I tried to choose my words carefully. Unless it's shown that either man had accomplices, we have to be clear that the men responsible for those murders are the ones who pulled the trigger. Still, it's hard not to think about the extreme right-wing rhetoric, especially about Barack Obama, and whether it could conceivably lead to more right-wing violence. You can see whether I succeeded here (more text follows the video):Joan goes on to mention Bill O'Reilly's constant on-air vilification of the recently assassinated abortion provider as "Tiller the Baby Killer" and comparison of the doctor to Nazis and the amoral stoking of the "Angry, Disenfranchised White Man" by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Lindsey Graham and the GOP's Michael Steele by suggesting that the Sotomayor nomination means a white man can't get a break in today's society.
The range of crazy ideas about Obama is broad and wide: He's a secret Muslim, he's going to take our guns, he's even the anti-Christ! James von Brunn just happened to be a "birther," one of the nuts who believe that Obama wasn't born here, his birth certificate is fake, and he thus isn't eligible to be president. I thought it was strange and maybe a little ominous last summer when suddenly Obama was labeled a "socialist" and a "Marxist"; Hillary Clinton and John Kerry are arguably more liberal than Obama; why did he get tagged with that sinister, subversive, alien ideology? It seemed linked to the fact that he's just so ... different from other politicians, so easy to marginalize and, frankly, demonize.
Then came Rush Limbaugh with his sexual fears about having to "bend over and grab the ankles" for a black president. Soon Limbaugh was saying he hoped Obama fails; last week he said Obama was more dangerous to our country than al-Qaida, our terrorist enemy who has killed thousands of Americans. Could that conceivably inflame someone marginal and isolated to act against a president who's more dangerous than terrorists?
Are statements like this directly responsible for the murder of Holocaust Museum security guard Stephen Tyrone Johns? No. What the mainstream GOP has to take responsibility for is the fact that its continued reliance on the politics of division that gives extremist views safe harbor. Race, gender, class, sexual orientation/gender identity, and religion have constantly been used to win votes. The appeals to the lowest common denominator -- ignorance and fears of the "other" displacinlacing white male supremacy, God and family in no uncertain terms attracts a demographic we saw on display at the McCain/Palin rallies -- bold, hateful, openly racist people who proudly stood before the cameras emitting bigotry as a badge of honor. And they were standing outside a rally for the Republican, not the Democratic candidate.
Below the fold, look at the video evidence that the party has capitalized on the worst instincts in people.
Did the GOP stop using those tactics and decrying the bigotry? Well John McCain made a feeble attempt to do so when his town halls became out-of-control embarrassing spectacles for the well-heeled country club wing of the party.
You might recall that McCain was strongly booed at his concession speech by the angry crowd for asking that they unite behind the new president.
You see, the GOP country club set desperately tries to ignore the party's base of theocrats and ignorant bigots, and they kept surfacing over and over in the mainstream media last year, proud voters for McCain/Palin. It wasn't supposed to be that way, I'm sure they were saying to themselves. But the party made its pact with this devil long ago. The ghosts of the Southern Strategy, Lee Atwater, and my late Senator, Jesse Helms, continue to haunt the party. As long as this kind of imagery continues to be defended by the GOP as benign...
The Elizabeth Dole campaign against Kay Hagan hit such a low point in terms of coddling haters, that it desperately overreached with its "Godless" ad that even Lou Dobbs, Ed Rollins tore up the party hacks for it:
Rollins: "There is a long history of despicable ads run by Republicans led by Jessie Helms which is I'm sure is now running Elizabeth Dole's Campaign."
Needless to say, Dole lost. But has this helped the GOP understand the appeal to bigots is hurting them? I don't think so, because look at the defense and denial that anything about tactics like these is wrong, let alone whether the party is responsible for coarsening the debate and feeding already-wound-too-tight fringe elements who take these messages as license to kill. If there were no place in either party for messages like this, perhaps we could move on in this country to the issues that do matter.
I don't understand why the GOP doesn't rid itself of the very messages that drive the mighty middle away; it's a party in the midst of remaking itself, it should seriously consider dropping the bigot appeals if it wants to have a future and get back to basic conservative principles that are consistent. (The problem is, that would anger the Base).
That's the argument presented by black GOP consultant Raynard Jackson in his latest column (sent via email). The answer is the party is in such desperate, self-defeating straits that it needs time on the couch; it has to rid itself of its addiction to fear and smear:
***Republicans and Cognitive Dissonance
by Raynard Jackson
In layman's terms, cognitive dissonance is the inability to see what one doesn't believe. Republicans have been suffering from this psychosis for many, many years. Below, I will play the role of "political" psychiatrist and try to help the patient work through their issues.
