From James Hudnall by way of Pajamas Media, Ann Coulter is revealed to be a Grateful Dead fan.
(PS - The interview is worth reading in any case, but especially for the image of Ann Coulter covered in purple Crisco.)
This is funny, because I was just thinking about the Grateful Dead this evening. I always enjoyed their music, and I managed to catch a few concerts back in the day. What I loved about the music was that it was spiritual, deeply joyful, and always fresh and new. And, yeah, Jerry Garcia was simply an amazing guitar player.
I think Ann Coulter is on to something when she says "true Deadheads are what liberals claim to be but aren't: unique, free-thinking, open, kind, and interested in different ideas". That was always my impression too.
Would it be trite to say that I wish I'd spent more time listening to the Grateful Dead? It's true. And I think their music captured something precious and beautiful, something that's in danger of being lost in today's world. I'm glad I had the chance to get a glimpse of it in their music.
2006-06-24
2006-06-22
Stacy Bias in Curve
Congratulations to Portland's Stacy Bias for making the hallowed pages of Curve this month! (Hallowed page number twelve, to be exact.) Stacy is the brains behind Technodyke and the architect of Cupcake, an all-genders, all-sizes event in Portland. Stacy is a big figure in queer and fat acceptance activism. Here's her homepage.
You go girl!
You go girl!
2006-06-14
Interview with Ghazal Omid
Dreams Into Lightning exclusive: Interview with Iranian activist and author Ghazal Omid.
She is the author of "Living in Hell: A Young Woman's Life in Revolutionary Iran". You can read her columns here. I've previously posted on Ghazal Omid here and here. Now I'm pleased to be able to bring you an interview with her. I spoke with Ghazal by phone for about 45 minutes this evening. What follows is not a verbatim transcript, because I was taking notes by hand, but it does represent the essential points of our conversation.
(Please tell us your thoughts on the recent terrorist arrests in Canada.)
I've been telling the Canadian government about terrorism for a couple of years. Canadian laws are designed to protect everyone; the terrorists understand this and use it to their advantage. [Terror suspect Abdul] Kahar was from a family of terrorists - his father was an officer of Osama bin Laden, and was killed in Afghanistan. We could have had another 9/11 on our hands. Canada is a backdoor for terrorism because of lousy laws. We need to be more careful. When somebody is proven guilty, why are we keeping them in this country?
(On Muslim identity and government incompetence.)
I receive hate mail and phone calls every day, from Muslim fanatics. And yet, I was detained at the border for 45 minutes after I returned from Dubai. Another example: When I took [copies of threatning messages] to the police, they said, "you choose your actions, you receive your reactions." The police showed no enthusiasm and shrugged their shoulders. This is ludicrous. The government needs to know who the good guys and the bad guys are. I believe it's my Muslim duty, and my human duty, to stand up to terrorism. I'm with you - what are you going to do to protect me?
(Tell me about your upcoming three books.)
The first book is called "Poverty in Paradise". It's inspired by my trip to Dubai. In many countries like Dubai, they have a misrepresented image of the United States. It's a corrupted image. They think everyone is like Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson. When I asked male acquaintances in Arab countries what they thought about America, they thought of women running around in bikinis. The image that's presented abroad, via satellite programming, is even more distorted than the portrayals on domestic television. Working-class North Americans aren't portrayed. Yes, the United States holds a large share of the world's wealth, but most people in America work very hard, long hours. They're not rich. I want to make people in other countries feel we all belong to the same family. My second book is called "Islam 101" and it's an introduction to Islam. The religious section is separate from the political section, because I feel these things should be kept separate. The third book is about Iran's future. It's essential to educate women and children if you're going to stop terrorism. You don't want to get to them when they're 20; you want to get to them when they're 3. This book will be a message of humanity and education about Islam and other things.
(You've brought up the subject of wealth and poverty, and the fact that many people in other countries have a false - and harmful - belief that "all Americans are rich and decadent". As you were speaking, I was reminded of the section early in your book "Living in Hell" where you describe the paradox of growing up being rich and poor at the same time. Can you tell me a little more about how this experience influenced your thinking?)
