Contributors

Monday, June 28, 2010

Still Not Taking Away The Guns

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled today that the Chicago hand gun ban is unconstitutional. I agree that it is as I know many people who live there who have been assaulted way too many times. Of course, they bought guns and, up until now, have had them illegally. One of my friends there has been attacked several times, bought a gun, and then successfully repelled a would be mugger after she introduced him to her new friend. The Chicago police didn't really care that she had a gun illegally and told her that it was probably a good idea that she had one. At least now, it will be--or eventually be--legal.

The real question, though, is whether or not any of this will matter to the Cult. Can they actually be happy for yet another victory? Or will they continue to believe that Obama is "ready to pounce?" And that liberals are going to send them all to be fitted for brown shirts and re-education camps?

I'm betting on the latter. They always have to have someone agin' em!
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Friday, June 25, 2010

President Ass Kicker...Not

A couple of weeks ago, President Obama said he "wanted to find out whose ass to kick" in regards to the BP spill. This comment is laughable for a number of reasons.

First, he was attempting to quell our "Die Hard" nation who thinks it's more important for a president to look tough as opposed to actually doing his job. It's all about the image which I think is sad. Second, he just looks silly when he tries to "think with his guts" as W used to do. He's not that kind of guy and I'm glad for it. In a country filled with 10 year old boys, it's comforting to know that the leader of the free world is going to keep his head about him while all others are losing theirs.

But the real hilarious thing about his comment is that no one from our government is going to kick anyone's ass unless their corporate masters via the titantic lobbying machine in DC says it's OK. His comment looks quite foolish when there is no earthly way he can back any of it up. And that, my friends, is one of the main reasons why he has lost support from independents. They voted for him because they were under the impression that the government could actually govern. Sadly, this is not the case given the 100-1 ration of lobbyists to members of Congress. Add in the Cult to the mix and their delusions that government regulation is the reason why we have all the problems we have (and that corporations should be worshipped in a Christ like fashion) and the result is a president standing around...watching a multi-national corporation, as a clear result of lax regulation, destroy our Gulf Coast economy.

I guess I also have to laugh at the Cult jumping up and down and laugh about the falling poll numbers. Apparently, this "proves" that the "hopey, changey stuff" isn't working out. The reality is that his poll numbers have fallen with the Reagan Democrats because he's not "liberal" enough. Here, of course, I am using the Cult's definition of liberal which is defined by the rest of us as actually governing as opposed to massaging the feet of corporate interests. The independents of this nation wanted an executive branch that would refuse to coddle corporate interests and would tackle our nation's problems. Sadly, that is not happening. Why?

Well, it's really simple. We suck. In fact, we don't deserve a leader like President Obama and may as well elect Sarah Palin in 2012. I think large swaths of our country have to literally be charred and burned with piles of dead bodies before this insane paradigm of "Corporations: Warm and Beautiful, Government: Evil and Powerful" is broken. And she's just the person to realize this dream. She could end what Bush Co. couldn't find the guts to finish.

After all of the fine examples of the last two years that our government is now a wholly owned subsidiary of multinational corporations, we still haven't gotten the message. Actually, about a third of our country has gotten the message but when you have a second third that pathologically believes that any thing more then the slightest hint of government=boiling pit of enslavement in sewage and the final third more concerned about some fat fucker dragging their disgusting ass across Indonesia on the latest "reality" show than our socio-economic plutonomy, private interests realize their dream.

A perfect combination of apathy and fear.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

The Request Line

I've decided to start yet another regular feature here at NFTF....The Request Line! I've had several people make requests for a certain topic over the years...some of which I have responded to....but I guess I wanted to formally do it now under this umbrella in light of the emails and comments I have received over a particularly hot issue of late. So, we'll start off with the McChrystal firing.

