Chris Muir's "Day By Day": The Anti-Doonesbury

Day By Day© by Chris Muir.




If you're not reading his cartoon regularly, you're missing out. He's F'ing Brilliant!

Baldilocking Juliette's Experience with the VLWC

If you haven't checked out the "Baldilocking Juliette" blog you're missing a great read. She's an Air Force reservist, she's left-handed, she's tall, and oh yeah, she's also a conservative black woman. Which creates some problems for her when the time comes to vote It's a party.:

Did the VLWC try to invalidate my vote? You decide.

I walk in, hand over my ID and two people with separate lists check my name against my address. Then, a third person hands me my ballot. I didn't notice either of the first two tell the third which party I was a member of and, to my own chagrin, I didn’t look at the ballot at first. I merely said ‘thank you’ and headed toward one of the two Republican voting booths.

“No, no,” said the third person, a woman. “Go to one of those booths.” She was pointing at one of the five Democrat booths. I looked down at my ballot and it was a Democrat one. I walked over and handed it back to her.

“Aren’t you a Democrat?” she asked ponderously.

“No, ma’am,” I said with military precision. “I’m a Republican.”

Suddenly, in a polling place deep in the heart of Maxine Water’s congressional district, it got real quiet; not a menacing quiet—these were older, presumably church-going folk—but quiet nonetheless. I received the correct ballot, went to the correct booth, did my thing and got out of there, with eyes burning holes in my back.
Guess it goes with the territory; like for being left-handed and bald-headed.

I admire Juliette's class and restraint, and she's fearless. And her experience is proof positive that we need to do something to reform the primary voting process. There has to be a way to preserve voter confidentiality and not make a voter's choice of parties an issue for all and sundry. After all, I live in Chicago, and in the recent past I voted as a democrat in a primary ***gasps all around!***. Not because I am a democrat, but because there were no serious republican candidates for city and state-wide office, and I wanted to send one particular democrat candidate packing. It doesn't change my basic views, but having my choice of a republican ballot known to everyone at my polling place makes me nervous. Chicago is a "Daley Democrat" town, and asking for a republican ballot in Daley's town can be just about as intimidating as asking for one in Maxine Waters' district.

I'll take Juliette's example as my model when I absentee vote in the coming couple of weeks.

John Kerry Hopes to be the "second black president"

Back from a two-week hiatus during which yours truly spent a long weekend in fine art-laden London, stories like this about the democratic party nominee for president leave me wishing I'd claimed political assylum in Britain.

According to this story by Ron Fournier in Yahoo! News, John Kerry has cited the oft-used expression for former president Clinton, "America's first black president", and expressed his desire to be thought of in the same vein (Kerry Looking for Super Tuesday Triumph ). As Yahoo! links are not permanent, I will quote the "meat" of the article below:

Pre-election polling gave Kerry an edge in almost every Election Day venue as he sought a lion's share of the victories to make Edwards' presidential bid a political, if not quite a mathematical, impossibility. Kerry was already pivoting toward a general-election fight with President Bush.

"Boy, wait until you see the fire in my belly," he told a TV interviewer. (Langtry aside: Thanks, John, but I'll have to pass. That job seems better suited to your gastroenterologist.")

"President Clinton was often known as the first black president. I wouldn't be upset if I could earn the right to be the second," he told the American Urban Radio Network.

If I were a black woman, I would be deeply offended by Kerry's obvious condescension. As a white woman, I find Kerry's condescension to be instantly recognizable, the worst form of noblesse oblige: old-school, disingenuous, white, upper-class disdain masquerading as 'down with it', streetwise sensibility. As the democrats continue to disregard the upwardly-mobile, middle class Southerner (regardless of race), so goes their continued condescension to "urban (read: black) America". It's shameless pandering, and patently offensive to anyone who believes, as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated, "it is the content of one's character that matters, not the color of one's skin." (my paraphrasing)

Lest Kerry think this "Do you feel me" approach is a good idea, I'd like to call his attention to the example provided by the "first black president" (as coined by the author Toni Morrison during the Lewinski scandal, BTW), Bill Clinton.

At the time, the relocation of Clinton's post-presidential offices were hailed as leading a new renaissance whereby other prominent individuals might choose to bring their companies to Harlem, residents of that New York neighborhood are now deeply critical of their former hero. Kerry might do well to recall that many blacks saw through Clinton's charade (Kevin Alexander Gray: Clinton and Black Americans) and those who originally celebrated Clinton's arrival in Harlem are now profoundly dissatisfied with Clinton's failure to bring about real change and urban renewal (Clinton, Harlem hero, is a phantom presence ). According to the Erik Gershon of the Columbia News Service, the primary print & online publication of the Columbia University School of Journalism, Clinton is rarely to be found in his Harlem offices:

Many people in Harlem respect Clinton, but they rarely lay eyes on him, it seems. Two years into the 42nd president's trumpeted 125th-Street tenancy, he appears to have become a largely theoretical presence, if one that conveniently represents the neighborhood's uneasy gentrification.