When I was 12 years old, my father would bring home money in potato sacks. When I asked him why, he said, "People give me money so I can hide it." They trusted him more than they trusted the banks. My mother would have me count the money by hand. She wanted me to hold it in my hand so I would get used to the feel of it and not yearn for it. But although Father didn't take care of us - how many days did I live on bread and milk? - we never took his money. He could leave it in his coat pocket and we would never touch it. I have my pride - I'm not gonna beg! But I want to educate people about what they can say and what they can't [so that they can speak out on injustice in a productive way]. I need to respect me before I respect anybody else; I need to love me before I can love anybody else.
(Tell me why, as a religious Muslim, you feel it's important to end the Mullahs' dictatorship in Iran.)
The Mullahs are parasites - they're charlatans. They are distorting the image of Islam; they're no better than bin Laden.
Apart from getting rid of the regime, what changes do you think are necessary for Iranian society?
Education is critical, especially for women. And cultural education. The practice of marrying young girls has nothing to do with the current government, they only increased the problem that was already there. Educating a young girl is like painting a masterpiece - it takes time. We need to raise a generation of strong women.
Do you think you might seek political office in a future, democratic Iranian government?
Yes. I will change the pace of society and work for women's rights. There will be a new sheriff in town!
(Other comments.)
Shirin Ebadi is an opportunist; millions of dollars are funneled to her organization.
When you have a charity in Iran, you have to have someone in the government [who's getting paid off]. When you give money to that charity, your money goes to the government.
Voice of America is using its funding the wrong way; it's actually helping the regime. The Iranian government shows the same images of wealthy, decadent Americans and says to the people, "look, do you want to be like that?" There have been some positive changes at VOA, but it needs to change more.
The US Government is wasting a lot of its money for Iran. Many of the grantees are crooks. The Iranian people need to see tangible efforts, not just TV broadcasts.
A couple of years ago, I saw how people in Washington State took up a collection from their own money to help Iranians after the earthquake. The US needs to do a better job of publicizing efforts like this - sometimes it's OK to let people know when you're doing something good.
I would have loved to help the US Government, if they would listen. I would like to immigrate to the United States, but it could take 15 years unless I can find a way to speed up the process. They did it for Pamala Anderson. Look, Pamela Anderson got into the US because of her breasts ... I should be able to get in because of my brain.
We can help children understand that they are not different from one another because of nationality. We can touch the hearts of children with things they can relate to. Things that touched me as a child: bedtime stories, and listening to radio programs. We love our history. If people in Iran knew how much other people around the world care, they would throw this regime out. If Americans and Iranians really understood one another, they would fall in love with each other.
She is the author of "Living in Hell: A Young Woman's Life in Revolutionary Iran". You can read her columns here. I've previously posted on Ghazal Omid here and here. Now I'm pleased to be able to bring you an interview with her. I spoke with Ghazal by phone for about 45 minutes this evening. What follows is not a verbatim transcript, because I was taking notes by hand, but it does represent the essential points of our conversation.
(Please tell us your thoughts on the recent terrorist arrests in Canada.)
I've been telling the Canadian government about terrorism for a couple of years. Canadian laws are designed to protect everyone; the terrorists understand this and use it to their advantage. [Terror suspect Abdul] Kahar was from a family of terrorists - his father was an officer of Osama bin Laden, and was killed in Afghanistan. We could have had another 9/11 on our hands. Canada is a backdoor for terrorism because of lousy laws. We need to be more careful. When somebody is proven guilty, why are we keeping them in this country?
(On Muslim identity and government incompetence.)
