I'm not going to embed the nauseating clip here. The clip of an African American fringe activist, proclaiming his hatred for white people and suggesting that achieving black freedom necessitates the indiscriminate killing of Caucasians and their babies, is morally indefensible. It has also been on heavy rotation on Fox News Channel and particularly on Glenn Beck's hour-long daily television monologue.
When I was a UH graduate student in the 1980's, there was a popular drinking game called "Hi, Bob"; the basic concept was to drink some beer every time a character on the 1970's Bob Newhart Show (in reruns) said "Hi, Bob!" (obviously all too frequently). I literally remembered as I watched Glenn Beck's 2 most recent programs where I didn't even listen to all the program, and I counted the same clip played at least 5 times (and I wasn't even keeping score). And I must have seen the same replayed close to a dozen other times on Fox. Enough already!
Fox News justifiably deserves criticism when it allows this sort of nonsense. I don't consider the racist rants of King Samir Shabazz to be representative of people of color. I understand that AG Eric Holder decided to drop a default judgment against the New Black Panthers, including videotape evidence of Shabazz loitering, with a nightclub, in the immediate area of a Philadelphia polling place, during the 2008 general election. This clearly constituted an unlawfile hostile environment for voters, election personnel, and others. The attorney general, once again, has failed to exercise the kind of professionalism and sound judgment we expect from our top law enforcement officer--including, but not limited to, his handling of the KSM trial (especially given the fact that KSM previously wanted to enter a guilty plea, but Holder thought American justice would best be served by holding the show trial near the 9/11 site, requiring prohibitively expensive security); making judgments of the Arizona Immigration Law without even first reading it; and now dropping a case despite compelling evidence of guilt and a default judgment.
But really--why is it necessary to put outrageous, provocative, racist comments in heavy rotation? When we are discussing the most difficult economy in decades, a second straight year of running nearly a $1.5T deficit, increasing federal encroachment on individual liberties, and unending trade deficits, Fox News is devoting a disproportionate amount of coverage to one person's rant, revisiting racial divisions from decades earlier with an African American as President? This reflects poor news management and judgment.
As to Glenn Beck: he is far too repetitive, judgmental, alarmist, and one-sided in his presentations. Maybe it's because I came from an academic background which focused on original sources and alternative philosophic approaches and writing articles referencing up to hundreds of other scholarly efforts, or reading Thomas Aquinas decide theological and philosophical questions with scrupulous, rigorous specification of opposing points of view in his Summa Theologica. The fact is that I often agree with Beck on a number of issues; but I try to avoid over-the-top rhetoric (e.g., Woodrow Wilson as "evil"), I attempt to engage on issues more substantively and objectively and am more cognizant of my limitations, and I have an abiding optimism.
Buycott BP? YES!
Today I bought a tank of BP gasoline. Join me and others in supporting the independently owned franchises of BP, whom are unfairly finding their businesses under attack by misguided consumers holding taxpaying station owners responsible for a rare industrial accident.
Viewer Boycott of FNC Shepard Smith... Yes
I am tired of self-righteous, self-important, overpaid, overrated newscasters whom mistake their biased populist alarmism on the BP spill and numerous other rants for objective news reporting. I have no intention of watching FNC during Shep's two hours (including Fox Report). However, if Shepard Smith decides to personally interview the bear on the trampoline, I'm willing to tune in for the segment.
Alvin Greene's Economic Plan
We all knew that the unemployed Democratic challenger for Jim DeMint's (R-SC) Senate seat would have a thought-provoking, constructive, alternative program challenging DeMint's robust pro-economic growth policies, and Alvin didn't disappoint in his interview with the Guardian:
Another thing we can do for jobs is make toys of me, especially for the holidays. Little dolls. Me. Like maybe little action dolls. Me in an army uniform, air force uniform, and me in my suit. They can make toys of me and my vehicle, especially for the holidays and Christmas for the kids. That's something that would create jobs. So you see I think out of the box like that. It's not something a typical person would bring up. That's something that could happen, that makes sense. It's not a joke.Let's ask 4 future American taxpayers what they think about Alvin's out-of-the-box thinking for getting over 8 million people back to work:
Political Cartoon
Gary Varvel shows Governor Brewer (R-AZ) being pulled over by AG Eric Holder for attempting to drive immigration enforcement without the US Constitution. In the meanwhile, of course, notice there are't any Border Patrol in the area. Eric Holder knows the REAL issue--the state invading the federal government's turf, not unauthorized visitors invading American turf...
Quote of the Day
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
Henry David Thoreau
Musical Interlude: Chart Hits of 1988
Peter Cetera, "One Good Woman" Favorite Cetera song!
George Michael, "Father Figure"
Whitney Houston, "One Moment in Time"
Steve Winwood, "Roll With It"
Elton John, "Candle in the Wind"
