Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Random Thoughts

I've been keeping a little list of things I had a comment or two on, but weren't enough for a full post.

First, as we head into the Pennsylvania primary today, I keep thinking of an article on the front of the New York Times a few weeks ago in which the reporter went to Latrobe, Pennsyvlania and interviewed the almost all-white voters. The town is reeling from the loss of two big industries there: steel and the Rolling Rock beer factory, which has moved to another Pennsylvania town.

The comments ran from mildly encouraging to downright galling. One guy talked about how he liked Obama but felt that the second amendment (that's the gun one) was too important and so he couldn't vote for Obama.

Excuse me-- did I miss some big announcement that Barack Obama was going to try to repeal the second amendment?

Some people talked about how there was something that didn't like about Mr. Obama that they just couldn't pin. One guy got closer to what they wanted to say. He said that Barack Obama was, well, you know, too confident.

Let me help him find the adjective he was really reaching for: "uppity."

It kills me that these people can't get behind the candidate who probably best represents their interests, at a time in which there economic interests in particular are in a tailspin, mainly because forty years after Martin Luther King died for the cause of civil rights, they can't get past the fact that he's black.

Between that and the whole stupid thing about the flag lapel pin, I keep thinking about Adlai Stevenson's quote: "In general, people get the government they deserve."


And then there's poor Alberto Gonzalez, the former Attorney General. According to a recent New York Times story, he can't find another job, despite the fact that he fell on his sword and kept his mouth shut about his part in the Bush administration's attempt to fire every federal attorney and replace them with political flunkies. Apparently the absolute personal loyalty that Bush values so much doesn't go both ways; I guarantee that a phone call from a sitting president would be enough to get him a job. To quote Megan Huang in Old School, "I did something for you; now you do something for me. That's the way bribes work!"

And lastly, the donnybrook over the Danish cartoons that allegedly defamed Islam and Muhammad continues, as fringe radicals, who in no way represent the vast majority of Muslims, threaten to attack Danish citizens and interests over the cartoons. You see, the cartoons depicted some followers as violent fringe fanatics. And of course by attacking and killing people, they will certainly dispel the stereotype of being violent fringe fanatics.

10 comments:

SamuraiFrog said...

I've heard that assumption, too, that Obama is going to take the guns away. I don't remember him saying that, but enough people have been brainwashed into believing the Republican rhetoric that Democrats want to take them away.

I wish this country could just get over the racial hang-ups. It makes us look ridiculous.

Foofa said...

Too confident is just about the funniest thing I have ever heard. Personally, I prefer a Commander and Chief who is utterly unsure of himself. Then again, Bush was certainly too confident so maybe I should rethink that statement. I hadn't heard about Obama repealing the second amendment either? Interesting.

Mnmom said...

Any liberal will immediately repeal the 2nd amendment . . . at least that's what the neocons have been telling working class folks for years. I guess if you say it enough, it becomes true.

Erik Donald France said...

Good one. But Adlai, what about the rest of us (re: the government we deserve)?!!!!

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately this country in not mature enough to accept an African American or a Female President.

All of the historical empires (e.g Roman) collapsed from within.....

Cup said...

I've been feeling rather confident and uppity this election season ... until about three weeks ago. I can't believe people could cast a McCain vote.

Moderator said...

Adlai Stevenson is one of my heroes. He was the smartest and funniest guy to ever run for president and it's a shame he never won.

Joe said...

Great post. Adlai Stevenson was a good man I think.

Re: Obama and gun issues. He's gotten an "F" from the NRA on gun related legislation he's voted on. Gun owners tend to go to websites like Gun Law News or GunVoter.com for information, and to the NRA. The two positions he has that gun owners really don't like are:

1) He's against protecting gun manufacturers from civil lawsuits, and

2) He's been he's in favor of banning the sale/transfer of semi-auto firearms. The problem is that most non-gun owning civilians, when they hear "semi auto" think "assault rifle" whereas gun owners immediately think of this as an effort to ban a wide array of pistols, rifles and shotguns

Howard Dean was the last really good "pro gun" Democratic candidate I've seen run for president. Bill Richardson wasn't bad either. Dean had a 100% rating from the NRA as governor if I recall correctly.

Non gun owners, especially urban/suburban northern liberals, simply have no idea how visceral an impact gun ban proposals have on gun owners.

dmarks said...

The civil lawsuits against gun manufacturers at question are really frivolous lawsuits, since they don't involve defective guns or anything that the gun manufacturers actually do wrong.

I wonder if Alberto could get a job as a Wal-Mart greeter?

Chris the Hippie said...

Well said!