FREE SPEECH FOR ME, BUT NOT FOR THEE

Apparently, the ACLU thinking that even horrible little men like the Reverend Fred Phelps have constitutional rights is just too, too much to bear.

Fascinating that many on the right, the self-proclaimed defenders of liberty and freedom, are so willing to turn their back on their principles when something makes them uncomfortable. OK, maybe fascinating isn't the word. More like "entirely predictable" when dealing with those whose political maturity model looks remarkably like "us vs. them."

By the by, did anyone notice much of a stink from the aisle to the right when Phelps stuck to protesting dead homosexuals? Hey, just sayin' is all.

I loathe Fred Phelps and his family. I loathe all sorts of vile and detestable human beings. Heck, I'm not even particularly fond of most organized religion or extremist political ideologues. I am, however, quite fond of the right of each and every one of them to have a voice in the public square or on Chaturbaterooms.com.

Even if that voice says "God hates fags." (Which, you'll note, is wrong on two counts because -1- God does not exist and -2- non-existent beings aren't in the business of hating anyone).

In fact, I love that right so much, that I'd marry it. I'd not only marry it, but lather it up in whipped cream and chocolate sauce and get funky on the monkey with it until the wee small hours of the morning. I love me some of that old time Constitution!

Update: The intellectuals at Stop the ACLU jump on the same gag'em bandwagon, and completely miss the point when they say:

By the way, how dare I mention this group without mentioning the heroic efforts of Patriot Guard to stop them. A group of patriotic bikers find wherever these creeps are protesting and set up barriers. God bless the Patriot Guards.

Huh, countering ugly speech with positive speech, all without government restrictions on rights. Go figure.

Once again, here we go

I think Andrea Bocelli was just singing "me.... monkey...." I'm not sure I want to know any more about that.

Andrea says Katharine McPhee has a beautiful voice. This is when someone should tell him it kind of sucks to be blind (although since it happened to him in his youth, he's probably seen some Italian hotties in his time). Of course, seeing Katharine in this yellow dress (and such portions of her bosoms that might not be in the same yellow dress), I still think it's a shame he's blind.

I think the judges are on crack (well, I think we all know Paula's on something most nights she's sitting at that table). Katharine's got a fine voice... and the legs ain't bad either (also revealed by the yellow dress). I might be a bit biased by her knockout good looks though... oh well, I'll get over it.

Elliott is up, all gussied up with no sign of his bosoms. Huzzah.

Good rendition. Great voice tonight. And, look, like I told you: Paula is deep in the drugs tonight. "You move me in my musty, lusty places, Elliott!"

Kellie Pickler... another bad time to be blind... let's see if it's a good time to be deaf or not...

First impressions: ok, with that odd hairdo, perhaps Mr. Bocelli is the lucky one in that he can't see it.

So, "Unchained Melody." Hmmm. Not sure about this one... the wee Fiona just crawled into her chair and is falling asleep. I blame the music more than Kellie's voice or, say, her rear in them thar jeans. Looks like the judges came off their crack for this one.

Paris, who I've liked since the first show (not that I watch American Idol, of course), is up now. Looks like a little Gladys Knight. Big voice... squeaky breathing. I like her performances on https://www.jasminelive.online because she gives the impression she's actually read the lyrics and knows the story they tell, rather just being a robot (a la Pickler vs. MechaPickler).

Taylor Hicks... looks like George Clooney in that lighting. And why are he and Elliott so in love with the Kevin Corvais "stiff-armed palm of great emotion" gesture? The judges' comments aside, I think the dude puts on the best show of the lot of them (well, depending on how much cleavage Katharine's outfit reveals on any given episode).

Chris Daughtry just said a Bryan Adams song was great musically and lyrically. American Idol? Maybe. Sane? Highly questionable as of tonight.

You know, guy's not a bad singer, but if he wins, I hope he uses his earnings to buy a new expression. And, hey, everyone, look - the camera loves the classical guitarists (are they contestants?). I suppose if Kat McPhee can have her own accompaniment below her chin, then Chris can have a couple of dudes with guitars.

Personally, I didn't think it was nearly as good as the judges thought... but then I'm not the one who is going to take any originality the guy has, filter it into a non-descript uber-blandness, and make millions off his labor, so what the hell do I know?

So, let's sum up: who's going home this week?

