20060823

Somewhere, a country radio programmer's head is exploding

The author of the title to this post is Southern Beale.

Southern and I crossed paths after I found the Music Row Democrats. I've started a diary over there under the name "centralnychick"

True Confession time... I listen to country music. Yup...tears-in-my-beer,-dog-left-me,-but-I'm-still-making-my-way-though-life Country Music.

Now, I still listen to Sinatra and have every Bowie song too, but the radio's pretty much set to the local Big Frog station.

There's an emotional aspect of country music at appeals to me. I like tales of life and I hear that in country more than other forms.

But the Publicans have poisoned that well too. A woman I know made a beautiful commemoration of 9.11 and she used the song Where Were You? by Alan Jackson. That song still moves me to tears more often then not. Alan knew that on that day when the world stopped turning, we were all American and he sang the words that were in our hearts and was part of the starting healing.

But answering Shrub's call for a crusade, Toby Keith went on a musical rampage of carpet bombing, inserting 'boots into asses' and dogs fighting. His Lady Liberty doesn't welcome the poor huddled masses. No, she shoves a fist at them.

Any we wondered why America lost the sympathy of the world? Why did Gitmo surprise us?

And I still listened to country music, though I did find myself turning the dial when Keith's song came on. The song scared me. It condoned the violence and hatred that Bill Clinton urged us to avoid on 9.11 and it supported the fanatics and terrorists in my own country.

Then the Dixie Chicks expressed their opinion. Female country singers have always displayed strength and fortitude that I admired. There's a strength and life-affirming attitude that appeals to me and I get a recharge every time I turn the radio on.

Now, gosh-darn-it.. how dare a woman speak her mind!? Who does she think she is... someone with a brain!?

So, for daring to express her opinion, Natalie Maines got dropped by radio stations, threatened with physical harm and called all kinds of names that no southern gentleman would ever use.

And she kept on singing. She's Not Ready to Make Nice and neither am I.

Music, movies, news for Democrats and a polite, warm welcome... doesn't get much better than that.

Oh, the title of this post came from a reply to my profile there:
Central NY, Democrat, South Asian heritage, work at a college, muslim, and I listen to Country music.
Maimun

20060820

Red herring goes well with whine

There are times I've had people mandated to see me because they broke the rules. Sometimes, it's meaningful and those people are able to make needed changes in their lives or at least learn skills or better ways of thinking.

But, for the most part, when they come in with 1,001 excuses of why they really didn't do wrong or a list of a hundred of other people who did the same thing and weren't punished, I pretty much expect and usually see that person head right back to judiciary to get the results of not doing what they should.

When someone doesn't have the proof that he or she is right, all they can do is whine about how wrong everything else is.

Fundamentacons (that's my new word for the Fundamental Republicans that are to America what Osama Bin Forgotten is to Muslims) need to stop being spoiled 4 year olds. You broke the proverbial Grandma's vase by running through the living room and screaming about how Johnny down the road supposedly did something does not relieve you of the responsibility of making amends for destroying the vase.

People who break the law then do their time, and make amends are entitled to most of their rights. (Obviously, see Election 2000, this rule does not apply in Florida or to African American males in the south. Also to those who might have the same name of someone who broke the law.)

Friends, family and co-workers who like each other actually do things to show that positive regard.

That Mike Arcuri's campaign took a donation from a felon is no different from the thousands of other donations that were made that day to all the campaigns in the country. That he returned them upon an FBI investigation being made public was as right as all the other times he has acted fairly, honorably, and ethically. And to help all those wanna-be-lawyers who think they got their degree by watching too many hours of Law and Order, Mike is the Oneida County DA. The FBI is a different law enforcement agency.

People who worked in the DA's office carried petitions to get Mike's name on the ballot. So did an awful lot of other people too, but the Fundamentacons are having a fit over those particular carriers. And of course, the Observer-Dispatch is all over that too. (picture the Grinch rubbing his hands with glee after he got all the stolen Christmas memorabilia into his cave.)

And like all Fundamentalists, the Fundamentacons read every other line and think they heard the voice of God. Here's the Ethics Opinion. Now, that's the second time in one week I've had to sit and read a document written by lawyers and I'm no lawyer. But, this is the Conclusion of Opinion 683:

CONCLUSION
For the reasons given, we adhere to the opinion expressed in New York State 675 (1995), that it is improper for an Assistant District Attorney to participate actively in the incumbent District Attorney's reelection campaign.

That's dinner for tonight... 2 red herrings, caught, filleted and grilled for your enjoyment.
Maimun