A while back I left a comment on Treppenwitz's blog. Now, that isn't unusual, as I am a talkative and opinionated person. But here it is, several day later, and not only do I still agree with myself (mirabile dictu!), I actually think that said comment perfectly expresses my point of view.
And that IS unusual - it's a different day of the week, and a different time of day, so my levels of stress, caffeine, aesthetic frustration, and emotional disbalance are entirely different(*). That normally affects thinking.
[* but piss and vinegar remain constant, however.]
Treppenwitz had opined that Israel was the Class Slut of the international community. Everyone wants what Israel has to offer, but no one wants to be seen with her.
I beg to differ.
The United States is the Class Slut, Israel is merely the class tramp.
We're number one. So to speak.
Especially in Europe.
The European governments have NO problem with their people slamming the US as a bunch of arrivista whores, inbreds, vulgarians, closet fascist-imperialists, overweight criminals and sexfiend puritans; heck, we’re one big blemish on civilization and if it weren’t for us and our corrupt venal leaders (and our daemonic military), the rest of the world could go about the peaceful business of building happy proletarian pigsties and communes, and dancing their colourful native dances in tune with mother nature and the elements.
But the Eurie governments, despite their peoples’ clear distaste (loathing, repulsion, horrified nausea) just keep quietly working with us, buying our weapons, investing in our industries, bribing our officials, pet warlords, and clients, and forwarding intelligence, while transporting innocent Arab detainees to overseas CIA torture dens.
Heck, NATO is the biggest "secret" around. Membership allows a whole bunch of rinky-tink European liberal democracies to do jacksh*t about their own security, while silently relying on the big bad US, and publicly disdaining us and lamenting that that bunch of filthy transportees ever became independent.
Oh, and please remember, everything we did in WWI and since can be entirely discounted – because it was to our benefit, and NOT because we honestly worshipped Europe.
Israel, without the United States, would no doubt also be better. Leastways a neo-socialist workers paradise that would just have to get along with the hardworking aborigines, both peoples exchanging artistic trinkets and hummus recipes instead of barbs and (US-sponsored) bombs.
----------------------------------------------------
Comments? Feedback? A different point of view?
Let me know.
I am always keen to hear what you have to say.
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Showing posts with label ANGRY PINK BLOG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ANGRY PINK BLOG. Show all posts
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I DESPISE PROTESTANTS
Yes, you read it correctly. But not ALL of them. There are some Protestants I do not despise. That being, of course, my ancestors. Who were Dutch Calvinists.
Willem van Deursen (b. 1542) and his son Peter (b. 1575), left Brabant and fled to Haarlem to escape Spanish repression. In 1607 Abraham Pietersen van Deursen was born there, who would emigrate to New Amsterdam (d. 1678). His son Isaac Abrahamsen van Deursen was born in the new world in 1635.
[Why the names Abraham and Isaac? Well, Abraham left the place of his fathers, and journeyed into a land not his own..... ]
The descendants of Abraham remained fairly religious till a few generations ago.
I do not know if my great-grandfather (who was descended from Abraham on both sides, and whose wife was also descended from Abraham) still attended church - I doubt it, but I am fairly certain that my grandfather did not. Same goes for my mother's side of the family.
Consider us Jack-Calvinists. Run-aways, if you will. Force us into a church, and we'll burn the damn' thing down.
I mention all this because of Ann Coulter.
ANN COULTER
In her latest venomous piece of dreck, ms. Coulter writes:
"Then there's Barry Lynn, alleged "Christian minister," whose stock in trade is to denounce any mention of religion anyplace, anytime. Look, I'm a Christian minister, but even I have to admit that the sight of a kindergartner praying is terrifying to most folks. (The first person to post Barry Lynn's bar mitzvah photos or birth announcement (mazel tov!) wins a free copy of my latest book, "Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and Their Assault on America.")
[END QUOTE]
Source:http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=106696
The only reason for her sneering dig at the reverend Barry Lynn is that he wishes a division to be maintained between church and state - which, in the eyes of the odious Coulter and many of her fans, smacks of disloyalty to the little baby Jesus. Something apparently only Jews are capable of.
What Coulter and people of her ilk need to understand is that if we lessen the boundary between Church and State, people like me will come busting out of the woodwork. And we won't be happy.
Heck, I'll gladly lynch any number of members of the heretic denominations that threaten my irreligious freedom - Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Adventists, Southern Cretinist, whatever. The only version of Christianity I would even want to see empowered is Dutch Calvinism. I am not particular about which obnoxiously stubborn and opinionated pissant version of it, either - I've got relatives all over that creed, and most of us haven't been Church-going in generations.
But still.... shtrenge Dutch Calvinists are infinitely superior to all those Anglo-protestantisms. Punkt.
Yes, I really do find most English-speaking versions of Christianity to be loathsome. Totally icky poo.
The psalters of Petrus Datheen and Marnix van St. Aldegonde make what would be mere pedestrian praedestinationism sparkle and shine - in Dutch, in poetic Dutch, and only in Dutch.
Still wrong (far too gnostic, too Christic, not old-testamentarian enough, and not nearly of an acceptable liberality or liberalistic), but eloquent and given to great lyric.
Bugger the English language versions of religion. Including, especially, typical American fundamentalist versions. They are intolerable.
You superstitious backwoods heathens are barely one step above savages.
The separation between Church and State is the only thing that keeps me from wanting to shoot you. Please count your blessings.
================================================
APPENDIX
For those of you who are baffled as all git-out by this mention of Calvinists, the following opinionated backgrounder may be useful. It is brief.
CALVINISM
In 1533 Jean Cauvin (John Calvin, 1509 - 1564), an argumentative student of theology and law at Paris, fled for his life, eventually ending up in Geneva. His weltanschauung was influenced by much of the theological ferment then current in Europe at that time, including Lutheranism and Anabaptism.
Two basic themes that he developed were Biblical authority as opposed to Church authority in matters of the faith, and praedestinationism.
Two major ethno-denominational groupings eventually formed that were based on Calvin's thought: Scotch Presbyterianism, and Dutch Reform.
The less said about Scotch Presbyterianism the better - those people never had to fight a super-power for freedom for their faith, and in consequence have a self-satisfied priggishness wich is quite unstomachable.
DUTCH REFORMED
At the same time as Calvin was contemplating his navel in Switzerland, Netherlandish cities and nobles were getting steamed over Philip the Spaniard's attempts to unify the Netherlands into one coherent legal and administrative system.
The Netherlands which Philip had inherited were a loosely unified mess of conflicting law codes and civic privileges, sporadically called to order by a grand meeting of the States General in Brussels. While all territories were represented in the States General, not all played along with its decisions, and even fewer had any intention of doing so in any consistent manner. Other than in name, their unity lay in resisting Philip and disagreeing with each other.
The situation exploded in 1567 when Philip sent the Duke of Alva (may his name be erased!) into the Netherlands to eradicate dissent and destroy heresy. In 1568 Alva had two of the grande seigneurs of the Netherlands (counts Egmont and Hoorne), executed in the Grande Place in Brussels.
Their crime was not disloyalty or treason, but that they had been too permissive of religious dissidence, even though they themselves had remained Catholic.
The executions may have been pointless. But they did serve as tinder.
For the next four years, Alva savagely suppressed all dissent, political and religious, throughout the Netherlands, painting a swath of blood and murder across all the provinces. The tide turned in 1572 when the Sea Beggars captured Briel in 1572, gaining a foothold along the coast. Within the next few years the rebellion gained strength and territory, eventually unifying all of the northern provinces. Protestants, who faced certain death in the south, fled north in large numbers, and contributed their skills and their lives to the cause of the rebel republic .
The war between Spain and the Dutch lasted until 1648, by which time Protestantism, in it's rather severe Dutch Calvinist form, had become entrenched in the north. Thenceforth Netherlandish quarrelsomeness would have the perfect medium in which to manifest itself - religion.
[Not until twentieth century politics would another so perfect vehicle for petty dispute and despicion come along (and how the Dutch enthusiastically jumped on that bandwagon is another story).]
Among the first actions that the Calvinists theocrats took was the banning of Catholicism in Protestant cities (and permitting Judaism).
Thereafter they started fighting among themselves.
Not only in the Netherlands.
DUTCH CALVINISTS IN AMERICA
The first Dutch Reformed church in the new world was established in New Amsterdam in 1628, and the first church was built in 1633 on what is now Pearl Street in Manhattan. The Brits eventually seized the property for military purposes, and a new church was built in 1693 on Exchange Place. By the end of the century Dutch Reformed congregations had arisen all over New York and New Jersey, including areas which are now Hareidi strongholds such as Brooklyn, Flatbush, Hempstead, Monsey, Paramus, etcetera. By 1792 the Dutch American churches split off from the Dutch churches, at which time they already consisted of various splinter groups on both sides of the Atlantic.
MY CHURCH, HIS CHURCH, AND THE ONE NEITHER OF US WOULD BE CAUGHT DEAD VISITING
In 1816 Dutch government meddling created even more splinter groups, all disunited in opposition to the official approved Dutch Reformed denomination. In 1822 more seceders split off from the Reformed Church in America to form the True Dutch Reformed Church, while in 1834 dissidents left the Reformed Church in the Netherlands to form two new denominations, the Christelijk Afgescheiden Kerk (Christian Separatist Church - CAK) and the Gereformeerde Kerk onder het kruis (Reformed Church under the cross, aka the Cross Churches).
It gets worse.
In 1841 pastor Ledeboer and his group in the Netherlands set up shop separately, along with others (forming the Ledeboerian faction). A number of these people headed for the U.S. in 1846 under the leadership of Pastor Albert Van Raalte, becoming the second group of people to immigrate to North America to get away from religious freedom (the Puritans having been the first). They established the settlement of Holland, Michigan (gosh what an imaginative name for a settlement of Dutchmen!). By 1850 they had more or less united with the Reformed Church in America.
Shortly thereafter, a group of dissenters split off from the Second Reformed Church (in Grand Rapids) and the Fourth Reformed Church (in Pella) to form the Christian Reformed Church. The True Dutch Reformed Church joined with the Christian Reformed Church in 1890, forming their own classis within the movement - Classis Hackensack. In 1908 most of Hackensack withdrew from the Christian Reformed Church in a dispute over the faithful joining civic lodges or fraternal organizations.
Second Christian Reformed is actually a term for split-offs from the Fourth Christian Reformed church (Pella), which itself is a split-off variant of Dutch Reformed.
Second Christian Reformed should not be confused with Third Christian Reformed or First Christian Reformed, even though most Christian Reformed Churches adhere to the same source documents: The Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dort.
Many Christian Reformed Churches in America, when they still worshipped in Dutch (in some places up until the nineteen-seventies or eighties!) still held to the Psalter of Petrus Datheen (1531 - 1588), though some "Reformed" Churches held instead to the Psalter of Marnix Van St. Aldegonde (Philip van Marnix, lord of St. Aldegonde, 1538 - 1598), and a few sick deviants had long since switched to either the first or second Statenberijming ("State's Rhyme" - the official version of the psalter), which dates from governmental meddling in church affairs starting in 1816 under William I.
In the Netherlands, several of the congregations of the Christelijk Afgescheiden Kerk and the Cross Churches combined to form another denomination - the Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerk (Christian Reformed Church, but not the same as the Christian Reformed Church in the American Midwest).
In 1886 Doctor Abraham Kuyper and his followers split off from the official Dutch Reformed Church to unite with Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerk.
The Ledeboerian churches in the Netherlands joined with the remaining Cross Churches in 1907, forming a denomination which called itself the Gereformeerde Gemeenten (Reformed Congregations).
The remaining Ledeboerians in America had meanwhile formed the Netherlands Reformed Church in Michigan in 1877.
RECENT HAIRSPLITTING
In 1924, Reverend Herman Hoeksema of the Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids refused to agree to the teaching of the doctrines of common grace and presumptive regeneration, and left the church with most of his own congregation, plus a congregation in Kalamazoo, and other dissidents. In 1926 they organized the Protestant Reformed Churches. Their unity lasted less than thirty years, nearly half of the members splitting off in 1954 to form the Orthodox Protestant Reformed Churches - which joined up with the Christian Reformed Church in 1961.
During WWII a new denomination arose: Gereformeerde Kerk Nederland - Vrijgemaakt (Reformed Church Netherlands - disassociated). By the nineteen fifties, this new denomination was also present in the U.S. and Canada.
A group seceded from the Gereformeerde Gemeenten (Reformed Congregations) over a doctrinal point that is totally incomprehensible, and became the Gereformeerde Gemeenten in Nederland (Reformed Congregations in the Netherlands). Their American branch is called the Reformed Congregations in North America.
Naturally, the recent mega-merger in the Netherlands of the Nederlandsch Hervormde Kerk, the Gereformeerde Kerk Nederland, and the Dutch Lutheran Church has (of course) resulted in even more break-aways.
The end is not in sight. Dissidence is a sign of health.
================================================
FURTHER NOTES
1. If at this point you are reminded of that scene in Life of Brian where they discuss the differences between the People's Front of Judea, and the Judean People's Front, that is perfectly appropriate. They are SPLITTERS, and it is entirely unknown whether they support your RIGHT to have children even if you are biologically incapable of it.
2. Decades ago I ceased believing that the Messiah already came, and I am skeptical that he will ever come. I await his first coming, even though he may tarry. And I was always dubious about the theory in any case.
No, I don't particularly feel like dealing with 608 more commandments. Why do you ask?
