I found this Sportswomanship Story at First Draft this evening. I concur with Athenae — it bears repeating.
Associated Press Photograph By Blake Wolf, AP
Western Oregon’s Sara Tucholsky is helped around the bases by members of the Central Washington softball team after injuring her knee when doubling back to tag first base.
After being assured there was no rule against it, Central Washington first baseman Mallory Holtman and shortstop Liz Wallace carried Western Washington’s injured Sara Tucholsky around the bases, completing her homer and adding a run to a 4-2 loss that eliminated the Wildcats from postseason.
There is something very special about the young women involved in this incident — and I can’t say Read more
I know a lot of Hillary supporters refer to her speech at the UN Women’s conference in Beijing in 1995. So, today, I decided to take a closer look at the whole speech, especially in the context of Senator Obama’s remark on abortion and the need to respect the anti-choice position (just like we should respect and understand anti-LGBT positions). Again, remember, this speech was delivered 13 years ago, on one of these trips that Hillary took where she just shook hands with officials and watched little girls dance (snark). The audio is embedded below, otherwise, I selected a few excerpts (the full text is here, with video as well).
Samantha Power’s book, Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World, would have received much more, and well-deserved, publicity if she had not made a stupid comment to a journalist regarding Senator Hillary Clinton. As a result, she resigned from Barack Obama’s campaign and this has probably affected her promotion of the book. It is a shame because it is indeed a fascinating book regarding the complex and frustrating internal workings of the United Nations through the prism of another fascinating figure: Sergio Vieira de Mello. Read more
The plainest way to say it is that everything, every last fucking thing, is “constructed” in the SCLM product/discourse/fairy tale. Someone thinks about what it is in it, and what is not, and how, one word at a time. So when this happens, people should remember it’s a feature, and not a bug. What is funniest to me is that the WaPo, and the District, are queer havens, places where queer culture and thought and activity are open, vibrant. I guess I’ve just never been a part of that group of self-hating types who want to play these games.
But guys: trust me when I say, str8 America is over all this silliness. I look forward to the day, and indeed I believe it will come in my lifetime, when this sort of stunt is uncommon and quickly forgotten.
As the Blade reported last week, Maj. Alan Rogers, by all accounts a hero for his brave acts while serving in Iraq, was killed in January and buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Rogers lived as openly gay a life as he could, given the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. He had many gay friends in D.C., patronized gay businesses and even worked as treasurer for the D.C. chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights, a group working to overturn the military’s gay ban.
But the mainstream media accounts of his death omitted any reference to his sexual orientation. These were not benign omissions. The Washington Post, in particular, worked overtime to excise any mention of Rogers’ sexual orientation. It did not even report his work for AVER. Several of Rogers’ gay friends told the Blade that they were interviewed by a Post reporter at the funeral, but their memories were not included in the paper’s coverage.
I say this as only one of my age and “race” can: there comes a time when people decide to hate others for different reasons. No construct lasts forever, and nothing cannot be changed. Yes, blah, I know it works ’both ways,’ but in this case, working with younger people and knowing what they tell me about sex and sexuality and gender, I’m confident that this country is on the verge of finally shedding our particularly vulgar and unimaginative form of homophobia. And that’s a good thing.
Feh, I’ll chalk it up to yet another example in which the WaPo reminds me that I’m not sorry I don’t read them. /tosses hair/ So tired, they are.
Bobo Brooks goes to Memphis, takes a trip down memory lane and laments how well-behaved black people used to be:
Martin Luther King Jr. at least left behind a model of how to repair the social fabric. He was scholarly, formal, assertive and meticulously self-controlled in public.
The life’s work of a great man and 40 years of historical facts, economics, sociology, politics and policy are washed away with a facile narrative about proper behavior and civility. That is the gist of Brooks’ article. It’s the The Santa-Clausification of Martin Luther King Jr.
The reason for everything that’s happened in the intervening 40 years? Read more
On September, 23, 2003, Senator Hillary Clinton was interviewed for the great PBS program Wide Angle on the topic of human trafficking (2003, folks, that was 5 years ago, ok… and yes, that was the year of the beginning of the war in Iraq but that was not the only thing going on in the world. I, for one, am glad somebody was paying attention to these other crucial issues even though I disagree with her - heck, ANYONE’s vote for the war). Let me excerpt a few chosen quote (full transcript at the link above, so YES, I’m picking and choosing).