As most of you know, I like Stan McChrystal. In fact, I wrote a piece about him awhile back and strategically, I thought he was the right man for the job. Of course, he is only human and making the mistake of talking to Rolling Stone magazine probably wasn't the brightest thing to do but I still don't begrudge him his views. Clearly, he was frustrated much in the same way that Eric Shinseki was frustrated with the Bush Administration. What's amusing to me (of course) is how the Cult is responding in the exact opposite way they did with Shinseki.

Back then, when General Shinseki questioned Rumsfeld and the handling of Iraq, he was a traitor. Now that McChrystal is doing the same thing, he is a hero. Why? Because his views have been co-opted into the "Liberals are Weak, Can't Handle the Military" lie. The simple fact is that the Cult can't accept Barack Obama as president and are salivating at any minor chance to play gotcha. Even more amusing is that they equate their own cognitive dissonance and epistemic closure with people like myself who criticized George W. Bush. There is quite a large difference but there is no way in hell they are EVER going to get it. But let's get back to McChrystal.

My opinion is that both men spoke their mind and, because we have civilian leadership of our armed forces, were asked to step aside as a result of their views. They were out of line but probably thought they were doing the right thing...in their opinions anyway. Neither man is a traitor and both are honorable men in my opinion. Incidentally, both Shinseki and McChyrstal have far more access to intelligence and defense information than I or many other commenters do so to make anything more than a rudimentary judgment is really....in all honesty....pure farce.

What is ROTFLMFAO material is the Cult's sudden and sweet embrace of the "liberal-commie-pinko rag" Rolling Stone. Remember, everything else you read in the piece of shit is wrong. And Marxist. For example, it wasn't the private sector that caused our financial problems of the last few years. It was all the government's fault. I guess Rolling Stone is just dandy if it fits the Cult's narrative.

And, with David Patraeus taking over now for McChrystal, I'm wondering if the Cult will now be speaking of betrayal.
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Sunday, June 20, 2010

Yep.

Al Shabaab...they are just like Sean Hannity is here. Same thing, no difference.

---my Somali cab driver last night.

Now I know why the Cult loathes cultural diversity.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Rules Need Not Apply (Bastard Spic Edition)

Apparently, the new Arizona immigration law isn't good enough. Neither is the United States Constitution.

Russell Pearce, a state Senator from Arizona, is introducing legislation to make all children of illegal immigrants, born here in the United States, also illegal and deny them citizenship. Mr. Pearce must be unaware of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution which states:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Seems pretty clear to me. Of course, I'm not in the Cult.

"It's been hijacked and abused," Pearce said. "There is no provision in the 14th Amendment for the declaration of citizenship to children born here to illegal aliens."

I'm wondering what version of English he speaks. Must be the "Fuck You, Spic" version.

I'm also wondering exactly what Mr. Pearce envisions as being an acceptable way to deny citizenship to babies and children. Under the new immigration law he voted for, doesn't that mean they would be deported along with their parents? I can see it now...images of brown people being put on trains and herded out of the country because of the "Papers Please" law. But shit, though. I can't compare them to....that time in world history, can I? Nah, no similarities whatsoever...

Many folks would say that Pearce is dreaming if he can pass this law. Fifteen years ago I might have agreed with them. But with the power of the Cult, things have changed. The BP oil spill, for example, is now the fault of our fascist/socialist/leader Barack Obama. And he should apologize to the warm and golden corporation for ever questioning anything they are doing.

So, Pearce has an excellent chance of passing this law regardless of what the Constitution says. After all, rules need not apply.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Rules Need Not Apply (Local Boy Makes Bad)

I think I've figured out why the Cult hates the government so much. To put it simply, they don't like laws. In fact, I think their entire collective would be happy if there weren't any laws and they could all be ass hats about whatever they wanted.

In other words, they don't like people like me because I stand in the way of them getting to be a dick whenever they want.

