The wingnut brigade is falling over itself today because Michelle Obama is proud of her country. They think it’s a bad thing. Specifically, Obama said:
[F]or the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction and just not feeling so alone in my frustration and disappointment. I’ve seen people who are hungry to be unified around some basic common issues, and it’s made me proud.
They can’t stand the implication that she hasn’t had much to feel proud of in the past. Naturally they think that’s her fault, and naturally they’re ginning up their slavering noise machine, complete with screaming Drudge headlines and oleaginous crap from repulsive loons like John Podhoretz and Michelle Malkin.
But, really, what is questionable, or even surprising, about such a sentiment? What decent American hasn’t been frustrated and disappointed by the country’s many inequities, its many failures to make good on its own promise, and the repeated disasters engendered by lack of decency among its leadership? Who hasn’t been hungry for the chance to claim the birthright of true equality, true freedom, and political and material largesse that America portends, without making excuses or sweeping historical travesties and abuses under the rug? And for black Americans especially, who but a fool would imagine that the American dream and promise has been anything but a mockery of partial fulfillment and cynical denial? If you have any decency or sympathy at all, how can you not feel unsatisfied with America’s halting and incomplete fulfillment of its promise?
[more after the jump]
February 19th, 2008
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General, Politics, Culture, Media, News & Current Events, Race |
23 comments
The only question that concerns me is whether or not the embargo is going to be lifted. The embargo is a terrible policy and it has probably done a great deal to prop up the Castro regime. It made the privation of the Cuban people seem like part of a great struggle agaisnt an overwhemlingly powerful foe. It was stupid and counter-productive, but it was an easy means to look “tough”. And in our foreign policy environment, looking tough trumps acting smart every single time. This stupid embargo will probably out live me.
February 19th, 2008
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General |
11 comments
I mentioned in last week’s random book blogging that TOR was giving away free books. Blogassm tracked down some more information about why TOR wanted people to give them them their email addresses:
Tor Books, a major science fiction and fantasy publisher, announced recently that it would offer free weekly ebooks of its print titles if you sign up for its email newsletter. But this is just part of a larger online expansion that will include social networking and the publication of original short fiction and nonfiction, sources familiar with the project told me.
Two sources who spoke to me on condition of anonymity said that it’s intended to be a “go-to site, a central community” for science fiction and fantasy fans. A few authors have already been approached to submit original short fiction to be published online. Tor is paying upwards of 25 cents per word for these stories and right now is only dealing with solicited authors.
According to one of the sources, this website will act in part as a form of branding and promotion for Tor book titles, “with an eye towards leveraging traffic into advertising revenues, down the road.” The project is being largely organized by Patrick Nielson Hayden, a senior editor at Tor.
So far the details of this site have remained a secret, hence why the sources spoke on condition of anonymity.
In an email on Friday, Nielsen Hayden confirmed many of these facts.
February 19th, 2008
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General, Books |
one comment
