RESISTANCE
DISPATCHES
The BBBR Mailbag
Posted May 31, 2001
FIRST... THE GOOD STUFF!
LOU POSNER, VOTERMARCH CHAIR
AND
THE SENDER
OF "BUSHWACKED! The
Video" TO AL GORE,
RECEIVES A
PRESIDENTIAL BIRTHDAY "THANK YOU"
OFFICE OF THE FORMER
VICE PRESIDENT
THE HONORABLE AL GORE
May 19,2001
Mr. Louis Posner
Voter March
P.O. Box 731
Grand Central Station
New York, New York, 10163
Dear Louis,
I wanted to write and thank you for your
additional video gift for my birthday.
Tipper and I have been impressed and touched by
the amount of cards, letters and calls we have received in support.
I have been kept posted on all of the web
support and grass roots efforts by Gwen, and have been impressed with the
energetic dialog that has taken place there. It is an amazing venue for people
to have in order to share thoughts, feelings and positions across the globe.
I assure you I will remain faithful to the
values and views I have expressed throughout my public life, in my private
life. Thank you for all of your support, I appreciate your efforts and your
gifts.
Sincerely,
Al Gore
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
ANDREW CATCHES COOL CHANGE ON YAHOO!
From: "E, Andrew"
To: < thediva@coup2k.com
>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 12:56 PM
Subject: Yahoo downgrades the monkey
Dear Tammy,
I'm one of your BBBR fighters. Looking forward to hearing your speech at VMWest once I get some
time to download it (on my 28.8 modem, that's some time indeed!). I went to the DC march, so we missed each
other but at least I did get to meet Rose.
Wanted to point something out: your page:
http://www.coup2k.com/deniseandstevens.html
has links to pix of Spurious George's visit to your
beautiful, besieged adopted state and I found something interesting.
( http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/nm/20010529/ts/imdf29052001192852a.html
)
has the caption: "Protestors hold signs as they stand
on the sidewalk, kept back from the hotel where United States
president"...SNIP.
( http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/ap/20010529/us/bush_california_xla103.html
)
has the caption "Demonstrators chant anti-Bush
slogans and deride the president's energy policy..." SNIP
I have a bit of a proofreader's eye, and it struck me to
see president written with a small p. I
looked around at some other news sites to verify that the normal usage is to
capitalize President, and I'm hoping maybe there is some subversive who is
trying to subtly downgrade the monkey from "President" to
"president". Yahoo is a
California company, after all.
Of course, you and I won't be happy till he's downgraded
to Inmate #X093FKP7, but I'll take any encouraging sign wherever I can find it.
Anyway, just my 2 cents.
If you reply, please do so to [e-mail addie removed for privacy],
because today's my last day at this job.
Keep up the good work, my Captain!
Andy E
THE DIVA ON A GREAT NEW PROTEST PIC
From: "The Diva (Tammy)"
To: <E, Andrew>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 2:12 PM
Subject: Dear Andy:
Fantastic! I will
post your letter...
And did you see the pic of Denise with the "I'm With
Stupid" sign?
http://www.coup2k.com/deniseandstevens.html
Check it out...
DENISE'S COOL PIC MAKES INDYMEDIA!
From: "Denise Duffield"
To: < thediva@coup2k.com
>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 11:54 AM
Subject: pic of inspiration
wahoo!
great pic of your
inspiration:
http://la.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=7126
THE DIVA ON denisewithbush.jpg
From: "The Diva (Tammy)"
To:
"Denise Duffield"
Sent: Thursday,
May 31, 2001 2:04 PM
Subject: Re:
pic of inspiration
ATTACHED: denisewithbush.jpg
Dear Denise:
Check out your
report on the BBBR:
http://www.coup2k.com/deniseandstevens.html
... and the new
masthead.
Pretty cool,
huh? And pretty pretty, too!
I am attaching
the masthead as well, in case you want to keep it for the scrapbook.
:)
Tammy
"The
Diva"
WebMistress of
BBBR
RESISTANCE FIGHTER DAVID WRITES IN ON CROSSFIRE
From: <David (and Kris)>
To: <thediva@coup2k.com>
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2001 10:08 PM
Subject: Crossfire
Dear Tammy,
Did you see Crossfire May 28th, or The
Point where that Sammons guy was promoting his book? I won't mention the title out of respect for President Gore.
Anyway he wasted most of his allocated time on both shows making a point that
the exit polls on Election Night were "Bogus" and because the media
used them this proves that the media was biased to Gore. What kind of reporting is this?
Could it not be that if ;
#1. There were
170,000 or more Floridian votes that did not get counted.
#2. Gore's name
was on over 80,000 overvotes compared to Bush getting on 30-something thousand.
