It's the same in any lingo

בַּת-בָּבֶל, הַשְּׁדוּדָה: אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם-לָךְ-- אֶת-גְּמוּלֵךְ, שֶׁגָּמַלְתּ לָנוּ
אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחֵז וְנִפֵּץ אֶת-עֹלָלַיִךְ-- אֶל-הַסָּלַע


How can one be compelled to accept slavery? I simply refuse to do the master's bidding. He may torture me, break my bones to atoms and even kill me. He will then have my dead body, not my obedience. Ultimately, therefore, it is I who am the victor and not he, for he has failed in getting me to do what he wanted done. ~ Mahatma Gandhi
If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am I? If not now, when? ~ Rav Hillel, Pirke Avot

This Red Sea Pedestrian Stands against Judeophobes

This Red Sea Pedestrian Stands against Judeophobes
Wear It With Pride

30 January 2009

Time Out

Well dear friends, the time has come for a much needed break.  OMV will be dormant for a week or so while we rest our hearts, souls, and heads.  It's been a tough week...hell, it's been a tough year, and this blogger needs to decompress.  But not to fear, I'll be back rested and ready next week.  There will certainly be a lot to bitch about, and plenty of asshats to bust.  Speaking of which, what can you say about Resident Lincoln Jr. Jr. who decries Wall Street for handing out $18 billion in bonuses while getting ready to hand these same asshats another $2 trillion out of our pockets?  The phrase, "Go blow asshat" comes to mind.

We are about to enter a free fall plunge...



Meanwhile, the newest member of our family is also taking a much needed break, recuperating from spay surgery.  You'll just have to wait for some pictures as she's a bit camera shy at the moment, and who can blame her.  But she's already won the heart of her doctors with her sweet little face.  

So hang in there.  Keep your eyes on the ball, your shoulders to the wheel, your ears to the ground, and get your hands out of your pockets and turn on your lovelight!





28 January 2009

The Seal of Approval

This morning we brought Isabel's sister to the shelter to meet a dog we met yesterday.  Her shelter name is Ellie.  She's bubbly, bright eyed, and loves to hug and kiss.  We see much of the Isabel in her and felt she would be a young, playful companion for our other girl who loves to romp around.  Ellie made it clear, as Isabel did, that we are to be her family, showering us with hugs and kisses as Isabel did all those years ago.

We got them together this morning.  They got along fine.  Ellie was a little rude early on, but she got shown her place and she accepted it right away.  The seal of approval has been given, as it was when Isabel approved her sister.

She will be ready for adoption on Friday.  Though a part of us has been torn away, and will never be fully whole, Ellie will be a wonderful addition to the family, and bring with her some of the light that was Isabel, a much needed thing for all of us here.

So, we take some comfort in knowing that as Isabel's spirit now is among us, we are saving a new life.  In fact, we are saving three.  Ellie was to become a foster dog.  Now her foster slot will be open to another dog that can move out of the shelter, opening two kennels for new dogs that just need a chance to find their families.  We know this is what Isabel wants.

I also want to say thank you to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, good wishes, emails, and phone calls.  It's really meant a lot.  Thank you.

26 January 2009

My Angel Girl Is Gone. All Things Must Pass.

 I received a call earlier this afternoon from my girlfriend.  She was frantic and in tears.  She had let my dogs out to go to the bathroom and play outside in the fenced yard in front of our house.  She went inside to use the bathroom.  In the few minutes there was someone came knocking on the door.  She dashed out to see who it was.  It was our next door neighbor who had brought the dead body of my dog Isabel Roverandom to our yard.  She had been struck by a car and killed instantly.  Our gates were closed.  There was no sign of them digging themselves out.  It is highly unlikely that they both managed to climb over the fence.  We suspect they might have been let out by some asshole in our neighborhood.  We just don't know [we now know that they dug their way out].  

The only thing I do know is that my best friend, the sweetest most loving dog that has ever lived, was killed by someone speeding down our quiet street, who didn't even have the decency to stop.  Because of someone's desire to get somewhere, on our going to nowhere street, my dog is dead.  I will never get to snuggle her, or sleep with her, walk with her, or play with her again.

I am beside myself with grief.  I was supposed to have more time.  I was supposed to watch her grow old.  I was supposed to have my dog alive when I came home today so she could jump all over me, and shower me with her hugs and kisses, which she did when we first met and she told me that I was going to be her dad.  Now she'll never be here to hug me again.

Her sister, who was also out, is unharmed physically.  I gave her chance to see Isabel's body.  She sniffed and kissed her, and growled some, wondering why she wouldn't get up.  I wept over her body for I don't know how long. 

She was my first dog.  She had terrible separation anxiety and required a lot of training, and medicine to help her get over it.  But adopting her sister is what really made the difference.  They healed each other.  Both had their issues; separation anxiety, and an early life of abuse and neglect.  They became fast friends, thick as thieves, as we all were in our pack.  Now one of us is gone, and my heart is broken.

We have made arrangements for her to be buried at a place she loved, and where we can visit her as much as we want.  We thought about burying her at our home, but nowhere is permanent and the thought of us moving away and leaving her with strangers is just something I couldn't live with.  She will be buried in a place of fond memories, grounds kept by people who cared for her and loved her.  

We have already decided that the best way to honor her is to begin, when we're ready, to foster dogs from the local shelter where Isabel was when I adopted her.  If we find one who fits our family, and is universally loved by all the furry members, then that dog will have a forever home with us.

Isabel, I love you with all my heart and soul and will always, but it will never compare to the love you gave to me.  You taught me more about myself than I could have ever learned on my own: the nature of love, and that even in a world populated by greedy, selfish, assholes who would just as soon slit your throat and burn your house down, there are souls on this earth who know no malice, who are devoid of guile, and who can touch our spirits and enliven us in ways we could not possibly have imagined.  You were one of those souls.  Your sister is as well.  If I ever encounter another with one tenth of your brilliance then I will consider myself blessed.

I love you more than words can tell, and that will never change.  Time heals all wounds they say, but no matter where I go, or what I do, the love you brought will remain with me.  And one day, we will meet again in that far green country, 'neath the swift sunrise.  

Travel safely my angel.  Watch over your sister, and all of us.  And if you can, beam some of that boundless love you gave into every living soul so that maybe this world will begin to turn around.

I love you.

To my readers:  I will be taking some time to be with my family, and to grieve.  I'll share some memories of my girl with you too.  Then it will be right back to fight.


25 January 2009

The Resident Knows Not What He's Doing: The Middle East


Resident Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr. seems to want to make good on his promise to meet with our enemies, without preconditions, in the hopes of accomplishing what?  According to the the UK Telegraph, he wants to meet with Syria in the hopes of tearing them away from Iran's sphere of influence.  A noble cause to be sure, but this notion only goes to demonstrate that the Resident has not one clue as to how the map in the region looks.

For years now Syria has been a conduit for Iranian arms and funding to Iran's surrogate army in Lebanon, Hezbollah.  This relationship went full steam ahead after the collapse of Syria's traditional benefactor, the USSR.  Equipped with rotting Soviet equipment, with no new direct source for resupply, the obvious partner to embrace was Iran, who was more than willing to engage in deals with Syria, which already had de facto control over Lebanon, a common necessity in Damascus' and Tehran's common goal of eliminating Israel, as Syria no longer has a directly accessible border with Israel due to its loss of the Golan Heights.  A land invasion via Syria into Israel is now all but a complete impossibility due to the UN run DMZ between the two countries that was created in 1974 to maintain the ceasefire.

Let's look at two issues that should immediately start ringing bells for those interested in maintaining the security of the United States.

First, what could Martin Luther Lincoln possibly offer the Syrians to get them to walk away from Iran?
  1. Money
  2. Weapons
  3. The Golan
Now anyone in their right mind would wonder why we would give money to an essentially rogue country like Syria that harbors and funds terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, both sworn to destroy Israel.  From where I sit that's a conflict of security interest, considering Israel is essentially the only thing standing between Jihadists and Europe, one of the main reasons why many Europeans turned out in the streets to show support for Israel during Operation Cast Lead.

