Daily Show Responds to Faux Outrage "Latte Salute"

Image from source, Daily Kos

The phony controversy about President Obama saluting with a cup in his hand was made more ridiculous by the fact that it--as a "news" story--overtook far more important actual news stories, particularly on FOX "News." And I've got to say, Sean Hannity and (shudder) Karl Rove yukking it up over it, pretty much proves that it wasn't a serious story. It was just another chance to take a shot at the prez, and do so by not-so-subtly calling him "uppity." Jon Stewart skewered the whole "controversy" on Thursdays Daily Show.

[Excerpt]

Jon Stewart to Eric Bolling: 'F*** you and all your false patriotism.'

The Daily Show
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OK, last night's show was so incredible, I had to do a transcript. Jon Stewart blasted the Fox News crew for attacking Obama over his "latte salute", calling them out for their utter hypocrisy. Make this video go viral. Share it on social media. That right-wing acquaintance you know who ranted about it on Facebook? Post this video on their Wall for EVERY one of their friends to see. . .

Read more at: Daily Kos

Right Wing World: Obama's Salute is the Latest Faux Outrage

They just keep doing this, and then get all defensive when someone suspects, "this is because the president is a black guy." Seriously, this is the umpteenth version of these faux outrages. And by that, I don't mean that the outrage isn't real, it's that the outrage is stupid. Right Wing World was in a tizzy when President Obama had his feet on his desk. They went bonkers because he didn't wear a suit outrage to the right, and each outrage was--as far as I'm concerned--just a cover for calling the president "uppity."

The awful offense, from TPM.

jacket one time in the Oval Office, or didn't wear a tie. Or wore a tan suit. Or didn't hold his own umbrella. Each of these things was an

The problem, of course, is that in each of these non-troversies, a Google image search can find countless examples of other presidents--often GOP presidents--doing the same thing.  And that's not even getting to the fact that civilians aren't supposed to salute. Chalk up that odd tradition to The Gipper.

[Excerpt]

The inevitable
counterpoint.

Conservative Media Freaks Out Over Obama's 'Latte Salute'

President Obama disembarked from Marine One on Tuesday and saluted two Marines with a paper cup in his hand. For conservative talking heads the salute, which was captured in a video that the White House posted to its Instagram account, was proof positive of Obama's disregard for the military, ignorance of protocol, and general disrespect for the uniform. . .

Read more at: Talking Points Memo

Right Wing World: Outrage at Costco!

I get outraged every time I go to Sam's Club, and walk through the book aisle. Okay, not outraged, more like irked. Sam's has a very large selection conservative and religious (Christian, naturally) books, when you consider that they really don't carry all that many books in the first place. It's a high percentage Occasionally, you might see Hillary Clinton peeking out from the shelves, but more likely, it's Bill O'Reilly, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, or any of an assortment of treacly, preachy books.

I shop at Sam's more than Costco, simply because it's much closer to my house. But I prefer Costco in almost every regard, except for its placement on the map, and the fact that they don't carry pepperoni (essential on the Atkins diet, for me anyway). Costco's Kirkland brand is head and shoulders above Sam's Choice. And while they might carry some of those right-wing books--as evidenced by the excerpted story below--they don't overwhelm in the same way.

So, I've got to say, if Right Wing World intends to boycott Costco, I say go for it. It might be easier for me to get into and out of the place on one of those Sundays where I schedule my errands out that way!

[Excerpt]

Costco Pulls Dinesh D’Souza’s D’Book From Shelves Over Poor Sales, Replaces With Wrath Of The Wingnuts
 
Where oh where will the wingnuts of the near future go for deals on grosses of “World’s Greatest Grandma” t-shirts and barrel-sized containers of Twizzlers? Certainly not Costco, which is the newest and shiniest focus of right-wing rage after the warehouse retailer made the decision to pull Dinesh D’Souza’s latest book from its shelves. Costco claims this was part of its ordinary monthly rotation of stock – the book was released on June 2 but did not meet a certain sales threshold, moving only 3600 copies in four weeks, so the company pulled it to make room for something else. Which is JUST WHAT THEY WOULD SAY. . .

Read more at: Wonkette

Right Wing World: Beirut Barracks vs. Benghazi

Everyone is aware that four Americans died in Benghazi, and nobody thinks their deaths are irrelevant. I say this to state the obvious, but also to avoid the claim that I'm disregarding their deaths. I'm not. But very few if any of the people raging about #Benghazi! are really trying to avenge those deaths. They're trying to claim political scalps. Denials of this fact are as transparent as the FOX "News" slogan, Fair & Balanced.