#3. The 19,000 or
more in the Palm Beach county mess
#4. The Optical
ballot scan errors that didn't get corrected, just "these things
happened."
Then it wasn't the Exit Polls that were bogus. Thousands of voters told exit poll workers
that they had voted for Gore because they thought they had, but because of
voter error, voter instruction errors, poor equipment, error protection devices
being turned off on optical scanners and brains being turned off , these votes
were never counted. It was not an Exit Poll problem or Dem Bias but a huge
problem (of many parts) with the Florida Election System.
Anyway I was just glad to see the Election is still in the
news and there are still people trying to get someone to listen. I just hope
enough people hear them. In contrast to that Sammons guy, Vincent Bugliosi made
good use of his short time on The Point. His book is great. It was humorous on
Crossfire because the Guy on the Right
misread an excerpt and asked a question that he thought would get a
negative-Gore response, but it turned out that the answer was negative to the
Bush campaign people. Time is so short on these rare chances to state the case
to a wide audience, that every word is important. As Bugliosi says in his book,
I don't see anyone from the other side being swayed by even the worst of the
things that were done.
Too many of our side abandoned us because they thought the
media was correct and we should accept this and rally behind the chosen one.
Well... Goodbye for now .
Thanks for being there.
Sincerely
David
REQUIREMENTS FOR AN
AUDIENCE WITH THE DIVA
From: "The Diva
(Tammy)"
To: <David (and Kris)>
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 2:35 AM
Subject: Re: Crossfire
Dear David and Kris:
First off, I know who Bill Sammon is, and I know what he
is. I would no more lend him my ear,
than I would lend George W. Bush my car keys.
Liars and propagandists do not merit an audience with The
Diva.
I will say that Rose of fringefolk.com watched the shows
(Crossfire and the Bugliosi interview on FAUX News), and wrote an eloquent rant
about her reaction. You can read it at:
http://www.fringefolk.com/frayedknot.html.
Having been fortunate enough to miss the Crossfire
propaganda offensive, I am not sure how qualified I am to speak out about what
was said, but here goes nothing...
Everything, and I mean everything, that is coming from the
rightwing and their enablers these days, smacks of consciousness of guilt, and
of fear of the wheel of justice's inexorable turn. I could list them all, but I'll just list a few:
1. Jefford's
defection: There was nothing done by
the Bush appointistration that principled journalists and political scientists
did not predict a year ago. The only
thing that explains Jefford's jump is that he wanted to cut ties BEFORE the
you-know-what hit the fan. Jumping
after the evidence of the coup was established beyond all reasonable doubt
would gain him no brownie points.
Jumping before... well, you've
seen the reaction. The guy is on the
verge of being nominated for sainthood, and all because he is doing what any
DECENT person would do. That is how far
our expectations of public officials have fallen. Throw us a crumb, and we act like you've served us a six-course
feast. Pathetic.
2. The
smash-and-grab: Bush 'n Thugs, Inc.
could have chosen to begin with moderation and build a coalition, saving their
more despicable agenda for later down the road, after they had banked some good
will from across the aisle. They
didn't. They don't have any faith in
there being a "later down the road."
Good for them. That may be the
one thing they are correct about.
3. The best
defense is a good offense. Within
minutes of the SCOTUS decision forever cementing the coup, book contracts were
penned and rightwing hacks bartered a little more of their soul to reap the
rewards afforded effective propagandists.
I kid you not. Whole publishing
houses have been set up since Clinton's 92 victory to do nothing BUT spread
rightwing dung knee-deep... Regnery is just one of the WORST of them. Check out their "Hot New Releases"
page at http://www.regnery.com/new/new.html. Bill Sammon? Of the WASHINGTON TIMES?
I would be more inclined to listen to him if he wrote for a newspaper,
or something.
If you want to know what the truth is, look at what the
moderates are saying. Bugliosi is a
MODERATE. He has NEVER written an
anti-right screed. Hell, look at what principled
conservatives are saying, if you can find one.
But don't ever listen to propagandists... unless it's to fire you up to
write The Diva!
Tammy
"The Diva"
WebMistress of BBBR
RESISTANCE FIGHTER (AND CHARMER) BILL
K. WRITES IN ON PICTURES
From:
"Bill K"
To: < thediva@coup2k.com >
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 12:40 PM
Subject: My
dear you are divine.
Is there a
photo of you anywhere on your site? I hear the Greek Orthodox hang a picture of
a saint in a corner and light candles around it. I thought about that when I
started visiting your site :->.
Keep up the
amazing work and you'll be working in the next Clinton administration!!
(we both know
what that means, darling)
Bill K
"THE
DIVA PROVIDES..."
From: "The
Diva (Tammy)" <thediva@coup2k.com>
To: "Bill
K"
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 4:22 PM
Subject: Re: My
dear you are divine.