I receive hate mail and phone calls every day, from Muslim fanatics. And yet, I was detained at the border for 45 minutes after I returned from Dubai. Another example: When I took [copies of threatning messages] to the police, they said, "you choose your actions, you receive your reactions." The police showed no enthusiasm and shrugged their shoulders. This is ludicrous. The government needs to know who the good guys and the bad guys are. I believe it's my Muslim duty, and my human duty, to stand up to terrorism. I'm with you - what are you going to do to protect me?
(Tell me about your upcoming three books.)
The first book is called "Poverty in Paradise". It's inspired by my trip to Dubai. In many countries like Dubai, they have a misrepresented image of the United States. It's a corrupted image. They think everyone is like Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson. When I asked male acquaintances in Arab countries what they thought about America, they thought of women running around in bikinis. The image that's presented abroad, via satellite programming, is even more distorted than the portrayals on domestic television. Working-class North Americans aren't portrayed. Yes, the United States holds a large share of the world's wealth, but most people in America work very hard, long hours. They're not rich. I want to make people in other countries feel we all belong to the same family. My second book is called "Islam 101" and it's an introduction to Islam. The religious section is separate from the political section, because I feel these things should be kept separate. The third book is about Iran's future. It's essential to educate women and children if you're going to stop terrorism. You don't want to get to them when they're 20; you want to get to them when they're 3. This book will be a message of humanity and education about Islam and other things.
(You've brought up the subject of wealth and poverty, and the fact that many people in other countries have a false - and harmful - belief that "all Americans are rich and decadent". As you were speaking, I was reminded of the section early in your book "Living in Hell" where you describe the paradox of growing up being rich and poor at the same time. Can you tell me a little more about how this experience influenced your thinking?)
When I was 12 years old, my father would bring home money in potato sacks. When I asked him why, he said, "People give me money so I can hide it." They trusted him more than they trusted the banks. My mother would have me count the money by hand. She wanted me to hold it in my hand so I would get used to the feel of it and not yearn for it. But although Father didn't take care of us - how many days did I live on bread and milk? - we never took his money. He could leave it in his coat pocket and we would never touch it. I have my pride - I'm not gonna beg! But I want to educate people about what they can say and what they can't [so that they can speak out on injustice in a productive way]. I need to respect me before I respect anybody else; I need to love me before I can love anybody else.
(Tell me why, as a religious Muslim, you feel it's important to end the Mullahs' dictatorship in Iran.)
The Mullahs are parasites - they're charlatans. They are distorting the image of Islam; they're no better than bin Laden.
Apart from getting rid of the regime, what changes do you think are necessary for Iranian society?
Education is critical, especially for women. And cultural education. The practice of marrying young girls has nothing to do with the current government, they only increased the problem that was already there. Educating a young girl is like painting a masterpiece - it takes time. We need to raise a generation of strong women.
Do you think you might seek political office in a future, democratic Iranian government?
Yes. I will change the pace of society and work for women's rights. There will be a new sheriff in town!
(Other comments.)
Shirin Ebadi is an opportunist; millions of dollars are funneled to her organization.
When you have a charity in Iran, you have to have someone in the government [who's getting paid off]. When you give money to that charity, your money goes to the government.
Voice of America is using its funding the wrong way; it's actually helping the regime. The Iranian government shows the same images of wealthy, decadent Americans and says to the people, "look, do you want to be like that?" There have been some positive changes at VOA, but it needs to change more.
The US Government is wasting a lot of its money for Iran. Many of the grantees are crooks. The Iranian people need to see tangible efforts, not just TV broadcasts.
A couple of years ago, I saw how people in Washington State took up a collection from their own money to help Iranians after the earthquake. The US needs to do a better job of publicizing efforts like this - sometimes it's OK to let people know when you're doing something good.
I would have loved to help the US Government, if they would listen. I would like to immigrate to the United States, but it could take 15 years unless I can find a way to speed up the process. They did it for Pamala Anderson. Look, Pamela Anderson got into the US because of her breasts ... I should be able to get in because of my brain.
