With the upcoming election and possible subsequent court challenges, I thought this was a great statement on the topic:



If for some reason the picture did not come out, check out the Foxtrot strip from Oct. 29th:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/foxtrot

 Everyone knows that the Democrats have been veering leftward.  It got to the point where they kicked Lieberman to the curb (other than the war, a pure lefty).  But it really didn't hit me how far left they've gone until I stumbled onto some comments responding to a Huffington post slamming Barbara Boxer for saying that she would campaign for Lieberman.  My two favorites:

1.  "There are few Democrat politicians anymore. Most are Republicans pretending to be Democrats. The want the Republican party to win elections so they, the pseudo-Dems, can feign outrage at Republicans while on their way to the bank to count the money the Republicans tax cuts, pharma policies, etc. etc. have brought them. "  by Tee

2.  "Boxer, Biden, Lieberman, Clinton, the whole lot of them, are IRRELEVANT. They must be ignored, marginalized, and disrespected at every turn. We can make them irrelevant if we only vote against them, don't send them money, and don't acknowledge their existence. Call it the Buddhist Stategery. They are only illusions, nothing they say is real, and they too will die, only not soon enough."  by fez

Scary.  And yet funny.  So, if you feel the need to be frightened and/or laugh, check out:

Here

Either way, it's pretty entertaining.

Just read a Leonard Pitts, Jr. article (http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15745817.htm) about the idea of allowing teachers and administrators to carry guns in school.  The gist of his opposition is this: 

"Me, I think Frank Lasee is simply an agent of the zeitgeist and no one knows it yet. Or hasn't anyone else noticed our recent surplus of really bad ideas whose commonality and selling point is that they are simple. Workability? That's optional. Rationality? Overrated. What we want are ideas that can be explained on bumper stickers. If they require position papers, we're not interested."

He then sets up, jokingly, a slippery slope where everyone is carrying and might threaten for any reason (cheating on tests).  Of course these are ridiculous, and he should know better.  How many stories have you read about a concealed weapon carrier whipping out their Ginsu Knives because the bag boy put the milk on top of the eggs?  Come on, Pitts!  Give us a break!

Besides, I'm inclined to look at this from the side of the teachers (the conservative ones, anyway).  I wouldn't want to be hunkered down with nothing but a pair of Fiskars (blunt-tipped in primary) while I'm waiting for the police to show up, especially if I'm in a rural school.  Again, no one would have to carry, just those who wanted to and were willing to take the training.  It's at least an idea worth discussing.  Nothing bumper sticker about it.

By the way, lest anyone think I'm picking on poor Leonard, let me say he's one of the most talented writers I've had the pleasure to read, and I agree with about half of what he says.  If there are true moderates out there, he's one of them.  Even when I disagree with him, he's usually thought provoking.  As an example of something worth your time, check out this column by him:

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1006/pitts.php3

 Inspired by Justaguy's blog post on books(http://justthinking.townhall.com/g/fd90cc67-17fa-47bb-9e01-44c8fc28937a&trackbacks=true#comments), I decided to come up with a list of fiction books that I think help explain the modern left.

In no particular order:
1.  George Orwell's 1984
2.  George Orwell's Animal Farm
3.  Aldous Huxley's A Brave New World
4.  B.F. Skinner's Walden Two

What do y'all think?  Some that need to be added?  Any that don't belong?  If you were going to put them in order of importance, what order would you put them in?  What say you?

Here's an idea I think whose time has come:

"Allow teachers who want them and are willing to undergo 'extensive training' to carry concealed firearms in the classroom."

This is state (Wisconsin) Rep. Frank Lasee's response to two episodes of school shootings in the last couple of weeks.  As long as they're thoroughly trained and have extensive background checks done, I'm all in favor of it.

If you're interested in more info, check:

http://pasco.tbo.com/pasco/MGBC68IM3TE.html

 

(Driving in a car)

Joe: Man, it's good to be home.

Birhtwold: We're not there yet. We have a stop to make.

Joe: Where?

Kells: Pick up Links.

Joe: Argh! Well. Alright. We’re in. We get Links. We’re out.

Kells: Um, no.

Joe: What do you mean, no?

Birhtwold: We’re staying for dinner.

Joe: No. No way. What are you guys? Crazy? No. You can just drop me off here.

Birhtwold: Oh, no. You’re staying with us. We owe him.

Kells: He watched Links. It’s the least we could do.

(Joe slumps down, arms crossed)

Birhtwold: You can pout all you want, but you’re coming with us.

Joe: Fine.

(Car slows down, turns corner, enters neighborhood)

Kells: Hey! There's Hassan! Stop for a sec.

Kells: (calls out of window): What are you up to, Hassan?

Hassan (snaps head up, looks surprised): Huh? What? I'm not up to anything! Why would you ask? Do I look like I'm up to something?

Kells: No, just haven't seen you in a while. Where've you been?