Proof comes from the lack of outrage at other presidential administrations who suffered similar--often worse--attacks at US installations overseas. As has been often stated, over sixty Americans died in such attacks during the previous administration. They made the news, but did not inspire outrage from Right Wing World, at least not toward the administrations in power at the time. What is different this time? And why the obsessive focus on Ambassador Susan Rice? Yes, her statements on the Sunday morning talk shows turned out to be partially incorrect (though she framed the information as tentative anyway). What that day has to do with today, I have no idea. Why her appearance is so much more interesting than, say, Dick Cheney going on the same shows, and citing a story he himself had sourced, saying that 9/11 was tied to Saddam Hussein. A flat-out lie, one with far worse ramifications, leading to an event far, far more deadly than Benghazi.

Image from source, The Daily Beast

So, excuse me if I call bullshit on Republican Benghazi outrage. I don't believe you. You wanted to stop President Obama's reelection with this, and you failed. Then--when you couldn't believe it failed--you kept banging the drum, hoping against hope that something, anything would stick. Not much did. So now, you're frothing at the mouth to either a) try to impeach Obama or b) thwart the election of Hillary Clinton. This has very little to do with the death of four Americans.

The excerpted article below is one of the best I've read on the subject of Benghazi. It points out that the sort of tragedy that happened in Benghazi used to be cause for rallying 'round the flag, and supporting the president, not attacking him. For drawing the country together, not using it as a political bludgeon. Think back, if you will, to the national reaction to 9/11, and then imagine if the exact same scenario happened under Obama. And then imagine how Republicans would respond. Not pretty, is it?

[Excerpt]

Beirut Barracks vs. Benghazi

One of the most maddening things about this Benghazi nonsense is the way Republicans have gotten a lot of Americans to go along with the idea that 10 investigations of something is normal; that as long as there’s one unanswered question, one area where the administration’s position is ambiguous or where its cooperation has been anything other than the immediate handing over of any conceivably related document, we still need to get to the bottom of matters. . .

Read more: Daily Beast

Lawrence O'Donnell on "The Handshake Seen Around the World"

Lawrence addresses the ludicrous non-troversy of President Obama shaking Raul Castro's hand during Nelson Mandela's funeral. And he shows a goodly number of other presidents and officials essentially doing the same thing. Can no one on the right do a little research before having a knee-jerk reaction?
 

Mandela Funeral Spawns Two Faux Controversies for President Obama

The worst thing that ever happened, part 1. From LA Times.

In my previous post, you can see President Obama's eulogy to Nelson Mandela. The consensus was that the speech was "moving" and "touching," and clearly, the President himself was very warmly received. The event was billed as a celebration of Mandela's life, rather than a dour, sad affair. That stands to reason, with a figure who was himself not particularly religious, had affected so many people, and who had lived to such a ripe old age.

Right Wing World (aided and abetted by the--I-can't-believe-they-still-call-them-the--liberal media) focused more on twin faux outrages. One, was a "selfie" photo taken by Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt of herself with Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron. The other was the fact that Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro. Both are ridiculous things to be "outraged" about.

The worst thing that ever happened, part 2.
From USA Today.

Why? Because they aren't the least bit out of the ordinary. Though this was a funeral, it was not entirely funereal. As previously stated, it was a celebration of life. That said, I've been to funerals that were entirely somber affairs. Even so, there were moments of levity. Pictures taken (including smiles), even some basic goofing around by family members. It not only happens, it happens frequently. And at a long, star-studded event like Mandela's memorial? Do you really think anyone there sat in quiet contemplation for the entire event? So of course it would be possible to "catch" President Obama in lighter moment. Anyone dinging him on this one is being unfair and ridiculous. More on that in a second.

Short memories. Dubya making out with the Saudi Prince.
Image from detroityes.com.

As for the Castro handshake, this one is even dumber. World leaders who adore, like, loathe or can't stand each other shake hands. They bow. They have entire books of protocol to follow so as not to offend each other. They give each other gifts, and stage (sometimes phony baloney) summits. There are countless photos of countless Presidents and other high-ranking officials shaking hands with countless friendly and less-than-savory world leaders. There are pictures of George W. Bush holding hands and kissing Saudi King Abdullah!