Aside from this, there is another major fallacy in the Resident's thinking.  Syria is not part of Iran's sphere of influence as much as it is under Russia's, as is Iran to a certain extent.  It is Russia that is building Iran's nuclear reactor, and supplying fuel.  Though this is a tiger by the tail situation because it is not in Russia's interests for Iran to have the bomb.  They've been playing this badly, while trying to rebuild Russian influence in Middle East (maybe this has something to do with the continuing mess in Chechnya...whoops!...as well as increasing tensions with the U.S. which Russia would rather not do as it quietly reclaims its regional dominance).  

It is Syria that has negotiated arms deals with Russia in the past year.  And most recently Russia has been talking with Damascus regarding use of the Syrian port of Tartus for Russian naval vessels, already a resupply and maintenance site for the Russian navy (the only port it has use of in the Mediterranean).  The Russian lease on Sevastapol, the Crimean home of the Black Sea Fleet is set to expire in 2017.  Though I suspect that Russia intends to seize the Crimea and thus have de facto control over Ukraine, Tartus could serve as an alternative, though it is far from mother Russia.  Regardless, Russia would love to have a home in the Mediterranean and Tartus is the logical place.  El-Latakia is reportedly going to be fitted with a floating pier, and expanded as well (Israel is obviously not happy about the weapons sales, or the increased Russian naval presence.  The last thing Israel wants is to be drawn into an international conflict that could potentially be precipitated by Russian aggression in Crimea and Ukraine.).

The only thing I could see Martin Luther Lincoln offering Syria that Russia can't is the compromising of Israel's security vis a vis the Golan, which Israel should never, ever give back under any circumstances.  As you can see from the map, it is suicide for Israel not only from a military point of view (Syria regularly shelled northern Israel from the Golan, driving Israelis into bomb shelters for years, like Hamas has been doing in southern Israel, only far worse), but due to the fact that Syria would control the water.  Got news for ya Damascus, ain't gonna happen cap'n.  And the Druze of the Golan, whom Syria likes to say miss their old home, would prefer to be under Israeli control it seems, and I can't say that I blame them, though many are separated from family because of the border.  I have been saying for quite some time that my fear is that Martin Luther Lincoln's Mideast policy is predicated on selling Israel up the Jordan without a paddle.  This will be a major test to that theory (I don't expect Syria to bite, but they will certainly take any money we offer and give nothing to us in return). 

Do you think the Resident has any clue as to this shift with Syria and Russia?  Guess what I think?  I think if he had to meet face to face with Putin, Dear Leader's testicles would recede.  Fortunately he picked a Secretary of State with "testicular fortitude."  

Hold onto your butts.  This is not going to be pretty.

24 January 2009

The Italian Communist

Much a doo doo has been made about Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr., his socialist leanings, his presidency marking the end of all life in the known universe...

I think this joke, told to me many years ago illustrates just what kind of socialist Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr. is.

An American reporter was sent to post-war Italy to report on the various political factions that were emerging.  On this particular day he was interviewing a member of the Italian Communist Party.  The conversation went like this:

So let me get this straight...if you have two houses you'll keep one for yourself, and give the other to the state?

Si...I give one to that state, and keep one for a myself.

And if you had two cars you'd keep one for yourself and give the other one to the state?

Si...I give one car to the state and keep one a for a myself.

And if you had two horses you'd keep one for yourself and give one to the state?

Si...I give one horse to the state and I keep one a for a myself.

And if you had two shirts you'd keep one for yourself and give the other to the state?

No.

No?

No.

I don't understand...you'd give an extra house, an extra car, and extra horse...why not an extra shirt?

Well a...I got a two shirts.

If you buy a mansion in Hyde Park you're not planning on redistributing wealth to the poor...you're redistributing it to yourself, and your Hyde Park friends.

So America, how you lovin' Bush III?  Having fun yet?

23 January 2009

Gaza Strawberry Fields? Nothing Is Real

Ladyboomer forwarded this article from Ynet to me the other day.

Here's the meat:
What really is behind the numbers reported on the number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip? Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reported Thursday that a doctor working in Gaza's Shifa Hospital claimed that Hamas has intentionally inflated the number of casualties resulting from Israel's Operation Cast Lead.
"The number of deceased stands at no more than 500 to 600. Most of them are youths between the ages of 17 to 23 who were recruited to the ranks of Hamas, who sent them to the slaughter," according to the newspaper article.
snip
Despite the claims, the IDF stood behind its estimate that between 1,100 to 1,200 people were killed in the Strip during the fighting, more than two-thirds of them Hamas members.

The army initially believed that the number of civilian casualties was higher, as many Hamas men walked outside their houses dressed in civilian clothes, leaving their weapons at home.
snip
A Tal al-Hawa resident told the newspaper's reporter, "Armed Hamas men sought out a good position for provoking the Israelis. There were mostly teenagers, aged 16 or 17, and armed. They couldn't do a thing against a tank or a jet. They knew they are much weaker, but they fired at our houses so that they could blame Israel for war crimes."

The reporter for the Italian newspaper also quoted reporters in the Strip who told of Hamas' exaggerated figures, "We have already said to Hamas commanders – why do you insist on inflating the number of victims?"

These same reporters mentioned that the truth that will come out is likely to be similar to what occurred in Operation Defensive Shield in Jenin. "Then, there was first talk of 1,500 deaths. But then it turned out that there were only 54, 45 of which were armed men," the Palestinian reporters told the Italian newspaper.

I remember the Jenin incident well, and that the UN had to eat it when the truth came out.
The simple fact of the matter is that we are not going to know the truth about the number of dead, just as we do not know the truth about much that goes on in this conflict.  When the Israeli government censors information, and Hamas and the PA just flagrantly make shit up, in the end you never know who is crying wolf and who isn't.

As I said when this conflict began, there is no black and white here.  Everything is gray but for a few things.  Those are:
  1. Hamas and Fatah are not interested in a two state solution.  To them there is only one solution...no more Israel.
  2. Israel will do what it must to survive.
  3. As long as number 1 is true there will never be peace.
In her welcome comments, Secretary Clinton spoke of the "two-state solution."  We will soon know if this is rhetoric, or if she understands the reality of #1.  When will we know?  When we start hearing talk of creating legitimate Palestinian political institutions.  Until we hear this from her, everything public is a dog and pony show designed to keep people from killing each other at the moment.  

What we can say is that with the appointing of George Mitchell and Richard Holbrooke, Secretary Clinton is serious about handling the parties in Israel and the territories, as well as India and Pakistan.  That's good news, because there is a lot more at stake than simply Israel's survival, the improvement of life for Palestinians, and peace in the region.  She is not screwing around.

Kindasleezy Rice actually believed in the two state solution, and I believe she considered Abbas a genuine actor in the process.  I expect that we will be seeing signs as to how Secretary Clinton sees him soon.  This is a situation that needs to be massaged carefully.  And nothing is really going to happen until after the Israeli elections.  If Netanyahu wins, Clinton is going to have item #1 pointed out to her very quickly, though I suspect that by now, she understands this reality.

Netanyahu will discuss nothing of any substance if Fatah/PA is supposed to be the one coming to the table.  Hamas is a non-starter for final status talks as far as he's concerned.  And frankly, I don't think the two-state solution is even an option in his mind.

If I were her I'd say the first step in moving forward is two-fold.  Dealing with immediate infrastructure needs on behalf of Palestinians, while simultaneously building new political institutions not based on the failed notion of destroying Israel.  There is no moving forward without the latter, and from what I've heard from Clinton so far, the former is key to achieving the long term goals there.  She has made it quite clear at State, and at USAID, that development is essential to promoting American security interests.  Translation: helping countries have more profitable economic ventures than violence and terror is good for America.  I couldn't agree more.  But I would be very hesitant to undertake any sweeping development plan in the territories when they are controlled by terror kelptocracies.  They must be swept away for there to be any long term success, or security.  Secretary Clinton would do well to lean on Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to help make this happen.  The Saudis have been big time funders of the terror regimes.  It's time they started pumping in investment capital for legitimate industries.  Terror is not plan, and does not look good on a resume′ (unless you're looking for a job with al-qaeda).

