Referring to the Charles Hebdo massacre, Jonathan Chait writes this: The right to blaspheme religion is one of the most elemental exercises of political liberalism. One cannot defend the right without defending the practice. Oh, but one can. One can defend free speech without having to publish, let alone embrace, the offensive ideas being targeted. And I will in a … Read More
Paris Standoffs
Two intense standoffs with gunmen are underway in and around Paris now — one involving the two brothers wanted in the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the other a hostage situation at a kosher grocery store The two situations are apparently related to each other as well as Wednesday’s killing of 12 people at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The 12 victims … Read More
Ronald Reagan on Torture
Message to the Senate Transmitting the Convention Against Torture and Inhuman Treatment or Punishment May 20, 1988 With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, subject to certain reservations, understandings, and declarations, I transmit herewith the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Convention was adopted by unanimous … Read More
Thoughts On The Right Wing’s Response To The Torture Report
It’s been more than a little disturbing to see the conservative reaction to the Senate Intelligence Committee report on torture released yesterday. There was a time within recent memory when the right wing’s argument was “what we do is not torture”. Clearly, THAT argument has now flown the coop. Now, the argument seems to be “I don’t care” with shockingly little … Read More
What? Dick Cheney Lied About Torture?
Comes now Mark Fallon, an interrogator for 30 years, telling us that according to a Senate Intelligence Committee report coming out today, torture does not work and never did: It’s official: torture doesn’t work. Waterboarding Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of 9/11, did not in fact “produce the intelligence that allowed us to get Osama bin Laden,” as former Vice … Read More
So Now What?
It's the 13th anniversary of 9/11, and you would think that we would have learned something since then about… well…. being terrorized. "Being terrorized" means being so freaked out by the bad guys what our judgment is clouded and we rush into military operations for which (1) we have no exit strategy and (2) there is no way to tell … Read More
The Lesson From 2002
We all have felt it from time to time. The urge to simply go nuclear. It's understandable. Some backwoods jihadi moron slices off an American head, or a bunch of them band together and fly hijacked airplanes into sckyscrapers, and our natural reaction is: "Fuck you. NOW you're going to see the hand of God." The problem with that is … Read More
Fair And Balanced: Fox News In The Mideast
As Israel bombs Gaza, the Palestinian death toll stands at 576. There have been 27 Israeli deaths as well. And how does Fox report it? Fox News actually just announced this re: Gaza: “So far, violence has killed over 600 people on both sides" — brendan james (@deep_beige) July 22, 2014
Morons With Missiles
Yes, indeed. Putin should be embarrassed. When you listen to the audiotapes, you become keenly aware that the pro-Russian separatists in the Ukraine are total boobs… or, as Josh Marshall writes: The audio tapes posted by The New York Times might as well be from some future Russia-based version of Waiting for Guffman or Best in Show, a comical rendering of … Read More
Senile Old Man Talks Crazy Shit On CNN
Dick Cheney: TAPPER: But do you think the decisions that you made, your administration really has nothing to do with what's going on in Iraq right now? CHENEY: I think, when we left office, we had, in Iraq, a very stable situation. January 18, 2009 — two days before Obama took office: Baghdad – A roadside bomb detonated in front … Read More
Not Funny
Mad Magzine goes full wingnut And when I say it is "not funny", I mean it lacks humor. It's suypposed to be a spoof of Saving Private Ryan, but it's such a stretch (Ryan and Bergdahl sound nothing alike). I haven't really commented on the Bergdahl story, largely because its more bullshit right wingnut outrage. First of all, we … Read More
Hashtag Activism and Nigerian Girls
I’m not a huge fan of hashtag activism. I think it is cool and all, but I don’t think it is the panacea for all the world’s problems, like some others. I mean, if there’s a shooter on campus, Twitter can be helpful. Or, as shown in the last week, it can bring the world’s attention to a tragic, but finite, … Read More
Malala
I don't care if she is 16. She deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Skip to 3:50 or so if you want to see her blow Jon Stewart's mind. The Daily Show Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook
Chickenhawks
Yes, this is annoying. When Obama was making noises about bombing Syria, Republicans (and some Democrats) chastized him as being reckless. Now, thanks to Russia, it looks like we’re going to get the chemical weapons away from Assad, and we don’t have to bomb Syria. And those same Republicans are now criticizing Obama. John? The Daily Show with Jon StewartGet … Read More
Oh, Who Cares?
I've been paying close attention to the debate over Syria, and how the United States should respond to the revelation that Assad used chemical weapons to kill over 1,500 of his people, including hundreds of children. And here's what I've figured out: (1) We should bomb in retaliation because this is a clear violation of the Geneva convention and it crosses … Read More