So, conservatives, please do us a favor and just get off it. You'd be outraged at anything this man did or didn't do. The fact that these two harmless events lit your world on fire on Monday is evidence that you'd bitch about anything. Calm down, take a breath, and look at this photo of our previous President. Your guy. At the same Mandela funeral. Hmmmm. He's posing for a photo, isn't he? With a celebrity! Clutch-the-pearls, at a funeral? Oh, my stars!

Sources: New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times, USA Today

President Bush and Bono at the Mandela funeral.
Image from New York Daily News.

Jon Stewart Takes Another Swing at "The War on Christmas"

I wrote a fresh opinion piece on the annual faux FOX "News" War on Christmas, just a couple of posts ago. But if you want a professional's take, here's Jon Stewart.
 

The Fake, Annual, War on Christmas

I've written on this subject many times in the seven holiday seasons I've been blogging. And I'll continue to, considering how it keeps cropping up as though it's a legitimate "problem." In reality, the "War on Christmas" is a manufactured outrage, a complete nonsense story that has been an unlikely success story for Bill O'Reilly, FOX "News," Sarah Palin, and others in Right Wing World.

Contrary to the claims, there is no organized effort to shunt Christmas to the sidelines, and if there were it would likely be a) by Christians, offended by the crass commercialization of the holiday, and b) considered a complete failure by now. With the backward creep of "Black Friday," and the appearance of Christmas trimmings starting to appear in August in some places, Christmas is more visible than it ever has been.

In my opinion, the success of this faux crisis came about in a perfect storm of a number of elements:
- Conservative outrage over challenges to religious displays on public property.
- Conservative paranoia toward the ACLU, atheism, "secularism," and diversity.
- Conservative antipathy toward anything deemed to be more "inclusive" or sensitive to other beliefs.
- Occasional overboard actions or reactions by individual school administrators or jurisdictions. A declaration that the word "Christmas" be struck or replaced from a musical program, and the like. Outliers depicted as a trend, in other words.
- The tendency of conservatives to feel like a victimized minority, even though they're statistically part of the majority (read: heavily white and Christian).
- A strange confluence between the "Put the Christ back in Christmas/reason-for-the-season" sort, and the prosperity gospel, "greed-is-good" modern-day conservative base, resulting in an orgy of consumerism that must be labeled CHRISTmas!
- A populace with a limited memory, and the difficult-to-pin-down origins of the perennial "Seasons' Greetings" and "Happy Holidays" phrases.

O'Reilly claims that those two phrases were a plot, in the last 10 years or so, to supplant the word, the concept, the holiday of Christmas. This is of course, preposterous. I'm 47, and have a good memory. I know for certain that both phrases were being used in the early 70s. I'm positive they go further back. Back then, the only controversial wording was "X-Mas," and even that is misunderstood (the "X" is actually a cross, folks). So right off the bat, we know that O'Reilly is blowing smoke: the phrases have been on greeting cards and in ads for decades now. I have a program from our school winter musical, in festive, snow-capped letters, reading: "1978 Winter Holiday Concert!" That's 35 years, Bill, and it included Hava Nagila.  [Story continues below]



So, we should be able to conclude that there is no conspiracy, and if there were, it isn't working. But let's flip it, shall we? Why should we take O'Reilly's side, and be forced to say "Merry Christmas" from late November until (presumably) New Year's? Why "merry" and not "happy," "festive," "joyous" or "groovy?" Why does the Christmas holiday--one day, incidentally--get to override every other holiday (and holiday party, and gift exchange, and work gathering, and Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa and New Year's Eve), with the insistence that "Merry Christmas" is the only proper and legitimate greeting? It's preposterous, as well as a little too precise when you want to wish someone a happy holiday season, rather than just the one day.

I'm no longer Christian, but I was raised one. I still celebrate Christmas, and when I can, take off the whole week. I'm not offended by the phrase "Merry Christmas," and believe me, most people aren't. Not even Jewish, Muslim or atheist people. People taking offense are almost entirely fabricated, part of this phony-baloney "war." You might find a nutty activist, trying to ban the word in some Podunk school system in Backwater, Pennsyltucky.  But not a movement. FOX "News" is fighting a straw man. . .snow man?


 

Right Wing World: President Obama, Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address and "God"

I've been hoping that there would be some issue to talk about beyond ObamaCare (enough, give it a couple of months, see what shakes out, I'm sick of hearing about it). And there have been other things in the news cycle. But they all seem to be weird or just stupid. And stupid is the faux controversy about President Obama and the Gettysburg Address.