Dear Bill:
What a
wonderful e-mail!
Yes, there are
pics of me on my site, though I must warn you, I am about as photogenic as a
pile of wet laundry...
ME AT THE
PODIUM AT VOTERWEST: http://coup2k.com/voterwestscrapbook.html
A BBBR
BIRTHDAY: http://coup2k.com/bbbrbirthday.html
Here I am on
Page 1 of fringefolk.com:
http://fringefolk.com/fringepage1.html
Attached is a pic from
Voterwest where my hair is down for a change.
:)
And I would
drop anything and everything to work a Clinton campaign, whether for Bill or
Hil! "Thems is good peoples!"
Thanks for the
canonization. I have long been Pope Diva I of Aerosmithism,
and I consider it an honor to be Saint Diva of The BBBR Resistance...
Tammy
Saint Diva of
The BBBR Resistance
WebMistress of
BBBR
MORE FROM THE CHARMER...
From:
"Bill K"
To: < thediva@coup2k.com >
Sent: Thursday,
May 31, 2001 9:16 AM
Subject: You look like
you popped up out of a clam shell...
ATTACHED: boticelli_birth_of_venus.gif
Thanks for the
site, too. You, Bartcop, et al. have really saved my sanity.
Other than that, though, I feel like I'm living a nightmare I had several years
ago. There were vampires everywhere, nobody believed me, everybody was getting
picked off one at a time, and I ended up locked up all alone in the band hall
one night fighting for my life. It was one of those "motion picture"
dreams that lasted all night and seemed to have amazing consistency.
SCENES FROM "I AM LEGEND"
From: "The
Diva (Tammy)" <thediva@coup2k.com>
To: "Bill
K"
Sent: Thursday,
May 31, 2001 2:58 PM
Subject: Re:
You look like you popped up out of a clam shell...
Dear Bill:
I know exactly
what you mean. It's like something out
of "I Am Legend." (Yes, I loathe Chuck Heston,
but the
book is one of those creepy masterpieces.)
Don't worry
though, you're not alone in the band hall.
I'm there, too... Maybe not popping out of
a clamshell, but I'm there.
Tammy
"The
Diva"
WebMistress of
BBBR
MORE FROM ONLINE JOURNAL'S JAMES HIGDON
From: "James B. Higdon"
To: < thediva@coup2k.com >
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 6:59 AM
Subject: Re: I must say... [DIVA NOTE:
FIRST HIGDON EXCHANGE SECOND HIGDON EXCHANGE]
Dear Tammy:
Just a note of
acknowledgment, and I'll send more later.
I've assigned myself some research on this issue, and intend to write an
article on the subject. It may take a
little time, but not more than a week or two.
You see, my belief is that the issue revolves around two things: the conservative corporate takeover of all
broadcasting, and the subsequent elimination of the "Fairness
Doctrine." The Fairness Doctrine
required broadcasters to give equal time to dissent regarding their reporting
and editorials in exchange for the free use of public airwaves. The conclusion I'm developing is that we
need to pressure our politicians to offer broadcasters a choice--either pay for
the airwaves, or reinstate the doctrine.
And, no, you
didn't monopolize the conversation, you just had a lot to say. I was very tired
after that long day (I left Los Gatos at 5:30 that morning, helped set up, and
then ran up and down those stairs to the stage all day, while being stressed
out trying to find speakers to make sure they were ready to go), so I didn't
have a lot of energy to talk. I'm
perfectly capable of inserting my two cents when I want or need to. I found your Texas/California blended style
as charming and refreshing as a glass of lemonade on a hot day.
Jim
[DIVA
NOTE: Don't miss Jim's latest on
"Rabbits vs. Elephants" on the May
31 front page.]
THE DIVA ON RABBITS
VS. ELEPHANTS, AND COUPCATS
Dear James:
I've been
posting our conversation to the BBBR, and folks are loving it.
Did you see
Beth's "Rabbits vs. Elephants" piece?
http://coup2k.com/rabbitsvselephants.html
Isn't she
brilliant? She can always make me
laugh, even during these crazy times.
Also, LOS
GATOS? I love that name! I am the proud pet of six gatos. One of them is behind enemy lines as we
speak, stuck in Orange County, undergoing radiation therapy:
http://coup2k.com/cocoinlockup.html
She wrote a
great letter to Bush before she was hospitalized, too:
http://coup2k.com/divaletter05102001.html
This is to say
nothing, of course, of CoupCat Schpitz,
who is a big star
in The Resistance -- the photogenic thing! The buttons of her were the
fastest sellers at the BBBR table at VoterWest. Folks just can't get enough of Schpitz.
Of course,
neither can I.
