Love. I wish you lots of it. (With a large side-order of compassion.)
AND SPEAKING OF COMPASSION….
Be sure to read the Anne LaMott Op Ed in the Sunday LA Times about health care reform, John Edwards, and getting on with it, generally.
Admittedly, I happen to find almost anything of LaMott’s worth reading, just on the face of it.
And I realize those who think health care reform is a socialist plot and that our president is the socialist-in-chief out to wreck the country might not share my enthusiasm for this particular LaMott op ed. So y’all may free free to skip it.
For the rest of you, here’re the first few ‘graphs:
I’m doing fairly well for a grandmother who had a monkey tangled up in her hair last month on a ghat in Varanasi at sunset. Back home again now, I can report that in the midst of the zap that is India, with its heartbreaking, gorgeous, hallucinatory, dazzling, kaleidoscopic, mind-blowing grandeur and loud reality — a place where having a monkey’s hand trapped in your dreadlocks is pretty par for the course — I came to three decisions about my own country.The first is that if the people on the streets of India can keep their humor and good nature, I can keep mine.
I left for the subcontinent the day before the Massachusetts election, and so arrived in a state of rage, despairing that we would ever see healthcare reform. I nearly bit the head off the kindly driver of a tiny rattletrap car — which had broken down by the side of the road to Agra — when he inquired innocently, from under the hood, if I knew anything about wiring.
But after a few days on the subcontinent, I came to the unshakable belief that we will have decent enough healthcare reform, and soon. What’s going to help America rebound from Bush/Cheney is what saved and saves India — love, nonviolence, a lot of help, radical playfulness and perspective. I saw Indians living in spaces the size of my bathtub, giddily colorful amid the squalor and deprivation, making themselves beautiful and focusing on what they do have.
And I remembered that here we have a 59-vote majority, all but a handful of the senators perfectly good Democrats, who’ve passed an adequate healthcare bill, yet we’re mewling and puking and acting like victims. Of course we are coming through the most toxic political cleanup since the Civil War: What happened during the George W. Bush years was in its way as devastating as the earthquake in Haiti, or daily life for much of India — just as many dead, and a constitution nearly destroyed. Suffering is suffering.
So we have to do what is working slowly in the wreckage of Haiti and India: We don’t give up; we take care of each other; we act like grown-ups; we work with what we have; we get our game back…..
It’d be a shame to quit there, so…read on.
Thanks. I’ll skip it.
But, for your style of social justice, a slimeball who was convicted of two separate murders going back to 1976 and sentenced to death, screwed over the system and the victims’ families with phony appeals so long that he finally died of natural causes. Happy?
More justice. After an increase in crime in our county, citizens are getting a little tired of it. This is a comment to our paper:
Shame we can’t use those big old sturdy oak trees on the court house square to get crime under control.
Okay, back to your article that I have better sense than to read.
Woody, I’m for the murdering, psychopathic slimeball spending the rest of his life in prison. Which is what happened.
I don’t believe in the state being an executioner. Never have, never will.
The fact that I despise what someone has done, and fully understand the terrible harm and grief they have caused, isn’t the point.
I don’t want the state executing people. Period. The reasons are many.
Not everyone agrees with me. Like abortion, it goes to the core of very deep issues on which we will not always agree. It’s like arguing religion.
Happy V-night, Woody. And wise choice not to read the LaMott column. Not your thing. But do see the Temple Grandin TV movie when it comes out on DVD or NetFlix et al. It is truly fabulous.
I think the issue of the state being executioner misses Woody’s implication here. I read his “comment to our paper” as a call for lynching – vigilante “justice” – which fits into what we know of this man’s remarkably cramped and resentment-driven view of the world. He’ll deny it – Eddie Haskell-style – but when I read a white southerner talk about using the “sturdy oak trees on the courthouse square” to get “crime under control” the image is obvious. “Strange Fruit!”
I’m not going to engage in any discussion over Woody’s “intentions” or any further comment on this at all – he’ll twist his intent to suit his need to avoid any responsibility and deny what’s obvious. The words are on the page…
A short history of the use of those big stury oak trees on the courhouse square to get crime under control:
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2717
Celeste – you are welcome to delete my comments #4 and #5 that characterize Woody (accurately and fairly, put in personal terms nonetheless.) My comment #6 makes the point sufficiently.
The only states that allow hanging now, as an alternative to lethal injection, are Washington and New Hampshire. The feds go with whatever method the state uses where the crime took place, if they have no death penalty it’s lethal injection. The U.S. Military uses lethal injection.
Thirty-five states have the death penalty and one, New Mexico, has two people on Death Row though they abolished the penalty in 2009 (it wasn’t retroactive). Oklahoma and Utah allow execution by firing squad but only if you opted for it in Utah prior to their discontinuing it’s use.
