They put up an ad that they intended to be COMPLETELY DEVOID of anything political, offensive, or upsetting. If it caused a mini-uproar, it makes total sense to pull it.

If the ad made an untended political statement, pulling the ad did the same thing. I submit the statement made by pulling the ad was worse. In essence, it said the opinion of any Arab-American is less concern to us than the opinion of racist Islamophobes like those to whom Malkin panders. There is no way to avoid a political statement in this kind of situation. I have far more respect for Disney for refusing to withdraw the Gay Day at Disney world in the face of similar pressure than I do for Dunkin' Donuts. Starbucks, here I come.

Posted at June 26, 2008 2:51 PM in response to A Little Boycott - Heinz & Dunkin Donuts

My letter to Congressman James Langevin of Rhode Island:

Regarding your vote of FISA. Let me just say this: I'm very proud of representative Patrick Kennedy. That should tell you that I am not proud of your vote. I hope to read that both Senators vote against this nefarious bill so I can say I'm proud of three/fourths of the legislators from a State with a proud history of defense of liberty and the rights guaranteed by the constitution. Ben Franklin once said something to the effect that those who would exchange liberty for safety are deserving of neither. I concur. And I imagine few of our founding fathers would have colluded in exonerating the telephone companies from their complicity in warrantless wiretapping.

Posted at June 20, 2008 2:07 PM in response to Today's Must Read

Greg Sargent says

To be clear, that's not a criticism of Obama. Presuming this is true,...

Why add this particular bit of snark? It echoes of others who damn with faint praise, or perhaps praise with faint damns. "presuming it's true he's Christian," and the like.

Presuming Sargent doesn't have a horse in this race, I'd say that this frame is really beneath him.

Posted at March 28, 2008 7:47 AM in response to Obama: "I'm Not Vetting My Pastor"

Ellen suggests it may be ringing in my ears rather than the Voice of God. If it is, the ringing was in MLK's ears and not in mine. The italicized section indicating a direct quote from King's Sermon at the National Cathedral should have extended one more paragraph. Had this mediocre new posting mechanism allowed a preview I would have caught it.
But I guess the privilege of receiving an Ellen snark makes the lack of proofreading ability all worthwhile.

Posted at March 19, 2008 10:33 AM in response to Obama and His Church

Mr. Kilgore says:

I don't know anyone better equipped to, say, compare and contrast Wright's prophetic stance to that of Martin Luther King, Jr., who moved and changed America instead of damning it--precisely what Barack Obama says he intends to do as president of the United States.

I think it would be a good idea to read a bit more King before making this comparison. Here's King, speaking at the National Cathedral in Washington in 1968:

"One day we will have to stand before the God of history and we will talk in terms of things we’ve done. Yes, we will be able to say we built gargantuan bridges to span the seas, we built gigantic buildings to kiss the skies. Yes, we made our submarines to penetrate oceanic depths. We brought into being many other things with our scientific and technological power.

It seems that I can hear the God of history saying, 'That was not enough! But I was hungry, and ye fed me not. I was naked, and ye clothed me not. I was devoid of a decent sanitary house to live in, and ye provided no shelter for me. And consequently, you cannot enter the kingdom of greatness. If ye do it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye do it unto me.' That’s the question facing America today."

Read the whole thing at
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publications/sermons/680331.000_Remaining_Awake.html

Prior to this, King recounts the Parable of Dives and Lazarus, noting that Dives was sent to Hell, and all his riches didn't save him.

King may have been more "literary" and "polished" than the Reverend Wright. I don't know, I've only heard what the media has chosen to let me hear. But I think it inescapable that King was calling America to Divine Judgment no less than Wright, even though he was perhaps too polite to use the word Damn in the National Cathedral. To my mind, there wasn't a lick-spittle's difference in their prophetic stances beyond the elegance of King's rhetoric, and King was killed for his.

aMike

Posted at March 18, 2008 9:46 PM in response to Obama and His Church

Amen.

And I've voted for in every election since 1964. If I get the chance to cast my vote for Obama it will be my proudest one.

amike

Posted at March 18, 2008 9:04 PM in response to Full Text Of Obama's Big Race Speech: A Big Break With Political Precedent

I loved this speech, personally, politically, and professionally. Historically speaking (which is what I do professionally) I predict that the speech will ultimately be known as "The Speech" when Obama's role is assessed. I'll make one more prediction: I expect to see it in the collection on American Rhetoric http://www.americanrhetoric.com/ within weeks, if not days...joining his two landmark speeches they've already preserved for posterity.

This was something special. I read it with tears in my eyes, having lived through the era of which he spoke, and hoping to help him put that era behind us.

aMike

Posted at March 18, 2008 1:04 PM in response to Full Text Of Obama's Big Race Speech: A Big Break With Political Precedent

Bravo CSCS

I didn't realize it, but I guess I've been on strike myself. I miss the html editor. I know just enough html to write in italics and boldface. All the cool bulleted lists and indents and links I used to be able to do . I suppose I could learn a bit more html...but hey, I'm an old guy.

I miss the ability to rate posts. I wanna give you fives, bud, all fives, and I want to thwack trolls with numbers, rather than snarky or rude retorts. I had hoped in the name of participatory democracy to be able to toss a few numbers at the paid elite (they are paid, no? Fives for Jared, tinier numbers for one or two who I refain to name.

So I'm on strike for the old format, the old editor, and a chance to see my old TPM friends in more congenial surroundings. I can't even proofread things any more. I cud bee meaking lost of tieping miztakes and I can't perview them.

Thankee for standing up for us. Hi to all the other oldtimers I see in the comments column. I miss ye.

aMike

Posted at March 17, 2008 8:00 PM in response to The TPM Strike Starts NOW!

Amen and amen Nice nice job, Kosmik

aMike

Posted at March 12, 2008 7:33 AM in response to Ferraro's Latest: "They're Attacking Me Because I'm White"

I'm much happier with Dr. Baker's article than I am with the link which got me here. Every time I read a trope on James Carville's "It's the economy stupid," I get the heebie-jeebies. David Kurtz: Please. Just. Stop.

Posted at March 10, 2008 1:15 PM in response to The Recession: It's the Housing Bubble, Not the War