baldilocks

Not Allowed to Forget

John Hawkins links to this post by Right Thinking Girl:

Sean does not like it when I call him a 9/11 Victim. He tells me he's not a victim. His coworkers who died were victims. His wife of ten years was a victim. He was just there when it happened.

When we are together, I ask him questions about her. He is patient with me, explaining their relationship, not diminishing it just because she is no longer here, which I appreciate. I listen, trying to understand how it must feel to be in his skin and to live through that day and the thousand days that have passed. A few weeks ago, while in New York, I sat on the counter of his modern kitchen while he poured glasses of red wine. On the fridge was a snapshot of his wife and their son taken in Central Park that September. She's tiny, with a brown ponytail, bright brown eyes, and a natural, genuinely happy grin. I didn't feel like an interloper, exactly. Maybe an observer. A witness. Had things been different, she is the kind of woman who might be one of my best friends.

Instead, I'm dating her husband.

You definitely need to read the rest of this one.

Iraq Sovereign

President Bush and Prime Minister Blair congratulate each other after finding out that Iraq has again become sovereign.

Will Iraqis come to celebrate June 28th the way we celebrate the Fourth of July? For their sakes and for those who gave everything to make it happen, I hope so.

(Thanks to Michael King)

More BS (Brown Shirt) Action

It’s already worse.

This is even more deplorable and wrong than the Las Vegas incident.

Dozens of art lovers and First Amendment defenders turned out Saturday outside a San Francisco gallery to bolster the flagging spirits of owner Lori Haigh, who has been under siege for the past two weeks for displaying a controversial painting depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers.

The supporters had hoped to persuade Haigh, 39, to reconsider her decision to close the Capobianco Gallery, which came after she was threatened, spat upon and, most recently, punched in the face for showing Guy Colwell's painting of torture. [SNIP]

Two days after the painting went up, Haigh arrived at her gallery to find broken glass, eggs and trash strewn outside her storefront. Haigh also began receiving the first of about 200 angry voice mails, e-mails and death threats.

A week ago, a man walked into the gallery and spat in Haigh's face.[SNIP]

Just two days later, another man knocked on the door of the gallery and then punched Haigh in the face, knocking her out, breaking her nose and causing a concussion.

My prediction is that, no matter how much some are reminded that free speech—and its cousin, freedom of expression—are reputed to be revered in this country, those who would quash such will make exercising that right more difficult. “Free speech for me, but not for thee.” Such incidents will increase in frequency up to the November election, perhaps beyond it, no matter who wins.

It’s likely that I would personally not care for Mr. Cowell’s work of art, however, who would I be to deny him (or Ms. Haigh) the right to display it? Who are these “men” who would physically assault a woman for exercising her right of free expression on her own property?

(One of the commenters in the previous thread judged it to be cowardly to go to the police under these types of conditions. I suppose that Ms. Haigh should have attempted to beat her attacker—likely much larger than she—to a pulp. The likelihood that I might have tried to do such a thing in her place is irrelevant. She did something much more intelligent: she told others and got the attacks publicized. However, were she allowed to and inclined to keep a fire arm in her place of business, such Brown Shirts—that’s what they are--might have thought twice before attacking her.)

Public discourse is circling the bowl and knuckleheads on both sides of the fence are making it happen. Do we on the right want SA-types to promote our causes? Do you on the left want SA-types to stand for what you believe in?

I know what it’s like to live with violence right outside the front door. If reasonable people do not want this whole country to slide down into such an abyss, we have to take a stand against those who would see it happen, no matter whose "side" they're on.

(Thanks to reader Actus and to David Neiwert)

BACKDATE: Here's an earlier article about the incidents. (Thanks to True Blue Gal)

I Know You Are, But What Am I?

Brown Shirts? I’ve got your Brown Shirts right here.

(Jun. 25) -- The highly anticipated film, Fahrenheit 9/11, came with more than just controversy at one Las Vegas movie theatre. Moviegoer, Richard Streeter, was one of the many who made his way to a theatre to see what the hype was about. After viewing the film, he was greeted outside the theatre by members of the Las Vegas MoveOn.org.

The group was handing out leaflets on the importance of the film. Streeter voiced his view on the movie, "I made the comment, apples and oranges -- Kerry, Bush -- one's no better than the other. You really ain't got much of a choice. This guy comes up to me and says, 'Oh yeah?' " Streeter was then spat on by the same man.

He attempted to call police to report the incident when he was told not to, "A guy standing next to him said why don't you drop it. I said, 'No, I'm calling the police. I'm exercising my right as a citizen, I've been assaulted.' "

But the horror kept on growing for Streeter as he walked to his car on the phone with police, "This guy turns, and totally by surprise takes his hand and bam! It was a big guy. Shoved me onto the ground, I hit my head." A police report has been filed.

Crime: insufficient respect shown for the Party.

It will get uglier. I'm sure of it.

(Thanks to D.C. Thornton)

Alles Klar

Leave it to bloggers to take something and run with it. Er, I’ll sit this one out.

Besides inventing the internet, it appears that Al Gore's ill-chosen words have spawned yet another blog alliance. I’m not offended by the twist of the Digital Brown shirt meme that Gore has foisted upon us, er, Digital Brown Shirts. However having done a little too much homework on the Third Reich and, as someone who likely would not have been born had that Reich been victorious, I’d be just a bit uncomfortable jumping on this particular bandwagon.

That does not mean, however, that I think this new alliance is advocating the actual aims of the real Brown Shirts. It also doesn’t keep me from giggling with…what’s that German word…Schadenfreude at Al Gore being hoist on his own petard, assuming he has one.

