Deja Vu: Fear and Intimidation

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Saturday February 25, 2012 · 6:11 AM PST

2012/02/25 · 06:11

One of the first diaries I ever wrote for this community was called "Barefoot, Pregnant and Patriotic." I was pretty naive five years ago. I really never thought that the War on Women could get this bad. I think perhaps it's time to reconsider.

It's always dangerous to cite Nazi Germany in any modern conversation. People think you are just fearmongering. But we are facing a terrible challenge right now. It's almost impossible to convince young women (and young men, of course) what's at stake and "if we don't remember it will happen again."

So please read beyond that little orange squiggle for a short history lesson.

MrMichaelMT

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Sunday February 05, 2012 · 6:26 AM PST

2012/02/05 · 06:26

During the same year when many Catholic clergy and theologians have written a public letter clarifying the immorality of the current Republican "war on the poor," the Bishops demand that all churches read an inflammatory letter suggesting that their constitutional rights have been violated and the Obama Administration has taken the country "to Hell in a handbasket."

Unfortunately, the letter is not just inflammatory but downright deceptive. And to explain to the average traditional Catholic in the seat to your right or left (or at the coffee shop) why, you'll have to discuss both law and science. Good luck! But there's a primer to help just beyond that orange squiggle.

MrMichaelMT

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Saturday October 08, 2011 · 2:00 PM PDT

2011/10/08 · 14:00

In the last two weeks I've been in awe of the growing Occupy! movement. I've seen the campers in Madrid and other cities in Europe, watched the peaceful protests of the Arab spring, and tried to help the voices of the many individuals in Asia reverberate through the Internet as they cryfor social justice. But honestly, I never thought it would come here. I thought that we were too content...too complacent...or too intimidated by banksters and big money boys.

I've also seen the almost comically frantic reactions of the right, who suddenly see their own methods used against them. One of their memes (from Luntz' keyboard to their lips?) is that the movement is unfocused, disorganized, or somehow anarchist.

So it's with great humility that I'd like to offer two suggestions to those who are looking for a way to capitalize on this positive change we can believe in--both admittedly stolen from the Right.

MrMichaelMT

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Sunday August 14, 2011 · 3:23 AM PDT

2011/08/14 · 03:23

For those who limit their reading of history to what’s been researched and documented, the newest twist on American history may come as a surprise. In fact, most folks who read above the fourth grade level may not encounter it unless they get bored enough to read their child’s new textbook. But when you do—and after you use your Brawny towels to wipe up the Dunkin Donuts coffee you’ve spilled on your Stainmaster carpet because you were laughing—you might reconsider the newest propaganda circulating among the “religious” right to justify the merging of (one) church and state in this country.

My introduction to this viral mythology came as a guest at a community service, where the scripture readings were exclusively from Old Testament. The story was from Kings (18, 19) although it took a lot of cut-and-paste to make it fit. In short, the chosen people are threatened by outsiders. God takes sides in a war. While the threatened chosen people sleep, God comes in and kills 185,000 of their enemies. They wake up to a sea of dead bodies. It’s a tempting and attractive revenge dream for folks who are angry, feel helpless and long to be considered specially privileged without much effort on their own part. (It’s also the very antithesis of the meme, “What would Jesus do?” since “Blessed are the peacemakers” was just one of the bits of advice that ultimately got him in big trouble.)

Fast forward 2000 years. Times are rough. People are in need. Their neighbors may look like strangers. America’s position in the world is threatened by indecisive wars and trade imbalances. It’s hard to feel special or chosen. But neither weapons nor dollars have the capacity to make things right. It’s tempting to pray to some saint that a miracle might occur during the night without any special effort on our part and simply (in the words of Pat Buchanan) return us to the good old days.

What’s needed is a powerful patron saint of WASPS. And they’ve found one.

MrMichaelMT

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Saturday May 28, 2011 · 3:52 AM PDT

2011/05/28 · 03:52

It's actually been hard to pick out the details in the bills just passed by the Michigan Legislature, as the multiple effects of Governor Rick Snyder's actions have been shifting like melting ice in Lake Huron. But the cumulative effects are going to be devastating.

Snyder has robbed the most vulnerable and valuable of your community servants in order to make his rich friends even richer. Please take the time to "meet" a couple of the people who just got attacked on this holiday weekend.

MrMichaelMT

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Friday May 27, 2011 · 4:37 PM PDT

2011/05/27 · 16:37

A couple days ago I found myself in an unintended debate about a diary regarding Arne Duncan. It would be out-of-character for me to defend Duncan's position on privatization of education because I'm a strong believer in public schools as the foundation of our democracy. I've seen great charter schools and horrible abuses of the term "school" in the name of commercial charters, so I won't begin to go there.

But the author of the diatribe against Duncan (a biology teacher) didn't seem aware of the strong and continual dialogue between the administration and the National Science Teachers Association. Duncan has been a well-received speaker at a national meeting, a partner in the National Science and Engineering Festival on the National Mall and a featured author in the group's latest newsletter. His relationship with science teachers has been far stronger than his (improving) relationship with NEA.