Based on more than a dozen impromptu interviews, people who work at or near 55 W. 125th St. expressed mixed feelings about Clinton's largely phantom presence.

Some people, such as Donna Clayton of Wimp's bakery, on Clinton's block, hinted at disappointment.

"In my opinion, he's probably not a part of the neighborhood as people would have expected when he first moved in," said Clayton, whose husband, Winzle, baked an 11-layer cake presented to Clinton the day he moved in. "To be honest, we don't feel his presence a lot. A lot of people ask. To me, it doesn't feel all that different."

If John Kerry finds himself inclined to use the expression "America's second black president" he may find that such expressions of urban sensibility are not met with electoral success. Clinton could at least lay claim to a poor childhood in the hard-scrabble South; Kerry's roots are decidedly genteel, and the consequences for his campaign of coopting urban culture are much greater.

My advice to him as a candidate is that he'd do well to end such flights of fancy now, before the insincerety of his actions become clear to potential voters. My advice to him as a republican, however, would be to keep it up. It is bound to make George Bush, for all of his foibles, appear to be a man of greater sincerety and integrity than his democratic presidential foe.

Woman Cited for Improper Bovine Registration

I must admit to you that when I saw this link on Drudge, I thought it must be one of two things: a joke or the latest transgression by Daley Democrats ("Vote Early and Often!"). Alas, the story comes to us by way of Merrie Olde England. Woman Fined for Registering Cows as Voters

The woman, Brenda Gould of Newmarket, committed the electoral offense last year as well, prompting the local council to impose a £110 ($397) fine:

... in addition to registering two cows as "Henry and Sophie Bull," she listed "Jake Woofles," later found to be a dog, as eligible to vote in local government elections, the council said ... This year she indicated that her address had been split into two properties, that she resided in one part and that two other persons lived in the second, a council spokesman said. The persons she claimed lived in the second property were, in fact, her cows, the spokesman said.

(Gives a whole new meaning to the idea of a lovely semi-detached in Cambridgeshire, N'est-ce pas?)

Granted, they were her very own cows she registered, but still! This takes our anthropomorphic tendencies to a new extreme.

From The "Why didn't I think of this?" Dept.

Eleni's Cookies, a specialty bakery in NYC, has the coolest cookies on the planet. Really. My favorite? Movie Quotes Cookies

One of the gems: "(Luke) I am your father".

A second set of cookies includes the classics:

"Go ahead. Make My Day."
and
"I'll have what she's having."

Brilliant! Famous Movie Quotes: The Sequel

Now if I can only find the time to persuade them to do an Idiotarian Asshats collection.

Think of it: Rachel Corrie, Wesley Clark, Al Franken, Paul Krugman, and a little hammer so I could smash them to bits before gobbling them up!

Howard Dean Has Good News for George Bush

Howard Dean, onetime democratic presidential front-runner turned electoral bridesmaid, is backing down on a claim he made to supporters last week. In a fundraising e-mail, Dean pleaded for the cash required to emerge victorious from the Wisconsin primary, as "anything less will put us out of this race."

** Any "note to Howard" I'd send would simply state the obvious: you're already out of this (democratic) race. **

As it stands, it would appear that even Dean has seen his world albeit briefly for what it is:

Dean changes mind on Wisconsin vote; vows not to quit

Following Dean's defeat in all primaries held as of this date, many democratics (as well as republicans) have suspected that Dean's personality is not the sort to grieve over his wounds, accept his losses and pledge his support (and supporters) to the democratic nominee. He is simply too determined, in a petulant and narcissistic way, to usurp the presidency from those who lack the his *superior* vision for the country. Is it any wonder that his official website/blog is called "Howard Dean for America"?

As far as his "help us, or else" missive, Dean denies his e-mail was merely a fundraising ploy. Like Clinton, however, he's an of-the-moment kind of guy:

Speaking to reporters in the student union at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay after a huge rally, Dean said his decision to stay in the race beyond Wisconsin was motivated by supporters who asked him not to quit if he loses next Tuesday.

This is, of course, the classic assertion of the vainglorious: I'm doing it for the people, because they want me to.

None of this (democratic fealty, Howard Deans' self-actualization, the fate of the DeanieBabies, etc.) matters to me in any way. While the continued devolution of the two-party system is indeed disappointing, most republicans view this from a strategic perspective, and for a neo-conservative like myself (where concerns over terrorism and economic vitality are Priority #1) this schism in the DNC bodes very, very well for my candidate, George Bush.

