Fox News's Witch Hunt

Fox News is an expert propaganda machine and, as such, is also good at demonizing people and forcing qualified, decent individuals to resign from their positions of power.

Their latest victim is Shirley Sharrod, an official in the Department of Agriculture under Obama, who has been accused by right-wind groups of racism. That message was reiterated ad nauseam by their cronies at Fox News and, as a result, she had to resign her post.

The truth of the matter is that the speech that led to accusations of racism is nothing more than a well-edited attack on her person. This is not the first time the right wing machine or Fox News have done something of the sort. On the contrary, many organizations and individuals have fallen prey to their smear tactics and have had to eventually resign or, in the case of ACORN, cease to exist.

Yet, we must admit that there is racism in this situation; only, it is not the racism of which they accuse Sharrod: It is a more concentrated and vitriolic form of the 0ld-fashioned whites-are-better-than-blacks racist stance. More concentrated because it is not the sole example in the last year and a half; more vitriolic because we allow it to happen and 'news' organizations such as Fox News propagate it without the slightest modicum of shame in this day and age. I guess I could call it shameful, too, because it feeds whatever latent traces of racism there are in American society, leading them to amplify and reach the public sphere where they are widely tolerated and touted as manifestations of our democracy.

Of course, this is nothing of the sort. I have said it before and I will say it again: a large chunk of the animosity against President Obama and his policies is a direct consequence of racism in this country. It is unlikely anybody can convince me otherwise. The rhetoric, the actions taken, the condescension with which they refer to the President on many media outlets is nothing more than a return to our shameless past when calling blacks 'uppity' and wanting to 'put (or keep) them in their place' was defended as 'American.'

Aren't we in the same crossroads as 40, 50, 140 years ago? And shouldn't we think before we take our next step into the road of peaceful existence, or into the abyss of hatred and bigotry...?

For more info, watch Rachel Maddow's segment on the issue, as well as the Sharrod's full allegedly 'racist' speech.

What Republicans Have to Offer in November

You guessed it: NOTHING! Nada! Zip!

Allowed to win a majority in either the House or Senate and left to their own devices, they will do nothing different from the Bush years. What's more, they will repeal none of the bills passed in the past year and a half, despite their outrage and loud calls for repeal after their passage.

This somehow makes the joke of the Democratic Party in South Carolina seem like a good idea.

«Një orë lumtësie»

Hëna ndrinte porsi argjënt
Kur ndë kopshtije bashkë vinim
Dhe me dorën mbi krahun tënd
Të ndihnja mbi bar të rrinim.

Ah, sa ëmbëlsirë ndjeva
Kur dorën ma zgjate
Atherë fare më s'e msheva
Mirëdashjen zemrës sate.

Lulet na çonin një erë
Shumë të ëmbël e të pëlqyer
Edhe zefirët nga herë
Na kujtonin pa kursyer.

Rrezet që na përgëzonin
Kur ishim të përqafuar
Dashurinë na e shtonin
Me një mall të pa rrëfyer.

Sa fjal' t'ëmbla më thoshe
Kur përkëdheleshim të dy
Dhe me syçkat bukuroshe
Më bënje të mos ndahem nga ty.

Po dyshimi nuk më linte
të të besonj se ti më do
Si hëna që rrezet mshifte
Dhe i çonte ku desh ajo.

Veç atherë kupëtova
Se je zemër plot mëshirë
Dhe veten time e ngrova
Kur më puthe me dëshirë.

ASDREN

Awkward Family Dinner Waiting to Happen

In the back-and-forths between Sarah Palin and the father of her grand-son, Levi Johnston, it is not hard to see whom to believe. Sure, Levi said everything he said about Sarah because he got attention, but nothing he has said has seemed exaggerated or untrue, considering what Sarah Palin has shown herself to be since her appearance on the national political stage.

Just for kicks, though, here is what he has said about Sarah Palin and her family that would give her reason to put strychnine in his Thanksgiving dinner.

(via The Daily Dish)

Boys and Girls

The latest installment of girls being boys and boys being girls.

Idiot Hotties

Okay, I may fall for idiot hotties myself at times, but this video is still quite funny.

I Want a French Kid

I know I've posted this before... but it was on Facebook. It was worth an entry in my blog.

«Këngë për veten time»

Unë isha i mitur, i vogël, si harabel,
I çiltër kur nisa të udhëtoj.
Udhëtova ëndrrat në fillim, më pas rrugën e madhe
Si heronjtë e lashtë të përrallave.
Fatin për të gjetur. Ej, ku je, fat?
Por hero unë nuk isha,
Asgjë heroi s’kisha.
Rruga si në përrallë ndahet:
Të kthen njëra,
E dyta jo,
Megjithëse shumë ka kthyer ajo.
Në mes të rrugëve, sigurisht, një plak,
Një plak madhështor me mjekër të derdhur
Nën një ah.
Dhe plaku të thotë recetën pa u lodhur,
«Bir, kjo rrugë të çon e të kthen,
Kjo të çon e s’të kthen.»
Unë i vogël u tremba, hero s’isha, asgjë heroi s’kisha
Zgjodha rrugën që të kthen,
Megjithëse dhe ajo shumë s’ka kthyer...
Por tani që më duket se jam rritur
E kuptoj që plaku më ka gënjyer.

Ervin HATIBI

1989

Palinisms

Mrs. Rushton would not have been happy with her run-on sentences....

Not to mention the senseless crap they actually attempt to spew.

Who Knew Swearing Was Periodical?

Apparently the Brits, as you will see from the 'bollocks' and 'bloody arseholes' in this 'periodic table of swearing.'

The Queen would be appalled!

(Via: BoingBoing)

(Image Source)

Soccer Actors... I Mean, 'Players'

(via BuzzFeed)

Loon Watch

Here is the Republican alternative to Harry Reid of the Democrats in Nevada. Now, I'm no big fan of Harry Reid—I think he could have been a tougher majority leader—but this woman has just guaranteed his reelection with her senseless, unrealistic view of the situation in her state and in the nation.

Have the Republicans stopped trying?