That might be the problem- June 20, 2008 -- by DaveI'm not sure he intended it to come out like that, but Crazy Joe Arpaio -- the Maricopa County (Arizona) sheriff who has been on a rampage locking up every Latino in sight -- was quoted thus in yet another feature on "the toughest sheriff in America", this time from Agencie France-Presse:He's been described as Hitler and a Klu Klux Klansman by Hispanic critics and immigrant rights groups, but Sheriff Joe Arpaio prefers to see himself as an equal opportunities advocate."We lock...http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/that-might-be-problem.html Talking down violent rhetoric- June 18, 2008 -- by DaveI'm taking part in a roundtable authors' discussion this week at the newly launched Progressive Book Club.The discussion is about Jeffrey Feldman's excellent new book, Outright Barbarous: How the Violent Language of the Right Poisons Our Democracy, which as you can imagine is right up my alley topic-wise.We're talking with Feldman; Susan Gardner, the executive editor of Daily Kos; and Joe Bodell, a reporter at the Minnesota Monitor. Here's my first contribution:Ive been rereading...http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/talking-down-violent-rhetoric.html Welcome California!- June 17, 2008 -- by Sara...to the roster of civilized places that (starting right this very minute!!) allow people of the same gender to marry.Up here in Canada, where gay marriage has been a national fait accompli for just over three years now, we straight folk have been keeping a close eye on each other, looking for the smallest sign that all those new legal gay couples we're minting are taking a toll on Marriage As We Know It.So far, though...nothing. Not a single sign of social decay in sight. Divorces...http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/welcome-california.html The crazies and Obama- June 14, 2008 -- by Dave If there is a President Obama come next Jan. 20, normal folks better brace for what the right-wing crazies have in mind. Because it's becoming clear that they are winding themselves up now for a fresh spate of violence if Obama wins. You can find the signs in the things they're saying now, both on Internet forums and in the things they say when they think no one is listening. For instance, read some of the details emerging from that militia bust in Pennsylvania that the media have...http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/crazies-and-obama.html Pining for that 'Old America'- June 13, 2008 -- by DaveSo I see that Peggy Noonan is harkening us back to the days of "Old America" -- as a way of contrasting that heathen Barack Obama with the noble John McCain.But if McCain represents "Old America" of the Magic Dolphin Lady's fevered imagination -- that nonexisent golden yesteryear of right-wing myth -- then he must logically also symbolize the "Old America" of historical reality:I'm not so sure that Noonan isn't pining for this 'Old America' too.http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/pining-for-that-old-america.html The haters root for Obama -- to fail- June 12, 2008 -- by DaveAccording to Mark Potok at Hatewatch, the country's white supremacists are actually looking forward to the prospect of Barack Obama winning the presidency -- but only because they're certain he will fail: Its not that the assortment of neo-Nazis, Klansmen, anti-Semites and others who make up this countrys radical right have suddenly discovered that a man should be judged based on the content of his character, not his skin. On the contrary. A growing number of white supremacists, and..http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/haters-root-for-obama-to-fail.html My kind of luck- June 10, 2008 -- by DaveApropos of absolutely nothing. I just saw this on the bulletin board at the local park the other day and, well, thought I would share.http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/my-kind-of-luck.html When everyone is packing heat- June 10, 2008 -- by DaveI was raised in an NRA household. My dad is an amateur gunsmith; he's very good at fixing the arcane and often delicate machinery of firearms, and is a real problem-solver -- so much so that I recall the local gunsmith begging him for help with special problems. I used to help him in his shop, watching and learning -- loading ammo, fixing rifles, carving stocks. So I'm reasonably comfortable around guns, though I only own a couple of memento pieces. What I'm not comfortable around are.http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/when-everyone-is-packing-heat.html The press can't hear those dog whistles- June 9, 2008 -- by DaveYesterday the Los Angeles Times ran a story about Floyd Brown's plans to use racially incendiary ads against Barack Obama in the upcoming campaign with the headline "Opening shot in the battle over crime." Now, did you know that crime was going to be a major electoral issue this year Me neither. In fact, with violent crime rates continuing to reach record lows, the issue hasn't exactly been burning up the front pages or the wires. Of course, "crime" is also one of those code words...http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/press-cant-hear-those-dog-whistles.html Right-wing sugar daddies- June 6, 2008 -- by DaveOne of the questions that always hovers over hate groups and radical-right organizations is: Where do they get their money We know that what they're able to collect through memberships and fund-raising devices is only a pittance in the context of the kind of cash flow they seem to generate; and there are many questions about the large startup sums they often have. What we've known, in fact, is that many of these groups have wealthy conservatives -- often building-and-development...http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/06/right-wing-sugar-daddies.html |