We know about the old distinction between the ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ poor. Now for some rightwing keyboards warriors we appear to see a comparable difference between hostages, captured soldiers and so forth. When they die or are in held for ransom we honor and hold out hope for them. Except if they’re a little Islamy or had bad politics or actually did some things that were wrong (thinking about Bowe Bergdahl in latter case), then all bets are off. So now you have anti-Islam hardliners trashing the latest ISIS victim as a “Jew-Hating, Anti-Israel Bitch.” The death of these hostages is tragic, except if they didn’t have the right politics.
It’s getting more than a little tiring seeing right-wing foxbots increasingly using “Jews” as a kind of bizarre team mascot or rhetorical piñata in their petty partisan antics. For Republicans, we really should rename the Redskins The Washington Jews. What would we Jews do without goyisha outrage hounds like Dana Perino protecting us from well, ourselves?
“Nearly every state in the Union offers parents an exemption from vaccinating their children based on their religious beliefs — despite research showing that virtually no organized religion declares an opposition to vaccinations.”
Catherine Thompson looks at how anti-vaccine parents use ‘religious exemptions’ to game the vaccination system.
A 46 year old man shot and killed three Muslim college students yesterday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. We’ll be reporting more as we get more information through the day.
Ed Kilgore laments that conservatives don’t believe President Obama shows enough pride or aggression to be a true Christian.
Good point and good catch here from Jeremy Peters on how the Netanyahu speech is planned essentially as a campaign event …
Before the Israeli elections in 2013, Mr. Netanyahu’s political coalition broadcast an advertisement that showed the prime minister addressing a joint meeting of Congress. The commercial’s message: “When Netanyahu speaks, the world listens.”
Two years later, Mr. Netanyahu is again set to address Congress. This time, he faces criticism, both at home and abroad, that he is turning a diplomatic visit into a political opportunity. Many Democrats already consider him an unwelcome guest because he was invited by congressional Republicans before Mr. Obama was informed.
From TPM Reader MT …
Kind of late in the day, but I thought I would respond to the meme that live music sucks. I think you captured it nicely from the point of view that you never know what will happen and sometimes it can be magical. Kind of like sports, in that regard. I read your piece and that from Channing Kennedy this morning after attending a Lucinda Williams’ concert last night.
As GOP plan to thwart President Obama’s immigration executive action crumbles, Sen. Cruz insists his plan to shut down the whole government would have led to victory, proceeds to crap on Sen. McConnell.
Does live music suck? That’s what Channing Kennedy says in today’s new piece from The Slice. Do you agree? I was talking with Nona about this as the piece was being assigned. And the truth is that I don’t go to enough live music to really have an opinion about this, especially not the kind of live music Channing is talking about. But I did have a recent experience that was kind of illuminating for me. As longtime readers know, I’m a big Bob Dylan fan – have been, at various degrees of intensity, since I was a kid.
What century is this? Missouri congressional delegation calls for repealing Obamacare with “manly firmness.” Sen. McCaskill’s not impressed.