The President was asked to read one of the drafts of the address for documentary film maker Ken Burns. The version he read from did not contain the phrase "under God." This particular draft never has. But without doing a lick of research--or just a simple Google search--Right Wing World went off half cocked, per usual. They lit the blogosphere, talk radio and undoubtedly FOX "News" afire, alleging that Obama took God out Lincoln's famous speech.



Image of the "Hay Copy" of the Gettysburg Address
from Wikipedia

I rolled my eyes hard enough to hear an audible thunk. What is it like to live in a perpetual state of outrage? And to be so freakin' touchy about this allegedly "all powerful" deity. If he's who they claim him to be, I think he can take it.

[Excerpt]

White House explains why Obama didn't say "under God" in Gettysburg Address

President Obama irked some conservatives with his recitation of the Gettysburg Address, which he read aloud as part of a project celebrating the 150th anniversary of famous Lincoln speech. For the project, spearheaded by documentarian Ken Burns, a number of politicians and other high-profile people recorded themselves reading the Gettysburg Address. Some conservatives took offense to the president's reading. . .

Read more at: CBS News

Faux Outrage from FOX "News" Over Boston Bomber in Rolling Stone

Image from source, NewsCorpse

Okay, let me see if I can wrap my brain around this "scandal." Rolling Stone--long a blend of pop culture, rock 'n' roll and political journalism--has a picture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston Bomber--on their cover. The picture is totes adorbs as the kids say, with DT all fluffy-haired and scruffy and cute. He looks a bit like one of my nephews. And because Rolling Stone is seen as a liberal magazine, this is seen as. . .glamorizing a killer? Okay, I can see that raising the ire of some, maybe even causing a bit of a flurry at newsstands (as much as there still are such things).

But since FOX "News" has turned this into their latest 24/7 outrage, it must be another left/right divide kind of story, and because FOX "News" is the chief antagonist, it must also have a bit of a bullshit quotient to it. Thanks to Mark, the blogger at NewsCorpse for once again saving me from having to do any actual research. Of COURSE there's a bullshit quotient. In fact, FOX Nation--the ugly, nasty internet brother of the cable channel has used the exact same photo, as far back as April 19. Surprise!

In Rolling Stone's defense, the blurb calls him a monster. And artistically, the juxtaposition of a harmless looking teenager against the story of what he really is, works. It's only the context of being "On the cover of the Rolling Stone!" that you can call this a glamorization, to my way of thinking. And I guess we'd just have to comb through their past covers before squawking about this one. But that's just me.

[Excerpt]

OUTRAGE! Fox News ‘Glamorized’ Boston Bomber Three Months Before Rolling Stone

For a network that perpetually displays an “Alert” graphic regardless of whether they are reporting on a car bombing in Afghanistan or the opening of a Hooters in Tacoma, it is not surprising that Fox News’ hair-trigger Outrage Detector is stuck on “Apocalypse Now.” The standard facial expression of a Fox anchor at any given moment is an eye-bulging, jaw-dropping, sweat-dripping, fright mask of horror. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

In Case You Missed It: Jon Stewart's Take on "The War on Christmas"

I know I've piled on FOX "News" of late, but people, it just can't be helped! They're such a steaming pile of horse manure--or better put, Bullshit Mountain--they are just an irresistible target. And why should I apologize when even the likes of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart can't resist? Of course, there is no better fodder for Stewart than a phony controversy. You stir that with some Doocey, and you've got comedy gold.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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Here We Go Again: The Perennial FOX "News" War on Christmas™

Do I even need to write a new introduction? This is my sixth holiday season doing this blog, and it's the same thing every year. Already, we've got Bill O'Reilly on FOX "News" declaring that Christianity is a philosophy, not a religion, and thus, no conflict with church and state. Sigh. Here, let's see how it went last time. . .

LAST YEAR'S INTRO:

I wasn't planning on re-running my "War on Christmas" post again until closer to the holiday season, when I need a little more time for family and friends. But Tuesday, on my short commute home, I listened to KXNT, one of the Las Vegas right-wing talk stations. KXNT had a major revamp this year, and though evidence is hard to find, I would bet they're not doing as well as they used to. Sure, they've still got Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh, but they shuttled the aggressively annoying Mark Levin to a tape-delayed slot in favor of local host Alan Stock [Note: Stock has since been fired and shuttle to a different station].