Willem van Deursen (b. 1542) and his son Peter (b. 1575), left Brabant and fled to Haarlem to escape Spanish repression. In 1607 Abraham Pietersen van Deursen was born there, who would emigrate to New Amsterdam (d. 1678). His son Isaac Abrahamsen van Deursen was born in the new world in 1635.
[Why the names Abraham and Isaac? Well, Abraham left the place of his fathers, and journeyed into a land not his own..... ]
The descendants of Abraham remained fairly religious till a few generations ago.
I do not know if my great-grandfather (who was descended from Abraham on both sides, and whose wife was also descended from Abraham) still attended church - I doubt it, but I am fairly certain that my grandfather did not. Same goes for my mother's side of the family.
Consider us Jack-Calvinists. Run-aways, if you will. Force us into a church, and we'll burn the damn' thing down.
I mention all this because of Ann Coulter.
ANN COULTER
In her latest venomous piece of dreck, ms. Coulter writes:
"Then there's Barry Lynn, alleged "Christian minister," whose stock in trade is to denounce any mention of religion anyplace, anytime. Look, I'm a Christian minister, but even I have to admit that the sight of a kindergartner praying is terrifying to most folks. (The first person to post Barry Lynn's bar mitzvah photos or birth announcement (mazel tov!) wins a free copy of my latest book, "Guilty: Liberal 'Victims' and Their Assault on America.")
[END QUOTE]
Source:http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=106696
The only reason for her sneering dig at the reverend Barry Lynn is that he wishes a division to be maintained between church and state - which, in the eyes of the odious Coulter and many of her fans, smacks of disloyalty to the little baby Jesus. Something apparently only Jews are capable of.
What Coulter and people of her ilk need to understand is that if we lessen the boundary between Church and State, people like me will come busting out of the woodwork. And we won't be happy.
Heck, I'll gladly lynch any number of members of the heretic denominations that threaten my irreligious freedom - Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Adventists, Southern Cretinist, whatever. The only version of Christianity I would even want to see empowered is Dutch Calvinism. I am not particular about which obnoxiously stubborn and opinionated pissant version of it, either - I've got relatives all over that creed, and most of us haven't been Church-going in generations.
But still.... shtrenge Dutch Calvinists are infinitely superior to all those Anglo-protestantisms. Punkt.
Yes, I really do find most English-speaking versions of Christianity to be loathsome. Totally icky poo.
The psalters of Petrus Datheen and Marnix van St. Aldegonde make what would be mere pedestrian praedestinationism sparkle and shine - in Dutch, in poetic Dutch, and only in Dutch.
Still wrong (far too gnostic, too Christic, not old-testamentarian enough, and not nearly of an acceptable liberality or liberalistic), but eloquent and given to great lyric.
Bugger the English language versions of religion. Including, especially, typical American fundamentalist versions. They are intolerable.
You superstitious backwoods heathens are barely one step above savages.
The separation between Church and State is the only thing that keeps me from wanting to shoot you. Please count your blessings.
================================================
APPENDIX
For those of you who are baffled as all git-out by this mention of Calvinists, the following opinionated backgrounder may be useful. It is brief.
CALVINISM
In 1533 Jean Cauvin (John Calvin, 1509 - 1564), an argumentative student of theology and law at Paris, fled for his life, eventually ending up in Geneva. His weltanschauung was influenced by much of the theological ferment then current in Europe at that time, including Lutheranism and Anabaptism.
Two basic themes that he developed were Biblical authority as opposed to Church authority in matters of the faith, and praedestinationism.
Two major ethno-denominational groupings eventually formed that were based on Calvin's thought: Scotch Presbyterianism, and Dutch Reform.
The less said about Scotch Presbyterianism the better - those people never had to fight a super-power for freedom for their faith, and in consequence have a self-satisfied priggishness wich is quite unstomachable.
DUTCH REFORMED
At the same time as Calvin was contemplating his navel in Switzerland, Netherlandish cities and nobles were getting steamed over Philip the Spaniard's attempts to unify the Netherlands into one coherent legal and administrative system.
The Netherlands which Philip had inherited were a loosely unified mess of conflicting law codes and civic privileges, sporadically called to order by a grand meeting of the States General in Brussels. While all territories were represented in the States General, not all played along with its decisions, and even fewer had any intention of doing so in any consistent manner. Other than in name, their unity lay in resisting Philip and disagreeing with each other.
The situation exploded in 1567 when Philip sent the Duke of Alva (may his name be erased!) into the Netherlands to eradicate dissent and destroy heresy. In 1568 Alva had two of the grande seigneurs of the Netherlands (counts Egmont and Hoorne), executed in the Grande Place in Brussels.
Their crime was not disloyalty or treason, but that they had been too permissive of religious dissidence, even though they themselves had remained Catholic.
The executions may have been pointless. But they did serve as tinder.
For the next four years, Alva savagely suppressed all dissent, political and religious, throughout the Netherlands, painting a swath of blood and murder across all the provinces. The tide turned in 1572 when the Sea Beggars captured Briel in 1572, gaining a foothold along the coast. Within the next few years the rebellion gained strength and territory, eventually unifying all of the northern provinces. Protestants, who faced certain death in the south, fled north in large numbers, and contributed their skills and their lives to the cause of the rebel republic .
The war between Spain and the Dutch lasted until 1648, by which time Protestantism, in it's rather severe Dutch Calvinist form, had become entrenched in the north. Thenceforth Netherlandish quarrelsomeness would have the perfect medium in which to manifest itself - religion.
[Not until twentieth century politics would another so perfect vehicle for petty dispute and despicion come along (and how the Dutch enthusiastically jumped on that bandwagon is another story).]
Among the first actions that the Calvinists theocrats took was the banning of Catholicism in Protestant cities (and permitting Judaism).
Thereafter they started fighting among themselves.
Not only in the Netherlands.
DUTCH CALVINISTS IN AMERICA
The first Dutch Reformed church in the new world was established in New Amsterdam in 1628, and the first church was built in 1633 on what is now Pearl Street in Manhattan. The Brits eventually seized the property for military purposes, and a new church was built in 1693 on Exchange Place. By the end of the century Dutch Reformed congregations had arisen all over New York and New Jersey, including areas which are now Hareidi strongholds such as Brooklyn, Flatbush, Hempstead, Monsey, Paramus, etcetera. By 1792 the Dutch American churches split off from the Dutch churches, at which time they already consisted of various splinter groups on both sides of the Atlantic.
MY CHURCH, HIS CHURCH, AND THE ONE NEITHER OF US WOULD BE CAUGHT DEAD VISITING
In 1816 Dutch government meddling created even more splinter groups, all disunited in opposition to the official approved Dutch Reformed denomination. In 1822 more seceders split off from the Reformed Church in America to form the True Dutch Reformed Church, while in 1834 dissidents left the Reformed Church in the Netherlands to form two new denominations, the Christelijk Afgescheiden Kerk (Christian Separatist Church - CAK) and the Gereformeerde Kerk onder het kruis (Reformed Church under the cross, aka the Cross Churches).
It gets worse.
In 1841 pastor Ledeboer and his group in the Netherlands set up shop separately, along with others (forming the Ledeboerian faction). A number of these people headed for the U.S. in 1846 under the leadership of Pastor Albert Van Raalte, becoming the second group of people to immigrate to North America to get away from religious freedom (the Puritans having been the first). They established the settlement of Holland, Michigan (gosh what an imaginative name for a settlement of Dutchmen!). By 1850 they had more or less united with the Reformed Church in America.
Shortly thereafter, a group of dissenters split off from the Second Reformed Church (in Grand Rapids) and the Fourth Reformed Church (in Pella) to form the Christian Reformed Church. The True Dutch Reformed Church joined with the Christian Reformed Church in 1890, forming their own classis within the movement - Classis Hackensack. In 1908 most of Hackensack withdrew from the Christian Reformed Church in a dispute over the faithful joining civic lodges or fraternal organizations.
Second Christian Reformed is actually a term for split-offs from the Fourth Christian Reformed church (Pella), which itself is a split-off variant of Dutch Reformed.
Second Christian Reformed should not be confused with Third Christian Reformed or First Christian Reformed, even though most Christian Reformed Churches adhere to the same source documents: The Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dort.
Many Christian Reformed Churches in America, when they still worshipped in Dutch (in some places up until the nineteen-seventies or eighties!) still held to the Psalter of Petrus Datheen (1531 - 1588), though some "Reformed" Churches held instead to the Psalter of Marnix Van St. Aldegonde (Philip van Marnix, lord of St. Aldegonde, 1538 - 1598), and a few sick deviants had long since switched to either the first or second Statenberijming ("State's Rhyme" - the official version of the psalter), which dates from governmental meddling in church affairs starting in 1816 under William I.
In the Netherlands, several of the congregations of the Christelijk Afgescheiden Kerk and the Cross Churches combined to form another denomination - the Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerk (Christian Reformed Church, but not the same as the Christian Reformed Church in the American Midwest).
In 1886 Doctor Abraham Kuyper and his followers split off from the official Dutch Reformed Church to unite with Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerk.
The Ledeboerian churches in the Netherlands joined with the remaining Cross Churches in 1907, forming a denomination which called itself the Gereformeerde Gemeenten (Reformed Congregations).
The remaining Ledeboerians in America had meanwhile formed the Netherlands Reformed Church in Michigan in 1877.
RECENT HAIRSPLITTING
In 1924, Reverend Herman Hoeksema of the Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids refused to agree to the teaching of the doctrines of common grace and presumptive regeneration, and left the church with most of his own congregation, plus a congregation in Kalamazoo, and other dissidents. In 1926 they organized the Protestant Reformed Churches. Their unity lasted less than thirty years, nearly half of the members splitting off in 1954 to form the Orthodox Protestant Reformed Churches - which joined up with the Christian Reformed Church in 1961.
During WWII a new denomination arose: Gereformeerde Kerk Nederland - Vrijgemaakt (Reformed Church Netherlands - disassociated). By the nineteen fifties, this new denomination was also present in the U.S. and Canada.
A group seceded from the Gereformeerde Gemeenten (Reformed Congregations) over a doctrinal point that is totally incomprehensible, and became the Gereformeerde Gemeenten in Nederland (Reformed Congregations in the Netherlands). Their American branch is called the Reformed Congregations in North America.
Naturally, the recent mega-merger in the Netherlands of the Nederlandsch Hervormde Kerk, the Gereformeerde Kerk Nederland, and the Dutch Lutheran Church has (of course) resulted in even more break-aways.
The end is not in sight. Dissidence is a sign of health.
================================================
FURTHER NOTES
1. If at this point you are reminded of that scene in Life of Brian where they discuss the differences between the People's Front of Judea, and the Judean People's Front, that is perfectly appropriate. They are SPLITTERS, and it is entirely unknown whether they support your RIGHT to have children even if you are biologically incapable of it.
2. Decades ago I ceased believing that the Messiah already came, and I am skeptical that he will ever come. I await his first coming, even though he may tarry. And I was always dubious about the theory in any case.
No, I don't particularly feel like dealing with 608 more commandments. Why do you ask?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
BERKELEY DAILY PLANET - HATRED'S OWN PROPAGANDA RAG
As you have no doubt figured out by now, I have a mean streak a mile wide. And while I thoroughly enjoy ripping the iridescent wings off of little puppies, torturing goblins by waving silver at them, and depriving monkeys of a valuable source of protein by de-lousing them, the cruel and vindictive thing that I probably most enjoy doing is snarking morons.
Such as Becky O'Malley - publisher of the Berkeley Daily Planet.
[Exposé of the BDP here: http://dpwatchdog.com/ ]
BERKELEY DAILY PLANET
The BDP scrabbles for survival in that narrow hell halfway twixt advertising rag and vanity publication, and, attempting to boost sales, panders shamelessly to the ignorant gut-reaction bleeding hearts and campus anti-Semites in the burg of Berkeley.
Under Becky O'Malley's leadership, the Berkeley Daily Planet has established a pattern of obsessive anti-Israel invective and vitriol. Which, in Berkeley, is ideologically mainstream and reflects a comfortably middle-class weltanschauung.
Par for the course, and perfectly normal. In Berkeley.
RABBINIC UNANIMITY
The reasonable reaction to the anti-Semitism of the Berkeley Daily Planet is perhaps best expressed by a letter recently sent by the East Bay Council of Rabbis.
Quote:
"Those who have voiced their opposition to the Daily Planet’s coverage are entitled to speak and be heard. It is not accurate to label everyone who has disagreed with positions expressed in the Planet as militant right-wingers. "
[End quote]
I usually think of myself as a strident left-winger, in the classic liberal mold. But with the Berkeley Daily Planet's encouragement, I shall also try to think of myself as a militant right-winger.
This may prove extremely difficult - I would far rather be an 'effeminate liberal' than a 'misogynist RW bastard', to quote two terms flung into the discourse on a comment-string recently.
[This post: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2009/08/get-those-rw-conservative-idiots-fact.html On this blog: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/ This comment string: http://www.haloscan.com/comments/dovbear/1140363519463313055/ ]
The crux of the letter sent by East Bay Council of Rabbis is particularly germane:
Quote:
"At times criticism of Israeli government policies and actions has crossed over into classically anti-Semitic expression when it targets Jewishness itself as a blameworthy status—as did the Kurosh Arianpour commentary the Daily Planet printed some years back. Disseminating hate speech against any ethnic or religious group, while it may be constitutionally legal, is not acceptable when allowed to stand on its own in a community paper and given the appearance of reasonable discourse. Hate speech against any group is unacceptable; in the same vein we would expect that the Planet would refrain from printing racist or homophobic material. The claim of freedom of the press does not excuse journalists from meeting the standards of civil discourse. "
[End quote]
SOURCE: http://dpwatchdog.com/dpnuts.html
What the rabbis wrote really says it all.
