Why is there this insistence on "respecting" organized religions that are dedicating to demonizing, and stripping civil rights from, a whole segment of the population? Isn't this called "fascism" in any other context?

What many religious organizations are doing, or attempting to do, to gay people is no minor issue. Just listen to the unbridled contempt, the hatred that blasts forth from people like James Dobson, or the arrogant and chillingly clinical, faux-scientific formulation in Catholic doctrine that homosexuality is "intrinsically disordered".

I simply can't, and won't, whitewash in my own mind the right-wing elements of organized religion that spew nothing but hatred and ignorance of gay people. I'm not going to "respect" them, and I will fight them tooth and nail.

Not calling them what they are - totalitarian bigots - may be more effective from a tactical perspective, and I'm on board with that, but let's not forget that that really is what the leaders of these organizations are. And yes, I'm talking about the pope, the president of the Mormon church, and every other minister or influential lay person in any organization who espouses hatred and discrimination.

They need to be opposed, and strongly.

I share Glenn's skepticism about these appointments, but there is at least one important historical similarity where things worked out fairly well.

When FDR created the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1933, he put none other than Joe Kennedy in charge of it. FDR understood that Kennedy, who had been something of a crook and an expert in such dishonest tactics as blatant market manipulation and insider trading in the frenzied, unregulated days of the 1920s, would know all the tricks and how to mitigate or eliminate them. By most accounts, Kennedy did a good job as SEC Chairman, and the bedrock securities laws (1933 and 1934) were passed and implemented under his tenure.

We can only hope that Geithner and company will emulate the Kennedy example.

This is a great way to start the day. I'm giving thanks today for the internets and other series of tubes that allow us this ease of exposing Klein's pathetic attempts at revisionism.

On yesterday's topic - Brennan - NPR did a classic MSM distortion of the issue in a piece this morning. Steve Inskeep (sp?), the host, was interviewing some official whose name I can't recall, and this person was basically insinuating that Brennan had been forced to withdraw from consideration unjustly - simply because liberal bloggers had been all riled up about him. The gist of his message was that Brennan's views had been in the mainstream, and that these liberal bloggers were engaging in guilt by association.

Naturally, Inskeep did not challenge this view, never mentioned Brennan's vocal and, in Glenn's words, "ardent" support for torture. Moreover, the euphemism "harsh interrogation techniques" was used throughout the piece.

Lamott's testimony is a perfect example of why I'm not religious, and why I grow even more impatient with God talk as I get older. It misleads, it obscures, and it makes us worshippers when we should be thinkers.

Yes, I too am very happy that Obama won the election. It's obviously a huge step forward for race relations in this country, and Obama was clearly the superior candidate in terms of temperament and leadership abilities.

Nonetheless, before we all lose ourselves in the realm of the ecstatic a la Lamott, perhaps we should step back and come to grips with several facts:

- There is no clear evidence at this point that Obama or, just as important - the Democrats in Congress - will commit to or enact a truly liberal, progressive program. If you want real change, quit worshipping Obama as some sort of savior and do what we always have to do: give money to progressive causes and candidates, and don't be afraid to withhold support when these people or groups betray your principles. Only in that way can we pressure him and Congress to do the right thing.

- As wonderful as it was to have such a high degree of minority participation in this election, we should not forget that 70% of African American voters in California voted for the odious Proposition 8, which seeks to make government the busybody in the private lives of gay people. This is not to suggest that African Americans' views are any worse than those of many white people in this regard, but it does demonstrate the limits of progress. Unfortunately, those who have been discriminated against in one way are not necessarily sympathetic to those who have experienced another kind of bigotry.

- Obama firmly rooted himself into the Washington Establishment with his vote to allow warrantless wiretapping, which is a threat to the civil liberties of everyone in this country. This is a reprehensible infringement that must not stand.

- All governments lie. Obama's will too. Let's make sure we call him on it and demand accountability.

None of the above is necessarily at odds with being deeply thankful that the era of Bush is over, admiring and respecting Obama's achievement, or being open-minded about everything at this point. Still, the real work will begin soon. Let's be very careful that our celebration does not ossify into reflexive defense of the new administration even when it's wrong.