I consider myself a progressive but I have absolutely no problem with that liscense plate. Sometimes liberals do take things too far and I think this would be an example of that. It is part of their heritage and besides, States Rights. Who here complained when D.C. came out with their Taxation without Representation plates?

Barack Obama nearly has 1,000,000 contributors to his campaign. That is amazing.

And they want to change the last line of the national anthem to "the land of the free and the home of the slave!"

Open thread, I'd like to comment on the debate, but the debate post is closed to comments now. So I'll comment about it here: I thought Obama did very well and Clinton failed to knock him out, which she needed to do. My guess is he'll be the nominee following next week. He's got Dodd's support and he's closing the gap in Ohio and Texas. Clinton is cooked.

I've just come down to Florida for a short contract. It's true, they really don't think right down here. It must be that water draining out of Alabama.

is this for real? i have not heard of this.

So the KKK is running the Pentagon. I guess that explains allot.

another bush runs florida

Immigrants are less likely to be criminals than natives.
This one's from yesterday, but Bush is still an idiot. Iraq doesn't want Turkey in its country, but the U.S. washes its hands of the tension. The WH e-mail is as primitive as can be?

Drug-immune TB is spreading.
America's illiteracy
problem. (Seven million!)

Text link on illiteracy.

Watched the debate with a bunch of Hillary supporters. They almost beat my ass (if looks could beat your ass) when I clapped for a few things that Obama had to say.

Glad that Hillary FINALLY said that she would take back her 2002 war resolution vote.

So instead of asking a question about the Israeli Palestinian conflict Russert had both Obama and Clinton kissing the Israeli Lobbies ass. The 800lb gorilla in all of the debates has been the Israeli Palestinian conflict. No one will touch it

What CHANGE from the old way. Obama and Clinton are really staking out new territory on this issue...hell no one will even discuss one of the most critical issues in the middle east...REAL CHANGE RIGHT

We have yet to hear either candidate take on Edwards talking point “no lobbyist in his administration. No lobbyist who have lobbied for another nation” We know that they have taken on many of Edwards issues but not that one.

According to Scott Ritter Hillary knew that Iraq had no WMD’s back in the 90’s.

http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0303-23.htm

“In February 1998 the Clinton administration backed a diplomatic effort undertaken by then-Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, to help get the weapons inspection process back on track (inspections had been stalled since January 1998, when a team I led was prevented by the Iraqis from carrying out its mission because, as the Iraqis maintained, there were too many Americans and British on the team implementing the unilateral policy of regime change instead of the mandated task of disarmament). Hillary stated that she wanted a strong UN resolution designed to promote viable weapons inspections, and specifically singled out the compromises brokered by Kofi Annan to get inspectors back into Iraq as a failed effort which weakened the inspection process. What she fails to mention is that her husband initially supported the Annan mission, not so much because it paved a path towards disarmament, but rather because it provided a cover for legitimizing regime change.

I sat in the office of then US Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, as the United States cut a deal with then-United Nations Special Commission Executive Chairman Richard Butler, where the timing and actions of an inspection team led my myself (a decision which was personally approved by Bill Clinton) would be closely linked to a massive US aerial bombardment of Iraq triggered by my inspection. I was supposed to facilitate a war by prompting Iraqi non-compliance. Instead, I did my job and facilitated an inspection that pushed the world closer to a recognition that Iraq was complying with its disarmament obligation. As a reward, I was shunned form the inspection process by the Clinton administration.

It doesn’t matter if HIllary apologizes for her Iraq vote
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/48729/
“”So it is with conviction,” Hillary said at the moment of her vote, “that I support this resolution as being in the best interests of our nation. A vote for it is not a vote to rush to war; it is a vote that puts awesome responsibility in the hands of our president, and we say to him — use these powers wisely and as a last resort. And it is a vote that says clearly to Saddam Hussein — this is your last chance — disarm or be disarmed.”