But, in case you want to go into further details, do please feel free to browse through the articles at the Berkeley Daily Planet Watchdog (http://dpwatchdog.com/). It's much better than actually wading through the miserable prose of the BDP itself.
[Consider this delightful comment about Becky O'Malley, for instance: "it has come time for her to seriously consider converting to Judaism. It would give her license for her obsession, and it might paradoxically help dissipate some of her inner psychological turmoil." ]
And please also sign this petition:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/fight-anti-semitic-rhetoric-at-the-berkeley-daily-planet/signatures.html
FYI: The Berkeley Daily Planet's editorial offices are at:
3023A Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705
Phone: (510) 841-5600
Fax: (510) 841-5695
Feel free to write them a letter, using very simple words, and remember to complement them on their fearlessness. They like that.
--------------------------------------------
Crossposted at: http://proisraelbaybloggers.blogspot.com/
--------------------------------------------
Such as Becky O'Malley - publisher of the Berkeley Daily Planet.
[Exposé of the BDP here: http://dpwatchdog.com/ ]
BERKELEY DAILY PLANET
The BDP scrabbles for survival in that narrow hell halfway twixt advertising rag and vanity publication, and, attempting to boost sales, panders shamelessly to the ignorant gut-reaction bleeding hearts and campus anti-Semites in the burg of Berkeley.
Under Becky O'Malley's leadership, the Berkeley Daily Planet has established a pattern of obsessive anti-Israel invective and vitriol. Which, in Berkeley, is ideologically mainstream and reflects a comfortably middle-class weltanschauung.
Par for the course, and perfectly normal. In Berkeley.
RABBINIC UNANIMITY
The reasonable reaction to the anti-Semitism of the Berkeley Daily Planet is perhaps best expressed by a letter recently sent by the East Bay Council of Rabbis.
Quote:
"Those who have voiced their opposition to the Daily Planet’s coverage are entitled to speak and be heard. It is not accurate to label everyone who has disagreed with positions expressed in the Planet as militant right-wingers. "
[End quote]
I usually think of myself as a strident left-winger, in the classic liberal mold. But with the Berkeley Daily Planet's encouragement, I shall also try to think of myself as a militant right-winger.
This may prove extremely difficult - I would far rather be an 'effeminate liberal' than a 'misogynist RW bastard', to quote two terms flung into the discourse on a comment-string recently.
[This post: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2009/08/get-those-rw-conservative-idiots-fact.html On this blog: http://dovbear.blogspot.com/ This comment string: http://www.haloscan.com/comments/dovbear/1140363519463313055/ ]
The crux of the letter sent by East Bay Council of Rabbis is particularly germane:
Quote:
"At times criticism of Israeli government policies and actions has crossed over into classically anti-Semitic expression when it targets Jewishness itself as a blameworthy status—as did the Kurosh Arianpour commentary the Daily Planet printed some years back. Disseminating hate speech against any ethnic or religious group, while it may be constitutionally legal, is not acceptable when allowed to stand on its own in a community paper and given the appearance of reasonable discourse. Hate speech against any group is unacceptable; in the same vein we would expect that the Planet would refrain from printing racist or homophobic material. The claim of freedom of the press does not excuse journalists from meeting the standards of civil discourse. "
[End quote]
SOURCE: http://dpwatchdog.com/dpnuts.html
What the rabbis wrote really says it all.
But, in case you want to go into further details, do please feel free to browse through the articles at the Berkeley Daily Planet Watchdog (http://dpwatchdog.com/). It's much better than actually wading through the miserable prose of the BDP itself.
[Consider this delightful comment about Becky O'Malley, for instance: "it has come time for her to seriously consider converting to Judaism. It would give her license for her obsession, and it might paradoxically help dissipate some of her inner psychological turmoil." ]
And please also sign this petition:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/fight-anti-semitic-rhetoric-at-the-berkeley-daily-planet/signatures.html
FYI: The Berkeley Daily Planet's editorial offices are at:
3023A Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705
Phone: (510) 841-5600
Fax: (510) 841-5695
Feel free to write them a letter, using very simple words, and remember to complement them on their fearlessness. They like that.
--------------------------------------------
Crossposted at: http://proisraelbaybloggers.blogspot.com/
--------------------------------------------
Friday, July 24, 2009
WESTERN EUROPEAN EXCELLENCE
Kudos! Bravo, guys, you make me proud. I always get a tear in my eye when Western Europeans demonstrate their high standards, and do something exemplary! Kol hakavod, all of y'all, kol hakavod!
[By which I mean utterly not.]
EXAMPLE ONE:
Anti-Semitic attacks in Britain at record high
Quote: "CST categorized the 2009 incidents as follows: 77 violent assaults; two cases of extreme violence, i.e. attacks that posed a risk to life or constitute grievous bodily harm; 63 incidents of damage and desecration to Jewish property; 34 direct anti-Semitic threats; 391 incidents of abusive behavior, including hate mail, verbal abuse and anti-Semitic graffiti on non-Jewish property; and 44 mass-mailings of anti-Semitic literature, in paper form or by email."
[SOURCE: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/07/24/1006782/anti-semitic-attacks-in-britain-at-record-high ]
EXAMPLE TWO:
Gay Pride organiser victim of gay-bashing
Quote: "One of the organisers of next weekend's Gay Pride parade and a friend were attacked in Amsterdam on Wednesday night, the Telegraaf reports on Friday.
Hugo Braakhuis and his friend were saying goodbye on the city's Rembrandtplein when a group of youths began shouting 'cancer gay' and other insults at them. Braakhuis's friend objected to the taunting and was punched to the ground. Braakhuis was also hit, the paper said."
[SOURCE: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/07/gay_pride_organiser_victim_of.php ]
BEEE-YOU-TEA-FALL!
Once more, guys, the world appreciates your sterling example. You all truly are models of civilized behaviour, and represent the finest values. Yes. No wonder the world looks on you with wonder and admiration, and listens to your every well-though-out word on matters of great import. I really do not know where we would be without the advances and blessings that you have so generously imparted.
I guess we're about ready for another world war now. Your glorious leadership started the last two, and they really improved matters. We await the word from Western Europe - where civilization started.
====================================
NOTE:
The above may be taken literally by some. For which I am truly sorry. But it cannot be helped. The level of yutz is aza shreklich among some elements of the illiterati, especially in the boglands and pishgassen on the other side of the Atlantic, that a lack of broadmindedness and perspective must be assumed.
But what I really mean should be clear, docht zich. Gatsameinu.
====================================
BRUTAL AFTERTHOUGHT
I know some of you will blame a certain problematic element for these things. It is them, not you, them. They are always making trouble. Yes? Hmmmm?
But no. Who you choose to blame is strictly an internal matter. It is your society that failed, they are your people. Do you really wish to deny ownership in your own country? The import of cheap labour - that same cheap labour from which all of you nice pale people benefitted - has entirely dis-invested you? Because of this you are no longer responsible for anything?
You know, and you know I know, that that is a load of codswallop.
Again, strictly an internal affair. From the point of view of the rest of the world, it is you, your society, your people, that are showing their "afterend" in public. Stelletje hufters.
====================================
[By which I mean utterly not.]
EXAMPLE ONE:
Anti-Semitic attacks in Britain at record high
Quote: "CST categorized the 2009 incidents as follows: 77 violent assaults; two cases of extreme violence, i.e. attacks that posed a risk to life or constitute grievous bodily harm; 63 incidents of damage and desecration to Jewish property; 34 direct anti-Semitic threats; 391 incidents of abusive behavior, including hate mail, verbal abuse and anti-Semitic graffiti on non-Jewish property; and 44 mass-mailings of anti-Semitic literature, in paper form or by email."
[SOURCE: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/07/24/1006782/anti-semitic-attacks-in-britain-at-record-high ]
EXAMPLE TWO:
Gay Pride organiser victim of gay-bashing
Quote: "One of the organisers of next weekend's Gay Pride parade and a friend were attacked in Amsterdam on Wednesday night, the Telegraaf reports on Friday.
Hugo Braakhuis and his friend were saying goodbye on the city's Rembrandtplein when a group of youths began shouting 'cancer gay' and other insults at them. Braakhuis's friend objected to the taunting and was punched to the ground. Braakhuis was also hit, the paper said."
[SOURCE: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/07/gay_pride_organiser_victim_of.php ]
BEEE-YOU-TEA-FALL!
Once more, guys, the world appreciates your sterling example. You all truly are models of civilized behaviour, and represent the finest values. Yes. No wonder the world looks on you with wonder and admiration, and listens to your every well-though-out word on matters of great import. I really do not know where we would be without the advances and blessings that you have so generously imparted.
I guess we're about ready for another world war now. Your glorious leadership started the last two, and they really improved matters. We await the word from Western Europe - where civilization started.
====================================
NOTE:
The above may be taken literally by some. For which I am truly sorry. But it cannot be helped. The level of yutz is aza shreklich among some elements of the illiterati, especially in the boglands and pishgassen on the other side of the Atlantic, that a lack of broadmindedness and perspective must be assumed.
But what I really mean should be clear, docht zich. Gatsameinu.
====================================
BRUTAL AFTERTHOUGHT
I know some of you will blame a certain problematic element for these things. It is them, not you, them. They are always making trouble. Yes? Hmmmm?
But no. Who you choose to blame is strictly an internal matter. It is your society that failed, they are your people. Do you really wish to deny ownership in your own country? The import of cheap labour - that same cheap labour from which all of you nice pale people benefitted - has entirely dis-invested you? Because of this you are no longer responsible for anything?
You know, and you know I know, that that is a load of codswallop.
Again, strictly an internal affair. From the point of view of the rest of the world, it is you, your society, your people, that are showing their "afterend" in public. Stelletje hufters.
====================================
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
UNITARIANS, GILAD ATZMON, HAMAS FLAG? BERKELEY!
Last night the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists hosted Gilad Atzmon, a stridently prolix anti-Semitic enemy of Israel and Jew-hater.
Yes, Gilad Atzmon used to be Jewish and Israeli, and now passionately hates both Jews and Israelis. Perhaps he has issues. That isn't really germane.
[BFUU: Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA 94709.]
CONTROVERSIAL? TRY REPREHENSIBLE'!
After the Berkeley Unitarians had been made aware of the "controversial" nature of Gilad Atzmon's writings, they decided to go ahead with the planned event, claiming they had merely "contracted to rent the BFUU hall" for a "group the BFUU-SJC had supported before", namely the ISM (International Solidarity Movement). They also assert that they were unaware "at the time" of mr. Atzmon's reputation.
[BFUU-SJC = Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists - Social Justice Committee.]
Both of those are very interesting claims. Absurd and entirely unbelievable, but interesting.
The internet is a potent source of information.
A search using the name 'Gilad Atzmon' pulls up scads of stuff, the majority of which is mister Atzmon's own torrid rhetoric, most of which is hatefilled faux-intellectual garbage. And please note that while his supposed claim to fame is as a saxophonist, his poison penmanship is what stands out - so much so that one might overlook his music.
He certainly makes no effort to hide his rabid hatred of Israel, or Jews, or even the US. His published articles and his own internet site prove him to be a racist and bigot.
Yes, Gilad Atzmon used to be Jewish and Israeli, and now loathes both Jews and Israelis. Probably he has issues, but that isn't really germane.
PROTEST
At six thirty in the evening, about twenty of us gathered outside the BFUU hall (located at 1924 Cedar Street in Berkeley, one block up from the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Cedar), to protest Gilad Atzmon's scheduled performance, the BFUU for hosting it (and, as they admit, initially cosponsoring - though they are fudging their role in their latest handout), Bay Area Women in Black for organizing the event, and the ISM for being dangerous radicals involved in a number of pro-Hamas events. Flags, signs, and a clear message calling the BFUU to task for promoting and enabling anti-Semitism.
This did not please the BFUU. Some of their members stood outside the building looking farklempt. One of their members is a racist Jew who screamed at us. Another one is a Columbian woman who may have had a few cocktails before she tried to snatch a sign. Most of them were far too sour and sullen to scream or snatch.
Solidly bourgeois Berkeleyites just don't do such things.
But the BFUU did have the able assistance of Stephen Pearcy and his friend Joseph Anderson, vocalizing on their behalf.
STEPHEN PEARCY & JOSEPH ANDERSON
Stephen Pearcy, a Berkeley resident known for his flip utterances in support of violent action, an effigy of an American soldier strung up with a noose hanging from the eaves of his house in Sacramento, and praise of selective murder, came armed with a Hamas flag. It was on a very long pole - he may be compensating for something.
[He was not accompanied by his wife Virginia Pearcy (affectionately called "Little Pooh Blossom" by those of us who know of her support for extremist causes). A very great pity, as I would've loved to have seen what she looks like now that she is an adult.]
Joseph Anderson merely brought his own self. Joseph Anderson's claim to fame is his stated conviction that all Jews are legitimate targets, coupled with the paranoid belief that Noam Chomsky is a closeted Zionist apologist (*), along with almost every other left-wing Jew.
He is also in favour of cop killing, according to his own writings.