We can help children understand that they are not different from one another because of nationality. We can touch the hearts of children with things they can relate to. Things that touched me as a child: bedtime stories, and listening to radio programs. We love our history. If people in Iran knew how much other people around the world care, they would throw this regime out. If Americans and Iranians really understood one another, they would fall in love with each other.
2006-06-12
Department of Outrages and Atrocities
Some
things
just piss me off.
Marg bar Israel, Marg bar Amrica …
Comment by Kiumars — June 11, 2006 @ 11:24 pm
things
How exciting! Notice that poster Kiumars’ idea of an “opposite” view is to flame us with “death to Israel, death to America” in Arabic. ...
Comment by Shy Guy — June 12, 2006 @ 1:31 am
just piss me off.
2006-06-09
Tammy to Air on New, All-Woman WVIE Baltimore
Tammy Bruce:
Baltimore Sun: Women's Voices at WVIE
Starting Monday, June 5 the Tammy Bruce Show welcomes a new East Coast flagship to the Tammy Radio family--WVIE AM 1370 in Baltimore. A 50,000 watt station, WVIE will carry the show live, 12p-3pm ET, and it will be heard throughout the entire region. It's uniqueness will be immediately obvious--all the hosts are women. The Baltimore Sun broke the story today.
Baltimore Sun: Women's Voices at WVIE
2006-06-08
BREAKING: Zarqawi Killed
Is Zarqawi dead? We've heard it before, but it sounds like it could be for real this time. Winds of Change:
WoC links to Reuters:
Pajamas Media has this:
Blackfive:
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
UPDATE - ITM:
Reuters, quoting ABC: "They handed him over to the Iraqis and he later died of his injuries."
Heh.
MORE UPDATES:
Totten: "Got the Motherfucker".
Belmont Club: Z-man RIP. 'It will have been a dramatic comedown for a man who on only on March 22, 2006 was acclaimed "the superstar of the international jihad".'
Counterterrorism Blog has a round-up.
Debka:
On June 08, 2006, ABCNEWS reported that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been confirmed to have been killed in Baghdad in a bombing raid by a United States task force hunting him. His death has been confirmed by mutiple sources in Iraq.
With thanks to Pamela at DL.
WoC links to Reuters:
Iraq's prime minister will announce the death of al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al- Zarqawi, state television reported on Thursday.
Pajamas Media has this:
We’ve heard if before, but news channels are right now reporting that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the most wanted terrorist in Iraq, has been killed in a bombing operation, according to an aide to Iraq’s prime minister. No links yet; more soon.
UPDATE (12:21am Pacific): CNN International is showing footage from Al Arabiya TV of Prime minister Nuri Al-Maliki in a press conference confirming the news. Wild applause in the audience.
Blackfive:
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is currently backstroking in The Lake of Fire. Good riddance, bitch! Few details at this point, I just caught it on a Fox News Alert at 0030 PST 8 June 2006. Wake up with a smile America, Zarqawi ate a 500lb bomb in Baquba yesterday and this is confirmed.
0049 General Casey is now confirming that Zarqawi is dead and identified by fingerprints and facial recognition. Ding Dong the witch is dead. HOOYAH!!!
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
UPDATE - ITM:
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has just announced the death of terror leader Abu Musa'ab al-Zarqawi in a joint press conference with Ambassador Khalil Zad.
Al-Maliki explained that Zarqawi (and 7 of his aides) was killed in a US-Iraqi raid in the little town of Hibhib 8 km north of Baquba after receiving tips from residents in the area.
General Casey says more details on the operation will be available in a briefing at 3 pm local time. General Casey mentioned that Zarqawi's identity was confirmed through his fingerprints.
CONGRATULATIONS TO IRAQ, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WHOLE WORLD ON THIS VICTORY.
Reuters, quoting ABC: "They handed him over to the Iraqis and he later died of his injuries."
Heh.
MORE UPDATES:
Totten: "Got the Motherfucker".
Belmont Club: Z-man RIP. 'It will have been a dramatic comedown for a man who on only on March 22, 2006 was acclaimed "the superstar of the international jihad".'