It turned out Saddam was in fact already disarmed. And it turned out that Hillary’s husband, President Bill Clinton, knew this when he ordered the bombing of Iraq in 1998. Hillary can try to twist and turn the facts as she defends the words she spoke when casting her fateful vote in favor of a war with Iraq. But no amount of rewriting history can shield her from the failed policies of her very own husband, policies she embraced willingly and wholeheartedly when endorsing war”

Aaron @ 1

Do you have a lawn jockey in your front yard, too?

Having lived in Florida as a youngster, my memories would have me design a tag extolling the joys of living "Florida Style". The first problem would be how to represent the smothering, totally oppressive humidity... some droplets of water running down the face of the plate perhaps. It would be encrusted with mosquitoes and shockingly large spiders. The background would be rust. Several lightning bolts would represent Florida's leading the world in lightning strikes per square mile. It would be ringed by a squashed snake having been run over while seeking heat on the pavement. Mildew and mold would cover the word "Florida". OK, that's about right.

Michelle Bernard from Independent Woman's Voice on Hardball(before the debate) comments about Queen hillary's actions and meltdowns that have occurred in this last week.- Feb.26,08
Michelle Bernard on the Queen hillary meltdown

It's not the heat in Fla., it's the humidity that rots the brains.

GDliberal @ 31:

Michelle Bernard from Independent Woman's Voice on Hardball(before the debate) comments about Queen hillary's actions and meltdowns that have occurred in this last week.- Feb.26,08
Michelle Bernard on the Queen hillary meltdown

Michelle Bernard is a GOP shill , as is the entire "Independent Women's Forum" she is the president of ; nothing else.

I don't give a damn what any GOP tool has to say about a Dem.......

Some facts about the Confederacy. Whether you want to feel warm and fuzzy about the heritage is up to you.

* It was a police state. Private citizens were pressed into patrols to keep unauthorized human slaves from escaping. Editorials against the institution of slavery and any public protest of the institution of slavery were banned. In some parts of the confederacy, fully 40% of the human poopulation were in bondage. 40%! The Soviet Union and Nazi Germany never got even close to that.

* It was a basket-case economy, and any attempt to modernize and liberalize it was met by resistance by a small ruling elite. Yes, the Confederacy was run like the RIAA. The only industrial grade iron works south of the Mason Dixon line capable of producing materiel at any scale was in Baltimore. Unfortunately for the Plantation economy, Maryland was more interested in being part of the modern world than sustaining a retarded merchantile economy, so they neutralized themselves early in the war, allowing Federal troops access to Washington DC. The border states that were not cotton dependent, thus not slave dependent and not bound by federal tarrifs, actually contributed many, many more troops to the Federal army than the Confederate army.

That was bad news for the cotton belt states, because they were so paranoid in the early part of the about policing the huge percentage of their population living in gulags (the human slaves, in other words), they were reluctant to spare many troops to the front, and thus looked to the less slavery dependent states to provide cannon fodder. I guess that's kind of understandable, since a full 35-40% of the cotton belt population had a deeply vested interest in the destruction of slavery.

Between the troops contributed to the Union by Unionist southerners, border state unionists, and escaped slaves, the Union army's ranks were swelled by 450,000 troops.

The defeat of the South, like the defeat of Nazism, Fascism, and the collapse of Communism, had its roots in the very fact that the system that propped up that piece of crap was rotten from the beginning.

That's the Confederate heritage.

And as far as slavery not be the cause of the war.... states in the deep south were threaten seccession if the Republican nominee was elected, because the Republican Party had emanicipation AS A POLICY PLANK.

As far as the flag, Southern hertiage apologists have done nothing to take back the standard from the thick-necked thugs that approriated it. When Bull Connor, Lester Maddox and George Wallace were doing what they could to make sure Southern blacks were not given sufferage, they fully wrapped themselves in the Stars and Bars, and funny enough, the great civilized South didn't said "No, you don't. That symbol is not for sale." Southerners lost the right to get sniffy about the stars and bars when they didn't take up the chance to ennoble it. It is a symbol of backward, vicious banana republic whose very existence was dependent on the enslavement of a huge percentage of its population.