Why? I need mention only two words: Ralph Nader.

The more savvy of democrats, those who have recovered their senses from
the 2000 election, know that the resulting obsession with Bush, vote recounts and the US Supereme Court having "selected, not elected" deflect from understanding the real reason for Gore's loss: the presence of green party candidate Nader. Had Nader not been in the race, left-wing votes would have stayed with the dems, and Gore would be the president. To my democrat friends and acquaintances I would say this: If you can't grasp this fact, then you can't learn from your mistakes, and Howard Dean will be your mistake in 2004.

If Dean, out of hubris and mean-spritedness, conspires to run as an independent, then it doesn't matter who the democrats run or whether or not "Bush knew". The DeanieBabies, as did the Greens, will split the LLL vote necessary to win back the White House, and George Bush will be re-elected.

Which would be so cool.

That's it. I'm done with the NBA. Scumbags all!

Don't even get me started on Michael "I want to drive my kids to school" Jordan. Or Kobe. No more can be said about either. Much more can be said, however, about the current state of morality in the NBA.

Yesterday, the judge in the Jayson Williams murder trial decided that the jury would not hear of another shooting incident attributable to the Nets player. Too inflammatory. I'd have to agree, as the story made me furious:

Williams Executed Pet Rottweiler After Losing a Bet with Fellow NBA Star

That being said, this story is one of the reasons why I hope the NBA dies a slow, miserable death. Granted, foul, reprehensible behavior occurs in other professional sports, but blowing your dog's head off after one of your buddies drags it out of the house by its' hind legs to show you how your supposedly viscious dog is really a softie? How black is your soul? (And to all those who would jump on me as a racist, I'll include the caveat that no pun was intended.)

Why are there no morality clauses in NBA contracts? Why are the owners, in their relentless quest for money, content with this behavior? I'll never drop a dime on this pathetic excuse for a sport ever again.

Can a Policy of Nonviolence Result in Voiolence?

It's hard to cross a public square in Chicago (and many similar places across the country) or surf the web without encountering anti-Bush / anti-Iraq protesters. One of their common slogans is "violence begets violence", and they implore us to seek nonviolent means of adjudicating international crises. But is violence more likely to be brought about through non-violent means than through direct intervention, i.e. war?

In the online magazine TechCentralStation Dr. Helen Smith, a forensic psychologist from Knoxville, Tennessee reviews the new book An End to Evil: How to Win the War on Terror (David Frum & Richard Perle) , and turns a critical eye to much of the criticism some reviewers have heaped on the work. Her premise, that non-confrontational approaches can in fact bring about the results these protesters seek to prevent, is a compelling and all too often overlooked aspect of the peace advocacy movement.

Over-Humanizing the Enemy

Dr. Smith notes that primary criticism of David Frum and Richard Perle's book stems from their dehuminzation of the enemy, their simplistic reduction of Islam to a factor of malevolent "Evil", and their failure to examine the root causes of Islam's hatred of The West. Her metaphor, that of the violent criminal patients she works with, is not a perfect one, but it merits further examination. After all, aren't the violent tendencies one (a terrorist) not dissimilar to another (a violent criminal)?

(S)ome Americans seem to believe that if we can "feel our enemies' pain," then we will be on the path to enlightenment and peace. This belief could not be further from the truth ... for some anxiety-ridden patients who need faith in themselves, the technique of empathy and support works. However, for those patients with serious violent tendencies, just the opposite is true. With those patients, I've found that setting clear boundaries and making judgments about their immoral behavior works like a charm.

Dr. Smith also makes compelling points about how politicians and academics have impotently approached the problem of politicized violence since modern terrorism's inception in the 1970's. Giving terrorists what they want has resulted in further violent acts against those who acquiesce, and last week's suicide bomb attack on a bus in Jerusalem bears this out. After all, Israel had already agreed to release hundreds of jailed Palestinian terrorists in exchange for one kidnapped businessman and the bones of a few IDF soldiers.

Surprisingly, Israel released the jailed Palestinians anyway.

Dr. Smith's piece is good food for thought as we approach the November elections. Do we want to continue on this inarguably difficult course with George Bush, or are we more comfortable going back to Clintonian diplomacy with a democrat as President? Read this article before you make that decision.

California, the ADA and Victimology as Self-Image

Jury rejects claim by man in attack on dog by library cat


Why is it that one of the most beautiful of American states is also the most deficient of common sense? Perhaps because liberal democrats encouraged it?

In Escondido, Richard Ramon "Rik" Espinosa sued the local library for $1.5 million after the biblio's feline mascot, L.C. (for Library Cat), attacked his assistance animal, Kimba. His claims were that his civil rights, as well as his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were infringed upon. Sanity, however, won out:

The jury denied Richard Ramon "Rik" Espinosa's claims on all three issues before them: that the city failed to offer him the same right as the general public to use the library; that it failed to offer him equal access; and that it prevented his dog Kimba from acting as an assistance dog.

