Honorcide of Pakistani Singer, Ayman Udas: Part Five of My Dedication to the Women of Mid-East Music

I love the music of the middle east. The hypnotic drum rhythms. The sultry voices. They bring out the dreamer in me, provide a perfect escape, and allow me to avoid disturbing images and thoughts if things political.

I don't actually belly dance any more. I never did belly dance well. But the music has stayed with me, after my childbearing years are long over, when I learned how to dance for the sake of easier labors.

Middle eastern music ONCE did those things for me: It helped me dream. It made me dance. It eased my transition to motherhood. But, I guess I have to come clean and admit that, loving the music of Turkey, Greece, Pakistan, and Egypt had also lulled me into a kind of complacency.

How can something so beautiful be performed by women who are risking their lives to share it with me? It's incomprehensible. It's reprehensible. It's impossible!!

Isn't it?

When I decided to embark upon my current blogging journey, I simply wanted to escape from politics. I thought that by honoring the women who perform the music I love I could delve more deeply into something I enjoy, escape from all the Obotian illogistics, and maybe educate a few interested souls along the way.

I had no idea. Really. I just did not know. How bad things are.

As I've journeyed more deeply,though, I've been awakened to the reality that there is a reason we don't hear many women's voices celebrating this beautiful art form. That reason is not, as I had previously believed, simple discrimination. It goes beyond the kind of sexism that Meryl Streep complained about. (Not that I am downplaying Meryl's accusations about the nature of sexism in Hollywood.) The fact is, in many Islamic territories, women can be killed for singing. It's that simple. They are forbidden to do it.

Take, for example, Ayman Udas,

"shot dead by her own brothers in the conservative city of Peshawar in Pakistan after she had appeared on television.

The murder of Ayman Udas, who was in her early thirties and newly married, has shocked the city’s artistic community because it symbolises a backlash against women and cultural freedom in an area that is increasingly dominated by Islamic funda-mentalists.

She won considerable acclaim for her songs but had become a musician in the face of bitter opposition from her family, who believed it was sinful for a woman to perform on television.

Ashamed of her growing popularity her two brothers are reported to have entered her flat last week while her husband was out and fired three bullets into her chest. Neither has been caught."

This happened just a couple of months ago. Where was the media coverage? Did many of us even know about her murder? And why not??

"So far (we are told) there has been no outcry by Music Industry moguls, Hollywood Actors, or any other popular Entertainment industry figures in the UK or the United States, over her slaying. Similarly, Free Speech advocates and liberal Human Rights groups in the West have been silent on the murder."

As a feminist, I grow increasingly restless about this kind of casual disregard of a woman's life. And the subsequent cover ups.... that have something to do with our own fear of speaking out. We have been taught that, as good little Third Wavers we must stand up for the rights of all minorities. Including those in which men are allowed, nay encouraged, to murder their wives and sisters in the most brutal of fashions.

If I cannot speak out against this kind of barbarism, that makes me ashamed to be a "Feminist."

In fact, it makes me wonder what the fuck "Feminism" stands for??

SYD

A Muslim Woman Speaks Out About Her Right to Choose (Dedication to the Women of Mid-East Music, Part 4: Deeyah of Pakistan)

This is really eye opening. A first hand account of what it is like to be a Muslim woman who is also a successful pop performer. Her name is Deeyah:



I predict that if the N.O.W. can embrace and defend THIS form of "Choice" it will find a whole new life, and an influx of members. Which it apparently, desperately needs.

BTW, Interesting decision in a Michigan court: no masks while testifying.

Oh, and one other thing... in the face of such dangerous and overwhelming oppression in the world .... can we now cut with the faux charges of racism in the U.S.? (Please note, I am not suggesting that there is never real racism in the U.S. There is. But geesh, gimme a break fellas. We are being "racist" in our reporting on Michael Jackson's death?)

SYD

Dedication to the Women of Middle Eastern Music, Part Three: Googoosh of Iran

Part three in my week long series honoring women musicians out of the Middle East...

Here is "the most celebrated singer in Iran" performing a sad song about her homeland:



The title of the song is "Man Hamoon Iranem" which means 'I am Iran."

Thanks to Sedayehneda for the English subtitles.

Peace,

SYD

My Dedication to the Women of Middle Eastern Music, Part Two: Raquy of Israel

To say that this young woman has broken barriers in Middle Eastern Music would be gross understatement. Raquy Danziger is a prodigy that has thrilled listeners in the Mid-East, and in the U.S. A professional doumbek player in a world that is, not only male dominated ... but male defined and controlled. In that universe, some women dance. And a few play the tambourine. But, as a rule, women don't drum. Period.

The first time I ever heard of Raquy, someone sent me this youtube of her playing in the Egyptian style ... with Said Al Artist. (Note, the stage is full of his students, all men.)



When I saw Raquy LIVE, her music was somewhat Americanized (thanks to her band called the "Cavemen.") She sounded like this:



And she taught like this:



Over the past couple of years I had lost track of Raquy's studies and exploits... so I did another youtube search and found that she had been studying in Istanbul. Her latest teacher, Binyamin, appears to have been working her to death. She gives him credit in this new video:



One can only imagine what it must take for an Israeli-American women to earn the respect of the men who drum professionally in Egypt and Turkey. Quite frankly, it appears an anomaly that they will even teach her. Knowing that she could well surpass their level of skill must make that doubly daunting. In that sense, Raquy is more than remarkable. She has accomplished a bonafide Feminist feat!

