Left-Wing Mailbag, "Here's to a Well-Turned Phrase" Edition

J-G Letters page, 04/14/2008

There's a letter in there entitled "McCain will extend Bush’s legacy". Clever sort of letter, a callback to a previous missive in support of John McCain.

I wonder who the clever bastard is who wrote it?

Murderer/Thief Gets Manslaughter Conviction Instead of Murder Because of "Gay Panic" Defense

Verdict in Steven Scarborough case: Guilty of voluntary manslaughter of Victor Manious

Hat tip to Pam of Pandagon and Pam's House Blend for bringing me this infuriating story.

GRAND RAPIDS -- A Tennessee native was found guilty today of voluntary manslaughter in the slaying of Victor Manious, a Gaines Township man whose body was found in the trunk of his own vehicle, parked on a downtown street.

Steven Scarborough, 22, was accused of luring 62-year-old Victor Manious to a friend's apartment to rob him. The prosecution said he then struck Manious in the head with a blunt force object before dragging him down stairs to Manious' car, stuffing the victim in the trunk.

Scarborough testified in his own defense, saying he was knocked out by Manious when the victim arrived at his friend's apartment. He woke to find Manious sexually assaulting him, he testified, so he hit the older man over the head with a baseball bat.

Scarborough had been charged with felony murder and faced mandatory life in prison without parole. Manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

This worries me to no end, as well it should. First, this man admits to trying to get the victim to his apartment for the sole intention of robbing him. Then, probably when it went wrong, he hit the man with a bat and locked him in his trunk, leaving him there to die while he used the victim's credit cards to buy shit.

Brinkman said medical experts will testify that if Manious had received treatment for his wounds right away, he could have survived rather than dying in the trunk of the car dressed only in his underwear.

Brinkman says that while Manious' body remained undiscovered for days, Scarborough used his cell phone and credit cars to pay for shopping sprees, gas and a plane ticket to Texas, where Scarborough was eventually arrested by police.

And what was Scarborough's defense? "He knocked me out (even though I didn't have any signs of being attacked) and when I woke up he was trying to spread TEH GAYQUEERHOMODISEASE to me! And since I'm a gay-hating Southern Baptist who goes to gay bars to find people to rob, I'm obviously justified in killing someone!"

Yeah, seriously:

Scarborough testified that Manious asked for Robinson, then the 62-year-old Egypt native hit the younger man in the head and knocked him out. Scarborough said he woke up to find Manious in his underwear, on top of him, sexually assaulting him by oral sex.

Scarborough testified that he was so unnerved by the assault, which violated his beliefs as a Southern Baptist, that he grabbed a nearby bat and hit Manious in the head.

And to make it worse, the spineless worm of a defense lawyer the murderer picked out made the victim look as sinister as possible, saying that Manious was "living a secret gay life and was 'on the prowl'". Oh, and it's also not his fault because he was just doing what someone else wanted him to do.

“(Scarborough) is not Albert Einstein,” Denenfeld said. “He is more of a follower than a leader.”

He was just following orders, don't you know? Yeah, there's a defense that always works.

That's the value of a human life if that human was gay - it's not murder to lure him to your apartment to rob him, hit him with a bat, lock him in a trunk to die while you shop with his credit cards, and then claim some ridiculous story about how someone three times your age overpowered you, knocked you out without any signs of a struggle, and tried to make you TEH GAY.

If Manious had instead been some blue-eyed, blond-haired, pretty, rich, spoiled college girl who had something like this happen to her, would the jury have let a murderer get away with a much lesser charge? I seriously doubt that. But since you can invoke Gay Panic and get away with murder in today's society (since, you know, all gay people are out to force everyone else to be gay and will rape you if they know you're straight), we know that not everyone deserves equal justice under law, it seems.

Excuse me. I have to go throw up now. This whole thing makes me fucking sick to my stomach.

