Balloon Juice Cross-Posts, Musings, Our Pundits of Perpetual Disappointment, Personal Tales 3 comments

Greenwald: A Bridge Too Far

By on January 2nd, 2012

I’ve put off writing this post for days, and I still don’t have the words to express my disgust about the “rape analogy heard ’round  the Twitterverse.”  In case you’re not up to speed, long story short, I had a Twitter discussion with Marcy Wheeler about the NDAA; a Greenwald supporter quipped that if I saw Obama raping a nun on live TV, I would defend him for it; another supporter quipped that I would fantasize about playing the role of the raped nun; and Greenwald piled on. When asked to account for the clumsy rape metaphor, Greenwald doubled down, claiming that it wasn’t a metaphor, and that he actually believed that I and other Obama supporters would defend Obama if we were to see him raping a nun. Continue reading Greenwald: A Bridge Too Far →

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Emily L. Hauser, International Shenanigans 2 comments

And a child shall lead them: In which I discover the Vlogbrothers.

By on January 2nd, 2012

UPDATE: Added Obama-riffic Vlogbrothers goodness, as a reward to #TFY for living with all my Israel/Palestine blather all the time — at the bottom!

Three years ago, Israel was waging war in Gaza. I had some pretty powerful opinions about it.

This evening, the boy (a 12 year old, it should be noted) discovered and showed me the video you will find after the jump, made the day after the war began by a person I’d never heard of: John Green, brother of Hank Green, and one-half of the (I’m coming to discover) extremely boss and Obama-supportive Vlogbrothers, who (I’m coming to discover) the boy really loves. And the thing is: This John Green dude has summed up the entire Israeli-Palestinian situation in less than four minutes.

Accurately.

I would argue that there’s a little boat-missing when he gets into the question of  the connection between the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and al-Qaeda, and as an Israeli, I would argue that Israel has the larger share of responsibility at this point (greater power = greater responsibility, etc), but really, for a person to get this much this right, and all in less than four minutes? Wowza. And by that I mean: Huzzah.

And there’s a puppy. Because he couldn’t bear to talk about something so depressing without a little relief.

Continue reading And a child shall lead them: In which I discover the Vlogbrothers. →

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Election 2012? Oy vey!, Libertarian Lunacy, Now That's Some Racist Bullshit, Teabilly and GOP Mendacity 12 comments

Rick Santorum Cares About YOU, Black Person! [Updated]

By on January 2nd, 2012

He just has a racist way of showing it. 

I ask of Rick Santorum and his supporters only two things:  One, please stop saying “Santorum Surges From Behind“; two, please stop saying “Santorum Surges From Behind.”

Oh, and by the way?  Mr. Santorum?  Not all black people are on welfare or food stamps.  Not all black people are on drugs.  Not all black people are in prison.  So when you say stuff like –

“I don’t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money… I want to give them the opportunity to go out and earn the money and provide for themselves and their families.”

– it makes me want to slap you upside the head a little. Continue reading Rick Santorum Cares About YOU, Black Person! [Updated] →

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Libertarian Lunacy, Obama 2012: Yes We Will!, Our Pundits of Perpetual Disappointment, roadkillrefugee 12 comments

Charlie Savage’s Partisan Hit Job on President Obama

By on January 1st, 2012

Charlie Savage’s front page story in the December 30, 2011 New York Times asks the Republican presidential candidates about their views on executive power in what is essentially a sequel to his own interview with candidate Obama in 2007 when Savage worked for the Boston Globe.  As soon as the Obama administration began to provide air support to the Libyan rebels seeking to overthrow the Libyan dicatator and terrorist Gadaffy, Savage began to misrepresent his 2007 interview with then Senator Obama as some kind of Pulitzer-worthy “gotcha” moment.