I've had personal run-ins with Stock when they allowed comments on their web page, during the anti-gay marriage constitutional effort here in Nevada (which was, alas, successful). I'm not a fan, but I listen to see what he's up to. Tuesday's topic of discussion was the "War on Christmas," and Stock had a man--I didn't catch his name--who was spearheading an assault on retailers to feature "Merry Christmas" in their advertising campaigns.  Stock--who is Jewish--sort of blew the guy's whole point, when the man wished him a Merry Christmas. Stock said [paraphrasing here], "Well, for me, it's Happy Hanukkah. I said that before, but he didn't get it." Exactly! Bingo! My point was proven.

ORIGINAL POST:

Let me first say that "the War on Christmas" is a ridiculous myth that is only believed by drooling, mouth-breathing FOX-heads. It's stupid, sooooo stupid, and yet every year they get energized by it. The very fact that "Christians" are all up in arms because the holiday of Christmas is not commercial enough, is part of the stupid.

Let me lay this out for you, Christmas Warriors: "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons' Greetings" are not a new invention. They've been around for decades, possibly over a century. People who say these phrases and print them on cards, packaging and advertising are not trying to insult anybody. They're not trying to denigrate your religious beliefs or anyone else's. It's a nice thing to say, and is universally relayed with the best of intentions. You taking offense is stupid.

Get this through your thick skulls. Christmas is one day. Two if you count Christmas Eve. It makes no sense to be wishing people "Merry Christmas" from Thanksgiving until New Year's Day. "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons' Greetings" are nice catch-all phrases that not only spare you from having to guess your intended's religious holiday beliefs, the phrases cover: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, not to mention Advent, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Chanukah. It's not a freaking war on Christmas.

Christmas is the most over-celebrated, over-prepared for, over-abundant holiday there is. The fact that any sane person thinks it is somehow under attack; in some sort of danger of being cancelled; or somehow not celebrated enough is stupid.

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Right Wing World: Faux Outrage Over Obama on Daily Show

In the previous post, I put up the two-part President Obama interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I watched the interview as it aired (and the Late Show with David Letterman one right after), and found the Prez to be very thoughtful, smart and funny. He also showed the appropriate level of seriousness when the conversation called for it. I saw nothing particularly controversial.

Image from source, The Wrap

But then, I don't live in Right Wing World. Word must have come from on high, presumably from Mount Limbaugh or Drudge Hill that the thing to focus on on Friday would be the word "optimal." As in, what happened in Benghazi was "not optimal." If that sounds like simplistic overstatement for what happened there, that's what the right is going for in their faux outrage. Watched in context--please click the link above if you don't believe me--was a very serious moment, with Obama merely echoing Stewart's word choice. To take it as cavalier or dismissive would be quite simply to lie. But lying seems to be de rigueur in Right Wing World.

[Excerpt]

'Daily Show': Obama's 'Not Optimal' Answer Rallies Conservatives

President Obama's appearance on "The Daily Show" was supposed to be a chance to rally his liberal base in front of a supportive crowd in a comfortable setting. But he may have gotten too comfortable. . .

Read more of this silliness at: The Wrap


UPDATE: The Daily Show has posted a note on their Facebook page in response to the poutrage:

ALERT! SIREN SPINNING ALERT! Obama calls Benghazi attack a "tragic event" on The Daily Showhttp://on.cc.com/PfCpJH

So It's Come to This: FOX "News" vs. Kindergarten!

Splotchy Bill from Slate

Oh, for crying out loud. You can always count on FOX "News" to supply plenty of faux outrage (and to turn that faux outrage into actual outrage). But have we really come to this? Some school official somewhere in America has withdrawn Lee Greenwood's treacly God Bless the USA from contention for a kindergarten graduation. The horror!

Since when is this cloying song some kind of sacred piece of Americana? Since when is some otherwise unknown school newsworthy? Is there nothing else to bitch about, really?

[Excerpt]

"Who the f**k is Lee Greenwood?"

Bill O’Reilly Threatens To Ambush “God Bless The U.S.A.” Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony 

Bill O’Reilly added to the Fox News pile on against the Brooklyn principal who decided to pull Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” from her school’s kindergarten graduation. Rather than do any real investigation into the reasons for the decision, O’Reilly announced, “This woman obviously doesn’t like the country, that’s what I think.” Later, he said he’d send ambush producer Jesse Watters to the graduation if she didn’t explain her decision. Never mind that she already has. . .

Read more at: NewsHounds

Right Wing World's Faux Outrage Over Obama's Late Night Appearance

I am convinced that there is literally nothing that President Obama could do (or by ommission not do) to avoid the right-wing faux outrage machine. When I saw Obama on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, I was a) struck by how good Obama is at that sort of thing, b) marveled that such a thing would be impossible for Mitt Romney and c) knew that Right Wing World would go all wobbly over it.

