Here is a simple Friday poll for you all.

Poll #1437696 Pennsic
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 23

Why are you reading this poll?

Damn good for Palin. I think John Galt got to her. She'd make an excellent "Dagny Taggart" in the movie...

I haven't done one of these in a while so I decided what the heck...

The Washington Post today reports that Supreme Court Justice nominee Sotomayor is a member of an exclusive women only Belizean Grove club. This is kind of a sister org to the exclusive men only Bohemian Grove club. So here is the question:

Poll #1418117 Boys/Girls clubs
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 12

Should a candidate for office/appointment be judged by their membership is a boy's only/girl's only club?

More from the linked story...

If Obama had nominated a man who was a member of the Bohemian Grove, that would be a big issue and probably a fatal one. So how is it different if Sotomayor is a member of a club set up specifically to be the female equivalent? Rather than try to answer this question honestly, Sotomayor chose to make the preposterous argument that the Belizean Grove isn't a women's club. It's just that no men have ever applied for membership, you see. White clubs used to explain the absence of black members the same way. It's a laughable argument -- a brazen whopper -- and an insult to the citizenry and the Senate that must confirm her.

The true answer is that we tolerate discrimination in favor of traditionally oppressed groups more than we tolerate discrimination against them. It's not symmetrical. And, if you believe in affirmative action -- as Sotomayor proudly does, as I do -- it can't be. An all-women's club is okay even though an all-men's club is not. A corporation's minority recruitment program or a university's minority scholarships are considered admirable, while similar programs reserved for white people would be regarded as horrific.
...
But this familiar debate misses the point about Sotomayor. The obnoxious form of discrimination practiced by institutions like the Belizean Grove isn't discrimination against men. It's discrimination against ordinary women who aren't successful, or powerful or connected, who haven't risen through the meritocracy. It's not that many of them want to join; most have never even heard of the Belizean Grove. (I'd never heard of it until this week.) It's that the openly expressed purpose of this organization is to create a female elite just like the male elite represented by the Bohemian Grove in all respects except one.
...
You don't have to be a radical leveler to think that allowing the Bohemian Grove to fade into inconsequence would be better for equality than setting up a female imitation. It would have been nice if Sotomayor, with all her accomplishments, had been secure enough to laugh at the invitation to join this parody of elitism. But not many people who have risen so far so fast are so secure. Republicans ought to find that reassuring.

I learned two new terms yesterday. Hate-f***ing and hate-bucking.

The first was through a playboy article (now removed) that pointed to ten conservative women the author would like to rape. The second was witnessed by reading noted feminist Bonnie Erbe’s response to the article.

Hate-f***ing is the sexual domination of a women you can’t stand. It’s using sex and the threat of violence to keep strong women from speaking out. Little Miss Attila’s take on the situation is a good one. That this type of demeaning language can enter the realm of public discourse and not be wholly and completely rejected is sad. That writers like Bonnie can lay their core values in protecting women’s rights and equality on the table declaring some conservative writers “invite” this type of assault is nothing less than blaming the victim. “She had it coming.”

Hate-bucking (a phrase I picked up from Ace) is a disturbing rhetorical trend that says if I have a core value that I must combat words/behaviors that are inappropriate for a civil society that I can disregard that core value if my allies (people I agree with) do it or if it’s targeted at my enemies (people I disagree with). To borrow from Obama people who engage in hate-bucking lose their moral authority.

Bonnie fails…she’s not alone.

This is an interesting time in American history. This promises to be an interesting summer of conversation on a number of hot top issues: sexism, racism, abortion, federal vs states rights…

One wonders how honest of a conversation it can be.

Mirrored from For Them What Care.

Just as an FYI I'm pretty much closed down over here. I occassionally show up to see how people I care about are doing but I'm just not posting here anymore.

Well, I may still post from "time-to-time" but this just isn't my preferred venue anymore. If you have a Facebook account and wish to find me I should be the only "Michael Ruttle" in Virginia.

Best wishes and keep reaching for your dreams.