“Hillary Clinton: Well. Jamie, the fact that this is a modern-day form of slavery was shocking to me. When I realized, because of my travels and exposure as First Lady, how prevalent it was, I determined that we should do something about it. I went to Beijing to the UN Conference on Women in September of 1995, and spoke out against a long series of abuses that were human rights violations of women’s rights and among those, of course, was trafficking. And then, in the time after the conference, when it did become an item that was of higher interest on the national and international agenda, we followed up. In 1996, I went with my husband to Thailand for a state visit. I went to the north where I met with NGOs [nongovernmental organizations], trying to help young girls who had been sold by their families into prostitution, trafficked into the brothels, mostly in Bangkok. Read more
This is the first in a (hopefully) collaborative series: WHSBP (title and series idea courtesy of Lambert) to counterbalance the Other Series (WWTSBQ). This series outlines issues on which Hillary Clinton was ahead of the curve, starting with microcredit. I have posted consistently on microcredit (here, here and here) but it is one obvious issue where HRC got it before everyone else. Read more
Jen and Nim made a baby liberal, and it’s coming today. Hang in there, Grrl! Nim I’m sure has already passed out in a pool of his own sweat and tears and lies sedated on some fainting couch. Congrats to both on the blogosphere’s first Eschacababy. I’m sure our Grey Lord of the Reaches can afford a little child support out of his Soros stipend.
Matt Gonzalez almost almost won the San Francisco Mayor’s race in 2003 as a Green Party candidate. I blogged about his campaign at the time, it was teh awesome.
Besides being a bonified Progressive, Matt also holds a JD from Stanford so he’s not exactly a lightweight, dude.
I remain impressed by the enthusiasm generated by Obama’s style and skill as an orator. But I remain more loyal to my values, and I’m glad to say that I want no part in the Obama craze sweeping our country.
Read more
Pause for a moment in the candidate wars, and send thoughts, prayers, or wishes to this man’s family.
Police identified the officer killed during Senator Hillary Clinton’s motorcade in Dallas today as Senior Cpl. Victor Lozada, 49, a 20-year veteran of the department.
The officer’s motorcycle was near the rear of the motorcade as it headed south on the viaduct when the accident happened about 9:15 a.m.
After news of the accident reached her, a somber Mrs. Clinton expressed sorrow over the officer’s death.
“We are just heartsick over this loss of life in the line of duty,” she said.
Mrs. Clinton said the accident should serve as a reminder of the sacrifices law enforcement officers make. She said it is important that people respect and appreciate their service.
Mrs. Clinton canceled a Fort Worth rally planned as part of her race for the Democratic nomination for president. Her motorcade briefly returned to Dallas where she planned to meet with Cpl. Lozada’s family.
About 30 motorcycle officers who had parked in formation outside the hospital filed inside about that time, helmets in hand, to pay their respects to the family.
WFAA-TV helicopter pilot Troy Bush, who flew over the scene shortly after the incident, estimated that the officer had been thrown about 20 yards by the impact.
Here is the full story from the Dallas Morning News, quoted fairly liberally above Read more
I have been raising hell for almost a year now that we didn’t have a candidate in the pipeline to go up agaist the Great Nothingness, Lamar Alexander. It won’t be quite as satisfying as putting a “D” on the seat formerly occupied by Bill “KatKillah!” Frist, (grrr, Harold Ford) but I’ll take Lamar!’s as a consolation prize:
My Fellow Democrats,
After several months of talking to fellow Tennesseans about the presidential race, I know this will be a democratic year. I was reminded several times about the U.S. Senate race after several colleagues asked if I would consider running. After deep consideration and talking with my family, my political mentor Bob Clement, as well as his long time friend and chief of staff Larry Woods; I have decided to enter the race. These friends are confident that I should run, and believe we have the ability to win this race. Read more
We have kewl kommentorz here, and someone directed me to this list of the “top 100” moments in American political rhetoric. Nifty! And look how many of those great speakers have been Dems! Again, nifty. Just thought it makes a nice resource for people thinking “where have I heard that before?” more often these days.
My only question: why is it when brown people come together and take some kind of action to help themselves when the state has failed them, they are “gangs?” White people who do this are called “mavericks” and “pioneers” and “elite club members.” Anyway, this is totally cool. Out of a fucking shack in a ditch, people. Amazing.
Under a scorching summer sun, a swarm of 400 furious women engulfed the scruffy electricity office of Banda district in north India. They were all dressed identically in fluorescent pink saris. For more than a fortnight they and their families had had no electricity, plunged into darkness at dusk and stewed in sweat at dawn. But they had all been sent bills demanding payment for power they had never received.