Breaking the glass ceiling of middle eastern music? Ha! This young woman has rocketed through the ceiling and resides on another planet. If you ever get a chance to see her perform, I highly recommend that you do!

SYD

Disclaimer: SYD admits that she knows a thing or two about mid-east drumming. Her DH is a doumbek player with apparent bloodlines from Moroccan influenced France. The opinion that Raquy has accomplished a Feminist feat is based upon SYD's first hand impressions and experiences. It may have no basis in Egyptian or Turkish historical reality. If you are curious, take a look at the drumming coming out of those two countries... and decide for yourself just what a novelty a female, master doumbek player is. (Enjoy the drumming too! It is fantastique!!)

My Own Dedication to the Women of Middle Eastern Music , Part One: Nazanin of Iran

1) Politics have been burning me out, of late. Leaving me bereft in a sea of hopelessness.

2) Remembering Michael Jackson has reminded me just how much my own soul craves the liberation of powerful music.

3) I have been deeply disturbed by the images I see coming out of Iran.

Sooooo......

Percolating these three facts, I've decided that I need a week of liberation. The kind only music can bring.

This week's blogging is dedicated to women artists from the middle east.... beginning with Nazanin's "Someday."



I hope you find this Iranian Woman's music as inspiring as I do!

SYD

Enough of the "Hormones" Already! Let's Have Some Predictability in Government!!

The question of the day comes from PUMA for Life: Are "Menopausal" Men Fit To Hold Office?

Of course, men don't really have menopause, or menarche or menses. But they still have hormone shifts as they age. And on a daily basis for that matter. As their testosterone levels rise, and then drop off ... according to diurnal and life cycles... can they be trusted to make weighty decisions?

Some time back, I argued that we have enough of these kinds of hormones on the bench already. Now I'd like to extend the argument to include the Senate, the House and State Governorships.

The fact is.... women are safer, where hormonal fluctuations are concerned. For any number of reasons. First of all... the average age of menarche is quite early these days. Some researchers suggest it's as early as *nine* years of age. By the time most young women enter high school, therefore, they have already learned how to deal with their periods.

Puberty for young men hits much later. Usually while they are *entering high school.* Being in high school means that they are too busy to devote the necessary time to, you know, "mapping one's cycles." Men never learn important lessons like "at this time of the month, I should refrain from selling the kids." (Or.... running off to Argentina....)

A second point that can be made about the safer nature of female hormones is, menopause tends to happen later in life, and be less protracted, than it's male counterpart... the "mid-life crisis." Plus... there are *drugs* women can take for a few years, to keep them from having hot flashes during an important Senate hearing or something.

Men don't have those kinds of luxuries. They can be having a "mid-life crisis" for years. Some of them even have serial "crises." And there's not one dang thing they can do about 'em. Except ask God's forgiveness AFTER THE FACT. Ask 'em. They'll all tell you the exact same story.... "I am soooo sorry for what I did to my wife and kids, I just couldn't help it...."

One final point I'd like to make is this. Even *if* a woman does have a runaway surge of estrogen or progesterone during a congressional session .... no harm done! Her milk will let down, and her shirt will get wet, and she'll approve something like CHIP, because she is thinking about how other women's babies deserve the same medical care her's can get.

BUT... whoa to the universe if a man is sitting at in front of "The Button" when he has a surge of testosterone.

KA-BOOM! It's all over!!

SYD

Michael Sings for The Clintons, 1992

You'll recognize a familiar Clinton face toward the end of the video.



May Michael rest in peace now. God knows he deserves it.

SYD

Another Repressed Rightie, Poking His Appendages Where They Don't Belong, Bites the Proverbial Dust

Professor Darren Hutchinson has a series of posts about the weekend disappearance of The "Honorable" Mark Sanford, at Dissenting Justice.

Yep. That's "Leadership" ol' Marko.

Honestly, I was so hoping to hear that Governor Sanford's disappearance was for something exciting. Like he went to Argentina to study their Social security program.

Alas, it's the same old same. Repressed RWers, poking their appendages into bedrooms where they shouldn't be...

It really is time to get the government out of our bedrooms... and our churches. And vice-versa. (And the very beneficial side effect may be that we will get out of our politicians' personal business as well.)

Let's defend the constitution and leave it alone. Let the church decided who can marry. Let the state handle how to get us all health care....

Sanford, and his kind, have more pressing issues to attend to... I guess. His hypocrisy smacks of elitism.

What a disappointment.

On the bright side, however, that is one less competitor for the 2012 GOP Presidential Candidate. And Sarah Palin moves closer to the top of the heap. The ethics complaint brigade is still at it in Alaska, but... doncha know.... they can't seem to find anything that sticks:



Meanwhile, after it's weekend webathon, the Alaska Fund Trust is reporting that it is one quarter of the way toward paying off Palin's legal debts.


UPDATE: Thanks for the tip about the laughing women at the presser, Egalia. I will have to watch the danged video now. Eeewwwwwww.....

UPDATE #2:
Get this:

No Quarter is reporting that ...

