Quote for the Day: On Our Polarized Culture and Politics

I recall nearly two decades ago standing up during a talkback, or maybe during Joys and Concerns, to express my distress at the then-dominant mode of political discourse: The reckless demonizing of different opinions.

It has only grown worse, as Krista Tippett, host of the public radio show Being (formerly Speaking of Faith), observes.

What we once called the red state, blue state divide is now more like two parallel universes where understandings of plain fact are no longer remotely aligned. This leads to a diminishing sense of the humanity of those who think and live differently than we do. And that is the ultimate moral slippery slope, for everyone on it and for the fabric of our civic life.

For months I've been planning to write a post on why I've come to hate politics. I still may write that, but this eloquent summary touches on a part of the answer.

Question of the Day

From DairyStateMom:

"Why is it that when we talk about blue-collar workers, 'competitive' means wage cuts, and when we talk about CEOs, 'competitive' means higher salaries?"

Indeed.

A Tennessee Editor Visits Ground Zero

From The Rural Blog, run by the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky:

Tenn. editor visits Ground Zero, shares the experience with his readers and takes a stand
...
"This country was settled by people seeking religious tolerance, a pillar that was built deep into the American infrastructure. Surely we cannot move that pillar, and threaten the foundation, because of 19 people."

Tweeting the Declaration

Slate had a contest. I read about it here. My favorite:

@Boston1775: "We seek independence based on noble and universal ideas combined with petty and one-sided grievances."

Quote for the Day: Fanatics

"...the classical definition of a fanatic is someone who:
1) runs around in circles while
2) gesticulating wildly and
4) shouting nonsense and then
4) falls down and hurts himself."

William Colsher
See the context here.

I don't know if the two no. 4s was a typo or not. But I hope it was intentional, because it's perfect that way.

Rush Limbaugh really is a big, fat idiot

This is old news by now, but it was new to me today.

The Excellence in Bullshit Broadcasting host (does he actually still use that moniker?) said recently about the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster:

"Was there no union responsibility for improving mine safety? Where was the union here? Where was the union? The union is generally holding these companies up demanding all kinds of safety. Why were these miners continuing to work in what apparently was an unsafe atmosphere?"

Ummm, it was a non-union mine.

(That part I knew, within 24 hours after the disaster, because I actually pay attention to the news.)

More here.

Quote for the Day

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason and intellect has intended us to forego their use and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them. He would not require us to deny sense and reason in physical matters which are set before our eyes and minds by direct experience or necessary demonstrations.

Galileo Galilei

via The Writer's Almanac.

Fish in a Barrel, No. 2

Montel Williams, Sylvia Browne event canceled

Posted: March 24, 2010

The "Up Close & Personal" show featuring Montel Williams and psychic Sylvia Browne scheduled for Monday at the Milwaukee Theatre has been canceled. The promoter blamed "unforeseen circumstances."

Spokesman Dan King with All Good Productions said in an e-mail that "all customers have been contacted" about refunds. Ticket prices ranged from $202 to $62.

Quote for the Day

"Reality is what is. What should be is a dirty lie."

--Lenny Bruce

via Marry in Massachusetts