A couple of thoughts: Bigotry or Ignorance? Elections Coming!

by Oly Mike

James Fallows has an interesting column on bigotry in the Atlantic. I haven't followed the “Frankly, Muslim life is cheap” controversy, but apparently Martin Peretz of the New Republic put his foot in his mouth on the occasion of being honored for his work at Harvard. When called on his gaffe, he jammed the other foot in his mouth by saying this was “a statement of fact.” Fallows is gentle in his assault on Peretz, but I guess others have been less so. I think it does little or no good to go after folks like Peretz who say something so stupid, it often just makes them defensive and more rigid. Fallows' column is a good read and deserves to be cited to help folks who do not have any Muslim friends to think this matter through a little more carefully.

On another front, we have an election coming up. My Senator, Patty Murray, is in a close battle, as she is every 6 years with someone from the right. I am following that race. I guess the good news is that the Republicans have put up a guy named Dino (Rossi) to run against her this time. The bad news is that he's a pretty good campaigner. More on that to come as the election gets closer. We have very open absentee ballot policy in WA State and lots of folks vote every election and haven't been anywhere near the polling place in a decade or more, so we are less susceptible to vote-caging tactics than some other states. Take a look at this site and think about what a vote-caging scheme might do in a close race like the one Feingold is in. It's a shame that Feingold's opposition think they should use any tactic available to jam him up.

Happy Wednesday to you all!