Saturday, November 14, 2009

Saturday Alaska Progressive Blog Roundup - Segundo Strongheart's Daughter Born

I. Ann Strongheart from Anonymous Bloggers, delivered her and her late husband Segundo's new daughter, Gabriella Kegginacangaq Strongheart, late Thursday.

Congratulations, Ann, CC and Gabriella.

You can help ensure CC and Gabriella's future educational prospects by donating to the Segundo Strongheart Fund at the link near the top right of this blog.

Please do that!

II. The Books: If ever a month in American history was devoted to a spate of books on a useless subject, this one may be it. I'm trying to avoid writing about it as much as possible. I was told today that one of them complains about my descriptions of one of my three conversations with the Crazy Woman about evolution, creationism and the End Times. Whether or not the writing results in more calls on the subject, all I have to say on this right now is: Why would she have believed any differently in June 1997 than about 85% of the rest of the parishioners at the Wasilla Assembly of God?

Alaska's progressive bloggers, most notably Gryph at The Immoral Minority, are covering the books very fully. Of special interest to me is the variety of viewpoints presented by Alaska bloggers compared to traditional media. As much as I've been critical about Palin fetishism in our community in the past (and may have been wrong in some of the specifics of my criticisms), what writers like Gryph and others are uncovering in regard to the layers of falsehoods and lies in the continuing right-wing myth culture surrounding Palin is not only an important aspect of the post mainstream media world, but may be unique.

The gulf between what people claim Palin to be, either as representing so-called "Conservatism" or in regard to the veracity of her claims about her past, is huge. And it is widening. FAUX News, especially, is, when covering these books and her related media appearances, the nuttiest. But our local outlets are not much better. Once again, it is the Alaska progressive bloggers who continually have to remind people that Palin, whether as writer, politician, facebook poster or commentator on important issues, is totally, ridiculously, almost ignominiously, fake.

III. The President's EAFB refueling stop: Obama made three speeches in three days, before audiences largely composed of members of the U.S. military. At Ft. Hood, he tried to console the families and friends of people grieving for their loss to a hate crime that is leading to further polarization in our country on religious issues, but seems to be avoiding - by and large - discussion on the pressures our military are continuing to endure.

Obama's simple recitation of benefits passed this past year by the Democratic congress that have increased military pay, health benefits and educational opportunities more than any in a generation, won me over. But not the far right. These benefits passed into law with few GOP votes.

Not only that, but locally, especially right-wing radio host Eddie Burke, pedaled the false meme that most people in uniform were at the event against their will. I have over 250 students at UAA. Some are serving our country in uniform. Two asked for permission to miss their Thursday class to attend the ceremony. One texted me:

Awesome! This is SO exiting. Thanks, Prof!

I called Burke's show as he was dissing the speech, and quoted the text message. I called because he asked "What has Obama done for these people?"


I pointed out that my University students are benefitting from the new GI Bill upgrades. His response was "Those college kids are ALL socialists." The next three callers seemed to agree with Eddie. I could almost hear the six-packs sliding along the floor as they blabbed their FAUX talking points. No wonder the Crazy Woman doesn't believe in evolution, hanging around with so many of these cave people.

Alaska bloggers AK Muckraker, Shannyn Moore, Celtic Diva and Dennis Zaki were there at Elmendorf.

Update - Saturday 9:45 a.m: The conclusion of Christopher Hitchens' review for Newsweek of the Crazy Woman's fake book:

Sarah Palin appears to have no testable core conviction except the belief (which none of her defenders denies that she holds, or at least has held and not yet repudiated) that the end of days and the Second Coming will occur in her lifetime. This completes the already strong case for allowing her to pass the rest of her natural life span as a private citizen.

Ouch!

image - Segundo Strongheart. I imagine him being happy to hear of Gabriella's entry into the world he had to leave

10 comments:

Wilbur Mercer said...

Can you imagine having two miscarriages and then having to go through the gauntlet with people like Jesse Griffen, et al who write and speculate about what may have really happened with her last pregnancy ?

Can you imagine how much that must hurt not only Sarah Palin, but her entire family as well ?

A compassionate person would empathize with this situation and would show respect towards the family.

Can you not show the decency, Phil, and refer to this person by her name and not the Crazy Person ?

Why do you feel the need to dehumanize her so ?

Does it make you feel better about yourself ?

eliminatehypocrisy said...

As an AF vet, I can tell you that military folks love it when a president comes to visit and see it as an honor and privilege to be in the audience. Politics do not play a role -- the Commander-in-Chief coming to visit is all that matters.

Eddie Burke is a buffoon who doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. And I doubt he has ever honorably (or otherwise) served his country. In fact, I would ask Mr. Burke (in the words of Bill O'Reilly) -- "Why don't you love your country?" Try moving to North Korea or China for awhile and then let's see how you feel.

Durruti said...

One really has to marvel at the hatred Mr. Munger has for his fellow Americans who don't believe in socialism. The constant dehumanizing comments about "Teabaggers", "racists"and "cave people" (is this similar to the "untermensch" of Third Reich mythology?) seem to make a mockery of all the "healing" Obama was supposed to bring to this country. What is an ominous sign for the future unity of the USA is that the radical left, the Democrats (but I repeat myself) and the state media have no problem describing ordinary, decent Americans who oppose Obama's politics as "terrorists", "evil-mongers" and "Nazis" BUT when it comes to those would slaughter American men, women and children they refrain from such language and ask us to withhold judgment about these killers. Why the disconnect ?