Greg @ 361, if one was to list the atrosities of Slavery it would be a disturbing education to many. If one were to list the atrocities of the Civil War or any war for that matter, on either side, I am sure the trade of evils could go on forever. I wonder why when people try to clarify misconceptions about a subject, particularly the Civil War, in an unbiased manner, they are labeled 'twits', 'racists', 'slavery lovers' or the like? And as I stated in an earlier comment, many on radical end of both sides resort to the abbreviated history we were taught in grade school as a basis of these deductions or from the creative license of movie directors and novelists to prove 'their' point. Or such as you have, listing a one-sided abbreviated listing of selected historical facts of the event. What harm would it do to actually take an 'honest' look finally at all sides and realize in their struggle to gain control,that it was an event that basically was between the wealthy and the politically powerful with their ideologies and greed on both sides that were at root of the Civil War that was fought by and suffered by the common man on all sides. And the lasting affect on the region and the generations for all these years. Instead the issue has been used as a political and racial tool to instigate division, ignite hatrid & bigotry, justify racial injustice and intolerance, and a convenient issue to throw into any situation to incite a passionate outcry, not on one side but all sides.

One point I would like you to clarify is your statement, 'emancipation was the 'policy plank' of the Republican Party?' My understanding is that the policy platforms of the Republican Party were, 'tariffs, a federal railroad to the West and affirmation for each state to control their own institutions, i.e. slavery but denied Congress to allow the 'expansion' of slavery into the new territories. In other words, they were not seeking to END slavery but to not admit any new territories into the Democratic Southern States.

I mispoke. The Republican party partly came into being as a federalist response to what was termed "Slave Power"; that is the influence of Southern slave-owning aristocracy in forcing Free Labor states to uphold slavery laws, specifically in capturing runaway slaves. Of the three parties at the time, the Republicans were the only party that had an abolitionist wing with any sort of influence on policy. At the convention leading up to the 1860 election, abolitionist politicians were agitating loudly for an anti-slavery plank, one that freaked out Southern politicians. Southern Democratic state conventions started agitating for secession if the Republican party, which was preceived as the party of abolition, came to office.

Ruthless People @ 327:

Ruthless People @ 324:

Verdillac @ 313:

Floridiot @ 304:

However, until the former Confederate States Copyright the Stars and Bars and sue every hate group in the world for misusing it as such, the flag with continue to be associated with KKK rallies, Neo Nazis , etc.

The best way to take the Stars and Bars back from these cretins, is for those individuals (that the cretins depise) to take up the flag as their own victory herald.

Nothing could make a White Supremacist's head explode faster than seeing non-whites wearing the Stars and Bars.

Perhaps African Americans should start hanging themselves from trees too? Yea, that'll show em!

....and Jews can start adorning the swastika too! White Supremacists heads will explode and hate and bigotry will cease to exist! Gee, why didn't I think of that!!

Since when have you ever thought? :-D

James M. Martin @ 110:

I hope this doesn't offend, but from everything I have always heard, Florida is the weirdest state in the union. A bizarre mix of retired New York Jews (an old joke goes, "the longest bridge in the world is the one between Miami and Israel"); Seminoles; African-Americans; rednecked "Southern" crackers; Cuban refugees, and a little bit of everything else you can think of. Any state that can produce Harry Crews and Katerine Harris is strange indeed. Anita Bryant hated gays but got the boot as spokesperson for the citrus industry, much of it owned at the time by the late Bing Crosby, who was a little bit right of Lush Rambo. (And, now that I mention it, doesn't the famous radio comedian live there, too?) Not to mention O.J. and John Evander Couey. And people think Texas is kooky! Sheesh!

Harry Crews is from Georgia...

seevee @ 29:

Having lived in Florida as a youngster, my memories would have me design a tag extolling the joys of living "Florida Style". The first problem would be how to represent the smothering, totally oppressive humidity... some droplets of water running down the face of the plate perhaps. It would be encrusted with mosquitoes and shockingly large spiders. The background would be rust. Several lightning bolts would represent Florida's leading the world in lightning strikes per square mile. It would be ringed by a squashed snake having been run over while seeking heat on the pavement. Mildew and mold would cover the word "Florida". OK, that's about right.

