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Liberalism: Why think when you can “feel”?

Washington comPost: Christians are fair game, Muslims aren’t

Just don’t accuse them of political correctness, though. They’ll get madder than a jihadist camelhumper watching a Madonna video. From FNC:

A popular comic strip that poked fun at the Rev. Jerry Falwell without incident one week ago was deemed too controversial to run over the weekend because this time it took a humorous swipe at Muslim fundamentalists.

The Washington Post and several other newspapers around the country did not run Sunday’s installment of Berkeley Breathed’s “Opus,” in which the spiritual fad-seeking character Lola Granola appears in a headscarf and explains to her boyfriend, Steve, why she wants to become a radical Islamist.

The installment did not appear in the Post’s print version, but it ran on WashingtonPost.com and Salon.com. The same will hold true for the upcoming Sept. 2 strip, which is a continuation of the plotline.

The Washington Post Writers Group syndicates “Opus,” and the Post is the cartoon’s home newspaper. The syndicate sent out an alert about the two strips in question, according to Writers Group comics editor Amy Lago.

Sources told FOXNews.com that the strips were shown to Muslim staffers at The Washington Post to gauge their reaction, and they responded “emotionally” to the depiction of a woman dressed in traditional Muslim garb and espousing conservative Islamic views.

Well, we can’t have a bunch of pissed off Muslims running around in the newsroom and getting their turbans in a bunch, now can we? Continuing:

There was also considerable alarm over the strip at the highest echelons of The Washington Post Co., according to the sources.

Lago said she flagged some of the syndicate’s newspaper clients for two reasons: because of the possibility that the jokes about Islam would be misconstrued and because of the sexual innuendo in the punchline.

“The strip came in and I knew we would have to send out an alert to all the newspapers,” Lago said. “I do that fairly regularly with materials that might pose issues for local areas. … We knew that because it was a sex joke, it could raise issues. And there is another client that has issues with any Muslim depiction whatsoever.”

OK, what does the comPost think about cartoons that might offend Christian sensibilities?

The Aug. 19 “Opus” ended with a joke about the late Jerry Falwell. In that strip, Lola, fresh from a quest to become an Amish nudist, is doing yoga and talking to the penguin character Opus about who goes to heaven.

“Liberals? Evolutionists? Feminists? ACLU lawyers?” Opus asks incredulously. “Yep,” replies Lola.

“Kennedy Democrats? French people? Manly women who don’t shave … they’re all up there?” Opus wonders. “Yep,” Lola repeats.

“With Jerry Falwell?” asks Opus. “Yep,” Lola says again.

Opus looks up in an aha! sort of moment. “Goodness, must HE be annoyed!” the penguin exclaims.

“Eternally,” Lola replies.

Lago said she didn’t flag newspapers about that strip because she didn’t think readers would misunderstand the humor.

“They’re not going to take it seriously,” she said. (So now she understands Christian attitudes and purports to speak for us? Got it. – Ed.)

But she did alert newspapers about the Muslim-themed cartoon because there was a question about whether Muslim readers would be offended.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s poking fun [at Islam],” Lago said. “But the question with Muslims is, are they taking it seriously?”

The “Opus” strip in question takes swipes at Islamists — a term used for radical Muslims — as opposed to moderate Muslims, she pointed out, but there was concern that the distinction wouldn’t be clear. And, she said, racy jokes sometimes draw fire, too.

WHAT?? The “distinction” between Muslim jihadists and so-called “moderate” Muslims isn’t clear? I thought the “religion of peace” and its defenders condemned radical Islamists? If they do, then what’s the worry over lack of “distinction” between the two groups? If I were a “moderate” Muslim who condemned radical Muslims, then why would I get offended over a cartoon that clearly addresses RADICALS, hmmm? Or is she saying that Muslims are so stupid that they might “misunderstand” clearly defined humor?

The issue is clear and beyond dispute: Christians are a-OK to attack, demean, ridicule, offend, etc., while all other “protected” religious groups are immune to the same kind of treatment that Christians get. Then again, the P.C. cowards know that ticked off Christians aren’t going to be launching suicide bombing attacks anytime soon.

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I’m just begging to be camelbait, aren’t I?

