Edward R. Murrow

‎"We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven into an age of unreason if we dig deep into our history and remember we are not descended from fearful men."

For those who don't know Murrow was a great reporter and commentator. Keith Olbermann uses his closing remark "Good night, and good luck" as an homage to him, not to claim he is the modern Murrow. That full speech can be seen here as an excerpt from the movie about him, it was his retirement speech.

The Mosque at Ground Zero

There is no mosque and it isn't at ground zero, as Keith more than adequately explains in this special comment. This entire fiasco has left me feeling that Americans are petty, small and cowardly. We seem to be scared of everything these days, and the minute some Republican tells us to be scared people start crying out.

At the end of this special comment Keith explains what REAL Americans should do in this situation. Maybe our fathers or grandfathers would have done that but we didn't. The fact is that putting a Mosque at Ground Zero would have been the most American thing to do, but that was in some past America, not this one.

Follow this link back to MSNBC and watch the video of an American Muslim woman who was one fo the first responders at Ground Zero. Look at the pain in her eyes as she realizes few fellow Americans would see her as being American at all.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

That is the god-damned death panel, Sarah Palin!

Keith Olbermann said that on his Special Comment last night. He did a brilliant one on health care once again about his dad. He speaks about it the way only one who has gone through it could and I was in tears by the end of it. It was all familiar to me, hell, I even understood most of the medical terminology and procedures he talked about. Anyone who thinks this is hyperbole simply hasn’t been through it, especially with a loved one that you know is going to die, you just don’t know when.

Keith’s theme this time was the death panels the Right has been going on and on about. He had long talks with his dad about what he wanted and with his dad’s doctors, so everyone knew Keith had final say and what his dad’s wishes were. This is what those so-called death panels are, a chance to pay the doctor for having these very necessary discussions. He called these Life Panels. Keith said having all this squared away was the only feeling of comfort he had in the whole thing and that the real death panels were already happening when the insurance companies deny coverage that will save someone’s life.

I know Darcy and I - and her doctor - had these discussions, and I had fully expected for the last 16 years that someday I’d have to step in and tell them to disconnect the breathing machine and pull the intubation tube. I saw my roll as coming in to rescue her from a medical profession that is unable to let someone die when that is the better choice. Darcy’s greatest fear was being on intubation in a nursing home indefinitely.

Keith said that his out of pocket expenses were higher for HIM than they were for his dad because Dad had Medicare. The same was true of Darcy, no treatment was ever denied to her because she was on Medicare, in fact, according to her email lung-buddies it was all the people with private insurance who had nothing but problems and had to fight with those companies constantly. Let me assure you that fighting with your insurance company when you’ve just been diagnosed with a fatal disease is horrible. This idea of “socialized medicine” being a big boogie man is pure bullshit and designed to push people’s buttons, to get irrational, emotional reactions from them. Most of the people crying about socialism don’t even know what it is.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The United Corporations of America

The UCA is here, the Supreme Court has removed all limits on corporate spending in politics, with the exception of actually giving money directly to a candidate. But other than that, no restrictions, as many organizations and commercials that billions of dollars can buy. In small districts it would be possible for one corporation to buy up ALL available time and block all opposing views. Half our government is already bought by the big corporations, now it will become complete. Obama cab raise millions from individuals? Doesn't matter, his Republican opponent could muster up billions because we all know the Republicans only represent the corps' and not the people.

Keith Olbermann gives a pretty strong Special Comment about it. Keith is known for going over the top, but this time I think he is right on, even though it sounds like he's over the top.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Keith and Health care

Keith Olbermann did another Special Comment, really laying it on the line about the anemic health care bill as it currently stands.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Real Death Panels

Countdown has the story of where the real death panels are, and they already exist today. It's our insurance companies. Research shows that in California alone 22% of medical claims get rejected. How many of those 22% died or went bankrupt from medical expenses no one can afford? No way to know but I know a few people personally, so it happens. The irony is that what the righties are calling "Obama Care" will actually save the lives of those rejected by their own insurance companies. Most of what they say about Obama Care is already true with private insurance. You have an insurance company bureaucrat between you and your doctor and your care is rationed by them. Not based on medical reasons but based purely on trying to make millions of dollars for the insurance companies. Anywhere else if you did not receive the product you have been paying for it would be fraud.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Atheist Bigotry

This is something that really upsets vjack over at Atheist Revolution:

- Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) launched a bigoted tirade against atheist activist Rob Sherman, telling him that it was dangerous for children to even know of the existence of atheism. Despite the public nature of her outburst (during the General Assembly), some media attention, and calls for her resignation, Rep. Davis faced no consequences. She merely delivered the sort of non-apologetic apology to Sherman that we have become used to seeing from bigots and resumed business as usual. Calls for a pubic apology were ignored.
- Christian schools were given free reign to discriminate against students suspected of being lesbians. In fact, it was deemed acceptable for such schools to remove students at will for "immoral or scandalous behavior that contradicts Christian values."
- Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-North Carolina) utilized blatant anti-atheist bigotry during her campaign against opponent Kay Hagan. Although Dole was ultimately defeated, the mainstream media largely ignored the bigoted nature of her strategy of painting Hagan as an atheist. In short, the whole debacle provided other politicians with little reason not to make anti-atheist bigotry a campaign strategy.
- California passed Proposition 8, rolling back previously granted civil rights to GLBT residents. They were able to do this because of a highly organized and well-funded effort by Christian extremist communities. Once again, media coverage largely ignored the religiously-motivated bigotry.

I made a comment but it ended up being long enough and good enough I wanted to turn it into my own blog post:
Don't get discouraged, vjack. Look at the reactions to the things you mentioned. Monique Davis was thoroughly condemned by everyone, which means her bigotry was clear and made even Christians uncomfortable. The Christian school thing I hadn't heard of so can't comment but with Elizabeth Dole the key point is that she lost. In a southern, conservative state her attack on atheism went completely unheeded.

The worst of them is Prop 8 here in California. That hits me personally since I live here and voted against it. But after all the demonstrations by gays who weren't going to take it any more someone did another survey and found that 8% of those who voted for Prop 8 would now vote differently, which is more than enough to change things if the vote were held today.

The ads from the Mormons were confusing and the Prop itself was confusing, I think a lot of people didn't truly understand what they were voting for. Many thought it was about protecting children and didn't even know it was about gay marriage. And I have not heard anyone on TV come down in favor of the Mormons actions in spending $20 million to support Prop 8. I think a lot of people, even those not willing to support gay marriage, were shocked at the level of bigotry that represented and the unabashed mixing of church and state. And there are now a lot of left wing TV and radio people who all made negative comments about the passing of Prop 8. Used to be only a right wing voice was heard across the airwaves, but that has changed, thanks to Keith Olbermann and Air America.

So it hasn't been all negative, change takes time but I see a change happening in the zeitgeist.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Liddy Dole's "'Godless Americans" ad is blowing up in her face"
• Atheist bus: 'Sleep in on Sunday morning' adverts banned

War Crimes

Keith Olbermann does another special commentary, this one on why Bush and everyone in his administration has to invvestigated and prosecuted in the Obama administration. On Rachel Maddow she talks to Jonathan Turley who says that if we don't charge Bush that he could get arrested if he travels abroad and we would be looked on as a rogue state.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Related articles by Zemanta

• Turley Speaks Out On The Bush "Policy Of Crime"