Keep me posted
on your media expose. I want to read it
hot off the presses.
Tammy
"The
Diva"
WebMistress of
BBBR
[DIVA
NOTE: COUPCAT SCHPITZ HAS A NEW STORE ON CAFEPRESS, WITH PRODUCTS
INSPIRED BY THE BUTTON
DESIGN FEATURING HER THAT WAS SO POPULAR AT VOTERWEST.]
RESISTANCE ARTIST DARRIAS ON THE PLAGIARIZERS
AT "TIME"
From:
<Darrias>
To: < CitizensAgainstBush@yahoogroups.com
>;
< CitizensForLegitimateGovernment@yahoogroups.com
>;
< trustthepeople-cadems@yahoogroups.com
>;
< trustthepeople-disc@yahoogroups.com
>;
< trustthepeople-la@yahoogroups.com
>;
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 10:33 PM
Subject:
[trustthepeople-la] Time cover-BUSHWHACKED?!!
Anybody see the
Time Magazine cover with 'W' and the headline BUSHWHACKED? Man, my wife and I
were laughing so hard that everybody in the grocery store line started checking
their zippers!
Just thought I
warn you all before you go shopping.
See the cover: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/current/
Darrias
http://www.darrias.com/politicalart.html
MAIL FROM RESISTANCE FIGHTERS
REGARDING THE PAUL
RIDENOUR EXCHANGE...
CHRIS AND KAREN WRITE IN WITH A
STANDING INVITATION
From:
"Chris and Karen K."
To: <thediva@coup2k.com>
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 5:31 PM
Subject: Go
Girl!
Just read the May 30 newsletter/e-mail. It was GREAT. If you are ever passing through the BANANA REPUBLIC of Florida,
rest assured you have a home here.
You GO GIRL,
GO!!!!
Chris &
Karen K.
--
Chris
THE
DIVA APPRECIATES THE OFFER
From: "The
Diva (Tammy)" <thediva@coup2k.com>
To: "Chris
K"
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: Go
Girl!
Dear Chris (and
Karen):
What a
beautiful offer!
I've only been
to Florida twice (I actually drove a friend cross country from Jacksonville,
Florida to Long Beach, California once), but if I'm ever in you end of the
woods, I'll give you a holler.
Your possible
future houseguest, and another cranky political prisoner of the BBBR,
Tammy
"The
Diva"
WebMistress of
BBBR
HUGH IS CHUCKLING
From:
<Hugh>
To: <thediva@coup2k.com>
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 5:21 PM
Subject: Re:
[BBBResistance] A week in the life of a political prisoner
Dear Tammy,
What a love you
are. That poor Paul. He didn't stand a chance. You really should pick on someone your own
size. He did however, ASK FOR
IT!!!
Really though,
that was a spectacular response you wrote to that dipwad. I laughed aloud more than once, and was
alternately mesmerized by your facts and logic. Richardson is just down the road from where I live, and that road
is lined with the likes of him. Dallas is such fun.
Keep up the
good writing and thanks for sharing it with all of us out
here, stranded
as we are, in the Bushes.
Fighting
on, Hugh
THE
DIVA RESPONDS: PAUL'S WEIRD PICK-UP STRATEGY
From: "The
Diva (Tammy)" <thediva@coup2k.com>
To:
<Hnballet@aol.com>
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 8:33 PM
Subject: Re:
[BBBResistance] A week in the life of a political prisoner
Dear Hugh:
You're never
gonna believe THIS one.
Paul, the guy
who keeps inventing new e-mail addies to send me angry e-mails, sent me the
following, after receiving my response (the one you enjoyed so much):
============================
From: < paul.ridenour@wcom.com
>
To: < thediva@coup2k.com
>
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 7:41 PM
Subject: Re: Re: Your latest rant!
I am in Richardson on Wednesday. Leave a message on my voicemail and I will be paged.
Paul
972-604-918X
[DIVA NOTE: LAST
NUMBER OBSCURED TO PROTECT PAUL'S PRIVACY,
EVEN THOUGH HE IS A REPUBLICAN, AND DOES NOT BELIEVE IN ANY
SUCH RIGHT]
============================
... and here
was my response to him:
============================
From: "Tammy" < thediva@coup2k.com >
To: < paul.ridenour@wcom.com
>
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 8:57 PM
Subject: Re: Re: Your latest rant!
Why would I do that, Paul?
============================
You don't think
I'm encouraging him, do you? I mean,
enough for him to give me his frickin' phone number, for the love of Bill?!
What a weird,
weird guy.