August 28, 2007 Posted by | hypocrisy, media bias, political correctness, religion of peace | 7 Comments

GOP Senator caught in gay “lewd act”

Those of you who know me or who have been around here long enough know that I don’t like hypocrisy, regardless of from which side it originates.  Therefore, I have no qualms about whacking a Republican when he/she has it coming to him/her.  Right Wing Nut House reflects my sentiments here:

I have made no secret on this blog of my distaste for the Republican strategy of pushing opposition to abortion and gay marriage as litmus tests for GOP candidates and as “wedge” issues to use in campaigns.

While I acknowledge there are many millions of sincere, devout Christians (and other social conservatives) who see these issues as vital to the moral fiber of the nation and thus worthy of standing them up front and center as the party’s main identity, from a personal standpoint, I strenuously disagree. (This isn’t the part where I agree, but he’s leading up to it. – Ed.)
…
Another time I might make the argument that they are not even conservative issues but such a post is not in my pen tonight. Instead, I want to talk about the regularity with which conservative Republicans seem to get themselves into trouble over sex. The latest is Idaho Senator Larry Craig who was arrested in a Minneapolis restroom for “lewd conduct.”

“At 1216 hours, Craig tapped his right foot. I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct. Craig tapped his toes several times and moves his foot closer to my foot. I moved my foot up and down slowly. While this was occurring, the male in the stall to my right was still present. I could hear several unknown persons in the restroom that appeared to use the restroom for its intended use. The presence of others did not seem to deter Craig as he moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot which was within my stall area,” the report states.

Craig then proceeded to swipe his hand under the stall divider several times, and Karsnia noted in his report that “I could … see Craig had a gold ring on his ring finger as his hand was on my side of the stall divider.”

Karsnia then held his police identification down by the floor so that Craig could see it.

“With my left hand near the floor, I pointed towards the exit. Craig responded, ‘No!’ I again pointed towards the exit. Craig exited the stall with his roller bags without flushing the toilet. … Craig said he would not go. I told Craig that he was under arrest, he had to go, and that I didn’t want to make a scene. Craig then left the restroom.”

The conduct doesn’t seem lewd to me and the whole story reeks of something very fishy. But the fact is, the Senator pled guilty and probably thought that it would stay out of the papers if he didn’t make a fuss.

The point really isn’t whether he’s guilty or innocent. The point is that this sort of thing becomes a huge issue because of the way the party talks about gays and the way many GOP stalwarts like Reverends Robertson and Dobson talk about sex. The perception that Republicans are a bunch of bigoted blue noses stuck in the 19th century with Victorian sensibilities about the bedroom turns off a lot of voters – especially the young.

A brief look at this eye popping poll that shows the vital 18-29 year old group turning up their noses at Republicans is very significant. I was in that age group when I became a Republican and many of my fellow Reaganites were also young, eager conservatives who drank in the enormous intellectual ferment that bubbled up from dozens of places in Reagan’s Washington. We were on the cutting edge and we knew it.

Nowadays, I don’t blame young people for turning off the GOP. The corruption, the hypocrisy, the sanctimony, and the tired old men pushing tired old ideas to an ever shrinking number of wealthier, whiter, men has the GOP in deep, deep, trouble. If I were that age again, I probably wouldn’t support Republicans either.

Perhaps the predicted disaster in 2008 will wake a few people up. Not likely based on what happened in 2006. As the left did for 30 years, the push will be for more ideological “purity,” more fealty to what passes for conservative issues today.

Just at the moment that our country needs the right’s commitment to fight a war against an implacable, unyielding foe, our own stupidity is going to allow the milquetoast left to ascend to power. For that, our children and grand children may curse us for our folly.

One of RWNH’s commenters observes that in order for the GOP to excel, it needs this kind of “internal examination” of people like Craig, Foley, etc. I don’t disagree with that.

Look, I see absolutely nothing wrong with a gay Republican. You don’t have to dig chicks to see the damage that liberalism inflicts on the body politic. However, if you’re going to campaign on “traditional family values” and what a big “family guy” you are, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to avoid public bathroom sexual hookups (especially with other dudes), now would it?

By the way, Craig was part of Mitt Romney’s campaign team, but not anymore.

August 28, 2007 Posted by | gay, hypocrisy, Larry Craig | 15 Comments

   

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