Predictably, they did. It was beneath the dignity of the office they said (it wasn't). It wasn't funny they said (it was). I didn't need Lawrence O'Donnell to remind me about Richard Nixon on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, or Ronald Reagan's spot on the Dean Martin Roast. And even recent history had Obama's rivals, Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live, as was Obama himself. Dubya appeared in several different popular programs, notably American Idol.

So, get the stick out of your asses, Right Wing World! You're starting to go from having sketchy senses of humor to being completely humorless.

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Jon Stewart Tells FOX "News" to Shut the F* Up

Sorry to over-use Jon Stewart in much the same way as I used to over-use Rachel Maddow. But when the material is this good, I find it hard to resist! FOX "News" does do its best to try to drum up outrage over how "under attack" they and their viewers are. The best example is the perennial "War on Christmas," that posits that Christmas isn't commercial enough, and is in danger of being canceled. Or something. Anyway, Jon's right on this one, per usual.

The Phony Baloney "War on Religion"

A certain segment of the American populace loves to pretend that they're put apon, marginalized and under attack. It isn't all religious people. It isn't even all Christians. It's the usual suspects: ultra-conservative, (usually) white, (outwardly) straight, (often) male evangelical Christians. There are others that ebb and flow in and out of this beleaguered lot, from Mormons to Catholics, but it's mostly those that I mentioned. They act as though they're outraged, but they're not really. They're thrilled to act the part of victim.

It's gotten so bad that Christians can't even pray in public.

This is obvious if you frequent right-wing blogs, right-wing talk radio, or FOX "News." The reactions are so over the top, the stories so tailored to the victimhood narrative. In the most recent case, with President Obama's plan for insurance contraception plans, the obviousness is glaring. Even after the Catholic Church itself was removed from any direct funding for contraception, right-wing world is still wobbly on its axis. But as one of my favorite writers, Eugene Robinson points out below, Christians are not under any sort of attack, or in any kind of danger that they're going to lose the right to practice their religion. It's preposterous. Don't believe me? Pay attention to your fellow humans between now and Easter. Any changes? Anything different? Didn't think so.

[Excerpt]

Drumming up a phony war on religion

At ease, Christian soldiers. There is no “war on religion,” no assault on the Catholic Church. A faith that has endured for thousands of years will survive even Nicki Minaj.

It never occurred to me to evaluate the Grammy Awards show on theological rectitude, but apparently we’re supposed to be outraged at the over-the-top “exorcism” Minaj performed Sunday night. The hip-hop diva, who writhed and cavorted amid a riot of religious iconography, is accused of anti-Catholic bigotry — and seen as an enemy combatant in an escalating “war on religion” being waged by “secular elites,” which seems to be used as a synonym for Democrats. . .

Read more at: Washington Post

Poutrage! The 10 Most Ridiculous Right Wing Outrages of 2011

The entire New Black Panther Party. Image from source.

I don't know for certain that there is someone out there drawing up talking points, and distributing them daily to FOX "News," Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and the other 448 right-wing talkers. But it sure seems that way. When you start hearing something from different people that sounds weird--you know, like outrage about the "Cash for Clunkers" program, months after it ended--you can bet it lit right wing world on fire recently.

You can almost always be sure that the story is at best over hyped.  At worst an outright lie. But even if the story has been utterly and thoroughly debunked (see: Obama's Birth Certificate), it will live on in right wing world forever. It will be repeated in the future as surely as Obama's "57 states" gaffe from 2008. And it will be recalled with righteous anger. These manufactured outrages are so plentiful, I'm surprised they can be narrowed down to just ten.

[Excerpt]


The 10 Most Ridiculous Right-Wing Outrages of 2011

Call them nontroversies, poutrages or pseudo-scandals. Since the 2008 elections, the conservative media have peddled a seemingly endless series of trumped-up non-stories, pitched as scandals rivaling Watergate, to their loyal rubes in an attempt to paint liberals, the media, scientists, Democrats and Obama – and other enemies of the Wingnut State – as perfidious, dishonest or downright treasonous. . .

Read more at: AlterNet

Jon Stewart Schools Bill O'Reilly

Jon Stewart takes Bill O'Reilly to task on The O'Reilly Factor on FOX "News," regarding the "Common" non-troversy. Enjoy.