[Joseph Anderson: 'Karmic Justice': http://www.sfbayview.com/2009/karmic-justice/
'Why We Hate Cops': http://www.prisoners.com/hatecops.html
Article in which the closeted Zionist apologist accusation appears: http://dissidentvoice.org/June06/Anderson08.htm and also http://peaceandjustice.org/article.php/20060612173054885]
STALWART PARTISANS OF THE BFUU
Both of these gentlemen (Stephen Pearcy and Joseph Anderson) are perfect representatives of Berkeley peace activists, and of the BFUU. There can be no better illustration of everything that the Social Justice Committee of the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists stands for, than a virulent Hamas supporter and a violent bigot who applauds the murder of cops.
Seeing Stephen Pearcy and his friend Joseph Anderson with a Hamas flag outside the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists was perfect.
Just perfect.
Hearing them was even better.
It doesn't get more Berkeley than that.
Yes, Gilad Atzmon used to be Jewish and Israeli, and now passionately hates both Jews and Israelis. Perhaps he has issues. That isn't really germane.
[BFUU: Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA 94709.]
CONTROVERSIAL? TRY REPREHENSIBLE'!
After the Berkeley Unitarians had been made aware of the "controversial" nature of Gilad Atzmon's writings, they decided to go ahead with the planned event, claiming they had merely "contracted to rent the BFUU hall" for a "group the BFUU-SJC had supported before", namely the ISM (International Solidarity Movement). They also assert that they were unaware "at the time" of mr. Atzmon's reputation.
[BFUU-SJC = Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists - Social Justice Committee.]
Both of those are very interesting claims. Absurd and entirely unbelievable, but interesting.
The internet is a potent source of information.
A search using the name 'Gilad Atzmon' pulls up scads of stuff, the majority of which is mister Atzmon's own torrid rhetoric, most of which is hatefilled faux-intellectual garbage. And please note that while his supposed claim to fame is as a saxophonist, his poison penmanship is what stands out - so much so that one might overlook his music.
He certainly makes no effort to hide his rabid hatred of Israel, or Jews, or even the US. His published articles and his own internet site prove him to be a racist and bigot.
Yes, Gilad Atzmon used to be Jewish and Israeli, and now loathes both Jews and Israelis. Probably he has issues, but that isn't really germane.
PROTEST
At six thirty in the evening, about twenty of us gathered outside the BFUU hall (located at 1924 Cedar Street in Berkeley, one block up from the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Cedar), to protest Gilad Atzmon's scheduled performance, the BFUU for hosting it (and, as they admit, initially cosponsoring - though they are fudging their role in their latest handout), Bay Area Women in Black for organizing the event, and the ISM for being dangerous radicals involved in a number of pro-Hamas events. Flags, signs, and a clear message calling the BFUU to task for promoting and enabling anti-Semitism.
This did not please the BFUU. Some of their members stood outside the building looking farklempt. One of their members is a racist Jew who screamed at us. Another one is a Columbian woman who may have had a few cocktails before she tried to snatch a sign. Most of them were far too sour and sullen to scream or snatch.
Solidly bourgeois Berkeleyites just don't do such things.
But the BFUU did have the able assistance of Stephen Pearcy and his friend Joseph Anderson, vocalizing on their behalf.
STEPHEN PEARCY & JOSEPH ANDERSON
Stephen Pearcy, a Berkeley resident known for his flip utterances in support of violent action, an effigy of an American soldier strung up with a noose hanging from the eaves of his house in Sacramento, and praise of selective murder, came armed with a Hamas flag. It was on a very long pole - he may be compensating for something.
[He was not accompanied by his wife Virginia Pearcy (affectionately called "Little Pooh Blossom" by those of us who know of her support for extremist causes). A very great pity, as I would've loved to have seen what she looks like now that she is an adult.]
Joseph Anderson merely brought his own self. Joseph Anderson's claim to fame is his stated conviction that all Jews are legitimate targets, coupled with the paranoid belief that Noam Chomsky is a closeted Zionist apologist (*), along with almost every other left-wing Jew.
He is also in favour of cop killing, according to his own writings.
[Joseph Anderson: 'Karmic Justice': http://www.sfbayview.com/2009/karmic-justice/
'Why We Hate Cops': http://www.prisoners.com/hatecops.html
Article in which the closeted Zionist apologist accusation appears: http://dissidentvoice.org/June06/Anderson08.htm and also http://peaceandjustice.org/article.php/20060612173054885]
STALWART PARTISANS OF THE BFUU
Both of these gentlemen (Stephen Pearcy and Joseph Anderson) are perfect representatives of Berkeley peace activists, and of the BFUU. There can be no better illustration of everything that the Social Justice Committee of the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists stands for, than a virulent Hamas supporter and a violent bigot who applauds the murder of cops.
Seeing Stephen Pearcy and his friend Joseph Anderson with a Hamas flag outside the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists was perfect.
Just perfect.
Hearing them was even better.
It doesn't get more Berkeley than that.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
WITHERED AND HAIRLESS
"Nothing to see here, just move along."
In the first years that Savage Kitten and I were together, there must have been several strong indications that I was not the succesful Cantonese-American Dentist With Real-Estate Holdings that she had been programmed to marry.
One of those indications could have been the building in which I lived. And the other tenants.
Such as Rufus.
Rufus spent his days sitting on the Kearny Street Steps engaging passers-by. He would smile sweetly at you, and nod you over, and when you had ventured close enough he would spring one of his four patented phrases on you.
"Got a quarter?" "Buy me some ripple!" "Got a cigarette?" "Get me a burger!"
It wasn't certain that these conversational gambits were ever succesful, but as ice-breakers they were sure-fire, and along with that brilliant smile probably guaranteed him a rich social life.
Burgers, Ripple, smokes, and quarters - fit subjects for conversation, and one way to spend your declining years.
There is much charm to that retirement scheme.
One day Savage Kitten and I entered the building and discovered Rufus on the stairs ahead of us, having severe logistical problems with his pants. A failure to use a belt had proved his undoing, and the result presented a most educational view.
He smilingly motioned us to pass him and just go on ahead. Which, averting our eyes and stepping around him gingerly, we did.
Evenso, the image of elderly nekkid dangle-bits burned itself onto our retinas.
I think at that point Savage Kitten realized that while the Toad might not be introduceable to her kinfolk (not being Cantonese, or a dentist), his environs supplied an exciting quotient of 'theatre'. That has probably helped keep the relationship solid all these years. Some people are accident prone, the Toad is 'entertainment' prone.
I flatter myself that life with me is not boring.
Many things, but not boring.
[Don't worry, I shan't break into song now.]
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WATTLEY PARTS OF OLD PEOPLE
I am glad that Rufus decided not to include a pants-disaster into his conversational rotation. Once was quite enough.
[Now, had it been a juicy fifteen-year old, it would have borne repeating.]
The wattley parts of old folks are the opposite of enchanting. We probably already knew that, as an abstract intellectual concept. It was good to have it made clear. Exemplarily demonstrated. But it requires no repeating.
There is no further need to exhibit such desiccated wreckage.
I am still traumatized. I understand now, and it is not something I really need to see again. Thank you.
So much.
Anyhow, she and I were watching television last night.
At some point in the show, an elderly Russian woman decided to undress in a police station.
Then pranced around, and tried to attract the attention of a policeman.
Which prompted one of the most cogent remarks I've ever heard Savage Kitten make:
"There's nothing sadder than old snatch"
I'm sure she's right. But I would much rather not think about it.
In the first years that Savage Kitten and I were together, there must have been several strong indications that I was not the succesful Cantonese-American Dentist With Real-Estate Holdings that she had been programmed to marry.
One of those indications could have been the building in which I lived. And the other tenants.
Such as Rufus.
Rufus spent his days sitting on the Kearny Street Steps engaging passers-by. He would smile sweetly at you, and nod you over, and when you had ventured close enough he would spring one of his four patented phrases on you.
"Got a quarter?" "Buy me some ripple!" "Got a cigarette?" "Get me a burger!"
It wasn't certain that these conversational gambits were ever succesful, but as ice-breakers they were sure-fire, and along with that brilliant smile probably guaranteed him a rich social life.
Burgers, Ripple, smokes, and quarters - fit subjects for conversation, and one way to spend your declining years.
There is much charm to that retirement scheme.
One day Savage Kitten and I entered the building and discovered Rufus on the stairs ahead of us, having severe logistical problems with his pants. A failure to use a belt had proved his undoing, and the result presented a most educational view.
He smilingly motioned us to pass him and just go on ahead. Which, averting our eyes and stepping around him gingerly, we did.
Evenso, the image of elderly nekkid dangle-bits burned itself onto our retinas.
I think at that point Savage Kitten realized that while the Toad might not be introduceable to her kinfolk (not being Cantonese, or a dentist), his environs supplied an exciting quotient of 'theatre'. That has probably helped keep the relationship solid all these years. Some people are accident prone, the Toad is 'entertainment' prone.
I flatter myself that life with me is not boring.
Many things, but not boring.
[Don't worry, I shan't break into song now.]
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WATTLEY PARTS OF OLD PEOPLE
I am glad that Rufus decided not to include a pants-disaster into his conversational rotation. Once was quite enough.
[Now, had it been a juicy fifteen-year old, it would have borne repeating.]
The wattley parts of old folks are the opposite of enchanting. We probably already knew that, as an abstract intellectual concept. It was good to have it made clear. Exemplarily demonstrated. But it requires no repeating.
There is no further need to exhibit such desiccated wreckage.
I am still traumatized. I understand now, and it is not something I really need to see again. Thank you.
So much.
Anyhow, she and I were watching television last night.
At some point in the show, an elderly Russian woman decided to undress in a police station.
Then pranced around, and tried to attract the attention of a policeman.
Which prompted one of the most cogent remarks I've ever heard Savage Kitten make:
"There's nothing sadder than old snatch"
I'm sure she's right. But I would much rather not think about it.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
JEW-HATING EXTREMIST PEACE ACTIVISTS IN SF
If ever you needed evidence that the peace movement has been taken over by Jew-haters, and that Democrats, even in San Francisco, are America's best hope, look no further than the material below.
Note particularly the stated reasons for the alleged peace march on Saturday March 21, and especially the insane comment about an eventual secular Palestine from the river to the sea - code for ethnically cleansing Israel off the map.
------------------------
SOURCE:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/03/17/18578501.php
Victims & Witnesses to Police Riot Go to SF Bd of Sups Mtg Today 2pm and show the video
by Do It Today Tuesday Mar 17th, 2009 12:25 PM
You can during public comment use audio visual. Call the clerks office and ask what kind of format or hardware you have to use. Angela Calvillo • Clerk of the Board of Supervisors • (415) 554-5184
When they see that video of the attack; it says all that needs to be said.
Do it today. During public comment you get 2-3 minutes. Not sure. Ask the clerk when public comment starts. Tell the board you want an investigation of the incident.
email and call the board members as well.
§Call/Email all 11 Supervisors: The police are everybody's business by $ Tuesday Mar 17th, 2009 12:56 AM
Call all 11 Supervisors; they all have voice mail so you can leave a message at any time. You can also Email them. The police are everybody's business. The Financial District happens to be District 3, David Chiu's district. 10 of the 11 members of the Board are Democrats, 1 is a Green who was president of his police academy class, Ross Mirkarimi. The entire Democratic Party is pro-Israel which is why we never see Chris Daly at these demonstrations. People who are pro-Israel are by definition reactionary; there is nothing progressive about any of the Democrats. Tell them you want all the charges dropped, you hope the protesters sue the City of San Francisco for millions of dollars, you are outraged that the 10 Democrats are all pro-Israel which is why you never vote for Democrats or Republicans, and that you will be at the peace march on March 21 at 11 a.m. in San Francisco from the Embarcadero to the Civic Center because you support the Palestinian liberation struggle and look forward to a time soon when there will be a secular Palestine, from the Jordan River to the Mediiterranean Sea that never receives any US military money, unlike Israel which receives US tax dollars to the tune of $6 billion a year.
The information on the Board is at
http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp?id=7271
and here:
Eric Mar
District 1
(415) 554-7410 - Voice
(415) 554-7415 - Fax
Eric.L.Mar [at] sfgov.org
Michela Alioto-Pier
District 2
(415) 554-7752 - Voice
(415) 554-7843 - Fax
Michela.Alioto-Pier [at] sfgov.org
David Chiu - Board President
District 3
(415) 554-7450 - Voice
(415) 554-7454 - Fax
David.Chiu [at] sfgov.org
Carmen Chu
District 4
(415) 554-7460 - Voice
(415) 554-7432 - Fax
Carmen.Chu [at] sfgov.org
Ross Mirkarimi
District 5
(415) 554-7630 - Voice
(415) 554-7634 - Fax
Ross.Mirkarimi [at] sfgov.org
Chris Daly
District 6
(415) 554-7970 - Voice
(415) 554-7974 - Fax
Chris.Daly [at] sfgov.org
Sean Elsbernd
District 7
(415) 554-6516 - Voice
(415) 554-6546 - Fax
Sean.Elsbernd [at] sfgov.org
Bevan Dufty
District 8
(415) 554-6968 - Voice
(415) 554-6909 - Fax
Bevan.Dufty [at] sfgov.org
David Campos
District 9
(415) 554-5144 - voice
(415) 554-6255 - fax
David.Campos [at] sfgov.org
Sophie Maxwell
District 10
(415) 554-7670 - Voice
(415) 554-7674 - Fax
Sophie.Maxwell [at] sfgov.org
John Avalos
District 11
(415) 554-6975 - Voice
(415) 554-6979 - Fax
John.Avalos [at] sfgov.org
------------------------
INDYMEDIA
You will have observed that the tirade above was posted on Indybay. Where you will find any number of hatefilled posts and comments, and almost obsequious praise of foreign dictators and tyrants.