"it has gotten worse with The State printing a whole bunch of emails sent between Sanford and his paramour. Emails that they have had in their possession for FIVE MONTHS. That’s kind of curious, isn’t it? They claim they were trying to “authenticate” them. Amazingly, they seemed to have done that in just a few days. Huh - that’s not the least bit coincidental, is it? Ahem."

Hmmm....

Can you EVEN imagine what would have happened if this was Gov. Sarah Palin... running off to South America with a paramour? While Todd tended the kids back in AK??

OMG! It would be everywhere. All over the media.... til we all threw up from it.

And no one would be trying to "authenticate" anything. That is for sure. Hell, they'd not only NOT try to authenticate it. They'd be embellishing it night and day...

UPDATE #3: It gets worse... apparently John Kerry wishes it WAS Gov. Sarah Palin that went missing.

Yes it is too bad, Senator Kerry. Too bad for you and your cronies, that is.

Cue The Head Explosions: N.O.W. Has Been Infiltrated.... by... Grown-Ups.

OMG! This is getting too funny to watch.

Yes.. it is true. Some of us long time, hard core Feminists support ... are you ready.... better grab a chair...

****Sarah Palin!!****

Certain Third Wavers with a poor grasp of herstory, however, believe we are ... get this.... ****infiltrators***** Gasp!

Woohoo! After eighteen months of "Lord of the Flies" the grown ups have returned! Third Wavers are about to be schooled BY THE BEST in the business.

They should thank their lucky stars for that!

SYD

PS. Thanks sooo much to Dr. Violet Socks for the ongoing reports.

UPDATE: Here is Betty Jean Kling with a call for us all to join N.O.W., and keep the grown-ups in the majority. Her explanation of the conference is so eerily reminiscent of the 2008 Democratic Primary ... that I am thinking this is probably worth doing. The Daily PUMA headline says "Now is the time to take back N.O.W. from the "Orange Banana Brigade."

No More Burqa Wearing in France! (President Sarkosy's Obama Smackdown?)

As reported in the Jerusalem Post:

"French President Nicolas Sarkozy lashed out Monday at the practice of wearing the Muslim burqa, insisting the full-body religious gown is a sign of the "debasement" of women and that it won't be welcome in France."

More....

"In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity," Sarkozy said to extended applause in a speech at the Chateau of Versailles southwest of Paris.

"The burqa is not a religious sign, it's a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement - I want to say it solemnly," he said. "It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic."

Wow! Is it direct smackdown of Obama's "let them wear hijab" statement??

SYD

UPDATE: Phyllis Chesler weighs in on the Sarkozy vs. Obama statements.

Palin Twitters the Revolution: "Women Worldwide are Watching"

The Governor from Alaska has weighed in on Iran's revolution:
"Women worldwide watching Iran protests led by women demanding fair election & equality; their voices loud, strong; they will usher in change."



Oh, and... yes we are ... watching!

SYD

Grab Yer Willies, Lads n' Lasses: Another Weekend of Hip Deep Obama Love

We have been duly warned by NPR's Juan Williams. The Obama-love is running deep and thick this weekend on ABC and CBS.

Anyone with half a brain is steering clear of the MSM B.S. Storm.

No worries, though. Cuz we don't have to go far from the glare of the kowtowing to "Get Real with Sonja." Check out PJTV. Where Sonja clears up the lies about Letterman's and Playboy's "kewl and edgy", uh, er, *misogynist* comments about Republican women.

Many thanks to Flo Johnson of Team Sarah for linking BOTH of the above stories today. Flo remains one of the best bloggers in her corner of the blogosphere, if only for the wonderful research she does to unearth a real scoop. (PUMA WARNING: Flo is a Conservative blogger, so don't go there if that will freak you out.)

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In other, more PUMA related news... I'll defer to Gary's excellent, and up to the minute, coverage of Gay Politicos as they jump ship on the DNC fundraiser that was supposed to happen this weekend.

And a major H/T to Shtuey for his excellent rant on the situation in Iran. I, personally, have not yet taken a position on the Iran situation. But I am getting closer to understanding ... and blog posts like Shtuey's are helping me find my way through the miasma.

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Happy Father's Day to all of my PUMA and Palinite Friends. There would be no free press without you!

And for that, our founding Fathers would be grateful as well.

Interesting That They Carry Signs Etched in English

Clearly they think we can help them. (Unless this is a photoshopped image.... and there was no English in the streets of Tehran after all.)

But we can't even make up our minds to help one another.

H/T to Dr. Violet Socks for yet another bang up Feminist blog post! Two days running...

SYD

UPDATE: Apparently Obama is now backing the protesters?? But CBS is suppressing his statement to that effect.HotAir covers it.

Who knows what to believe? (H/T to Anna Belle for the critical analysis.)

The Wave and the Wheel: Can the "Fourth Wave" of Feminism Rise Above the Second and Third?

Please humor me while I quote, once again, Susan B. Anthony:

“I have worked 40 years to make the Women’s Suffrage platform broad enough for Atheists and Agnostics to stand upon, and now if need be I will fight the next 40 to keep it Catholic enough to permit the straightest Orthodox religionist to speak or pray and count her beads upon.”

And then humor yourself with a trip over to Reclusive Leftist. In the comments following this post by Dr. Violet Socks, you can see that a battle is beginning to rage as we attempt to define the "fourth wave" of Feminism.

