The Hollywood Liberal

Late Late Night FDL: Shame, Shame, Shame
Jimmy Hall & Friends — Shame, Shame, Shame, Perry, GA, December 28, 2006.

Jimmy Hall & Friends — Shame, Shame, Shame, Perry, GA, December 28, 2006.

What’s on your mind?

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Alert Captain Renault
How dare you impede the First Amendment rights of those calling for revolution or gunfire…now shut up and don’t applaud or wear your school’s colors at a Memorial Service.

pic via Bruce_Fulton at flickr.com

The usual right-wing suspects seem to really have strong objections to any memorial service involving someone who isn’t right-wing. From Paul Wellstone to Coretta Scott King to Ted Kennedy and so it shall be in regard to the service for the victims of the violence of Jared Lee Loughner (three name rule for all assassins).

Because THAT is the first thing you complain about after a service remembering victims…not the victims, but how the Memorial Service went. When is Bravo picking up that show, “Project Interment”?

Because after all this condemnation about others trying to stifle their First Amendment rights to put bullseyes on Democrats and encouraging expression via the Second Amendment, other people need to be lectured about how to behave at a Memorial Service.

Apparently the proper decorum is to raise money…even better if you raise it at a cocktail party.

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WikiLeaks Waits for the Grey Ladies
Last week, the Guardian essentially condemned itself for publishing WikiLeaks material. The incident prompted a closer examination of how WikiLeaks decides what to publish, and it turns out the organization is taking its cues from the five establishment news publications it has partnered with. Bloomberg Businessweek: “They are releasing the documents we selected,” Le Monde’s managing editor, Sylvie Kauffmann, said in an interview at the newspaper’s Paris headquarters. WikiLeaks turned over all of the classified State Department cables it obtained to Le Monde, El Pais in Spain, The Guardian in Britain and Der Spiegel in Germany. The Guardian shared the material with the New York Times, and the five news organizations have been working together to plan the timing of their reports. They also have been advising WikiLeaks on which documents to release publicly and what redactions to make to those documents, Kauffmann and others involved in the arrangement said. Read more  

Last week, the Guardian essentially condemned itself for publishing WikiLeaks material. The incident prompted a closer examination of how WikiLeaks decides what to publish, and it turns out the organization is taking its cues from the five establishment news publications it has partnered with.

Bloomberg Businessweek:

“They are releasing the documents we selected,” Le Monde’s managing editor, Sylvie Kauffmann, said in an interview at the newspaper’s Paris headquarters.

WikiLeaks turned over all of the classified State Department cables it obtained to Le Monde, El Pais in Spain, The Guardian in Britain and Der Spiegel in Germany. The Guardian shared the material with the New York Times, and the five news organizations have been working together to plan the timing of their reports.

They also have been advising WikiLeaks on which documents to release publicly and what redactions to make to those documents, Kauffmann and others involved in the arrangement said.

Read more

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Related Entries

• January 13, 2011 President Obama: ‘Our Hearts Are Broken’
• January 12, 2011 How Violent Talk Blocks Sane Gun Laws

WikiLeaks Exposes the Danger of Pakistan’s Nukes
There are few scenarios more frightening for America than a domestic nuclear terrorist attack. We now know that U.S. policy is actually increasing the danger of a nuclear incident.

By Fred Branfman

There are few scenarios more frightening for America than a domestic nuclear terrorist attack. We now know that U.S. policy is actually increasing the danger of a nuclear incident.

Related Entries

• January 13, 2011 President Obama: ‘Our Hearts Are Broken’
• January 12, 2011 How Violent Talk Blocks Sane Gun Laws

Dave Johnson: They Even Filibustered The Public Printer!
This post originally appeared at Campaign for America’s Future (CAF) at their Blog for OurFuture. I am a Fellow with CAF. The Senate is considering…

Rep. Charles Rangel: Standing up to Gun Violence
My constituents have a special understanding of this tragedy because of the amount of gun violence that has been in my district. Far too many people have attended funerals of loved ones who have fallen victim to unnecessary shootings.

Obama Arizona Speech: ‘I Want America To Be As Good As She Imagined It’
TUCSON, Ariz. — Summoning the soul of a nation, President Barack Obama on Wednesday implored Americans to honor those slain and injured in the Arizona…

Morris W. O’Kelly: Tucson Tragedy Demands Discourse Recall
Slow down America. Slow down. There is no finish line awaiting the fastest to pass judgment. There is no prize for the swiftest rebuke of…

Justices To Pot Users: Be Careful When You Flush
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court isn’t given to offering advice to people who are breaking the law, even in a minor way. But some justices…

Does CNN Condone Erickson’s Tirades Against Nonbelievers?