OK, stop it - you're making me nostalgic. In my peripatetic life, I've lived a large chunk of it in Florida (I still have a small house there) and miss it - humidity, mosquitoes and all.

The only way I could really support this idea is if this is only a novelty plate that is specifically selected by individuals.  In some states you can have a novelty plate (I.E. U.S. Army, USMC, or some other organization) on the front of your vehicle while having the required by law state issued plate on the back.  I could even support a novelty Malcom X plate.  However, if it becomes an official license plate issued by the state itself.  Then I see a very big problem.

It appears that Obama 'won' the debate.

Why don't I feel like celebrating?

Matt in Texas @ 30:

Nate F @ 18:

I personally have no problem with the plate as long as it is being promoted and provided by a private company not the State. Do not get me wrong, the confederate flag is very offensive to me and many others as it should be, but people have their own private right (freedom of speech - the burden of harm to be proven by the state) to do what they want. What I would hope this plate were about would be to raise funds for a museum that educates individuals on the meaning behind the battle flag of the confederate states and the ideology of the confederate.

OK, so you also wouldn't have a problem with a NAMBLA license plate? An al Qaeda plate? A "God hates fags" plate?

Personally? Yes, I would. I find each of them disgusting to be frank. I am simply stating as an American and as the law currently stands with the ruling on freedom of speech you are entitled to free speech including the image of the KKK member - as I said before, the burden to declare a restraint on speech must be fully demonstrated by the state.

Aaron @ 1:

I consider myself a progressive but I have absolutely no problem with that liscense plate. Sometimes liberals do take things too far and I think this would be an example of that. It is part of their heritage and besides, States Rights. Who here complained when D.C. came out with their Taxation without Representation plates?

I tend to agree. The heart of the Confederacy was not slavery or even racism (although both were endemic problems among Confederate states), but the idea that each state had the right to pass and maintain whichever laws it saw fit. The CSA wanted a weak federal government, with strong state governments. It's worth noting that this was also the vision of the Framers of the US Constitution. Of course, it was the Federalist ideal that won the US Civil War. And while nobody can say where we'd be as a nation if the Confederate ideal had won out, but it's a safe bet that we wouldn't be in Iraq.

Did any one stop to think how our modern American flag symbolizes imperialism, torture, and we don't give a fuck what the world thinks?

Seems to me I see that flag on a lot of license plates and no one's complaining.

Let them wear what they want until the rest of us clean up our back yard.

Aaron @ 1:

I consider myself a progressive but I have absolutely no problem with that liscense plate. Sometimes liberals do take things too far and I think this would be an example of that. It is part of their heritage and besides, States Rights. Who here complained when D.C. came out with their Taxation without Representation plates?

And which confederate state had absolutely NO problem going to the federal courts the moment the state court said the plug could be pulled on Terri Schiavo? States Rights my ass. The confederates never gave a shit about states rights. They just wanted the highest court in the land to be in their back pocket so they could enforce their good ol' boy justice in the south. When they couldn't keep the black man oppressed by state law, they formed the KKK and behind white masks of cowardice, they oppressed the black man outside of the law.

Btw, the comment "Taxation without representation" didn't lead to the enslavement of the black people, dumbass.

I want a plate that says:

I Own An SUV

And I Tailgate!

it'll never happen.but this does prove that there is still a portion of this country that have their heads up their ass.

Dr. Matt @ 41:

The Confederate flag represents the flag of a defeated Country. Only an idiot would be stupid enough to have any pride in that rag.

"The American flag represents the flag of a defeated country. Only an idiot would be stupid enough to have any pride in that flag."

Hmm seems to work just as well.

Don't get me wrong folks I love our country and the South. I just don't think anyone should get too carried away with symbolism.

Oh. . . my . . . god. And the Republicans are worried about being considered bigots?? I SO wonder why?? Useless rednecks. PLEASE secede. Please. We won't stop you this time.

