Habemus Dogam

The news is everywhere. The First Dog is reportedly arriving Tuesday. Here's the Washington Post's take, and the Brits even have photos of the breed.

Hey, it's 11:46pm on a Saturday night before (some people's) Easter. You think I'm going to be posting about Somali pirates? Read the rest of this post...

Rachel Maddow, you're in trouble...

From a reader:

Oh, GREAT. Thanks, Rachel.

Actual conversation with my 74 year old mother, a fightin' liberal from way back, and HUGE fan of KO, Rachel, Jon Stewart and Colbert:

Mom: "Honey, what does 'teabagging' mean?"

Me: Spews last sip of cocktail all over room.

Mom: "I was watching Rachel last night and they were talking about these asshole teabag parties and it was clear that it is a double entendre for something else."

Me: "Jesus Christ, you're 74; aren't you supposed to be getting a little fuzzy?"

So I explained teabagging and the resulting howls of laughter sent her into an asthmatic coughing binge. Now this (the post about 2M4M). I'm hoping she can figure it out on her own.

Read the rest of this post...

Latest Chinese product nightmare: Drywall

Nasty government. Nasty products. And considering that practically 90% of what you see in many stores come from China, it's like a Trojan Horse of poison products infiltrating our country. At least now, thank God, we have a government that actually cares about whether the products we use are toxic. Read the rest of this post...

Oh, so now Treasury wants to get tough

Most people may agree that it's fair enough to get tough with Detroit when negotiating but again, why continue picking on Detroit and leaving Wall Street with such cushy terms? The joke of all jokes are the new reports trickling out about the bank stress tests (shhh! don't tell anyone!) where everyone is OK. If the banks are all OK and everyone passes as they have suggested, it's going to set off a new round of Treasury bashing because it's painfully clear that some are in especially bad shape.

But back to our 98 pound weakling.

The U.S. government is pushing for tougher concessions from the creditors of General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, according to a published report, as the troubled automakers face looming deadlines to restructure or seek bankruptcy protection.

The Treasury Department wants GM to offer its bondholders a small amount of its stock in exchange for their $29 billion of GM debt, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

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Coretta Scott King: Racism and Homophobia are the same thing

This is an important post that every civil rights advocate should copy and keep handy.

I was at CNN yesterday, taping a segment for Howie Kurtz's Sunday show (should be on around 10:15am-ish Eastern time Sunday morning). The segment was about all the recent gay marriage victories, and whether the media was giving them enough coverage. I was debating conservative talk radio host Dennis Prager.

Prager made several rather telling points, while complaining about the fact that the American people are rising up with pitchforks against the recent onslaught of civil rights. He complained that if you oppose gay civil rights you're accused of being a bigot (I told him "that's because you are"), he then said that gay civil rights advocates would even compare your opposition to gay civil rights to those who opposed the civil rights of blacks. Well, yes Dennis, they do. That's because it's the same thing. Don't listen to me. Listen to Coretta Scott King, who I will quote extensively below. (And I researched all of these quotes myself - they're real, you can do a Lexis search if you need to find the originals.)

The religious right is terrified that Americans might notice the obvious similarities between the African-American civil rights battle and the fight for equal rights by gay and lesbian Americans. Spokespeople for fundamentalist extremist groups often denounce anyone who might equate the two struggles, as the following recent press release from the bigoted men at the Concerned Women for America (CWA) illustrates:

"To compare rich, privileged homosexual lobby groups allied with transsexuals and sadomasochists to brave civil rights crusaders — who risked their lives to advance freedom — insults every black American who overcame real injustice and poverty,” said CWA President Sandy Rios... "It’s time for the homosexual lobby to stop co-opting the black civil rights struggle. The [National Gay and Lesbian] Task Force’s agenda of promoting perversion — including public homosexual sex, sadomasochism and bisexuality — would offend the vast majority of African-Americans who understand the difference between God-designed racial distinctions and changeable, immoral behavior.” - CWA press release, 9/9/02

Ah yes, those terrible rich and privileged Jews gays.

Of course, there's a reason the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force links the issues of African-American civil rights and gay civil rights: Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King's widow, told them to. In a remarkable address before the Task Force's annual meeting, on November 9, 2000, Mrs. King gave a forceful statement on the importance of gay rights to the overall civil rights struggle (read Mrs. King's entire speech here.)

