The beginning of the end for the Tea Party faux revolution occurred this Sunday on ABC’s This Week. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell effectively tipped his hand when asked whether the Tea Party will help or hurt Republicans. “One thing we know about everybody who’s been active in this movement, we know none of them… Continue reading
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Breaking the Eleventh Commandment
In order to “make news” something must be” new, or weird, or unusual. It’s already assumed we know the old and usual – so news is the opposite of that. We read about outliers and changes happening in any given day. Anything sticking out as different is considered newsworthy. So anti-war protesters protesting (yawn) gets… Continue reading
Video: Obama is Just a President
The related column is here.
The Enthusiasm Gap or He’s Just a President
Disillusionment implies at some point you were illusioned. You believed something that turned out not to be true. I watched a documentary where young people in the early ”˜90s thought their music was “alternative,” and then they were disillusioned when grunge became mainstream. “It’s like” what can you believe in anymore, man.” The point is:… Continue reading
Video: Net Neutrality: Important and Poorly Named
See related column here.
Net Neutrality: A Crucial Issue With a Lame Name
The term “net neutrality” has the magical property of making most people’s eyes glaze over. First, it sounds like a gambling term. “I have a system and net neutrality ”” I can’t lose!” Second, no one using the Internet calls it “the net” anymore. Just like no one in San Francisco calls it “Frisco.” So… Continue reading
Burning Books
A Burning Question: Extremists on 9/11
In case you missed some of the lowlights of the 20th century, one Florida charismatic pastor is trying to bring them back. Yes, Pastor Terry Jones of Gainesville is planning a Koran burning for the ninth anniversary of 9/11. His church, the ironically named Dove World Outreach Center, plans to show their contempt for the… Continue reading
Cultural Studies in Arizona
Let Our Fear Be More Accurate
Right after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, a dry cleaner’s storefront was vandalized and set ablaze in Modesto, California. The reason? The business was named “French Cleaners.” The French government took a strong anti-war stance regarding the preemptive invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq. They said they would not join the Coalition… Continue reading
Dr. Laura and the First Amendment
Column: Living in a Post-Racist’ Society
The MSNBC documentary series Lock Up ran a story earlier this month featuring a Maricopa County Jail inmate charged with identity theft named Cecil Kunkel. The 29-year-old Kunkel has a swastika tattooed on top of his “skinhead.” He’s covered in “white power” slogans and imagery. The only ink-free spot on his body is an empty… Continue reading
GOP: Bring Back Corruption of Blood’
It takes a certain kind of fortitude and leadership to take a strong stand against a small group of children. No, I’m not calling Congress “children.” Well, not directly. I’m referring to the barking by Republican leaders to repeal the 14th Amendment, which is interpreted to mean everyone (with few exceptions) born in the U.S…. Continue reading
Stop Calling Republicans ‘Hypocrites’
It’s not that Republicans aren’t hypocrites – it’s more that the label just isn’t an effective dig. First, hypocrite is a fancy foreign Greek word like amnesty, ethics or Europe – how is that going to appeal to Republicans? Second, espousing virtues you don’t personally have to live up is basically the point of being… Continue reading