mjh's blog

Best Line of the Day [hattip to newmexiken]

“To usher in Sesame Street’s 40th year on air starting Nov. 10, First Lady Michelle Obama will be appearing on the show to continue to spread her radical/Marxist/fascist message about planting gardens and eating vegetables.” — Elmo, Michelle Obama to Indoctrinate Your Kids With Veggies, Posted by James Poniewozik [mjh: The rest is worth a read.]

This Just In: Bonus WTF?!

Think Progress » Newsmax removes column that called for military coup to resolve the ‘Obama problem.’ 

In a column published on the right-wing site Newsmax yesterday, John L. Perry writes that a military coup against President Obama is possible. Newsmax appears to have taken down the column from its website this morning. Media Matters has archived it, however:

There is a remote, although gaining, possibility America’s military will intervene as a last resort to resolve the “Obama problem.” Don’t dismiss it as unrealistic. [...]

Military intervention is what Obama’s exponentially accelerating agenda for “fundamental change” toward a Marxist state is inviting upon America. A coup is not an ideal option, but Obama’s radical ideal is not acceptable or reversible.

Unthinkable? Then think up an alternative, non-violent solution to the Obama problem. Just don’t shrug and say, “We can always worry about that later.”

In his Washington Post column, former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson acknowledges that “military leaders seem impressed” with President Obama’s decision-making process. “Obama’s engaged, deliberate style has fans in the military,” he writes. [mjh: In case we need reassurances there won’t be a coup.]

Update Media Matters notes that Perry’s rhetoric is simply a continuation of “a trend of increasingly violent and revolutionary rhetoric advanced by conservative media figures.”

Think Progress » Newsmax removes column that called for military coup to resolve the ‘Obama problem.’

This Week’s WTF is a Two-fer

Too many Deep Thinkers to choose from this week.

Think Progress » Right-Wing Panel Agrees Obama Is The ‘First Muslim American President’ 

An attendee of the panel asked the three speakers if they would consider President Obama a Christian or a Muslim, given his “roots.” While Gaffney gave a now familiar response linking Obama to the Muslim Brotherhood, Federer and Shoebat provided new theories, which elicited praise from the crowd:

GAFFNEY: If Bill Clinton, on the basis of special interest pandering and identity politics, was properly called the first Black American President, on that same basis, Barack Obama should be called the first Muslim American President. […] But there is evidence that a lot of Muslims think he is Muslim. But whether he is or whether he isn’t, the key to me, is is he pursuing that is indistinguishable in important respects from that of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose mission ladies and gentlemen, we know from a trial in Dallas last year, is to quote to destroy Western civilization from within by its own miserable hand. That’s what we need to keep our eye on.

FEDERER: In Islam, if your father is a Muslim, you’re automatically a Muslim. Since Barack’s father, stepfather, and grandfather were all Muslim, the Muslim world views him as Muslim. Mohammad allowed his warriors to say they’re not Muslim to gain advantage and um, but he’s uh, Islam permits you to lie to advance Islam, Saul Alinsky allows you to lie to advance your communist agenda, you can put them together.

SHOEBAT: I came from an American mother, Obama came from an American mother. I came from a Muslim father, Obama came from a Muslim father. […] Did you know that your President knows how to do the call to the prayer in eloquent classical Arabic? […] No one can do this in classical Arabic language unless he grew up and was raised as a Muslim.

Think Progress » Right-Wing Panel Agrees Obama Is The ‘First Muslim American President’

Think Progress » Right-wing icon Schlafly: Feminism is ‘the most dangerous, destructive force in our society today.’ 

Schlafly delivered several speeches and led a discussion advocating traditional roles for women as well as warning about the dangers of feminism and blasting single mothers:

I submit to you that the feminist movement is the most dangerous, destructive force in our society today. [...] My analysis is that the gays are about 5% of the attack on marriage in this country, and the feminists are about 95%. [...] I’m talking about drugs, sex, illegitimacy, drop outs, poor grades, run away, suicide, you name it, every social ill comes out of the fatherless home. [mjh: … every one of which is caused by a feminist?]