The city did not dispute that Espinosa has disabilities, that his dog helped him with his disabilities or that the cat, named "L.C." for Library Cat, attacked Kimba the assistance dog shortly after the dog and Espinosa entered the library in November 2000. Both sides also agreed that the attack resulted in a trip to the vet for the dog, a trip to the doctor for Espinosa and about two days' worth of lost wages. Total cost: about $335.

The city offered twice to settle with Espinosa, including one offer of $1,000. Espinosa declined.

Espinosa stressed his own disabilities over the course of the trial, which according to him include "major depressive and panic disorders", and that his civil rights were denied becuase he and Kimba were unable to enter the library. The jury, being uncommonly possessed of wisdom and intelligence, found Espinosa lacking in all areas of claim.

Two questions:

1) Where is Espinosa's concern for Kimba? and

2) For what reason does he have an assistance animal, and what dunderheaded organization gave him this dog?

I give money to assistance dog training organizations, and I can't see any reputable agency giving this a$$hat one of their charges. Secondly, in Espinosa's suit, every single piont of contention concerns himself, not the dog. Espinosa is a classic narcissist, and the inherent victimology espoused in much of the ADA encourages the victicrat mentality (Larry Elder coined the term "victicrat") behind many of the ADA's provisions. No injury was caused to Espinosa, the city had offered him more than three times the actual amount of costs that he had incurred in having Kimba treated (as well as Espinosa's two days lost wages), and yet he was allowed to see his claims through to trial. Only then were his claims called out for what they clearly were: frivolous.

And as for the claim of civil rights violations, one year after the original filing, Espinosa filed an additional claim of being the victim of a "hate crime" because the cat was black, and Espinosa is Latino. Would that I were kidding.

Proof Positive: CBS Top-Brass Approved Jackson Flashing

Jackson's & Timberlake's Moment of Reproof

Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show gave literal interpretation to the term "Boob Tube".

CBS' professed "outrage" at the stunt and Justin Timberlake's laughable "wardrobe malfunction" excuse pushed the boundaries of implausibility, and Drudge proves that it was indeed planned all along. Sorry CBS & MTV, but I never bought the ruse that it was all some dance move gone awry. Janet Jackson's most famous portrait is a breast baring shot with her nipples coyly covered by the hands of her then-boyfriend, who remained artfully hidden behind her torso. Modesty has never been one of Janet's virtues, and the flash effectively ended the media's relentless focus on Michael, which was the reason for her appearance on the 'musical extravaganza' (to use The Sun's expression) in the first place. Supposedly she has an album coming out next month, but the Common Sense Laws of Self Promotion would have her sing new material, not "All For You" (April 2001) and "Rhythm Nation" (August 1989).

Instead, Janet, Justin, CBS and MTV brought tawdry burlesque spectacle to a national audience Sunday night, and did so knowing young children would be watching the game. All things being considered, though, I must thank them for staging such a craptacular musical review, as it seemed to ensure that we'll not have to sit through another lip-synching , over-produced musical fright fest next year. According to published reports, NFL has informed MTV that they will not be invited to stage a halftime show at any time in the forseeable future. Let's hope that extends to other music cable channels, film companies, corporate circuses, and the like.

Get back to the football, already!

Pat Tillman Update

Thanks to Andrew Sullivan (www.andrewsullivan.com) for the link to a December 22nd story on Pat Tillman in the online edition of the Airzona Republic: Pat Tillman Visits AZ Cardinals in Seattle

Tillman was Sullivan's "Hero of the Year" for 2002, and the impetus for the AZCentral item was Tillman's first visit to the Arizona Cardinals since he (and his brother, Keith) enlisted in the Army following the September 11th terrorist attacks. The Cardinals were in Seattle to play the Sea Hawks, and Tillman (between stints in Operation Iraqi Freedom) is currently stationed at nearby Ft. Lewis.

As you may remember from my entry below, some of Tillman's teammates didn't see Tillman's enlistment for the quietly dignified and heroic act it was. I'm glad to report that two years later, support for Tillman's sacrifice is evident. Quoth Cardinals' safety Adrian Wilson:

"He did a great thing for our country," safety Adrian Wilson said. "I was real surprised to see him. I didn't know he was back (in the United States) until I saw him (Sunday) morning. It was nice talking to him."

Yo Adrian! (Forgive me the cheesy shout-out, but I couldn't resist!) I love ya!