It's Always Florida, Part 3,754

Fla. Teens Believe Drinking Bleach Will Prevent HIV

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Florida teens who believe drinking a cap of bleach will prevent HIV and a shot of Mountain Dew will stop pregnancy have prompted lawmakers to push for an overhaul of sex education in the state.

Another myth is that Florida teens also believe that smoking marijuana will prevent a person from getting pregnant, Local 6 reported.

State lawmakers said the myths are spreading because of Florida's abstinence-only sex education, Local 6 reported.

They are proposing a bill that would require a more comprehensive approach, the report said.

It would still require teaching abstinence but students would also learn about condoms and other methods of birth control and disease prevention.

The bill just passed its first vote in a committee, Local 6 reported.

Well, it's still kinda stupid that it still FORCES teaching the ALL SEX IS EBIL AND GAWD HATES IT" viewpoint, but it's a step in the right direction.

And my God, where do kids these days get these ideas? I grew up in a backwater shithole and I still never got ideas that dumb into my head.

IL Lawmaker: "The Existence of Atheism is Dangerous to Kids!"

From the ChicagoTribune.com "Change of Subject" weblog: Rep. Monique Davis to atheist Rob Sherman: `It’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!'

The following exchange between atheist activist Rob Sherman of Buffalo Grove and Ill. Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) took place Wednesday afternoon in the General Assembly as Sherman testified before the House State Government Administration Committee.

I know from experience that many of you will side with Davis (update -- apparently I was wrong! ), but I ask you to consider what the outcry would have been if a lawmaker had launched a similar attack on the beliefs of a religious person.

Davis: I don’t know what you have against God, but some of us don’t have much against him. We look forward to him and his blessings. And it’s really a tragedy -- it’s tragic -- when a person who is engaged in anything related to God, they want to fight. They want to fight prayer in school.

I don’t see you (Sherman) fighting guns in school. You know?

I’m trying to understand the philosophy that you want to spread in the state of Illinois. This is the Land of Lincoln. This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God, where people believe in protecting their children.… What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous, it’s dangerous--

Sherman: What’s dangerous, ma’am?

Davis: It’s dangerous to the progression of this state. And it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists! Now you will go to court to fight kids to have the opportunity to be quiet for a minute. But damn if you’ll go to [court] to fight for them to keep guns out of their hands. I am fed up! Get out of that seat!

Sherman: Thank you for sharing your perspective with me, and I’m sure that if this matter does go to court---

Davis: You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon.

Sherman didn't budge, continued his testimony related to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's oddly misdirected $1 million grant intended for Pilgrim Baptist Church, (story) and later told me he "felt like Rosa Parks."

Yes, good Christian love in action here, folks.

Oddly enough, other than a couple trolls, the comments there are actually (currently) pretty intelligent.

Didn't Need to See You Lie, Thanks

Just saw a McCain ad on my TV. "DUR DUR DEM LEEBRULZ IS GUNNA RAISE UR TAXEZ" is the gist of it.

Yeah, you've got the answer, don't you, old man? Let's do just what Bush did, just what you've pledged to do: Keep spending money on failing military operations and corporate bailouts while you slash taxes for the ultra-ultra-rich!

McCain, you're a douche.

UPDATE: Oh look, here it is:

Damian's Random Ten, 04/04/2008

It's the Friday Random Ten, a Jerry Bruckheimer production.

• 100-200-400 - Fascination MAXX
• Modest Mouse - Dashboard
• The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up
• NAOKI feat. YUKI - Blue Impulse (for Extreme)
• The Birthday Massacre - Holiday
• Garth Brooks - Against the Grain
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane
• Evanescence - Bring Me to Life
• Eminem with Bizarre - Amityville
• Eiffel 65 - Another Race

Backhanded Blessings If Ever I Saw Them

In his letter of March 27th ("McCain Embodies Presidential Strength"), Mr. Wayne Paschal, Sr. says, "God bless America with (John McCain's) election."

