comedian regrets Rush not in bad health

On the Letterman Show, a comedian named Robert Klein expresses regret that Rush Limbaugh's health wasn't worse late last year, when he had to visit a hospital in Hawaii.


Letterman Guest Robert Klein Suggests Limbaugh’s Good Health is a Bad Thing

What's his name, Rush Limbaugh, who believes so much in the sanctity of marriage he's done it four times now, you know, but, you know, not if he, doesn't approve of marriage if both the husband and wife are circumcised, you know, that's out of the questions. I think a lot of that came from him, and, you know, he was in the hospital couple of months ago in Hawaii. Turned out to be nothing. See? You lose some, you win some. But anyway.

While I think he has a point in pointing out how Limbaugh's own failed marriage do tarnish his pro-marriage message, he crosses a line when he claims that Rush's good wealth is "lose".

a person of inner ugliness

Helen Thomas: Jews Should Go Back to 'Germany' or 'Poland' and 'Get the Hell Out of Palestine'

A remark that even a modicum of thought would reveal how stupid it is.

There are many reasons why Jewish people chose to leave Europe--for all the good in European history, one serious blemish has been the anti-Semitism even too many Christians fell into. Far too many persecutions and pogroms, then finally the Nazi "Final Solution", and quite understandably, many Jews picked up and left.

Perhaps most strange would be her telling them to go back to Germany, the place where Nazism began and spread from.

and here are the weapons

Wonder if Sojo will now official claim they were "planted". See the last post to understand that.

Knives, bullet-proof jackets, gun sites, pretty large sling shots, and even the binoculars seem odd for 'humanitarian aid'.

sojo spins the Israrel blockade incident

Yep, here we go, Sojo's pulled out the big guns, and of course, we can easily guess who they are for and against.

Nonviolence and the Gaza Freedom Movement

Their primary cargo was humanitarian aid, and their purpose was to make a political point, not engage Israeli forces in combat. If fighting broke out when armed Israeli forces arrived that is to be regretted, but that should not be mistaken for the Gaza Freedom Movement’s intentions.

Ah, yes, so he says. But just in case...

The Israeli government has already been hurriedly trying to explain its own violence with allegations that the activists were armed and intent on delivering materials meant to be weaponized. If Israel were to plant weapons on the scene after the fact to distort the investigation, it would only be following the U.S.’s example in Iraq. Since this incident took place in international waters, involving people from around the world, a truly international investigation should take place immediately

So, the claim is that that flotilla was carrying only "primarily humanitarian" stuff. And just in case Israel says they find weapons, well, those were planted by the Israelis.

Oh, and this is rich.

There is already a tendency in the reportage to point out the support of violent actors, such as Gaza’s Hamas regime, for the flotilla. Some will contend that the activists are therefore “supporters of terrorism.” Attempts are also being made to link the activists to extremists in Turkey, which the Turkish government reportedly has investigated and strenuously denies. Whatever the case may be, it’s important that we not let the activists’ actions be falsely conflated with those of others. Making such conflations are very much in the interests of those who would want to justify Israel’s disproportionate violence; nonviolent resistance is often more threatening to the powerful than violent resistance because it so visibly undermines their claim to moral superiority.

Yes, don't confuse us with the facts about Hamas, IHH, and others who are using the flotilla and this incident for propoganda reasons. Just focus on those nonviolent activist (don't bother mentioning that they attacked soldiers) and feel sad.

Sad, really. One would think Sojo would be interested in the truth, but they seem to be only concerned with the propoganda value of the incident, and how they can use it for their own ends.

another round of "blame Israel"

The “Freedom Flotilla” Tragedy

A bit ago, I had an entry about how Arizona just can't seem to do anything right. Perhaps they should consult with the one entity (short of God) about whom so many people seem to blame everything, Israel.

Like the Sojo writer here.

The Flotilla refused demands they dock at an Israeli port, because their journey is in part humanitarian in the narrow sense, and in part it represents a demand that the blockade be ended and the Palestinians treated as a People worthy of respect and direct relationship, not mere mendicants hungry for a handout. That respect is what the Israeli government refused — and has refused for years.

Hmm...maybe Israel is a bit tired of having Palestinians shoot missles at them. Or maybe they're just a bit leary of the neighbors who have promised to kill all of them. Don't know about you, but if my next-door neighbor was threatening to kill me or my family, and I could stop someone else from giving him a gun, I'd likely do my darnedest to stop that someone else.