(Thanks to the Commissar)

Open Letter to Monica Lewinsky

Dear Ms. Lewinsky:

As a woman who is ten years older than you, I will be presumptuous enough to give you a little advice. Any of these suggestions are optional but the last one.

1) Go to graduate school. Become a nurse, or a scientist, or an architect. Do NOT become a lawyer, a journalist or a politician. Do NOT go into show business, unless you’re going to be a producer or part of the crew.
2) Immerse yourself in your Jewish heritage/religion. Or some other religion.
3) Get involved in some little-publicized charity work.
4) Stay out of the public eye as much as possible. Change your name, if you see fit. But whatever happens, refuse to give any interviews on anything regarding former President Clinton and the scandal created by the two of you.

Why should you do these things? By immersing yourself in taking care of, building or studying something for you, you can carve out a new reputation for yourself, instead of being constantly saddled with the old one. Accomplish something. Make a difference, a positive one. Why should you do it out of the glare of the public eye? Your name and your face are imprinted on the American public, possibly the world. It will be some time before you can be taken seriously, but it will happen faster if you become a private person.

If you don’t take this advice, your life will become more lonely and painful than it likely already is. I assume that you would like to get married and have children someday. What good man will want to marry a woman, when he is constantly reminded that she has been used most infamously as a human ashtray?

As it is, it will still take a special guy to love you, even if you do take my advice or follow your own path toward the same end, advice number four. However, I do believe in the power of redemption. Undoubtedly, there’s a guy out there for you who does as well. All you have to do is step out of the harsh spotlight and onto the redemptive path.

Let the former president have his say. What should you say? “No comment.”

I hope you take this letter in the spirit in which it is meant.

All the Best to You,

J. Ochieng

Who's the Tool?

He or his audience?

Was Al Gore always crazy? Or did the 2000 presidential election drive him around the bend? Or is he “crazy like a fox,” waging a calculated campaign as a rabble-rouser, in order to motivate a certain demographic to defeat George W. Bush in the upcoming election? It’s hard to know, but I hope it’s the latter. Otherwise, the thought that he missed becoming president by inches is too frightening to contemplate.

Oppose the war in Iraq? Fine. Believe that there was no connection between Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq? Fine. Argue it, take action (legal), protest peacefully. (Many will make fun of you but should not hinder you. It’s your right to protest, just as it is my right to ridicule you.)

Make reasonable statements that support your belief and, hopefully those of us on the other side will politely take issue or even come around in the face of irrefutable fact. Say ridiculous things to support your assertion, however, and more fun will be made of you.

And, when a man who almost became POTUS says things that are not only ridiculous, but reprehensible, get down on your knees and thank God that this man is not president right now. Even if you don’t believe in Him, it’s good to be on the safe side.

The Cooler

Okay I’m not busy now.

I hope I never have to see William H. Macy’s pale, narrow-but-jiggly naked boo-tay in a film—or in any other venue—ever again. (My male movie-watching companion shielded his eyes against the offense. He didn’t, however, shield his eyes against the nakedness of the pretty girl. I love men!)

Otherwise, this was an enjoyable take on the stereotypical nerd-gets-the-girl and hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold genres. Weird, yes; quirky, yes, but you come away from it saying, “okay, I liked that strange movie.”

Any turn of Macy’s (Fargo) tends to be an odd one, due to his unconventional looks (for an actor): dull and drab; not ugly, per se, but ordinary, like your doorman. Okay, he’s even more ordinary-looking than that: like a homeless guy. But undoubtedly, such a fantastic actor isn’t homeless.

In The Cooler, Macy plays Bernie Lootz, a gambler’s jinx, who is employed by ruthless, old-school Las Vegas casino owner, Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin). Bernie walks by a craps table and the gambler rolls seven. He walks by a black-jack table and the gambler is busted. Bernie is all kinds of bad luck walking, even for himself. He is frumpy and shabby; his hair is stringy, poorly cut and dirty-looking. He lives a lonely life in a hotel room, in which his sleep is constantly interrupted by patrons in heat, their activities heard through the thin walls while he sleeps alone. He’s a loser.

Then Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello) comes into his life. His “friend,” Shelley, pays Natalie to become Bernie’s girlfriend, and that she does. Skip through the gratuitous sex scenes and suddenly Bernie’s got the world on a string. His pallor disappears. His hair is clean and stylishly coiffed; his suit, modern and well cut. And he smiles, making him moderately attractive.

Unfortunately for Shelley, however, getting Bernie lucky has also reversed his jinx factor. Now he walks by a gambler and, suddenly, the house is busted. Shelley tries to get Natalie to dump Bernie, but Natalie has fallen in love with him and refuses. Ugly, violent hi-jinks ensue.

Alec Baldwin has taken to playing himself of late—slimy, unsavory sorts—and he does it well. Not the handsome, brave Jack Ryan of The Hunt for Red October is he here by a long shot. I had never heard of Maria Bello before, but I was very impressed with her tough/tender role in this good movie.

(Moral commentary: why do people in movies have to have sex *before* they fall in love? /moral commentary)

(Also, I feel uncomfortably like a peeper watching sex scenes in movies, but I’ve always been that way, even before I was up on my moral high-horse. :-)

The ending is gory and good. If you’re like me, you’ll be asking your companion, “what the heck just happened?” Hopefully, your companion is paying better attention than you are.

Three and half (out of five) snaps up.™

Really Busy

Quite busy. Extremely busy. Too busy.

See you tomorrow.

Bye Bye

There was a frivolous quiz posted here, but it wasn't worth my right border.

UPDATE: Fine! :-)