I really don’t understand this position at all.  While I do understand the idea that the atheist movement might need to deal more politely with those of faith (’understand’, not necessarily ‘agree with’), the idea that somehow saying that one can be good without god is too strong an attack on religion is ludicrous.  It seems to me that if that is too aggressive, even the statement that its OK to be an atheist is too much of an assault.  If that is true, then saying “I believe in Jesus” is anti-semitic, or saying that “I’m a moral person even though I am an atheist” is too derogatory towards theists (which is all the ad campaign is, in fact, saying).  It sounds to me like this gentleman wants atheists to ‘keep it to themselves’.  Which would be more than OK if theists would do the same.  But, as always, religion is the trump card and anyone who says anything about alternatives is just being a jerk.  Apparently, Humanism only worries about the tender feelings of the theist, and atheists can go fuck themselves.
Atheists’ ad campaign embarrasses humanism leader

Writing in the NY Times (Dec. 9/09), Mr. Doerr commented that “…I am embarrassed by the A.H.A.’s “good without God” campaign of signs on transit vehicles. Humanists are philosophical naturalists, but more important than advertising, one item of the humanist worldview is emphasizing the many positive positions we hold in common with a wide range of religious believers. I refer to such matters as peace, civil liberties, religious freedom, the environment, social justice, democracy, women’s rights and so on.”

Which is sadder…the fact that the distinction between the Washington Times and Fox News is virtually non-existent, or that the Times has simply stopped trying to do anything resembling responsible reporting and is simply reposting from blogs without doing any fact-checking?  At what point do should you be required to no longer refer to yourself as a journalist?  When does a newspaper stop being a newspaper?
Wash. Times posts doctored transcript to claim Jennings called for mandatory “LGBT course” for teachers | Media Matters for America

Continuing her paper’s witch hunt against Department of Education official Kevin Jennings, The Washington Times’ Kerry Picket reprinted a doctored transcript — originally posted by a conservative blog — of 2008 comments by Jennings to falsely claim Jennings had said he wanted teachers to be required to “take an LGBT course” — a claim also echoed by the Fox Nation.

I often disagree with Melissa (though, more often than not, I actually agree with her), but this is just spot on.  its a response to a woman who is drowning in a mortgage she direly wants to get out of, and, of course, this woman wanted to go to the whole 9/12 thing in DC and couldn’t.  At the end, she says “I’ve paid my mortgage every month.  And I’m getting no help.  I’m just saying, Let capitalism work”

Shakesville: OFFS

The truth is that she expects her government to be helping her, as well she should. But the rightwing media machine has played three dirty tricks on people like Ms. Frankowski:

1. They’ve convinced them that the government is helping people other than them.

2. They’ve convinced them those other people are undeserving of that help, by virtue of their alleged laziness, entitlement, desire for “special rights,” immigration status, or some other bigoted bullshit.

3. They’ve convinced them, by concealing the reality that the only “people” the government helps anymore are corporations, that “capitalism” is the answer, which creates more demand for the government to capitulate to free marketeering and abandon industry regulations that protect consumers.

In other words, they’ve convinced people like Ms. Frankowski to demand that the government help them less, even as she desperately wonders why, despite playing by the rules and paying her mortgage every month, she’s still hurting and no one’s helping her out.

It would be hilarious, if it weren’t so fucking tragic.

Probably a couple minutes behind, but basically.

8:02 – weird knowing this is happening just a few miles from me

8:04 – of course there’s no agreement from Republicans about whether or not there should be health care reform.  They are rich, and enjoy fear.  Oh, and enjoy being rich.  Or are suckers.  Tough call.

8:05 – Don’t forget, 60% of young people support the reform.  Old people oppose it.  Interestingly, the old people are already on government health care.  Its called Medicare.

8:10 – Baucus is owned by the insurance industry.  Baucus can kiss my ass and I hope he loses his insurance right as he finds out he needs to get spinal surgery and be paralyzed for the rest of his life.

8:11 – ‘Sergeants Of Arms’ really sounds more impressive than two guys in suits.

8:17 – Greatest hits, hey, trust me

8:19 – I am determined to be the last.  Nice!

8:20 – History lessons

8:22 – Insurance companies screw you by saying you can’t have insurance.  Insurance companies screw you by stopping coverage even if you have insurance.

8:24 – Why this is bad for business.  See, Republicans?  Its bad for anyone who isn’t already rich.  How can you not back this?

8:27 – Almost everyone wants this.  Why are so many of you being bastards?

8:28 – We are fucking done with this now.  You WILL stop being children.

8:29 – New plan: costs down, coverage expanded, increased coverage security.