The question is how far can this development be taken.  Places like Afghanistan, Africa, the territories, need to develop strong economic engines.  This means not simply improving the quality of life for ordinary people, but generating new, thriving economic powerhouses to revitalize and maintain global capitalist systems.  Ours are about to be devastated by Congressional stupidity in what asshats like Soros think is going to be a controlled economic collapse.  I think it's going to be more like a balloon sputtering and flipping out of control until it flops to the ground.  

The territories are relatively easy in that I suspect there are Israeli companies that would be willing to invest in job creation within the West Bank, if these investments were safe guarded by legitimate Palestinian political institutions.  It is my understanding that Netanyahu sees economic development as the vital step.  But again, Israel cannot sustain the territories as an economic canton dependent on Israeli investment.  But this is the best way of achieving a one-state solution/federation (the only long term solution that's viable and will make everyone happy.  We don't have a united Ireland either, but I feel that day is coming.).  I honestly have not fully researched his current positions as I've been a little busy dealing with Gaza, and Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr.

I'd be having a very frank conversation with Mr. Abbas that basically says, "You either lead the way to building the new Palestinian body politic, or consider yourself put out to pasture." There's nothing a kleptocrat fears more than being cut off from the teat.

Carrots and sticks, baby.  Carrots and sticks.

As far as I'm concerned, everything of any real interest is going to be happening out of Foggy Bottom.  The crap that Congress and Martin Luther King Jr. Jr. are trying to pull; collapsing our economy, etc.  That's very much out of our hands and we're just going to have to figure on how we're going to ride that out.  But how we handle our foreign affairs, what we cultivate, what we sew, that's going to tell the tale as to what will be left once the storm has passed.  Will there be a lifeboat or an anvil?  I have a feeling that will be a better indicator as to how devastated things could become.  Basically it's the difference between being fucked, and being as fucked as fucked can be.



Not So Fast Panzi (UPDATE 2: Gillibrand Takes The Cheese)

Congratulations SENATOR Gillibrand.  I couldn't be more pleased that you are replacing Hillary Clinton as New York's junior Senator.  I'm not from NY so I can screw off, but from what I know, the Gov. made the right choice.  Roll up your sleeves and put on your waders.  The shit is deep.  Go forth, and kick ass!

Just thought I'd bump this up as it looks like Rep. Gillibrand is getting Hillary's seat.  I think New Yorkers have a lot to be happy about if this is how it goes.  I know a lot of you like Maloney.  But you'll be thankful later that there's another Blue Dog in the Senate while Dirty Harry is trying to give away all your money to Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr.


When I think about Caroline Kennedy's campaign to essentially buy Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, with the currency of culted personality, I cannot help but think of the joke my father tells about a soldier named Panzi. The C.O. has gotten word that Private Panzi's mother has past away. Knowing that Panzi loved his mother very much he struggled to find the most sensitive way to tell him the bad news. After wracking his brain for hours he left his office, lined up his men and said, "All those who think their mother is still alive take one step forward...not so fast Panzi!"

I never said the joke was particularly funny, but "not so fast Panzi" was our standard line when societal villains and other ne'er do wells who thought they were going to walk away with the cheese ended up having a bucket of tzuris (which is Yiddish for big trouble).

The media, as has been illustrated here, has been steadily beating the drum for Caroline Kennedy. Harry Reid thinks she's da bomb force. Mysteriously she has become highly qualified. Well, she does have more money than the rest of us. But overlooked by the media is the fact that the Governor of New York (remember him Harry? He's the guy who actually gets to make this decision), isn't exactly hot on the heiress to Camelot.

According to The New York Post, Patterson feels that Kennedy,
"doesn’t have the personality to be an aggressive fighter in the Senate on behalf of the state’s increasingly desperate need for federal financial help."
And picking Andrew Cuomo could remove possible opposition for Patterson in 2010.

But I'm not interested in either Kennedy or Cuomo. In fact, as a policy I am avoiding the dross of this situation, and taking a closer look at the woman that Clinton supporters in the state seem to be getting behind; Kirsten Gillibrand. Let's take a look at what a qualified candidate for the New York Senate seat looks like.

22 January 2009

Screw Pampers! This Is The Leader of the Free World

Waking Up in Czarist America

The economy is shedding jobs rapidly.  Manufacturing jobs are becoming more and more scarce.  Retail businesses, national names, are closing stores, or closing for good.  The satellite jobs of those businesses; delivery, construction, security, warehousing...they will be drying up as well.  The next round of ARM adjustments are coming.  People are losing their shirts, their homes, their savings, their hope.  So what does Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr. do?  He has himself a $170 million inauguration festivus just to make sure we remember...in case we forgot...that he's the first African American President (we can't say 1st Black President because that would remind everyone of Bill Clinton, the guy who has done, and continues to do more for Black Americans, and Africans for that matter, than Lincoln Jr. Jr. has ever done, or will ever do...being the first African American Resident doesn't count, especially when he is so scrupulously unethical). 

And what do the executives of the corporations who are getting billions in our tax dollars to "rescue" themselves from their own greed, shortsightedness, and poor management do?  Well, if you're John Thain of Merrill Lynch, you give your office a $1.2 million redux...because like Cybill Shepherd, who brought down the wrath of con on the Palin family with her judgement that Bristol was being forced to have her child and marry the husband against her will, he's worth it.

He also handed out a big fat round of bonuses a month before he was scheduled to, and did so just before Merrill, one of the companies we're supposed to feel sorry for but don't, was to be taken over by Bank of America.

Well, it looks like somebody took a few seconds to lift their little piggy head out of the money trough to notice, and Thain resigned (got shit canned) today.  Thank you Mr. Thain for playing.  There will be no parting gifts for you.  No Rice-a-Roni the San Francisco treat, and no case of Turtle Wax. 

This is what happens when your corrupt Congress, the chamber of assholes who are the real reason why this bullshit is happening in the first place, and the last people we should be allowing to affect a solution, takes our money against our will do be dispensed without any oversight, without any accountability.

And guess what?  The Financial Times reports that Bank of America KNEW about the bonuses being doled out, prior to the merger, all of this coming out as Bank of America went hat in hand for more bailout money.  So what's the thrust?  BoA knew about the bonuses, totaling between 3-4 billion bucks, and then begged for more of our money, when that bonus money should have stayed right the fuck where it was.  Now I'm sure that some Wall Street douchebags will say that 3-4 billion is no big deal.  Guess what fuckers?  When you're us, and actually have to work for a living, that's a lot of fucking money.

It was also announced that in the fourth quarter of 2008, already bleeding Merrill shat $1.79 billion in losses.  So yeah, December was the perfect time to hand out $4 billion in bonuses.  Whoops!

But don't worry, Bank of America was able to go through with this spectacular, financially sound deal with the help of $138 Billion in government "assistance," and another $45 billion in "Rescue" cash.

If you think this Thain thing is bad, think about the billions that are getting flushed away that YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO KNOW ABOUT.  

Good morning America we're fucked.

I know one thing: if this was Transylvania, we'd be debating the merits of a good old fashioned riot (and I think I can get confirmation on that).  Too bad this is America, where everyone's happy as long as they can watch American Idol. 

21 January 2009

Guest Essay for Fifty-one Percent: Right is of No Sex

It was an honor to be asked by my dear friend and colleague, Heidi Li Feldman, to write the first invited guest essay for her new organization, 51 Percent.  It is an organization whose mission I believe is vital to achieving the goal of universal human rights.  On this day, when we stand in the shadow of a lie that has been sold to the American public, the marketing of a man who would have himself seen as Lincoln or King, but who could not possibly be further in character and deed from either, it is fitting to remember the origins of the women's movement, and an African American whose deeds matched his words: Frederick Douglass.  I hope you will take some time to go to the 51 Percent website, expand your horizons, and understand that working for the full representation of women in our society, and the ending of misogyny, are vital to achieving the goal of a truly humane society.

