Obama does not chop brush--hallelujah!

Mike Madden had a great article in today's Salon about how nice it is that our president is a committed urbanite rather than a pretend country dweller (think Bush II and Reagan chopping brush).  His point was mostly regarding the ramifications that this will have in the government's urban policy.  That's true, but there is also a necessary point to be made about faux populism and the media's willing complicity in presenting a manufactured image of a president as a celebrity.  

Reagan and Bush's supposed love of the outdoors was manufactured to present them as real he-men, when in fact they were no such thing.  Reagan made his fortune in show business (not the manliest of professions) and Bush was a cheerleader at Yale.  In order to appeal to the "muscular" (i.e., homoerotic) conservatism of Joe Sixpack their media handlers ('media advisors' in Washington, or 'stylists' as they're known in Hollywood) decided to present them as regular guys who would rather be wielding a chainsaw than slathering on the pancake makeup for a photo op.  

Once they were out of office, of course, no more need for pretense, and so Reagan could retire to Pacific Palisades and Bush could retire to Preston Hollow.  They must be relieved at no longer being required to go outside and sweat--better to leave that to Jesus (the gardener).  

Mike Madden is right: it's nice to have a president who has no problem showing how much fun it is to live in a big city.  

Rick Perry: Traitor

Rick Perry, fancy-haired governor of Texas, is trying to back off of his recent statements in favor of the secession of Texas from the United States.  Someone has apparently pointed out to Governor Fancy Hair that advocating secession from the Union is an act of treason.  What a stupid Texas dolt (sorry for the redundant phrase).  

It's interesting how wingnuts are the first to revert to love of the Fatherland whenever a liberal--somewhere, anywhere--dares to question the wisdom of some bone-headed US action (you know, like invading a foreign country that never did diddly squat to us).  "Traitor" they cry, soon to be followed by a new, best selling screed from that cocaine and cigarette-addled Gumby-like bulimic Ann Coulter.  

But when wingnuts lose an election (or two), and disagree with the lawfully elected President of the United States, they are the first to start calling for secession from the Union.  Such hypocrites and liars!  Swine and demons!  Imagine their outrage if, after four years of the idiocy of George Bush, followed by his re-election in 2004, Vermonters had begun to call for secession from the Union.  

Stupid big fat (mostly morbidly obese) babies!  It's time they were called on their treasonous speech, and investigated (they could be tried alongside the war criminals in the Bush administration, starting with Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, et al.).  

Oh yeah, don't forget to throw in Todd Palin, who for years supported the Alaska Independence Party, which calls for the secession of Alaska.  

Here's a little history lesson evil Republican fascists:  the question of secession was settled, conclusively, in 1865 by Abraham Lincoln.  Lincoln settled the matter with blood and steel, and anyone who calls for secession from the US defiles the graves of slain service men and women from Gettysburg, to Flanders' fields, to Southeast Asia.  

In some ways it might have been better for the US had the South been allowed to secede, given that it has been a moral, political, cultural, and economic drag on the rest of the country ever since.  But Lincoln won fair and square, and so we are wedded to the Southern Idiocracy for better or worse (mostly worse).

Rick Perry is a coward and a traitor.  So is every Texan who agrees with him.  

 

Christians love torture

Interesting results from the recent Pew poll regarding the correlation between religious-political views and the willingness to torture:  the more religious folks are, the more willing they are to torture.  The less "faithful" a person is (shout out to what Texans refer to as 'secular humanists') the more moral in thought and behavior.  How very quaint and true, as if this is somehow news.

Christians, or, as Baby Fatt refers to them, "christo-fascists", love torture.  People of faith love inflicting pain and suffering on "the other".  They hold their heads high, looking down their long white noses at those whose lifestyles they abhor, enchanted--nee, aroused--by the thoughts of what they would do if they were ever to get one of these "others" in a room, alone.  The implements!  The techniques!  The smells and sounds!  

Never mind, of course, that the person after whom their little faith is named, was wrongly tortured and executed by the state.  Who cares about consistency--much less morality--when there is so much fun to be had!  Thus we have Texas, land of torture and imprisonment, home of the mean, land of the craven.  

Like Nietzsche, I find it necessary to wash my hands after coming into contact with religious people.  I don't care if you worship the Easter bunny, or Zeus, or some desert madman from two thousand years ago.  Just leave Baby Fatt out of your sick faith.  

We are criminals

We are a nation of war criminals.  The American people knew that our government was engaged in torture--i.e., committing war crimes--and most folks (whether of left or of right) could not have cared less.  9/11 so roused the vast majority of our fellow citizens (most of whom would consider themselves to be religious, moral people) that morality and any commitment to justice or decency whatsoever were thrown out the window in a search for blood vengeance.  Understandable? Yes.  Forgivable? Hell no.  

Our nation committed war crimes.  We have blood on our hands.  It sickens me.