Wolf to Investigate Slayings at Henhouse

Wolf to Investigate Slayings at Henhouse
In a follow-up to my post of October 15th "Gaza Strip Blast Kills 3 Americans", Israel Law Center Director Nitsana Darshan-Leitner has informed Attorney General John Ashcroft (via the website for the Independent Media Research Center) that the lead investigator assigned to the case by the Palestinian-Authority is in fact the likely perpetrator of the crime.

www.littlegreenfootballs.com

“It is a disgraceful that the individual assigned by the Palestinian Authority to investigate the murders of Branchizio, Linde and Parsons is himself a leading terrorist suspected of numerous other roadside bombings in Gaza. If the United States is sincere about making arrests then it must not tolerate Rashid Abu Shabak heading up this crucial inquiry. The similarities between the October 15th roadside bombing and the roadside bombing of the Kfar Darom school bus in November 2000 cannot be ignored. We urge the Department of Justice to initiate its own investigation of Abu Shabak and his role in prior Gaza terror attacks, some of which have seriously injured American citizens.” ...

As Charles often says "Lovely people. Let's give them a state!"

To Be Filed Under: Meow!

Why I Think Little of Madeleine Albright

"Do you suppose the Bush administration has Osama bin Laden hidden away somewhere and will bring him out before the election?"

-Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Fox News Green Room conversation with Morton Kondrake

Goodness, Madeleine - bitter much? And since when is 10 months prior to an elelection capitalizing on same? Although, in Maddy's defense, former President Clinton lived to campaign, perhaps we ought not blame his former Secretary of State for thinking 10 months prior to be the closing stretch.

Madeleine Albright (she of the inherently misnomerous surname) is wildly popular among many of my female friends. They blithely regard her as model of mentorship and a master practitioner of statecraft (largely based on her historical status, as well as this money quote from her recent appearance at a Council on Foreign Realtions brunch here in Chicago: "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women" ... way to pander to the chicks, Madeleine).

Frankly, the esteem in which she is held in has always been a bit of a mystery to me. When she became the first female SecState, I was keen to give her the benefit of the doubt. However, her modus operandi of reacting to worldwide crises, rather than promoting American interests in a proactive manner, led me to believe that my faith in her was not to be realized. The quote above, made yesterday, clearly shows her to be cravenly opportunistic and cynical, a true Clintonian-democrat of the first order. Gone are the days where former administration officials sublimated personal opinion and opportunism in order to project a united front. Evidently, Ms. Albright cares not for what is in America's best interests, especially when a political three-pointer can be scored against the opposing team.

It's women like Madeleine Albright that make me look a little closer at women running for political office, rather than electing them to office simply because we need female representation in the three branches of our government. Would that my freinds did the same.

Christopher Hitchens on Saddam's Capture

Christopher Hitchens on Saddam's Capture

Christopher Hitchens (known to UK readers for his columns in The Spectator and the tabloid Daily Mail, and US readers for his bi-monthly column in Vanity Fair) has penned a must-read column on the capture of Saddam Hussein, and how it marks the end of a regime so brutal, it is unimaginable to those of us fortunate enough to have lived in secular Western culture: Chrsitopher Hitchens on Saddam's Capture

Kanan Makiya's brilliant profile of Ba'ath Party rule, The Republic of Fear, had a title that was, if anything, understated. In Baghdad in the old days, I knew people who said you could smell the fear. Others said no, you could taste it. The one who came closest said you could actually eat it.

Just the mention of the name was enough to bring a look into the eyes of almost any Iraqi: the look of a broken dog that is once again shown the whip. This is why I can't stand those who refer with a sneer to the courageous Iraqi opposition as "exiles".

It's a brilliant essay that truly makes one feel, albeit vicariously, the oppressive fear that permeated every aspect of Iraqi life. While I agree with the overall tenor and point of Hitchens' piece, I can't embrace his categorization of Iraqi exiles. Formenting change in from inside Iraq was a near impossibility; after all, those who possessed the courage to challenge the Ba'athist tyrants were dragged away and tortured before being executed without trial.

I've often wanted to ask those persons who identify themselves as civil libertarians as well as anti-Bush's "Unjust War" how they reconcile the inherent dichotomy of Hussein's actions to suppress all dissent under penalty of dismemberment or even death with the fact that today's Iraqis, while enduring the chaos that comes with the last desperate acts of self-preservation among Saddam's disposessed power-base, have at their disposal the tools and resources to create a more liberated society than could have existed prior to this war? I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for a common-sense answer to this question, as introspection, not to mention common sense, is often absent from their emotion- & ideology-fuelled hatred of anything our President does.

I think I may have found my life's purpose ...

I think I may have found my life's purpose ...