Fundamentally, America is a rights-based society. The notion that our rights are unalienable, that we are in possession of them from the moment we are born, is written into our nation’s Magna Carta: the Declaration of Independence. As Jefferson wrote, “All men are created equal,” and we are entitled to the unobstructed application of those rights; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as well as others elaborated on in that document. It is with our consent that government is endowed with the power to govern over us to insure our safety and happiness, and it is our indefeasible right to dismantle and dissolve the bonds with any governmental system that fails to do so, be it by democratic action, or by force of arms, as was done when the thirteen colonies declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776.

Further elaboration of our rights vis-a-vis the newly formed republic, framed by the Constitution of the United States, was set down in the Bill of Rights. Whether we as citizens of this republic choose to defend those rights, or allow the federal government to usurp and dissolve them is entirely up to us, as our social contract with our government is clearly defined in the Declaration of Independence. Our governmental institutions function with our consent, and it is entirely within our right to alter or dissolve them.

For fifty-seven years, while the new nation grew, the notion that those unalienable rights, and those later defined, applied to men, specifically white males of age, and in possession of deeded property. But what of the rights of women? All men are created equal? Were women not also endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights? Surely they must have been in possession of rights beyond accepting their non-place in American society, beyond consenting to be ruled by a government that ruled by the consent of the men only. In 1848, at the invitation of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, three hundred women, and eighty men, gathered in Seneca Falls to declare it so.

The Declaration of Sentiments, written by Stanton, closely mirrored the Declaration of Independence, not only declaring that all men and all women are created equal, but that they too possess the power to dissolve the bonds with a government that was acting against their interests, and without their consent. The Declaration of Sentiments also made it plain that the history of human society was one of the subjugation, and the enslavement of women. It was bold, an indisputable act of bravery, and initiated the longest ongoing revolution in the history of Western society, one that is still being fought today, not only in America, but around the world.

But even in the midst of this singular moment in history, the moment that women, though relatively few in number, stood up with the men who supported them, and declared their equality, they still continued to question their self worth, and the prudence of actually demanding those rights, to demand that if they are to be governed that it should be with their consent; that the women of America too should possess the right to vote. What must it have been like to be a woman at that time, to be so relegated to the steerage, that one would hesitate, and equivocate their own declaration of their rights? Ironically, when it came to deciding to include the demand for women’s suffrage in the Declaration of Sentiments, it was a man who was largely responsible for that clause to be included. His name was Frederick Douglass.

As a prominent abolitionist, Douglass was no stranger to the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. No surprise then that the masthead of his newspaper, The North Star, bore the slogan, “Right is of no sex - Truth is of no color - God is the Father of us all, and we are all Brethren.” The prominent role that women took in the cause of abolition was not lost on Douglass, and inspired him to embrace the struggle for their equality. In fact, it was their involvement in abolition that sparked the women’s rights movement. Mott and Stanton famously met in London in 1840, having both been shut out of an abolitionist convention because of their sex, and it was then that they first spoke of holding a convention to address the rights of women.

Douglass was acutely aware that the key to achieving justice for black people in America was suffrage. Why would this be any different for women? In History of Woman Suffrage, Stanton and others recalled Douglass stating, “A woman should have every honorable motive to exertion which is enjoyed by man, to the full extent of her capacities and endowments. The case is too plain for argument. Nature has given woman the same powers, and subjected her to the same earth, breathes the same air, subsists on the same food, physical, moral, mental and spiritual. She has, therefore, an equal right with man, in all efforts to obtain and maintain a perfect existence.”

It is obvious to me in 2009 that it is a ludicrous notion at best that, nearly 161 years after Seneca Falls, the rights of women are still so abused and unrecognized that they feel they must finish the push to pass the Equal Rights Amendment which, in the end, does nothing more than make it the law of the land that women be fully entitled to the same status and legal protections as men, a right that every woman is born with, a right that no government has the power to deny because, as it is stated in our most sacred canon; we are all created equal. What kind of society are we when women, fifty-one percent of the population, must actually struggle for the legal recognition of what is already theirs by birthright? A civilized society it is not. But as Douglass notably stated at the Seneca Falls convention, “Woman, like the colored man, will never be taken by her brother and lifted to a position. What she desires she must fight for.” And fight they have.

The struggle did not stop with the gaining of the right to vote, an emotionally and physically brutal campaign that cost many women their lives. It continues on today, here in the United States, and around the world where women are victims of abuse at the hands of corrupt military establishments, and at the hands of the men with whom they reside. We are assaulted with images in magazines of women in bondage, while in the United States and around the world they are sold into slavery. And what can women expect from the incoming President, a man whose campaign broadcast Jay Z’s “99 Problems” the night he defeated Hillary Clinton in the Iowa Caucus, a man whose chief speech writer, Jon Favreau, published a picture of himself recreating an image of what happens to women on college campuses across this country; being forced to drink alcohol while being fondled, groped, and worse? If I were a woman I would expect the same indifference and blatant misogyny that has become part and parcel of the lives of women throughout history, in spite of MS magazine claiming that the President-elect is “what a feminist looks like.” As a man, and a feminist, I can assure the editors of MS Magazine that the President-elect is not what a feminist looks like. Au contraire mes amis, he is what a misogynist looks like. Again, it is ironic then that he would be depicted on hats, t-shirts, and baby bibs alongside Douglass, a man that, if he were alive, might likely be appalled by the deplorable way the Obama campaign treated Hillary Clinton, and Sarah Palin. As Douglass said, what you desire you must fight for. In order to achieve that goal, America will need an education.

America is going to have to learn what misogyny is, and that the hatred of women, the hatred of more than half the people on this planet, is acted upon every day in a not so silent act of collective genocide, where women are victims of rape, honor killings, torture, and enslavement every day in virtually every country.

The effecting of this education is the driving force behind the founding of 51 Percent, a growing necessity, as the attitudes that create the atmosphere in which misogyny is a fact of life around the globe are so pervasive, so accepted, that many are unaware that the condition even exists. The world must be taught in order for this to end. And women must fight for what they desire.

In order for real equity, for real presence, for a real shift in culture, women must not be worried about what is prudent as they were in 1848. There is far too much at stake. Women, and the men who support them, should be fighting for women to be represented in every area of our society, in direct proportion to their population: 51%. When women are fully represented in government, in the private sector, in our educational and professional institutions, perhaps then misogyny will fade. Perhaps then women will not have to fear what they are coming home to, or what is coming home to them. Perhaps this nation will do as Dr. King had hoped when he spoke in Memphis the night before his murder; that America should live up to what it said on paper.

This road may not be traveled with ease. This cause may not be well received. But it is one that must be taken up. How could anyone who accepts their rights as unalienable sit idly by when the majority are kept from fully exercising those rights? As with all new movements there comes a degree of doubt, a degree of trepidation. This was true at Seneca Falls when a man had to stand and be the voice saying suffrage is your right, you must claim it.

In April of 1888 Douglass addressed the International Council of Women in Washington, D.C. He reminisced about the convention at Seneca Falls, and made it clear that ultimately it was women who had to take the lead in the fight for their equality, in the struggle for justice. As this newest endeavor in the struggle for the fulfillment of the Declaration of Sentiments is engaged, Douglass’ words seem more poignant than ever.