Yes, Mr. Paschal, God bless America with John McCain. God bless America with McCain's pledge of "100 years in Iraq", and that's only after we're there long enough to not see 4,000 soldiers killed in five years. God bless America with the war with Iran McCain is pushing for with his repeated saber-rattling and his "mistakes" where he accuses Iran of "training Al-Qaida". God bless America with four more years of Republican stonewalling, vetoing every law passed by a Democratic Congress. God bless America with four more years of corporate cronyism. God bless America with four more years of institutionalized hatred. God bless America with four more years of tax cuts for the rich. God bless America with four more years of a downward-spiraling economy fueled by cutting taxes for the ultra-rich while spending outlandish amounts on defense. God bless America with four more years of the Bush legacy under John McCain.

If this is your idea of a blessing, Mr. Paschal, you may as well say, "God damn America" and be done with it!

The Three Words That Summarize Damian's Position on the Recent Flap About Barack Obama's Pastor

I.
Don't.
Care.

Seriously, it's just another attempt to smear him by those who fear he might win.

Glenn Beck: Deranged Jackass

Massive Steaming Shitbag Glenn Hack Calls People Who Pushed to Keep Noted Human Rights Abuser Wal-Mart from Suing Former Employee Who Was Left Brain Damaged After an Accident for Medical Bills Paid for with Company Insurance "Terrorists", in Keeping with His Slanderous Statements Spanning His Entire Career

Beck: Wal-Mart Made A ‘Deal With Terrorists’ In Ending Its Lawsuit Against Brain-Damaged Employee

In 2000, then-Wal-Mart employee Debbie Shank was hit by a semi-truck, leaving her seriously brain-damaged and confined to a wheelchair. Wal-Mart covered her medical expenses until she won a settlement from the trucking company that left her $417,000 after legal fees.

Invoking a little-noticed clause in Shank’s contract that kicked in once she won a settlement with the trucking company, Wal-Mart sued the Shank family to recoup the medical expenses it had spent on her care, all $470,000.

In response, MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann last week began decrying Wal-Mart’s actions nightly, four times labeling $9-billion corporation one of his “Worst Persons in the World.” Last night, however, Olbermann was able to announce the good news — that Wal Mart yesterday wrote to the Shanks to tell them it would drop its suit:

Occasionally others help us step back and look at a situation in a different way. This is one of those times. … Wal-Mart will not seek any reimbursement for the money already spent on Ms. Shank’s care, and we will work with you to ensure the remaining amounts in the trust can be used for her ongoing care.

Unfortunately, CNN’s Glenn Beck could not attain a similarly enlightened perspective. He condemned Wal-Mart on his radio show today, insisting the corporation had made a “deal with terrorists” and had succumbed to “blackmail”:

Well, what are the principles? The principles are right is right, wrong is wrong. No matter how much I need it, no matter how hard it is for me, no matter how much it sucks, it’s not right. My word is my bond. I made an agreement. I didn’t see it in there. … This is blackmail. And yet Wal-Mart folds. You don’t deal with terrorists? Really? You just did. You just dealt with economic blackmailers. … But then — and I don’t even put it on the family as much as I do on the media. The media, they just — MSNBC, man, they can just make hay with this.

I just love how this insane, gibbering asshole is given a forum to hate and demean other human beings every goddamn day without so much as a second thought as to the kind of slanderous bullshit he says. For anyone wondering, yes you can see Glenn Beck every day on CNN's Headline News and hear him every day on AM 1190 WOWO, Ft. Wayne home for deranged far-right horseshit. Wait a second, why am I saying this? Craig already said it.

Ah well, it bears repeating.

"Freedom of Religion" My ASS

Wisconsin Parents Murder 11-Year-Old Daughter
Child was ill with Type 1 Diabetes, died over the course of 30 days of ketoacidosis - AND WAS NEVER TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL

Yes, it's from Faux News, but this is one of those rare occasions when they get it RIGHT.

WESTON, Wis. — An 11-year-old girl died after her parents prayed for healing rather than seek medical help for a treatable form of diabetes, police said Tuesday.