The sole purpose of any political party is to win elections so they can implement their policy agenda. So, if that is the raison d'etre, the Republican Party is in bad shape.
They want to win elections, but earlier this week on his radio show, Rush Limbaugh called President Ob ama a "fool." Earlier this week at a major Republican fundraising speech, actor Jon Voight called President Obama a "false prophet." In a recent editorial, former high ranking State Department official in the Reagan administrations, Frank Gaffney wrote, "The man (President Obama) now happy to have his Islamic-rooted middle name featured prominently has engaged in the most consequential bait-and-switch since Adolf Hitler duped Neville Chamberlain over Czechoslovakia at Munich....
There is mounting evidence that the president not only identifies with Muslims, but actually may still be one himself."
They want to win elections, but they issue these highly personal attacks on the president of the United States. Regardless of your views on his policies, most Americans think our president should be shown respect in our public discourse. These personal attacks on the president are antithetical to Republicans winning elections. But, they ahey are so blinded by their dogma, they refuse to accept the fact that he won the election. The inability to see what they don't believe.
Gaffney compared President Obama to Hitler; Newt Gingrich called Sonia Sotomayor (nominee for the Supreme Court) a racist; Laura Ingraham (radio talk show host) criticizes the president for taking his wife out to dinner and a Broadway play. Republicans are supposed to be a principled party. But, their rhetoric is not consistent with any of the party's stated principles. The inability to see what they don't believe.
Republicans are supposed to be the party of less government and more individual freedom, until it conflicts with a belief they want to force others to accept. They want less government, but then want the government to tell a woman what she can/can't do in the privacy of her doctor's office. They want more individual freedom, until Terri Schiavo's husband wants to take his wife off life support. The inability to see what they don't believe.
True enough, President Obama inherited a plethora of problems from a Republican president and years of a Republican controlled Congress (they controlled 6 of Bush's 8 years). But, in the nearly five months in office, there is no disputing the fact that President Obama has increased the size and scope of government, increased the federal deficit, and is threatening to raise taxes. If the Republicans will take their medication for their psychosis, President Obama has presented them an easy way of getting back to Republican principles.
One of the most effective means of treating cognitive dissonance is with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to influence dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic procedure.
President Obama and the Democrats have presented a great opportunity for Republicans to present their governing vision to the country. But, they must first decide whether they are going to continue the idiotic name calling or present a serious alternative to the president and his party.
Republicans claim they don't like what President Obama and the Democrats are offering. So, therefore it is incumbent upon Republicans to make their case directly to the American people. Republicans must first and foremost define who they are and what it means to be Republican.
What is the legitimate role of the government in dealing with the financial crises? How will a Republican prescription affect the economy? If we are the party of law and order, why has there been no move to prosecute (or institute more congressional oversight based on Republican principles) corporate executives who violated their fiduciary obligations within their companies?
Americans don't necessarily warily want more government regulation, but they do want the assurance of knowing that our government is creating an environment where we can believe that a corporation's financial documents are honest and accurate. What is the Republican plan to make this happen?
What is the Republican solution to the tectonic shift in the political landscape? We can get 100% of the conservative white vote and still lose every national election. What is the Republican approach to building coalitions within the Black and Hispanic communities? And it cannot be based on irrelevant issues like abortion, affirmative action, or "reverse racism."
Detailed answers to the above questions will be a good start towards the Republican Party working through it's cognitive dissonance. This type of disorder has to be treated over the long term, therefore, it's imperative that the party honestly reflect on these questions and then put together a realistic plan. Implicit in this plan is the fact that President Obama (and the Democrats) won the election, he is an American citizen, he is a Christian (not Muslim) and he deserves to be respected.
If Republicans are willing to accept these premises, then there is the possibility of getting beyond this cognitive dissonance. If not, we will relegate our party to irrelevancy.
All of this reminds me a lot of a post from last year "Filing the Edges off of Racism," where I excerpted Portly Dyke over at Shakesville. She noted that the increasing bile being spewed on the air by right-wingers gives comfort to those on the fringe who harbor even more virulent views -- the MSM that they respect is validating their beliefs.