Joe O. @ 38:

The only way I could really support this idea is if this is only a novelty plate that is specifically selected by individuals.  In some states you can have a novelty plate (I.E. U.S. Army, USMC, or some other organization) on the front of your vehicle while having the required by law state issued plate on the back.  I could even support a novelty Malcom X plate.  However, if it becomes an official license plate issued by the state itself.  Then I see a very big problem.

so the busch KKKlan should have swastika novelty plates. Maybe they should drive down Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn on a Saturday with that car, OK?

or maybe a noose novelty plate! Then they can take a drive through South Central LA!

what's the difference, corporations have turned the whole country into a slave state.

Ed @ 44:

Aaron @ 1:

I consider myself a progressive but I have absolutely no problem with that liscense plate. Sometimes liberals do take things too far and I think this would be an example of that. It is part of their heritage and besides, States Rights. Who here complained when D.C. came out with their Taxation without Representation plates?

I tend to agree. The heart of the Confederacy was not slavery or even racism (although both were endemic problems among Confederate states), but the idea that each state had the right to pass and maintain whichever laws it saw fit. The CSA wanted a weak federal government, with strong state governments. It's worth noting that this was also the vision of the Framers of the US Constitution. Of course, it was the Federalist ideal that won the US Civil War. And while nobody can say where we'd be as a nation if the Confederate ideal had won out, but it's a safe bet that we wouldn't be in Iraq.

ABSOLUTELY WRONG!!!! The whole idea of the Constitution came about because the Articles of Confederation, our first form of government, was a weak confederation of states that was horrible. The Constitutional Convention was convened to address the myriad problems that existed under the Articles.

Read a history book, OK? Oh, wait - you confederate types like your history revised, right? The ol' "well, slaves in the south actually BENEFITED from slavery" bullshit.

Leslie @ 7:

Open thread, I'd like to comment on the debate, but the debate post is closed to comments now. So I'll comment about it here: I thought Obama did very well and Clinton failed to knock him out, which she needed to do. My guess is he'll be the nominee following next week. He's got Dodd's support and he's closing the gap in Ohio and Texas. Clinton is cooked.

Yup, i agree. Edwards is still holding back. Perhaps endorsements from Edwards and Richardson might help her. Or if they GObama, she's deep fried.

StirFry @ 64:

Leslie @ 7:

Open thread, I'd like to comment on the debate, but the debate post is closed to comments now. So I'll comment about it here: I thought Obama did very well and Clinton failed to knock him out, which she needed to do. My guess is he'll be the nominee following next week. He's got Dodd's support and he's closing the gap in Ohio and Texas. Clinton is cooked.

Yup, i agree. Edwards is still holding back. Perhaps endorsements from Edwards and Richardson might help her. Or if they GObama, she's deep fried.

A Richardson endorsement by Friday

stirfry, here's an idea: how 'bout Edwards as Attorney General until the next Supreme Court position opens up?

Matt in Texas @ 68:

stirfry, here's an idea: how 'bout Edwards as Attorney General until the next Supreme Court position opens up?

I have been praying for that for some time...Yes Yes Yes

clytemnestra @ 67:

One of the mascot symbols of my alma mattar is the confederate flag... not because I'm from the south or any south pride it's because my high school is named "South" There is a North, West, and East high school too.

Mascot for North is the vikings
East is Angels
West the cowboys.

I am actually now bothered by the symbolism of the flag. I know that I wasn't bothered by it when I was a teen. My biggest hope is that we can atleast change the colors of the flag to the school's colors (which are not blue or red).

You gots to love Stanford.

http://www.stanford.edu/home/slideshow/slideshow15.html

Worried about the flags. Look into the symbolism on the American Federal Reserve Notes. There's an interesting blog.

krisken @ 65:

curtilingus @ 54:

Dr. Matt @ 41:

The Confederate flag represents the flag of a defeated Country. Only an idiot would be stupid enough to have any pride in that rag.

"The American flag represents the flag of a defeated country. Only an idiot would be stupid enough to have any pride in that flag."

