Daylight Atheism > New on Dangerous Intersection: Scorched-Earth Politics

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New on Dangerous Intersection: Scorched-Earth Politics

To cap off an eventful day, I'm happy to announce that I've accepted an offer to become a guest author on the blog Dangerous Intersection. DI is one of the relatively few blogs I read daily, and is frequently updated with a diverse crew of contributors and an equally diverse set of viewpoints on politics, science, culture and other topics. I'm glad for the opportunity to be one of them.

Daylight Atheism will continue to be updated as before, but from now on, whenever the mood strikes me to write on a topic not specifically related to religion, I may well post it to Dangerous Intersection instead. My first guest post is titled "Scorched-Earth Politics" and is up now. Read and enjoy!

8 Comments

Ebonmuse,

I minor complaint, re:

"these are just the best-known examples of a vast pool of right-wing sewage from which countless more equally repugnant statements could be produced"

"Republicans’ recent crushing midterm losses will awaken more of them to the poisonous and irresponsible course of action their party has taken"

The language ("sewage" and "poisonous") seems a little bit too strong, even though what you are referring to is objectionable.

Comment by: Archi Medez | November 30, 2006, 6:46 am

I don't think it's too strong. It's always refreshing to see a fellow liberal being honest even at the expense of being impolitic, and the statements are referring to actions, not people (the "pool of right-wing sewage" one could admittedly be clearer in this regard).

Comment by: Alex Weaver | November 30, 2006, 7:58 am

How do you get time to write so much?

Comment by: Andreas | November 30, 2006, 6:41 pm

The language... seems a little bit too strong, even though what you are referring to is objectionable.

My language is harsh, I don't deny it, but I don't think the criticisms are unmerited. Karl Rove and the Republicans who followed in his footsteps have done more to degrade our democracy and tarnish our ideals than any other administration in the last hundred years at least. That they have the audacity to cloak their vile and mendacious behavior in rags of false patriotism only makes it even more reprehensible. I strive not to let my criticism exceed what is strictly supported by the facts, but in this case, I feel it is fully justified, and I would be doing my cause a disservice if I called this behavior anything less than what it is.

How do you get time to write so much?

I've been wondering about that myself, actually. Part of it, I think, is just making time every day to do at least some writing; the best way to get it done is to make it a habit. However, I think what's more important is the flood of atheism-related news this month - the election and the role nonbelievers played in it, Hovind's conviction, Haggard's confession, David Paskiewicz, the Christian Coalition's brief new president - all of which have ensured that I've had no shortage of inspiration.

Comment by: Ebonmuse | November 30, 2006, 11:29 pm

Ann Coulter is best-known recently for saying in Godless: the Church of Liberalism about the 9/11 widows: "I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much."

But she's also a creationist, even saying

"I defy any of my coreligionists to tell me they do not laugh at the idea of Dawkins burning in hell."

Comment by: lpetrich | December 1, 2006, 4:16 pm

And Ann Coulter continues to be taken seriously by many right-wingers, despite her grotesque shrillness. This is a woman who uses femininity as a dirty word, despite growing her hair long and posing in low-cut dresses and swimsuits. I'm surprised that she doesn't cut her hair short and wear blue jeans and flannel shirts.

Rush Limbaugh has gotten away with a lot of boorishness for a LONG time; there was a period when he did "caller abortions" with a recorded sound of a vacuum cleaner, he said that Chelsea Clinton was the "White House dog", he spoke of "Donna Shalalalalala", he once said that a certain picture of Hillary Clinton made him look like a hood ornament, etc. There's a whole book called "Rush Limbaugh's Reign of Error", chronicling that sort of thing, like saying "I like watching the women's movement -- from behind" and complaining that he's no long allowed "to admire a nice set of knockers". His "Undeniable Truths" include a "truth" that feminism was invented so that unattractive women can have a chance to succeed.

However, some of his followers have felt grievously wronged by fat jokes about him.

Comment by: lpetrich | December 1, 2006, 4:32 pm

And Ann Coulter continues to be taken seriously by many right-wingers, despite her grotesque shrillness. This is a woman who uses femininity as a dirty word, despite growing her hair long and posing in low-cut dresses and swimsuits. I'm surprised that she doesn't cut her hair short and wear blue jeans and flannel shirts.

If she left the hair at least longish, adopted your clothing suggestions, and developed a less lich-like physique, she might be sort of physically appealing to me. This would, of course, make her much more dangerous...

I kind of get the impression that Ann Coulter feels more or less the same way about being born a woman as Hitler felt about being born in Austria.

Comment by: Alex Weaver | December 1, 2006, 9:46 pm

Ebonmuse,

Your factual listing of those incidents had me reacting much the way you reacted. However, when I got to "vast pool of right-wing sewage," I had to draw back and admit that that was excessive. (And given that I agree with you on so many issues, imagine the negative reaction from someone coming from a different perspective re religon and politics. Persuasively, you may have lost them right there). Leave that kind of thing for the sensationalists, e.g., Anne Coulter et al. I think we need to be consistently disciplined and measured in our presentations (and 99% of the time you are--which is rare on the net and is appreciated).

Comment by: Archi Medez | December 2, 2006, 2:27 pm