It’s an old history you point to Reg and there’s nothing to tie your link to what Woody said about the comment someone else made. It’s a bit of a stretch but I understand the need to needle.
I’m more disturbed about Celeste’s head in the sand look at the death penalty. Killers kill again in prison Celeste, they kill other inmates and correctional officers. When put on parole convicted killers have killed innocent civilians.
These are all facts, I’d be happy to debate them. Executed murderers never are a problem to anyone.
Correction Officer Dona Payant was murdered, by a piece of scum who murdered probably five times before but in your view shouldn’t be executed. It happened in May of 1981 in Greenhaven Prison in New York. Abbie Hoffman and William Kuntsler’s being involved in this case is why I mention it as I’m sure your views closely coincide with theirs. Here’s a link to quite a long read on the case, it’s worth anyone’s time.
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/not_guilty/lemuel_smith/index.html
Smith, the killer, should still be alive? I don’t think so and should have been long dead, or on death row where he would never have got near Payant, before she was ever murdered.
Your position is a slap in the face to all the others who have died that never should have. In my opinion they matter more than any murderer.
By the way, we do need health care reform, the Democrats just don’t know how to do it.
SureFire – If you think that using “sturdy oak trees on the courthouse square to control crime” alludes to anything other than vigilante lynching, you must be twelve-years old and spend your time reading fairy tales. Don’t insult me with your bullshit. Also, anyone who believes the death penalty has had any impact on murder stats is not worthy of being considered a “law enforcement professional.” You’re engaged in sheer, feel-good, masturbatory emotionalism. Childish. Grow the f- up.
Incidentally, Surefire, I would have more respect for death penalty advocates – despite the fact that it’s been discredited – if we actually DID have public hangings, televised, etc. etc. Also, if they would argue openly that all executions should happen quickly after trial – and, as I said, public. Of course, the number of wrongly executed would increase rather dramatically, but an honest death penalty advocate – who really wanted to use the effect to terrify potential murderers – would argue that this is the lesser evil. Also, letting the bodies rot in the public square might enhance the deterrent effect. If we’re gonna DO IT, let’s fucking DO IT! None of this wimpy stuff. Give me a death penalty I can believe in. And live with the all of the implications inherent in the concept. Otherwise, you guys are “girly men.” (I don’t, incidentally, oppose the death penalty on “moral grounds” but practical and empirical. If someone killed a loved one of mine, I’d be more than happy to put a bullet in their brain if given the chance. In fact, in my crusade against Death Penalty Hypocrisy, I’d like to see the act carried out by victims friends or relatives, if they so desire and if we’re going to continue it.)
# Woody Says:
February 14th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Thanks. I’ll skip it.
But, for your style of social justice, a slimeball who was convicted of two separate murders going back to 1976 and sentenced to death, screwed over the system and the victims’ families with phony appeals so long that he finally died of natural causes. Happy?
………………
As someone who’s against the death penalty, yes, I am.
Ha ha ha!@@!!! Did Woody just pass off a comment from his blog as a view from “citizens”, as in, citizens in general? HA ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Exhibit 233432493932-c that Sure Fire’s a waste of time:
He’s arguing that murderers matter more than the victims in Celeste’s point of view, when she has clearly stated that murderers should be imprisoned for life.
Again, he whines and whines and whines about people not considering his always exaggerated point of view, nor taking the “time” to read the links which backup the few Captain Obvious facts he does include in his comments, irrelevant facts that nobody’s ever disputed in the first place, however I am not only yet to see him consider anyone else’s point of view, I’m also yet to see him respond to any rebuttal to his diatribes without entirely misrepresenting the person’s point of view. You’re against the death penalty? You care about murderers more than the victims. That simple. Even if you’ve clearly expressed that you believe in punishing murderers. Just a fucking brick head.
Actually, Rob, it was in our local paper.
reg, come see us when you come to Georgia. We’ll have a black tie event down at the courthouse.
General Sherman didn’t finish the job…
“the suspect admitting to it”
One fifth of all those exonerated of crimes by DNA testing had confessed. “Interesting statistic”, to say the least.
http://www.truthaboutfalseconfessions.com/
Make that “one quarter”….
Dumb enough to cop out makes them too stupid to walk among us. I’d go further than you Reg. I’d be happy to read every case file on every death row prisoner, make my own decision on their guilt and exact the punishment needed on every one I determined there was no chance, none Reg, that they were anything but guilty.
I have faith in my own ability to be fair and I’m sure some would be spared, but my insticts tell me it would be damn few and I’d save us all a boat load of money better spent elsewhere. I deal with judges all the time and find many to be idiots, as are many juries.
I wouldn’t lose one minutes sleep either, go figure.
In facr Reg, you talk a good game, would you be willing to do the same? Or don’t you have enough faith in your own ability to figure out what the truth is?