With this sentiment in mind, starting today we are going to see a new regular feature here on NFTF similar to the vein of Grab Bag and Liberal Media Watch. It's called "Rules Need Not Apply" and it will showcase examples of this disdain for law. I have a few nauseating examples that I'd like to get out over the next few days so let's start with a local one.

Meet Mayor Phil Young of Eden Prairie. Phil was a Tea Bagger before the name was even invented. He ran for mayor on the idea that government should be extremely limited and private funding could take on many of the city's needs. Sound familiar? It should because it's one of the central creeds of the Cult.

Problem is, though, that Phil used taxpayer money to reimburse himself for meetings he never went to and that were canceled. He received almost $1,000 in tax payer funds for his per diem.

City Hall records show that for 2008, 2009 and the first three months of this year, Young claimed $35 per diem amounting to $980 for 28 meetings of the Minnesota Regional Council of Mayors, which meets under the auspices of the Urban Land Institute in downtown Minneapolis.


But he attended just two of the 28 meetings, according to attendance records kept by the Land Institute.

So what exactly does this mean?

Plymouth police investigated the claims and submitted evidence to the county attorney's office. Last week Freeman said his office considered a charge of felony theft of public funds but declined to prosecute. After Freeman declined to file charges, Plymouth Police Chief Mike Goldstein said he planned to ask the Plymouth city prosecutor to review the matter for possible prosecution as a misdemeanor. Proper procedure, however, requires the Eden Prairie prosecutor to review the case and decide whether to pursue it further, Goldstein said.

So, basically the city of Plymouth (acting as an impartial investigator) has declined to prosecute a felony theft and may not even charge Young with a misdemeanor. Why?

Young committed a crime and he is skating away free. He's also a complete fucking hypocrite. He won office due to his "belief" that the government shouldn't waste taxpayer money and he did just that. Basically, Phil believes, as many in the Cult do, that the rules don't apply to them.

Not surprisingly, Cult members showed up at a recent city council meeting and demonstrated support for Phil.

Many of those who spoke described Young as a committed, caring community leader who has the city's best interests at heart and is the victim of a political witch hunt."I grant you that Phil's bookkeeping is lacking a bit, but he didn't collect; he was busy doing the people's work for the city," said Don Opheim, a city resident since 1968. "Phil Young is the best mayor I have had the good fortune to know in my 42 years in Eden Prairie. I hope you run again. I hope Phil stays on."

Ah, I get it. So we can rip the "race mongers" when they play the victim card all the time but not Cult members who are "great community leaders." Pardon me while I barf all over my fucking keyboard. In other words, "It's Not ______ when we do it!!!"

And the rules need not apply.


Friday, June 11, 2010

Happy to be Wrong

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There are some days, like today, when I am just happy to be wrong. Actually, happy is too light of a word. Giddy...yeah, that's it. I'm giddy...and filled with a whole bunch of snuggly warmth. Why?

Apparently, the shit kickers and hillbillies are starting to warm up to the fags.

Honestly, I thought it would never happen but today's column in the Strib has proved me wrong.

Some rural communities are rolling out the welcome mats for their GLBT residents and visitors. It started a few years ago in Pine City (pop. 3,400) -- with East Central Minnesota Pride -- but other Minnesota communities are getting on the bandwagon.

And to think just six years ago, we had such vitriol and hatred towards the gay and lesbian community on a national level. I thought it would take decades to even begin to get to this point. I was wrong.

But today, more and more rural communities are holding their own events to build social capital among the otherwise isolated. Perhaps it has something to do with support at the national level. President Obama, for instance, proclaimed June to be GLBT Pride Month in the United States for the first time since Bill Clinton was in office.

My guy did that? I didn't even know. Cool.

West Central Minnesota Pride was started in 2009 because no other organization existed in the area surrounding Willmar specifically for the GLBT community. Brainerd held its first-annual GLBT pride picnic last year as well. The event was hosted by the Lakes Area Diversity Council, although the Brainerd area had several other support groups -- such as the Brainerd High School Gay-Straight Alliance, the Staples High School Gay-Straight Alliance, OutFront MN, the Central Lakes College Rainbow Coalition, Brainerd's GLBT Equality Coalition and the Rainbow Health Initiative -- to help with the cause.