Really it's not a "new battle." It's the same old same that has divided women since Feminism took root... within the Women's Suffrage movement. Herstory does repeat herself. Doesn't she?

We would do well to take a lesson from Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady-Stanton. We are reliving their trajectory in at least two ways, are we not?

First of all... They also tried to tackle race and gender simultaneously. Race trumped gender then too. (As boys will be boys, and they do not tend to reciprocate the favors we do for them.) The argument for "intersectionality" in the women's movement has proven... for a second time... to be ONE BIG FAIL!

Secondly, Susan B. Anthony was quite clear in her views related to secular and religious women coming together to fight for their own (and each other's) rights. She said so in the quote I posted at the outset of this blog entry. Ms. Anthony saw the folly of the division along lines of faith, and vowed to work against it.

So... now... where does that leave us, as the "fourth wave" begins to crest? Will we rally as one to reject the "intersectionality" arguments that have led us down this path of failure? Will we gather in unity to defend our daughters, despite our differences?

Personally, I would like to see us abandon the "wave" analogy. It isn't serving us well. Why? Because "waves" are intangible. They arise on their own and dissipate just as quickly. A wave can be as strong as a tsunami. Or as sneaky as an undertow. But, like a snowflake, a wave never really repeats itself in just the same way.

In my mind, we are entering the second *cycle.* Our second time around the *WHEEL.* If we do not observe the lessons of the first wheel, well enough to create the second out of COLLECTIVE ACTION, we will each have to trudge up the mountain alone, with only our backpacks full of shoulds and shouldn'ts.

Why would we want to do that?

Failure is, indeed, impossible! But that doesn't mean we can't spend another generation or two thrashing around in the "waves"... hanging on to our man-made life preservers.

It is all remedial at this point. We must go back and study herstory. If we learn our lessons well, two *wheels* can make a bicycle. And then we'll have a chance to go somewhere… fast!

The Nature of Evil, The Will to Take Action, and How New Age Thinking has Infiltrated the Right. (Day 8 in the Letterman Situation)

I have been having an interesting conversation with one "Kwakerjak" at Cynthia Yockey's blog. It has to do with why the Right Wing is so reticent to stand up for itself against jerks like Letterman.

To be honest, I was quite surprised to read Kwakerjak's take on a certain conservative principle.... that sounds an awful lot like New Age mumbo jumbo to me.

Here's how the conversation is progressing:

First off, Cynthia vows to get Dave fired. And Rick Moran asks where are the rest of the Cynthias? (That's a brief paraphrase, so go to the link and read it all!)

Next Kwakerjak says:

However, there is a problem that you seem to be running into, namely the utter abhorrence that most conservatives have for victimhood. To put it simply, it is widely held on this side of the political spectrum that thinking of oneself as a victim will always, always, always lead to profound unhappiness, because it means acknowledging that someone else is in control of some aspect of your life. This is considered to be true even if the person in question really is a victim—some might say especially so. Thus, in the eyes of many on the Right, you are doing the Palins a disservice by encouraging them to think of themselves as victims.

To which I respond:

Never give up. Never surrender. Sounds like Johnny Mac!

I like that!!

Just to be clear….

Standing up for a fourteen year old girl does not make one a “victim.” It makes one a hero! No matter what a few fanatics on the Right may say. (Hell, they sound a lot like a few LW, new age, ” create your own reality” whackos if that is what they really think.)

There is evil in the world. Pretending that it doesn’t exist won’t make it go away. That is the strategy of the Obots… and I dare say…. it’s not working so well in Iran or South Korea.

It won’t work on Letterman either.

Then Kwakerjak clarifies:

It’s not “a few fanatics” on the Right that believe that, it’s a core principle of conservatism. People who believe that they are victims tend to think that they are entitled to something that someone else has denied them; as a result of this, there is a tendency to focus on forcing someone else to “make” you happy, rather than improving one’s own lot in life (because why should I improve my own life when it’s somebody else’s fault that I’m miserable?). It starts a cycle of dissatisfaction: when you neutralize one oppressor, there is a tendency to find another, then another, then another, until one becomes mired in an obsession with correcting every perceived slight, instead of focusing on what can actually bring real happiness (family, friendship, religion—basically, any social institution that encourages one to place the needs and desires of others over those of oneself).

So what do those on the Right do when they are victimized? They gripe about it for a while, and then return their focus to those social institutions that produce real happiness and satisfaction—which, not surprisingly, is exactly what most on the Right want to do. In other words, they don’t want David Letterman or his employers to be the one who decides if they’re happy with their life, because that means giving up autonomy.

I’m not saying that this should apply in this instance; what I’m saying is that you’re going to have to convince conservatives that this is more than just an attempt to enable the Palins to feel sorry for themselves (the fact that they obviously don’t feel that way should go a long way towards helping in this). Basically, what I’m saying is that you’ve got to convince conservatives that this is a valid exception to the otherwise ironclad “victimhood = bad” rule, because to most of them, that is not self-evident.

And I respond again:

That’s an important point, Kwaker. And I think you may be on to something.

But, fact is… the Palins are happy. At least from outer appearances. Letterman never affacted their “happiness” did he? No more than an Iranian coup is affecting mine. I have a life, a family…. a job. Just as Sarah does.