But as a society, even well-meaning progressives are finding ways to excuse statements that would have never flown a couple of decades ago. I had a similar reaction to Portly Dyke when she started hearing this excuse...PD:I entered a conversation about whether a white news commentator might not have known that suggesting that other golfers "lynch him (Tiger Woods) in a back alley" was a racist comment worthy of public sanction.The edges are so filed down on the "benign" aspects of racism that the label is reserved only for extreme violence against a POC, or extreme cases of institutionalized bigotry that cannot be ignored.Among the various arguments I read was this one: Given the commentator's age, she might not really understand the charged context of the word "lynch" in reference to a person-of-color.
And somehow, vaguely, in the back of my mind, I remembered a time when I could not imagine that I would be hearing this argument from progressives.
...I could remember that, in the 80's, even though there were still many, many confrontations with the MSM and mainstream culture, and much consciousness-raising yet to be done, I didn't think I would have been having this very basic argument about using the word "lynch" (or arguing about whether rape was "gray", or "gag gifts" featuring detached female body parts were "just a joke" rather than sexist) -- with progressives.
...My problem with filing off the edges of our outrage at such racist words and actions is just that -- it's filing off -- it's erosive -- and the problem with erosion is that if you let it go on long enough, you'll eventually wind up with nothing at all.
Fellow North Carolinian Matt Hill Comer, the editor of QNotes, has posted "Five Effective Alternatives to a March on Washington" over at InterstateQ. It's worth the click-over; I've excerpted the alternatives here.[W]hile there have been ideas for better uses of time and energy, what we haven’t seen as much are constructive alternatives to the march: ideas to turn whatever passion there is for a national march into real, change-inspiring, on-the-ground, long-lasting action. My five suggestions aren't anywhere near exhaustive, complete or perfect, but, at the least, it is a start.Matt continues below the fold.Funding locally
[March organizer Cleve] Jones told the Blade that expects his march to cost less than $100,000. He told the paper that $100,000 “is not much money for us to raise.” If he can get access to that kind of cash so quickly, then aren’t there better ways to put it to use? Of course, there are.Imagine if Jones and his fellow activist raised the dough and granted it out to five handpicked projects from highly targeted states. These grant-funded, volunteer-led and youth-empowering projects would receive $20,000 each.
Among the states chosen could be Arizona (the state that defeated one amendment, and got completely passed over by California and lost its second amendment battle) or Maine (which will face an anti-gay marriage referendum this year) or New York (which is facing a tough uphill battle for marriage) or North Carolina (still fighting for basic employment protections, safe schools protections and hate crimes) or any of an innumerable other states where local grassroots activism will make more difference than a national march ever could.
I think the results would be astounding. I think we’d see other organizations rally to the cause of these grant-funded projects. And, I think we’d see positive, progressive change.
Acting locally
An individual traveling to Washington, D.C., would spend at least $500 or more getting there, staying there, eating there and leaving there. Some, like those living west of the Mississippi, could end up spending close to $1,000 or more. Imagine five organizers of a grassroots group spending that kind of cash traveling to D.C. just to feel empowered. What could they accomplish by each putting $500 in a pot toward funds for an effective outreach, direct action or other local political campaign. When we’re talking about cities the size of one million or less, $25,000 can make a huge impact.Lobbying locally
One of the biggest holes on Jones’ march idea is that it will take place during a congressional vacation. None of our nation’s leaders, save possibly the president, will be in Washington, D.C., to see the march. And, even if they were in D.C. at the time they probably wouldn’t care. Marches on Washington, D.C., come and go about every week. Most marches, if not close to all of them, happen without pomp or circumstance, without media coverage or serious political consideration.Jones says his march will be create a national movement. The Blade reports:
Jones said he envisions the march starting as grassroots activity in all 435 congressional districts. He said lobbying would “begin immediately” and organizers would identify new leaders in each of these districts. “Then we want to come to Washington, we want to march and make it clear to the president that we expect more - to ma- to make it clear to the Democratic leadership that we expect more,” he said. Jones said he’s not looking for sheer numbers in event participants, but instead is hoping for participants from all 435 congressional districts. After the march, Jones said participants would return home “and get to work and build their army of precinct walkers, canvassers, [and] phone bankers.”People will travel to D.C. to be inspired and empowered and return home to work locally? That’s all that wad of cash is going to buy? Jones could bypass the expense of his donors and the march participants by taking his empowerment approach down to a local level: Partnering with statewide equality groups, Jones could spend half as much money by holding trainings over the internet and then dispatch local grassroots activists to lobby for the issues that impact them locally and statewide.