Tammy
"The
Diva"
WebMistress of
BBBR
RESISTANCE FIGHTER JAMEL'S SOUL IS
SOOTHED BY MONKEY-SPANK
From:
<jamel>
To: < voter@yahoogroups.com >
Sent: Tuesday,
May 29, 2001 2:52 PM
Subject:
[Voter] A Week in the Life of Another Cranky Political Prisoner of the BBBR
Tammy"The
Diva"WebMistress of BBBR writes,
Which brings me
to a point: At least liberals are
capable of guilt. At least we have the
ability to look at our actions with a critical eye, and morally judge
them. At least we don't believe our own
hedonistic rationalizations -- our own self-serving hype. At least we are capable of seeing through
our own BS... At least we have a conscience -- a still small voice.
So beautifully
said When I read this, it calmed my
spirit. We have a lot to be grateful for.
I didn't hear your speech,
but I'm sure it was good. The fact that
you were there and willing to speak out is the most important thing! Thank you
Tammy! You are a power of example!
Jamel
Hasn't America
seen enough of the exclusionary, prejudicial, vote-suppressing,
racial-profiling, inner city-ignoring, confederate flag-waving, Bob Jones
University-loving attitudes of the radical right?" -- Patrick Kennedy
[DIVA
NOTE: I am over being mortified about my VoterWest un-speech, and I am
now just glad that I got to call Bush a criminal. That felt good -- still does.]
THE
DIVA IS GRATEFUL TO FRINGEFOLK
From: "The
Diva (Tammy)" <thediva@coup2k.com>
To:
<jamel>; < Voter@yahoogroups.com
>
Sent:
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 5:22 AM
Subject: Re:
[Voter] A Week in the Life of Another Cranky Political Prisoner of the BBBR
Dear Jamel:
I have heard so
much about you from Rose of Fringefolk,
that even though we haven't done much of the online e-back-and-forth ourselves,
I consider any encouragement from you a very high compliment.
Thanks, Jamel.
Tammy
"The
Diva"
WebMistress of
BBBR
AND NOW... THE MONKEY MAIL!
GIVE-AND-TAKE
WITH A
MONKEY
MAILER FROM THE RIGHT WING
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Shelnutt" <cshelnutt@lhcorp.com>
To: <mailto:thediva@coup2k.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2001 11:22 AM
Subject: Bush Testimony
> Your reporting is so full of flagrantly biased and militant
editorial
> commentary as to cast a
cloud of doubt on whatever "facts" that may be
> contained in it.
Such as? Please provide specifics. I do.
>Perhaps you could take a
lesson from your friends in the
> media
I don't have any friends that
work in the media, unless you count in the independent online media journalists
I know through my website.
>and disguise your bias with
at least the appearance of objectivity.
I never claimed to be
objective. What I am is honest. One can be honest without being
objective. For instance, my boyfriend
is honestly very smart. He holds a
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, and is an accomplished researcher. I am not remotely objective about him, but
by objective standards, he is smart (notwithstanding my lack of objectivity).
> Throwing around facts is
meaningless unless they answer questions of
> substance. "Beth's" frustration with trying
to wage arguments of logic with
> conservatives may stem from
her own lack of understanding [sic] this not-so-simple
> principle.
When the facts don't suit the
rightwing, they attack the dissemination of truth as "Throwing around
facts." I find it highly
satisfying that you are reduced to such transparent and unethical techniques.
The question of substance Beth
was addressing is the moral standing of rightwing principles historically and
at present, and the delusional refusal of the right to deal with that
standing. Her musings were chock-full
of RELEVANT facts, such as the fact that, though Republicans are loathe to
admit that their Party has a long history of anti-racial justice positions,
George W. Bush admitted that very thing, on his own, without any prompting by
an interviewer, etc.
> Here's a hint...never base
philosophical arguments on your
> personal feelings (e.g. if
I can insult conservatives enough, conservatism
> will be seen as wrong by
any rational person). This only results
in
> meaningless dialogue
consisting of name-calling and random insults.
The dialogue is only meaningless
when it is carried on with moral sinkholes from the right, who are incapable of
looking past their own selfish self-interest and fairly judging the historical
and likely future impact of their immoral policies. When the dialogue is carried on with principled people, it is
highly meaningful. This dialogue, with
you, is highly meaningless, for instance.
> To most conservatives your attempts to discredit Bush's
integrity,
> hence his agenda, by
casting him as a "panty chaser" only begs the question
> "do these same
standards, in your mind, apply to Bill Clinton?"
I discredited George W. Bush by
proving that his claims of christian conversion exist in direct contradiction
to his admitted lifestyle at the time of and following his
"conversion," his policies, and his ignorance and disobedience of the
bible, on which the christian faith to which he claims to belong, is based.
And yes, the same standards
apply to Bill Clinton, but since your mind is in the gutter (and other people's
bedrooms), you can't see what standards I am discussing. I am discussing standards regarding
hypocrisy and regarding the use of religion as a political weapon.
