For Theresa

Because Theresa likes a story, and I really want her to see the whole thing.

New item on the "Friends" roll

Just recently found out that pal Dave has a blog, Compassionate Warmonger. He's agreed that we won't get into a fight if I take issue with his points here. So will do that later this week.

In the meantime, stroll on over.

Crazy-ass friends

Don't forget to tell them you love them.

Because you do, and because when one of them suffers a tragic loss, you will want to be there for them. Unintentional walls between you will feel really, really bad.

The "Civility Scam"

My crazy-ass friend sent me an email this week (which was nice, thank you). One of the things he said sort of cracked me up,

I had actually never seen your website before that day and I was a bit shocked by the tone of it. I suppose I shouldn't have been, as it is typical of tone found at most Leftwing blogs.

Ah. The tone thing.

I responded that I figured I'd seem mild to someone who hangs out at LGF and links to Malkin, but there you go. No accounting for subjective preception.

Anyway, FDL has a bit on the "Civility Scam" this morning, a short one, but still rings close to home.

To my Libertarian friends

The husband rightly says, "There's no way you could call yourself a "Libertarian" or a "Constitutionalist" and vote to continue Bush policies." (Did I mention that, in our naive 20s, we were both, briefly, registered Libertarians?)

So vote Bob Barr. If your convictions are worth anything.

On crazy-ass friends

On a long drive today, and I thought I should humbly add to the post below.

I'm a suburban middle-aged white woman, and I've never been to a war zone. I am one of the people one might see at a demonstration photographed by Ringo, of course, and I don't want to sound overly pious about it.

I'm not a veteran or a minister, and I don't mean to hide my opinions behind others. My opinions are my own, and not necessarily enobled by the fact that I've stood next to farm workers, immigrants, veterans, Gold Star family members, etc. Nor do I mean to imply that ALL people who belong to any of the above groups would agree with me. I've been out enough, and met enough people, to know that that isn't the case. (and I have witnessed some really great dialogue between opposing sides, which will always inspire me.)

I do hate it when people pretend that those groups do not exist in opposition to the current state of affairs, that they're "phonies", that they are somehow less valid or patriotic or whatever than, say, the President.

I just get my back up because I don't like to see them ignored.

New category: Crazy-ass Friends

We've all got them, and we love them, and we shake our heads or laugh uncomfortably loudly when they give voice to their delusions.

So, here's one of mine.

Ringo, as he prefers to be called on the web, attends LA area demonstrations and takes photos and posts them. Which is lovely. Except that he professes complete disdain for the people he's photographing and their demonstrations.

Which is, of course, his right.

And he refrains from writing truly hateful things about his subjects, mostly, which I appreciate.

Still, having attended one or two demonstrations in my time, I feel the need to point out some fallacies in his views.

1: When the anrchists show up, it isn't usually at the invitation of the organizing groups, and focusing doesn't (usually) provide an accurate representation of the vast majority of people in attendance.
2: Red is not an evil color. And the cold war is over, so the word "commie" doesn't really carry the weight it once did, even in paranoid circles.
3: While ANSWER does often pull the permits for anti-Iraq war protests, the groups who show up will represent a broad picture of the American landscape, if you care to notice. Churches and religious organizations, veterans groups, community groups, mothers and fathers and retirees (most of them not "old hippies"). And do you really think the sign which read "So many hippies, so few grenades" was a witty counter to such a gathering?
4: I know anything that looks mid-eastern freaks you out (I note the links to Malkin and Schlussel in your sidebar), but your fear is nothing but intellectual and moral laziness.

I have a friend, he's Palestinian/Lebanese. An American citizen, father, business owner, salt of the earth. He lost a brother to al Qaeda when they bombed the complex where he lived in Saudi Arabia. His family is mostly still in Lebanon.

And do you think he'd have been carrying an anti-zionist poster at such a march? Flying the flag of Palestine? Yeah, he probably would. Because his family and their neighbors are directly influenced by US and Israeli policy in the region, and he detects no mainstream concern for the destruction of those people, their communities, their homes. And he wants you to know: when Hamas moves into a destroyed neighborhood and starts handing out food and medical services, and offering security, the people take it. And that's how Hamas' influence grows, and sitting in the US complaining about extremism and doing nothing to stabalize the safety of these communities will not bring about peace or justice.

So, my friend, take your pictures and send your little green friends over to my blog when you have the inclination. But know this:
You can call me a moon bat, but I was right about Iraq and you were wrong.

You can make fun of all the hippies who protest Bush administration foreign policy, but some of those "hippies" are veterans, or loved ones of dead soldiers. It's pretty disgusting to pretend they don't exist. It's summer now, so maybe you should take a trip down to Santa Monica and have a word with some of the vets who keep the Arlington West memorial up every weekend. Maybe you can explain to them how they're misguided moon bats with BDS.

And finally, your privelaged suburban upbringing has shielded you from a lot of pain. Be grateful for that. But don't presume to judge how others respond to their experiences.

You always seemed to be the kind of guy who understood that.