What's Wrong with the Democrats?

I had Christmas dinner with the family of two of my very best friends, Emily and Judy, yesterday. Joining us were two great women, Catherine and Cecilia, who are sisters. Catherine is 90, Cecilia is 86. The two of them knew more about politics than most people. They never miss The New York Times and were fascinated by the Internet.

During dinner, Catherine looked at us and asked with some frustration, "What's wrong with the Democrats?" It's a very good question a lot of people are trying to answer. Catherine said she needed some answers. At 90, she wasn't sure how many more years she could wait for to find out.

So while you're hopefully enjoying the holidays -- give Catherine an answer.

What's wrong with the Democrats and how can they win again?

Read the rest of this post...

Why does the NFL Commissioner think bigotry against Asians, Latinos and gays is good for kids?

UPDATE: I wouldn't mind a few links from your various blogs, etc., to these Reggie White quotes. They'll help these posts rise higher in Google and hopefully some people will read the WHOLE story of Reggie White when searching on him in the next few days.

NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said. "Equally as impressive as [Reggie White's] achievements on the field was the positive impact he made off the field and the way he served as a positive influence on so many young people." - ABC News/AP

Isn't that sweet, now we're whitewashing bigots. I like how the story makes a brief mention of the controversy, then says White apologized, when in fact, he stuck by his words. Read the rest of this post...

Here's what Reggie had to say about Latinos and Asians

More Aryan theories from Reggie White, now-deceased religious right spokesman (they used White in their "ex-gay" ads):

When I look at the history of America, and particularly the history of slavery, one of the main reasons that Africans were enslaved was because of economics and skin color.

Now, let me explain what I'm talking about. During the time that the New World was to be built, the Europeans had to make a decision whether they were going to enslave their own. They couldn't enslave their own because their own could assimilate. They couldn't enslave the Indians because the Indians knew the territory, and the Indians knew how to sneak up on people. But the only people they could enslave was the Africans because of their skin color. We couldn't assimilate, and because of our skin color if we escaped, we were sent back to our plantations pretty much....

Why did God create us differently? Why did God make me black and you white? Why did God make the next guy Korean and the next guy Asian and the other guy Hispanic? Why did God create the Indians?

Well, it's interesting to me to know why now. When you look at the black race, black people are very gifted in what we call worship and celebration. A lot of us like to dance, and if you go to black churches, you see people jumping up and down, because they really get into it.

White people were blessed with the gift of structure and organization. You guys do a good job of building businesses and things of that nature and you know how to tap into money pretty much better than a lot of people do around the world.

Hispanics are gifted in family structure. You can see a Hispanic person and they can put 20 or 30 people in one home. They were gifted in the family structure.

When you look at the Asians, the Asian is very gifted in creation, creativity and inventions. If you go to Japan or any Asian country, they can turn a television into a watch. They're very creative. And you look at the Indians, they have been very gifted in the spirituality.

When you put all of that together, guess what it makes. It forms a complete image of God.

No, Reggie, when you put it all together it forms a complete picture of a bigot.

PS Any of you out there Asian? Cuz I'd love one of them watch TVs. Read the rest of this post...

Raging homophobe and bigot Reggie White dead at 43

Good riddance. The man was a raging anti-gay, anti-Asian and anti-Latino bigot. And of course the religious right embraced him immediately as one of their own.

Let me share a little of what this intolerance, prejudiced ass had to say:

Gays are like liars and cheaters

" 'Homosexuality is a decision, it's not a race,' White said. 'People from all different ethnic backgrounds live in this lifestyle. But people from all different ethnic backgrounds also are liars and cheaters and malicious and back-stabbing.' " - Reggie White, Associated Press, March 25, 1998.

Gays hurt children, kill our people

"White said he stands by his remarks regarding gays. `I am going to speak the truth and I am going to speak out against things that's hurting our children, that's killing off our people,' White said. `If people think that's a contradiction and that's hate, they need to take them up with God, not with Reggie White.'" Associated Press, April 26, 1998, quoting White's 20/20 interview.

Gays are like backstabbers and malicious people

PEGGY WEHMEYER of ABC's 20/20: "Just last week, Reggie White and his wife, Sara, met us for an exclusive interview. White told us he was sorry if he offended anyone, but he wasn’t backing down one inch. (on camera) Are you saying there that homosexuals are like liars, cheaters, backstabbers and malicious people?"
REGGIE WHITE "Yes." - ABC's 20/20, April 27, 1998.

