Al Sharpton: Not Just a Bigot

Also a consistent coward, liar, hypocrite, master of post-hoc waffling, and purveyor of misdirection:

Christopher Hitchens is quite capable of defending himself, but obviously there’s a distinction to be made. Hitchens makes a specific, fact-based observation about the recent history of the Mormon faith. Sharpton responds by constructing an “other” out of a religious community, and then bounces around the networks denying that he meant what he said. Ick.

George F. Will on Hate Crimes

The House passed a bill this week extending the protection of hate crimes legislation to homosexuals, and I feel the urge to “vote for it before I vote against it.” I oppose any hate crimes legislation on principle – namely, the principle that the content of our thoughts is beyond the legitimate scope of government regulation. But so long as we have these shameful laws we ought at least to extend their benefits to the relevant groups; when the initial laws were passed, it was obvious to everyone that sexual minorities were deliberately excluded from protection.

And as with the legislation, I’m ambivalent about George Will’s column on the matter, which simultaneously contains interesting, principled points and creepy insinuations of white victimhood (dressed up, as they usually are, in the demagogic conceit of the “double standard”).

Basic truth:

Laws hold us responsible for controlling our minds, which should control our conduct. But government increasingly wants to inventory and furnish our minds, removing socially undesirable desires. Law has always had the expressive function of stigmatizing particular kinds of conduct, but hate-crime laws treat certain actions as especially wicked because the actors had odious (although not illegal) frames of mind.

Interesting, probably apt suspicion:

Local law enforcement organizations favor HR 1592, which promises money….Hate-crime laws are indignation gestures. Legislators federalize the criminal law in order to use it as a moral pork barrel to express theatrical empathy.

Gross overestimation of George W. Bush’s commitment to principle:

If the bill makes it to the president's desk, he probably will veto it because it is moral exhibitionism by Congress with no constitutional authorization.

Cloying, surreptitious, and weird suggestion that well-fed white people can’t get fair shake in modern America:

When in 1989, a gang of black and Hispanic youths went "wilding" in Central Park, raping and savagely beating a white jogger, was this considered a hate crime? No, because the youths also assaulted some Hispanics, so their punishment was not enhanced….Complications multiply, protected categories proliferate. Next? People who wear fur or eat meat? Some writings by the killer at Virginia Tech expressed hatred of the rich, but they are not a category protected in this year's hate-crime legislation.

Hmmm. Well, you tackle bad laws with the allies you have, not the allies you wish you had.

An Open Invitation

The quarterly debate between the University of Washington Young Democrats and College Republicans will be held at 7:00 p.m. on May 30, in Gowen 301. More information, via the Facebook invitation, can be reached here. Usually, they draw 100+ spectators and range in tone from a serious discussion of the issues to light-hearted partisan banter to caustic personal barb-trading. This quarter's (working) resolutions:

• Handguns should be outlawed in the United States.
• Capital punishment should be abolished in the United States.

I'm not sure if I'll actually be debating, but I'm slated to work on the capital punishment resolution. (Between you and me, dear reader, I'm pretty sure outlawing all handguns is grossly unconstitutional. But if anyone can make the case - and be very aggressive and entertaining in doing so - that person is Max Wagner.)

How Does Kaasa Feel About Marriage?

A myspace quiz once asked me, “Do you want to get married?”

I answered, “That’s like asking, Do you want to get divorced?”

It’s a philosophy that’s been driven home even more for me over the past few days. My parents were 19 and 20 when they got married. I’m 21, so I guess that means I’m breaking the cycle. Today’s P-I on the work of the feminazis:

The marriage rate in Washington is at its lowest in two decades. And so is the divorce rate.

[…]

But other trends also may be leading to fewer breakups, primarily that couples are waiting longer to get married. That gives them more time to mature, finish their education, start their careers and get to know each other, researchers said.

Go figure.