Following the shooting in Arizona, CNN contributor and RedState.com editor Erick Erickson has repeatedly lashed out on his blog against nonbelievers. Among other things, Erickson suggested that atheists shouldn’t be “accomondate[d]” by the government and linked violent behavior to a lack of Christian faith.

In Wake Of AZ Shooting, Erickson Repeatedly Attacks Atheists

Erickson: Liberals Use “Moment of Silence” Rather Than Prayer To “Accommodate Atheists.” From Erickson’s January 10 RedState post:

There have been a lot of false statements over the last twenty-four hours about Mr. Obama calling for a “Moment of Silence” instead of a “Moment of Prayer.”

While he did call for a moment of silence instead of prayer, he followed up by saying, “It will be a time for us to come together as a nation in prayer or reflection, keeping the victims and their families closely at heart.”

On September 11, 2001, George W. Bush, before leaving the elementary school in Florida, asked for a “moment of silence.”

We should not be bashing this President for asking for one.

But I feel the need to make a political point here about why this President is getting bashed for his “moment of silence” when other Presidents, from Carter to Reagan to Bush to Clinton to Bush, did not.

He recently made people mad by quoting the Declaration of Independence and leaving out the bit about the Creator. During his inaugural address he mentioned atheists and subsequently proclaimed us not a Christian nation.

In yesterday’s “moment of silence” he wanted prayer or reflection. Here’s the problem — when conservatives push for school prayer and advocate for a “National Day of Prayer,” they include “or reflection” to get around namby-pamby atheist objectors.

But the left uses it too. The left uses it to accommodate atheists.

President Obama’s statement stands out because it is just another verbal telling that he’s ideologically of the left. He already has problems with a public perception of him and his faith. That things like this keep coming up suggests the general public is right in their skepticism of the sincerity of his faith. [RedState, 1/10/11]

Erickson Ties Violence And Extreme Rhetoric To “Reject[ion]” of “Christ.” From Erickson’s January 11 RedState post:

We also know Barack Obama’s advisors are urging him to seize the moment and join the left in blaming the right for this violence. Not only is that disgusting, but should he, the media wringing their hands about the tone better call him out on it — but I won’t hold my breath.

Through it all though, well meaning people on both sides of the ideological and partisan divide are not talking about the one thing that should be talked about — a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

I am no saint. And I am no preacher. This is not intended to be a sermon. But it needs to be said and is not being said. Thankfully God is the God of the imperfect and all of us are.

In all the discussions we’re having, let’s not forget that bad things have happened throughout history, but we are seeing more and more a pattern of violence from those who reject Christ and we are seeing the most extreme rhetoric from those who reject the only real truth while embracing every other historic fad and nonsense as variations of truth. The one true way has been shunned, ridiculed, bastardized, co-opted, and buried over in psycho-babble nonsense, “find your own spirtual self” crap, and haphazard soul damning assorted other garbage.

For a taste of what I’m talking about, look at Timothy McVeigh. Raised a Catholic, McVeigh self-admitted that there was a god of some sorts, but that he was agnostic, had no belief in hell, and had drifted far from anything having to do with Jesus Christ. But the left routinely tries to portray McVeigh as some sort of Christian terrorist. They know not of what they speak.

The topic of faith in Christ makes people cringe. But whether you believe it or not, here is the reality: beyond us is a world we cannot see with our eyes. It impacts us on a daily basis. It is a world of very real angels and very real demons. It is a world of a very real God and a very real Satan, a very real Heaven and a very real Hell.

The back and forth and accusations and lies surrounding Jared Loughner should be a constant reminder to us that there is more at play in our world than what we see. And, frankly, at times like this I am more and more mindful of the great chasm in this world between the saved and damned.

Political rhetoric did not make Jared Loughner do what he did. His embrace of evil led him down a road down which we should be in constant prayer no others dare travel. [RedState, 1/11/11]

Erickson: “God Is Upset” With Atheists. From Erickson’s Twitter page:

[Twitter.com, 1/11/11]

Erickson Suggests Offensive Email Is Representative Of “The Godless.” From Erickson’s January 12 post:

The atheists and twinkie eaters at Media Matters, also known as the Westboro Baptist D.C. Branch, are enraged that I dared mention Jesus and the absence of discussing him in the debate over Arizona.

For a great taste of it, you should check my twitter feed. But having just received this, it gives you a good taste of the Godless:

From: Karl Schneider
Subject: F**k you
Date: January 12, 2011 6:10:05 PM EST
To: Erick-Woods Erickson
Reply-To: krs@valornet.com

and f**k your dead god on a stick.