Think Progress » Right-wing icon Schlafly: Feminism is ‘the most dangerous, destructive force in our society today.’

fuzzle

Off a train of thought,
signs point up
to higher functions,
down to baser instincts.
A mindpost warns:
synaptic lapse ahead.

Now, I’m treading
a familiar path
in the gray.
All around me
light flashes
the path is slick and wet
soft walls rise
a ditch become a canyon
this place is old
those voices are echoes.

See also:

neologismo

Wed 04/07/04 at 12:02 pm

Can We Connect the Dots between Conservative Bloviators and Killers? [updated 9/28/09]

Think Progress » Census worker hanged with the word ‘fed’ scrawled on his body. 

The AP is reporting that Bill Sparkman, a 51-year-old part-time Census field worker and occasional teacher, was found hung to death in Kentucky with the word “fed” was scrawled on the dead man’s chest. Investigators are still trying to determine the motive, but “law enforcement officers have told the agency the matter is ‘an apparent homicide.’” “Our job is to determine if there was foul play involved — and that’s part of the investigation — and if there was foul play involved, whether that is related to his employment as a census worker,” said FBI spokesman David Beyer.

108 Responses to “Census worker hanged with the word ‘fed’ scrawled on his body.”

1. rastaman says:

   someone from the FBI should pay a visit to Michelle Bachman’s house

   September 23rd, 2009 at 6:02 pm

   ---

2. dbadass says:

   How soon till they tell me that he did it himselfs to make the kooks and weirdos look bad?

   September 23rd, 2009 at 6:03 pm

Think Progress » Census worker hanged with the word ‘fed’ scrawled on his body.

Bachmann Warns Of Link Between Census, Japanese Internment | TPMDC 

"Take this into consideration. If we look at American history, between 1942 and 1947, the data that was collected by the Census Bureau was handed over to the FBI and other organizations at the request of President Roosevelt, and that’s how the Japanese were rounded up and put into the internment camps," said Bachmann. "I’m not saying that that’s what the Administration is planning to do, but I am saying that private personal information that was given to the Census Bureau in the 1940s was used against Americans to round them up, in a violation of their constitutional rights, and put the Japanese in internment camps." — Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) 6/25/09

Bachmann Warns Of Link Between Census, Japanese Internment | TPMDC

[updated 9/26/09]

Think Progress » Flashback: Bachmann Spread Fears Of Scary Stalking Census Workers 

Bill Sparkman, the 51-year old Census worker who was hanged to death in Kentucky, was found “naked, gagged and had his hands and feet bound with duct tape.” A witness reports Sparkman also “had duct tape over his eyes, and they gagged him with a red rag or something.” The word “fed” was scrawled on his chest in a felt-tip pen, and his “Census ID was found taped to his head and shoulder area.”

The gruesome lynching of this Census worker seems to bear a disturbing similarity to some of the worst hate crimes committed across this country. Regardless of what the motive for the killing may have been, why would a murderer(s) take such pains to so blatantly convey anger, fear, and vitriol towards a Census employee? Perhaps because some on the right have created an impression that Census employees are terrifying.

Earlier this summer, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) waged a high-profile, wildly-dishonest campaign against the Census. The Minnesota congresswoman said she was so worried about the threat of the government asking “very intricate questions” and collecting information that she would illegally refuse to fill out the form. “They will be in charge of going door to door and collecting data from the American public,” she said. “This is very concerning.” She repeatedly used inflammatory and fear-mongering rhetoric against the Census:

– “I think there is a point when you say enough is enough to government intrusion.” [6/25/09]

Think Progress » Flashback: Bachmann Spread Fears Of Scary Stalking Census Workers

[updated 9/28/09]

Think Progress » Right-Wing Conference Tells Activists To Get Their Guns Ready For ‘Bloody Battle’ With Obama The Nazi 

Werthmann explained how universal healthcare, an Equal Rights Amendment, and increased taxes were telltale signs of Nazism. Werthmann also warned the audience:

If we had our guns, we would have fought a bloody battle. So, keep your guns, and buy more guns, and buy ammunition. [...] Take back America. Don’t let them take the country into Socialism. And I refer again, Hitler’s party was National Socialism. [...] And that’s what we are having here right now, which is bordering on Marxism.