General David H. Petraeus

Whatever happens in Iraq over the next year, no one will be able to fault the mission’s commander for a lack of strength and leadership. Rarely has a civilian administration been quite so unworthy of the honor and integrity of this country’s military leadership. Gen. Petraeus wrote this letter to the men and women under his command, in response to the disturbing discoveries of a recent troop survey:

10 May 2007

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen serving in Multi-National Force—Iraq:

Our values and the laws governing warfare teach us to respect human dignity, maintain our integrity, and do what is right. Adherence to our values distinguishes us from our enemy. This fight depends on securing the population, which must understand that we—not our enemies—occupy the moral high ground. This strategy has shown results in recent months. Al Qaeda’s indiscriminate attacks, for example, have finally started to turn a substantial portion of the Iraqi population against it.

In view of this, I was concerned by the results of a recently released survey conducted last fall in Iraq that revealed an apparent unwillingness on the part of some US personnel to report illegal actions taken by fellow members of their units. The study also indicated that a small percentage of those surveyed may have mistreated noncombatants. This survey should spur reflection on our conduct in combat.

I fully appreciate the emotions that one experiences in Iraq.

I also know firsthand the bonds between members of the “brotherhood of the close fight.” Seeing a fellow trooper killed by a barbaric enemy can spark frustration, anger, and a desire for immediate revenge. As hard as it might be, however, we must not let these emotions lead us—or our comrades in arms—to commit hasty, illegal actions. In the event that we witness or hear of such actions, we must not let our bonds prevent us from speaking up.

Some may argue that we would be more effective if we sanctioned torture or other expedient methods to obtain information from the enemy. They would be wrong. Beyond the basic fact that such actions are illegal, history shows that they also are frequently neither useful nor necessary. Certainly, extreme physical action can make someone “talk”; however, what the individual says may be of questionable value. In fact our experience in applying the interrogation standards laid out in the Army Field Manual (2-22.3) on Human Intelligence Collector Operations that was published last year shows that the techniques in the manual work effectively and humanely in eliciting information from detainees.

We are, indeed, warriors. We train to kill our enemies. We are engaged in combat, we must pursue the enemy relentlessly, and we must be violent at times. What sets us apart from our enemies in this fight, however, is how we behave. In everything we do, we must observe the standards and values that dictate that we treat noncombatants and detainees with dignity and respect. While we are warriors, we are also all human beings. Stress caused by lengthy deployments and combat is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign that we are human. If you feel such stress, do not hesitate to talk to your chain of command, your chaplain, or a medical expert.

We should use the survey results to renew our commitment to the values and standards that make us who we are and to spur re-examination of these issues. Leaders, in particular, need to discuss these issues with their troopers—and, as always, they need to set the right example and strive to ensure proper conduct. We should never underestimate the importance of good leadership and the difference it can make.

Thanks for what you continue to do. It is an honor to serve with each of you.

David H. Petraeus
General, United States Army
Commanding

(Via Andrew Sullivan)

The results of the survey were upsetting, of course, and intellectually I know that someone has to stand up and say something. But like most people, I’m instinctively loathe to criticize the people doing my fighting for me – the psychological toll of policing a complex guerilla/terrorist war as an occupying force, coupled with extended deployments and an uncertain mission, is certainly more than I think I could bear. Team trust and camaraderie is what keeps soldiers alive, and there’s no way to fight a war without subtly dehumanizing your enemy; if your enemy is able to fade in and out of the civilian population, then you end up dehumanizing and mistreating civilians as well. A message like this has to come from inside the military, from a well-known and trusted and honest commander, so that the troops know they’re being led and not lectured.

40 Year Old Virgin

It's a shame that I have a midterm tomorrow, because there are lots of things to post on today. I'll confine myself to this funny/sad little tidbit picked up via Andrew Sullivan. Meet Albert - and sympathize with his long, forlorn search for love.