Don't really care. Unless it's Katharine. Then I weep... but, thanks to baby Jesus, we'll always have her through the magic of Google.

Amen.

Note: The American Idol formerly known as Zombyboy is doing some Cliff's Notes blogging on the show.

Note 2: All of you Google-hunters in search of "Katharine McPhee nude," this is not the blog you're looking for. But, uh, if you do score that photo, how about let a brother know, ok?

Note 3: Another Katharine fan with running commentary and this line:

Paula's tears stand out as one of the most uncomfortable moments in a long series of uncomfortable moments.

Indeed.

Note 4: And one more:

Oh, Katharine McPhee. You can wear your tight yellow dress with your amazing boobies and your amazing legs and sing any song you want for me....

I mean, seriously was it that bad? I'll openly admit that my thought process was, "Boooobies. HAIR. HELLO, LEG! Seriously, HER HAIR! Oh, boobs of joy! KAAAAAAAATHARIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!"

. . .if Katharine gets voted off before Kellie Pickler? I will punch everyone in America in the face.

Good, that'll save me the trouble of doing the same.

APOLOGY, I WONDER

Will the right-wing blog brigades be extending any kind of apology to alleged CIA leaker Mary McCarthy in light of this?

Assuming all of the above is true, my bet is that it will change to a "yeah, but" regarding her media contacts in general. Of course, if a CIA employee had udisclosed contacts with Fox News, I think the battle cry might be a little different...

The more I look to the left and right wings of the political spectrum, the more I dislike what I see: unhinged and off-the-handle partisan whackjob nuttiness.

BLUE LIGHT BLOGGER BASH

Sure, three-and-a-half million dollars in venture capital will get you an event at the National Press Club... but a mere $200 will get you a Rocky Mountain Blogger Bash, complete with free beer courtesy of Oskar Blues, at the Denver Press Club (which happens to be the longest continuously operating press club in the United States - it also happens to be next door to a Jasmin live "gentlemen's club").

Do you realize that if Pajamas Media, rather than spending that money on creating a news aggregator, the whole of which is less than the sum of its parts, had given the money to me and David, we could have had 17,500 Rocky Mountain Blogger Bashes?

That is enough RMBBs to last for nigh on 700 generations. Just think of it - millennia hence - one of my descendants could be blogging about their latest pod , the wee F10x9981, and how later they were going to be gettin' all kinds of intoxicated...on the moon!

You know, living here in the 21st century, we miss out on all the cool stuff - interplanetary space travel, teleportation, scurvy...

FREE SPEECH, Y'ALL

From The Volokh Conspiracy comes news of students at my alma mater, the University of Alabama, fighting for their right to free speech

Exceptions to the necessity for free speech will be made, however, for any fraternity or sorority member who dares to go against The Machine for a slot in the student government.

The great irony of The Machine is that, given that only 25-30% of the student body belongs to a Greek organization, the indepdents could easily sweep each and every student government election if they'd act with even half the unity (and none of the intimidation) of the fraternities/sororities. As it stands, though, the GDIs* are like Dorothy, wandering through Oz, never realizing she's had the power to go home the entire time.

The SGA isn't skewed at Bama simply because the process is flawed, but because the electorate, much like the general American populace, is too apathetic to vote, but very willing to complain.

OH, IT'S COMING, JUST YOU WAIT

Secularists are not like Nazis, says David Limbaugh, well - not yet, but oh lordy lordy the revolution is a-comin' and them good Christians are gonna be against the wall!

But I do believe the climate that now exists in this nation with respect to Christians is the very type that existed in societies, including Nazi Germany, preceding this more severe form of persecution. The soon-to-be-persecuted class was originally stigmatized as mean-spirited and intolerant, justifying suppression of their liberties. The demonization grew systematically, and eventually full-blown persecution occurred.

The more nonsense like this I read, the more convinced I become that the religious right-wing is comprised largely of nutters with intense persecution complexes. I don't think anyone was even aware there was a "culture war" raging until they manufactured it.

It's fascinating: 83% of the population considers itself Christian, there are tens of thousands of churches across the land, we have a President who wears his religion like Bill Clinton wore White House interns, and Christians from all walks, be they good folk or evil men like Pat Robertson or Fred Phelps, can practice their religion freely, and idiots like Limbaugh call it oppression.

Note to dumbasses, regardless of religion: a government that doesn't endorse your god is not the same as a government that denies your god.