[RedState.com, 1/12/11]

Erickson Ties Extreme Rhetoric To Atheism, But Erickson Himself Has Made Outrageous Statements

Erickson Called Michelle Obama A “Marxist Harpy Wife.” From a March 13, 2008, blog post headlined, “Is Obama Shagging Hookers Behind the Media’s Back?”

I assume not. I assume that Obama’s marxist harpy wife would go Lorena Bobbit on him should he even think about it, but I ask the question to make one simple point: Barack Obama, like Elliott Spitzer, is a creation of the liberal media and, as a result, could be a serial killing transvestite and the media would turn a blind eye. [ErickErickson.org, 3/13/08]

Erickson Called Souter A “Goat Fucking Child Molester.” On his Twitter account, Erickson responded to David Souter’s retirement from the Supreme Court by saying, “The nation loses the only goat fucking child molester ever to serve on the Supreme Court.” [Twitter, 4/30/09]

Erickson: “Not A Stretch To Say” That Obama Is A “Racist.” From an August 13, 2010, post on Red State:

Barack Obama’s brownshirts are after Glenn Beck.

We can’t let them win. If they win with Beck, they’ll be emboldened to go after even more people.

A while back, Glenn Beck called Barack Obama a “racist.” Given all the terrorists, thugs, and racists Barack Obama has chosen as close personal friends (see e.g. Rev. Wright), it’s not a stretch to say it. [Red State, 8/13/10]

Erickson: “At What Point Do The People … March Down To Their State Legislator’s House, Pull Him Outside, And Beat Him To A Bloody Pulp?” From a March 31, 2009, RedState post discussing a Washington county’s ban on certain kinds of dishwasher detergent:

Washington State has turned its residents into a group of drug runners — crossing state lines to buy dish washer detergent with phosphate.

At what point do the people tell the politicians to go to hell? At what point do they get off the couch, march down to their state legislator’s house, pull him outside, and beat him to a bloody pulp for being an idiot?

At some point soon, it will happen. It’ll be over an innocuous issue. But the rage is building. It’s not a partisan issue. There is bipartisan angst at out of control government made worse by dumb bans like this and unintended consequences like AIG’s bonus problems.

If the GOP plays its cards right, it will have a winning issue in 2010. But it is going to have to get back to “leave me the hell alone” style federalism where the national government recedes and the people themselves will have to fight to take their states back from special interests out of touch with body politic as a whole.

Were I in Washington State, I’d be cleaning my gun right about now waiting to protect my property from the coming riots or the government apparatchiks coming to enforce nonsensical legislation. [Red State, 3/31/09]

Erickson Outrageously Declared The “Profoundly Sick And Immoral” Jennings “A Proponent Of Statutory Rape” And “A Zealous Advocate Of NAMBLA.” In an anti-gay rant posted on RedState, Erickson wrote:

Kevin Jennings is a profoundly sick and immoral human being – a proponent of statutory rape, an opponent of the Boy Scouts of America, and a zealous advocate of NAMBLA.

He is Barack Obama’s Safe Schools Czar.

He is a supporter of men who openly and vocally support pedophilia.

Media Matters threw out a few talking points to defend Van Jones. But Media Matters is giving a full throated, aggressive defense of Kevin Jennings. Why? Well, to paraphrase Wonkette, gay is the new black.

Van Jones was just a black guy. With a black President, resources did not need to be brought to bear to defend him. Kevin Jennings, however, is not just a gay man, but a man who believes in the full gay rights agenda, where men and boys can have sexual relationships free of prudish moral people frowning.

Jennings has championed NAMBLA’s causes and lauded a pedophilia advocate.

He even wrote the forward to a book called “Queering Elementary Education.” That’s right, Jennings wrote the forward to a book that, in its own description advocates the aggressive homosexual agenda among elementary school students. From the book: “queering education happens when we look at schooling upside down and view childhood from the inside out.” No irony is intended apparently in that description.

Americans of moral decency should be stunned to know the President of the United States would put in charge of “safe schools,” a man who encourages predatory relationships between young boys and grown men. [Red State, 10/8/09]

Erickson: Ted Kennedy wanted to be a “martyr for the cause.” From the January 19, 2010, edition of CNN’s Campbell Brown:

ERICKSON: You know the irony here though is that Obama’s unicorn of hope and change is dying under Ted Kennedy. That if Ted Kennedy had decided to resign or retire when he found out just how bad his health was instead of wanting to be a martyr for the cause, Democrats wouldn’t be in this position. [CNN, 1/19/10]

Erickson: “Dorgan and Dodd are healthcare suicide bombers.” In a Twitter post, Erickson said: “[Sens. Byron] Dorgan and [Chris] Dodd are healthcare suicide bombers. Instead of 72 virgins, they’ll get ambassadorships.” [Twitter, 1/6/10]

Palin’s Use Of ‘Blood Libel’ Mirrors That In Right-Wing Media
Before Sarah Palin posted her Facebook provocation this morning accusing the media of committing “blood libel” for connecting some of her statements to the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), that phrase was being batted around by the conservative media.