As it pertains to these issues,
the following facts are germane: Bill
Clinton is a Democrat, not a member of the Republican Party (a.k.a. Neurotic
Duck Hunters of America). Bill Clinton
never attempted to use his faith in the manner Bush did and does. Bill is innocent of these character crimes.
>So what
> arguments are resolved in
this manner? If you really are
interested in
> winning over the hearts of
your opposition (which I'm not at all convinced
> you are) I would suggest
you debate matters of substance.
As I am convinced that the
hearts of conservatives are willfully faulty (that is to say, perfectly capable
of proper use and betterment, but unlikely to achieve either, due to the nature
of the conservative character), I couldn't possibly care less about
"winning over the hearts of my opposition." I have never argued that conservatives can be saved. Some can, some can't. The ones who lack knowledge have an excuse
for their allegiance to the Party of oppression and greed. The well-informed lack any excuse at all,
and are beyond salvation. They are
premeditated in their heartlessness.
> For starters try
> to answer the
following: what is the proper balance
between availability of
> cheap energy and the
unavoidable ecological damage that it causes?
how many
> rights should we willing to
cede to the government in the name of
> maintaining social order or
economic equity? how much economic
prosperity
> are we willing to give up
to support environmental, philanthropic, and
> social causes? how many of these causes should be addressed
by government
> as opposed to accepting
personal responsibility or allowing
needs to be met
> by the private sector? if government control is required, should it
be
> local, state or federal?
I believe that none of those
matters has anything to do with the subject of your e-mail (Subject: RE:
Bush Testimony), and are intended to distract me from the fact that you
have failed to address the column I wrote which you claim to have taken
exception to. Some of those questions
are addressed on my site, and I will not paste all 500 pages here. Go read my site. Copy and paste the content with which you take issue in its
entirety, and comment on it, if you dare... but do not waste my time with
ham-handed segues.
But regarding the questions you
raise above, remember this -- NEVER FORGET THIS:
The questions you pose are
questions to be addressed by the political process of self-governance through
elected representatives, as chosen by Americans through their ballots. The Republican Party, through its partisan
operatives on the ground, through the actions of its Presidential nominee and
his campaign staff, through the actions of its local, state and federal
leaders, and through the decision of its appointees to the nations highest
court, did in the year 2000 of the Common Era, do everything within its power
to thwart that process.
That is the most reliable
indicator of what the Republican Party does, and does not, stand for. Deal with it.
> Until you develop your own rational answers to these
questions, you'll
> forever be frustrated in
trying to win any political argument.
I am not frustrated now, nor
will I ever be, by dealing with my moral inferiors. I have complete personal control over who I do and do not permit
into my life. (For instance, I am
permitting you into my life at this point, and replying to your e-mail, because
you are an excellent object lesson in rightwing propaganda, character
disorders, faulty logic, misdirection, self-delusion, and a host of other
issues which are much easier to address by example, than by explanation). What I AM frustrated by is rightwingers'
almost limitless ability to harm others, and still see themselves as
"moral." It is that kind of
untreated mental illness that I, and all compassionate people, find both
frustrating and perplexing. It is so
unnecessary. Such a bloody waste.
> It's quite
> obvious from your energetic
passion for proving that which you understand so
> little that you are all
very young. If any of you is over 25 I
wouldn't
> advise telling anyone.
I am 35 years old. See?
I can ignore your advice, and nothing bad happens, because your advice
is worthless.
> The biggest part of
maturity is not just knowing the
> answers (they can usually
be found), but first knowing which questions to
> ask - this is what actually
requires real thought.
>
> Chuck Shelnutt
> Drives Specialist
> ACSYS Technologies
> Jackson, TN
> 800-467-1155
> mailto:cshelnutt@lhcorp.com
Another attack on "the
answers" -- on truth. You must be
very popular in rightwing circles, but your tactic is obvious, and bound to
fail with anyone who has two brain cells to rub together.
As for the rest, I have seen
nothing in your writings to indicate that "real thought" (also known
as "logic" or "reason") is something which you are either
capable of engaging in, or would recognize, when confronted by it. For example, in all your rambling
propaganda, you never once addressed the substance of the column which inspired
you to send an e-mail to me in the FIRST place.
For the record, here is the
issue that column addressed:
RIGHTWING LIES DESIGNED TO PROP
UP BUSH'S CHRISTIAN CREDS
OR TO ASSASSINATE THE CHARACTER
OF LIBERALS
... and here is the column's
URL:
http://www.coup2k.com/mm2.html
Comment away, Mr. Shelnutt. I would be just THRILLED to hear this. While you're at it, please comment on the
rightwing lie at hand -- specifically, the false accusation that Bush is a
better christian than Al Gore -- and please tie your response in with your
personal feelings about the false accusation that Gore refused to send his
story of personal faith to the devotional website in question, 'nkay?
