In the great scheme of things, this twisting anal view....like the t-shirt my teen wears says...NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR BLOG...

One of Amanda's tasteless and offensive comments was about the Duke Lacrosse case. It was very interesting to me because there were, all of a sudden, millions of activists against railroading white boys, and thoroughly dismissive and of one accord about that the Duke boys were upstanding Christians who had just had a little fun with a black whore, so why get all in a snit about it, because black whores are liars, all right? It seemed to her, and to me at that point, that we should let the evidence collect. The assumption of this cause celebre seemed to be, the black whore did it, and these are rich white boys, so they must be innocent.

It seemed to me like the Free Mumia crowd for whites; no gossipy piece that dissed the presumed victim was out of bounds; no questioning of our unjustly accused heroes was permitted. Any community closes around defending its own, sometimes even to the expense of the facts. As it turns out, the legal system has decided the boys should be let off. Fair enough. But there definitely was something tribal and male chauvinist about the response of our media, including a complete and stark refusal to believe that the black whore might be telling the truth. I take it that that's the larger point Amanda was making. Sorry to offend you, but I suggest you also be offended by the predominance of black men on Death Row, and the obvious fact that a high percentage of the people exonerated by the Innocence Project are in fact, more darkly-hued than the Duke lacrosse team. A lot of black men sit in prison to this day on less evidence than there was about the Dukesters.

As for the Holy Ghost, aside from the obviously yucky picture it describes, there is a serious religious point being made there.

But the main thing about the Donohue scam is this: it pretends to be a civil-rights organization for Catholics. Bull. It's just a repackaging of the Legion of Decency, and of the various ways the Church used to exert undue control on what all of us could see and read and say. People have a right to offend the Catholics, and the Jews, and the Muslims if they want to. If I call for an end to burkas, I'd offend some Muslims; if I call for justice for the Palestinians, I've offended some Jews; if I say that the Church's opinions on birth control and abortion are offensive to me, does that carry any weight with you? I'd guess not. There's an argument going on about whether abortion should remain free, legal and safe in a country that has freedom of religion, if you haven't noticed. I have the right to offend you, and you have the right to offend me. Discrimination means, do I have the right to deprive you of a job based on your beliefs? I don't, and neither do you of Amanda.

Oh, and obviously this post has triggered the right-wing brigades to continue harassing Amanda. It's exceptionally ugly to watch. What do you bet, none of you read Salon regularly?

Amanda, the vast majority of us across this nation don't hyperventilate over you and others like you. I just see you for what you are: a smarmy, vicious little jerk who wants to impose a particularly virulent strain of Perpetually Unhappy Liberalism (PUL?) and, in your heart of hearts, a Marxist one-party system, on the rest of us. The good thing is that despite your relentless efforts, there's enough common sense and level-headed thought out there by people who actually work and live in the real world to squash you like a bug after you've tired yourself out with your tantrums. See, I don't claim to know much of anything about God and have no patience with anyone of any religion who claims to "have all the answers" or, worse, those idiots who use different religions to divide us, or worst of all, white Southern "Christians" who will never, for example, "allow" a black person to join their church. What I do know for certain is that if there is indeed a powerful life-giving force somewhere out there in the universe, it would sooner relieve itself on your head than believe a word you say. Gotta love that force.

this isn't about your sex. It's about your views. Playing the sex card just tells us that you don't think your views are of any value.

It's easy to type away in a blog that has limited exposure and say whatever you want. If you are going to work for a politician and you don't think that your views will be scoured and thrown in your face then you are fooling yourself.

I don't agree with your views but I honestly feel bad that you left the campaign. I say that not because you would be an easy target but because it was a validation of your work and the blogosphere. Also I know how exciting it is when your hobby becomes your job.

I know there are jerks out there who hate women but you shouldn't let that be what defines your work. You now have exposure and a larger audience so take that and run with it.

If Salon was smart they would get rid of Camille Paglia (sp?) and hire you and the other woman.

The Catholic Church burned Jews and heretics throughout Europe, and I didn't care,

The Catholic Church set itself at war against Muslims over a city they hadn't controlled in centuries, and I didn't care,

The Catholic Church annhilated indigenous peoples in an effort to covert them, and I didn't care,

The Catholic Church held European monarchs in thrall and set them to war against one another, and I didn't care,

The Catholic Church turned a blind eye to Hitler, and I didn't care,

But woe to those who make disparaging remarks about the Catholic Church, for the poor, helpless Church cannot defend itself against such atorcities.