Ever since this Council has been in session, my thoughts have been reverting to the past. I have been thinking more or less, of the scene presented forty years ago in the little Methodist church at Seneca Falls, the manger in which this organized suffrage movement was born. It was very small thing then. It was not then big enough to be abused, or loud enough to make itself heard outside, and only a few of those who saw it had any notion that the little thing would live. I have been thinking, too, of the strong conviction, the noble courage, the sublime faith in God and man it required at that time to set this suffrage ball in motion. The history of the world has given to us many sublime undertakings, but none more sublime than this. It was a great thing for the friends of peace to organize in opposition to war; it was a great thing for the friends of temperance to organize against intemperance; it was a great thing for humane people to organize in opposition to slavery; but it was a much greater thing, in view of all the circumstances, for woman to organize herself in opposition to her exclusion from participation in government. The reason is obvious. War, intemperance and slavery are open, undisguised, palpable evils. The best feelings of human nature revolt at them. We could easily make men see the misery, the debasement, the terrible suffering caused by intemperance; we could easily make men see the desolation wrought by war and the hell-black horrors of chattel slavery; but the case was different in the movement for woman suffrage. Men took for granted all that could be said against intemperance, war and slavery. But no such advantage was found in the beginning of the cause of suffrage for women. On the contrary, everything in her condition was supposed to be lovely, just as it should be. She had no rights denied, no wrongs to redress. She herself had no suspicion but that all was going well with her. She floated along on the tide of life as her mother and grandmother had done before her, as in a dream of Paradise. Her wrongs, if she had any, were too occult to be seen, and too light to be felt. It required a daring voice and a determined hand to awake her from this delightful dream and call the nation to account for the rights and opportunities of which it was depriving her. It was well understood at the beginning that woman would not thank us for disturbing her by this call to duty, and it was known that man would denounce and scorn us for such a daring innovation upon the established order of things. But this did not appall or delay the word and work.

At this distance of time from that convention at Rochester, and in view of the present position of the question, it is hard to realize the moral courage it required to launch this unwelcome movement. Any man can be brave when the danger is over, go to the front when there is no resistance, rejoice when the battle is fought and the victory is won; but it is not so easy to venture upon a field untried with one-half the whole world against you, as these women did.

In 2009, nearly one hundred twenty-one years after Douglass spoke those words, women are more than half the world. It is time to finish the fight for what you desire.

20 January 2009

So Long Shrub! Don't Bang Your Head on Marine One On Your Way Out

As we once again go into "let's call my dog the President because that's better than reality" mode, let us take a moment to say good-bye to our now former bungler-in-chief.  To his credit he managed to not accidently launch a nuclear...I'm sorry...NUCULAR...strike against France, Scandinavia, or anywhere else, at least not that has been reported.

And so, in fitting tribute to the ex-Buffoon-in-Chief I give you Dave's final tribute to "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches:



So long Shrubby, and the devil we knew.  Now we're stuck with the demon we don't.

Crap!

Let's See Action! (UPDATE)

I thought it was time to bump this up.  I realized that I didn't reproduce all the lyrics, and never got around to fixing it, so here it is again.  Play it loud, sing it proud.  The time has come for action.  Let's be free and see who cares.


Take a moment to see rock masters at work; the Who performing "Let's See Action!"  There are more anthemic versions out there (the performance at the Royal Albert Hall with Eddy Vedder is highly recommended).  At least the Ox was still with us for this one.

Here's another song to get used to because my campaign is going to be playing it...a lot.
Lyrics below.  Your assignment...get into this song and make it a mission.  All hands on deck; the really fucked up shit is yet to come.  "I can't stand to see my people crying!"


Let's see action. Let's see people
Let's see freedom. Let's see who cares
Take me with you. When you leave me
And my shell behind us there

I have learned it. Known who burned me
Avatar has warmed my feet
Take me with you. Let me see you
Time and life can meet
Rumor has it. Minds are open
Then rumors fill them up with lies
Future passing. Nothing lasting
I try to scream, 'cause nothing dies]

Nothing is everything
Everything is nothing is
Please the people, audiences
Break the fences, nothing is

Let's see action. Let's see people
Let's see freedom. In the air
Let's see action. Let's see people
Let's be free. Let's see who cares

Let's see action. Let's see people
Let's see freedom. In the air
Let's see action. Let's see people
Let's be free. Let's see who cares

Give me a drink boy wash my feet
I'm so tired of running from my own heat
Take this package and here's what you do
Gonna get this information through

I don't know where I'm going
I don't know what I need
But I'll get to where I'm gonna end up
And that's alright by me

I've been running from side to side
Now I know for sure that both sides lied
It's got so hard but we gotta keep trying
I can't stand to see my people crying

I don't know where I'm going
I don't know what I need
But I'll get to where I'm gonna end up
And that's alright by me

Let's see action. Let's see people
Let's see freedom. In the air
Let's see action. Let's see people
Let's be free. Let's see who cares

Nothing is everything
Everything is nothing
Nothing is everything
Everything is nothing

Coronation Day Tag

Edge of Forever tagged me again.  You can read my first set of answers here.  This time I will not be picking anyone.  And GaryChapelHill, I read most of your post last night, but my battery ran out of juice.  You rock.  I was living in the DC metro at the time of the Gay Rights rally.  There was so much hope that finally there would be a shift in the consciousness of this nation...still waiting.  I think it's time for the GLBT community to saddle up again.  Those of us straights who love and support you will be there shoulder to shoulder again.  Sadly, that quilt will be far larger this time.

Okay, 6 new things.

1) I hate eggplant, except when Jamil makes it at the Med Deli

2) If I could be any sea animal I'd be an Orca.  If I could be any land animal I'd either be a dog, bear, eagle, or owl.

3) I used to be able to play forehand in tennis with either hand, and switch mid volley because my backhand sucked.

4) When I was a kid I put 52 green seedless grapes in my mouth without choking (yes, I've always had a big mouth).

5) Grace Slick says that I am the crown of creation.

6) When I was a wee lad I wanted to be an astronaut.  I love what I do now and just don't want to keep my job.  Though the idea of being able to spend any part of the next four years in space sounds really fucking awesome right now.

Inauguration Day

I don't care what anyone says, he's not my President.  The Declaration of Independence clearly states that the government rules by the consent of the governed.  I do not give Pampers consent to be my President.  So once again, my dog will serve as my President.  President I. Roverandom has served her country well, and plans to continue to do so.  So, if it makes you feel better, she'll be your President too.  Witness now her taking the Oath of Office.

I swear to be a better President than Pampers.  I swear to have my belly rubbed multiple times a day, and jump up and give everyone kisses on the face, except for Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Chuck Schumer, Chris Dodd, and Pampers.

I swear that everyone will have a better time with me in the White House, and that anyone who wants to come play with me in the rose garden is free to do so.  

I will not evaporate the world in a nuclear holocaust, and will not pretend that our enemies are our friends, and our friends are our enemies.

I swear not to shoot anyone in the face.

And I promise not to take a dump on the Constitution.

Okay.  Let's party, cheaply.

A Small Act of Defiance (UPDATE 2)

The Declaration of Independence clearly states that, "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.."

Pampers, with the documented complicity of the DNC, fraudulently received the nomination of his party.  He was not legitimately nominated.  He was elected, in part, with the complicity of the Supreme Court of the United States, which ruled in favor of the fraudulent voter registration scam perpetrated by the Democrat Party's Secretary of State in Ohio and ACORN.  We know that with ACORN's help many voted in multiple states, and voted multiple times.  We know he received millions in illegal campaign contributions, some from countries and territories hostile to the United States.  He was not legitimately elected.  He is a known liar, and has proved himself, through his actions, and his 20 year membership at the Trinity Church, to be a bigoted, homophobic, misogynist.  Therefore, Pampers does not have my consent to be President, and therefore does not derive his powers from me.  

If you feel the same, then here's a little something you can do to let your countrymen and women know that he governs without your consent as well.  
If you have an American flag, fly it upside down.  This is our national distress signal.  We are definitely in distress.  Time to send the signal.

If you don't have a flag at your house, feel free to snag the one from here and put it up at your website.

And the national nightmare continues...


My soul sister Cinie posted the URL for Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech in the comments downstairs. I have decided to put a link to it in the margin of this blog. Those that believe in that Dream, and know that Pampers has nothing to do with it, here's another suggestion: put a link on your website to King's speech, as a reminder.