BUT… being “happy” (whatever that actually means… and yes I have a degree in Family Science so I am quite familiar with “happiness scales”) does not absolve one of the responsibility to do what is right.

That is a major blind spot in the New Age community, as far as I am concerned. And I find the possibility that half of the U.S. thinks that way (as you indicate) to be disturbing beyond belief.

What is this obsession that Americans have with being “happy?” Heroic actions aren’t born out of “happiness.” They are born out of discernment about what is right… and determination to make that happen.

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Wow. When I decided to support Sarah, I had no idea the lame-brained nonsense I would find on the Right. I thought only the Leftie, New Agey, Kumbaya singing, O-bots believe that... as long as they are happy... it doesn't matter who rules Iran.... or what Letterman says about Willow Palin.

Geesh. The very idea that, as long as Sarah is "happy," who cares what Dave Letterman does to 14 year old girls totally toasts my titties!

So what do ya think, PUMAs and Palinites? Can we rise above this kind of wishful, nay magical, thinking and continue to fight??

SYD

PS. This post is really not about whether Letterman should be fired. Rather, it is about the path for decisive action in this, or any matter. In the case of Letterman (and Iran) I tend to agree with Senator McCain. Some battles are worth more of a fight than are others.

Our movement needs to be on the watch for ANY attack on the children of pols. Period! It's not about "happiness." It's about what is right.

PSS. (Disclaimer.) I have nothing against New Age thinking in general. I believe that thought creates... to a point. But, as with anything, there are limits. Willow Palin cannot protect herself from the likes of David Letterman by thinking positively, or trying to be "happy." Nor will Ahmadinajad become less of a tyrant because we "hope" for "change."

When is an Apology not an Apology? Dave's War on Working Women and Harriet Christian's Response.

I read Jenn Q. Public's excellent rant at Afrocity's blog yesterday. It's profound. It even borders on "life changing." For a former "Liberal" like me, at least.

Honestly, folks. I never meant to look down upon my roots. I never planned to abandon the ideals of my small business owning grandparents, or my blue collar daddy. My wish for the party with which I affiliated myself was simple inclusiveness. I wanted to be part of the fight for civil rights. And worker rights. And women's rights. And gay rights. "The Big tent" as they say.

A not so funny thing happened while I was off fighting for the various and assundry rights that I still believe in, however. The people I was fighting to defend, turned on me. The party of my blue collar daddy was taken over by "the entitled ones." You know, like David Letterman:

What gives Dave Letterman license to repeatedly troll the gutter without ever dirtying his Worldwide Pants?

Liberalism.

Didn’t you realize? He can’t be sexist, he’s a liberal. He’s no misogynist – he votes Democrat. Like all liberals, Dave will tell you he loves women. He respects them. Isn’t he pro-choice? Isn’t he sufficiently appalled by breast cancer? Doesn’t he joke all the time about those brutish southerners who beat their wives with Confederate flags? Haven’t you heard? He’s a card carrying liberal. Liberal, I tell you. Liberal!

Among his liberal buddies, Letterman can get away with pretending that he intended to insult Sarah Palin’s 18-year-old daughter Bristol, not her younger child Willow. But Willow was at the ballgame, Bristol was thousands of miles away, and Letterman is the skeevy guy in dress shoes and a tan trench coat who bares it all to a 14-year-old girl on the subway, then swears to the cops, “But I thought she was 18,” as he’s being hauled off to jail.

“Look at my record,” Dave told his audience as he clarified his remarks about Willow. What he means is he’s on record as being liberal. He knows the secret handshake and everything! And as we all know, liberal men are inherently sensitive to sexism in our society.

Yes. I admit it. Jenn Q. Public is talking about *me.* The old, unenlightened, me. The me that existed until I saw the brutal male supremacy unleashed on Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2008. At one time, I would have bought Dave's argument. With little skepticism. No more! Now I'm an outright cynic.

Just as is Laura at HotAir.

I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with Allahpundit that his Letterman quote includes an apology. It does not. It includes a post-modern faux apology: “sorry that you rubes misunderstood the joke, which I at least now admit wasn’t funny. To you. Obviously a good portion of my audience enjoyed it immensely and clearly understood it, especially when I non-apologized a couple of days ago. I’ll be more humble this time and see if it flies, so I don’t lose any more sponsors. As a responsible adult I want you to know I did take the time to check and see if that Palin kid was over 18 before I called her a tramp. Because that’s the kind of guy I am, and, again, it’s not your fault that it was misunderstood, it’s my fault. That it was misunderstood. The important thing is that unlike Imus, I’m a liberal who means well, so I deserve a pass for anything I say that is offensive.”

I don't like being cynical. Really I don't. But, Dave's condescension is glaring. It is really because they are stupid, ya know. Those working class sluts that serve cocktails on your two am flight home from Honolulu. They don't "get" Dave's jokes. They don't know the secret handshake, uh... er... fistbump.

Well here's some news for my former "Liberal" allies:

I know the secret handshake.

But, I still ain't buyin'.

And Neither is PUMA, Harriet Christian....




SYD

PS. The idiot interviewing Harriet clearly does not know who she is. He believes she is a Conservative Republican.. and he tries to trip her up about RW talk's part in the Tiller murder. It's priceless to watch him make a fool of himself.