Everest Metro Police Chief Dan Vergin said Madeline Neumann died Sunday.

"She got sicker and sicker until she was dead," he said.

Vergin said an autopsy determined the girl died from diabetic ketoacidosis, an ailment that left her with too little insulin in her body, and she had probably been ill for about 30 days, suffering symptoms like nausea, vomiting, excessive thirst, loss of appetite and weakness.

The girl's parents, Dale and Leilani Neumann, attributed the death to "apparently they didn't have enough faith," the police chief said.

They believed the key to healing "was it was better to keep praying. Call more people to help pray," he said.

The mother believes the girl could still be resurrected, the police chief said. [WHAT.]

Telephone messages left at the Neumann home by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.

The family does not attend an organized church or participate in an organized religion, Vergin said. "They have a little Bible study of a few people."

The parents told investigators their daughter last saw a doctor when she was 3 to get some shots, Vergin said. The girl had attended public school during the first semester but didn't return for the second semester.

Officers went to the home after one of the girl's relatives in California called police to check on her, Vergin said. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The relative was fearful the girl was "extremely ill, dire," Vergin said.

The girl has three siblings, ranging in age from 13 to 16, the police chief said.

"They are still in the home," he said. "There is no reason to remove them. There is no abuse or signs of abuse that we can see."

The girl's death remains under investigation and the findings will be forwarded to the district attorney to review for possible charges, the chief said.

The family operates a coffee shop in Weston, which is a suburb of Wausau, Vergin said.

And what's worse?

IT'S LEGAL TO DO THIS IN WISCONSIN! Yep, that's right, you heard me correctly - in Wisconsin, under State statute 948.03(6), it is LEGAL TO KILL YOUR CHILDREN as long as it's under the guise of denying them professional healthcare "IN TEH NAME OF GAWD!!" If you do it like that, the police and social services can't touch you.

God, I'm SO proud to be an American. /sarcasm

Okay Ronbots, here's a question.

What's wrong with this picture?

John McCain: 5.2 million on hand.
Ron Paul: 6 million on hand.

He's raised 22 million less than McCain, and somehow has nearly a million more on hand. Your grand 'fighter' who's here to save everyone, if they want it or not, doesn't seem to be fighting QUITE so hard. Considering the constant complaints of him not getting any coverage, of him not being given a fair shake - why does he have more on hand than the presumed nominee, or all but one of the former candidates?

All the former nominees with the exception of Giuliani (12 million on hand? The hell? Someone find out what the fuck happened there.) ended or ran down to 2.5 million or less.

Shouldn't your glorious leader be amping it up, to *Flails arms like a lunatic* WIIiIiIIiIIN!!! ?

And you fools keep sending him money. I look forward to seeing what he ends up having on hand after the convention, since it doesn't look like he'll be dropping out before then.

Ron Paul: Revolution(ary way to make money from suckers)

Obama responds to the firestorm.

This man needs to be President. SO HARD.

Can you give a State of the Union address before you're president? Barack Obama talked about race in America for 45 minutes in a nearly 5,000-word speech. That was longer than some of the annual presidential addresses, and though, yes, those speeches tend to cover more topics, this one felt like it addressed the actual state of our union more than those dreary January list readings presidents are obligated to perform.

Here.

I cannot stress just how awe-inspiring this speech is, it simply HAS to be heard to experience it.

Hate is Great! ...Not!

You know, I was going to make my first post here on Geraldine Ferraro's inane assertion that she was being attacked "Because she was white!" (You're not, by the way, you ignorant old cur. You're being "attacked" - read: vehemently disagreed with - because you're a close-minded, bigoted old hag.)

But I found someone even MORE ignorant, bigoted, and close-minded.

And what's worse is, she's not even being reported on by the mass media - despite the fact that she's encouraging violence against gays...

...AND SHE'S THE OKLAHOMA STATE LEGISLATOR!

IN HER WORDS, for the sake of those who, for whatever reason, cannot listen to the audio:

"The Homosexual Agenda is destroying this nation. 'Kay? It's just a fact.