And this was not the first time Martin Luther King's widow made clear that groups like the Concerned Women for America have no idea what they're talking about when they try to speak on behalf of African-Americans about civil rights. Excerpts of Mrs. King's numerous public statements in favor of gay civil rights are posted below. Please feel free to cite any of the following quotations the next time a far-right extremist dares to speak on behalf of Martin Luther King and America's African-American community. We need to continually jam these quotes down their throats:

Make Room At The Table for Lesbian and Gay People

Coretta Scott King, speaking four days before the 30th anniversary of her husband's assassination, said Tuesday the civil rights leader's memory demanded a strong stand for gay and lesbian rights. "I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice," she said. "But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'" "I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people," she said. - Reuters, March 31, 1998.

Homophobia is Like Racism and Anti-Semitism

Speaking before nearly 600 people at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel, Coretta Scott King, the wife of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Tuesday called on the civil rights community to join in the struggle against homophobia and anti-gay bias. "Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood," King stated. "This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group." - Chicago Defender, April 1, 1998, front page.

MLK's Struggle Parallels The Gay Rights Movement

Quoting a passage from her late husband's writing, Coretta Scott King reaffirmed her stance on gay and lesbian rights Tuesday at a luncheon celebrating the 25 anniversary of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a national gay rights organization. "We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny . . . I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be," she said, quoting her husband. "I've always felt that homophobic attitudes and policies were unjust and unworthy of a free society and must be opposed by all Americans who believe in democracy," King told 600 people at the Palmer House Hilton, days before the 30th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on April 4, 1968. She said the civil rights movement "thrives on unity and inclusion, not division and exclusion." Her husband's struggle parallels that of the gay rights movement, she said. - Chicago Sun Times, April 1, 1998, p.18.

Mrs. King is Outspoken Supporter of Gay and Lesbian People

"For many years now, I have been an outspoken supporter of civil and human rights for gay and lesbian people," King said at the 25th Anniversary Luncheon for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund.... "Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Ga. and St. Augustine, Fla., and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement," she said. "Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions." - Chicago Tribune, April 1, 1998, sec.2, p.4.

Sexual Orientation is a Fundamental Human Rights

We have a lot more work to do in our common struggle against bigotry and discrimination. I say “common struggle” because I believe very strongly that all forms of bigotry and discrimination are equally wrong and should be opposed by right-thinking Americans everywhere. Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender, or ethnic discrimination. - Coretta Scott King, remarks, Opening Plenary Session, 13th annual Creating Change conference of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Atlanta, Georgia, November 9, 2000.

We Need a National Campaign Against Homophobia

"We have to launch a national campaign against homophobia in the black community," said Coretta Scott King, widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the slain civil rights leader. - Reuters, June 8, 2001.

Justice is Indivisible

For too long, our nation has tolerated the insidious form of discrimination against this group of Americans, who have worked as hard as any other group, paid their taxes like everyone else, and yet have been denied equal protection under the law.... I believe that freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. My husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” On another occasion he said, “I have worked too long and hard against segregated public accommodations to end up segregating my moral concern. Justice is indivisible.” Like Martin, I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others. So I see this bill as a step forward for freedom and human rights in our country and a logical extension of the Bill of Rights and the civil rights reforms of the 1950’s and ‘60’s. The great promise of American democracy is that no group of people will be forced to suffer discrimination and injustice. - Coretta Scott King, remarks, press conference on the introduction of ENDA, Washington, DC, June 23, 1994

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Is AP violating Bill Clinton's intellectual property rights?

As you know, we've all been reporting a lot lately about the Grinch's Associated Press' campaign to stop Christmas the Internet. Well, I was over at Atrios' site this morning and saw him link to AP's main page promoting its Internet censorship campaign.



Then I looked at the top of the page, and saw something that looked awfully familiar. Check out the guy on the right. Do you know him?



The white hair, the bit lip, the white columns. Sure looks an awful lot like President Bill Clinton. And it sure looks an awful lot like AP is suggesting that President Bill Clinton is behind their Internet censorship campaign. And while I can't swear to it, I'm going to go an a limb here and assume that Bill Clinton never gave AP permission to imply that Bill Clinton endorsed their censorship campaign.