High Profile Gay Politicos Jumping Ship As Howard Dean Slams the "Inappropriate Language" of the Obama DOJ

I guess those politicos are tired of the double talk?
Maybe THAT explains the sudden announcement of "benefits" for gay federal workers.


As much as I expected this mess, and am not surprised by it.... I am sorely disappointed. (Not in the gay politicos. They have been patient enough.)

If you want to see what Howard Dean told Rachel Maddow this week... you can see the video at No Quarter. (Yes. They did it. They compared gay marriage to incest and pedophilia.)

Meanwhile, the AP reports that violence against the LGBT community is on the rise.

SYD

H/T to Tennessee Guerilla Women for the links and the photos.

The War on White Women: Day Six of the Letterman Saga

It was PUMA For Life that called my attention to THIS quite excellent article by Andrea Peyser at the New York Post:

"While you were watching David Letterman -- a bitter guy who never saw a woman or a Republican he could stand -- trash Sarah Palin's 14-year-old daughter by "joking" that she was date-raped by Alex Rodriguez and stalked by Eliot Spitzer, you may have missed the memo. Dave's in good company.

His struggling brother up the dial, Conan O'Brien, on Thursday night was having a blast slurring women and Jews -- two groups that may constitute the last permissible sick-comedy staples."

snip

"women, specifically white women, make up the last group that one may freely stereotype to get a cheap laugh.

Not surprisingly, the left has been notoriously silent on the issue. Where are the marches? The boycotts? The National Organization for Women did elect Letterman into its "Media Hall of Shame." How scary.

Letterman replied that he thought he was joking about the sex life of Palin's 18-year-old daughter, not the 14-year-old!"

"How scary" is right!

If you hop over to Women State you can see where a large part of the problem lies. Apparently, certain "men of color" have determined that white women have never really been targeted the way they have. Therefore, jokes about adult Latino men having public sex with 14 year old white girls are not as bad as, say, jokes about black men eating watermelon.

(Whatever, Al. Never mind that I, and many others like me, have defended your positions over the years. Just as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady-Stanton once defended Frederick Douglass' right to vote. Until he brushed them aside.)

History does, indeed, repeat itself.

On the bright side, though:

PUMA PAC reports on the state of the Letterman apology. It has evolved to be a bit more sincere, in the wake of the "Fire David Letterman" movement. But, there is still work to be done!

And, Tennessee Guerilla Women are reporting that an interesting thing has happened on "The View." Apparently, Ms. Behar was afraid she might get the same boot in the butt as Mr. Letterman. So she is changing her tune a bit.

Finally, a word of encouragement from Murphy at PUMA PAC:

"This is how it’s done. Incident by incident. With constant vigilance by us AND the active participation of our members to make those phone calls and send those letters EVERY DAMN DAY. Sooner or later, it WILL become as unacceptable to make jokes about slutty flight attendants and sexual assault as it is to make “jokes” about watermelon and gorillas."

What about today's protest? Anybody have an updated report?

SYD

PS. Thanks to HILLBUZZ for the poster art.

"Sarah Palin is a Bad Mother" and Other Beastie Boi Fantasies: Letterman Day Five in the PUMAsphere

The beastie boiz are at it again. Or should I stay, still? Here we see Ed Schulz and Donny Deutch at MSNBC declaring that "Sarah Palin is a bad mother." Why? Because she defended her daughter:



The PUMAsphere dares to disagree:

Tennessee Guerilla Women respond to the bogus charges.

HILLBUZZ continues to lead the charge in the Letterman boycott. And PUMA PAC adds the effort to their "daily prowl."

The New Agenda points out that Letterman's writers (you know, the ones responsible for researching and writing his jokes) have, in fact, PARADED THEIR OWN DAUGHTERS INTO THE PUBLIC EYE! TNA asks us to respect those girls anyway. Even though their fathers are dickheads.

Besides "prowling" the Letterman advertisers.... I am proud to report that I am also slowly making the rounds with small donations. To all of my favorite news sources (those listed above plus a few more.) I am giving $17 to each of them for the 17% of female elected public officials that hold high office. Anyone that is fighting to increase that number, deserves my support!

Carry on,

SYD

Olbermann and Letterman: Two Pigs, One Blanket

I really cannot say it any better than Egalia did, at Tennessee Guerilla Women.




When will these pigs stop covering for one another?


Hey, boiz... it's time to "Stop the Lies."




SYD

The "Fire David Gutterman" Movement Takes Form: Day Four of the Letterman Saga

Nope. This is NOT going away!



HILLBUZZ asks... "What would Al Sharpton do? And then they answer themselves:

"Does your town have a CBS window on the world' style studio where the morning news is broadcast with an open window looking out to the street? If so, head over there with signs condemning Olive Garden, MARS Candy, and Kelloggs for supporting the statutory rape of minors by way of sponsoring Letterman’s program.

Scare the living daylights out of Letterman’s advertisers, get them to drop this show, and CBS will then be forced to deal with Letterman once and for all.

Tell everyone Al Sharpton sent you, and learn from the master."

Further, I received this letter from one Laureen at Team Sarah today:

“FIRE DAVID LETTERMAN RALLY”

Subj: Fire David Letterman Rally at Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC at 4:30 pm Monday June 15 is on !