Mr President,

Your first 100 days in office are over. Congratulations. I’ve watched and listened with an open mind and with hope in my heart that you’d focus on those things we agree on. As a person you are infinitely likeable. Your conviction in the principles you hold dear is laudable. But your willingness to elevate petty dictators to the level of peers while insulting our longtime friends is regrettable. Your inability to speak in short concise sentences without a teleprompter is laughable. Your narcissistic need for global adulation is leaves many with the sense that you lack the testicular fortitude to act decisively if American’s enemies assault our interests or our people. Your rhetoric is divisive, finger pointing, and brings to mind the rogue of the great space opera who once uttered, “It’s not my fault!”

But I’m willing to leave all that aside. If I were to hire someone for a job that I knew lacked the training required to perform the tasks for which he/she was assigned then fired him/her after only 3 months the fault would be mine. We the American people voted for you knowing you didn’t have the skills to lead. We voted based on hope and on your potential to grow into your role. So despite perhaps the worst first 100 days in modern history for an American President I want you to know you and I will have a clear slate.

I forgive you for the errors of your freshman administration and would remind you that from here on out you need to man-up and take responsibility when your team falls short. Stop blaming your teleprompter. Stop blaming the Republicans who don’t have the power to prevent you from doing anything you wish. Stop giving away the farm on our national secrets; especially when you redact and release only pieces designed to harm with political intent (just not cool). Stop spending money we don’t have on stimulus’s that don’t work. Stop kowtowing to the leftwing extremists while defining military veterans as possible terrorists. Stop apologizing to the world on behalf of a country who throughout its history has been a beacon of hope, a stalwart friend, and a fierce enemy to those who would shrink to boundaries of freedom.

Start demonstrating the leadership needed to lead the best country in the world. We are not simply “one among many.” We entered your administration as the world’s only superpower. Will you leave the country better than you found it or will you draw us down to the mediocrity of the middle? I leave you with this quote from Tandor

Isn’t it fabulous how Obama has reconciled with our enemies and put fear into the hearts of Americans? Does any image illustrate so neatly the wrongheadedness of the Obama administration than Americans scrambling in terror from Air Force One?

Did you order the flyby photo op on your 101st day in office? No but you own it; just like Bush would have to if it happened on his watch. Your administration’s response to this outrage was insensitive at best and downright dismissive at worst. It’s day 102, impress me…please.

Mirrored from For Them What Care.

this...

We aren’t even 100 days in and as Michelle Malkin reports the Department of Homeland Security is targeting the 1st Amendment right to free speech of anyone that disagrees with this administration.

Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.

What happened to voices of dissent being true patriots? Protest the war or wiretapping and you are a patriot. Protest specific policies of THIS administration and you are a racist, bigoted, xenophobic malcontent clinging to your guns and religion.

If you read the DHS report and are not concerned with the focus of this agency than you are not giving the issue enough thought. Love him or hate him the Bush administration would NEVER have dared this type of stereotyping and divisive rhetoric. If you are against abortion you’re a right wing extremist (code for terrorist). For gun rights? Nut job! For state’s rights? Racist bastard!

One could almost imagine this DHS report being written in the 60’s against those fighting for racial equality (and there probably was an equivalent). It would have been wrong then just as it is wrong now. If you feel that this is somewhat targeted at such gatherings as tomorrow’s Tea Parties you would probably be right.

The Obama administration will meet without preconditions with our enemies and talk about changing the tone of conversation with our G20 allies but for those that disagree with his approach INSIDE our country? No building bridges. No coming together. Just marginalizing, demeaning, labeling, and branding with fear tactics.

You voted for this type of change? Really?

Mirrored from For Them What Care.

So, I have to ask if this is the future of blogging. Check out this video version of my post from yesterday. I'm kind of creeped out by it but...kind of like it as well. Try it yourself.

The Russian word for dumbass is "dolboeb" (pronounced "dole-boy-ub"). I know this because for the last year my Russian developers have been pronouncing the former President's name "George Dolboeb Bush."

One Indian word for dumbass is buddhu (pronounced "boo-due"). I know this because those same guys felt it was important to ensure some of Indian developers understand what they thought of their coding abilities.

Ah, communication...