Pampers spoke at the Lincoln Memorial in order to brainwash America into thinking that he is King's Dream. He is not. He is a lying, misogynisthomophobicbigotedjewhatingfraudsociopath who stands against everything King fought for. So let us have a reminder of who laid their life on the line and gave it up for justice, and who gave up living in an ill begotten mansion in Chicago for an ill begotten mansion in Washington, D.C.

Pampers claims that King is his hero, along with Gandhi. Those are my heroes. And I struggle to be 1/100 as great. Pampers struggles to perfect his jumpshot, and his ability to read Jon Favreau's words off a teleprompter.

So while the rest of America shits themselves over the Teleprompter Jesus, let us have an unending reminder that there once was a man who walked our streets, who spoke out in our houses of worship, who fought for what was right, and in many ways died on account of our sins.

And...one more item of business.  I have done a lot of writing here, and at other blogs.  And, because I have a great big mouth, have done a fair bit of commenting in various places.  Here is one of my faves, and partially on topic with King and his legacy.  It was written for this article
in response to a Pampers Douche called Bob Stark.  I was feeling my oats that's for sure.  The comment gets the OMV W.C. Fields Douchey Award for Shtuey's Personal Snarkaliciousness (an award just for me because everyone loves a winner ;)).
Wow, Bob Stark. Who died and crowned you king of the asshats? You Obamabot douches will never get it because you're too busy genuflecting to your golden god of mange. Those of us who still possess the mental capacity to engage in critical thinking find that any man who encourages his campaign to butcher democracy through rampant caucus fraud, voter intimidation, registration and voter fraud (sorry little man the $800,000 he paid to ACORN's front company is a truth you can't escape, no matter how many times you yell "Liar liar pants on fire!"), and whose campaign and political party sanctioned the threatening and harassing of pledged delegates to the Democratic Party's National Convention (I was there so please spare me your ranting about how that's not true), is not a man who gets my vote, nor is he a man worthy to serve as President of the United States.

Perhaps if you did a little research on the fraud Louis Farrakhan calls "the messiah," you'd have the same reservations that we do. But since you've no doubt spent the last 6 months circle jerking to Obama's so-called race speech (the Jeremiah Wright deflection speech) with the rest of your Obama zombie friends, it makes sense that you are just another low information idiot with a computer, little sense, and a seemingly allergic reaction to truth.

Why don't you do yourself a favor and move to Russia so you can spend the next 20 years voting for Putin surrogates, and leave America to those of us who believe in democracy. You'll feel right at home I'm sure.

On the notion that PUMAs are racist I will say this. Dr. King's dream was not that a black man would be President of the United States. His dream was that all of us, regardless of our race, religion, color, or creed would stand up for each other's rights, and judge each other by the content of our character, not the color of our skin. I would venture to guess that MLK would not endorse Obama were he alive, as the racial politics game he played this past year is the direct antithesis to everything King believed in.

Obama could be white, yellow, red, or plaid and we still wouldn't vote for him. We've seen the content of his character. We could care less about the color of his skin. Get over it.

Posted by: Shtuey on October 16, 2008 7:05 PM

And the national nightmare continues...

19 January 2009

Dr. King and Israel

This article, written by Rep. John Lewis, who marched with King, took blows with King, appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2002. For those who think Dr. King's support and affection for Jews and Israel is a hoax, you can see this article archived here.

"I have a dream" for peace in the Middle East
King's special bond with Israel
John Lewis
Monday, January 21, 2002

THE REV. MARTIN Luther King Jr. understood the meaning of discrimination and oppression. He sought ways to achieve liberation and peace, and he thus understood that a special relationship exists between African Americans and American Jews.

This message was true in his time and is true today.

He knew that both peoples were uprooted involuntarily from their homelands. He knew that both peoples were shaped by the tragic experience of slavery. He knew that both peoples were forced to live in ghettoes, victims of segregation.

He knew that both peoples were subject to laws passed with the particular intent of oppressing them simply because they were Jewish or black. He knew that both peoples have been subjected to oppression and genocide on a level unprecedented in history.

King understood how important it is not to stand by in the face of injustice. He understood the cry, "Let my people go."

Long before the plight of the Jews in the Soviet Union was on the front pages, he raised his voice. "I cannot stand idly by, even though I happen to live in the United States and even though I happen to be an American Negro and not be concerned about what happens to the Jews in Soviet Russia. For what happens to them happens to me and you, and we must be concerned."

During his lifetime King witnessed the birth of Israel and the continuing struggle to build a nation. He consistently reiterated his stand on the Israel- Arab conflict, stating "Israel's right to exist as a state in security is uncontestable." It was no accident that King emphasized "security" in his statements on the Middle East.

On March 25, 1968, less than two weeks before his tragic death, he spoke out with clarity and directness stating, "peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity. I see Israel as one of the great outposts of democracy in the world, and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be a reality."

During the recent U.N. Conference on Racism held in Durban, South Africa, we were all shocked by the attacks on Jews, Israel and Zionism. The United States of America stood up against these vicious attacks.

Once again, the words of King ran through my memory, "I solemnly pledge to do my utmost to uphold the fair name of the Jews -- because bigotry in any form is an affront to us all."

During an appearance at Harvard University shortly before his death, a student stood up and asked King to address himself to the issue of Zionism. The question was clearly hostile. King responded, "When people criticize Zionists they mean Jews, you are talking anti-Semitism."

King taught us many lessons. As turbulence continues to grip the Middle East, his words should continue to serve as our guide. I am convinced that were he alive today he would speak clearly calling for an end to the violence between Israelis and Arabs.

He would call upon his fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner, Yasser Arafat, to fulfill the dream of peace and do all that is within his power to stop the violence.

He would urge continuing negotiations to reduce tensions and bring about the first steps toward genuine peace.

King had a dream of an "oasis of brotherhood and democracy" in the Middle East.

As we celebrate his life and legacy, let us work for the day when Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims, will be able to sit in peace "under his vine and fig tree and none shall make him afraid."

U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat, represents the 5th Congressional District of Georgia and worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.

This article appeared on page B - 7 of the San Francisco Chronicle
*********************************************************************

If you hypocritical Leftist Bigots read the above and still do not see your own hate then you are beyond my capacity to help.
You are either for King's dream, or you are against it. You cannot pick and choose who benefits and who does not. You either stand for Israelis and Palestinians or no one. If you refuse to see that then leave the stage and let those of us who believe do the work that needs to be done. You are of no use to us and the cause of equality and human rights. There will be no quarter for bigots here.

Post #400: In The Name Of Love

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968

18 January 2009

"Proud Black Woman": A Pathological Judeophobe in Action

See the post below to note the change from "Psychotic" to "Pathological"


I got a response to the post below from a reader calling herself "ProudBlackWoman."  Let us use her as a prime example of the Pathological Judeophobe.

Here is the text of her comment:
Apparently 1100 dead Arabs is not enough blood spilled for Israel's appologists.

The Nazi comparison is apt. They too believed in massive reprisal killings. 20 israelis died compared to 1100 Palestinians.

You must be so proud
Remember the definition of Pathological: informal compulsive; obsessive, inveterate, habitual, persistent, chronic, hardened, confirmed. : a pathological gambler.

The reality is that the Nazis did not believe in "reprisal killings" as suggested by the subject.  They believed in GENOCIDEthe deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation.

Someone please explain what the Jews of Europe did to the Nazis to warrant the "reprisal killing" of 6 million of us?  What exactly did the Roma, homosexuals, and other non-Aryans do to warrant the "reprisal killing" of 5 million?  The suggestion that these innocent people brought the Nazi genocide on themselves is so utterly ludicrous that if I were not using it to demonstrate what a Pathological Judeophobe looks like it would not be worth mentioning.

The reality is that Israel has not committed genocide under the above definition, or as defined by international law, or any other definition.  If genocide was the intent, Israel would not have unilaterally engaged a ceasefire.  The operation would continue, whether Hamas was launching rockets or not.  If genocide was the intent, then considering the tonnage that was dropped on Gaza in the last 20 days, hundreds of thousands would be dead, not 1100.