It was at noon one day last May that the group, brandishing sticks, first surrounded and then charged into the office, punching the air and shouting slogans of solidarity. They wanted to confront the officer in charge but met instead his cowering juniors, at whom they bawled to telephone the boss. When the man refused to come to the office, the women became incensed. They snatched the office key, roughed up the terrified staff and, after herding them outside, locked the door and ran away, vowing to return the key only when they had electricity again. Read more
You can parse the day’s proceedings any way you want and call Clemens’ accuser Brian McNamee any manner of scum you want. At the end of the day, Clemens had no answer for any of the allegations against him.
The pitcher’s defense was that he had a tough childhood and a wonderful mother and grandmother and had worked hard all his life and was proud to wear “U.S.A.” on his chest in an international competition. But cut through all his rhetoric, including the responses whispered in his ears by his two attorneys, and that’s his argument: “I’m the great Roger Clemens and you can’t do this to me.”
Has this stuff has been been buried in the sports section all along? Have we found our next Keith Olbermann here? Read more
Kick Wynn’s Ass, Grrl! And good on Matt and all the rest of those who’ve worked so hard to get rid of him. Wynn sucks, he’s the worst sort of (expletive deleted) and makes us look bad, Democrats, black people and human beings alike. Anyway, Matt asks an interesting question: Will Obama have coattails? This race is a good place to look to find out. Because Donna is everything a “young progressive” can get behind, and if you’re voting for Hopeful Change and a new future for America, Donna is the perfect compliment to that version of Obama. OTOH- Wynn just started to try to associate himself with Obama, printing fake “ballot” flyers that put his face and Obama’s on top of each other and plastering them all over the district. So he’s trying to cash in on something, I’m not really sure what other than the OFB wave at the polls.
Anway, although it’s a state race and between two Black Folk and not helpful in determining which, if any, Republicans may vote for Obama in the fall, it will be interesting to see which of these candidates voters choose to associate with him. One is a real progressive, the other is a sell-out of the first order who hates the notion of living wage laws. More interesting will be to see how the Villagers interpret the victory, regardless of who is the victor.
I heard —what show, about what state, I dunno— on the teebee the other day claim that the average age of poll workers in this country is 72. Their ranks have been augmented by one in California:
On Super Tuesday, I will join thousands of other volunteers across the state and serve as an election clerk for the primary. I’ve been assigned to work at the Women’s Club of Hollywood, which is not my polling place but is close enough to home that I can ride my bike there.
Or maybe not. My bike — it has a basket. My basket — it has two bumper stickers. They read: “Peace Out Bush” and “Defend America: Fire the Republicans.” Another rule comes to mind: No electioneering within 100 feet of the polls. I will lock my bike to something that is 101 feet away.
The really sweet part is down towards the end, talking about going to Nevada in ’04 to work for Kerry. It’s late and she’s tired: Read more
It occurs to me, reading various threads here and elsewhere, it’s all good, and all this sniping can only have a good long-term effect/affect. I’ve really enjoyed seeing how various arguments are laid out, by people with whom I’ve associated certain ideas, specific beliefs, misguided assumptions, etc. Sometimes I’m the Ass, and sometimes I learn about one I’d not really perceived before…
I’m not trying to be snarky or snide, I really mean to be positive. It’s going to be painful, like ’cancer is painful’ painful, for America to work out the whole of its issues about race, and gender. I’m going to set aside the latter for a minute and just say on about race: We can hack it. Let’s make it more complex, let’s hurt some feelings, let’s feel some confusion, doubt and uncertainty.
Seriously, just writing those words is like a burden off my shoulders. If people, people who “aren’t like” Obama, are debating “what it means” as they speak and he speaks and we speak about what we said while speaking about each other…ah, blessed critical examination and reflection. It’s like a train wreck, a virgin’s deflowering, and a souffle falling all at the same time. You just can’t help but look, and hope something will rise out of it all. I’ll note that Jesse’s run didn’t bring this conversation about when it happened; only the notion of “he’s actually got a fighting chance” has rubbed this season’s scab raw. Read more
With simple words, a unique voice, passion and humility and good humor he offered a message of hope and honor that transcended politics and race, and more than any one person led a reconciliation between black and white that has brought real promise to end more than a century of institutionalized hate and degradation. Hone Tuwhare was Maori, an extraordinary human being, a heroic figure. Read more
I was in a tiny minority back in 2001, believing as I did then that a bombing and strafing campaign that sent Talib leaders running for the safety of the hills of Warzistan was not the right response to 9/11. And even if it was, there’s this thing called “follow through.” Something most Repubicans no nothing about. More proof that we really need some adults in charge soon, because the dead of 9/11 must be wondering when, if ever, they will be avenged:
MONTREAL, Jan. 17 /CNW/ - Reporters Without Borders is very worried about the pressure being placed on the authorities by conservative religious leaders in the case of Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, a young journalist in the northern province of Balkh who has been detained since late October on charges of blasphemy and defaming Islam. The Council of Mullahs says he should be
sentenced to death.