I am pleased to report that we have received enough volunteer leader commitments from the now 2,253 people on this mailing list to make a FIRM DECISION to go forward with a planned FIRE DAVID LETTERMAN RALLY, currently scheduled to be held from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm this Monday June 15 outside the Ed Sullivan Theater, located at 1697 Broadway in New York City.

If you live anywhere within a 4 hour driving distance of New York City, please plan on attending this event. Bring your own signs (be creative but PG rated!). We will be announcing more details over the weekend so stay tuned. We need more volunteers to help our “Project Servant-Leaders”, so please email me at michaelpatrickleahy@gmail.com if you can provide some time.

Laureen Cummings has agreed to serve as our “Project Servant-Leader” responsible for our Media Relations.

Marie Wilkinson and others have agreed to share “Project Servant-Leader” responsibilities in the Social Media arena.

We have volunteers for our logistics and volunteer coordination areas as well, and will be announcing the names of that leadership group over the weekend.

Keep telling your friends on the internet and in person to sign the letter to CBS asking them to fire David Letterman at our website, http://www.firedavidletterman.com

Two additional pieces of news to show that we and others are already making some progress:

1. CBS has received so many negative comments about Letterman they have shut down the comments section of their website.

2. A leading New York State Legislator, Brian Kolb, publicly called today for CBS to fire Letterman.

Thanks for all your help. Stay tuned for news over the weekend about how you can help make this coming Monday’s “FIRE DAVID LETTERMAN RALLY” a success !

Finally, we are continuing to target family oriented sponsors of the Letterman show with our calling and writing campaigns. Mars Candy. Olive Garden. Kelloggs.

Meanwhile, if you haven't seen Sarah's response on "The Today Show" yet the interview is linked At the New Agenda. Five posts after their PRESS Release. (Note: TNA has taken this very seriously. Be sure to read ALL of their Letterman related posts. They are informative and helpful, if you have to discuss the matter with some of your "Progressive" friends.)

That is all for now. Carry on, troops.

18 Years of Service, "Hand Picked" to Control the Air Space Over DC After 9/11, Now a Victim of DADT? TAKE ACTION!!

Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach is an eighteen year, decorated Air Force pilot. Such is his skill and bravery, that he was hand picked to control the air space over DC after 9/11!

Now he is out of a job???



If you go to Service Members Legal Defense Network there is a place for you to write to Secretary Donley and let him know that this is unacceptable to us!

We must speak out, not only for gay military members... but for the sake of our own safety. Our armed forces simply cannot afford to keep losing highly skilled and competent officers.

SYD

PS. Has anyone rallied a letter writing campaign to Pretendent Obama yet?

On Television Pedophiles & Mamby Pamby "Feminists"

I finally did it. I eeked out a donation to "The New Agenda." You will want to do so as well, after you read Amy Siskind's blog entry on why women can't seem to break the 17% barrier.

Yesterday I spent a day of my valuable time ranting about a 62 year old jerk that makes jokes about raping 14 year old girls. Yes, PUMAs and Palinites, we accomplished something. We got .... not an apology.... but and excuse from the pedophile. In fact, David Letterman should be fired for promoting the rape of a minor by a professional ball player. The defense that the pervert was confused about which Palin girl he was "joking" about ... the 14 year old or the 18 year old... MEANS NOTHING.

But, alas, the teevee "Feminists" are OK with it. I mean, look at how Contessa Brewer of the supposedly "Progressive" MSNBC defends the Letterman situation:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Sigh.

Phyllis Chesler is right. Liberal feminism, as I once knew it, is dead. So much so, that Madamab is asking if the LGBT community can save us! If you go to her blog post at Widdershins, and watch the video of Naomi Wolf... you will see why she is asking.

Geesh, Naomi, take a cold shower. Will ya?

When I look at the media hacks we are supposed to accept as the new "Liberal Feminists" (ie. Naomi and Contessa) it convinces *this* old yellar dawg, that she had better stand by Sarah Palin. Sarah is the kind of gutsy, no nonsense, Feminist we can rely on to bring us into the future. She is our last, and perhaps only, hope.

I guess I am in for another day of letter writing.

SYD

David Letterman Jumps the Misogyny Shark, Promotes Rape of a Minor. TIME TO TAKE ACTION!

All over the PUMAsphere this morning, the call has gone out. Something simply MUST be done about David Letterman's misogyny.

Here is the call to action from from HILLBUZZ. With a link to Letterman's "top ten" about Sarah Palin's trip to New York. That little video is bad enough.

But NOTHING beats the one linked at The Confluence. Do people really think that raping a fourteen year old is funny? Letterman apparently does. But, I can't believe that the audience actually laughs about Willow Palin being "knocked up" by Alex Rodriguez.

Yes,myiq2xu. It is worse than any of us thought.

Here we see Deadenders trying to handle the situation with humor. Who can blame them? The reality of the rape joke, and the laughter that followed, is beyond what most of us can even take in. (Can you imagine what would have happened if Letterman had said the same about Sasha or Malia?)

If you pop in at PUMA PAC you begin to see the larger issue. How a (well meaning?)president's speech can justify misogyny. Simply by the act of omission. Mr. Obama doesn't say it is OK to behead your wife. But, he doesn't say it is not OK, either. Just like he didn't speak out, but rather joked about it, when Bernie Mac called women "ho's."

