Based on several years’ observation, I’ve come to believe that when an elected or appointed official says “frankly” in a sentence, all the rest of it is either false, or so suffused with spin as to be as good as false.
This rule is, unfortunately, bipartisan. Try it for yourself as you read or hear the news, you’ll see…
I do not often recommend long serious videos; I tend to short and/or funny.
But please consider taking 23 minutes of your life to listen to this speech by New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu on the removal of four confederate statues.
Spotted via Tom Sullivan at digby’s blog, who links to a transcript at The Pulse and makes a link to the US Supreme Court’s recent 5-3 decision Cooper v. Harris that struck down two racially gerrymandered districts in North Carolina.
Contrast this speech to the despicable bills passed in the last few days by the Louisiana House to protect confederate monuments statewide and the bill passed by both houses of the Alabama legislature to prohibit “the relocation, removal, alteration, renaming, or other disturbance of any architecturally significant building, memorial building, memorial street, or monument” that have stood for more than 40 years on public property. The bill also prohibits renaming schools named after people.
I confess that I don’t know much about Mich Landrieu, but if this is typical of the man, I hope he has a long future in politics.
Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever: that considering numbers, nature and natural means only, a revolution of the wheel of fortune, an exchange of situation, is among possible events
–Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia (1783)
As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and a complete narcissistic moron.
–H. L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920
“A devious man, but when cornered a patriot.” That was Henry Kissinger’s assessment of Melivin Laird, who died today, at least as recorded by William Safire in his book Before the Fall.
For some reason, that line always stuck with me.
Rabbi Michael Lerner gave a barnburner of a memorial speech at the memorial for Muhammad Ali.
Based on the reaction shots, Bill Clinton seemed to really enjoy it, especially the part at 6:20.
Also tempts me to buy subscriptions to Tikkun for a few former students I know.
Jotwell Blenderlaw
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