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Why agribusiness doesn’t work: It bypasses farmers
Do you know why it’s so important to have immigrants from Mexico come up and work in the USA these days? Here’s why: Most Mexican immigrants are good workers, agriculture is a labor-intensive industry and most of us Americans aren’t about to go out into the hot, dirty fields of Kansas and do it ourselves. […]

Obama Rebounds at Halfway Mark
A new Quinnipiac Poll finds that halfway through his term, President Obama’s job approval has rebounded to 48%, almost to the magic 50% threshold for the first time since October of 2009.

Said pollster Peter Brown: “The president’s job approval has improved, whether in reaction to GOP success in November’s elections, the deals he was able to negotiate with congressional Republicans during the lame duck session or some other reasons. Whether this is the beginning of a change in public opinion about the president or just a blip we’ll see as events unfold in the coming year.”

Udall Wants Seating Changed for State of the Union
Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) is proposing that members of both political parties sit next to each other at this year’s State of the Union address instead of the normal seating which is divided along party lines, CNN reports.

Said Udall: “As the nation watches, Democrats and Republicans should reflect the interspersed character of America itself. Perhaps, by sitting with each other for one night, we will begin to rekindle that common spark that brought us here from 50 different states and widely diverging backgrounds to serve the public good.”

Why Is a Corruption Watchdog Doing Corporations’ Dirty Work Going After an Obscure USDA Official?
CREW has an admirable record on exposing corrupt politicians, but it has also intervened in a high-stakes fight on the side of corporations.

The GOP’s Ongoing War to Re-Brand Poor People as "Lazy," "Freeloading"
The GOP’s blame-the-victim rhetoric and profits-before-people attitude toward Medicaid fit neatly into the party’s decades-long anti-poor agenda.

Vision: How We Can Turn Foreclosed Strip Malls and Parking Lots into Parks
Turning foreclosed commercial properties into park networks could put people to work, raise real estate values and promote wise redevelopment.

Let’s Get This Straight: There is No Leftist Equivalent to the Right’s Violent Rhetoric
The shooting in Tucson was not an anomaly. It was an inevitability, and as long as we play this foolish game of "both sides are just as bad," it will be inevitable again.

Top Jewish Historian: Glenn Beck, Roger Ailes, Anti-Semitic
On Saturday night, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked someone on the scene in Tucson if anti-Semitism played any role in Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ shooting. His response was “no.” It is well known that Giffords is Jewish, but anti-Semitism per se did…

Lame Duck Turns Mighty for New Vets
The Oregon Ducks came up short against Auburn this week, but December’s lame duck delivered for vets. You may have missed it while buried in a blizzard or trapped in a holiday food coma, but Congress came through big-time for…

Bil’in: Deadly Political Theater
Friday afternoon in Bil’in. I have to say I left the demonstration feeling more perplexed than inspired, given the many deaths the cause has occasioned. I left, that is, wondering if I had not just participated in something so highly…

NOAA: 2010 Is The Hottest, Wettest Year On Record

Although the right wing and some traditional journalists argue that extreme winter storms “refute” global warming, the planet in fact continues to grow hotter and more dangerous because of burning fossil fuels. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today announced that “2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest year of the global surface temperature record,” and 2010 is also “the wettest year on record, in terms of global average precipitation.” The year was by far the hottest during a La Ni?a cycle, during which the equatorial Pacific Ocean is unusually cold:

According to NOAA scientists, 2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest year of the global surface temperature record, beginning in 1880. This was the 34th consecutive year with global temperatures above the 20th century average. For the contiguous United States alone, the 2010 average annual temperature was above normal, resulting in the 23rd warmest year on record.

The record amount of heat stored in the atmosphere and oceans fueled record high temperatures in 19 nations and catastrophic, unprecedented, and extreme weather throughout the world. NOAA reports that the strongest negative Arctic Oscillation on record drove “major snowstorms across much of eastern North America, Europe and Asia,” and an unusually strong jet stream created the “unprecedented two-month heat wave to Russia” and “devastating floods in Pakistan.”