“The calls for the death penalty for Kambakhsh highlight the growing influence of fundamentalist groups on intellectual debate,” the organisation
said. “The blasphemy charges are an ill-disguised attempt to hide the desire of the local authorities to restrict press freedom.”
A reporter for the newspaper Jahan-e Naw (“The New World”) and ajournalism student at Balkh university, Kambakhsh, 23, was arrested on
27 October. Articles on the role of women in Muslim society were found at his
home. articles about women and Islam!!! the horror! Read more
Bush is about to get his number one priority through Congress, a move that could be stopped by Edwards, Obama, or Clinton, especially the latter two. This is the move to implement retroactive immunity for telecom companies who spy on Americans and violate core constitutional principles.
All that is required to fight this is for Clinton or Obama to put the glare of the Presidential spotlight in the Senate. To, you know, lead. All three campaigns are well-aware of this fight, and at least Clinton and Obama have been completely unresponsive. Read more
I love lists. I make them, I read them, I collect them…the ACLU made a list for 2007 your should read:
2007: The Year We Didn’t Get Our Freedoms Back
Top 10 ways our government failed us:
1. Not putting an end to warrantless NSA spying. Congress instead has continued to let the NSA spy without warrants and is considering letting the telephone companies off the hook for spying on Americans illegally. The Senate debated FISA last month before the holiday recess, and in a gift to the American people, legislation that would have forgiven telecom companies for spying on their customers and given the NSA more freedom to spy on Americans was not voted on. Congress is expected to take up the legislation when members return later in January.
2. Not repealing the Military Commissions Act or restoring habeas corpus. Despite a valiant effort and near success, an amendment to restore habeas corpus received 56 votes when it needed 60 votes. The support in the Senate indicates that legislation to fix the Military Commissions Act could pass. The Supreme Court will also issue a decision in 2008 regarding habeas corpus.
3. Not closing the Guantanamo Bay Prison. January 11 marks the sixth anniversary of the arrival of prisoners to Guantanamo Bay, where prisoners have been held without habeas corpus rights for six years. The ACLU is organizing people across America to wear orange that day in recognition of the shame the prison has caused for all of us.
The number of inmates shrank this year to 355, having started at over 700; officials expect the prison to close one way or another in 2008. But Guantanamo’s closing will not necessarily mean the end of holding prisoners without due process, especially if the Military Commissions Act is still in place.
4. Not giving due process to immigrants and denying life-saving health care in immigration detention facilities. Although the comprehensive immigration reform bill ultimately failed, even that legislation would not have given immigrants badly needed basic due process rights. Congress failed to pass legislation this year securing those basic human rights for immigrants.
5. Allowing the CIA to destroy interrogation tapes. Read more
I’m not a weepy-eyed romantic when it comes to the Constitution, but I do believe in rewarding good behavior and symbolic gestures that can have an impact on the political process. As a Little Person, the chance to make the latter comes very, very infrequently. Most of the time our Betters don’t give a flying fuck what we do. I think this time it’s different. Even if you only give a buck, think of what you’re doing not so much as a way to help an old rich White guy make his next payment on the condo in Gstaad, but as a reminder that unlike millions of others, the Constitution is more important to you than the next episode of ’American Idol.’ and of course, give your real money to your long suffering Correntian Heroes or we’ll kill your dog.
Dear CD-
No, I’m not retiring from the Senate - I’m working hard as ever, to restore the Constitution, stop that terrible FISA bill and put a Democrat in the White House.
But after our incredible journey campaigning for the Presidency, there is something that does need retiring: our debt.
My internet team tells me the campaign inbox was flooded with messages of thanks and inquiries about how you can continue to help now that the presidential campaign is over.
Today, you can help by contributing financially to our effort to retire the campaign debt.
I’ve spent the past days with my wife and family, unwinding after a grueling process that changed the debate at home and abroad — that is our legacy from the campaign. Read more
Samantha Power’s book, 