Think Progress » Right-Wing Conference Tells Activists To Get Their Guns Ready For ‘Bloody Battle’ With Obama The Nazi

An Unhappy Anniversary

Let me tell you the story that goes with this picture, if you don’t know it already. Six years ago tonight, Merri and I were walking our dog Lucky around our neighborhood after dark as we did every night. On this occasion, a car sped up behind us. We heard two small explosions and each instantly felt searing pain in our backs. As awful as that pain was — and it was intense — it was nothing compared to seeing the expression on Merri’s face when she cried “I’ve been shot!” while grappling with my own overwhelming fear and pain. It was horrible and I wish a comparable misery on the shooter and his gang. The shooter who cackled wickedly as the car sped by.

Remember, guns don’t shoot people, idiots shoot people. And cowardly, brutal idiots shoot strangers in the back. peace, mjh

National Fall Awareness Day — And Happy Autumnal Equinox

In three months, three of our friends – two of whom are under 65 – have suffered terrible injuries in falls. Thirty-seven years ago, my father died from a fall. Be careful. Watch your step. Take yoga or tai chi.

ABQJOURNAL OPINION/GUEST_COLUMNS: New Mexico’s Fall-Related Death Rate Is Nation’s Highest 

Sunday, September 20, 2009
New Mexico’s Fall-Related Death Rate Is Nation’s Highest
By Dr. Carla Herman And Frieda Gonzales
UNM Center on Aging N.M. Department of Health

        Tuesday, the first day of fall, is "National Fall Awareness Day," a day that spotlights fall prevention for older adults.

        Every year, nearly 1,500 New Mexicans 65 years and older are hospitalized for fall-related injuries, and about 230 die from those injuries. Remarkably, New Mexico’s fall death rate is greater than two times the national rate for people 65 years or older — in fact, we have the highest fall-related death rate in the nation for all ages. These statistics represent one preventable tragedy after another.

ABQJOURNAL OPINION/GUEST_COLUMNS: New Mexico’s Fall-Related Death Rate Is Nation’s Highest

This Week’s WTF?!

In a column published under Leonard Pitt’s byline, Glen Garvin enumerates  the bloody history of the Left Wing. Ooh, shudder, deadly liberals. If he gets to conflate the Symbionese Liberation Army with modern liberalism, then it is fair and apt to link the KKK with conservatism.

Yet Garvin fails to mention the armed man at an Obama rally with the poster stating “The tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants.” Liberal or Conservative – you guess. (This stalwart left out “and patriots,” as Jefferson originally said. Was that cowardice?) Is it fair to single out this one man. Hell, yes. It only takes one lone loon with a gun. The crowd that screams Obama is the Anti-Christ, Obama is Stalin, Obama is Hitler, Obama is illegal, and the Left *wants* – WANTS, say the goddamn fools – to destroy AmeriCo – that crowd is prodding countless loons to rise up and become the hero of the insurrection. You know, when the loon strikes, these same people will insist cravenly that isn’t what they intended. You lie! peace, mjh

Left’s been out for blood, too – Leonard Pitts Jr. – MiamiHerald.com

Unfortunately, Pelosi is alone in neither her equation of conservative politics with bloodlust nor her willingness to shade the truth to make her case. Lately, the favorite talking point of America’s chattering classes has been that to oppose President Obama’s economic policies is to court presidential assassination.

Left’s been out for blood, too – Leonard Pitts Jr. – MiamiHerald.com

updated 9/23/09

One Federal Census worker has been murdered. Of course, the Left may have done it to make the Right look bad. Uh-huh. http://www.edgewiseblog.com/mjh/nada/can-we-connect-the-dots-between-conservative-bloviators-and-killers/

Bonus WTF?!

ABQJOURNAL OPINION/LETTERS: Divisible Debate 

Granted, we don’t want any prissy liberal to be offended by love of country,…. Trite, corny unabashed love of country used to be the norm, now it’s just dark sarcastic self-hatred wistfully wishing we would end this marvelous country and move back into the Neanderthal age.