There's a Brainered GSA? And a Brainerd GLBT? Brainered? FUCKING BRAINERD!!? The Lord works in mysterious ways.

"I feel that the value of pride has a deeper impact in rural Minnesota than it has in bigger cities, because we're less tolerated," said Paul Wilkins, president of the East Central Men's Circle, one of the organizations behind East Central Minnesota Pride. "If one loses the meaning behind pride, I'd encourage them to visit one of these rural prides to understand their value."

Amen, Paul. I suppose I need to start qualifying my usual derision directed at hillbillies. Sure, it will be extra work for me to check and see if they have a GLBT in a deep red county but I don't care. It's magnificently worth it.

And, as always, I'm warm, giddy and happy to be wrong.


Thursday, June 10, 2010

The Unfettered Free Market in Action

This is how benign neglect works in reality.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Liberal Media Watch

Another Bartlett post that got my attention was this one entitled: Fox News and MSNBC: Not The Competitors They Should Be. Bartlett and I are exactly in line with the reality of media bias.

I give Rupert Murdoch enormous credit for recognizing a market opportunity to appeal to conservatives who have long felt that the traditional media had a strong liberal bias. And in the era from the 1950s to the 1980s I think the conservatives were right. The mainstream media did have a liberal bias, although it was never as strong as they thought.

Right. No harm in having a conservatively biased media outlet. If you don't like it, don't watch it. One thing I have noticed about FOX, though, is that where we see a lot of spin on MSNBC, we see outright lying on FOX. Both are obnoxious in their own way but FOX seems to have people on who simply tell lies where MSNBC tells half truths. Rachel Maddow, for example, will leave out facts which some might say is lying. But Sean Hannity will say that President Obama's nuclear treaty gives the Russians the keys to Europe. There is a difference between the two statements although I don't expect Cult members to understand this.

The problem is that since the 1990s the mainstream media has shifted to the right. I think the old liberal bias is completely gone and every major media outlet is pretty well positioned in the center of the political spectrum today. Liberals recognize this even if conservatives don't.

Yep. The Cult will whine until the end of time...blaming the "liberal media" for all of their problems in what is hilariously the very thing they supposedly bemoan: playing the victim. It is yet another example of how conservatives of today are like liberals of yesterday...idealists to a fault with no practical application in reality.

I just wish Fox would stop pretending that it isn't a mouthpiece for the Republican Party and come out of the closet so to speak. The real problem is that the left and the Democratic Party have no comparable outlet and I think they should have one. While MSNBC tends to be slightly to the left it is not nearly as far to the left of center as Fox is to the right, nor does partisanship and ideology permeate its entire schedule as it does at Fox.


Unfortunately, I don't think MSNBC is capable of positioning itself as the left/Democratic alternative to Fox as long as it remains part of the NBC News operation. It's forced to operate too much like a mainstream media outlet. Comcast, which now owns NBC, should spin it off and give it the freedom to become the anti-Fox. I think it would be much more successful than it is now.

So, before my usual commenters begin their predictable spasms, fits and howls of derision, I'll add this fact in what I hope will cause an extra few spasms of cognitive dissonance: MSNBC has a Republican (Joe Scarborough) who hosts his own three hour show that is quite popular. Does FOX have a Democratic equivalent? No.

MSNBC does lean liberal but it is not the all out Left Fest it could be with the likes of Pat Buchanan on the air all the time. And Morning Joe is, in all honesty, my favorite news show. I have to admit that I love the guy and Mika Brzezinski is hot:) If you ever get the chance, check out their show. It's a very unbiased show that looks at all the angles of the days news. It's on pretty early (5am-8am CST) but worth checking out as you get ready for your day.

