When and if fascism comes to America it will not be labeled “made in Germany”; it will not be marked with a swastika; it will not even be called fascism;it will be called, of course, “Americanism.” Halford E. Luccock, Keeping Life Out of Confusion Before Times were good for many Americans—or, at least, times were good [...]
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Dennis Perrin, whether he knows it or not, is in contention with Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi in a contest of nuclear indignance–which of the two will assume the mantle of America’s clear-thinking, hyper-independent conscience, left unshouldered since Hunter S. Thompson’s slide into obscurity, and lamentable demise? Taibbi has the lead. He occupies a chair close [...]
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These days, America teeters on the verge of having its dumbest Supreme Court since the Dred Scott jacktards who hastened the Civil War; currently, its four fascist-leaning members hold views that range from “too-Catholic to be believed,” to “I will have my revenge on Black America for calling me Uncle Tom.” In fairness, one must [...]
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His caramel baritone is singular. Like those of us at CM, you probably thought he was black, before you saw the video; not that it mattered, because his being a tiny, tiny, little, elfin Englishman, with a singing voice that dissolves panties on contact, made it even more amusing when he mounted and thrust himself [...]
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Obama’s pastor, and McCain’s “advisors” pulled back the Veil on the Holy of Holies last week, exposing a brutal truth for those who live within the secular narrative. It is this: religious people believe things that seem strange to outsiders. Those religious folks also believe things that are specifically informed by their subjective experiences, which [...]
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Bill O’Reilly is probably not as big an asshole as he appears to be, but one thing is certain, he does a terrific job playing one on radio and television. For years, Americans have contended with “entertainers-cum-pundits” setting frames around policy debates. O’Reilly’s, Limbaugh’s, Hannity’s and Beck’s characters are most likely amplifications of the personalities [...]
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The assumptions nested in our electoral punditry are astounding. What’s more astounding is that we do not question them, especially when they barely conceal true, noxious racialist thinking. Why, for instance, is Don Imus a pariah, when Dick Morris and Chris Matthews can proceed without pause with lines of questioning based on the assumption that [...]
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The media’s pontificating talking heads and some sorry campaign managers trying to pull their candidates from the muck have got it wrong. They’re obsessing over the difference between two abstractions: change and experience, assuming those labels define the persons to whom they’re applied, and the voters enthusiastic about voting for them. True to narrow-casted form, [...]
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“In Saudi Arabia, there is no guarantee that you won’t be arrested because of your frankness and speaking your mind on your blog.” posted Fouad al-Farhan on his blog. He was correct. He has been detained by Saudi authorities for over 24 days. There is no power, we bloggers hold over states or royals. There [...]
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The MSM’s take on Bhutto’s murder has inspired much wondering on the pages of Chapati Mystery–can they be talking about Benazir Bhutto? our readers ask. The corrupt thief of a billion American tax dollars meant for Pakistan’s infrastructure and military? The monarchical heir to power in a supposed democracy? The populist who claimed to speak [...]
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[see Part I of III and Part II of III] III. A Modest Proposal Many historians are reluctant to comment on the present if a question presented to them contains a categorical assumption about the past; it’s a little like suggesting a diagnosis to an MD–no matter what is wrong with you, it’s not going [...]
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[see Part I] II. I do not ♥ Baby Boomers Aldous Huxley called occult nature worship the “perennial religion,” because it is the default to which man returns when his gods desert him. It makes sense after all to appeal directly to the effects of nature, rather than their causes, when the chips are down. [...]
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[sepoy notes: A tip from a CM reader led me to Stargates in Iraq. Feeling inadequate to the task, I called a few favors and farangi is here to tell us the story.] How I Learned to Stop Worrying–about Humanity, Ganesh, Bill Moyers, Foreign Policy, and The Strange Life of Robert Anton Wilson–and Love the [...]
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I am vexed by a conversation today on Fresh Air about historian Robert Dallek’s new book Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power. I am vexed because I consider my perceptions of Nixon’s memory more positively than I do my present perceptions of 43. I’m a former movement conservative, and a fan of Hunter Thompson, which [...]
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Habeas Corpus, RIP 1215-2006. Habeas Corpus, friend to many, died today in Washington, DC. It was seven hundred ninety one years old. Habeas’ violent demise came after a long, robust and celebrated career as defender of the weakest members of society, during which it freelanced as a bulwark against encroachments on civil liberties. Habeas Corpus [...]
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As an undergraduate student of comparative religion, and a Christian, I was often infuriated by the pronouncements of my professors. One, an imminent historian of religion, refused to write the word “Christ,” and instead replaced it with the Greek letter Chi, or X. When I asked him about it, he explained that he got tired [...]
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Fiction is Truer than Fact. Attributed to E. Hemingway. Like you, few things would please me more than to soak in a hot tub with Clinton, five supermodels, an 8-ball of fine Ecuadorian flake, and a split of Dom. But let’s not kid ourselves: Clinton was a weak leader governing in a sweet spot. It’s [...]
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In the long answer to Sepoyís question of what the fuck is up with religion in America, I mentioned evangelist Rod Parsley as unknown, but should-be-known by people who care about such things as democracy, freedom, religious plurality and the rise of the Christian Right. While we still sleep here in North America to the [...]
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Speaking of courts, we should probably try to get our noggins round SCOTUS, which has apparently lost its damn mind. Earlier in CMís history, I wrote a little jeremiad on America getting the Supreme Court it deserved as punishment for allowing its legislature to punt all significant decisions sideways, to the ununelectable Supremes. I expected [...]
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A good friend forwards me a link to this press release. It is but one of many Focus on the Famiy type missives littering the net, my inbox, my mailbox, and my television screen. The press release posits a diametrical opposition between Evangelicals and gays, but also takes as given that which is to be [...]
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