8:30 – Details: Nothing has to change for you if you are happy:  It will be against the law to deny coverage based on pre-existing condition.  Nor can coverage change when you get sick/injured.  No cap on amount of coverage.  Limit on out of pocket expenses.  Must cover preventative care/exams.

If you don’t have insurance: Insurance exchange/co-op.  Tax credits.  Will start in 4 years.  Public option (ish) until then for catastrophic financial protection.

If individuals still don’t feel like getting insurance, or businesses don’t feel like offering: Tough tittie.  You have to have basic insurance.  Business must offer insurance or ‘chip in’.  Most small businesses exempt.

8:36 – that was the easy part we all agree on.

8:37 – POLITICIANS HAVING BEEN LYING TO YOU SOME OF WHICH ARE RIGHT HERE!!!

8:38 – Who yelled ‘LIE”???

8:39 – great.  Pro-lifers get a fucking win.  Great…women everywhere lose.

8:41 – Public Option?  YES!!!   Lots of folks not standing or applauding.  Unsurprising.

8:42 – Will have to be self-sufficient.  Competition will survive because insurance companies aren’t grannies making cookies.

8:43 – all of you stop being children.  Mostly you guys over there.

8:44 – lots of people still not standing.  Must hate the poor.

8:45 -how do we pay for it? Will NOT add to the deficit ever (republicans yawning…literally)

8:46 – SMACK TO GW!!!  Hey, I didn’t make this deficit, it was the last guy!!

8:48 – Old people, do you realize Medicare is run by the government?

8:51 – oh sure, Republicans applaud tort reform

8:55 – you lie, we will call you a liar.

8:56 – Posthumous letter from Ted Kennedy.    Its about ‘the character of our country’

8:59 – WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!

9:02 – When we become fear-mongers, we have all lost.  We will do the hard thing!!

Republican Response:

9:08 – Wow, he made it almost two minutes before out-and-out lying.  He basically says that the government plan is to replace everyone’s insurance.

9:09 – Basically agreeing with Obama on everything except the public option.  The insanity is unfathomable.

9:10 – Oh, yeah, but we really have to get to tort reform.  Much more important.

9:11 – Ah yes, jobs, freedom, explosions.

9:12 – bipartisian = giving the republicans everything they want.

y’know, for a while, I thought Dobbs just hated immigrants.
No, he just hates all non-whites, is best I can guess from this.
Dobbs Defends Glenn Beck
Oh and with regards to:

See, it was Van Jones’ group that got the bright idea to go after his sponsors because Glenn Beck said some things that he didn’t like. Isn’t that impressive?

Also, he hates capitalism since this is EXACTLY HOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK! Of course, the right wing machine is 15 kinds of upset because this is EXACTLY what they preach about. Let the market decide! And this is, in fact, the market.

And I didn’t hear — I didn’t hear Howard Dean get excited about that, trampling all over the First Amendment trying to coerce sponsors of Glenn Beck just because he had the guts to say what he meant.

Mr. Dobbs, the 1st Amendment just says you have a right to say what you want. It doesn’t say you have a right to an audience.

Dear CNN,
I understand why Fox keeps Beck. That sort of out-there crazy is entertaining as hell. But why, exactly, do you have Dobbs on still?
Sure, he’s hate-filled, but he’s not even close to good tv.
Love,
Me

So the Washington Post produces and distributes a sort of mini-news paper called the Express, which focuses much more on fluff than on “real” news.  It’s distributed at every metro station every morning — I always grab it* because, hey! free crossword puzzle!

And I’ve been noticing a trend — it seems to take a MUCH more feminist approach than most newspapers.  I don’t know why this is.  I don’t know if, because it’s the fluff paper, it has more woman writers, or if it’s because it’s trying to be “edgy,” or what, but, well, check out the articles below and tell me if I’m wrong here.

The saddest part is how shocking I consider these articles.  That a reviewer — in a real newspaper!  Produced by the WASHINGTON POST!  A REAL NEWSPAPER! — would refer to a movie as “almost misogynistic**”.  Or that a headline would take a sarcastic tone about how Kate’s career got in the way of Jon’s comfort.  Or that a blurb would just flat out say “Chris Brown beat Rihanna,” rather than completely disappearing the crime and/or the perpetrator (see an nigh-infinite series of crime articles from every newspaper about how a victim “was raped,” “was beaten,” or, even better “had sex forced upon her”).

I really wish I could copy and paste from these, but I can’t, so I’m adding the .pdf links:

All About Steve review, page 28
Headline “Being a Working Mother is Now Spousal Abuse,” page 58
Blurb contains the sentence “A judge sentences Chris Brown to serve five years of probation and perform six months of community service for beating Rihanna,” page 30

*The Washington Times produces a similar mini-paper, the Examiner.  I give it a pass because, hey!  It’s the Washington Times!
**If the movie bears any semblance to the review at all, it’s not “almost” misogynistic.”  But zie is headed in the right direction.