To further make the point, let us briefly examine Dresden.  When the Allies bombed Dresden in World War II four missions were flown.  Thirty-nine hundred tons of high explosive ordinance were dropped, killing 24,000 to 40,000 people.  Military officials reported that around 100 tons of ordinance was dropped on the first day of Operation Cast Lead.  Let's say that 100 tons was the average for the full 20 days.  That's 2000 tons of explosives dropped over 20 days with only 1100 dead.  That is not an act of genocide.  That is an act of restraint.

Ergo, the Nazi/Israel comparison is not apt.  It is Judeophobic, and an irrational, pathological response.

If genocide was Israel's intent and policy, after nearly 61 years of existence, and with it's massive "war machine," there would not be a single Arab man, woman, or child, in Israel or the territories.  If genocide was Israel's intent Moshe Dayan would not have encouraged Arabs to stay in the "disputed" territories (the official legal status of Gaza and the West Bank, not "occupation" as suggested by Arab and Leftist propagandists), nor would Israel have given the administration of the Temple Mount, the Jewish People's holiest site (not the Western Wall) to the Muslims.

ProudBlackWoman operates from a position of willful ignorance, disregarding the most basic historical and legal facts, as well as failing to understand the real ramifications of the Palestinian death toll.  Only 1100 dead, though very regrettable, is a reflection of Israel's attempts to reduce the loss of civilian life, complicated by Hamas' official policy of using civilians as shields, and their practice of herding them into targeted buildings to increase the civilian death toll (in violation of international law), with the purpose of enflaming public opinion against Israel (under international law Israel is not obligated to cease attacks when human shields are being used, but often does, even to the peril of her own soldiers and civilians, as has been demonstrated with irrefutable video evidence on this blog).  PBW proves the effectiveness of Hamas' human shield policy.  If we follow her line of reasoning, that I'm an Israeli apologist, I would suggest that she is in fact guilty of helping perpetuate this Hamas practice, and thus is indirectly responsible for Palestinian civilian dead; an accessory to the murder.  If this tactic didn't work, they wouldn't use it (unless the civilians in question were Fatah members,or people accused of being Israeli collaborators, then it's just an easy way to kill them en masse).

She must be so proud.

Then there is her inherent racism.  Would a rational person look at death totals and say, "Israel killed more people than they did," and apply a moral equivalency of right and wrong?  Only 20 Israelis died so that's clearly okay.  Eleven-hundred Palestinians died.  Israel clearly killed more so it's the evil one.  She has no feelings of regret that 20 Israelis died, and that more Israeli civilians have died as a result of being the targets of terror attacks, in violation of international law, than were killed on 9/11.  She has no problem with the fact that hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been victimized by Hamas rocket fire for 8 years, and suffer from debilitating panic disorders, in addition to being maimed and killed.  Her irrational hatred of Jews and Israel, and her blatant disregard for their rights, is so intense that she draws conclusions based on non-reality based suppositions, and legitimates her psychosis by comparing Jews to Nazis.

This is how the Pathological Judeophobic Leftist mind works.  The irony is that, as a Black woman, she has most likely faced the same irrational, baseless hatred that she herself applies to Jews, and then takes this irrationality a step further by inferring that, because I stand against her racism, and the racism of other Judeophobes, that I must be proud of the fact that there are 1100 dead Palestinians.

No, I am not proud.  I am furious.  I am furious that for 8 years Hamas rockets have fallen on Israeli civilians, in violation of Israeli human rights, and international law.  I am furious that all the complaints filed with the UN regarding these attacks did not lead to one action by that body to stop the rocket fire.  I am furious that the international community did not come to the aid of the Egyptian government to stop the smuggling of grad and katyusha rockets into Gaza, as they are suddenly pledging to do now, which only serves to exacerbate their complicity by past inaction.  I am furious that the Israeli government under Ehud Olmert did nothing about the rockets, even though Israeli citizens literally begged him to take action, until 10 weeks before elections.  I am furious at the death of every man, woman, and child in this conflict because they could have all been prevented if only Hamas' genocidal policy vis a vis Israel had been rejected by the international community, and the UN stood up to protect Israel from it.  This did not happen.  Now more than 1000 people are dead, and that blood is on the world's hands. 

I must be proud?  Fuck you.

ProudBlackWoman, you are a Judeophobe and a racist bigot.  Ironically, tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day, a day when the nation takes a moment to remember Dr. King's legacy, a day to remember his goals, and to assess whether we are any closer to achieving those goals.  Dr. King's dream was that people would hold the rights and freedoms of all people to be as precious as their own.  Your words, and the actions of other Judeophobes, like those shown in the photos below, demonstrate just how far we are from making that dream come true.  Apart from the blood that has been shed, and the lives that have been lost, your words, and the actions of other Judeophobes like those depicted below, saddens me the most.  But this also strengthens my resolve to continue to work, in spite of and because of your hate, for the fulfillment of King's dream.

You do not believe Jews are entitled to the same rights and freedoms as everyone else, whereas I pray that the Palestinian people will no longer have their future determined by homicidal madmen whose raison d'etre is the extermination of my people.  Palestinians are just as entitled to live in peace as Israelis.  As long as Hamas is in power, and seeks to destroy Israel, there will never be peace because, much to your chagrin, the Israeli government is not going to allow Hamas to attempt to exterminate the Jews of Israel.  As long as people like yourself continue to hate us, Israel will continue to be a haven for us when genocide is attempted against us in the Diaspora.  That is our unalienable human right, and the purpose of the existence of a Jewish homeland.

The day you get that is the day you can call yourself "Proud."  In the meantime, I suggest you spend MLK Day thinking about the poison of your prejudice, and what you plan to do about it.



Pathalogical Leftist Judeophobia: A Case of the Chronic Stupid (UPDATE)

It has been pointed out to me by Petunia and Mirlo that applying the term psychosis to Judeophobic Leftist douchebags removes the notion that they are responsible for their actions.  To my mind, to operate from a place of baseless hatred is a reflection of a psychotic, delusional mind.  But unlike psychotics, these butt faced idiots are very much responsible for what they do so I am changing the term to Pathological as in: 

• informal compulsive; obsessive, inveterate, habitual, persistent, chronic, hardened, confirmed.  : a pathological gambler.

Baseless hatred is a disease of the mind as far as I am concerned, but certainly one that is voluntarily treatable.  Those who choose to live this way may not be psychotic in a clinical sense, but they certainly are assholes.  I think we can agree on that.

Also, I have corrected the link to zombie.com's protesting idiot photo album.  All apologies.

*******************************************************

Author's Note: No doubt some people will read this and be offended.  If the shoe fits then I suggest doing something about that.  As a former co-worker used to say, "Life is pain.  Get a helmet."  If the Hokey-Pokey has taught me anything it's that there is always room for people to turn themselves around.  There can be zero tolerance for those that refuse to see what is happening to children on both sides of the fence.  It is for their sakes that the terror must end, the human rights violations by all sides must end, and the world's indifference to what is being done to these kids must end.  

I know there are Jews and non-Jews alike who are out there secretly or not so secretly happy when they hear Palestinian children are killed.  Guess what?  You people are sickos too, so take the words of this post an apply them to yourselves if that shoe fits too.

When it comes to stupidity and hypocrisy I am an equal opportunity destroyer.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is it that allows Leftists in America and abroad to tear their clothes and don sackcloth and ashes when Palestinians are killed collaterally by Israeli soldiers during internationally legitimate military operations, but when Israeli children are targeted by homicide bombers, snipers, and rockets, in violation of international law we don't hear a peep?  Why is it that the deaths of innocent Israelis do not anger Leftists, stirring them to take to the streets and demand that the jihadists stop blowing them to smithereens on buses and in their schools?

Why is it that Leftists are out banging their heads over alleged human rights violations committed by the IDF in Gaza over the last 20 days, but over the past eight years they sat silently on their hands while Israeli children have been living their lives in constant fear, with 15 seconds to run for shelter, sometimes losing limbs, or their lives?  Why is there no outcry of that chronic violation of Israeli human rights by Hamas?