...Not everybody's lifestyle is equal, just like not all religions are equal.

Y'know, the very fact that I'm talking to you like this, here today, puts me in jeopardy. Okay? Uh... And I, I'm not anti - I'm not gay-bashing, but according to God's word, that is not the right kind of lifestyle. It has deadly consequences for those people involved in it. They have more suicides and they're more - more discouraged, there's more illness, their lifespans are shorter... Y'know, it - it's not a lifestyle that is good for this nation. Matter of fact, studies show that NO society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, y'know, a few decades. So it, it's the death knell for this country.

I honestly think it's the biggest threat, even - that our nation has, even more so than terrorism, or Islam, which I think's a big threat, 'kay? 'Cause what's happening now, they're going after in - in schools, two-year-olds! You know why they're trying to get early childhood education? They want to get our young children into the government schools so they can indoctrinate them! I taught school for close to twenty years, and we're not teaching facts and knowledge anymore, folks, we're teaching indoctrination, okay? And they're going after our young children, as young as two years of age, to try to teach them the the homolec... homosexual lifestyle is an acceptable lifestyle.

Y'know, gays are infiltrating city councils. Did you know? Eureka Springs, anybody been there? For the Passion Play? 'Kay, have you heard that the city council of Eureka Springs is now controlled by gays? 'Kay? There are some others, uh... Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... Tacoma, uh, Maryland... Kensington, Maryland... *unintelligible* Oregon... West Palm Beach, Florida, and a lot of other places in Florida. What's happening? And they are winning elections.

One of the things I deal with in our legislature, I tried to introduce a bill last year that would notify parents... uh, schools had to let parents know what clubs their students were involved in. And the reason I did that bill, primarily, was this: we had the Gay/Straight Alliance coming into our schools. Kids are getting involved in these groups, their lives are being ruined, their parents don't know about it. So I introduced a bill that said, you have to notify ALL clubs and things. And one of my colleagues said, "You know, we don't have a gay problem in my community, and that's why I voted against that bill." Well you know what? To me, that is so dumb. If you've got cancer or something in your little toe... do you just say "Well, you know, I'm just gonna forget about it, 'cause the rest of me's fine?" It spreads! 'Kay? And this stuff is, is deadly and spreading, and it will destroy, uh, our young people, it will destroy this nation."

And she. Was. APPLAUDED. This vile, evil CREATURE was applauded by her fellow (Republican, it should be noted) Legislators.

...There are just no words. None. Except for "WHY HASN'T THE GODDAMNED MEDIA PICKED THIS UP?" If it were as "liberal" as so many people piss and moan about, you'd think it'd be all over this story like white on rice!

Well, they're not. So I am. I am bringing this to your attention because CNN/MSNBC/Whatever other news outlet you listen to or read WON'T.

This is hate speech, pure and simple. Comparing gays to TERRORISTS? To CANCER? Painting them to be child predators? Excuse me, Mrs. Kern, I think you forgot to don your LITTLE WHITE HOOD before you got up there to make your little screed. Why hasn't she been censured? Or recalled? Why hasn't she been brought up on charges of inciting violence? Because that's exactly what her words are meant to do - incite violence against homosexuals and the people who support them. And the fact that she hasn't been brought to heel kills what little faith I dared to have in the intelligence of the American people.

WAKE UP, CITIZENS OF OKLAHOMA! This woman is not serving YOU like she was elected to do! She is serving HERSELF, and trying to force HER personal hatreds on you as law!

(Though I have the strangest feeling that, if Mrs. Kern were a Democrat, this would be EVERYWHERE and she would have been forced to resign by now...)

And better yet? SHE HAS VOWED NOT TO APOLOGIZE FOR HER COMMENTS.

Now, I don't think she should be getting even one death threat. But I DO think this miserable excuse for a woman (and a Republican, and a Christian) should be censured to the fullest extent of the law, recalled from her position, and never allowed to run for public office ever again. No one who promotes such HATRED should ever hold that kind of power in this nation. EVER.

