Some news of the day:
1. Sarah Palin, when asked by Laura Ingraham whether she would debate Al Gore on climate change, replied: "Oh my goodness. You know, it depends on what the venue would be, what the forum. Because Laura, as you know, if it would be some kind of conventional, traditional debate with his friends setting it up or being the commentators I'll get clobbered because, you know, they don't want to listen to the facts. They don't want to listen to some reasonable voices in this."
So, Sarah, how would YOU structure a debate with Al Gore on climate change, if not the "conventional, traditional" format? Moose guns at 20 paces? Jason Linkins suggests: "maybe a dogsled race that you quit halfway through."
2. Cecil Bothwell was elected to the Asheville, NC city council; but opponents are challenging his right to be seated, because he is an atheist. In fact, article 6, section 8 of the North Carolina Constitution says: “The following persons shall be disqualified for office: First, any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God.”
This violates the U. S. Constitution, but it remains in the N. C. Constitution.
3. One of the battle cries of the Tea Party movement is defiance against government taking over control of their lives. So guess what a group of them in California is pushing: an initiative that would force public schools to sing Christmas carols, under penalty of law if they don't.
4. Tarek Salahi (the W. H. party crasher) handed over his luxury designer wristwatch to pay off a debt to his landscaper, claiming it would more than cover the $2,000 balance. A jeweler immediately spotted it as a fake, worth less than $100. Fake guests; fake watch.
5. In a poll by Public Policy Polling, 35% of Republicans want Obama impeached. The crimes were not specified -- just because Glenn Beck says so, perhaps.
Ralph
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Obama in Oslo
Barack Obama did what Obama does: he waded into a controversy and faced it squarely, at the same time using it as a teaching moment of reason and moral argument. His Nobel Prize acceptance speech this morning dove right into the questions of war and peace in today's world. Not flinching from the irony of his accepting the Nobel Peace Prize just days after committing to an increase in troops in the Afghanistan war, he explained that war is sometime necessary but it is never the answer.
Here are some quotes. The entire text can be read at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/10/obama-nobel-peace-prize-a_n_386837.html
Here are some quotes. The entire text can be read at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/10/obama-nobel-peace-prize-a_n_386837.html
We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations - acting individually or in concert - will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.
I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King said in this same ceremony years ago - "Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones." As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King's life's work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there is nothing weak -nothing passive - nothing naïve - in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.
But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism - it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.
-----------So yes, the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace. And yet this truth must coexist with another - that no matter how justified, war promises human tragedy. . . .
-----------
I have spoken to the questions that must weigh on our minds and our hearts as we choose to wage war. But let me turn now to our effort to avoid such tragic choices, and speak of three ways that we can build a just and lasting peace. [He then spoke of (1) "alternative to violence that are tough enough to change behavior; (2) " Only a just peace based upon the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting;" and (3) "a just peace includes not only civil and political rights - it must encompass economic security and opportunity. For true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want."
-------------
And yet, I do not believe that we will have the will, or the staying power, to complete this work without something more - and that is the continued expansion of our moral imagination; an insistence that there is something irreducible that we all share.. . . [T]he one rule that lies at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Adhering to this law of love has always been the core struggle of human nature. We are fallible. We make mistakes . . . But we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place. The non-violence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached - their faith in human progress - must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.
For if we lose that faith - if we dismiss it as silly or naïve; if we divorce it from the decisions that we make on issues of war and peace - then we lose what is best about humanity. We lose our sense of possibility. We lose our moral compass.
Like generations have before us, we must reject that future. As Dr. King said at this occasion so many years ago, "I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the 'isness' of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal 'oughtness' that forever confronts him."
So let us reach for the world that ought to be - that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls. Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he's outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, who believes that a cruel world still has a place for his dreams.
Let us live by their example. We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of depravation, and still strive for dignity. We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that - for that is the story of human progress; that is the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.
This is Obama at his best -- wading forthrightly into a controversy and using it to teach us the complexities and the truths that he sees and must consider in making his decisions. This is a man I am proud to call my president.
Ralph
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Hooray for Rachel
Rapidly rising, liberal, lesbian, former Rhodes Scholar, MSNBC commentator Rachel Maddow took on one of the "homosexual-healing" gurus over the role that his book and his organization are playing in the horrific bill before the Ugandan parliament that would impose the death penalty on homosexuals and mandate jail time for their friends and relatives who do not turn them in.
Richard Cohen is creator and head of The International Healing Foundation and the author of Coming Out Straight. He promotes the idea that homosexuality is a choice and that it can be changed -- and he has a method that he claims has helped "thousands" come out of the homosexual life style.