In case you did not know, I should also mention that Indymedia has a very low level of tolerance for freedom of speech. Here in the Bay Area, Indybay is notorious for allowing almost any amount of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel commentary - the two types often run together - but assiduously scrubbing every dissenting voice from underneath the post in question as soon as possible.
There is additionally a well-established pattern of support for violent and criminal behaviour which speaks for itself. Morality, in the final analysis, is NOT a concern of Indybay, and ethics is a concept of which they have no grasp.
One would also be hard put to find any balance whatsoever on their site - "fair" and "objective" are just not part of their policy.
They will not allow impressions which do not accord with their agenda.
Many Indymedia sites have been taken over by extremists. Which is not surprising. Given their demographic.
ANTI-SEMITIC ATMOSPHERE
Stating that one is pro-Israel in the Bay Area is a dangerous thing to do.
In many places here, such an admission elicits threats of violence and assertions that one is deficient, morally crippled, a sexual deviant, and should be brutally violated with a blunt object. Unless the freedom-loving individual who offers these suggestions prefers, instead, to promise this treatment to your loved ones.
Infinite variations on these themes are possible.
So it is remarkable (but not surprising) to find the SF Board of Supervisors, who are on the whole a remarkably level-headed bunch of people, accused of such dissidence as averred above. Given the level of anti-Semitism in the Bay Area, they deserve praise for their patience, and for putting up with the revolutionary rhetoric of hate.
Wearing a kippah on campus at Berkeley or San Francisco State University is an open invitation to insult and abuse, with what seems like the blessing of faculty and administration - because, of course, the person flinging poo is merely exercising free speech rights in defense of the poor helpless third-worlders hurling tiny pebbles at big wasp imperialist tanks.
Likewise, venturing the opinion that Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad are neither collectively nor singly in favour of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, or tolerant of homosexuality, women's rights, or the separation of church and state, will get you immediately identified as a disgusting capitalist and nazi. Possibly even a religious fanatic. Or even a Jew. The horror, the horror.
Note particularly the stated reasons for the alleged peace march on Saturday March 21, and especially the insane comment about an eventual secular Palestine from the river to the sea - code for ethnically cleansing Israel off the map.
------------------------
SOURCE:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/03/17/18578501.php
Victims & Witnesses to Police Riot Go to SF Bd of Sups Mtg Today 2pm and show the video
by Do It Today Tuesday Mar 17th, 2009 12:25 PM
You can during public comment use audio visual. Call the clerks office and ask what kind of format or hardware you have to use. Angela Calvillo • Clerk of the Board of Supervisors • (415) 554-5184
When they see that video of the attack; it says all that needs to be said.
Do it today. During public comment you get 2-3 minutes. Not sure. Ask the clerk when public comment starts. Tell the board you want an investigation of the incident.
email and call the board members as well.
§Call/Email all 11 Supervisors: The police are everybody's business by $ Tuesday Mar 17th, 2009 12:56 AM
Call all 11 Supervisors; they all have voice mail so you can leave a message at any time. You can also Email them. The police are everybody's business. The Financial District happens to be District 3, David Chiu's district. 10 of the 11 members of the Board are Democrats, 1 is a Green who was president of his police academy class, Ross Mirkarimi. The entire Democratic Party is pro-Israel which is why we never see Chris Daly at these demonstrations. People who are pro-Israel are by definition reactionary; there is nothing progressive about any of the Democrats. Tell them you want all the charges dropped, you hope the protesters sue the City of San Francisco for millions of dollars, you are outraged that the 10 Democrats are all pro-Israel which is why you never vote for Democrats or Republicans, and that you will be at the peace march on March 21 at 11 a.m. in San Francisco from the Embarcadero to the Civic Center because you support the Palestinian liberation struggle and look forward to a time soon when there will be a secular Palestine, from the Jordan River to the Mediiterranean Sea that never receives any US military money, unlike Israel which receives US tax dollars to the tune of $6 billion a year.
The information on the Board is at
http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp?id=7271
and here:
Eric Mar
District 1
(415) 554-7410 - Voice
(415) 554-7415 - Fax
Eric.L.Mar [at] sfgov.org
Michela Alioto-Pier
District 2
(415) 554-7752 - Voice
(415) 554-7843 - Fax
Michela.Alioto-Pier [at] sfgov.org
David Chiu - Board President
District 3
(415) 554-7450 - Voice
(415) 554-7454 - Fax
David.Chiu [at] sfgov.org
Carmen Chu
District 4
(415) 554-7460 - Voice
(415) 554-7432 - Fax
Carmen.Chu [at] sfgov.org
Ross Mirkarimi
District 5
(415) 554-7630 - Voice
(415) 554-7634 - Fax
Ross.Mirkarimi [at] sfgov.org
Chris Daly
District 6
(415) 554-7970 - Voice
(415) 554-7974 - Fax
Chris.Daly [at] sfgov.org
Sean Elsbernd
District 7
(415) 554-6516 - Voice
(415) 554-6546 - Fax
Sean.Elsbernd [at] sfgov.org
Bevan Dufty
District 8
(415) 554-6968 - Voice
(415) 554-6909 - Fax
Bevan.Dufty [at] sfgov.org
David Campos
District 9
(415) 554-5144 - voice
(415) 554-6255 - fax
David.Campos [at] sfgov.org
Sophie Maxwell
District 10
(415) 554-7670 - Voice
(415) 554-7674 - Fax
Sophie.Maxwell [at] sfgov.org
John Avalos
District 11
(415) 554-6975 - Voice
(415) 554-6979 - Fax
John.Avalos [at] sfgov.org
------------------------
INDYMEDIA
You will have observed that the tirade above was posted on Indybay. Where you will find any number of hatefilled posts and comments, and almost obsequious praise of foreign dictators and tyrants.
In case you did not know, I should also mention that Indymedia has a very low level of tolerance for freedom of speech. Here in the Bay Area, Indybay is notorious for allowing almost any amount of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel commentary - the two types often run together - but assiduously scrubbing every dissenting voice from underneath the post in question as soon as possible.
There is additionally a well-established pattern of support for violent and criminal behaviour which speaks for itself. Morality, in the final analysis, is NOT a concern of Indybay, and ethics is a concept of which they have no grasp.
One would also be hard put to find any balance whatsoever on their site - "fair" and "objective" are just not part of their policy.
They will not allow impressions which do not accord with their agenda.
Many Indymedia sites have been taken over by extremists. Which is not surprising. Given their demographic.
ANTI-SEMITIC ATMOSPHERE
Stating that one is pro-Israel in the Bay Area is a dangerous thing to do.
In many places here, such an admission elicits threats of violence and assertions that one is deficient, morally crippled, a sexual deviant, and should be brutally violated with a blunt object. Unless the freedom-loving individual who offers these suggestions prefers, instead, to promise this treatment to your loved ones.
Infinite variations on these themes are possible.
So it is remarkable (but not surprising) to find the SF Board of Supervisors, who are on the whole a remarkably level-headed bunch of people, accused of such dissidence as averred above. Given the level of anti-Semitism in the Bay Area, they deserve praise for their patience, and for putting up with the revolutionary rhetoric of hate.
Wearing a kippah on campus at Berkeley or San Francisco State University is an open invitation to insult and abuse, with what seems like the blessing of faculty and administration - because, of course, the person flinging poo is merely exercising free speech rights in defense of the poor helpless third-worlders hurling tiny pebbles at big wasp imperialist tanks.
Likewise, venturing the opinion that Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad are neither collectively nor singly in favour of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, or tolerant of homosexuality, women's rights, or the separation of church and state, will get you immediately identified as a disgusting capitalist and nazi. Possibly even a religious fanatic. Or even a Jew. The horror, the horror.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
DENMARK NOT SAFE FOR JEWS?
I don't know what is more disturbing - that the Danes are powerless against thuggism, or that Danish educators see no problem with banning Jews for reasons of safety.
See this article:
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/national/88-national/43930-schools-caught-up-in-palestinian-conflict.html
Quote: " ... schools with a high percentage of children of Arab descent say they try to prevent Jewish parents from enrolling their children there.
On Monday, headmaster Olav Nielsen of Humlehave School in Odense publicly admitted he would refuse Jewish parents' wish to place their child at his school.
[CUT]
Other headmasters have now come forth to support Nielsen's position, adding that they are putting the child's safety first. "
Most Americans living in Europe have already had to face that issue - American children in native schools in Europe were often beaten up (especially during and since the Nixon years), and parents have long since preferred to send their children to the nearest American school, OR leave their children in the United States when posted to Europe - but Jews in European countries have for centuries been parts of the societies in which they live, and are vested in continuing in that role.
Since Napoleon's emancipation of the Jews, there have been no reasons other than government-sanctioned anti-Semitism to separate Jews from the general populace in most European societies.
Yet in recent years it seems that Europeans have some regrets that there are still Jews and that the Jewish issue just will not go away.
[Especially now that other minorities have sprouted, and the Jews no longer need to be maintained as an advertisement that one is, despite a horrific past, a civilized and tolerant society.]
From the point of view of the Jews themselves, and for Americans, there really is no 'Jewish Issue'. But European societies still have cultural roots in some very dark-ages, and the social dialectic common in Europe has created a class and caste system in which different groups either segregate themselves, or are segregated by others.
[Turks, Moroccans, Gypsies, and Poles resident in Western Europe are other good examples of that tendency, not to mention members of non-majority religions, and immigrants from former colonies. 'Model Minority', in the minds of many, does not mean a group that blends in, but one that exemplifies how tolerant the majority has been, and continues to be.]
It seems that the Danes are tacitly admitting that their society has become ill, and that hate is the cause of that illness.
If Denmark is no longer safe for Jews, how safe is it for anyone else?
See this article:
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/national/88-national/43930-schools-caught-up-in-palestinian-conflict.html
Quote: " ... schools with a high percentage of children of Arab descent say they try to prevent Jewish parents from enrolling their children there.
On Monday, headmaster Olav Nielsen of Humlehave School in Odense publicly admitted he would refuse Jewish parents' wish to place their child at his school.
[CUT]
Other headmasters have now come forth to support Nielsen's position, adding that they are putting the child's safety first. "
Most Americans living in Europe have already had to face that issue - American children in native schools in Europe were often beaten up (especially during and since the Nixon years), and parents have long since preferred to send their children to the nearest American school, OR leave their children in the United States when posted to Europe - but Jews in European countries have for centuries been parts of the societies in which they live, and are vested in continuing in that role.
Since Napoleon's emancipation of the Jews, there have been no reasons other than government-sanctioned anti-Semitism to separate Jews from the general populace in most European societies.
Yet in recent years it seems that Europeans have some regrets that there are still Jews and that the Jewish issue just will not go away.
[Especially now that other minorities have sprouted, and the Jews no longer need to be maintained as an advertisement that one is, despite a horrific past, a civilized and tolerant society.]
From the point of view of the Jews themselves, and for Americans, there really is no 'Jewish Issue'. But European societies still have cultural roots in some very dark-ages, and the social dialectic common in Europe has created a class and caste system in which different groups either segregate themselves, or are segregated by others.
[Turks, Moroccans, Gypsies, and Poles resident in Western Europe are other good examples of that tendency, not to mention members of non-majority religions, and immigrants from former colonies. 'Model Minority', in the minds of many, does not mean a group that blends in, but one that exemplifies how tolerant the majority has been, and continues to be.]
It seems that the Danes are tacitly admitting that their society has become ill, and that hate is the cause of that illness.
If Denmark is no longer safe for Jews, how safe is it for anyone else?
Monday, December 29, 2008
DAMNING ISRAEL
Reading the Dutch, German, French, and English news sites and forums today highlighted three tendencies regarding reactions and thoughts about Israel's action in Gaza. These tendencies already existed, of course, but have been more sharply drawn in the last seventy-two plus hours.
The Pro-Israel no-matter-what tendency
The writer damns all Muslims, Palestinians, Socialists, and self-hating Europeans, while lauding the actions of Israel in Gaza.
This is distinctly a minority point of view.
The Nuanced Point of View
This person tends to understand that Hamas broke their own ceasefire, has sworn to destroy Israel, and provoked the conflict by firing off over two hundred rockets towards Israeli towns. Nevertheless, civilian deaths are lamented, and question are raised. The writer is not comfortable with adding to the misery of the average Arab.
This too is a minority point of view.
The angry Anti-Israel Opinion
These writers thoroughly condemn everything that Israel does, lament the misery of Palestinian existence, curse their own governments for doing nothing, and fervently wish ill upon Israel, the Jews, and anybody who takes the side of either Israel or the Jews. Many of these writers are anti-Semitic, but assert that being anti-Israel is not actual hatred. They are not overt bigots, as they (mostly) stay within the bounds of acceptable 'progressive' discourse.
This is the overwhelming majority point of view.
Digesting it all
What became apparent, reading the various sites, is just how much Israel is hated. To a certain extent, I can understand Arab hatred of Jews and Israel - Arabs hate everything and everybody. It seems to be part and parcel of their culture. They've killed over seven million of their own in the last sixty years, and almost instinctively speak ill of each other or sabotage their own causes.
I expect no better from that side. And I'll admit it, I am probably a racist because I expect nothing else from them. For which I apologize - I honestly cannot hold them to the same high standard as the civilized world. I am a realist.