But if Israel does so, it's a crime, for whatever reason.

There is much that is valuable and decent and sensible in Israeli society. But the actions of its present government are a danger to the peace of the whole world — including the United States. That government will not change on its own. Although Hamas has in the last year shown some readiness to change, after the events of this weekend it will be much harder for Hamas to change on its own.

If Israel's right to defend herself is so destabilizing, then the situation likely requires more than some nice words. And Palestinian rulers have not been the most reliable when their demands are met. It usually seems to inflame them.

It's sad, really. No doubt there are decent Palestinians, ones who didn't dance in the streets when 9-11 happened, or who have remorse or repentence for doing so, but their rulers are no such people, and Israel is right to not trust them. Or such camera-hungry, incident causing 'humanitarians'.

wallis insinuates Tea Party is racist

How Christian is Tea Party Libertarianism?

5. Finally, I am just going to say it. There is something wrong with a political movement like the Tea Party which is almost all white. Does that mean every member of the Tea Party is racist? Likely not. But is an undercurrent of white resentment part of the Tea Party ethos, and would there even be a Tea Party if the president of the United States weren’t the first black man to occupy that office? It’s time we had some honest answers to that question. And as far as I can tell, Libertarianism has never been much of a multi-cultural movement. Need I say that racism — overt, implied, or even subtle — is not a Christian virtue.

So, all you white people, if you want to get into politics in a big way, make sure your movement meets all the racial quotas. You aren't allowed to think for yourself, or have your own opinions, unless enough minorities also share them.

So sayeth Jim Wallis, and woe betide the white person who dare go against him.

sojo: politics of identity oppression

Remember last weeks post about a Sojo writer claiming Arizona is against "ethnic studies"? Here's a reminder of what that law would ban, from the Huffpo.

Under the ban, sent to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer by the state legislature Thursday, schools will lose state funding if they offer any courses that "promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote resentment of a particular race or class of people, are designed primarily for students of a particular ethnic group or advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals."

Another Sojo writer now joins in.

Pedagogy of the Oppressor: Arizona’s Ethnic Studies Ban

Here are some gems from that article.

It should come as no surprise that Arizona schools Superintendent Tom Horne supported a recent bill by Gov. Brewer to ban ethnic studies classes in the public schools. Horne worries that these “ethnic studies” classes teach students that they are oppressed. In a recent CNN interview, Horne said, “We should be teaching these kids that this is the land of opportunity. If they work hard, then they can achieve their dreams. And not teach them that they are oppressed.” Why should they not be taught that they are oppressed? Simple: Because they are! And he fears what an “awakened” group can do against the forces of oppression that keep many in the dark.

No, they are not oppressed. Not here. Here, they have the opportunity to leave behind their oppression, and actually find success. But this Sojo writer would rather have them think they are still oppressed, because if they didn't think that, if they though they could succeed, they would likely not vote for the people who want to make them dependent on government support.

Horne, in an attempt to elicit contempt for ethnic studies, remarks that their textbook, the Pedagogy of the Oppressed, was written by Paulo Freire, “a well-known Brazilian communist.” He attacks the author but does not address his ideas. In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Friere distinguishes between banking and transformative education. The latter is education that inspires students to forge a more humane social order by overcoming oppression and other obstacles to the humanization of all peoples. Banking education, on the other hand, simply instills in students the tools and knowledge used to perpetuate the dehumanization and oppression of others.

No surprise that a Sojo writer would defend a Brazilian communist, or a communist of any ethnic ilk for that matter. But his characterization of Friere's kins of education, probably accurate, are still rather unhelpful. "Education that inspires students to forge a more humane social order" sound rather like lib-speak for what they've being trying to do for years, which has basically made the US an education laughing-stock. By "banking education", then, I understand an education that actually teaches students something important, like how to do work that allows them to feed themselves and their families, pay their bills, and have some pleasures like satellite TV and a nice home library.

Horne evidently prefers banking education. Students must learn to work hard, which means succeeding while leaving others behind.

This is so laughable as to be almost un-funny. Yeah, kids, don't work hard, your Uncle Sam will give you all you need, so long as you be good little liberal agitators.

Pathetic. Sojo should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this nonsense.