He has a master's degree in counseling, although he has been kicked out of the American Counseling Association, and he is not licensed to practice in any state. This is strange, since he supposedly has a degree that would ordinarily allow one to be licensed as a counselor. He claims to have overcome his own homosexual life and has now been happily married for 27 years with 3 children. He presents this personal story as his credential for helping others like himself.
In Cohen's defense, he has distanced himself from this proposed law in Uganda, although a member of his group did go there and spoke to parliament about how homosexuals could change and distributed copies of his book -- which, while not actually supporting the criminalization, gives them the supposedly authoritative rationale for holding people criminally liable for continuing to be homosexual.
In contrast to Cohen's claims, all of the major mental health organizations in the U.S. have warned against this approach of attempting to change people's sexual orientation -- and all of the scientific evidence suggests that their methods do more harm than good.
Rachel strongly challenged him on certain statements in his book, specifically his citing the thoroughly discredited Paul Cameron's pseudo-science claims that portray gay men as predatory child abusers. The methodology of that junk science is so flawed as to be laughable and has been dismissed by any serious psychologist. Paul Cameron is a psychologist who has been kicked out of both the American Psychological Association and the American Sociological Association for his unethical behavior; and his "studies" have appeared only in a journal that publishes for pay and without peer review.
Rachel also challenged Cohen on including "race" as one of the factors that can contribute to being homosexual. He had no answer when she asked him how race could make you gay, at first denying that he had written that until she read it to him from his book.
I know Richard Cohen. He and I were "expert witnesses" on opposite sides of the case in a Louisiana District Court in 1998. At that time, he made the same claims without any substantiation. When asked by the opposing lawyer about his results, he claimed to have helped "hundreds and hundreds" of homosexual men to change. When asked about follow up studies to determine whether those changes were lasting, he dismissively scoffed that he didn't have time for that. His whole demeanor was that of a showman and a huckster, not a professional clinician; he even brought along a clack of supporters who clapped loudly when he finished testifying -- an outburst that brought a stern rebuke from the judge.
The reparative therapy group at NARTH has distanced itself from Cohen; he's a little too flip and extreme, even for those proponents of "healing homosexuality."
Unfortunately, there is still this level of virulent homophobia in the world that makes this capital punishment bill in Uganda a serious possibility of becoming law. In a number of Muslim theocracies, gays can be, and are, executed -- although I believe this proposed bill, that would criminalize failure to inform on family members, is the most extreme.
We have come a long way in the U.S. in overcoming homophobia. There is still a long way to go worldwide. The Richard Cohens say they are only offering a service for people who don't want to be gay; but they should figure out some way to "first do no harm." Claiming that it's a choice and that people can change (refuted by all the major mental health organizations) gives ammunition for those whose hate-filled vehemence leads them to kill, or to pass laws to make it legal to kill, gay people.
Thank you, Rachel, for exposing this on national TV.
To watch the interview go to: http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/maddow-debunks-cure-for-homosexuality.php?ref=mp
Ralph
Richard Cohen is creator and head of The International Healing Foundation and the author of Coming Out Straight. He promotes the idea that homosexuality is a choice and that it can be changed -- and he has a method that he claims has helped "thousands" come out of the homosexual life style.
He has a master's degree in counseling, although he has been kicked out of the American Counseling Association, and he is not licensed to practice in any state. This is strange, since he supposedly has a degree that would ordinarily allow one to be licensed as a counselor. He claims to have overcome his own homosexual life and has now been happily married for 27 years with 3 children. He presents this personal story as his credential for helping others like himself.
In Cohen's defense, he has distanced himself from this proposed law in Uganda, although a member of his group did go there and spoke to parliament about how homosexuals could change and distributed copies of his book -- which, while not actually supporting the criminalization, gives them the supposedly authoritative rationale for holding people criminally liable for continuing to be homosexual.
In contrast to Cohen's claims, all of the major mental health organizations in the U.S. have warned against this approach of attempting to change people's sexual orientation -- and all of the scientific evidence suggests that their methods do more harm than good.
Rachel strongly challenged him on certain statements in his book, specifically his citing the thoroughly discredited Paul Cameron's pseudo-science claims that portray gay men as predatory child abusers. The methodology of that junk science is so flawed as to be laughable and has been dismissed by any serious psychologist. Paul Cameron is a psychologist who has been kicked out of both the American Psychological Association and the American Sociological Association for his unethical behavior; and his "studies" have appeared only in a journal that publishes for pay and without peer review.
Rachel also challenged Cohen on including "race" as one of the factors that can contribute to being homosexual. He had no answer when she asked him how race could make you gay, at first denying that he had written that until she read it to him from his book.
