Saturday, September 03, 2005
Where Bush said: The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch. (Laughter.)
Here's some biting netitizen satire of what Bush might have said at other national disasters:
And this strangely appropriate (freudian?) slip from feeble FEMA director Michael D. Brown, who obviously doesn't understand that Pac-man - and much of the violence in the streets - are about eating things...
Eric Raymond defends an armed, responsible citizenry, as does the New York Times:
I re-read Brin's The Postman last night.
A constant theme runs throughout that book: "Who will take responsibility?". Brin writes: The postman was written as an answer to all those post-apocalyptic books and films that seem to revel in the idea of civilization's fall. It's a story about how much we take for granted -- and how desperately we would miss the little, gracious things that connect us today. It is a story about the last idealist in a fallen America. A man who cannot let go of a dream we all once shared. Who sparks restored faith that we can recover, and perhaps even become better than we were. ¶ 4:11 PM
Here's some biting netitizen satire of what Bush might have said at other national disasters:
- The good news is -- could someone stop that guy coughing in the back? Thanks. The good news is that we have contained the plague. A lot of good people, hard workin' people, have put their effort into separating out the victims and giving them the best care available so that the rest of us, of you, really, can get on with rebuilding our lives. And the really great news is that those houses, the infected houses and and such, that we're burning down because they harbor infection, those houses and businesses are going to be replaced by some hedges and in no time at all the Church will have some sheep out there grazing and it will be really pastoral, really beautiful. People will come from miles around to gaze at the sheep and think about all the people who used to live in this village, so you'll all be remembered. Now just head on down the road a bit towards London. I hear things are okay over there and we'll make sure you have what you need -- what's that? -- Okay, sorry, I guess...I guess they're sayin' we'll make sure you know the way.
The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic master site plan, better than it was before. Out of the rubbles of Larry Silverstein's property -- he's lost his entire office complex -- there's going to be a fantastic new tower. And I'm looking forward to breakfast at Windows on the World.
The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this crucifixtion there's going to come a fantastic new savior, like he was before. Out of the rubble of Jesus's old body -- he's lost a lot of weight -- there's going to be a fantastic new Lord to lead us all into the Promised Land. And I'm looking forward to His helping me quit drinking so I can get there.
Posted by: mmy | Sep 2, 2005 12:26:01 PM
"The good news is - and it is hard for Yoko to see this now - is that we are gonna see a fantastic new Beatles just like they used to be. Out of this tragedy and senseless murder we'll see them rebuild. Maybe they can get Eddie Rabbit, or that funny praying mantis lookin' fella, who's he from? Yeah! The Cars! Love them Cars. Anyway, before you know it I'll be gettin' high as hell to a whole brand new White Album just like I was back in the old days."
- I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, "They're looting." You see a white family, it says, "They're looking for food." And, you know, it's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I've tried to turn away from the TV because it's too hard to watch. I've even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I'm calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help -- with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way -- and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us!
And this strangely appropriate (freudian?) slip from feeble FEMA director Michael D. Brown, who obviously doesn't understand that Pac-man - and much of the violence in the streets - are about eating things...
- Much of the earlier violence, he said, had been perpetrated by youths with guns. "Some of these kids think this is a game," he said. "They somehow got their hands on a weapon. They think they are playing Pac-Man or something and shooting at people. Those kinds of hot spots will continue, but I can tell you they will learn very quickly the 82nd Airborne does not like to be shot at. This is not a game."
Eric Raymond defends an armed, responsible citizenry, as does the New York Times:
- John Carolan was sitting on his porch in the thick, humid darkness just before midnight Tuesday when three or four young men, one with a knife and another with a machete, stopped in front of his fence and pointed to the generator humming in the front yard, he said. One said, "We want that generator," he recalled.
"I fired a couple of rounds over their heads with a .357 Magnum," Mr. Carolan recounted Wednesday. "They scattered."
He smiled and added, "You've heard of law west of the Pecos. This is law west of Canal Street."
I re-read Brin's The Postman last night.
A constant theme runs throughout that book: "Who will take responsibility?". Brin writes: The postman was written as an answer to all those post-apocalyptic books and films that seem to revel in the idea of civilization's fall. It's a story about how much we take for granted -- and how desperately we would miss the little, gracious things that connect us today. It is a story about the last idealist in a fallen America. A man who cannot let go of a dream we all once shared. Who sparks restored faith that we can recover, and perhaps even become better than we were. ¶ 4:11 PM
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Ben Franklin and the other guys knew what they were doing when they wrote the fundamental precepts of a free society. They knew that those who would attempt to inhibit those freedoms will come from many directions: across the Atlantic in that era, across the Pacific 200 years later, up from the south and down from the north today, and around the corner and down the street in New Orleans.
Our government does not guarantee our freedom. Rather, it grants us the tools, be they arms, words or votes, to secure that freedom.
It is all about what you can do for yourself and your fellow man that this country is about, not what the government can do for you.
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Our government does not guarantee our freedom. Rather, it grants us the tools, be they arms, words or votes, to secure that freedom.
It is all about what you can do for yourself and your fellow man that this country is about, not what the government can do for you.
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