So how is it with guys like Joe on the air that MSNBC is a Marxist outlet for information? Only the Cult knows....

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Nope. Not Racist.

Make Bruce Bartlett's blog a daily stop. Politically speaking, he and I are of very similar minds. He's been writing about a few things lately that I am definitely going to be commenting on here.

First up is the new Washington Poll on the Tea Party. It's nice to have some aggregate data on their views on race, immigration, and gay rights. Not that this will matter at all to those members of the Cult who believe that 99 percent of the GOP is decidedly not racist. Their assertions, echoed here in comments, remind me of my son with his hand in the cookie jar looking at me with straight face and saying that he is not snitching any cookies.

Let's take a look at the data.
  • 74 percent of respondents think that equal rights are important for blacks and minorities to succeed but it's not the government's job to insure that they do.
  • 78 percent disagree that over the years blacks have gotten less then they deserve.
  • 46 percent think that if blacks tried harder they would be as well off as whites
  • 54 percent think that immigration is changing US culture for the worse.
  • 88 percent approve of the new Arizona law.
  • 23 percent think that welcoming immigrants is a good thing for the US
  • 73 percent disapprove of President Obama's engagement of Muslim countries
  • 63 percent think we should single out Muslims for screening at airports
  • 18 percent think that gay and lesbian couples should have the right to marry
  • 52 percent think that gays and lesbians have too much political power.
Bartlett nails it.

They are largely united in being unsympathetic to African Americans, militant in their hostility toward illegal immigrants, and very conservative socially. At a minimum, these data throw cold water on the view that the TPM is essentially libertarian. Based on these data, I would say that TPM members have much more in common with social conservatives that welcome government intervention as long as it’s in support of their agenda.

As Bill Maher said, not all conservatives are racist but if you are a racist, chances are, you're conservative.

I think these numbers accurately reflect the Cult's view on these issues. Before any of my usual readers do their interpretive re-direct dance, answer the polls questions...honestly. And then we can have a discussion about your answers.
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Monday, June 07, 2010

Ah, Now I Get It.....

Many of you may be wondering why the unemployment number is not budging. I've wondered this myself. Well, now we have an answer.

Apparently, some companies aren't hiring people who are unemployed.

In a nearly identical job posting for the same position on the Benchmark Electronics website, the red print is missing. But a human resources representative for the company confirmed to HuffPost that the The People Place ad accurately reflects the company's recruitment policies.

"It's our preference that they currently be employed," he said. "We typically go after people that are happy where they are and then tell them about the opportunities here. We do get a lot of applications blindly from people who are currently unemployed -- with the economy being what it is, we've had a lot of people contact us that don't have the skill sets we want, so we try to minimize the amount of time we spent on that and try to rifle-shoot the folks we're interested in."

Well, that's just very fuck you fantastic. People are happier when they are employed...no shit, Sherlock. I know people that have been out of work (in their field) for two years or more. So companies aren't even bothering to read their resume and qualifications if they aren't employed? What a load of shit.

Actually, what's really galling is that it is yet another example of the idiocy of this country. Do any of these companies understand that what is holding us back from a full recovery is the high rate of unemployment? That this fact is coloring the perception of bleak economic outlooks? And it's all because a bunch of Marie Antoinettes out there don't want to associate with the riff raff.

On a scale from one to dragon, how much does this irritate the shit out of you? For me, it's Red Dragon.
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Sunday, June 06, 2010

Remember

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Beaten By Corporate Force

Take a look at our president. A pretty sad fucking picture, isn't it? Not surprising, though, when you consider what he has now come to realize in the last few weeks: our country...our world, actually, is being run by corporations and there is nothing we can do about it. The United States government is completely powerless to stop this oil spill and must sit on the sidelines as British Petroleum attempts yet another Shemp like move in order to plug the damn hole. Not that the government would want to help anyway as so many of them have been bought off by the oil industry.