Direct ActionMatt goes on to suggest that more could be accomplished by having bloggers work full time - representing different, strategic regions of the country, to stay on top of progress, setbacks and draw attention to places where direct action is needed, working the grassroots to grow our movement on a full-time basis. By taking online activism and virtual community action to the next level -- something Autumn and I have informally called Stonewall 2.1, something we'll blog about later, that requires less resources, but can actually be just as, if not more effective as high logistics/high cost events.The key is being able to bring together the online and offline activists together in a strategic way that can, take advantage of the latter's extensive boots-on-the-ground experience and merging it with the digital prowess of the former, uniting under a set of common goals and principles. Our movement spends too much time worrying about cult of personality, ego issues and who's supposedupposed to be our "leadership" when it's increasingly clear that there are different measures of success -- and types of leadership.
In the 1987 National March on Washington, approximately 800 people were arrested in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. It was the largest direct action on LGBT equality in history.There’s a reason why people use direct action: It works. Imagine if that $100,000 (hell, let’s add in all that money folks would have spent getting to D.C.) were spent on organizing a massive direct action campaign coast-to-coast.
There’s only one LGBT organization I know that’s done anything similar. Remember how much press the 2006 Soulforce Right to Serve Campaign on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” got? It was phenomenal. It was truly national. Now, multiply that by five, ten or fifteen. Imagine the local, statewide and national responses if five, ten, a dozen or two dozen people in 50 cities across the nation were arrested on the same day, for the same common, message-synced cause. That would create empowerment, action, discussion and, yes, that would create change.
Working in the digital age, funding for the future
What was true in 1979, 1987, 1993 and even 2000, is not true today. The entire landscape of political and grassroots organizing has changed, so much so that a political operative alive and working in 1979 but dead before the advent of the internet would never recognize it — much less be able to work in and with it — if he or she were to come back to life today.“Grassroots” is just that: from the ground up. A national march on Washington hardly constitutes “grassroots” anymore. With the instant access to all things LGBT, people no longer need to travel to D.C. to get their activism and empowerment kick from national leaders and a national community. They can do it from home, at their desks in the dorm or at the office.
In only one day, the sheer amount of information and knowledge shared and people empowered across these three fully-fledged blogger-news-media operations would far outnumber even the best of turnouts for a national march on Washington.In the new paradigm, we are all potential leaders -- we know our own communities and how to work with them, not talk at them. And we shouldn't be afraid to step outside of our comfort zones of waiting for someone else to do something about the lack of equality and do something on a small scale to effect change locally, while supporting efforts at the federal level that represent your values, goals and approach to transparency and representation.
Listen Live to the Rob, Arnie, and Dawn in the Morning broadcast at 7:30 AM PDT (10:30 AM EDT) here. Barista Autumn Sandeen and TransYouth Family Ally executive director Kim Pearson will be on air with the hosts.
Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.--Martin Luther King Jr.
My laptop pooped out today, so I didn't have the ability to write earlier. And now, I really don't have time to write a lengthy post -- It's late, and I've been strategically planning with Kim Pearson for the Thursday Morning KRXQ broadcast appearance.
And hey, we are hearing you. I will be there as a new media reporter; Kim as a children's advocate. We aren't going to overstep our roles; we will not be saying we accept statements of apology on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally communities, nor on behalf of transgender youth; nor on behalf progressive and children's activists. In other words, we will hear the apologies, but only you can decide whether or not the apologies are acceptable.
"We at;"We are confident. We have ourselves. We know how to sacrifice. We know how to work. We know how to combat the forces that oppose us. But even more than that, we are true believers in the whole idea of justice. Justice is so much on our side, that that is going to see us through.--Cesar Chavez
UC Davis, who were the beneficiaries of $126,000 from a KRXQ fundraiser last year, have decided not only not advertise with KRXQ, but no longer wish to have the station fundraise on their behalf:
OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR
HUMAN HEALTH SCIENCES
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
TELEPHONE: (916)734-7131
FAX: (9]6) 734-7055June 8, 2009
John Geary
Vice President
Entercom Sacramento
5345 Madison Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95841Dear Mr. Geary,
The statements made by Rob Williams and Arnie States on the May 28 broadcast of "Rob, Arnie and Dawn in the Morning" - and the subsequent response by the show's hosts and the station's leadership - have caused DC Davis Health System to re-examine its relationship with KRXQ 98 Rock.
We are grateful for the fundraising support KRXQ has provided over the last several years to DC Davis Children's Hospital. This fundraising has been valuable in raising awareness about our children's hospital and generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of children's services.