===========================
MONKEY
MAIL 2.1--BUSH'S "TESTIMONY"?
Al Gore
Refused to Send His Christian Testimony to a "Devotional Website"?!?!
THE MONKEY MAIL CLAIMS:
THIS IS VERY LONG, BUT
INTERESTING. Of everything else you
read about the election read this first.
(You might want to print this and read it later, it's long but worth
your time.) The founder of a devotional
web site said he called Al Gore and George Bush and asked them to send in their
testimonies for the web site since they BOTH "claim" to be
Christians. Gore's office said that he
didn't have one in typed form, but Bush did.
Here it is...please pass this along!
Very important!!! This could
change America. (Whether Democrat or Republican) If any of you are interested
in what George Bush says about his faith, here it is. From George Bush:
[DIVA NOTE: THE REST OF THE E-MAIL WAS LIFTED WORD FOR
WORD FROM "A CHARGE TO KEEP."
HERE IS A LINK TO THE RELEVANT
PORTION ONLINE: http://web.tusco.net/ourlady/bush.htm]
THE DIVA SPANKS THE MONKEY
"Public
pronouncements of religious affiliation say little about genuine faith, much
less about how effective a person might be as president." -
Charles Haynes, First Amendment Scholar
First off, the e-mail is a
lie. The "testimony" it
quotes is from "A Charge to Keep," the Bush biography. The passage quoted was never authorized for
republication on any "devotional website." It was simply lifted from the book. Funny how right-wingers don't scruple to steal, and then lie
about it, hmmm?
Secondly, Gore has spoken often
about his faith, although he can't talk about a "turnaround" in his
life, since he never went whoring and drinking like Bush. Gore fell in love with Tipper at his high
school prom, and they have been together ever since. He never lived the spoiled rich playboy lifestyle. He doesn't have that to repent.
Thirdly, if the "founder of
a devotional website" could manage to lift a passage from Bush's book, why
not Al Gore's book, "Earth in the Balance?" Simple, because this person is a political partisan, and refuses
to tell the truth. I have included a short
excerpt from "Earth in the Balance" at the end of this article.
Now, on to the obvious
question: Notice how Bush's testimony
claimed that Jesus "changed" his heart and life in 1984-1985, but we
know he kept drinking "too much" until his 40th birthday? Until after he was married? And even after the birth of his
daughters? I can't even imagine what
kind of loser you would have to be to keep acting like a frat boy until you
turn 40. Bush also claimed that he had
never been arrested after 1968. We now
know that is a lie. He was arrested in
1976 for drunk driving. But I guess
Bush skipped that part in the bible, the part about not lying… What a sad, pathetic creature. (By the way, the only reason Bush
"reconverted" to Christianity, was to run for office. The only way he could be a viable republican
candidate in the bible belt south was to get the nod of the christian
conservatives, who hated his father for the whole "New World Order"
thing, and his broken tax pledge. So he
lied, claimed a religious conversion, but kept partying.)
Remember Bush's claim during the
debate that Jesus was the greatest political philosopher? That is sacrilege, as any good christian can
tell you. As you know, the bible declares
that Jesus eschewed all worldly matters, particularly political ones. Jesus claimed to be not of the world, and
instructed his disciples and followers to follow his example and disengage from
worldly matters. If Bush had read the
whole bible, as he claims (if he can, indeed, read at all), don't you think he
would have noticed that?
As Cal Thomas, a famous
religious conservative and author, rightly pointed out, "Jesus did not
expect the world to reflect his values: he predicted the opposite. The only
people in the world who expect government to reflect religious values are ones
like Iran, where religion and politics are synonymous."
Also, did you notice Bush's slam
against Clinton for his marriage problems?
Do you suppose that, if Bush could read, he might have noticed that the
bible commands praying for, submitting to, and honoring government leaders?
Have you seen anything in Bush's behavior that indicates he follows this
biblical command, or is even aware of it?
I do not recall one single instance of Bush ever praying and giving
thanks for Bill Clinton, honoring him, or submitting to his authority. What a hypocrite.
As far as Christianity and being
a good president goes, you might be interested to know that our very first
president -- George Washington, the one now viewed as beyond criticism -- was
attacked as an atheist by his political opponents. He wasn't. But he said
very little publicly about his deist beliefs, knowing full well that his lack
of Christian orthodoxy would not be accepted by much of the citizenry. (Deism is a faith based on reason rather
than revelation. Deists believe god
created the world and its physical laws, but is not in ongoing communication
with humanity nor actively intervening in human matters. Deists, for example, do not "pray"
for divine revelation.)