I can also understand European hatred of Jews and Israel. After all, to many Europeans, the very survival of Jews proves them wrong. Their attempts to exterminate the Jews did not succeed, their attempts to force them to convert en-masse to Christianity or Communism failed. There are still Jews. It must be keenly disappointing to have those people still around as a reminder of the failure of European society.
Life would be so much simpler for both the Arabs and the Europeans, if there were no Jews. The Arabs could slowly destroy European society, the Europeans could profit enormously from whoring to the Arabs in the meantime. Benefit to both sides.
The Jews, especially in the shape of Israel, are the fly in the ointment. And so Israel taking action against Hamas, is of course, an affront to both many Europeans and to Arabs.
Which must be thoroughly condemned.
What I have never understood is why parts of America, in particular Northern California, are so filled with Jew-hatred. Places such as San Francisco State University and the University of California at Berkeley. Heck, I cannot fathom why Berkeley is the most Jew-hating city in all of California. It would appear that our universities inculcate a very European attitude, and deliberately undermine our society's values.
I fully expect the next domestic terrorist movement to originate in academe.
AFTERTHOUGHT
I find myself in-between the first and second tendencies. I recognize that Israel had to act, I find what they are engaged upon justified, and I applaud their successes. Granted, as a society, Israel is by no means perfect. And ideally it should be possible for any society to speak for all of its members. But in the real world, societies are not always capable of giving all goals and values equal importance. To Israel's credit, she tries. And often succeeds in advancing the interests of a large majority of her citizens. Israel does so as the only democratic state in that area, and the only liberal humanist society in the Middle-East.
That, unfortunately, is something that not a single one of the Arab states have ever done, and also something which almost none of the Arab states can even lay claim to ever trying.
The one great contribution to our vocabulary from the Arabs in modern times has been 'mukhabarat' - a term for a secret police that functions with extraordinary brutality. It is the one constant shared by all Arab states, and frequently the only efficient department in an Arab government.
The Pro-Israel no-matter-what tendency
The writer damns all Muslims, Palestinians, Socialists, and self-hating Europeans, while lauding the actions of Israel in Gaza.
This is distinctly a minority point of view.
The Nuanced Point of View
This person tends to understand that Hamas broke their own ceasefire, has sworn to destroy Israel, and provoked the conflict by firing off over two hundred rockets towards Israeli towns. Nevertheless, civilian deaths are lamented, and question are raised. The writer is not comfortable with adding to the misery of the average Arab.
This too is a minority point of view.
The angry Anti-Israel Opinion
These writers thoroughly condemn everything that Israel does, lament the misery of Palestinian existence, curse their own governments for doing nothing, and fervently wish ill upon Israel, the Jews, and anybody who takes the side of either Israel or the Jews. Many of these writers are anti-Semitic, but assert that being anti-Israel is not actual hatred. They are not overt bigots, as they (mostly) stay within the bounds of acceptable 'progressive' discourse.
This is the overwhelming majority point of view.
Digesting it all
What became apparent, reading the various sites, is just how much Israel is hated. To a certain extent, I can understand Arab hatred of Jews and Israel - Arabs hate everything and everybody. It seems to be part and parcel of their culture. They've killed over seven million of their own in the last sixty years, and almost instinctively speak ill of each other or sabotage their own causes.
I expect no better from that side. And I'll admit it, I am probably a racist because I expect nothing else from them. For which I apologize - I honestly cannot hold them to the same high standard as the civilized world. I am a realist.
I can also understand European hatred of Jews and Israel. After all, to many Europeans, the very survival of Jews proves them wrong. Their attempts to exterminate the Jews did not succeed, their attempts to force them to convert en-masse to Christianity or Communism failed. There are still Jews. It must be keenly disappointing to have those people still around as a reminder of the failure of European society.
Life would be so much simpler for both the Arabs and the Europeans, if there were no Jews. The Arabs could slowly destroy European society, the Europeans could profit enormously from whoring to the Arabs in the meantime. Benefit to both sides.
The Jews, especially in the shape of Israel, are the fly in the ointment. And so Israel taking action against Hamas, is of course, an affront to both many Europeans and to Arabs.
Which must be thoroughly condemned.
What I have never understood is why parts of America, in particular Northern California, are so filled with Jew-hatred. Places such as San Francisco State University and the University of California at Berkeley. Heck, I cannot fathom why Berkeley is the most Jew-hating city in all of California. It would appear that our universities inculcate a very European attitude, and deliberately undermine our society's values.
I fully expect the next domestic terrorist movement to originate in academe.
AFTERTHOUGHT
I find myself in-between the first and second tendencies. I recognize that Israel had to act, I find what they are engaged upon justified, and I applaud their successes. Granted, as a society, Israel is by no means perfect. And ideally it should be possible for any society to speak for all of its members. But in the real world, societies are not always capable of giving all goals and values equal importance. To Israel's credit, she tries. And often succeeds in advancing the interests of a large majority of her citizens. Israel does so as the only democratic state in that area, and the only liberal humanist society in the Middle-East.
That, unfortunately, is something that not a single one of the Arab states have ever done, and also something which almost none of the Arab states can even lay claim to ever trying.
The one great contribution to our vocabulary from the Arabs in modern times has been 'mukhabarat' - a term for a secret police that functions with extraordinary brutality. It is the one constant shared by all Arab states, and frequently the only efficient department in an Arab government.
Friday, December 19, 2008
MORONS! IDIOTS! POLTROONS!
In the past I have mentioned that I deal with teenage girls, and some adults who are not ready for primetime. This in the context of contacting customers and requesting that they hurry up and pay our past-due invoices.
[My portfolio of accounts include a fair number of small to medium sized retail stores. Hence the teenage girls. I did not choose the girls; they were hired by the retailers in question because they were friendly and non-threatening, unlike 'Spike', who also applied for the job - he's nineteen, twixt Goth and Deathmetal, and has multiple piercings and tattoos.]
Some of my customers, however, are bigger than that. And in consequence have employed people of even more marginal functionality.
Apparently invoices in the mid five figure range can only be processed by badly trained monkeys. Or morons, idiots, and poltroons.
AN E-MAIL CONVERSATION
11/24/2008
Hello Buffy,
I note that invoices 123456 and 124678 are coming due on the 29th and the 30th respectively. Please advise regarding payment.
Thanks.
---BOTH
There was no response.
12/10/2008
Hello Buffy,
Invoices 123456 and 124678 are now past-due.
Please advise regarding payment asap.
Thanks.
---BOTH
Again, no response.
12/11/2008
Why is this on credit hold?
---Moshe
Answer:
12/11/2008
Moshe,
Because they are past-due on two invoices.
Inv. 123456 due 11/29/08
Inv. 124678 due 11/30/08
Queries were sent to Buffy twice: the first time on November 24th, when I asked him to inform me about payment; the second time yesterday, when I reiterated that query and indicated urgency.
I courtesy-copied you, Throckmorton, and Brandee Wineslops on the second query.
---BOTH
To which Moshe replied:
12/11/2008
Spoke with Buffy. He said he has payment posted and we should see checks by next week.
---Moshe
Fast forward to today. Their last order was released based on expectation of payment for the two invoices which are now seriously past-due. And note that mail from Clogbucket City to civilization, even at this time of year, only takes five business days.
12/19/2008
Hello Buffy,
We have not received payment yet for the above captioned invoices (your purchase order nos. A98765 and B97643 respectively).
We were informed that payment was posted and that we should expect the cheques to arrive this week.
Please advise regarding cheque numbers and mailing date.
Thank you.
---BOTH
His response:
12/19/2008
Hi BOTH: I can’t give you any information on PO’s as my part of the system goes by invoice number. We are writing checks again on Tues.
---Buffy
Please note that the invoice numbers were in the subject line of all inquiries sent to Buffy. They were visible, and identified as invoice numbers, in Buffy's response.
[The PO explanation looks like a fob-off, and mention of Tuesday's cheque run suggests that the cheques have not been written yet, contrary to communication on 12/11/2008.
But the brevity of his response hints that Buffy and reading-comprehension may have parted ways shortly after graduation from Clogbucket City High.]
My most recent e-mail:
12/19/2008
Buffy,
To reiterate: I am inquiring about invoice 123456 and invoice 124678.
On the eleventh of December I was informed that payment had been posted, and to expect the cheques to arrive this week. We have not received the cheques yet.
Can you give me cheque numbers and mailing dates please?
Thanks.
---BOTH
With all due respect to my fellow humans, many of whom are deficient in several ways and some of whom are utter defectives, and in consideration of the fact that a large number of the above captioned have against any and all logical expectation managed to find gainful employment, if I had my druthers I would prefer to only communicate with the aforementioned teenage girls regarding past-due invoices.
They are sincere. They are helpful. They are capable of understanding that questions need actual answers. And they are capable of stating "please hold a sec, I dropped my pencil', or asking how I spell my name.
Note also that this post is for Tzipporah, who excused herself from posting more on her own blog by writing:
"I have nothing to blog. My life is dull and empty, in between the moments of extreme chaos. Although some days there is chocolate. (cut) ... it's all complaints, and the people about whom I would complain know about my blog. So, I just stifle it and swear under my breath. "
See Tzipporah, I just posted one long screaming kvetsh-kretsh about emptiness and chaos.
It can be done. And it feels very good indeed to do so.
As commenter Spiros said: "You don't see lack of anything to write about stopping BOTH from posting, do you? I mean, he writes about people taking away his red swingline stapler, for heaven's sake! "
I want my red swingline stapler back, I want more chocolate, and I want forty days of torrential rain to hit Buffy in Clogbucket City.
I hope Buffy's backyard washes away in the flood and takes his begonias with it.
But basically, I just want to vent.
[My portfolio of accounts include a fair number of small to medium sized retail stores. Hence the teenage girls. I did not choose the girls; they were hired by the retailers in question because they were friendly and non-threatening, unlike 'Spike', who also applied for the job - he's nineteen, twixt Goth and Deathmetal, and has multiple piercings and tattoos.]
Some of my customers, however, are bigger than that. And in consequence have employed people of even more marginal functionality.
Apparently invoices in the mid five figure range can only be processed by badly trained monkeys. Or morons, idiots, and poltroons.
AN E-MAIL CONVERSATION
11/24/2008
Hello Buffy,
I note that invoices 123456 and 124678 are coming due on the 29th and the 30th respectively. Please advise regarding payment.
Thanks.
---BOTH
There was no response.
12/10/2008
Hello Buffy,
Invoices 123456 and 124678 are now past-due.
Please advise regarding payment asap.
Thanks.
---BOTH
Again, no response.
12/11/2008
Why is this on credit hold?
---Moshe
Answer:
12/11/2008
Moshe,
Because they are past-due on two invoices.
Inv. 123456 due 11/29/08
Inv. 124678 due 11/30/08
Queries were sent to Buffy twice: the first time on November 24th, when I asked him to inform me about payment; the second time yesterday, when I reiterated that query and indicated urgency.
I courtesy-copied you, Throckmorton, and Brandee Wineslops on the second query.
---BOTH
To which Moshe replied:
12/11/2008
Spoke with Buffy. He said he has payment posted and we should see checks by next week.
---Moshe
Fast forward to today. Their last order was released based on expectation of payment for the two invoices which are now seriously past-due. And note that mail from Clogbucket City to civilization, even at this time of year, only takes five business days.
12/19/2008
Hello Buffy,
We have not received payment yet for the above captioned invoices (your purchase order nos. A98765 and B97643 respectively).
We were informed that payment was posted and that we should expect the cheques to arrive this week.
Please advise regarding cheque numbers and mailing date.
Thank you.
---BOTH
His response:
12/19/2008
Hi BOTH: I can’t give you any information on PO’s as my part of the system goes by invoice number. We are writing checks again on Tues.
---Buffy
Please note that the invoice numbers were in the subject line of all inquiries sent to Buffy. They were visible, and identified as invoice numbers, in Buffy's response.
[The PO explanation looks like a fob-off, and mention of Tuesday's cheque run suggests that the cheques have not been written yet, contrary to communication on 12/11/2008.
But the brevity of his response hints that Buffy and reading-comprehension may have parted ways shortly after graduation from Clogbucket City High.]
My most recent e-mail:
12/19/2008
Buffy,
To reiterate: I am inquiring about invoice 123456 and invoice 124678.
On the eleventh of December I was informed that payment had been posted, and to expect the cheques to arrive this week. We have not received the cheques yet.
Can you give me cheque numbers and mailing dates please?
Thanks.
---BOTH
With all due respect to my fellow humans, many of whom are deficient in several ways and some of whom are utter defectives, and in consideration of the fact that a large number of the above captioned have against any and all logical expectation managed to find gainful employment, if I had my druthers I would prefer to only communicate with the aforementioned teenage girls regarding past-due invoices.
They are sincere. They are helpful. They are capable of understanding that questions need actual answers. And they are capable of stating "please hold a sec, I dropped my pencil', or asking how I spell my name.
Note also that this post is for Tzipporah, who excused herself from posting more on her own blog by writing:
"I have nothing to blog. My life is dull and empty, in between the moments of extreme chaos. Although some days there is chocolate. (cut) ... it's all complaints, and the people about whom I would complain know about my blog. So, I just stifle it and swear under my breath. "
See Tzipporah, I just posted one long screaming kvetsh-kretsh about emptiness and chaos.
It can be done. And it feels very good indeed to do so.
As commenter Spiros said: "You don't see lack of anything to write about stopping BOTH from posting, do you? I mean, he writes about people taking away his red swingline stapler, for heaven's sake! "
I want my red swingline stapler back, I want more chocolate, and I want forty days of torrential rain to hit Buffy in Clogbucket City.