Nevertheless, the events of May 28 and the station's lack of a publicly articulated response to those events are inconsistent with DC Davis' values and mission. We are first and foremost an institution of learning and teaching, committed to advancing health and well-being for all. We are deeply committed to our DC Davis Principles of Community, a commitment that affirms the inherent dignity in all of us, fosters mutual understanding, and strives to maintain a climate of social justice.
We affirm the right of freedom of expression, within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity and respect. The statements made by Rob Williams and Arnie States were outside those bounds. We reject their statements of intolerance, which were all the more alarming because they were directed at a population - children who express transgender feelings - who are especially vulnerable to the prejudice, violence and harm such statements engender. We are disappointed that KRXQ did not reject those statements as well.
After careful consideration of the longstanding partnership with KRXQ 98 Rock, we have decided to cancel our advertising on the station and to discontinue our partnership with KRXQ for Children's Miracle Network fundraising.
We will reassess our relationship at the end of the year, with the hope that KRXQ 98 Rock will at that time prove to be an organization with whom we can partner to advance health for all.
Sincerely,
Claire Pomeroy, M.D., M.B.A.
Vice Chancellor, Human Health Sciences
Dean, DC Davis School of Medicine
Kim and I get that this story, while about transgender children in particular, is really is about how adults culling out any group of minority children for abuse as being an absolute wrong. UC Davis treats trans children at their medical facilities, but even if they didn't, it appears that they too very much get that adults culling out any group of minority children for abuse is an absolute wrong.
"Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures."--Cesar Chavez
GLAAD, as per their norm with this story, has another excellent post up on the glaadBLOG, entitled KRXQ UPDATE: Tomorrow's Show and More Advertiser Statements. Along with the information that the title informs us is the entry, GLAAD adds the following:
Please note the following information:* The live broadcast will last for 2.5 hours* There will be no commercial breaks whatsoever during the radio show
* People may call in during the show at the following number: 916-766-1044
* You can follow GLAAD Senior Media Strategist Andy Marra on Twitter during the broadcast @Andy_Marra
* GLAAD will be releasing our statement on GLAADblog.org and GLAAD.org soon after the show
GLAAD reminds its readers to be respectful and civil when calling into the radio station and expressing your views.
Kim and I would appreciate that too. Remember:
The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.--Martin Luther King Jr.
And...
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.--Martin Luther King Jr.
As the grass roots, you have been the spokesmodels to both KRXQ and the pertinent advertisers; as a collective group, you have been the talking heads. Kim and I are aware of this -- we only ask that y'all continue to remain the voices or reason in a realm where hate has clouded the starry brilliance of our community's youth.
A: The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act will extend the same employee and health benefits that married couples have to all federal employees regardless of their sexual orientation and that includes employees at the DOD. However, the bill does not extend health and employment benefits to members of the military because it’s in conflict with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. I believe it is long past time to get rid of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and allow members of the military to receive the same benefits married couples have as well as be able to serve openly in the military.Q: What are your thoughts on the recent California Supreme Court ruling on the state's Proposition 8? In light of this ruling, what do you feel is the future of marriage equality in Oregon?
A: As a supporter of gay marriage, I am very disappointed that Prop 8 was allowed to stand, but glad that the couples who married while gay marriage was allowed in California had their marriages upheld. But the court decision in California shouldn’t overshadow the tremendous gains that have been made in just the last few months. It was exciting to see Iowa become the first state in the heartland to end marriage discrimination. In addition, a number of states decided that the politics of division weren’t strong enough to prevent them from doing the right thing. Moreover, polls show an ever-increasing number of Americans support extending marriage rights to same sex couples. While Oregon’s constitutional amendment defining marriage is a significant obstacle to the establishment of equality in Oregon, I am hopeful that the conversation in Oregon will continue and that Oregon will eventually choose to support marriage equality as the only right course under our U.S. constitutional guarantee of equality under the law for all Americans.
On the eve of the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall, come join us in celebrating the achievements of the LGBT equality movement:
I'll Toast to That
Thursday, June 25th, 2009 6:00pm Charles Froelick Gallery 714 NW Davis $40 ng>Thursday, June 25th, 2009 6:00pm Charles Froelick Gallery 714 NW Davis $40 beforehand, $50 at the door (tickets available here)
Attire: Pizazzulous
A special thank you to our sponsors: Organic Nation Spirits Devil's Food Catering Raptor Ridge
Music by: DJ Scotty D
Ticket price qualifies for the Oregon Political Tax Credit which means you can get every penny of your ticket price back at tax time! Click here for more information on the Oregon Political Tax Credit. Questions? Call 503/222.6151
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