“Brian Brown speaks to these people. He has a master’s degree from Oxford, and completed course work for a doctorate in history from UCLA. He shoulders the accusations of bigotry; it’s horrible when people say that your life’s mission is actually just prejudice. He tries to help people see that opposing gay marriage does not make them bigots, that the argument should have nothing to do with hate or fear, and everything to do with history and tradition.

The reason Brian Brown is so effective is that he is pleasantly, ruthlessly sane.”

…

“Brown is confident that if people hear his message, they will believe it. “People already believe it,” he says, “but the issue is so deep-seated that they’ve never had to create an argument for it. Now we have to give people the language to do that.” Create talking points. Help them see. “

Guest Post by MoleWife

So I just finished watching the pilot episode of Glee.  It is a terribly hokey show in the finest traditions of 80’s underdog movies — the only thing it didn’t have is a training montage, and I’m SURE that’s coming.  But it had everything else:

1. Tiny (6-person) underfunded, under-appreciated collection of misfits drawn together by their talent and love of music?  Check.
2. Handsome, popular teacher struggling to keep said glee club alive?  Check.
3. Evil, popular, well-funded football team and cheerleading squad?  With associated evil, territorial, elitist, conformist and ball-busting coaches?  Check.
4. Incredibly talented and well-funded competition doing extreme production numbers to popular songs while we see our misfits rehashing Grease?  Check.
5. Inspiring female friend of glee club teacher who teaches him to follow his passion instead of going for money?  Check.
6. Inspiring journey of hot football player who decides he won’t let conformity and peer pressure keep him away from his love of music?  Check.
7. End on inspiring 80’s song (Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’)?  Check.

And the flip side:

1. “Misfit group” comprises aforementioned football player, beautiful diva pursuing fame at all costs, one disabled boy in a wheelchair, one Asian girl, one African-American Girl (who together make up apparently 66% of the POCs in the entire town) and one gay boy?  Check.
2. Gay kid and disabled kid bullied in completely approved ways?  Check.
3. POC in glee club sassy, fat, and hip?  Check.
4. Gay boy loves his designer clothing and sings soprano?  Check.
5. Inspiring teacher’s wife a lazy, shrill, gold-digging bitch who complains of having to work three 4-hour shifts a week and only wants more THINGS? Check.
6. Other female characters the aforementioned diva (raised by two gay dads, see what happens to you?), emasculating ball-busting cheerleading coach, and pretty young female friend teacher who cries to herself in car over love of hot inspiring male teacher, and hot cheerleader who is head of the celibacy club and bursts into prayer during makeout sessions?  Check.
7. Only other POC in the whole episode an apparently Hispanic worker at a TV “linen’s & things” who is comedically too clumsy and stupid to fold sheets?  Check.

Not to mention that the original glee club teacher is fired for molesting a singing student in an absolutely HYSTERICAL way — see, he was stroking the gay boy’s chest to give him encouragement, and the diva was pissed because he gave the solo to the gay boy SHE should have gotten, so she ratted him out to the principle and AREN’T WOMEN SCHEMING AND UNDERHANDED???

And our sassy fat black chick gets approximately three token lines in the whole episode.  Enough for us to know SHE is BEYONCE, not a BACKGROUND singer.  But she’ll meekly fall back into line for “just this one song.”  But that beats out our Asian chick, who gets one line and a “we’ll figure out what you’re good for” at the very end.** The gay and disabled boys can, quite frankly, sing circles around our hot football player, but they aren’t capable of keeping up vocally with our Diva, for some reason.  And the “next on Glee” preview shows us the shrill bitchy wife lying about being pregnant in order to manipulate her husband to get a job as a CPA instead of a teacher so she can have THREE MAHOGANY TOILET PAPER HOLDERS from Pottery Barn, because Dr. Phil says there’s nothing wrong with wanting THINGS.

And don’t even get me started on the gay ex-teacher as pedophile, or how molesting a student is FUNNY, SEE?

I will probably watch the show.  I’m a sucker for underdog stories and large musical production numbers of any variety.  And this was just a pilot, and there’s a chance the characters will be developed as something other than caricatures.  But some days I honestly have to ask if all TV studios get all their ideas from the Conservative Stereotype Vending Machine(TM).

**Oh, I just read the Asian girl is supposed to be a lesbian.  Clearly, this was indicated by her singing “I kissed a girl” for her audition, since she had no other lines or displayed any evidence of being attracted to women.

What I love abut Sean is he’s proven you can avoid any kind of post-3rd-grade science and still make a living.
Thank god.