Why do Leftists, and the UN turn a blind eye to this?



and this?


Why?  The condition of Pathological Judeophobia.  Leftists would rather see Jews die from rocket fire than see Israel and the world community end acts of terror against innocent people.  It is sickening.  And those that sit on their hands while Jews die but weep when Palestinians die are morally bankrupt.  Don't believe me?  Here are some of the bigoted asshats at work [the full display can be seen at zombietime.com]







The asshat below is the living embodiment of the pathological Jew hater.  No doubt this walking lobotomy believes that the Jews are as bad, if not worse than the Nazis (as a sign in another photo in the series at zombie demonstrates).  So what does this waste of DNA suggest?  Global violence against Jews.  Who also advocated this?  The Nazis.  Who do we need to contact to have this fucker's picture in the dictionary under genocidal racist asshole?


And what hypocritical racist protest would be complete without the Asshat Queen, Cindy Sheehan?

Congratulations Cindy for being the 2008-2009 Winner of the OMV Douchey Award: Idi Amin Memorial Prize for Excellence in All Around Hypocritical Racist Douchisity


Where I come from, the rights of all people are to be upheld.  I expect Israeli violators of human rights to be dealt with, and expect the same when Palestinians violate the human rights of Israelis.  But not the Leftists.  No, go ahead and kill the Jews Hamas, we'll be right behind you silently.  

In his short essay Stop Complaining about "Double Standards" Paul Eidelberg writes:
It is futile complaining about the media or about various nations using double standards in their negative portrayal of Israel vis-a-vis Hamas terrorists. Such complaints will have no effect on the Jew-hatred evident in Israel ’s detractors. Besides, such complaints are self-demeaning when uttered by Jews.

Those who denigrate Israel vis-a-vis Hamas, a terrorist organization that uses women and children as human shields, are primitive or uncivilized human beings who adorn their barbarism in the aura of a religion that rejects the idea of human rights.

If other people do not see this, they are not misinformed: they are sick, pathological human beings, and it’s not your business to enlighten and heal them.
From what I've seen on the streets of the United States, and Europe, have read in blogs, and seen on TV, I am regrettably feeling more and more that Mr. Eidelberg is correct.  What can one say when a blog cites Barry O'Pampers association with Arab radical, and terrorist supporter Rashid Khalidi as a reason to keep Obama out of the White House, but then turns around and dedicates an entire post to Khalidi's "expertise" on Gaza (we all know what a Jew lover he is so we will surely get an unbiased opinion from him?).  If I hadn't seen it at No Quarter I would have believed it anyway, because too many people on this earth are stupid, morally bamkrupt idiots, passing themselves off as caring compassionate humans, when they are really just racist fuckers dragging the rest of society into their cesspool of bullshit.

What is comforting to me is that thousands around the world are now standing up in support of Israel; not cheering them on for killing Palestinians, but standing up for their right to no longer live in fear, to be able to raise children in peace, and in the hopes that one day, when the masters of hate are no longer brainwashing their children into being martyrs that aspire to kill Jews as the zenith of their existence, there will never be another barbed wire fence or wall keeping neighbors apart.  They also understand that it is Israel on the front lines of the worldwide jihad (powered by Iran and Al-Qaeda) against the west.  They know that if Israel fails to stand up, Europe is next.

Leftists are always asking what makes the Jews so special that they get to have their own homeland, as if it's some kind of luxury.  If Jews were not the victims of racism, persecution, and massacre in virtually every country in the world then no, it would not be a necessity.

No one asks the same question about the French, Pakistanis, British, or anyone else.  Why is that?  Why is it that virtually all the world has Jewish blood on its hands, the very reason why the Zionist movement began in the 19th century, and the world has the temerity to ask why we insist on having a tiny place that is ours, a literal line in the sand where we say, "You cannot kill Jews here,"  a place where we once welcomed all except those that desire to kill us?  How does anyone have the unmitigated gaul to ask that question?

Pathological Judeophobia.

If you fall into this category of hypocrite/bigot/ignoramus, you can seek treatment with a trained professional, or see if your employer will enroll you in diversity/sensitivity training to help you modify your hypocritical/bigoted/ignoramusesque tendencies.

But, if you insist on continuing to be a bigoted, Jew hating ass, here's a video (H/T to Nobama)
to aid you in your quest to finally bring down the evil Zionist pigs.

Olmert is Blowing It...Again

From the JPost
On Saturday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared Operation Cast Lead a victory and threw the ball into Hamas's court, declaring the unilateral cease-fire that suspends the three-week operation, the future of which depends on whether Hamas continues to fire on Israel.


                  
 
                                           "Doh!"

snip
"Today, we face you again and can say that the conditions have been created so that our targets, as defined when we launched the operation, have been fully achieved, and more so," Olmert said, in a special address to the nation on Saturday night.

Those goals were defined as stopping the rocket fire on Israel and an end to the arms smuggling into Gaza.

"Hamas was hit hard, both its military capabilities and its governing infrastructure," Olmert said.

"Its leaders are in hiding," Olmert said of Hamas. "Many of its members have been killed. The factories in which its missiles were manufactured have been destroyed. The smuggling routes, through dozens of tunnels, have been bombed. The Hamas's capabilities for conveying weapons within the Gaza Strip have been damaged."

Olmert said that according to the assessments of all the security services,"Hamas's capabilities have been struck a heavy blow, which will harm its ability to rule and its military capabilities for some time."

Olmert said the cease-fire would go into effect at 2 a.m. Sunday morning.

Immediately following Olmert's announcement, Hamas fired eight missiles at Israel.

The return of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit was not a condition of the cease-fire, though both Olmert and Barak pledged to continue working unceasingly for his release.
So let me get this straight genius.  Hamas is still firing rockets.  The leaders are in hiding (translation: not dead or in custody), and Gilad Schalit is not on the table...but you're working "unceasingly for his release?"

Fuck you asshole.  So basically what you're saying is this is Lebanon 2006 redux.  You bombed the shit out of Gaza but didn't finish the job.  Hamas still has rockets with long enough range to still hit Be'er Sheva, Ashkelon, and Ashdod.  The leadership is still intact in some form.  And we have little more than verbal agreements, from players who have shown little interest in doing anything about shutting Hamas down, that they will help stop the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.  And Schalit, if he's not dead already, is still pissing in the wind.

Ehud, you couldn't be more useless.  There is no victory until the rockets are stopped and Hamas is gone, with guarantees from the international community on the smuggling issue, and the unconditional release of Schalit.  That's victory.  Then at least the dead can be justified on some level.  Not this bullshit you incompetent ass.  Unilateralism doesn't mean shit to the UN.  You're not going to score points with the Jew haters.  And they will scream just as loudly when the rockets continue to fall, and you reengage (which I wonder if you have the cojones to do) with your mistaken notion that the world will suddenly think it's okay for Israel to defend herself against poor little Hamas.  There are what 1000 people dead at least?  Then have something to show for it besides a weakened Hamas that will just rearm like Hezbullah.  And will still be free to hold Gaza's children at gunpoint.  That's just fucking great.

At this point the only way Likud loses the elections is if Israelis are as stupid as Americans when they go to the polls.  You sat on your hands all this time, until 10 weeks until the election, and then show the country that you're a complete douche who can't deliver security to Israel.  Good move asswipe.

So all you kids in Gaza and Israel, this is what you have to look forward to:  Y'ladim b' eretz Yisrael, you get to keep running from Hamas rockets.  But you're pretty well trained at it, and are probably getting used to not being able to sleep, losing limbs, losing friends, losing your minds...

And y'ladim b'Gaza?  You'll get a little lull.  Those of you who refused to be shields might get shot as collaborators with the Zionists.  The Leftists will either not hear about this, or think that you deserve it.  And you all may have to go through this bullshit again.

Adults are always fuckin' it up kids.  Get used to it.