       Watching the Journal run through its one-sided antics is no different than observing the rest of our out-of-stream mainstream media. You make heroes of those who bash this wonderful country and ignore or belittle those who try to uplift it. And all of this allows you to take a slap at the media’s nemesis, talk radio, calling it Hate Radio. Excuse me, but what’s so hateful about it? Frankly, it’s the only place you find the rest of the story and not the biased one-sided propaganda this newspaper and the rest of the media tries to pass off as information. In fact, ‘Hate Radio’ is the only place I hear America talked about in positive terms. — CLYDE J. ARAGON Albuquerque

ABQJOURNAL OPINION/LETTERS: Divisible Debate

Clyde-

Is it love of country to say that America is so weak and decadent that it can’t survive two years of a Democratic majority? Do those positive terms on talk radio include “Obama’s America” and “he’s a racist” and “Socialist agenda” and “feminzis,” ad nauseum, ad idiocy? Yeah, talk radio is the last redoubt of the well-informed citizen-patriot. peace, mjh

Happy Birthday, Leonard Cohen

Happy 75th Birthday to the singing poet (more poet than singer). I was introduced to L.Cohen about 37 years ago by two friends, who also taught me Hearts in more ways than one. He wiped my slate blank, gave me a new religion, and planted seeds I’m still waiting to grow. Nobody weaves sex and religion more intricately than Mr Leonard Cohen (L.Koan).

Sixteen years ago, Mer and I went to Paolo Solari to see L.Cohen. It was dreadful to sit among glassy-eyed fans who insisted on singing along – not that he couldn’t use the help. I hate fans. Might be time to watch McCabe and Mrs Miller again.

From The Writer’s Almanac (9/21/04)

Leonard Cohen wrote, “As our eyes grow accustomed to sight they armour themselves against wonder.”

Happy Birthday and thank you very much. mjh

Lyrics to Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, one of his masterpieces (cue The Master’s Song, while we’re at it).

mjh’s blog — Leonard Cohen’s Birthday (2004)

[hattip to the singing blogger, NewMexiKen]

New Mexico Politics: New Mexico FBIHOP:: Bingaman, Udall want to reform the PATRIOT Act

I was proud of Tom Udall for his opposition to the original so-called “PATRIOT” Act (a despicable acronym). Now he joins others in trying to fix some of that act’s excesses. Bravo.

As an aside to every opponent of health care insurance reform: If you said, “they didn’t even read the health care act,” did you voice similar concerns about the longer, more complex “PATRIOT” Act? Why not? Moreover, you are wrong; I know our rep has read it. Were you as outraged by the “PATRIOT” Act’s demonstrable undermining of our freedoms as you are by the supposed threat posed by health care insurance reform? If not, STFU. peace, mjh

Bingaman, Udall want to reform the PATRIOT Act

by: LP

Thu Sep 17, 2009 at 20:30:00 PM MDT

Share |

New Mexico U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Jeff Bingaman are in a group of nine Senators who wish to reform the PATRIOT Act. The two New Mexico U.S. Senators are part of an original group of nine cosponsors of the Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools In Counterterrorism Efforts (JUSTICE) Act.

The other original cosponsors are Russ Feingold (D-WI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jon Tester (D-MT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). Feingold was the only U.S. Senator to vote against the original PATRIOT Act.

Recently, the administration of President Barack Obama announced that they were extending provisions of the PATRIOT Act.

From a Feingold press release:

The Judicious Use of Surveillance Tools In Counterterrorism Efforts (JUSTICE) Act would reform the USA PATRIOT Act, the FISA Amendments Act and other surveillance authorities to protect Americans’ constitutional rights, while preserving the powers of our government to fight terrorism.

Here’s a video of Senator Tom Udall, when in the House, he was one of just 66 House members who voted against the original PATRIOT Act, speaking on the need to reform the PATRIOT Act.

New Mexico Politics: New Mexico FBIHOP:: Bingaman, Udall want to reform the PATRIOT Act

“So, Open the Box Already.” – Shrödinger

Recently, a friend of mine recounted a difficult day that ended well. I nodded along – we’ve all been there and will be again. Then, she ended the tale with “god is good all the time” and I was taken aback. Nothing in her tale invoked or even hinted at a god, as far as I could tell. This was not a tale of being saved from a terrible fate; this was a mundane event.