I know Richard Cohen. He and I were "expert witnesses" on opposite sides of the case in a Louisiana District Court in 1998. At that time, he made the same claims without any substantiation. When asked by the opposing lawyer about his results, he claimed to have helped "hundreds and hundreds" of homosexual men to change. When asked about follow up studies to determine whether those changes were lasting, he dismissively scoffed that he didn't have time for that. His whole demeanor was that of a showman and a huckster, not a professional clinician; he even brought along a clack of supporters who clapped loudly when he finished testifying -- an outburst that brought a stern rebuke from the judge.
The reparative therapy group at NARTH has distanced itself from Cohen; he's a little too flip and extreme, even for those proponents of "healing homosexuality."
Unfortunately, there is still this level of virulent homophobia in the world that makes this capital punishment bill in Uganda a serious possibility of becoming law. In a number of Muslim theocracies, gays can be, and are, executed -- although I believe this proposed bill, that would criminalize failure to inform on family members, is the most extreme.
We have come a long way in the U.S. in overcoming homophobia. There is still a long way to go worldwide. The Richard Cohens say they are only offering a service for people who don't want to be gay; but they should figure out some way to "first do no harm." Claiming that it's a choice and that people can change (refuted by all the major mental health organizations) gives ammunition for those whose hate-filled vehemence leads them to kill, or to pass laws to make it legal to kill, gay people.
Thank you, Rachel, for exposing this on national TV.
To watch the interview go to: http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/maddow-debunks-cure-for-homosexuality.php?ref=mp
Ralph
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Afghanistan and Palin
If anyone is still interested in the debate between Richard and me on Obama's new strategy for Afghanistan, Richard has reopened it in response to Frank Rich's column today, and then I answered. This can be found in the "comments" section under the previous post.
For anyone who may feel that I've neglected Sarah Palin lately, here's something.
Jay Leno lampooned her this way:
We should laugh while we can. Already, I see "Palin 2012" bumper stickers cropping up. This has nothing to do with presidential qualifications and everything to do with connecting with, and exploiting, a populist unrest among a certain group who suddenly feel that one of them has gained the spotlight, a position of power, and has a sharp tongue for those once referred to as "pointy headed intellectuals."
The New Yorker says "she represents the erasure of any distinction between the governing and the governed." And for many people, that is mighty appealing. Someone just like them could, they think, become president.
Last year, after Palin's sudden elevation, Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury comic strip ran a series featuring a little girl playing with her Sarah Palin Action Doll. Her liberal mother, aghast at her daughter's pretending, asked why she wanted her Sarah-doll to be president. Her answer: "Because she's like me; I don't know very much either."
This is her appeal. She's like those who feel disdained by the liberal elite, who they see as changing the American way of life -- only she is too feisty to be intimidated, and she gives it right back. Don't mess with a hocky-mom, moose-huntng, beauty queen, mother of five, Christian woman who is too busy to be governor. And she, or her handlers, have enough sense to protect this image as long as they can by keeping the press away from her speeches and by giving interviews only to friendly gal-pals or FoxNews.
She could be dangerous.
Ralph
For anyone who may feel that I've neglected Sarah Palin lately, here's something.
Jay Leno lampooned her this way:
"And new reports on Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue" bus tour. They say she's been traveling on private planes to various stops and then just hops in the bus at the local town. So, let's see what you got. You have Sarah Palin, who's no longer governor, who's promoting a book she didn't actually write by going on a bus tour which is not really a bus. Her big complaint? Politicians who aren't real."To quote Liberace's reply when ridiculed, she's "crying all the way to the bank."
We should laugh while we can. Already, I see "Palin 2012" bumper stickers cropping up. This has nothing to do with presidential qualifications and everything to do with connecting with, and exploiting, a populist unrest among a certain group who suddenly feel that one of them has gained the spotlight, a position of power, and has a sharp tongue for those once referred to as "pointy headed intellectuals."
The New Yorker says "she represents the erasure of any distinction between the governing and the governed." And for many people, that is mighty appealing. Someone just like them could, they think, become president.
Last year, after Palin's sudden elevation, Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury comic strip ran a series featuring a little girl playing with her Sarah Palin Action Doll. Her liberal mother, aghast at her daughter's pretending, asked why she wanted her Sarah-doll to be president. Her answer: "Because she's like me; I don't know very much either."
This is her appeal. She's like those who feel disdained by the liberal elite, who they see as changing the American way of life -- only she is too feisty to be intimidated, and she gives it right back. Don't mess with a hocky-mom, moose-huntng, beauty queen, mother of five, Christian woman who is too busy to be governor. And she, or her handlers, have enough sense to protect this image as long as they can by keeping the press away from her speeches and by giving interviews only to friendly gal-pals or FoxNews.
She could be dangerous.
Ralph
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