Guerrillero

Stupid or Lying?

Tom Tomorrow asked the question last November.

And I asked the same question yesterday during Michael Medved’s right-wing radio luna-fest. After an hour “debating” the Senate's cynical marriage amendment with a gay man (In America, Medved argued, a gay man is free to marry any woman he wants, just like a straight man) Medved took up another topic of distraction currently in favor by the right-wing: Global warming and Al Gore’s new movie,  An Inconvenient Truth.

Not surprisingly, Medved trashed warming “alarmists,” Gore’s movie, and Roger Ebert’s favorable review. Then he took his last call of the day:

Stupid or Lying? (1:23 mp3, 1.3 MB)

Don't Ask, Go to Hell

The Senate has begun debate on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Of course, the amendment is doomed and the debate is nothing but a time-wasting pander-fest.

Still, the debate might trouble some Senators. They actually might feel ashamed supporting a disgraceful amendment that would write discrimination into the constitution. But they might also fear that opposing the amendment would anger their conservative and religious fundamentalist base, and cut off a vital source of campaign contributions.

My solution for those Senators is a finely calibrated position on gay rights that allows them a full measure of pandering while letting them sidestep the shame of going down in history as a supporter of an amendment denying basic civil rights to American citizens. I call it, “Don’t Ask, Go to Hell.”

Noise Machine Says Dozier No Hero; Hero Disagrees

May 29 was a bloody day in Iraq. Bomb blasts killed dozens and wounded scores more. In Baghdad, a car bomb killed two CBS News crew members, seriously wounded correspondent Kimberly Dozier, and claimed the lives of a U.S. soldier and an Iraqi interpreter.

The three journalists were embedded with a U.S. unit and “doing a Memorial Day story about what life is like for the troops in Baghdad.”

This story, like coverage of the bomb blast that seriously wounded ABC’s Bob Woodruff and his cameraman in January, really, really upset the right-wing noise machine. No, they don’t feel sympathy for the victims; they’re upset because the story interferes with their fictitious war narrative that Iraq is improving; that we’re winning; that Bush-hating, agenda-driven reporters deliberately ignore “good” news. (Oh, yeah, and reporters are cowards, too.)

Noise Machine Goes Both Ways

The right-wing Noise Machine is in full froth over allegations that Marines murdered civilians last November in Haditha, Iraq. Time magazine broke the news in March, but the story faded away, just another bloody episode in the recurring bad dream of Iraq.

But the story exploded again in mid-May when Rep. Jack Murtha (D-PA), himself a decorated Marine Vietnam veteran, declared, “Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.” We’ve since learned that the Pentagon still is investigating the incident and possible cover-up. We also learned that President Bush, the commander-in-chief and “decider”, learned of Haditha about the same time we did – from Time.

The Noise Machine has launched it’s usual shotgun counterattack, branding Murtha, who first supported the war but now calls for a staged withdrawal  U.S. forces., as a traitor, and attacking the “left-wing, anti-war, Bush-hating” press.

Here’s an example of the counterattack from Dennis Prager, a second-string right-wing noisemaker from Salem Radio Network. To “make” his “point,” Prager reads from a excellent first-hand account of the Haditha Marine unit by CNN’s Arwa Damon.

”Both Ways” Prager (mp3, 3:10)

Bill Bennett: Not Worth a Plug Nickel

Bill Bennett is a former “drug czar,” Education Secretary under Reagan, a right-wing radio host, CNN commentator, and author. His “Book of Virtues” was a bestseller, but revelations of his high-rolling (legal) gambling habit kinda undermined his credibility on the subject of virtues. Currently he’s hawking his book, “America: The Last Best Hope,” the first of a planned two-volume history  of the U.S.

I'll bet the Founders who Bennett writes about would judge his views on issues of shared sacrifice in wartime and press freedom to be hopelessly wrong -- even un-American. Listen to the following clips from Bennett's 5/30/06 radio show and judge for yourself.

Meet Hugh Hewitt

Here’s a clip featuring the right-wing radio host scare-mongering for fun and profit. Note that Hewitt doesn’t actually wish death on his listeners; he just wants them to be really, really, really scared, so scared that they’ll buy the life insurance he’s shilling.

Listen this this mp3 and learn all you need to know about Hugh Hewitt in 30 seconds.

Pro-Life (Insurance)

Congratulations! If you can read this, you’re not dead -- yet.

America Catching a Chill

Grayson Barber, a First Amendment attorney and ACLU board member, recently addressed the Moorestown (NJ) Democratic Club. In a half-hour talk, Barber described in chilling detail how the government’s response to threats of terrorism (USA Patriot Act, NSA’s warrentless domestic wiretapping program, etc.) is undermining the Constitution.

Be afraid of what’s happening because we’re afraid, she warned, but don’t be afraid to stand against the erosion of civil liberties in the U.S.

Read news account (Word doc)

Listen in RealAudio

Download mp3

Lawn Sign of the Times

I live on a busy suburban street, especially busy now during shopping season. A few days ago, I erected this lawn sign as a reminder to all about the cost of this war and a remembrance of those who've lost their lives in it. The number is the DoD confirmed killed in Iraq via Iraq Coalition Casualty Count.

I didn't want to dishonor the dead or offend anyone who's lost family or friends. So, I used the number only without comment, adding only my mangy attempt at a homemade wreath. Some motorists are no doubt confused about the meaning of the sign, but I expect they'll catch on in due time as the number moves upward grimly every few days.

The sign itself is an erasable message board purchased at an office supply store which can be easily changed when necessary. (It hasn't rained or snowed yet, so I'm not sure how the numbers will hold up in foul weather.) I feel sorrow every time I change the number and I look forward to the day when I can take down the sign.

Philly MoveOn Vigil: The Audio

Here, somewhat belatedly, is an audio report on the August 17, 2005, MoveOn.org vigil held in Center City Philadelphia to support Cindy Sheehan's vigil outside President Bush's Crawford, TX, ranch.

Part 1 (mp3, Real)

Part 2 (mp3, Real)

 

Included are extended comments by Al Zappala, father of Sgt. Sherwood Baker of the  Pennsylvania National Guard. Baker, a foster son, was 30 and father of his own nine-year-old son when he died in Baghdad last year. Like Cindy Sheehan, members of the Zappala family have been outspoken critics of the administration and the war. Celeste Zappala, Sherwood's mother, recently published an op-ed column in the New York Daily News. Al and Celeste gave this interview last year. And here's a letter brother Dante Zappala wrote to President Bush. Vigil photos posted below.

Philly Sheehan Vigil

 

More after the jump.