Calling All Wingnuts

It’s better than I thought.

I asked him if he ever used the word. He said no. I repeated the quesion, “Never in your entire life?” He repeated his answer - No.

I have trouble believing that.

Somebody in the comment section of the last post asked if I’ve ever used the word…

The answer is, yes I have. I’ve used the word in some pretty ugly ways. I’ve told racist jokes, I’ve been angry at a black person and used the word in that context and I’ve used the word in more innocuous or exploratory contexts such as when I used it as part of yesterday’s question.

I’ve also used other variations that carry the same basic meaning.

I’ve also stood by without saying anything as racists people have expressed their sentiments.

Yeah, I’ve been pretty fucking ignorant at certain times in my life. I really regret those times and wish I could have them back to do over again. The times I speak of, the times that I am sorry for, pretty much took place in my teen to mid-twenties. I wish I could change the way I was then, which I never thought was racist, btw, but, well, I can’t go back.

All I can do is apologize and say that I am truly sorry I was so fucking ignorant. I shouldn’t have behaved that way - and after learning more about race and the issues involved, I strive to not act in that way today. If, going forward, I learn more - and I very well might - I will continue to adjust my attitude and behavior as circumstances prescribe.

So I hope I answered the question. I wish Senator Allen could have been as forthcoming, but I fear he has reason to be defensive.

So, without further ado, here’s the audio…

Well, that’s almost what I asked him today.

The Jim Webb campaign has video of this, but I’m afraid they won’t release it. Us riff-raff in the general public are just too mean, I guess… Never mind - hopefully I’ll have audio. With my student loans, I bought a new Mac and an IPod… I recorded the audio with the IPod in my pocket. If the sounds of pocket rubbing against microphone aren’t too overbearing, I should be able to post audio of this exchange later on today…

Anyway, what happened, right?

Well, I’m in C’ville, law school has started and I’m gonna live here for three more years. That makes Senator Allen my Senator. From his website, I found that he was doing a “listening tour” and that he was going to be in my neck of the woods - in Staunton, VA, 40 miles outside of C’ville. I decided to take the day off from classes (I only missed two) and go visit the Senator.

The first event was a Chamber of Commerce luncheon. I paid my $20 and took my seat. I counted 75 white people and not a single monority. Not even an Asian. lol…

The Senator gave his speech - during which he looked at a guy with a giant television camera and said “Who are you?” - making the entire room break up in hearty laughter… because, you know, making jokes to a roomful of white people about racist comments you made last week is the surest sign of contrition…

So he talked. At the end, he took three questions. I wasn’t one of the questioners…

Instead, I hung about till the room had almost emptied. People were having their picture taken with the Senator when I went up to an underdressed guy with a camera and asked if he was documenting the event for the Allen campaign. He said no, that he was with the Webb campaign… I told him to put his still camera away and get out his video camera.

At about this time, the picture taking was breaking up as the Senator explained that he had something to do. I walked up to him and said, “If you don’t mind Senator, I’ll walk with you. You know, you gave a great speech, but given the events in the news, some people back at the law school, I’m sure would like to know the answers to some different questions. Have you ever used the word ‘nigger’?”

Allen: “Oh, c’mon… sheesh…”

Campaign staff: “Who are you - I need to ask you to leave…”

Me: “it’s a simple question that deserves an answer - and it’s easy to answer”

Allen: “no… no…”

Me: “Well, can you explain why you kept a confederate flag and a noose in your office?”

Campaign staff: “who are you with - you’ve got to go - is this an interview?”

Me: (to campaign staff) “Are you hotel management? Then you can’t ask me to leave and I won’t. These are easy questions.”

Allen: “Listen - just let me do this here, and then I’ll answer you’re question about the flag and the noose.”

Me: “ok” and I stand aside.

Campaign staff fetches Hotel manager, hotel manager asks me to leave, I leave. Capaign staff follows me to my car, takes license plate number.

I go to the next scheduled event - a meet and greet in downtown Staunton. There, a reporter catches up with me. Asks me about myself and my questions. I answer everything truthfully.

We find out Allen cancels the rest of his public events for that day.

If the audio is decent, I’ll post it tonight.

