Today: An update on the Afghanistan contractors, a handy hint for protecting marriage, and some Gaddying about with Bobby Jindal.
Fickle Finger of Fight
Rachel started us off with the ghastly news that a fight broke out at a health care reform rally in Thousand Oaks, CA on Wednesday, and apparently one of the combatants thought the other had the One True Ring.
According to reports, a participant in the MoveOn.org-sponsored event walked over to a 65-year-old anti-reform counter-protester (after a possible earlier confrontation) and began screaming at him.
The counter-protester “felt threatened” and threw a punch, and then during the resulting fistfight the pro-health care rally participant bit off part of his pinky finger.
The fact that the finger may have been bitten off because it entered other man’s mouth as part of the forward motion of a thrown punch is not the point.
I’ve been bitching in this column about conservatives failing to police their own fringe, and I am just as appalled when people on my side fail to do the same.
If we truly want to be on the high road, we can’t take detours through the gravel parking lot of crazy.
Libruls, we have to control ourselves. That means no screaming into a 65-year-old man’s face, even if he’s a jerk and it seems like it might be satisfying. And it also means gently dissuading anyone from our side from doing that when we see it happening.
The first step of having your buddy’s back in a bar fight is being the friend who keeps him out of the bar fight.
Loonbats are not on our side, even if they’re carrying our signs.
Anyway, once she had our attention, Rachel started the Psych up for Obama’s Health Care Speech push, giving us a little history — about 64 years worth — and chatting with Congressman Anthony Weiner (D – New York) about the possible political ramifications for the Democrats.
These Boot Subsidies Are Made for Walking
At the end of July, deposed Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya walked across the border into his country.
And then, after being threatened with some military muscle, he rather quickly hopped back.
Rachel reported that the Obama administration has just made it clear that $22 million in aid for Honduras was dependent on having a democratically elected President, and has thus cut off the funds.
This may go down as the most expensive “Get off my lawn!” in history.
Life During Wartime
Rachel gave us an update on the Wackenhut contractors scandal in Afghanistan, including some disheartening news about how quickly consequences have happened for the whistleblowers, and how slowly for the people who were doing thoroughly documented terrible work even before the unappealing pictures surfaced.
While I am certain that Rachel would be offended by shoddy work and culture of hazing in any case, a part of me thinks that she’s a little extra-steamed because some of the photos depict what can only be described as monstrously bad bartending.
Ms. Information
Well, well, well. You’ll never guess what seems to be the best way to preserve traditional marriage.
NOM, in light of this new statistical support, can we assume that you’ll be campaigning to legalize gay marriage in all 50 states now?
Because your whole thing is about loving marriage and not hating gay people, right? Right?
Louisiana Purchase
Rachel noted that Governor Bobby Jindal (R – Louisiana) has apparently been mixing his church and state.
And also mixing his taking the stimulus money and not taking the stimulus money.
Rachel welcomed the Reverend Dr. Welton Gaddy, President of the Interfaith Alliance and general voice of awesome.
Once again, I must thank Gaddy for reminding me that faith does not have to be about intolerance and screaming.
Christians who are walking around mortified by people like the Phelpses of the Westboro Baptist Church and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R – Leviticus) should carry DVDs of Gaddy with them at all times.
Gonzopera
Rachel gave a moving tribute to U.S. Attorneys General and music by way of introduction to an amazing musical commemoration of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and his troubles with short- and long-term memory.
When have I seen a better politically based piece of music? I can’t recall.