Right-Wing Mailbag, "Why I Don't Read the News-Sentinel Anymore" Edition

N-S Letters Page, 03/03/2008

Yesterday's News-Sentinel letters page reminds me why I don't read that far-right rag anymore:

Ronald G. Ross in his letter of Feb. 22 takes me to task for stating what the law is, as I understand the law to be, from the results of a U. S. Supreme Court ruling in the Grutter v. Bollinger case. The decision given in that case on June 23, 2003 was that an open position should go to a black male who had less opportunity than a white woman who had more opportunities. I did not make that ruling. It was the U.S. Supreme Court that made that ruling. If Mr. Ross wants to make the case that Mrs. Bill Clinton, as First Lady of the United States had less opportunities than a senator from Illinois, have at it.

Mrs. Bill Clinton is making every effort that she can to become the president. of the United States, the Chief executive of The United States and, just as important, the chief law enforcement officer of The United StatesShould a person who does not accept the letter or the spirit of the law be elected the chief law enforcement officer? Should a person who brings trumped-up charges against people in the White House travel office be our chief law enforcement Officer? Should a person who illegally orders 1,200 to 1,500 raw FBI files be delivered to her in the White House? Should a person who was co-president at the time that our nuclear secrets were transferred to China for campaign cash ever be allowed any where near the White House again?

Fremont Stewart
Rome City

Kookery of the highest order. Granted, it's what this guy does - remember any of his other letters? He's outright psycho-kooky-nutso.

First, notice he never refers to Hillary Clinton by her actual name, only as "Mrs. Bill Clinton". This is employed in his letter for two reasons: First, it marginalizes her as a "man's property", nothing more than a footnote of a man's existence; second, it reminds everyone that she the wife of Bill Clinton, a person that Mr. Stewart outright hates with a vitriol most of us reserve for child molestors and terrorists.
Secondly, his argument is utterly unsound. He tries to argue that, since one case shows that affirmative action would prefer an African-American man over a Caucasian woman in the case of being given a job, that this must apply to being President. This makes absolutely no sense, but I don't expect better from someone looking for a straws to grab.
Third, he keeps making wild, unfounded accusations about Hillary Clinton with no basis in facts. My guess is that these were claims spewed by the hate-talkers of right-wing radio, and Mr. Stewart is faithfully parroting them into the media.
Fourth, and most importantly, he asks, "Should a person who does not accept the letter or the spirit of the law be elected the chief law enforcement officer?" Of course not - which is why George W. Bush, a man who has spit upon the law and the country himself and through his many, many cronies, should be brought to justice.
I hope Mr. Stewart is proud of his insane, indefensible letter. To me, it proves two things: That he is completely detached from reality, as are all those who follow his so-called logic, and that the News-Sentinel is more interested in hateful, mindless screeds than any actual thought. I will continue to not read the News-Sentinel because it's a far-right rag created to serve the interests of the WOWO crowd.

D&D Co-Creator Gary Gygax Dies

From the Associated Press: Dungeons & Dragons Co-Creator Dies at 69

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gary Gygax, who co-created the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons and helped start the role-playing phenomenon, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva. He was 69.

He had been suffering from health problems for several years, including an abdominal aneurysm, said his wife, Gail Gygax.

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.

Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game's legion of devoted fans, many of whom would stop by the family's home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January, she said.

"It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, what he gave them," Gygax said. "He really enjoyed that."

Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures with the help of complicated rules. The quintessential geek pastime, it spawned a wealth of copycat games and later inspired a whole genre of computer games that's still growing in popularity.

Funeral arrangements are pending. Besides his wife, Gygax is survived by six children.

As something of an old hand among the d20 set, this particularly affects me. Odd, because Phage and I were just discussing matters related to the game just earlier today.

Farewell, Mr. Gygax. What you have helped create has shaped the leisure time of many people just like me. Your contributions to the world of entertainment as a whole cannot be understated.