I’m writing now because, sometimes, writing helps me understand. Further, I imagine my friend would be taken aback by me being taken aback. We have an opportunity for discussion here, but we know going in, no minds will be changed fundamentally. Her surprisingly-casual and intimate relationship with the divine will not change nor will the scales fall from my eyes. I don’t want to change her or challenge her but I do want to respond to her or, rather, the shock I felt.

First, people have a right and need to speak and not everything we say should be analyzed or challenged. Self-expression becomes more difficult from adolescence on. In my case, so much of what I say is sheer glibbery, but, then, I don’t have an immortal soul or a god to back it up. If I did, s/he would save me from myself right now.

Secondly, in this world aflame, it is common to blurt out “screw you” or “you lie” in self-righteousness and self-importance. I do not mean to do so here.

I mean, instead, to get back to that initial story in which I saw no god and my friend saw “him” (?) every step of the way. That she believes in a god is not shocking. That she believes “god is good all the time” is jaw-dropping, given endless evidence to the contrary. It is as if we live in what should be separate universes. Yet here we are, occupying the same space-time with one huge paradox: : hers has a god and mine does not.

Burgled

As you may know already , our house was robbed recently. Someone kicked in the side door, destroying the deadbolt, door, and frame. Beyond the destruction in the kitchen, the bedroom took the worst of the attack. The thug(s) ransacked Merri’s dresser, taking jewelry that was primarily of sentimental value. Sloppily, they left one earring each from several pairs. The bed was shoved aside to access an almost empty nightstand. A fanny pack in Mer’s closet was examined. It appears the thief/thieves broke into Merri’s locked office but touched nothing. It’s not clear they made it to my office. Someone methodically removed everything from the glovebox in the truck in the garage and opened both wardrobes. In the end, the most valuable object they took was a relatively new 19” TV and remote from the kitchen (<$200). In the process, they unplugged the stove, freezing its clock at 7:20, either Friday evening, 9/11, or Saturday morning, 9/12. Both times are still in daylight. Coming or going, the crook(s) left the front gate open (not all of the turtles are accounted for) and destroyed a section of the back fence for access to the church parking lot, which is visible from Indian School and the YMCA parking lot.

Because our neighbor checked the house around 7:25am Sat, there is a real possibility he interrupted the robbery. We’re glad he didn’t actually encounter these worthless vermin.

Lucky’s memorial is just outside that kitchen door, in the spot he occupied his last months and moments. If his spirit hasn’t moved on, he was beside himself over his inability to protect us this last time.

In the days since, we have cleaned up. There is a temporary heavy-duty bolt on the shattered door plus an alarm that shrieks at the slightest touch. We’ve ordered wrought iron security doors. We leave and return to the house with great trepidation. We’ve learned that many other houses in our neighborhood have been hit in recent weeks. The filthy scum will move on soon to terrorize another neighborhood. When I meet them in Hell, I will drive deadbolts through their eye sockets.

I think life is best lived without keeping score. If one insists on tracking ups and downs, then it is wise to recall some people have things unimaginably worse. But, detached philosophy aside, this has been a lousy summer: car totaled, dog dead, home invaded. Granted, Merri wasn’t hurt much in the wreck; we had 11 great years with Lucky; and the stupid thieves wasted their time shattering 22 years of peace and security for chump-change. Life goes on.

What’s Fair Play and Good Sportsmanship? For God’s Sake, Don’t Ask a Conservative!

I hated Ronald Raygun with a passion. During his eight years, I was depressed to be in the minority, surrounded by a herd of his dim-witted, adoring fans. Raygun’s fans worshipped him and despised people like me – Liberals, they sneered. It was a dark, unpleasant time. You know what I did? Toughed it out and waited for a better day.

I hated DUHbya most of all. He was a spoiled, stupid, rich frat boy masquerading as somebody humble and hardworking. Duhbya is even dumber than Raygun was. And, whereas Raygun used charisma to gain power, Duhbya and his thugs used bullying. After the 2004 election, Karl Rove, “the architect of victory,” declared Republicans would hold power for the next generation. You know what I did? I wrote my vision of that generation.

Now, after a single election and less than a year of a change in ruling party, what’s the minority doing? Everything they can to undermine the majority constantly. Nice, nice people. They’re frightened idiots who apparently have no faith at all in the strength of America to survive shifts in power. To Hell with them all.