Counterterrorism Blog has a round-up.
Debka:
Iraq’s most wanted man, al Qaeda chief Abu Musab al Zarqawi, was killed in a safe house 8km north of Baquba, along with seven aides. One senior aide was captured.
June 8, 2006, 11:12 AM (GMT+02:00)
The tip-off from Iraqi sources led to an air strike by US forces, US commander Gen. George Casey confirmed after the announcement by Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki
The most wanted man in Iraq with a $25m US bounty on his head, he was personally responsible for the most barbarous terrorist attacks, including beheadings, massacres of civilians, suicide attacks and an all-out war on Shiites which touched of sectarian warfare in Iraq.
US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad congratulated US commander Gen. George Casey and the forces which carried out the operation against the “godfather of sectarian killing in Iraq.” His death does not end the violence in Iraq but is a step in the right direction and a good omen for the new government and the global war on terror.
2006-06-04
Let's blogroll!
Not PC, just common decency is what should make you think twice about using certain kinds of insults, says Tuomas at Creative Destruction. Hear, hear. And also from the estimable CD, Ampersand - no bushbot he - insists that, contra Rolling Stone, the Ohio election wasn't stolen ... but "fair" is another matter, and Amp raises some questions about Republican Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell.
Patti at White Pebble links to an inspiring coming-out story.
Alcibiades at Kesher Talk asks some important technical questions but forgets one: Is the damn thing pronounced "rooter" or "rowter"?
"The tide of the war in the Pacific was turned in the time it took a few squadrons of American dive bombers to make their runs on this day 64 years ago." From a thought-provoking post at Winds of Change on the aptly-named Midway battle; and go check out the photo of the ill-fated Yorktown.
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
Patti at White Pebble links to an inspiring coming-out story.
Alcibiades at Kesher Talk asks some important technical questions but forgets one: Is the damn thing pronounced "rooter" or "rowter"?
"The tide of the war in the Pacific was turned in the time it took a few squadrons of American dive bombers to make their runs on this day 64 years ago." From a thought-provoking post at Winds of Change on the aptly-named Midway battle; and go check out the photo of the ill-fated Yorktown.
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
Uprisings Escalate in Iran
Gateway Pundit:
Go read the full post, with photos and links.
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
Protesters Torch Buildings in Iran, Students Arrested
The Iranian Mayor of Ardebil says that the destruction has cost the city 7 billion Riyals.
Protesters torched banks and government buildings on Saturday in northwest Iran in continued demonstrations against the regime:
Yaqobzadeh, the mayor of Ardebil said, "The troching of banks and government buildings on Saturday cost the city seven billion Riyals in damages."
He also admitted that young people had set on fire a corrupt loan center known as Imam Jafarsadeq, NCRI informs. ...
Go read the full post, with photos and links.
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
JPost: Euro support for Palestinians "crashes".
Jerusalem Post (h/t LGF):
As if to underscore recent discussions on victimology, Greenberg explains what's changed over the last three years:
Go to the link for the full article. Especially noteworthy for moderates: the change in perceptions of Ariel Sharon, and the reasons for this change.
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
New public opinion surveys conducted among "opinion elites" in Europe show that support for the Palestinians has fallen precipitously, according to a leading international pollster, Stan Greenberg, who has been briefing Israeli leaders on his findings in the past few days. There has not necessarily been "a rush to Israel" but there has been a "crash" in backing for the Palestinians, he noted.
Greenberg, a key pollster for president Clinton who also worked with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, conducted the surveys for the Israel Project, a US-based non-profit organization devoted to educating the press and the public about Israel.
Greenberg told The Jerusalem Post that the shifts in attitudes reflected in the surveys were so dramatic that he "redid" some of the polls to ensure there had been no error.
As if to underscore recent discussions on victimology, Greenberg explains what's changed over the last three years:
Three years ago, he said, the conflict was perceived "in a post-colonial framework."
