Friday, July 02, 2004
Self-Made Bastards
One writer I've loved for years (and one whose work I do not link to often enough) is Molly Ivins, who has lived in Texas all her life without suffering any discernable brain damage. Molly's the one who coined the phrase "Shi'ite Republicans" to describe today's modern conservatives, and was, I believe, the first to nickname her state "the cowboy Gulag." Those are funny lines, and what makes them especially funny is their ring of truth. This afternoon, the Mrs. sent me a link to a recent column in which Molly ponders the dragging of God into the public sphere. It's stuff like this that makes me love her:
Also worth reading today is Paul Krugman, who points out a very real benefit of Fahrenheit 9/11: that it cuts through the bought-n-paid-for media's glorification of Bush as a resolute leader and regular guy. It introduces the stories people like us have known about for a long time--like his inaction on the morning of September 11 and his cozy relationship with the Saudis--to a broader audience that may never have heard them before.
Posts are going to be light here from now through the holiday weekend. So drive safely, drink good beer, eat some barbecue, wear some sunscreen, and don't blow your fingers off.
One writer I've loved for years (and one whose work I do not link to often enough) is Molly Ivins, who has lived in Texas all her life without suffering any discernable brain damage. Molly's the one who coined the phrase "Shi'ite Republicans" to describe today's modern conservatives, and was, I believe, the first to nickname her state "the cowboy Gulag." Those are funny lines, and what makes them especially funny is their ring of truth. This afternoon, the Mrs. sent me a link to a recent column in which Molly ponders the dragging of God into the public sphere. It's stuff like this that makes me love her:
Back in the 1950s, when the late Rep. Bob Eckhardt was still in the Texas Legislature, a bill to cut off all state aid to illegitimate children was under debate. After listening to some of his "Christian" colleagues explain why illegitimate children should be left to starve, Eckhardt rose and said, "I am not so much concerned about the natural bastards as I am about the self-made ones." I consider that one of the most Christian things I've ever heard said during legislative debate.And her latest column, in honor of the Fourth, is worth reading, too.
Also worth reading today is Paul Krugman, who points out a very real benefit of Fahrenheit 9/11: that it cuts through the bought-n-paid-for media's glorification of Bush as a resolute leader and regular guy. It introduces the stories people like us have known about for a long time--like his inaction on the morning of September 11 and his cozy relationship with the Saudis--to a broader audience that may never have heard them before.
Posts are going to be light here from now through the holiday weekend. So drive safely, drink good beer, eat some barbecue, wear some sunscreen, and don't blow your fingers off.