It's been mighty interesting these last few weeks listening to the Cult trying to spin this one away. This is Obama's Katrina, some say. Others like Sarah Palin say that it proves her "Drill Baby Drill" line was right all along. I'm not sure how that works. To be fair, some of them haven't uttered a peep because they know how royally fucked we all are. The United States government is bowing down to the corporate cock and there's not a damn thing we can do about it.

At the end of the day, it's example #343 of how the free market fantasy of the Cult has no practical application in reality. We've seen quite clearly what happens when private concerns have little or no oversight. In the case of the BP spill, take a look at five specific examples of the Mineral Management Services complete failure in doing its job of regulating.


But why would MMS do this? Aren't they supposed to be regulating BP?

In September 2008, reports by the Inspector General of the Interior Department, Earl E. Devaney, were released that implicated over a dozen officials of the MMS of unethical and criminal conduct in the performance of their duties. The investigation found MMS employees had taken drugs and had sex with energy company representatives. MMS staff had also accepted gifts and free holidays amid "a culture of ethical failure", according to the investigation.

The New York Times's summary states the investigation revealed "a dysfunctional organization that has been riddled with conflicts of interest, unprofessional behavior and a free-for-all atmosphere for much of the Bush administration’s watch." Gee, I'm shocked.

And in May of 2010, after the spill, it was revealed that MMS regulators in the Gulf region had allowed industry officials to fill in their own inspection reports in pencil and then turned them over to the regulators, who traced over them in pen before submitting the reports to the agency. MMS staff had routinely accepted meals, tickets to sporting events, and gifts from oil companies.

Of course, none of these facts matter. In Cult Land, the government is still all powerful and tyrannical with President New Hitler at the helm sinking his leather boot heel into face of private industry. I guess it's up to the rest of us in the real world to solve this problem. Honestly, I don't have much faith that we will. Our culture and society have already shifted to be extremely distrustful of anything government related despite all evidence to the contrary.

Interestingly, though, a solution was presented in comments recently by none other than our very own Last in Line.

You all know that this could have been taken care of in 48 hours...the typical procedure oil companies and other governments have done many times in the past is to put a 100 yard tube down the well, send dynamite down the tube to blow up the well at the bottom, and pour concrete on top of it. Problem solved. What is going on is BP doesn't want to lose the well so they are doing all kinds of other half-assed crap that is further damaging the gulf region.

Why hasn't this been done yet?

The answer is quite simple, actually. Our "socialist" president doesn't want to be held responsible for BP losing money. He isn't going to allow the government to interfere in a private concern. In other words, he knows that corporations are running our world. He can't involve the government any more than it already is at present. Plus, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh would all up in the hizzy about the brown shirts again.

C'mon, last, don't you know that the government is completely evil? That they are forcing us to bend to their will with the butt of a gun? Let's just all get down on our knees and thank BP for all the black liquid love that is washing up on our shores right now in the Gulf. The Corporation is good....the Corporation is beautiful....anyone who thinks that the Corporation is anything other than pure goodness is a Marxist....(chant with me, touching yourself and Atlas Shrugged simultaneously)....The Corporation is good....the Corporation is beautiful....anyone who thinks that the Corporation is anything other than pure goodness is a Marxist....The Corporation is good....the Corporation is beautiful....anyone who thinks that the Corporation is anything other than pure goodness is a Marxist....The Corporation is good....the Corporation is beautiful....anyone who thinks that the Corporation is anything other than pure goodness is a Marxist....
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Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Operation: Brainwash (Heroification)

Most of you know that I am a big fan of James Loewen, author of Lies My Teacher Told Me. In that book, he discusses how American History is taught using a number of poor methods and concepts. One such concept is heroification. He uses the excellent example of President Woodrow Wilson, a figure who is regarded in most history textbooks as a hero. In fact, President Wilson was probably the biggest bigot our country had ever seen, overturning decades of progress made by the Republicans in respect to rights and advancement of African Americans. The image of Wilson by our nation is one of the many great lies in our country's history.