Makabit Bat Guriel said...

If it wasn't for the "sixpacks" of the world Phil you would actually have to work for a living.

What is really entertaining is the way those who bash Palin talk about where she went to college and you teach at the same place the rest of the "intellects" look down their nose at. What the hell does that say about you? *laughing*

Philip Munger said...

bosshog,

Eddie is a US Navy veteran. He had a job there similar to mine in the US Army - aircraft maintenance. From what I know, he served quite honorably.

That being said, Burke, like Durruti, has no idea what he is talking about, when he uses terms like "socialist" and "communist." Nor does he seem to recognize that giving our military and ex-military personnel better benefits, such as a beefier GI Bill, are NOT socialism.

Regarding, Judith's comment above on the USS Liberty, I prefer to believe the account of every surviving victim of the attack over that of the foreign government that attacked them. Seems UnAmerican to believe otherwise to me.

eliminatehypocrisy said...

Well, Phil, I guess Mr. Burke's veteran status makes his ignorant comments regarding President Obama's support of the military and his visit to Alaska all the more disgusting. As does his wearing of that red "Nazi" t-shirt during the Anchorage assembly hearings on gay rights. Thanks for publicly standing up to him and exposing his ignorance and hate talk.

Durruti said...

"Thanks for publicly standing up to him and exposing his ignorance and hate talk."

What a strange world the American Left inhabit...a commentator thanks the author of this blog for exposing "hate talk". The same author that calls fellow Americans "tea-baggers", "racists" and "cave people" and calls a female politician "the crazy woman".
I think Orwell had a name for such double standards.

KaJo said...

To Durruti:

As you know, the term "Tea Party" referring to this year's current political rallying cry originated last February, and the reason they are called "teabaggers" is because a lot of them began wearing teabags as earrings, decorations on hats, stapled to clothing, etc.

It's just an unfortunate serendipitous accident that "teabagging" also means something else, according to the Urban Dictionary.

Really, neocons ought to be more careful about picking their symbols.

------------

As for some of these other descriptive names, I think "cave people" is quite appropriate for people who are nearly illiterate or who express themselves in thuggish, threatening terms -- and to call someone "racist" who calls HIMSELF "rascist", seems quite appropriate, too.

Sarah Palin = "the crazy woman". I don't know what else to call someone
1) who is a PROVEN pathological liar,
2) who seems to have had the empathy gene removed from her DNA (witness: her attitude toward 277 now-dead DSHS social service recipients and the entire population of western Alaska river villages last winter), and
3) who engages in bizarre behavior
a) laughing at cancer survivors,
b) ignoring sanitary regulations at a Gov. picnic,
c) calling celeb/gossip magazines,
d) saying she gave a speech then flew 3000 miles while leaking amniotic fluid,
e) abruptly quitting her elected position and making it obvious in ensuing months that she lied about why...

That's just scratching the surface. You can find a lot more in Phil's award-winning "Saradise Lost" series.

Durruti said...

"Really, neocons ought to be more careful about picking their symbols."

Yes, because the Boston Tea Party was such a minor symbol in US history. And now you know that the phrase means "testicle-sucking", do you think "teabaggers" is an appropriate insult for your fellow Americans ?

"I think "cave people" is quite appropriate for people who are nearly illiterate or who express themselves in thuggish, threatening terms"

So calling someone a socialist is "thuggish" or "threatening" ? Why do you Leftists get so "wee-weed up" over the word socialist...isn't this the system you all wish inflicted on America ?

And if Sarah Palin is a "crazy woman" for the reasons you stated , what should we call President Obama ?
This, after all, is a man who:
1) Spent twenty years in a racist, neo-Marxist church but denies ever hearing the vile, anti-American, anti-Jewish diatribes that Rev.Wright spewed on a weekly basis.
2) Spent years working in the same office as terrorist Bill Ayers but denied knowing the man
3)Said he didn't know all the facts about the Cambridge 'race' incident and "wouldn't jump to conclusions" and then said the Cambridge police were "stupid"
4)Has claimed he "saved " one million jobs as unemployment soars above 10%
5) Has bowed before Kings and Emperors...the first US President to do so
6)Claimed the Iraqi surge wouldn't work
7) Wrote TWO autobiographies before achieving anything worth writing about
8) Gave the Prime Minister of Great Britain a DVD boxed set that wouldn't play on English DVD players
9)Insulted the disabled with his special Olympics "joke"
10) Made jokes and gave a "shout out" moments before breaking the news about the Fort Hood Massacre

And that's just scratching the surface. You can find a lot more as America is turned into a global laughing stock and the US economy is destroyed.

Makabit Bat Guriel said...

Phil,
I doubt you can but try...if it was proven tomorrow that Israel was not at fault for what happened with the USS Liberty would you announce how stupidly wrong you (in a public setting) were or just find an excuse to claim it was a lie?
That is the same question I ask of the dofus that runs the Liberty "Memorial" website and he never answered me. All he suggested was I take it to his message board. In other words he doesn't care whether Israel is or is not in the wrong the jerk off just hates Israel. I believe it's about the same with you Phil.
You are a Jew hating prick. Just admit it and get it out of your closet. As for the wishy washy Jews you supposedly like, they would sure have a surprise coming to them if you had a chance to play your true hand. *wink*