This Sort of... Works

Via The Plank. Bill Richardson's new ad campaign manages to play up both experience and the "regular guy" trope - not an easy feat. Some viewers wondered if the candidate comes across as "presidential" enough; maybe not, but attention grabbers like these are just what second-tier candidates need if they want to have a shot at gaining on the pack leaders this summer.

100th Post

Truth be told, I thought this blog wouldn’t last a week. But here we are. We did it together. And we can’t stop now.

Seriously. While we stroke our egos here in Seattle, bloggers around the world are playing bigger and bigger roles in the struggles against their own lawless governments. Today’s inspiring story comes from Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe’s 27-year-old regime is slowly losing its grip on the country. Blogger Bev Clark of kubatanablogs is rallying the troops. Visit them here.

Good Lord, Is She Still on This?

The six (apparently brain-dead) “jihadists” who were planning a commando assault on a New Jersey military base were turned in by a Circuit City clerk. It seems he was disturbed that the group asked him to convert a jihad training video from VHS to DVD. Enter Michelle Malkin, who is still plugging her largely non-existent “John Doe” vigilante “movement," proving that that repulsive conservative machismo infects Republican women as well as Republican men.

Check out the “John Doe Manifesto,” and don't forget Chris Kelley’s mockery of it.

William Jefferson Clinton

Good things can happen when he employs his extraordinarily talents in the service of people who are not... Bill or Hillary Clinton. I vastly prefer him as an ex-president.

Questions Spiderman Should Ask Himself

Dilbert Blog is fun because Scott Adams has a knack for simple, individualistic, utilitarian wisdom. A better name might be Wally Blog:

I also ruled out any profession that involved risking my life to save other people. I ask too many questions for those sorts of jobs. For example, before I rush into a burning building to save someone, I want to know if that person is more deserving of life than me. If not, there’s no point in getting incinerated just to make the world a worse place. Recently I gave a talk to a classroom of 9-year olds. It wasn’t hard to identify the ones who would do a cost-benefit analysis before rushing into the burning building. That shit starts early.

Sympathizing with George W. Bush

A spat of graded midterms has been handed back to me recently, and I can't help but wonder if this was how good ole George Jr. felt in the aftermath of his recent midterm test:

I'll be honest. This was a thumpin'.

Ethics of Porn Watching

Neil the Ethical Werewolf posts a summation of the interesting “Great Porn Conversation” that’s been taking place on Ezra Klein’s site recently. He concludes with an appeal to principled consistency:

As a utilitarian and a generally compassionate person, it strikes me as terribly wrong that any woman in porn faces social disapproval for actions that caused no harm and only pleasure to others. We should all do what we can to bring about a time when this stigma is erased. Those of us who, in times of loneliness, have relied on porn for our primary means of sexual release have particularly strong obligations in this regard. We should oppose those who condemn the women of porn and sexually active women generally, and never engage in similar condemnatory behavior ourselves. It's unmanly, ungrateful, and immoral to bite the hand that you wank to.

It’s the least you can do.

Solidarity With Tehran's Reformist Students

Now this is what being a student - and a citizen - is all about.

The Wrong Way to Greet a Sarkozy Victory

Marty Peretz seems to think Nicolas Sarkozy is quite the political juggernaut, anticipating “significant change” on “at least three” major fronts. The first two – predictions of nation-saving economic revival and an “exhilarating” strengthening of the Euro-American alliance – are strained enough on the night of the election, but the last is downright nauseating:

The third will be the initial experiment among the western powers in dethroning the cult of multiculturalism. Majorities have a right--even an obligation--to preserve their own ethics, norms, cultures and histories. They have a right to define the qualifications for membership in and even admission to their societies. This will be the struggle of the 21st century. And not just in France.

I never grow tired of saying this, which is good because evidently I’m going to be saying it well into the 21^st century: Tradition is not its own justification. Majorities and minorities alike have a right to “preserve” their identities in the realm of free dialogue. An election, or anything having to do with state power, should be completely beside the point. The realm is what the state imposes on the society, the realm is the only legitimate sacred cow, the realm is what deserves our collective protection.