I hope Buffy's backyard washes away in the flood and takes his begonias with it.
But basically, I just want to vent.
Friday, December 05, 2008
JEW-HATRED IS PROGRESSIVE - LIKE CANCER
Rabbosai, as an indication of the type of people who oppose Israel in the Bay Area, I wish to bring two things to your attention.
WOMEN IN BLACK
The first one is the remark made by one of the Women In Black at our counterprotest to their support for Hamas at the Montgomery Street Bart Station (a monthly event).
It was her demented idea of words-of-consolation, perhaps, or some misguided interpretation of the equitability of karma.
Pursuant the death of pro-Israel activist Dan Kliman, who may have been pushed into the elevator shaft by one of this woman-in-black's depraved associates or lovers, she said: "what goes around comes around".
"WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND"
Sweety, if that is true, it works both ways.
I may wish to address you on that issue the next time I see that puffy face with those mean little eyes. I'll have to stoop to your level.
STEPHEN PEARCY
The second is an e-mail we have received from one of the more high-principled members of the Sacramento-based Israel-bashers: STEPHEN PEARCY.
I reproduce it below.
From: Stephen Pearcy
Subject: :-)
To: sfvoiceforisrael
Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 10:39 PM
justice prevails in amazing ways
Stephen Pearcy, in case you didn't know, is the activist who displayed mock-ups of dead soldiers with nooses around their necks outside his Sacramento home in 2005.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Pearcy_(activist)
He is a friend of Cindy Sheehan, and, it is alleged, artistic.
A remarkable individual.
Most of the time he hides out in Berkeley, which offered him, and his wife Virginia, asylum.
Stephen, I can well imagine your "oh aren't I righteous smirk" as you typed that sentence.
You know, Stevie-poo, I really have to wonder whether you are dying your hair. It just doesn't look like it should be that vibrant a hue, considering that receding hairline.
JUSTICE PREVAILS IN AMAZING WAYS
For a lawyer, Stephen, you don't seem to have any understanding of justice. But that was already evident a long time ago. Even to the dysfunctional conspirators with whom you habitually associate. Unfortunately few of them have the decency to avoid ethically crippled trash like you and your wife.
I guess they need the company, eh?
DESPERATION MAKES STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
I must confess that I am titillated, as ever, by your having met your wife (the former Virginia Johnson) when she was still in junior high school, the more so as you are eighteen years her senior.
The next time I meet you, you must really tell me all about that. It sounds delicious!
And I do rather admire mathematicians like the two of you, despite your social dis-graces.
======================================
NOTE: The e-mail address for Mr. Pearcy is also listed in Indymedia, as well as on notices for the October 27 protest, and at several other places. Don't bother sending fan-letters, as Mr. Pearcy does not habitually respond - he is shy and reclusive.
Instead, you may address your love and concerns to his some-time booncompanions Bill Lockyer and Cindy Sheehan.
What goes around comes around.
WOMEN IN BLACK
The first one is the remark made by one of the Women In Black at our counterprotest to their support for Hamas at the Montgomery Street Bart Station (a monthly event).
It was her demented idea of words-of-consolation, perhaps, or some misguided interpretation of the equitability of karma.
Pursuant the death of pro-Israel activist Dan Kliman, who may have been pushed into the elevator shaft by one of this woman-in-black's depraved associates or lovers, she said: "what goes around comes around".
"WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND"
Sweety, if that is true, it works both ways.
I may wish to address you on that issue the next time I see that puffy face with those mean little eyes. I'll have to stoop to your level.
STEPHEN PEARCY
The second is an e-mail we have received from one of the more high-principled members of the Sacramento-based Israel-bashers: STEPHEN PEARCY.
I reproduce it below.
From: Stephen Pearcy
Subject: :-)
To: sfvoiceforisrael
Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 10:39 PM
justice prevails in amazing ways
Stephen Pearcy, in case you didn't know, is the activist who displayed mock-ups of dead soldiers with nooses around their necks outside his Sacramento home in 2005.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Pearcy_(activist)
He is a friend of Cindy Sheehan, and, it is alleged, artistic.
A remarkable individual.
Most of the time he hides out in Berkeley, which offered him, and his wife Virginia, asylum.
Stephen, I can well imagine your "oh aren't I righteous smirk" as you typed that sentence.
You know, Stevie-poo, I really have to wonder whether you are dying your hair. It just doesn't look like it should be that vibrant a hue, considering that receding hairline.
JUSTICE PREVAILS IN AMAZING WAYS
For a lawyer, Stephen, you don't seem to have any understanding of justice. But that was already evident a long time ago. Even to the dysfunctional conspirators with whom you habitually associate. Unfortunately few of them have the decency to avoid ethically crippled trash like you and your wife.
I guess they need the company, eh?
DESPERATION MAKES STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
I must confess that I am titillated, as ever, by your having met your wife (the former Virginia Johnson) when she was still in junior high school, the more so as you are eighteen years her senior.
The next time I meet you, you must really tell me all about that. It sounds delicious!
And I do rather admire mathematicians like the two of you, despite your social dis-graces.
======================================
NOTE: The e-mail address for Mr. Pearcy is also listed in Indymedia, as well as on notices for the October 27 protest, and at several other places. Don't bother sending fan-letters, as Mr. Pearcy does not habitually respond - he is shy and reclusive.
Instead, you may address your love and concerns to his some-time booncompanions Bill Lockyer and Cindy Sheehan.
What goes around comes around.
DAN KLIMAN
If you haven't already done so, please read Zombie's post about Dan Kliman. It is an excellent source for updated information on the case.
Zombie knew certain aspects of Dan better than almost anybody else possibly could - both had received death-threats for making photos and recordings of the hatred and extremism evident at protests in the Bay Area.
[Zombie is, according to reliable reports, on an extremist hit-list. This is the Bay Area, and we have more unbalanced people here than many other places.]
Zombie's post:
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=110
Click: R.I.P. Dan Kliman.
Zombie's main page:
http://www.zombietime.com/
Click: zombietime.
[A great resource about public displays of insanity in the Bay Area - see mention of photos and recordings above.]
OyBay also posted about it:
http://oybay.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/the-unfolding-story-of-the-death-of-dan-kliman-zl/
Click: Unfolding story.
At this point the investigation continues. The SFPD have homicide investigators on the case, but still incline towards calling it an accident. Results will not be known for a while, and almost no information is being made public - that is standard procedure, by the way.
This may lead some to indulge in paranoid conspiracy theories - 'He was murdered for being a gay vegetarian rightwing leftwing purple-striped pro-Israel cat-lover from Mars!' - and others to worry about a cover-up. Both approaches are somewhat unnecessary.
And I note, pursuant thereto, that a previous post ( was Dan Kliman murdered? ) seems to have attracted some remarkable commenters. I am not entirely sure that absolutely all of them are sane. A few of them are probably dangerous.
Feel free to demonstrate where in the spectrum you belong.
===========================================
3:54 PM 12/05/08 update:
This article in the TimesUnion (Albany, NY) is informative.
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=747007&category=REGION
There are a few details in that piece that I have not seen elsewhere.
Cinnamon Stillwell has also posted about Dan Kliman.
Here:
http://cinnamonstillwell.blogspot.com/2008/12/rip-dan-kliman.html
It is probably worth your while to bookmark Cinnamon Stillwell's blog, as there is often something interesting there.
http://cinnamonstillwell.blogspot.com/
Of course, if you are one of the anti-Israel trolls, you will not like what you find there. Oh well. Life is tough, isn't it?
Zombie knew certain aspects of Dan better than almost anybody else possibly could - both had received death-threats for making photos and recordings of the hatred and extremism evident at protests in the Bay Area.
[Zombie is, according to reliable reports, on an extremist hit-list. This is the Bay Area, and we have more unbalanced people here than many other places.]
Zombie's post:
http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=110
Click: R.I.P. Dan Kliman.
Zombie's main page:
http://www.zombietime.com/
Click: zombietime.
[A great resource about public displays of insanity in the Bay Area - see mention of photos and recordings above.]
OyBay also posted about it:
http://oybay.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/the-unfolding-story-of-the-death-of-dan-kliman-zl/
Click: Unfolding story.
At this point the investigation continues. The SFPD have homicide investigators on the case, but still incline towards calling it an accident. Results will not be known for a while, and almost no information is being made public - that is standard procedure, by the way.
This may lead some to indulge in paranoid conspiracy theories - 'He was murdered for being a gay vegetarian rightwing leftwing purple-striped pro-Israel cat-lover from Mars!' - and others to worry about a cover-up. Both approaches are somewhat unnecessary.
And I note, pursuant thereto, that a previous post ( was Dan Kliman murdered? ) seems to have attracted some remarkable commenters. I am not entirely sure that absolutely all of them are sane. A few of them are probably dangerous.
Feel free to demonstrate where in the spectrum you belong.
===========================================
3:54 PM 12/05/08 update:
This article in the TimesUnion (Albany, NY) is informative.
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=747007&category=REGION
There are a few details in that piece that I have not seen elsewhere.
Cinnamon Stillwell has also posted about Dan Kliman.
Here:
http://cinnamonstillwell.blogspot.com/2008/12/rip-dan-kliman.html
It is probably worth your while to bookmark Cinnamon Stillwell's blog, as there is often something interesting there.
http://cinnamonstillwell.blogspot.com/
Of course, if you are one of the anti-Israel trolls, you will not like what you find there. Oh well. Life is tough, isn't it?
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
BORUCH DAYAN HA EMES
Daniel J. Kliman was found dead yesterday at the bottom of an elevator shaft in the building where he was taking Arabic classes. He is believed to have fallen down the elevator shaft on Tuesday evening 11/25/08.
There were no classes last week. There were very few people in the building at the time. The defective elevator was "secure".
It is still unclear how this happened.
Dan was supposed to fly to Israel last Thursday.
DANIEL J. KLIMAN, 38 YEARS OLD.
Dan was a founding member of San Francisco Voice for Israel, who tirelessly worked to promote a fair and balanced image for Israel in the Bay Area, regularly facing the threats and insults of anti-Semites and anti-Israel activists for several years.
Dan was a friend, a leader, and an inspiration. And Dan was a colleague, companion, and comrade in so many protests on behalf of Israel.
We, his friends and community, are going to miss him. May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him.
There were no classes last week. There were very few people in the building at the time. The defective elevator was "secure".
It is still unclear how this happened.
Dan was supposed to fly to Israel last Thursday.
DANIEL J. KLIMAN, 38 YEARS OLD.
Dan was a founding member of San Francisco Voice for Israel, who tirelessly worked to promote a fair and balanced image for Israel in the Bay Area, regularly facing the threats and insults of anti-Semites and anti-Israel activists for several years.
Dan was a friend, a leader, and an inspiration. And Dan was a colleague, companion, and comrade in so many protests on behalf of Israel.
We, his friends and community, are going to miss him. May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
PEACE, LOVE, AND RABID BUTTERFLIES
I've been very firmly informed that my last two protest signs were racist and Nazi in nature. One showed a generic mullah image intended to be fright-inspiring, in half-shadow, using the Palestinian and Hezbollah flag colours, over the text "no peace with extremism", the other showed a fanged skull wearing a keffiyeh with the text "60 years of threats, lies, and hubris".
I wanted to express with these signs that extremist Shia Islam was what motivated Hezbollah, and that six decades of the Arab states denying the existence of Israel and swearing to destroy her and sweep her people into the sea was not conducive to peace, stability, and civilized discourse in the middle-east.
It turns out I am not an effective communicator.
Alas.
Our side is supposed to radiate peaceloving victimhood, rather than any belligerence or objection to Islam, Arab politics, mob mentality, 'valid popular forms of resistance', etcetera.
Before you know it, the Israeli flag will be banned at these counter-demos also. It's far too provocative, too Zionist. The peaceful tree-hugging Palestinian butterflies and wildflowers might spontaneously burst in to tears on seeing it. And that would not be good in the Bay Area, a bastion of peace, love, and gentleness.
Me, bitter and pissed off? Nooooooo.....
Let me quote from the latest circular from SF4Israel:
“We also want to take a moment address a problem which, although isolated, reflects badly both on our group and on the pro-Israel message which we are trying to project.
There were a very few signs that were displayed that were completely unacceptable...... Thank goodness none of these signs made it onto TV or into the Chronicle.
The media has enough trouble understanding the story (one of the TV reports Saturday evening ended with "after all, both sides just want peace"-- I don't know what rally THAT reporter was attending, but it sure wasn't ANSWER's!); we certainly don't want to make it seem like "it's just extremists on both sides." Of course, these signs are being prominently featured on IndyBay (an "independent" media site that functions as ANSWER's own propaganda machine) under the headline "SF Voice for Israel Sounds Like Old Fashioned Racism and Bigotry".
SF Voice for Israel leadership condemns those messages; those of you who brought them should not do so again. “
Translation: Zeyt azoy git und lek tuches.
Please imagine this dialogue:
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from the Europeans!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we need the Europeans."
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from the Arabs!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we need our SUVs."
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from the Russians and the Chinese!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we need the co-operation of the foreign powers."
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from Humanitarian assistance groups!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we need them to keep aid flowing."
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from Muslim Charitable Organizations!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we don't want to cause anymore offense in the Muslim world. Look, just try not to offend ANYBODY, okay?"
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by the Jews!"
ORGANIZER: "Perfect!"
