree that his statements make him sound like an ignorant, racist hack – feel free to tell us what he meant in the first place. Were his statements fabricated? Was he quoting someone else? Were they merely intended to illustrate the position of someone whose views he rejects? The accusation that words have been taken out of context means something; it’s not some all-purpose talisman.
Yes, Rick, it would be a hell of surprise if the Simpering Imbecile decided to acknowledge that Osama does, in fact, still exist, in contrast to his policy over the past five years. While such a dramatic acknowledgment of failure might prove too humiliating for any other sentient being, the Imbecile will simply treat this policy as he did "stay the course," i.e., ignoring Osama isn't the policy now, won't be the policy in the future, and never has been the policy.
Watching Santorum become panicky and desperate as his political career circles the toilet is just good, clean fun. It's fantastic how the situation has reached the point where it simply makes absolutely no difference what lies comes out of the mouth of this greasy, queer-bating, scheming pile of dogshit.
Among the most vitally important political objectives the Democrats must now pursue is that of maintaining constant vigilance against slimy efforts to wipe the Republicans' fingerprints off the debacle of Iraq. The carnage and futility of this abomination aren’t an American failure, they’re 100% Republican. That fact must never be allowed to be forgotten.
Why was Rumsfeld crying like a little bitch? Maybe it's because he was just so moved by Bush’s words of unqualified support and commendation, waxing with unbridled enthusiasm at Rummy's brilliance and patriotism. On the other hand, maybe it's because Rumsfeld is such a intensely detested hack, such an all-around reviled, steaming sack of shit, that the Simpering Imbecile wouldn't even give him the fig leaf of two days with which to concoct some bullshit about "spending more time with the family.” Instead, Bush kicked him in the balls and slit his throat right there in the Oval Office, his diseased corpse tossed to the Democrats to dispose of in whatever manner they saw fit.
While it would be virtually impossible to obtain a conviction in the Senate, huge political damage would result, probably for both parties and thus the nation.
For both parties? For the nation? Hardly. For the Republicans? Goddamn right. And that is precisely what the Democratic Party should be shooting for. The Democrats must accept the fact that the Republican Party has instigated a full-fledged political and cultural war against a vast portion of the American electorate, and should be guided by one overarching political principle:
What's bad for Republicans is good for America.
Of course, now that the reactionary thugs have run out of ammunition, they're suddenly convinced of the desperate importance of a truce, for the good of the American people. A truce? Sure; give them as much time as it takes to write out their last will and testament. Then get a bat and beat their fucking heads like a cheap piñata. That effort should start by familiarizing Republicans with an exciting and unfamiliar word: SUBPOENA. Start a new investigation perhaps once a month or so, insuring a fresh and abundant supply of evidence of criminality with which to humiliate the Imbecile and cripple the Republicans politically. Ultimately, the target will almost surely be Cheney. Rumsfeld may be the first filthy, plague-ridden rat tossed off the sinking ship, but he’d better keep plenty of room in the lifeboat for his old pal, the Snarling Savage.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
219 Democrats and one Republican join in favor of the legislation, which passed by a narrow margin
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