Well, that may be a bit of an overstatement, lol! Quite frankly, I would love to be a GOP Babe of the Week. Granted, a few pseudo-Babes are included in the list (Shannen Doherty, ewww), but this week's choice is Elizabeth Hasselbeck, new to ABC's "The View". It's good to know at least one of the hosts of that show possesses a modicum of common sense.

GOP Babe of This Week: Elisabeth Hasselbeck; Someday: Me!

Allow Me To Aquaint You With One of My Heros

The NFL's Lonely Hero: By Paul Beston

In Decmber 4th's online edition of The American Spectator, writer Paul Beston has reminded me of the guise in which you will find true heroism, pure valor and plain-speaking patriotism. Many of us may have, for lack of a better expression, forgotten about former NFL player Pat Tillman. A starting strong safety for the Arizona Cardinals, Tillman left the cardinals at the conclusion of the 2001 football season and enlisted straightaway in the Army's elite 75th Ranger Regiment. He and his brother, Kevin, enlisted at the same time and are both currently serving somewhere in the Middle East. The article doesn't interview Tillman; gaining access to him would likely be impossible. Even if the most intrepid reporter attempted to do so, in all likelihood Tillman would refuse to highlight himself. There's too much to do, and interviews are a silly distraction. As Beston writes, "Apparently determined that their endeavor not be construed as self-aggrandizing or insincere, they have simply done what they said they would do -- leave behind the fantasy world of sports to serve their country."

It would be a remarkable story in any time, but in a more cynical age it is nothing short of breathtaking. Imagine a 26-year old American male, talented enough to play in the National Football League and earn millions of dollars, leaving because he felt he had more important things to do. What could be more important than riches and fame? Why sacrifice when our culture so often portrays sacrifice as the preserve of misfits and losers? For many observers, Tillman's decision had to have an explanation more rational, and less abstract, than mere nobility.

Not that the NFL's resident thugs "get" guys like Tillman. Simeon Rice, Tillman's former teammate at Arizona, posited that Tillman's decision was based more on a lack of talent than a sense of duty. More recently, Rice (perhaps realizing the folly of his earlier statement?) clarified his gaffe, saying Tillman's motivation was "admirable", and likely inspired by ...

"Maybe it was the Rambo movies?" he asked. "Maybe it's Sylvester Stallone and Rocky?"

I kid you not. While that statement is likely to boil your blood, the rest of Beston's essay is truly inspiring, and will remind you of what constitutes heroes. We need a reminder that heroism involves courage, stamina, iron will, and above all, sacrifice. The Tillman brothers, and many lesser known individuals who serve in the ongoing War on Terror, embody these qualities. Actors, sports stars, musicians, writers, journalists, and activists are merely entertainers and aparatchiks, and when it comes to lasting impact they are as ephemeral as the smokey haze in a run-down bar.

While many of us spend our Sundays worshipping gridiron heroes like Rice (now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and are able to cite their playfield heroics with enthusiasm, people like Pat Tillman are out there, in places where there are no sideline air conditioners, heated benches or catered skyboxes. They're slogging through sandstorms, demining village soccer pitches, and patrolling in neighborhoods where Fedayeen Sadaam and Taliban sympathizers lurk in the shadows. You will not find heroes hot-footing it to the goal line, shaking their booties, and retiring to gentlemen's clubs to celebrate.

It's no wonder the NFL, and us, have forgotten about Pat Tillman.

Wilson & Wife's Idea of "Going Undercover"

It's been a while since former ambassador Joseph Wilson lashed out at the Bush administration after columnist Robert Novak "outing" of his wife, Valerie Plame. In Novak's column, a "senior White House staff member" named Plame as a CIA field agent: Robert Novak's Column of 14 July 2003. At the time, Novak did not directly name or divulge the location of his source, and Novak has since denied Wilson's assertions that a White House staff member had leaked the story. Not that any of this matters to Wilson & WifeRobert Novak's Column of 1 October 2003

Former ambassador Wilson, obviously upset at no longer being a member of DC's "Those That Matter" club, has up 'til now claimed that his wife "would rather cut off her arm at the elbow" than be exposed for her activities while undercover. Valerie Plame, an attractive forty-something blonde mother of young twins, was a member of the recent CIA team that went to Lagos, Nigeria to either substantiate or disprove the story that Nigeria had supplied yellowcake uranium to Al Qaeda via Iraq (President Bush subsequently claimed in a State of the Union address that such activities warranted the invasion of Baghdad and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein). To be sure, I was immediately skeptical of Valerie Plame's extra-curricular activities - how many mothers of twin toddlers do you know who have the wherewithal to work international covert investigations? "Alias" spy Sidney Bristow must surely feel inadequate at the thought!