Hassan: Just studying. Lots of studying. Not at a pilot school or anything. Just studying.

Kells: Um. O.k. We'll see you around. Good luck with the studying.

(Hassan nods, continues to walk. Car drives off).

Birhtwold: Well, that was weird.

Kells: Yeah. That's not the Hassan I know. I wonder what's up.

Joe: Didn't you hear him? He's studying. Probably has a big test he's worried about.

Kells: I guess so.

(Car pulls up at driveway; everyone gets out. Kells rings doorbell; Jarl opens door)

Birhtwold: Jarl! How you doin'? How’d everything go?

Jarl: No problems. Everything was fine. And I'm great. Come on in.

(Everyone walks in, then looks around in awe)

Kells: I’ve never seen so many Legos in one place.

Joe: Dude, that’s the twin towers!

Birhtwold: There’s the Pentagon! And a life size image of the Pope.

Kells: The marines at Iwo Jima! Man, how’d you do that? Is that the . . .

Jarl: U.S.S. Cole? Yup. And here’s my latest! (Takes cover off )

Birhtwold: It’s a Lego version of Mohamed with the bomb for a turban! Amazing!

Jarl: I’ll let you check out more of the stuff later. I’m starving! Let’s eat!

Joe (looking very dismayed): That’s an awful lot of cheese.

Jarl: It’s Havarti.

Joe: I know.

Kells: It’s three grocery stores worth of Havarti.

Jarl: Gotta support Denmark.

Joe: Yeah, whatever happened with that? Are Muslims still boycotting Denmark?

Birhtwold: Don’t know. Haven’t heard anything in the news.

Jarl: Well, dig in.

Joe (whispering to Kells): Well, at least we’ll get some decent beer.

Jarl (upon hearing the word "beer"): I’m sorry; I’ve run out of beer.

Joe: What? No more Carlsberg?

Jarl: No, but not to fear. I have cherry Kijafa. Lots of it.

Joe (slumps in chair): That’s what I was afraid of.

Birhtwold: Well, at least Denmark halfway stood up to them. Europe is in a quagmire.

Jarl: What's sad is that standing up consists of drawing cartoons. I don't want to minimize that. Those artists put their lives on the line. But where are the warriors?

 

Skald: Where is Scyld Scefing, shield to his people? Where is Hrothgar, famous spear, generous giver of rings? Where is Cnut, conqueror, bringer of peace? "Where is the horse gone? Where the rider? Where the giver of treasure? Where are the seats at the feast? Where are the revels in the hall? Alas for the bright cup! Alas for the mailed warrior! Alas for the splendour of the prince! How that time has passed away, dark under the cover of night, as if it had never been!"

(Brief silence)

 

Jarl: Yeah. That's what I meant. How did we get from demanding Danegeld to giving it? Oh, well. What are you going to do?

Birhtwold: First the Danes and now the Pope.

Jarl: Oh, yeah! I’ve been tracking that. We’ve got to do something about it.

Kells: You didn’t order thousands of rosary beads, did you?

(Brief silence)

Jarl: Um. Well... So, you think I should cancel that?

Kells: Considering you're not Catholic...

Jarl: Well, I was going to donate them.

Birhtwold: So, where's Links? I don't even hear him. He's been awfully quiet. Not like him.

Jarl: Yeah, I had to do something about that. Incredible racket at first.

(Jarl leads them into another room).

Jarl: There he is!

Kells: Whoa! He's surrounded by Lego statues of Reagan, Newt, Coulter, Sowell, and Scalia. Look at him! He's comatose!

Jarl: I tried W, but that fired him up again, so I moved W to another room.

Birhtwold: Is that a picture of Clinton on the bottom of his cage?

Jarl: Yeah. He hasn't gone since I put it there. Saved me some cleaning.

Joe: Holy-

Kells: Don't say it. Man, we're going to be in for it when we get him home.

Birhtwold: Jarl, my man, you did an awesome job. Might have to borrow that Lego Reagan.

Jarl: Any time, any time.

(The lads say good night, shuffle out the door, and head on home).

 

 

Notes:

1. Thanks to BrianR for the use of Hassan. Check out his blog post:

http://viewfromtheisland.townhall.com/g/bedb25c3-c69d-4993-b666-60afa2491bff&comments=true#comments

2. Quotes from Skald’s lines taken from The Wanderer, an Old English poem. Check out the whole thing here:

http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=text&id=Wdr

3. The word "Lego" and "Legos" are trademarked or something. Hey, Lego people! How about Lego Statue of Liberty, White House, etc. kits? That would be cool.

 Punchline from 9/28 "Get Fuzzy" strip:


Rob Wilco:  "Otis"?  Bucky, your family is from Massachusettes!

Bucky:  Blast!  I'm a filthy communist!!!



Check it out here:

http://www.comics.com/comics/getfuzzy/index.html


Peep the strip on 9/3/06.  Good stuff.