Dictator Watch - The Putin Tchaikovsky Gambit

Vladimir Putin, Russia's dictator is doing some damage control it appears, because he doesn't want a boycott of the upcoming winter Olympics to affect his credibility.  The dictator has received a lot of backlash about Russia's new law banning of what he calls "gay propaganda".  But the public outcry beyond Russia's borders at least, has been quite vocal.  Putin as a result has had to point out that he and Russia, are not homophobic.

Russia’s pride in composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, even though he was gay, is proof that the country does not discriminate against homosexuals, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

Putin was apparently seeking to ease concerns that a new law banning “gay propaganda” will be used to clamp down on gay rights. The law has been condemned abroad and brought calls from gay rights groups for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

“Tchaikovsky was gay – although it’s true that we don’t love him because of that – but he was a great musician and we all love his music. So what?,” Putin said in an interview with Russian state Channel 1 television aired on Wednesday.

“There is no cause to make a mountain out of a molehill, nothing scary or terrible is happening here in our country.”

Asked whether he would meet members of the gay and lesbian community, Putin said: “I assure you that I work with these people, I sometimes award them with state prizes.”

It reads as though it was spoken in the most uncomfortable way possible.

"Undocumented" Immigrant Fighting to be a lawyer

It had to be California where this would happen.  How does an undocumented person go through the entire  education system without this getting flagged somewhere?

SAN FRANCISCO — A majority of California Supreme Court justices appeared reluctant Wednesday to grant a law license to Sergio Garcia, who graduated law school and passed the state's bar exam but has been living illegally in the United States for 20 years.

A federal law passed by Congress in 1996 bars immigrants in the country illegally from receiving "professional licenses" from government agencies or with the use of public funds unless state lawmakers specifically vote otherwise.

"Congress wanted political accountability," Justice Ming Chin said in expressing doubt the court could grant Garcia his license without a specific law enacted by the state Legislature.

Justice Goodwin Liu said it was "commonsensical" that Congress meant to include lawyer licenses in the law.

This case could force to the front burner not only the illegal immigration issue but also issues like states' rights.

 

Kudos to Garcia for seeking to better himself, but part of that process should have been to naturalize himself. 

N-word on trial

Apparently it doesn't matter who uses the N-word, it's just wrong. Finally, that's been solved, no more double standard.

A federal jury has ruled that the “N word” is offensive no matter who says it.

A federal jury in New York found the use of the word in the workplace is never acceptable, even when used between black coworkers and even when it’s intended to denote “friendship or endearment.” To emphasize its point, the jury today awarded a woman $30,000 in punitive damages. That’s in addition to $250,000 the jury had already awarded in compensatory damages.

I'm sure the word will now be removed from everyone's vocabulary...

Reminder - Membership Drive

Reposting again:

I'm still trying to reach one of my goals for the year of breaking 100 Followers.  There is on the right hand side a Google Friend Connect button that allows you to follow this blog using a Google, Twitter or Yahoo account.

If you like my blog please consider following.  For a limited time only it's free to follow.  Limited of course meaning always. I'm not like PBS - charging you money to be a member.

If you don't like my blog, consider following anyway.  It might lead to some spirited debate.

If you'd like me to follow your blog back - let me know in the Comments below or you can email me.

 

UPDATE: I need to repost this as the sign-ups have slowed a bit since I last posted a reminder.  We are making progress but slower than I had hoped.

On Obama's Cynical Abdication on Syria

The same president who believes at every turn domestically he should be using Executive Orders to circumvent Congress wherever his social progressive interests are at stake, is the same president who conveniently welcomes debate on subjects too thorny to hold a position on.  He's reverted to the latter form on Syria but only because it is convenient for him.  The president has abdicated his responsibility on Syria by pushing the decision making process to Congress - this time around.

 

Negative ads vs. political discourse

In the arena of politics, there are many who aspire to a purer political discourse and a debate over ideas instead of rank political attacks founded in negativity.  I include myself among them.  The problem with that is this - such a political environment is not possible.  At least it is not possible on an ongoing and continuous basis.  At best we can hope for temporary periods of political discourse.  If two politicians are engaged in a political race, if one falls behind in polling, you can bet negative ads will come out and they will trigger retaliation from the front runner in turn.

 

Nevertheless, a healthier political discourse would certainly benefit society greatly. The idea has many proponents.  Sadly, I think they are misguided.  I respect the opinions of Allan Gregg for example, but as he deftly decries negative ads and negative politics, I believe he is naïve in his prescription for overcoming it.