If Plame was indeed an active field agent during the not-so-recent past, how does one explain today's revelation (props to Drudge) that Wilson & Wife were photographed for an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair?
CIA Agent Valerie Plame Goes Undercover In Vanity Fair Allow me to "Fisk" (props to LGF) this story:

"My wife has made it very clear that -- she has authorized me to say this -- she would rather chop off her right arm than say anything to the press and she will not allow herself to be photographed," he declared in October on "Meet the Press."

Fair enough, if a bit overwrought in metaphor. There are really risks to those working in the field in the War on Terror. I fail to see how Plame was anything less than tangential in her role (considering the aversion of many Islamists to deal with women, let alone involve them in the upper ecehlons of the decision-making apparatus), but let's run with this for the sake of Wilson's testimony:

But that was before Vanity Fair came calling ... (t)he January issue features a two-page photo of Wilson and the woman the magazine calls "the most famous female spy in America," a "slim 40-year-old with white-blond hair and a big, bright smile." They are sitting in their Jaguar. Plame is wearing a scarf and big glasses, which just adds to the aura of mystery. In a second shot on their terrace at the couple's home near Georgetown, she holds a newspaper in front of her face.

As if in defense of Plame's seemingly dunderheaded decision to appear in the Hollywood ragsheet, Rob Bienner, who shot the snaps, said "... Plame was not originally scheduled to participate in the Nov. 8 shoot, but agreed to join her husband once 'she felt suitably disguised'."

Her teddibly, teddibly gallant husband adds:

"The pictures should not be able to identify her, or are not supposed to," Wilson said yesterday. "She's still not going to answer any questions and there will not be any pictures that compromise her." The reason, said Wilson, is that "she's still employed" by the CIA "and has obligations to her employer."

Right. I'll surmise that the only professional obligation Plame has to CIA is to drive a desk at Langley. Any "agent" who allows her husband to continue to talk about how her privacy and ability to ply her trade have been invaded, and allowing herself to be advised to pose for pictures such as those to appear in VF, could hardly be trusted to any peruse any file above the status of vending machine resupply. It cannot be said that Wilson & Plame have done anything to redeem Plame's professional reputation, such as assuming a lower profile; on the contrary:

It's not that Plame has dropped out of sight. In October, as Vanity Fair notes, she was at the National Press Club -- wearing a "sharp cream pantsuit" -- while her husband received a truth-telling award. Wilson wept from the podium, saying, "If I could give you back your anonymity . . ." and then introduced Plame, who also teared up.

Oh the humanity. Would I be engaging in schadenfreude by pointing out the guilty-ridden subtext of Wilson's tearful declaration?

Plame also mingled unobtrusively last month at a party at the home of The Washington Post's Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn. But there has been an invisible bubble around her as reporters have respected the desire of "Jane Bond," as Wilson calls her, to remain in the Washington shadows.

It's good to know that the "reporters" noted above are doing their jobs! Perhaps it just me, but Wilson's continuance of the alias "Jane Bond" is more telling than any other detail of the Post's story.

I'll grant you that my bias on this story is clear; but in light of this particular comment, I'd venture to guess that Wilson, and not some senior Bush official, was the "source" of the Novak story. It's just too obvious who's getting the most of this scandal, and it's Wilson first and Plame second. Call it a "folie a deux", but most CIA staffers lead a quiet, unassuming life. Their neighbors (and often times their spouse) never know what it is they really do, and this serves both agent and agency well. In the age of the "instant book deal" and "reality TV" it begs mention that Wilson is pursuing a book deal, where he promises to reveal more than simply his wife's 'ordeal'. Quel surprise!

Wilson notes that his family must "make compromises to maintain Plame's privacy. We are not going into seclusion," he said. "We're not going to hide the fact that we live in this town, we go out to dinner and drive cars and parent our kids."

Oh puh-leeze! A return to normal life (and it's concurrent anonymity)is the last thing Wilson & Wife want. Perhaps they might find a place for themselves in Hollywood?

The Continuing Crisis

Yesterday's bombing of the HSBC headquarters and the British Consulate in Istanbul left me saddened, and as I read the initial opinions stated (on the Beeb's website) in this morning's "Having Your Say" topic on the Beeb's website (Thoughts on Istanbul Suicide Bombers), I worry about those well-meaning but ultimately idiotarian anglos who think that if you just take the time to piously examine and humbly address the root causes of Islamist resentment, all these pesky, inconvenient attacks would cease and "peace" would rule the day. If it were that simple, folks, these attacks would have long since ended the moment Bill Clinton and friends assumed the executive branch. That and the nefarious dictatorship of North Korea would be singing "Kumbaya" around permanently dismantled nuclear reactors.

As If!

In attempting to be inclusive in their thinking, these naive people commit the gravest error of politically correct thinking: they apply Western standards to non-Western peoples.