Hmm seems to work just as well.

Don't get me wrong folks I love our country and the South. I just don't think anyone should get too carried away with symbolism.

It's easy to not be offended by symbolism when the symbol doesn't pertain to you.
Whether it's a swastika or a confederate flag, the message today is the same. Intolerance and hate has no place in our country. I see no reason to move backwards when it takes us so long to move forward.

I am offended by the symbol of the cross. A bunch of people are telling me it pertains to me. Shall we ban it from the backs of cars or shall I learn to focus my energy elsewhere besides symbol wars?

Matt in Texas @ 77:

kathleen @ 70:

Matt in Texas @ 68:

stirfry, here's an idea: how 'bout Edwards as Attorney General until the next Supreme Court position opens up?

I have been praying for that for some time...Yes Yes Yes

Let's make the neocons' heads explode: after the Edwards appointment, the next vacancy is filled by.........Bill Clinton!

I'll bet you Hillary has a gaper of an opening!

One of the best bumper stickers I've ever seen was this:

A confederate flag with a red circle around it and a diagonal slash across it (the universal "no" symbol) that said, "You lost. Get over it."

BOO-YAH!!

Cd @ 81:

seevee @ 63:

Cd @ 59:

Roundx2

We have more pressing matters than a flag that’s over a hundred years old.

How are we going to beat Mccain?

Put him on the same stage as Obama. Game Set Match.

I imagine it would be like seeing Nixon and Kennedy debate.

On steroids.

Is that what that thing means? 'Cause when I lived in Georgia, I thought it meant 'bang the crap out of my door with yours when you leave'. I also liked having the advantage of seeing them coming, where they lived, etc...

seevee @ 63:

Cd @ 59:

Roundx2

We have more pressing matters than a flag that’s over a hundred years old.

How are we going to beat Mccain?

Put him on the same stage as Obama. Game Set Match.

Didn't Vicky Iseman already do that? Otherwise, I would (of course) suggest a McStick. ;-}

Matt in Texas @ 71:

clytemnestra @ 67:

One of the mascot symbols of my alma mattar is the confederate flag... not because I'm from the south or any south pride it's because my high school is named "South" There is a North, West, and East high school too.

Mascot for North is the vikings
East is Angels
West the cowboys.

I am actually now bothered by the symbolism of the flag. I know that I wasn't bothered by it when I was a teen. My biggest hope is that we can atleast change the colors of the flag to the school's colors (which are not blue or red).

Good point. Our symbols are supposed to represent our beliefs, what we stand for. (That's why my personal flag is a chicken being chased by an angry bar crowd.)

lol, Hi Matt ;-}

curtilingus @ 76:

krisken @ 65:

curtilingus @ 54:

Dr. Matt @ 41:

"The American flag represents the flag of a defeated country. Only an idiot would be stupid enough to have any pride in that flag."

Hmm seems to work just as well.

Don't get me wrong folks I love our country and the South. I just don't think anyone should get too carried away with symbolism.

It's easy to not be offended by symbolism when the symbol doesn't pertain to you.
Whether it's a swastika or a confederate flag, the message today is the same. Intolerance and hate has no place in our country. I see no reason to move backwards when it takes us so long to move forward.

I am offended by the symbol of the cross. A bunch of people are telling me it pertains to me. Shall we ban it from the backs of cars or shall I learn to focus my energy elsewhere besides symbol wars?

Oh, the intentionally obtuse approach eh?
If we're going to have a decent society, we must understand other peoples sensitivities.

Oh, and just to be a smart aleck, was it Bill Hicks who said "Do you think when Christ comes back he wants to see another cross?"

FYI - it's even worse here in Texas - folks yearn for the good old days when we were a gol' dern COUNTRY. The Texas flag is almost sacred. One of the most irritating myths is the one that holds that when Texas joined the US, they agreed only on the premise that the Texas flag could be flown as high as the US flag. So now we have legions of Texans who believe "the Texas flag is the only one that (sometimes"by law") can be flown at the same height as the US flag." Total bullshit, but symptomatic of the Texas mindset. Sheesh!