You see, AP, I'm sure, owns the right to that Bill Clinton photo. They probably took the photo. But they don't own Bill Clinton's "right to publicity." That's the use of someone else's likeness, especially a celebrity's, to promote your own commercial venture. Using that likeness, without permission, would be a violation of the very intellectual property laws that AP claims it so selflessly is trying to defend.

If that is a photo of President Clinton, I sure hope AP got President Clinton's permission to apparently use him as their mascot for their massive online censorship campaign. Otherwise it would be awfully ironic if, while complaining about their own intellectual property rights supposedly being violated, AP violated Bill Clinton's same rights. Read the rest of this post...

Possibly even better than teabagging....

It's funny enough that the Republicans, and FOX News, are all rallying around a series of protests secretly devoted to a sex act. But now the religious right bigots have one-upped the teabaggers. They've named their new anti-gay anti-marriage campaign after a gay sex call-sign.

Sign me up, hallelujah.

The new anti-gay initiative is called "Two Million for Marriage," and the organizers are calling it "2M4M" for short. Seriously. Now, anybody who's gay, or who has ever read a personal ad, knows that M4M is the call-sign for men seeking other men (and not for spiritual guidance). It's also the name given to chat rooms devoted to gay men hooking up for sex.

The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Rachel, our queen, has more:

Read the rest of this post...

Saturday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

This morning, we've got an original poem from AMERICAblog reader Timothy Beauchamp aka cowboyneok. Tim also blogs at Pink Panthers Blog. In 2001, the Smithsonian included one of Tim's poems in an exhibit on submarines. Today's poem is about Tim's experience passing through the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Enjoy:

Brandenburg Gate

Felt the weight
Of Countless
Souls shifting
Glimmer past
Felt the snare
Of winter
Guns blasting
Summers past
No papers produced
No questions asked
Or bullet torn
Ragged death
Earth’s Foundations shake
Walking through
Brandenburg Gate
The press of souls
Slide me through
an hour glass
Hunger on faces
Blisters on feet
Back forth
Never complete
Not all
Complacent smiles
Smug faces
Casting Three o’clock
Shadows at noon
Soldiers march
Boots crackle
Rhythm precision
From both sides
I saw Jews
Eyes silent
No ears
Mouths gaping and
Pasted Holocaust grins
Earth’s Foundations shake
Walking through
Brandenburg Gate
And I looked back
Waiting for God
Fearing for God
And prayed
For Victoria
To remain sentinel
Witness us glow
Below her chariot
Every facet
Dark sparkle
Stared Ost
And trembled
Earth’s Foundations shake
Walking through
Brandenburg Gate

Thanks for sharing this with us, Tim. Also, in keeping with the theme, here's a picture John took back in December of 1989, right after the Berlin Wall fell:

Now, get threading... Read the rest of this post...

Ring of Fire x 2

I love Johnny Cash's music and this is a particular favorite. As much as I love the original version, Social Distortion delivered an amazing version decades later. The edge on the newer version is perfect. I can never decide which one I prefer between the two so here's updated song.
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French hostage killed during rescue off coast of Somalia

Many right wingers in the US seem to be itching for the gun-slinging ways of yesteryear when you could run in, shoot everything and everyone that moves and call it a day. Whatever happens, happens but you have the opportunity to beat your chest and feel macho because you had the military fire away. Besides, it wasn't your family who was at risk, so why not? Following another recent private yacht hijacking and rescue, France sent in the commandos and this time, the yacht captain died during the rescue. Republicans may be delighted with this show of force (though it's France, so they will dismiss it) but it hardly seems to be the the perfect model.

A French military operation to free a yacht hijacked by Somali pirates backfired yesterday when one of the hostages was killed, highlighting the perils facing US forces trying to free an American seaman being held captive in a parallel pirate standoff.

Despite the rescue of his four fellow hostages, including his three-year-old son, Florent Lemaçon was shot dead on board the Tanit during the raid by elite French forces. Two pirates also died, and three others were taken prisoner, said the French defence minister, Herve Morin.

Standing by the commando-style tactics, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy's office confirmed "France's determination not to give into blackmail, and to defeat the pirates".

The negotiations had fallen apart so it's not a judgment of the move which may very well have been necessary but simply to show that gun slinging does have repercussions. It's fair to say taking a child through a potentially dangerous location has repercussions as well. As much as Joelle and I travel in offbeat locations, even as adults we never put ourselves at risk. Read the rest of this post...