BTW - the best part of this story is that the “thing” Allen had to do was to talk to the local press. Everything that transpired happened right in front of them. The thing we need to remember is that these reporters do it for a job. They aren’t you and me - they don’t follow every minute detail of every politicians life. These folks probably had no idea Allen kept a noose and a Confederate flag in his office… now they know.

But I’ve got no time…  I’m hopeful that I can be useful to the Webb campaign (and I’m signing up with UVa Dems), but for now, I just don’t have anything for the blog.

Oh wait - I do…

I’ve been invited to speak at Camp Democracy in DC.  I’ll head out the the weekend of September 9-11 and present at least once…  Not sure if I’m gonna do a workshop or a “motivational” style speech, but I’ll be there.  I’ll fill you in on details as they develop.

’til I’ve got somethig interesting to say…  take care…

Well, I’m in Charlottesville now.  Trying to get the house squared away, jumping throught the dog license and DMV hoops, all that good stuff.  Ugh…  Life’s too short for that crap.

Anyway, the radio listening and calling-in has taken a dive.  Email answering is sporadic.  But I can’t go away completely.

Been reading about the Lieberman bullshit.  I’m not going to pretend otherwise.  I despise that sanctimonious blowhard.  I’m not sure I’ve ever known a politician that likes himself more than he does.  That’s saying a lot - I survived Bill Clinton!

So this is today’s “Deep thought”.

All those people you hear speaking so highly of Joe Lieberman - from both the left and the right - have one thing in common:  They are Joe Lieberman’s “friend”, but they aren’t his “best friend”.  Why?  Because Joe Lieberman is his own best friend.

A lot of people have a lot of nice things to say about Lieberman.  But given the choice, I’m not sure if a single person would choose Joe Lieberman to be in a foxhole with them.

Yeah, he sucks ass, but he’s my ass-sucker…

This is my farewell call to Hannity.

Wilbur N wrote:
I wonder WHAT it will take for the IMMATURE SPOILED CHILDREN on the left to GROW UP and start behaving like RESPONSIBLE ADULTS. It seems they’d be old enough to KNOW BETTER and would be ASHAMED! of themselves. I wonder if their parents didn’t care enough to raise them properly or if they have some sort of mental or emotional disorder. They have NO RESPECT OR APPRECIATION FOR AMERICA, NO RESPECT FOR DECENCY AND MORALITY, and APPARENTLY NO SELF-RESPECT. I remember a time when those on the left had SOME degree of COMMON SENSE AND MORAL CHARACTER.

I laughed so hard the drumstick I was eating came out my nose….

Somebdoy called O’Reilly today to call bullshit on his terror is good for republicans act.  It quickly devolved into one of the silliest things I’ve ever heard.

O’Reilly:  Ok, alright…  so you see that people want to slaughter each other.  How would you stop that?

Caller:  I’ll tell you how I would stop it.  I’d go after the arms dealers that are supplying these weapons all over the world.  If you find them, you’ll find the answer to the war.

O’Reilly:  Ok, so in this case you would go after anybody that sells a soda… or a lighter or a contact lens solution…  because that’s what the weapon was gonna be used - some kind of water based explosive

I think I know what the plan was.  The terrorists were gonna strap on a 12 pack of diet coke, drop in some mentos and then, very quickly, swallow some ACME earthquake pills.

Look for telltale signs the next time you’re in an airport…

I couldn’t sit there and listen to Peretz (editor of a magazine that published my private email - my response is about 1/2 way down this page) go on about how the people that booted Joe are hurtling the Democratic Party into the abyss. It’s his and Lanny Davis’ disgusting dishonesty that should be hurled into any abyss we can find.

I’m not Jewish, so maybe this is one of those things that is only ok for Marty Peretz (editor at TNR) to say - because he’s Jewish.  But wow…  I think telling Jews that they don’t care what happens to Jews is pretty over the effin top.  Howard Dean is discredited for a cheer?  What’s this do to TNR?

I should really grow up… but this couldn’t be helped.

[UPDATE]:  Give the guy some credit.  Hannity just mentioned it on his radio show and put the image up on his home page.  He’s got a sense of humor.