Tuesday, May 07, 2002

Today's News

There is absolutely so much in today's news that I don't know where to start. Today's subjects are Pim Fortuyn's assassination, the undemocratic nature of Bush Mideast policy, my comments on the Salute to Israel Parade, a call for hangings in Congress, Grasshoppa's dislike for our name, Idiot Watch from Damian Penny as well as some comments about why the BBC is shaming a great Britain (sorry). Whew, what a list. Okay, here we go.

1. Pim Fortuyn is dead. For those of you unfamiliar with the man, Fortuyn was a Dutch anti-immigration rightist who happened to be gay, and was unfortunately ostracized by the media. In defense of Pim, I must say that he was no Jean-Marie Le Pen -- in fact, he may have typified a true conservative-libertarian. From Andrew Sullivan:

Horrifying news from the Netherlands. Pim Fortuyn, a brash, brave, outspoken libertarian-conservative gay man, has been killed by an assassin. I don't agree with everything he stood for, but his ability to speak about issues others shy away from - like the sexist, homophobic bigotry of many Islamofascists and their supporters - was admirable. As an openly gay man proud to represent conservatism, he was a commendable figure, part of a new wave of gay voices threatening to both right and left. I have no idea who killed him. It could be a crank, or a radical leftist, or an Islamist terrorist, or a homophobic rightist, who knows. All that we do know now is that democracy has been attacked in Holland. And that a brave man, who dared to repesent a fresh combination of ideas and identities, is dead. May he rest in peace.

Right on, Andrew. It's an attack on democracy -- just like the assassination of racist Israeli demagogue Rehavaam "Gandhi" Ze'evi last October was. We don't get rid of people we don't like through violence (unless you're an oppressed Palestinian nut, in which case all is okay). I'm quite depressed by the Fortuyn assassination because this man personified what the European right should look like -- tolerant and nationalistc instead of bombastic and supremacist (Le Pen). But then again, the French are different.

2. Asparagirl comments on the Bush administration's willingness to ignore a plethora of Congressional resolutions expressing unconditional support for Israel's war on terror. These things pass 94-2, 99-0, and so on. Isn't the idea of a democratic society characterized by representative government just that -- government where the legislators, who directly represent the people, determine policy? Damn Bush -- Federalist aristocratic elite...

3. Briefly, the Salute to Israel Parade is one of the finest events in New York, and this year was no different. I stood on the sides and cheered as a hundred thousand marchers of all stripes expressed support for the State of Israel. Yes, there were the people with the "Zionnazis" signs, but this was a remarkable parade because it was designed to be as apolitical as possible. It was a show of support for an embattled people.

4. Hang Congress! The Libertarian candidate for Senate in Colorado accused Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) and the rest of Congress of treason and suggested execution. Libertarianism is the movement of Thomas Jefferson and Henry David Thoreau. Is the Libertarian Party really supporting this guy? Wow. Speechless at stupidity.

5. Could Grasshoppa be more confusing? Read their one-line description of our site: American Kaiser .... stay away from meeeeeheeeee. Well that's pretty harsh, but that's the first thing I thought of when I read the name of that blog.
Flattering.

6. Closing with some critiques of the British media and especially toothless British idiocrats. Damian Penny, who is rapidly becoming my favorite blogger. Supposedly, 50,000 people marched in Trafalgar Square, London, today in support of Israel. Penny then mentions what the BBC told us:

Here's a choice quote from 78 year-old Peggy Preston, a 'counter-demonstrator' at the London pro-Israel rally: "All the Israelis can focus on are the suicide bombers." Yeah, the Jews sure are touchy that way, aren't they?

Damn hypersensitive Jews. Take it easy, dammit. It's not like people have tried to kill you before.

Penny then updates us on other BBC idiocies.

Good night our few readers, please link to us on your blogs and sites, tell your friends, and see you tomorrow when my mood is less stilted.