An Inevitable Point

“Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu not only addressed his GOP Congress, but also seems to be an ideal GOP candidate: He loves to bomb the Middle East, he will do anything to win an election, and enjoys meddling in other countries affairs!”

―Lalo Alcaraz

Inevitable, yes, but it is also arguable that Congressional Republicans have more respect for the Israeli Prime Minister than their own Speaker.

Just sayin’.

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Image note: Detail of cartoon by Lalo Alcaraz, 4 March 2015, via Daily Kos Comics.

Sheila Butt

There is little to be said that the news from Lucas L. Johnson II of Associated Press, well, does not already say itself:

The Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus on Thursday called on Republican Rep. Sheila Butt to apologize for what they said was a racist Facebook post, and said she should be removed from her leadership position ....

.... Butt’s post said, “It is time for a Council on Christian Relations and an NAAWP in this Country.”

It was a comment on a Jan. 26 open letter from the Council on American-Islamic Relations urging potential Republican presidential candidates to reject “Islamophobia” and reach out to American Muslim voters.

Critics say “NAAWP” has been used by white supremacist organizations and stands for the “National Association for the Advancement of White People.”

Butt, who is white, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that “NAAWP” stands for the “National Association of Advancement for Western Peoples,” and said her post had been misinterpreted. It has since been deleted.

On the House floor Thursday, Butt said she “never intended to offend anyone,” then cited her right under the “First Amendment to speak our minds.”

Tennessee.

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Image note: Detail of cartoon by Daryl Cagle, 27 February 2015, via The Cagle Post.

Johnson II, Lucas L. “Tennessee Black Caucus Seeks Apology from GOP Lawmaker”. Associated Press. 26 February 2015.

Your Lede of the Week

“Fianna Fáil Senator Averil Power said she received a rape threat as a result of her support for a Seanad motion recognising the state of Palestine last year.”

―Órla Ryan

Our apologies. Normally we do a sick joke of some sort for the Lede of the Day. And while this certainly fits the bill for sickness, there really isn’t anything of a joke about it.

And let us also take a moment to dismiss the question of Palestine from this issue in any context that might be construed as what those wicked Israeli something or other whatnot but anyhow, you know? Because the truth of the matter is that human societies will invent any excuse to threaten a woman with rape. And while on this occasion we might find any excuse to wonder at the obvious question―“Really? No, I mean, really?”―there is also the obvious counterpoint: “Why not?”

For being a Muslim. For being a Jew. For being an atheist. For having an opinion. For dressing like that. Or for dressing like that. For being a bitch. For being a wife. Because she owes it. Because our team lost. Because our team won. Because her eyes said yes. Because her voice said no. Because she’s a woman. Because she’s alive.

Because Palestine is a state? Why not? It makes just about as much sense as any other reason we might think of.

Which, in turn, brings us back to the problem.

And who needs that part explained?

Anyone?

Oh, come on. It’s clear somebody, somewhere needs this explained to him, because otherwise this sort of thing wouldn’t happen.

Easy enough?

Figure it out.

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Ryan, Órla. “Senator: I was called a Nazi and threatened with rape for supporting Palestine”. The Journal. 4 March 2015.

A Note on … Something

Maybe you don’t really want to know. Or think about it. Or … or … er … ah … right.

Nor would we blame you.

Who knows, maybe someone will attempt a posthumous baptism.

Oh, right. Don’t really want to … something, something.

Something.

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Bors, Matt. “Captain’s Log. Spock’s dead. The cartoons … are bad”. Daily Kos. 4 March 2015.

Christian Faith and Character in Idaho (One for You More for Me Makes for Equality Remix)

“Hindu is a false faith with false gods. I think it’s great that Hindu people can practice their religion but since we’re the Senate, we’re setting an example of what we, Idaho, believe.”

―Idaho State Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll (R-Cottonwood)

In one of those questions about the difference between words and actions, the Republican character once again emerges as a spirit of supremacism and hatred in Idaho.Three state senators, all Republicans, boycotted the chamber floor on Tuesday morning to protest the presence of a Hindu guest chaplain because he offends their Christian identity. Kimberlee Kruesi and Betsy Z. Russell bring the detail:

Three lawmakers refused to attend the Idaho Senate’s daily invocation after objecting to the offering of a Hindu prayer.Rajan Zed, guest chaplain, gave a lengthy prayer in both English and Sanskrit on Tuesday that focused on selflessness and peace. Senators from both sides of the aisle shook his hand and thanked him for coming.“Fulfill all your duties, action is better than inaction,” Zed said. “Even to maintain your body, you are obligated to act. Selfish action imprisons the world. Act selflessly, without any throughout of personal profit.”However three lawmakers, all Republican, only came back onto the floor once the prayer was over: Sens. Steve Vick of Dalton Garden, Sheryl Nuxoll of Cottonwood and Lori Den Hartog of Meridian.

It is about what you would expect; the only real redemption in this sad occasion is that it lays plain a spectre looming over conservative politics that for some reason many people pretend is exceptionally subtle or not even there at all.

Nuxoll says she declined to attend because she believes the United States is a Christian nation.“Hindu is a false faith with false gods,” she said. “I think it’s great that Hindu people can practice their religion but since we’re the Senate, we’re setting an example of what we, Idaho, believe.”Nuxoll added that she wished the Senate had conducted a Christian prayer along with the Hindu invocation.Vick had announced his objections the day before, saying that he would ask his colleagues to join him.Den Hartog said it would’ve been disingenuous to her Christian faith to attend.“It was a personal decision, I didn’t want to announce it prior to the event,” Den Hartog said.

Unfortunately, the morbid comedy of supremacism and cowardice doesn’t stop there. Mr. Vick’s objections, according to Russell,Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, says he’ll walk out if a Hindu prayer opens the Idaho Senate on Tuesday morning.”They have a caste system,” Vick said. “They worship cows.”

Welcome to Idaho.

The Bubble (Bomb Bomb Iran Mix)

“What I wonder is, do the people at Fox think this kind of thing really serves their audience well? I guess they must, or they wouldn’t be doing it. But to me, it shows that they look on that audience as a bunch of suckers.”

―Paul Waldman

One of the interesting things about The Bubble―the epistemic closure of the conservative information industry that essentially substitutes conspiracy theories and political delusions for reality―is that you can always tell who watches FOX News. To wit, you might hear something in coming days about a poll suggesting a whopping eighty-four percent of Americans oppose the developing nuclear deal with Iran. Even prominent, allegedly respectable conservatives like Bill Kristol are getting in on it.

There are, of course, caveats.