Here’s an interesting and reasonably balanced article about the history of Little Green Footballs and the evolution of Charles Johnson.
[Sunday morning update]
More from Patterico. And Tim Blair points out some additional (and certainly unintentional) irony.
I have to say that Charles has never banned me. Of course, it would be hard to do so, since I’ve never commented there since he began requiring registration…
In other words, idiocy from a Hollywood director. As a commenter asks, who would he rather be in a room with — a hundred white “right wingers” or a hundred Jihadis? I too would hope he’d be true to his beliefs. I wouldn’t make book on the state of his neck afterward, though.
Thoughts from Victor Davis Hanson:
I am fortunate for a wonderful graduate education in the PhD program at Stanford, but I learned more about the way the world works in two months of farming (which saved a wretch like me) than in four years of concentrated study.
In short, the world does not work on a nine-month schedule. It does not recognize concepts like tenure. It does not care for words without action. And brilliance is not measured by vocabulary or SAT scores. Wowing a dean, or repartee into a seminar, or clever put-downs of rivals in the faculty lounge don’t translate into running a railroad—or running the country. One Harry Truman, or Dwight Eisenhower is worth three Bill Clintons or Barack Obamas. If that sounds reductionist, simplistic, or anti-intellectual, it is not meant to—but so be it nonetheless.
I’ve never been less impressed with Ivy League degrees than I am now.
An interesting interview, by Instapundit.
By Michael Totten. Parts I and II:
Hitchens: It’s not “the regime” or “the theocracy.” It’s now very clear that the Revolutionary Guards have committed a coup in all but name–well, I name it, but it hasn’t yet been named generally. They didn’t rig an election. They didn’t even hold one.
MJT: They never counted the votes. There’s no “recount” to be done.
Hitchens: The seizure of power by a paramilitary gang that just so happens to be the guardian and the guarantor and the incubator of the internationally illegal weapons program. If that doesn’t concentrate one’s mind, I don’t know what will.
MJT: If the Obama Administration calls you up and says, “Christopher, we need you to come in here, we need your advice.” What would you tell them?
Hitchens: I would say, as I did with Saddam Hussein–albeit belatedly, I tried to avoid this conclusion–that any fight you’re going to have eventually, have now. Don’t wait until they’re more equally matched. It doesn’t make any sense at all.
The existence of theocratic regimes that have illegally acquired weapons of mass destruction, that are war with their own people, that are exporting their violence to neighboring countries, sending death squads as far away as Argentina to kill other people as well as dissident members of their own nationality–the existence of such regimes is incompatible with us. If there is going to be a confrontation, we should pick the time, not them.
We’re saying, “Let’s give them time to get ready. Then we’ll be more justified in hitting them.” That’s honestly what they’re saying. When we have total proof, when we can see them coming for us, we’ll feel okay about resisting.
Read all, and hit Michael’s tip jar.
I blame that progressive, George Bush.
Really. I think that the Mineta nomination and retention was one of the stupidest (among many) things that he did.
The problem is, of course, that the alternatives (Gore or Kerry) would have been even worse. And at least he tried to rein in Fannie and Freddie, against the successful opposition of Barney Frank and Chris Dodd.
He’s right:
If Romney had used the phrases “light-skinned” and “Negro dialect” his religion and his religion’s history in this matter would have been noted high up in every story.
But Romney is a Republican. It’s only Republican Mormons who are evil.
Really, Reid and Pelosi are embarrassments. I’m glad that they’ve become the public face of the Dems in Congress. Long may they reign, until November. Hang in there, Harry.
[Update a couple minutes later]
Gee, the Black Congressional Caucus is totally down with the “light-skinned Negro” thing. Who would have thought?
[Evening update]
Here’s a handy flow chart to parse and analyze pseudo-offensive racial (and sexual, and gender) statements.
[Monday morning update]
Can someone please explain to me exactly what it was that was so offensive about what Harry Reid said? At least to Barack Obama? Because I’m not getting it. If he owes anyone an apology, it’s the American voters that he slandered and implied were racists. Forgiveness from the president is meaningless.
[Update a few minutes later]
I agree with Roger Simon. Reid isn’t a racist — he’s a hack. And a fool.
…for a non-lunatic Massachusetts Senator. Send whatever you can afford to break the back of the wreckers in DC.
Incidentally, I would note that Jack Kennedy would probably feel a lot more political affinity to the Republican than the Democrat in that race. I doubt if he’d even recognize his party today.
[Update a few minutes later]
Even in Massachusetts, support is weak for health-care deform.
…just 43 percent of Massachusetts voters support the Democratic national health care plan now making its way through Congress, versus 36 percent who oppose. In one of the bluest states in the country — and one with up-close experience with a state health care regime that resembles the plan under consideration for the nation as a whole — that is strikingly weak support. And that support is pretty much limited to Democrats; independents and Republicans are opposed.
And there are a lot of independents in MA.
If Brown pulls this off, it will be the sweetest political victory for the American people in a long time. It might break the back of the so-called “progressives.”
The White House told the chief of counterterrorism to not interrupt his skiing vacation for a terrorism attack.
So, no problem. He was just following orders…
…that a Napolitano replacement would be an improvement? Not much, at least from this administration. Of course, I don’t think that the department should have been created in the first place. Whoever runs it has a pretty impossible job.