Thomas Jefferson was even more
bitterly and frequently branded as an "unbeliever." Although
Jefferson, like Washington, tried to avoid the controversy, his deist views
were widely known. In the election of 1800, Christian ministers tried unsuccessfully
to defeat Jefferson by circulating pamphlets attacking him as immoral and
irreligious.
THINGS
HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH, HMMM?
That is one of the reasons that
these founders of our country forbade requiring any religious test for the
holding of political office. They were
better leaders than Dubya will ever be.
COMPARE
BUSH'S DRIVEL TO AL'S WRITING:
"EARTH
IN THE BALANCE," pp 367-368
If it is possible to steer one's
own course -- and I do believe it is -- then I am convinced that the place to
start is with faith, which for me is akin to a kind of spiritual gyroscope that
spins in its own circumference with what is inside and what is out. Of course, faith is just a word unless it is
invested with personal meaning; my own faith is rooted in the unshakable belief
in God as creator and sustainer, a deeply personal interpretation of and
relationship with Christ, and an awareness of a constant and holy spiritual
presence in all people, all life, and all things. But I also want to affirm what people of faith from long ago
apparently knew and that our civilization has obscured: that there is revelatory power in the
world. This is the essence of
faith: to make a surrendering decision
to invest belief in a spiritual reality larger than ourselves. And I believe that faith is the primary
force that enables us to choose meaning and direction and then hold to it
despite all the buffeting chaos in life.
I believe also that -- for all
of us -- there is an often poorly understood link between ethical choices that
seem quite small in scale and those whose apparent consequences are very large,
and that a conscious effort to adhere to just principles in all our choices --
however small -- is a choice in favor of justice in the world. By the same token, a willingness to succumb
to distraction, and in the process fail to notice the consequences of a small
choice made carelessly or unethically, makes one more likely to do the same
when confronted with a large choice.
Both in our personal lives and in our political decisions, we have an
ethical duty to pay attention, resist distraction, be honest with one another
and accept responsibility for what we do -- whether as individuals or
together. It's the same gyroscope. It either provides balance or it
doesn't. In the words of Aristotle,
"Virtue is one thing."
For civilization as a whole, the
faith that is so essential to restore the balance now missing in our
relationship to the earth is the faith that we do have a future. We can believe in that future and work to
achieve it and preserve it, or we can whirl blindly on, behaving as if one day
there will be no children to inherit our legacy. The choice is ours; the earth is in the balance."
"Earth in the Balance"
is a brilliantly written, prophetic, even holy book, clearly pointing the way
we need to change to assure the survival of our grandchildren. I pray it will have the dramatic impact it
deserves -- and must have -- for our collective salvation. Please read it."
-M. Scott Peck, Author of the 10-Year
New York Times Spiritual Bestseller,
"THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED"
===========================
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES REGARDING RIGHTWING LIES
DESIGNED TO PROP UP BUSH'S CHRISTIAN CREDS
OR TO ASSASSINATE THE CHARACTER OF LIBERALS:
Claim: George W. Bush took a half hour off from
glad-handing supporters at a 'thank you' dinner to witness for Christ to a
teenage boy.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/bushpray.htm
Claim: Vice-President Al Gore announced during a
speech that his favorite Bible verse is John 16:3.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/algore.htm
Claim: Bill Clinton has been quietly doing away
with those who oppose him.
Status: False.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/clinton.htm
Claim: Influential friends ensured that a
"special dispensation" cut the length of Al Gore's tour of duty in
Vietnam from one year to five months.
Status: False. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/goreviet.htm
Claim: Vice-President Al Gore claimed that he
"invented" the Internet.
Status: False. http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.htm
Claim: Bill Clinton Quote: "Yes, the president should resign. He
has lied to the American people, time and time again, and betrayed their trust.
He is no longer an effective leader. Since he has admitted guilt, there is no
reason to put the American people through an impeachment. He will serve
absolutely no purpose in finishing out his term; the only possible solution is
for the president to save some dignity and resign."
Status: Wording inaccurate. http://www.snopes.com/quotes/clinton.htm
[DIVA NOTE: The Real Quote: "[There is] no question that an admission of making false
statements to government officials and interfering with the FBI and the CIA is
an impeachable offense."]
Claim: In his book Earth in the Balance, Senator Al
Gore wrote that Christians are a "blight on the environment" and that
"to believe in Bible prophecy is unforgivable."
Status: False. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/earthbal.htm
Claim: A distant relative of Al Gore or Hillary
Clinton was a horse thief and a train robber.
Status: False. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/stooopid/thief.htm
===========================
So, there it is -- the column that started your BS ball
rolling. Put up or shut up, and try, if
you can, to stay on the subject.
Tammy
"The Diva"
WebMistress of BBBR