Matt in Texas @ 92:

FYI - it's even worse here in Texas - folks yearn for the good old days when we were a gol' dern COUNTRY. The Texas flag is almost sacred. One of the most irritating myths is the one that holds that when Texas joined the US, they agreed only on the premise that the Texas flag could be flown as high as the US flag. So now we have legions of Texans who believe "the Texas flag is the only one that (sometimes"by law") can be flown at the same height as the US flag." Total bullshit, but symptomatic of the Texas mindset. Sheesh!

As if it wasn't bad enough that they gave us the Dallas Cowboys.

What I find funny is that quite a few conservative Texans I've run across take pains to make the point that Bush wasn't actually born here.

Talk about denying responsibility!

A particularly savage (and true) Steve Bell cartoon:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/archive/0,,1284265,00.html

Check out this article on the holes in the democratic agenda. It talks about all of the really important issues the democrats are ignoring in favor of bickering amongst one another.

Nice to see that Florida is making white trash plates for fat toothless people that drive gas guzzling SUVs.

So, who won? I think Obama had the advantage because he uses a common sense approach to respond with. Clinton just says "I can do it better." Russert was an ass. Didn't ask any relevant questions.

xoites defends Constitution @ 103:

Ok, where's the party?

At my place. But everyone is waaaaaaaaaaay late. :-(

xoites defends Constitution @ 105:

Well, Ron is here, the party can't be far behind.

Helloooooo!

I hope this doesn't offend, but from everything I have always heard, Florida is the weirdest state in the union. A bizarre mix of retired New York Jews (an old joke goes, "the longest bridge in the world is the one between Miami and Israel"); Seminoles; African-Americans; rednecked "Southern" crackers; Cuban refugees, and a little bit of everything else you can think of. Any state that can produce Harry Crews and Katerine Harris is strange indeed. Anita Bryant hated gays but got the boot as spokesperson for the citrus industry, much of it owned at the time by the late Bing Crosby, who was a little bit right of Lush Rambo. (And, now that I mention it, doesn't the famous radio comedian live there, too?) Not to mention O.J. and John Evander Couey. And people think Texas is kooky! Sheesh!

We have me miss kitty and xiotes and I know xiotes has Janet. Looks like miss kitty and I get to hook up.

But the food is gone...

:P

xoites defends Constitution @ 115:

miss_kitty @ 111:

xoites defends Constitution @ 109:

Miss Kitty! Y so unhappy?

I ate all the Hors d'œuvre!

They must be feeling pretty good. How were they?

Very receptive!

:D

miss_kitty @ 116:

xoites defends Constitution @ 115:

miss_kitty @ 111:

xoites defends Constitution @ 109:

I ate all the Hors d'œuvre!

They must be feeling pretty good. How were they?

Very receptive!

:D

Thier reception and your perception. Nice match. :)

So Obama is our next President. Now what do we do?

It is still 7 months away?

You shitting me?

Didn't this campaign start back in 1968?

xoites defends Constitution @ 120:

So Obama is our next President. Now what do we do?

I think I might go outside now.
Three years of intense bloggage and I want to see the sun again.

Or has it been five years?
Agh the sensory deprivation!

had enuf @ 16:

Aaron @ 1:

I consider myself a progressive but I have absolutely no problem with that liscense plate. Sometimes liberals do take things too far and I think this would be an example of that. It is part of their heritage and besides, States Rights. Who here complained when D.C. came out with their Taxation without Representation plates?