What has happened on the national level for science education in the last two years has been largely positive. In the interest of conversation rather than evisceration, it's important to acknowledge this because it's crisis time in science literacy!

MrMichaelMT

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Saturday May 21, 2011 · 8:30 AM PDT

2011/05/21 · 08:30

In the past year our independent friends and neighbors have been drowned in high-priced propaganda, swept by the cash tsunami for at least a short time into a conservative fantasy land. One of the real weaknesses of progressives is their ability to talk clearly about how faulty the right-wing memes are. (Of course, Europeans and Latin Americans have no such reticence.)

In the next two months folks in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan will be forced to have these conversations as part of recall campaigns. It might be really valuable to summarize points (with graphics) in order to KISS and make up the difference!

So I thought on this sunny Saturday, as we all wait for the shoes of our more pius friends to drop (as they are raptured naked up to their just rewards) it might be helpful to put down my three favorite graphics and arguing points. After all, tomorrow morning those who aren't naked and heaven-sent may actually be more amenable to conversaton.

Jump below the fold. This is going to be a short diary. Three graphics that you can paste to the water cooler or plop down next to a Micky D's Smoothy and make a point.

Don't be shy. Talk to someone. Even if you aren't trying to recall some Koch-funded jerk, it may pay off in the future.

MrMichaelMT

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Saturday April 23, 2011 · 3:54 AM PDT

2011/04/23 · 03:54

It's been over four decades since Earth Day began. Some of us have been trying to instill a respect for the planet into students for all that time. What have we accomplished? When the majority of those who respond to polls don't believe in evolution or global warming, it's hard to convince ourselves that decades of education have amounted to much.

Of course, there have been obstacles. Reagan told us to "go back to basics"--and that virtually eliminated "fluff" like environmentalism from our schools. Then teachers were buried in the detritus of cheap standardized tests.

But we can't stop trying. I'd like to suggest a small effort today--after you clean the beach or recycle the strewn plastic bottles on your street. This year (and for the past 38) the National Science Teacher's Association and Children's Book Council have selected some really outstanding books for young people. Most have environmental themes. Over the fold, I'm going to list a few that especially hit my heart.

Share some of your favorites--new or old--here.

Buy a book and share it with a child who will vote a decade or so from now.

And for some light-hearted relief today, go to Youngvoicesonclimatechange.organd look at the videos.

Perhaps you can make a difference.

MrMichaelMT

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Sunday April 17, 2011 · 5:57 PM PDT

2011/04/17 · 17:57

Election 2010: The conservatives march lockstep to victory, using the same memes, the same Frank Luntz language, the same lack of transparency with respect to policies and prospects.

Meanwhile, the progressives sit around and debate the proverbial number of angels on the heads of pins. Observers compare the conduct of many of the campaigns to proverbial efforts to "herd cats." Not surprisingly, there were massive losses across the board.

Result: The nation may not only lose its social support networks of Medicare and Medicaid, but may be traveling down a path toward the subservience of women eerily reminiscent of "A Handmaid's Tale."

It's time to stop acting like house cats and begin stalking like a pride of lions. That doesn't eliminate independence, but it

MrMichaelMT

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Monday October 25, 2010 · 1:03 PM PDT

2010/10/25 · 13:03

A month ago Glenn Beck plays pseudo-evangelist for cash. Then Ed Schulz and many of the nation's progressive labor and rights organizations marched for unity. Next week Stewart and Colbert lead a march ofr common sense.

But the real action on the National Mall was this week. Political movements come and go, but the potential of our youth is forever. The National Science and Engineering Festival showed clearly how excited our young people could be--freed from the stranglehold of multiple choice tests and the threat of having all logic and curiosity crushed from them.

MrMichaelMT

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Wednesday August 11, 2010 · 3:24 AM PDT

2010/08/11 · 03:24

On a day when a fired Jet Blue flight attendant becomes a national hero and Robert Gibbs bites off the hand that feeds him, it's hard to claim that a single photo might summarize the average intelligence of the average American, but I offer you this:

MrMichaelMT

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Friday May 21, 2010 · 5:15 AM PDT

2010/05/21 · 05:15

Despite tons of press, the real philosophy of Libertarianism--and the underlying outlook of the vast majority of "Tea Party" participants (other than those that Dick Armey buses in) have been grossly misunderstoond and underestimated by both progressives and conservatives.

In an effort to understand and ultimately defeat candidates like Rand Paul, it's important to understand where they come from. And in order to do that, you have to look at his father's writings...before he tried to get a national office.

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Deja Vu: Fear and Intimidation

A Response to the Bishops

Occupy!...the minds of Armey and Norquist

Losing my religion...and history, too

Frisking Fred the Custodian: Snyder's Sin!

Beyond "Evisceration" to Conversation

Having That Conversation--The Tools You Need

Teach the Children Well--an Earth Day Lesson

From Housecats to Lions--Time to Hunt

Eat Your Heart Out Glenn--Joy on the Mall and an Inconvenient Truth

Dumb and Dumber?

Rand Paul is not a racist