"Sodomite community"

"Reggie White's wife said CBS was `'too scared'' to hire her husband as a football commentator because of his controversial speech before the Wisconsin State Assembly. White, the Green Bay Packers defensive lineman who retired and unretired last week, used ethnic stereotypes and called homosexuality `'one of the biggest sins'' in the Bible in his remarks last month. 'They were too scared of the Sodomite community is what they said,' Sara White told ABC's '20/20'." - ASSOCIATED PRESS, April 26, 1998

Gays responsible for STDs

"America is not big enough to shake her fist in the face of a holy God and get away with it, and as I read this I want to explain something. I'm going to read this and then I want to explain something. As America has permitted homosexuality to establish itself as an alternate lifestyle, it is also reeling from the frightening spread of sexually transmitted disease. Sin begets its own consequence, both on individuals and nations."- Remarks by Reggie White to the Wisconsin Assembly, March 25, 1998.

Homosexuality one of the biggest sins

"Let me explain something when I'm talking about sin, and I'm talking about all sin. One of the biggest ones that has been talked about that has really become a debate in America is homosexuality."- Remarks by Reggie White to the Wisconsin Assembly, March 25, 1998.

Gays have problems

"Now, I believe that one of the reasons that Jesus was accused of being a homosexual is because he spent time with homosexuals. I've often had people ask me, would you allow a homosexual to be your friend. Yes, I will. And the reason I will is because I know that that person has problems, and if I can minister to those problems, I will."- Remarks by Reggie White to the Wisconsin Assembly, March 25, 1998.

Being gay compared to lying, gays hurt nation

"But the Bible strictly speaks against it, and because the Bible speaks against it, we allow rampant sin including homosexuality and lying, and to me lying is just as bad as homosexuality, we've allowed this sin to run rampant in our nation, and because it has run rampant in our nation, our nation is in the condition it is today."- Remarks by Reggie White to the Wisconsin Assembly, March 25, 1998.

Offended that gays say deserve rights

"Sometimes when people talk about this sin they've been accused of being racist. I'm offended that homosexuals will say that homosexuals deserve rights. Any man in America deserves rights, but homosexuals are trying to compare their plight with the plight of black men or black people. In the process of history, homosexuals have never been castrated, millions of them never died. Homosexuality is a decision. It's not a race."- Remarks by Reggie White to the Wisconsin Assembly, March 25, 1998.

Read the rest of this post...

Powell advised Bush to add more troops to Iraq

Blah blah blah. The policy is a disaster, Bush keeps lying about it, and now he's got four years to figure out how he's going to get us out before he's forced to reinstate the draft. One of those rare moments - though increasingly common moments - where I'm glad Bush won. This is his disaster. Let's see if he's Time's Man of the Year after he kills ten thousand Americans. Read the rest of this post...

Gay marriage bans may be planned in 15 more states

Take the mo-fos on, now. If our groups can't do it right and beat the bejeesus out of them, then let's find someone who can. Read the rest of this post...

Christmas hangover open thread

Not a real hangover (though perhaps for you, it is). We had perhaps the archetypal blue-state American Christmas yesterday. The nephews were playing their PlayStation 2, some new WWE wrestling game, and the match was appropriately between Joe Snuka and Jesus. Unfortunately, Jesus was getting his ass whooped (he was a lot skinnier than Joe, though he had an awesome kick-punch).

The funny thing is, I bet red-state kids play kick-box Jesus as well. Read the rest of this post...

Apparently the only good Muslim isn't even a dead Muslim in Tennessee

Oops, forgot the link - please, don't blog and drive.

Yes, forget building a Mosque, and even a cemetery goes too far. Haven't we turned into a lovely country? Read the rest of this post...

Hardrock and Coco and Joe

If you grew up in the Chicago area in the 60s (and perhaps even 50s), these are the Christmas cartoons you grew up with. Hardrock and Coco and Joe, and then Suzy Snowflake. Thanks to UrbanLenny for posting the link to these. Wow. This was IT when we were kids - we scoured the morning shows just WAITING for them to show these. Couldn't get enough of 'em. Enjoy.

Oh my, I just saw they have Frosty the Snowman too - check out how these kids are dancing! Read the rest of this post...