Another great lie is one that got started by Ann Coulter and is now policy according to the Texas State Board of Education. Essentially, it's this: Joe McCarthy was a hero. Coulter said:

Everything you think you know about McCarthy is a hegemonic lie. Liberals denounced McCarthy because they were afraid of getting caught, so they fought back like animals to hide their own collaboration with a regime as evil as the Nazis.

Caught in what, exactly? Oh yes, that's right...anyone to the left of the Cult is a commie. Got it. It's also amusing that she brings up hegemony. The raison d'etre of the Cult is control through blind consensus. Once again, we see the Rove in action.

But this view of McCarthy is exactly what Texas school children are now going to learn...how he was a hero fighting against (in his own words) the treasonous Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. They will learn of a US government filled with dirty, stinking Commies many of whom "got away" and remained in power...in the form of the Democratic party. None of this, of course, is even close to being grounded in reality.

Coming a few years after we defeated the greatest army and threat the world had ever seen, McCarthy accused the Democrats of "twenty years of treason." He added twenty one after Eisenhower refused to acquiesce to McCarthy's demands. His paranoia knew no bounds as he went after the United States military. In one hearing he called Brigadier General Ralph W. Zicker, a WWII battlefield hero, a "five year old child not fit to wear the uniform." Ironic, considering McCarthy's outright lying about his own military record. His investigations into the US military turned the tide of public opinion well against him and his rampant alcoholism began to show in his Senate floor speeches. In fact, his constant changing numbers of how many communists were in the US government from the very beginning were evidence enough of his severe impairment and inability to think clearly.

None of this matters to that chapter of the Cult that has now changed the curriculum in Texas and perhaps nationwide. Commies were everywhere (ahh!!!!!!! look out...he looks funny...commie!!!) and still are. No matter that McCarthy was shown to be a liar very early on..he said pretty things so we loves him:) One need only spend a few minutes reading McCarthy's quotes to see that he was, in a myriad of ways, a founding father (along with Richard Nixon) of the Cult playbook. Say it and it's true...attack your opponent with what is, in fact, your greatest weakness (see the forthcoming comments below for what will be excellent examples of this), ignore facts, think with your guts and, above all, distrust anyone who doesn't think EXACTLY like you do. Joe McCarthy spawned the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin. It's no wonder they are fighting tooth and nail to re-imagine him in history. All three of them, as well as the Cult, are still paranoid about Commies (ahh!!! Commies!!!) even years after communism FAILED and whatever remnants are left (save North Korea) are embracing capitalism or some quasi form of it.

I stated previously that I am nauseated by the clear heroification of McCarthy. Honestly, that's not much redeemable about him. Rarely do secondary school texts get it right when it comes to wrongdoing but the American Pageant does in their McCarthy entry. I wonder how many of the facts listed there will be completely left out. Ah well, no matter. Anyone critical of a Cult forefather is a lying Commie which would include yours truly. Cue the red herring of Venona.

As an educator, I am tasked to present the basic facts of what happened in any historical period. To leave out McCarthy's lying, alcoholism, assault on civil liberties, and attacks on distinguished members of the military like George Marshall would be historically dishonest. It would be like showing the happy go lucky side of Stalin and skip over the whole gulag thing. Stalin was an asshole who murdered people. McCarthy was an asshole who destroyed people's lives due to a psychosis that forced an ideology on people. This ideology has now morphed into a faux critical thinking devoid of reality.

Yet I would still be more interested, given all of the facts about McCarthy and what the Cult will now be teaching in Texas, what my students think about Joe McCarthy and why. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what my view is or what the Texas School Board's view is regarding McCarthy. It matters what they think and how they evaluate the facts.

Since close to 5 million students in Texas and perhaps more nation wide will be missing key facts, critical thinking skills have been hijacked. And that's the real fucking travesty.
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