PROTESTOR: "And the Palestinians are a bunch of peaceful sensitive tree-hugging dolphin-loving butterflies!!!"
ORGANIZER: "Now you're being sarcastic!"
PROTESTOR: "I wouldn't dare."
Okay, I can understand their point.
They don't want any controversial or potentially offensive signs on our side, because we're fighting an uphill battle, and the public has already sided with the Palestinians.
Israel, because it's an organized state and has a trained army with modern weapons, is considered the aggressor, irrespective of justification or provocation, irregardless of threats to the safety of her citizens or violence by the Arabs.
In the public mind, the Palestinians and the Lebanese are victims of circumstances beyond their control.
We have to appeal to the public, and try to sway them back towards a more rational point of view. So even though the counter-demos are confrontations with hate-filled Islamo-jugend, middle-class radicals, and terrorist-sympathizers, we should present a positive face to the public, passersby, and press.
You know and I know, that the Palestinians massively elected Hamas, and that the rest of the Arab world solidly supports them. We both know that there is much joy in Arab cities when Hamas commits another outrage and kills Israelis.
You and I know that Hezbollah murdered hundreds of Americans and thousands of Lebanese, and that Hezbollah is the proxy of Syria - who also murdered thousands of Lebanese, assassinated several Lebanese political leaders, and ruled Lebanon brutally for two decades. There are still Lebanese in Syria's jails, and there are Lebanese who were arrested by Syrians, whose families still do not know what happened to them. We both know that Hezbollah rules southern Lebanon as a Jihad-fiefdom, supported by and allied with Syria.
You know and I know, that the public has little clue and less interest in the issues, and prefers to stay with the comfortable assumption that because the Palestinians keep losing and the Israelis keep winning, the Palestinians are the underdog and the Israelis are somehow wrong. And we both know that when Jews win, they must have done so by dirty tricks and knavery, or whatever else Jews are always accused of.
We all know that the world prefers Jews to be victims - Europeans and their fellow-travellers in the US are extremely uncomfortable with the idea of aggressive Jews who stand up for themselves and kick their oppressors in the nuts. That just ain't right..... two thousand years of western civilization PROVE that that just ain't right. It goes against established custom.
But I want my side to win. So I'll try to be as nurturing and loving and all-round politically correct as they want me to be. I'll be soft and gentle.
With a loveable smile and child-like eyes.
Even though I really believe that Hamas and Hezbollah are murders and psychopaths, and the pro-Palestinian crowd is rabid with anti-Semitism and hatred for everything worthwhile.
Buncha dumbass!! stinkin'!! rabid!! murderous!! poison-fanged!! daemonic!! poxy!! butterflies......
I wanted to express with these signs that extremist Shia Islam was what motivated Hezbollah, and that six decades of the Arab states denying the existence of Israel and swearing to destroy her and sweep her people into the sea was not conducive to peace, stability, and civilized discourse in the middle-east.
It turns out I am not an effective communicator.
Alas.
Our side is supposed to radiate peaceloving victimhood, rather than any belligerence or objection to Islam, Arab politics, mob mentality, 'valid popular forms of resistance', etcetera.
Before you know it, the Israeli flag will be banned at these counter-demos also. It's far too provocative, too Zionist. The peaceful tree-hugging Palestinian butterflies and wildflowers might spontaneously burst in to tears on seeing it. And that would not be good in the Bay Area, a bastion of peace, love, and gentleness.
Me, bitter and pissed off? Nooooooo.....
Let me quote from the latest circular from SF4Israel:
“We also want to take a moment address a problem which, although isolated, reflects badly both on our group and on the pro-Israel message which we are trying to project.
There were a very few signs that were displayed that were completely unacceptable...... Thank goodness none of these signs made it onto TV or into the Chronicle.
The media has enough trouble understanding the story (one of the TV reports Saturday evening ended with "after all, both sides just want peace"-- I don't know what rally THAT reporter was attending, but it sure wasn't ANSWER's!); we certainly don't want to make it seem like "it's just extremists on both sides." Of course, these signs are being prominently featured on IndyBay (an "independent" media site that functions as ANSWER's own propaganda machine) under the headline "SF Voice for Israel Sounds Like Old Fashioned Racism and Bigotry".
SF Voice for Israel leadership condemns those messages; those of you who brought them should not do so again. “
Translation: Zeyt azoy git und lek tuches.
Please imagine this dialogue:
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from the Europeans!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we need the Europeans."
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from the Arabs!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we need our SUVs."
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from the Russians and the Chinese!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we need the co-operation of the foreign powers."
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from Humanitarian assistance groups!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we need them to keep aid flowing."
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by money from Muslim Charitable Organizations!"
ORGANIZER: "No, we can't say that; we don't want to cause anymore offense in the Muslim world. Look, just try not to offend ANYBODY, okay?"
PROTESTOR: "Terrorism is paid for by the Jews!"
ORGANIZER: "Perfect!"
PROTESTOR: "And the Palestinians are a bunch of peaceful sensitive tree-hugging dolphin-loving butterflies!!!"
ORGANIZER: "Now you're being sarcastic!"
PROTESTOR: "I wouldn't dare."
Okay, I can understand their point.
They don't want any controversial or potentially offensive signs on our side, because we're fighting an uphill battle, and the public has already sided with the Palestinians.
Israel, because it's an organized state and has a trained army with modern weapons, is considered the aggressor, irrespective of justification or provocation, irregardless of threats to the safety of her citizens or violence by the Arabs.
In the public mind, the Palestinians and the Lebanese are victims of circumstances beyond their control.
We have to appeal to the public, and try to sway them back towards a more rational point of view. So even though the counter-demos are confrontations with hate-filled Islamo-jugend, middle-class radicals, and terrorist-sympathizers, we should present a positive face to the public, passersby, and press.
You know and I know, that the Palestinians massively elected Hamas, and that the rest of the Arab world solidly supports them. We both know that there is much joy in Arab cities when Hamas commits another outrage and kills Israelis.
You and I know that Hezbollah murdered hundreds of Americans and thousands of Lebanese, and that Hezbollah is the proxy of Syria - who also murdered thousands of Lebanese, assassinated several Lebanese political leaders, and ruled Lebanon brutally for two decades. There are still Lebanese in Syria's jails, and there are Lebanese who were arrested by Syrians, whose families still do not know what happened to them. We both know that Hezbollah rules southern Lebanon as a Jihad-fiefdom, supported by and allied with Syria.
You know and I know, that the public has little clue and less interest in the issues, and prefers to stay with the comfortable assumption that because the Palestinians keep losing and the Israelis keep winning, the Palestinians are the underdog and the Israelis are somehow wrong. And we both know that when Jews win, they must have done so by dirty tricks and knavery, or whatever else Jews are always accused of.
We all know that the world prefers Jews to be victims - Europeans and their fellow-travellers in the US are extremely uncomfortable with the idea of aggressive Jews who stand up for themselves and kick their oppressors in the nuts. That just ain't right..... two thousand years of western civilization PROVE that that just ain't right. It goes against established custom.
But I want my side to win. So I'll try to be as nurturing and loving and all-round politically correct as they want me to be. I'll be soft and gentle.
With a loveable smile and child-like eyes.
Even though I really believe that Hamas and Hezbollah are murders and psychopaths, and the pro-Palestinian crowd is rabid with anti-Semitism and hatred for everything worthwhile.
Buncha dumbass!! stinkin'!! rabid!! murderous!! poison-fanged!! daemonic!! poxy!! butterflies......
Monday, July 17, 2006
TODAY'S COUNTER PROTEST
I am not a masochist. I do not enjoy being screamed at by unemployables and idiot jugend, nor do I enjoy reading signs that accuse me of being a white-supremacist nazi murderer.
I particularly object to stupid banners such as the one which has shown up at the last three events, which suggests that Zionists need to get over the pain they brought from Europe.
One could more validly argue that Arabs need to get over the hate they brought from the Middle-East. Which, of course, is where Arabs are from.
As are most Israelis.
Not only are many Israelis native-born (and the children of the native born), but their origins are in that area of the world. It would be well if the professional protesters remembered what happened to Jews in Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and other charmingly civilized countries in that region.
The entire Jewish population of many of those countries had to flee because of the murderous rampages of the local non-Jews. Many of the countries in the Middle-East seized property and expelled Jews.
Most Arab governments encouraged violence against non-Muslims. Repeatedly.
Which, of course, is why there are hardly any Jews left in the Arab world (with the exception of Morocco, for which the Moroccans deserve our respect).
Please note that Christians have been fleeing also - the percentage of Christians in Egypt, Jordan, and Syria has been diminishing at a rapid clip for decades (ever since independence, in fact).
So suggesting, with that banner, that Zionists should get over their mixed feelings about Europe, is both misleading and utterly racist - it states that there are no Jews who belong in the Middle-East, it denies the existence of millions of Sephardim, and it seeks to create the impression that Israel is a colony founded by bitter Europeans.
[And I really wonder at the 'Jewish voice for Peace' and 'Jews For a Free Palestine' crowd, who voluntarily associate themselves with the bigotry, ignorant selfrighteousness, and hateful attitudes on the anti-Israel side.
Why do they object so much to everything that Israel does? Why do they wish to suck up to narrow-mindednesses? Why do they hate themselves and how do they live with themselves -- have they no shame, no sense of decency, no human values at all?]
That banner suggests that Europe is where Jews belong, and that they should leave the Middle-East.
And it overlooks the European solution to the "Jewish problem".
Given the way the Europeans are treating the Muslims in their midst, it would be insane to believe that Europeans have gotten over their bigotries and hatreds, and are now, finally, civilized. Two thousand years of European history illustrate that peace is an anomaly in Europe, and minorities there will get whacked whenever some peasant has indigestion.
The demo and counterdemo lasted over two hours.
We were zoiche to see around two dozen sonei-Yisroel being loaded into paddy-wagons, baruch Hashem.
Other than the fresh faced Arab American college students, many of the anti-Israel demonstrators seemed dysfunctional in some way, and of course ignorance can be seen as a dysfunctional behaviour, but I was actually referring to their clothing choices and and bad hair decisions.
[Yes yes, I know that is petty of me, I shouldn't judge people negatively because they express their unique individualities by clothes that reflect their artistic style, and independence from restrictive social norms. Or their freedom from bourgeois standards of cleanliness and deportment. My bad.]
Among the Arab youth there is one chap who always stands out by the good-natured glee in his face, reflecting an almost Irish enjoyment at a ruckus. I wonder if he is the brother of the sparkly eyed young vixen with the long black tresses who likes to stand on the newspaper racks. They both have lovely smiles. Myeh, eye candy.
I particularly object to stupid banners such as the one which has shown up at the last three events, which suggests that Zionists need to get over the pain they brought from Europe.
One could more validly argue that Arabs need to get over the hate they brought from the Middle-East. Which, of course, is where Arabs are from.
As are most Israelis.
Not only are many Israelis native-born (and the children of the native born), but their origins are in that area of the world. It would be well if the professional protesters remembered what happened to Jews in Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and other charmingly civilized countries in that region.
The entire Jewish population of many of those countries had to flee because of the murderous rampages of the local non-Jews. Many of the countries in the Middle-East seized property and expelled Jews.
Most Arab governments encouraged violence against non-Muslims. Repeatedly.
Which, of course, is why there are hardly any Jews left in the Arab world (with the exception of Morocco, for which the Moroccans deserve our respect).
Please note that Christians have been fleeing also - the percentage of Christians in Egypt, Jordan, and Syria has been diminishing at a rapid clip for decades (ever since independence, in fact).
So suggesting, with that banner, that Zionists should get over their mixed feelings about Europe, is both misleading and utterly racist - it states that there are no Jews who belong in the Middle-East, it denies the existence of millions of Sephardim, and it seeks to create the impression that Israel is a colony founded by bitter Europeans.
[And I really wonder at the 'Jewish voice for Peace' and 'Jews For a Free Palestine' crowd, who voluntarily associate themselves with the bigotry, ignorant selfrighteousness, and hateful attitudes on the anti-Israel side.
Why do they object so much to everything that Israel does? Why do they wish to suck up to narrow-mindednesses? Why do they hate themselves and how do they live with themselves -- have they no shame, no sense of decency, no human values at all?]
That banner suggests that Europe is where Jews belong, and that they should leave the Middle-East.
And it overlooks the European solution to the "Jewish problem".
Given the way the Europeans are treating the Muslims in their midst, it would be insane to believe that Europeans have gotten over their bigotries and hatreds, and are now, finally, civilized. Two thousand years of European history illustrate that peace is an anomaly in Europe, and minorities there will get whacked whenever some peasant has indigestion.
The demo and counterdemo lasted over two hours.
We were zoiche to see around two dozen sonei-Yisroel being loaded into paddy-wagons, baruch Hashem.
Other than the fresh faced Arab American college students, many of the anti-Israel demonstrators seemed dysfunctional in some way, and of course ignorance can be seen as a dysfunctional behaviour, but I was actually referring to their clothing choices and and bad hair decisions.
[Yes yes, I know that is petty of me, I shouldn't judge people negatively because they express their unique individualities by clothes that reflect their artistic style, and independence from restrictive social norms. Or their freedom from bourgeois standards of cleanliness and deportment. My bad.]
Among the Arab youth there is one chap who always stands out by the good-natured glee in his face, reflecting an almost Irish enjoyment at a ruckus. I wonder if he is the brother of the sparkly eyed young vixen with the long black tresses who likes to stand on the newspaper racks. They both have lovely smiles. Myeh, eye candy.
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