While the December 30 article purports to be about the Republican candidates’ views on executive power, its primary focus is to reaffirm Savage’s broader narrative of President Obama: that he is just like Bush when it comes to civil liberties in the era of global terrorism. What this October 30th article helps reveal, however, is the theory of executive power that Savage is holding Obama up against is a discredited libertarian notion of weak executive power shared by Ron Paul and Glenn Greenwald views which have no support in constitutional law jurisprudence. Savage also sets up the presidency of George W. Bush as the sole baseline by which to judge the Obama administration’s use of executive power, while ignoring all of Bush’s recent predecessors.  Continue reading Charlie Savage’s Partisan Hit Job on President Obama →

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Election 2012? Oy vey!, Firebaggers & EmoProgs, Our Pundits of Perpetual Disappointment, Ratfvckery, Zandar 46 comments

The End-Of-Year Emopants Blowout!

By on January 1st, 2012

Both Glenn Greenwald and Taylor Marsh saw fit to end the year with massive anti-Obama rants where they basically announce openly their opposition to the President for 2012.  Not that their opposition didn’t exist before, it’s just now official.  First, Double G defends Ron Paul’s “effect” on our political discourse:

Continue reading The End-Of-Year Emopants Blowout! →

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Emily L. Hauser, Now Hear This! 7 comments

Happy New Year II: What are you doing New Year’s Eve?

By on December 31st, 2011

I love this song, and I love Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s rendition of it. I had no idea Zooey Deschanel would have such a lovely alto! I think if I’d had to, I might have guessed she had some sort of flutey, whisper-light voice that I would find twee. Yay for being wrong!

So though I’ve already wished one and all a Happy New Year, I thought I’d do it again, and in a slightly less somber fashion, with this lovely tune. Happy 2012! And may all our surprises be pleasant ones.

(Video after the jump – they’re oddly silent for the first four or five seconds. Don’t crank your speakers!)

Continue reading Happy New Year II: What are you doing New Year’s Eve? →

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Allan, Do The Right Thing, Election 2012? Oy vey!, International Shenanigans, Our Pundits of Perpetual Disappointment No comments yet

End of Year Bleg: Al Giordano’s Fund for Authentic Journalism

By on December 31st, 2011

Want better media? Help train the next generation of journalists.

On this, the final day of 2011, I would like to call your attention to the work of Al Giordano, founder of The Fund for Authentic Journalism.

I first became aware of Al Giordano through his blog The Field during the primary wars of 2008. Like many Obama supporters, I was feeling constantly buffeted and betrayed by the terrible reporting and laughable analysis of mainstream media pundits; and it seemed everywhere I went online, people were screaming at each other and perpetuating untrue and unhelpful memes about candidates Obama, Clinton and Edwards. At times I felt certain that these loud voices had the power to prevent Barack Obama from winning the Democratic nomination, or would sabotage his chances at winning the Presidency if he survived the primary process.

Then one day, I followed a link to Al’s blog, and I knew I had come to the right place.  Continue reading End of Year Bleg: Al Giordano’s Fund for Authentic Journalism →

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Celebrity Shenanigans, Now That's Some Racist Bullshit, Shits and Giggles 5 comments

Stephen Colbert Interviews Samuel L. Jackson

By on December 30th, 2011

“I’m not black, white or anything — I’m a movie star.”

This is a couple weeks old, but I just watched it, so it’s new to me! Samuel L. Jackson (who really reminds me of my father) discusses his new broadway role playing Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop, and a hilarious discussion about race ensues.

The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Samuel L. Jackson
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

I love that he calls being a movie star, “totally dope” and “a pretty big fucking deal.” Outstanding.

And, as always, you’re welcome.

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Emily L. Hauser, Now Hear This! 1 comment

Happy New Year: O Freedom – Fridays with Billy.

By on December 30th, 2011

The policemen broke my door down
Dragged me from my bed
I asked them what was happening
They just ignored the words I said

They waved their guns in my face
Kept screaming out my name
Something terrible had happened
And somehow I was to blame

O freedom, what liberties are taken in thy name
In thy name
O freedom, what liberties are taken
What liberties are taken
What liberties are taken in thy name

(video after the jump)

May the new year that is so quickly bearing down upon us be one of greater freedom, not less; one of greater accountability, not less; one of greater justice, not less.

Then, perhaps, we will finally know greater peace. If we will it (to borrow a phrase), it is no dream.

Continue reading Happy New Year: O Freedom – Fridays with Billy. →

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