Another Kind of Courage

Veterans of the Iraq War protest more over-deployed soldiers being sent to that mess.

Hitler Was a Black Jew

Neo-Nazis around the world: Suck. On. This.

Anti-Islam Bigotry = Good For Al Qaeda

You can feel the lava under this very thorough Frank Rich column. Just one tiny bit:

After 9/11, President Bush praised Islam as a religion of peace and asked for tolerance for Muslims not necessarily because he was a humanitarian or knew much about Islam but because national security demanded it. An America at war with Islam plays right into Al Qaeda’s recruitment spiel. This month’s incessant and indiscriminate orgy of Muslim-bashing is a national security disaster for that reason — Osama bin Laden’s “next video script has just written itself,” as the former F.B.I. terrorist interrogator Ali Soufan put it — but not just for that reason. America’s Muslim partners, those our troops are fighting and dying for, are collateral damage. If the cleric behind Park51 — a man who has participated in events with Condoleezza Rice and Karen Hughes, for heaven’s sake — is labeled a closet terrorist sympathizer and a Nazi by some of the loudest and most powerful conservative voices in America, which Muslims are not?

Pat Boone's Parents Were Ignorant, Hateful Bigots

Well, that explains it:

We are all, to a great or lesser degree, the inevitable product of how we were raised, what we were taught and experienced as children.

Dr. Laura, Sarah Palin, and First Amendment Rights

A quick note to the simple-minded: The First Amendment protects citizens from suppression of free speech by government. It has absolutely nothing to do with other citizens giving you shit. When you mention First Amendment rights when talking about this, you are saying something really stupid. I know neither of you mind saying really stupid things, I just wanted to make note of this.

And I just have to transcribe a Tweet The Palin made about this, exactly as she wrote it, spaces or lack of them and all:

Dr.Laura:don't retreat...reload! (Steps aside bc her 1st Amend.rights ceased 2exist thx 2activists trying 2silence"isn't American,not fair")

She quit her radio show, if I'm understanding that spaghetti-headed drama queen correctly, because her First Amendment rights ceased to exist?

Kids, this is why they tell you to not do meth.

Manhattan Islamic Center: Not backing Down

Good for him.

And the guy is so regular American he actually kind of reminds of Jason Bateman.

A Long Tough Blog Fundraiser

And by "Fundraiser" I mean "Buy a song or three to support LT and A Long Tough Blog!"

I've never done a fundraiser here, and I don't have advertising (aside from the "Amazon Song Choices" button). I've maintained this blog for five years to say this and that now and then and to provide a place where people can hear and buy my songs. If you are so inclined you are invited to buy some songs, or even the entire "Bottomfeeders" album, and perhaps to even tell a friend or two about this humble internet abode. My personal favorite song on the CD: "Sigh." Something special happened with that one.

You can see the PayPlay link below. For other internet outfits where you find the album, look under "Songs For Sale - Cheap!" up at the top right of the page.

My great thanks in advance.

"Read Ayn Rand" Written Across America

Some dumbass did a dumbass thing:

One man drove 12,238 miles across 30 states to scrawl a message that can only be viewed using Google Earth. His big shoutout: “Read Ayn Rand.”

Except he forgot to finish the message. I helped him out:

"Disappointment Haunted All My Dreams..."

I know they're a pretend band invented by those seven guys at the Trilateral Comminsion, or something, but hell, this is just a cool song. And the opening lick - from keyboard to guitar - is just fantastic.

Sarah Palin's Eye Roll at "I'm a teacher"

This video reveals something bizarre. At about 1:10, Palin asks this obviously thoughtful woman what she does. She answers "I'm a teacher." Palin goes "Ohhh," rolls her eyes, and her and her daughter share an "Oh, that's what's wrong with her" look. Watch for yourself to see if I'm reading too much into it.



And the "Oh you wanted me to be your governor!" moment 10 or 12 seconds in is such incredibly pure slimy condescension I can feel it on my skin.

Shannyn Moore at HuffPo knows the woman in the shot.