This is so exasperatingly basic. I suggest we get everyone to agree on this before we fight our next battle against radical Muslims who believe that “majorities have a right--even an obligation--to preserve their own ethics, norms, cultures and histories” with state power and violence.

UPDATE: Matthew Yglesias points out that Peretz is likely to be disappointed if he's looking for a European culture warrior in Sarkozy.

Sarkozy Elected, Gul Withdraws

The son of Hungarian immigrants wins the highest office of a country whose politics have been marked by cultural anxiety and xenophobia in recent years. He campaigned on revitalizing the French economy and on the tough-guy image he garnered in his response to the immigrant slum riots of 2005, and won 53-47 in an election for which 85 percent of voters turned out. In his victory speech, he made peace offerings both to the Muslim minorities and to his new “American friends”.

Jacques Chirac is out, George W. Bush is an über-lame duck, and Tony Blair will soon be replaced by Gordon Brown*. The dynamics of the Atlantic alliance will be changing rapidly over the next 18 months; let’s hope it’s a period characterized by a bit more amity than we’re used to, eh?

Meanwhile, Geoffrey Wheatcroft at Slate points out that the French election and the Turkish presidential mess have big implications for one another – foremost among them that Turkey won’t be admitted to the European Union anytime soon. Abdullah Gul, the leader of the country’s pseudo-Islamist party and (inexplicably) a candidate whom no one is running against, withdrew his candidacy after a second parliamentary vote failed to produce a quorum. The Turkish military has a long tradition of not tolerating religious politics – it’s launched four pro-secular coups since 1960, the most recent in 1997 – and despite the highly-publicized protest last week, the general consensus seems to be that the bulk of the pressure to keep Gul out of office is coming from the ranks and not from the streets.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a greater advocate for secular politics than me, and my sympathy lies squarely with my secular Turkish comrades who are navigating the current crisis through democratic channels. But democracy means democracy, even if we don’t like the result. Religious chauvinism is a threat to any modern society, but it can’t violate secular legal tradition until it has the opportunity to wield state power; and until it does violate a bedrock secular institution, it can’t legitimately be denied the power the Turkish people have given it. Political Islamism is cringe-worthy even in its dilute, cryptic Turkish form, but military thuggery of this kind is a shamefully furtive and universally repugnant thing.

(*Yes, this did originally read "Gordon Smith", and I have yet again revealed my deep-set and reticent ignorance of the world outside America's borders. For shame, Kaasa.)

Savor These Numbers

The polling gospel of Newsweek:

· Clinton beats McCain 50-44

· Obama beats McCain 52-39

· Edwards beats McCain 52-42

· Clinton beats Giuliani 49-46

· Obama beats Giuliani 50-43

· Edwards beats Giuliani 50-44

· Clinton crushes Romney 57-35

· Obama crushes Romney 58-29

· Edwards crushes Romney 64-27

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY PREDICTIONS: If any man have an ear, let him hear, for this is wisdom. Redux 2004 – Obama is the charismatic political reformer in the Howard Dean tradition, and will become entangled in a brutal Iowa fight with Clinton, the establishment candidate in the Dick Gephardt tradition. Edwards will become everyone’s second choice in the John Kerry tradition.

In the Iowa caucuses, a candidate has to achieve a 15 percent floor to win any delegates at all. When the Gephardt 2004 campaign realized it couldn’t muster those numbers in most of the counties, it instructed its delegates to throw their support behind Kerry, the big-name candidate who was more electable than Dean. We’ll see the same pattern this summer and fall – Obama will gain a major fundraising and polling edge through December, but a feud with Clinton will eventually take its toll. On caucus night, Clinton will tell her supporters to move to the tried-and-true Edwards camp, and the Iowa momentum will carry him to the nomination.

This time the right man will win the election. It’s a year-and-a-half out, sure, but every political bone in my body tells me the Republicans don’t stand a chance of regrouping before 2008.