Are you crazy? It's the fucking kkk on there! What a stupid comment.

the kkk plate was meant as satire, the actual plate in question is the one above it. now as someone who has ancestors who fought each other in that war i feel the need to come to the defense of the memory of the southern soldier.

confederate soldiers by and large were poor subsistance farmers who viewed themselves as defenders against an invasive centralized government.  a much ignored aspect of the war is just how multi cultural the ranks of the sesesh army were. thousands of african americans both freed men and slave fought for the confederate army fully integrated into white units(something the united states army would not allow until 1953) and african americans in the southern war effort faced substantialy less discrimination than african americans in the federal army's segregated units. in the federal army black soldiers were paid less than white soldiers while black confederates recieved equal pay, also many native americans, asians and hispanics went to war for the south.

do you want me to list the bloody crimes carried out during the war under the u.s flag? like the massacre at sand creek colorado of hundreds of native american women and children by union soldiers. or how about general sherman shelling a bridge black refugees were trying to cross to escape with his troops drowning many of them. the end of slavery was not a federal war aim until the emancipation proclamation and even then was only intended to keep europe out of the war. in fact if all the southern states were fighting for was to maintain the institution of slavery then they technicaly won, they could have come back into the union and maintained the institution according to the emancipation proclamation.

the wage slavery that my ancestors endured before during and after the war is just as shamefull and wrong as the chattle slavery endured by african americans. the federal army's command structure was by no means a group of enlightened abolitionists. ignorance and racism taint every aspect of our history as a nation so i believe its unfair to attack people for paying homage to their ancestors who fought their hearts out to defend their homes.

americans now all to often fall victim to over simplifying history. the civil war cannot be distorted into a good guys vs bad guys morality play, and any effort to paint it that way on either side smacks of ignorance and intolorance.
the crimes of the jim crow reconstruction era south are often used to paint all those brave and selfless young men who fought during the war of the rebellion as racist monsters, when the truth is those crimes arose from the confusion and economic devastation of the post war period but did not occur during it. the natural inclination of defeated people is to find someone to scapegoat, look at germany after world war one. this is what lead to the horrors of the post war south. this is not meant as an excuse or defense of what happened but as a line of distinction between what is a rightly cherished heritage and the ignorant actions which shame that heritage.

but the common soldiers who bled and suffered unimaginable hardship under the saint andrew's cross battle flag were every bit as normal and human as any of us and their sacrifices deserve to be remembered by their ancestors.
anyway to all the uber p.c. know it all's who think the southern army was full of horrible pro slavery monsters who deserved to die horrible deaths and be buried in nameless graves, five will get you ten that your sneakers were made by a child slave in indonesia or mexico. just because the sweatmills moved overseas does not mean our society's standard of living is not still slavery based, are we not the same sort of monsters then? is not the nike swoosh as much a symbol of slavery. the difference is that hundreds of thousands of young men did not perish carrying that symbol into battle for what they believed was their freedom to self govern.

if you need to find symbols of opression to hate they are a dime a dozen just go to the mall, but unless you are activley working to end slavery worldwide and not just sitting at a computer reaping its benefits you are not in much of a position to look back through time and judge men who's personal lives you know little to nothing about.
come on its just a lisence plate!
just let people remember their ancestors in their own way, it's really not much to ask.

EliteLemming @ 131:

Tonights feature: Life of Brian.

I can do that. I have it on tape.

130 patcleburne

You argue passionately and at least some of what you say is true but let me ask you this:

If a London license plate were to crop up saying, "Proud Irish Potato Exporter 1880-1924" do you really think that i as an Irish American should jump for joy?

EliteLemming @ 133:

miss_kitty @ 132:

EliteLemming @ 131:

Tonights feature: Life of Brian.

I can do that. I have it on tape.

blessed are the greek.

Blessed are the cheesemakers....

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit.
Blessed is the lamb whose blood flows.
Blessed are the sat upon, Spat upon, Ratted on,
O Lord, Why have you forsaken me?
I got no place to go,
I've walked around Soho for the last night or so.
Ah, but it doesn't matter, no.

Blessed is the land and the kingdom.
Blessed is the man whose soul belongs to.
Blessed are the meth drinkers, Pot sellers, Illusion dwellers.
O Lord, Why have you forsaken me?
My words trickle down, like a wound
That I have no intention to heal.

Blessed are the stained glass, window pane glass.
Blessed is the church service makes me nervous
Blessed are the penny rookers, Cheap hookers, Groovy lookers.
O Lord, Why have you forsaken me?
I have tended my own garden
Much too long.