There was a sense "that Europe could cancel out its own colonial history by taking the 'right' side" - the Palestinian side. ...
Today, by contrast, the Europeans "are focused on fundamentalist Islam and its impact on them," he said. The Europeans were now asking themselves "who is the moderate in this conflict, and who is the extremist? And suddenly it is the Palestinians who may be the extremists, or who are allied with extremists who threaten Europe's own society."
Go to the link for the full article. Especially noteworthy for moderates: the change in perceptions of Ariel Sharon, and the reasons for this change.
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
In the Land of the Living
My sister would have been 42 years old last Friday.
I try to imagine Stephanie at age 42. Would she still be writing? Would she still wear leather jackets? Would she still have that michievous smile? I try to imagine how she would look now, if she had lived.
She died in 1992, a couple of weeks after her 28th birthday, in her apartment in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco. She had given up heroin about a year earlier, and despite some setbacks, she was struggling bravely with the agonies of withdrawal. But she was also drinking heavily to ease the pain, and was probably anorexic as well. She knew that the alcohol was harming her, and she resolved to give that up, too, after she had the narcotic addiction under control; but her time ran out. The coroner said she died of liver failure.
I remember her body on the steel table, how small it looked.
She did not want to die. She even wrote it in her diary:
When we were growing up, we didn't have much exposure to death. I don't believe we ever went to a funeral as kids. As I grew older, I began to think - with all the sophistication of a young adult - that this kind of insulation was unhealthy and stultifying; and that, therefore, people who had had contact with death must be privy to some insights that were denied to me. Now I know that this was wrong and stupid; that you do not learn anything from death, you only learn from life.
You can read Stephanie's poetry here and her fiction and prose here.
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
I try to imagine Stephanie at age 42. Would she still be writing? Would she still wear leather jackets? Would she still have that michievous smile? I try to imagine how she would look now, if she had lived.
She died in 1992, a couple of weeks after her 28th birthday, in her apartment in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco. She had given up heroin about a year earlier, and despite some setbacks, she was struggling bravely with the agonies of withdrawal. But she was also drinking heavily to ease the pain, and was probably anorexic as well. She knew that the alcohol was harming her, and she resolved to give that up, too, after she had the narcotic addiction under control; but her time ran out. The coroner said she died of liver failure.
I remember her body on the steel table, how small it looked.
She did not want to die. She even wrote it in her diary:
I don't wanna die. I was thinking the other day that I should have that tattooed someplace on my person, somewhere in small letters, like
I dont
wanna
die
maybe in the middle of my chest or inside my arm or my ankle, inconspicuous and small. I was thinking about the undertaker who with my cold and white body laying stiff on his stainless steel table would find the small tattoo and read it. I don't wanna die. A message for the undertaker, for my lover, for God, for my aging skin. I would like to see his face, the undertaker's.
When we were growing up, we didn't have much exposure to death. I don't believe we ever went to a funeral as kids. As I grew older, I began to think - with all the sophistication of a young adult - that this kind of insulation was unhealthy and stultifying; and that, therefore, people who had had contact with death must be privy to some insights that were denied to me. Now I know that this was wrong and stupid; that you do not learn anything from death, you only learn from life.
You can read Stephanie's poetry here and her fiction and prose here.
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
2006-06-01
Ted Nugent's Liberalism
Ted Nugent:
Hat tip: Little Green Footballs
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
I consider myself a true liberal. I am armed in order to stop good people being destroyed by bad people. Liberalism is assisting quality of life, whatever you may choose. I think that homosexuality is wrong. I think that people who drink, smoke and take drugs are doing wrong.
But I'll tell you how I judge people. The people that ran up those burning towers on September 11 were my heroes. And among those warriors who ran back to save their fellow human beings, you know what there were? Homosexuals. Smokers. Drinkers. People I wouldn't agree with on numerous conduct levels. I judge people on this: are they in the asset column, or the liability column?
Hat tip: Little Green Footballs
Cross-posted at Dreams Into Lightning - TypePad.
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