Addressing "root causes" is the current obsession of the anti-war Left, and will be their undoing. Islamist extremists are not concerned with root causes - nowhere in the Koran is there any allusion to root causes. Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups may pander to Western sensibilities in claiming that "bias towards Israel" and "double standards" form the core of their discontent. Former US President Bill Clinton and former Israeli PM Ehud Barak gave Yasser Arafat a more-than-generous settlement in the Wye Valley Accords, and Arafat turned them down flat. Once again, America, Britain and Israel were thwarted in their efforts to bring peace to the Middle East, and no amount of attention to the root causes of Palestinian discontent would change that fact.

While we dither over "root causes", the Islamic world continues to fester in its' hatred of all things secular and inclusive, and has addled Western thinking in its' deft manipulation of our desire to make up for the supposed wrongs of our foreign policies. This combined with strict adherence to the more violent and xenophobic tenets of the Koran has led us to where we are today, and it is foolhardy to assume that if we were somehow 'kinder' or more considerate towards countries that support terrorism, groups like Hamas, Al Qaeda and Abu Sayaf would lay down their guns and embrace peace.

This war will only be won when we think like they do, not as they would want us to.

"Welcome to the Hotel Palestornia"

Gaza Strip Blast Kills 3 Americans

US Diplomats were in the PA-controlled territories to interview Palestinian Rhodes Scholar candidates

Diplomats Killed in Gaza

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
'Relax, ' said the night man,
We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
But you can never leave!

I know this is a big leap from the normal tenor of this blog, but one must step outside of their own petty obsessions once in a while and pay attention to what counts, and it ain't the Chicago Cubs, believe me.

I'm beginning to think that the PA-controlled territories (I refuse to consider the idea of "Palestine" any more), are the nation-state equivalent of The Eagles' "Hotel California".

Let me sound out some of the similarities ...

If you happen to hint that you support a peace agreement with Israel, you will meet with an 'accident'. If you happen to survive said attack, your Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades countrymen will burst into your hospital room and assisinate you in your bed.

If you refuse to participate in terror attacks or their resulting celebrations, as on September 11th, you will be labelled a traitor to your homeland and you and your family will live (if one can call it that) under constant threat.

If you aspire to matriculate (legitimately or otherwise) as a Fulbright Scholar, you will find it impossible to do so as those who award these scholarships will be blown to bits whilst trying to facilitate your interview.

As much as I disagree with the tenor of how and to whom international Scholarships are awarded (the Rhodes committee did, after all, choose Chesa Boudin -- son of until-recently imprisoned Weather Underground terrorist and cop-killer Kathy Boudin -- as a 2003 recipient - Emily Yoffee's "Radical Chic"), I am certain that these three diplomats were one of the few chances these young Palestinians had to get out of that self-begotten hellhole, and what their potential saviors received for their efforts was a pre-emptive liaison with eternity.

I understand that there may be fear on the part of some Palestinians to work towards an overthrow of the Arafat Regime (and yes, Howard Dean, you read that correctly); however, there is no excuse for tacit participation in the negation of any proposal for peace. This is what you engender when you keep silent and allow the intifada, a sure component of global jihad, to continue. This is what Arafat and the Palestinian Authority has saddled you with, and this time your complicit silence may have spurned any chance your children and grandchildren have to escape the fate you have created for them.

Lust Is In The Air, Every Time I Look Around ...

What is it with men? When I'm single, you're indifferent, but when I'm taken, I'm like honey for the bees?

I recently started going out with a really amazing guy. Handsome, self-assured, well-spoken and yet thoroughly devoid of that strutting, cocky vibe that can be so off-putting. A part of me is wondering when the bloom will fade, and yet I'm more optimistic than I've ever been about a guy. I have a smile on my face most moments, and the warm flush of summer dapples my cheeks despite the icy winds that have preternaturally set upon Chicago this Fall. If I could bottle this ... you've got the idea.

So last evening, a couple of members of the Posse (an extended group of friends) and yours truly went to PJ Clarke's for minnies, Michelob Ultras, and the Cubs'n'Braves. I'm hardly gussied up, and yet almost immediately I'm practically the lone female in a boy band.

Is it that I can talk Sports? I hardly think it's unusual to be able to discuss the relative merits of whether Sammy Sosa should remain with the Cubs in 2004. Is it that I don't really care if you like me, you really like me? Whatever it is, I could have used it before now ... and not now!

Innocently, the Posse and I are gossiping (about ourselves, not others), comparing players goatees, and hoping, praying, that the Cubs will come from behind (which by now you know they did). Next thing I know Mr. K is hanging on my every word, and trying to hang on me like a cropped T on Britney Spears. I'm not into Mr. K, or Mr. Y, and I've no intention of engaging in anything other than banter with them, but sheesh - where were you guys a couple of months ago?