Funny, I didn’t see any debate from Celeste on the issue after my last few posts on it. That you can’t read or comprehend beyond a third grade level is all over this site Robbie, just like your seial sprinting from threads and inability to post facts. You’re just a leftist attack bitch with no balls and no game.
I don’t call anyone homosexual or anything like it, I could care less, you’re just a flat out poser with nothing to say so you make shit up. I’m sure I’m not the first you’ve heard that from and won’t be the last.
By the way Robbie, you had 5 days since I made that post to say something, guess you were speechless.
I also though I wasn’t a cop Robbie, are you as confused in real life as you come off as here? A total poser.
Surefire – you sound quite insane.
Also, are YOU so stupid that you don’t get it…about the phony confessions. Yeah…guys gave those confessions because they were “stupid.” You really do live in your own little made-up world, don’t you ?
“his propensity for running from threads with his labia scraping the ground”
That’s just… beautiful. Hey Celeste, did you ever think your blog would contain references to “labia scraping the ground”? Charming.
Scott, I’m kind of taken aback at the labia comment, too. It was surprising for even him. I think Sure Fire has a hatred of women that’s just off the charts. I mean, if you disagree with this guy, you’re a woman. End of story. Notice that’s his come back for anyone posting under a male name who doesn’t pat him on the head and agree with him. Either that or you’re gay. You just have to wonder what it must be like to walk around this earth with that kind of hatred for half of the species. I’ve heard people comment about his drinking. I’m pretty sure that compounds his emotional issues. Long story short, this guy is a time bomb waiting to erupt. Assuming he really is a cop, we can only hope he is retired, and that the new generation of cops just have cooler heads on their shoulders. Society’s in trouble if they don’t.
I’ve found I can’t muster the courage to counter Surefire’s arguments unless I take an estrogen injection.
None of you counter anything, can’t do it when foaming at the mouth Reg, you’re a joke talking all kinds of tough on crime stuff, like when you got jacked and wanted to be judge, jury and executioner but puss out when I give you the chance. What a shocker.
Another in a long list of posers that roam the net that hate being showed to be just that.
Can’t do it when you try to post how people feel or take what they say to the Twilight Zone of Robbie Land either. Robbie somehow can’t make up his mind as to what I am and bounces around like the Pasadena Spinner (be amazed if anyone here could talk about him).
“You’re a f’n cop for crying loud”, was in a recent post of his and where he feels calling me “Just a fucking brick head” is cool I somehow seem to be getting him real nervous about his own masculinity with my comments. Scott doesn’t say anything that ever matters, wtfc?
Other comments you’ve made in other threads are even worse Robbie, but you sound like such a sissy bitch when you cry when you get your served returned and I’ve only done that in response to the bitch like comments you make about me. Check the board, show I’m wrong but odds are you’ll just misdirect like always.
Look Sigmund, you need to be a man and just take it or shut up.
I don’t care that Celeste deleted the “labia” portion of my comment but did she do the same with the “urine” comment that was floating around about me? Know the difference here Robbie, I don’t care and wouldn’t whine about it like some obvious bitch whose panties got twisted and cried foul.
My wife of many years along with any other female I know would disagree with your diagnosis Dr. Freud, about females and my temper.
I am very relaxed in real life, and you sound like a mad tweaker. Get a grip.
“puss out when given the chance.”
You’re a sad little man. Everybody’s a “bitch.”
Go fuck yourself, you misogynistic little shit. Weak…
Hey you pussed out, talked a game you couldn’t play. It’s the net though where you can pretend you’re a man Reg. Good for you.
Nothing sad or little about me old man, and your standard response shows you have nothing in the tank.
Wow, I though you were an asshole here Reg but seems you’re also ok with racist coments elsewhere long as their made by people whose minds are as narrow as yours.
You are truly a bitch and have way too much time on your hands. Your obsession with Woody is pretty creepy, even for someone with your advanced senility.
Fortunately this is a dead thread. I have no idea who started the decent into the muck this time and I don’t care. It isn’t worth the time needed to find out.
But how in the world do all of you rationalize this nonsense? And I mean all three of you. You’re each intelligent men. But from this thread you wouldn’t know it. It’s truly weary making.
You’re inteligent as well Celeste. I don’t start fights here though, read the entirety of this thread and you’ll see that. My first post here is #8, after that Reg and Robbie went on the attack. I responded, did you think I wouldn’t?
You know I’m able to get just as nasty at them but if you did a little looking around the board you’ll see I do that when defending myself after their trips to the gutter, and most often in Robbie’s case his constant lies about what I’ve said.
I won’t let people get too over the top with me Celeste, not in my dna to stay quiet but anyone who can read can see the truth. Neither Reggie or Robbie demonstrate self control as a habit with Woody or me, I do until a certain point.