Nor will Mr. Obama comment about David Letterman's sanction of statutory rape at a ball park.

To all of my PUMA friends, all who have supported Hillary, even if you do not support Sarah Palin for president:

David Letterman has jumped the proverbial shark. It is time for him to go. ALL decent women and men must stand up against this kind of woman hate. For the good of our daughters, and our country. I encourage all of you to follow the HILLBUZZ link above, and find out how to take action. They are dedicating a month to making old Dave's life miserable.

If you don't do it for Sarah, do it for Willow. Truth be told, she looks a lot like my own daughter. The thought of her being raped at a Ballpark turns my stomach.

SYD

Does Pat Buchanan "Get It?" Can He Really "Recapture the Hillary Democrats?"

I'll admit it. Any time I agree with Pat Buchanan, it disturbs me a little. More and more often, though, I seem to be agreeing.

Today I was directed to "The American Cause" by PUMA blogger, Bud White. There, in plain sight.... under "Building the New Majority" Mr. Buchanan tells us of his plan: "Recapturing the Hillary Democrats."

This is no joke. The higher ups in the Conservative movement have noticed that there are a lot of us PUMAs, and that we are pissed as hell. Now they are devising a plan to woo us over into camp GOP.

Let me be clear. I support Sarah Palin. And I'm OK about making friends with some fiscal conservatives. I am one of those too, ya know. A bit of a Blue Dawg.

But, I am in no way up for any gay bashing. And I won't tolerate anti-woman rhetoric of any kind. I'm also averse to blatant Clinton bashing.

I'd say I am not unlike a lot of the folks Pat is gunnin' for. And I'm really curious to see if he can pull this off.....

A Giant in the Eco-Spirituality Movement Has Fallen

The Rev. Thomas Berry has passed. At the ripe old age of 94. For those of us who followed his life, and his work, that is still way too soon!

You can read about him here, on his own website.


or in the NYT Obit.


or in the National Catholic Reporter.


I'll excerpt from NCR here:

""Fr. Thomas Berry, described in Newsweek magazine in 1989 as "the most provocative figure among the new breed of eco-theologians," was among the first to say the earth crisis is fundamentally a spiritual crisis. His diagnosis of the negative effects of our religious views on our treatment of the planet rang true for many who were willing and able to work for a cure. Many created their own earth ministries, inspired by the work and life of Fr. Thomas Berry.

Rather than a theologian, Berry considered himself a cosmologist and "geologian," an Earth scholar.

He believed the only way to effectively function as individuals and as a species is to understand the history and functioning of our planet and of the wide universe itself, like sailors learning about their ship and the vast ocean on which it sails. "It takes a universe to make a child," he said, adding that he was "trying to establish a functional cosmology, not a theology." The amazing, mind-boggling cosmological perspective, he felt, can resuscitate human meaning and direction. The most important spiritual qualities, for Berry, were amazement and enchantment. Awe is healing. A sense of wonder is the therapy for our disconnection from the natural world.""


I heard Rev. Berry speak twice, as he visited the eco-community I once considered myself a member of.

No words can adequately describe the loss of this great, fallen Oak whose teachings have spanned nearly a century. He was unwavering in his passion for our planet.

May he rest in peace, in the bosom of his beloved Earth.

New "Palin Democrat" Video by Laura VW of Team Sarah

Check it out:



Yes. We are everywhere. In larger numbers than anyone can imagine!!

Sarah Palin At Seneca Falls (& a H/T to the folks at Hillary's Village for covering the story so well!)

A very special H/T to Hillary's Village for keeping us apprised of the FABULOUS story that has unfolded in Seneca Falls!

The pictures themselves are worth a thousand words!


















I have long imagined myself on a pilgrimage to these places. And now I am more determined than ever to make one!

News For President Obama: Women in the U.S. Have Proudly Covered Their Hair for Centuries

The problem with the Cairo speech IMO, is that it gives women permission to wear hijab. But it does not really give them permission NOT TO.

Oh, sure, the President says the covering of the hair should be a "choice." But he says nothing about the real reason why it is NOT a "choice" for so many. No mention about violence, honor killings, "intolerant" husbands and brothers. Instead he pretends as if it is an intolerant, secular America that would take away such a "right."


Is Obama even aware that we have a long history of "tolerating" women who cover their hair in this country? Be they nuns or Mennonites. To be frank, nobody I know has problems with the freely chosen covering of hair.

It's not the freely chosen coverage of hair that disturbs the Americans I know.

It's the hair that is covered under threat of violence that gets our panties knotted.

What Obama is Really Saying to (Muslim) Women

Question: Are we ever going to see any real news in this country again? Or any real courage out of our president?

Why do I feel as if I have to rely solely on the PUMAsphere for ANY complex analysis at all?

H/T to Cinie, Larry Johnson, and Egalia for deciphering what the President's pandering really means for women in the Islamic regions.

And in the rest of the world......

SYD

PS. Not Your Sweetie deserves double credit for always finding the BEST cartoon illustrations in the sphere! The one posted here is no exception.

Listen to my Interview About "Hillary Supporters for Sarah": Tell me what you think!

You can go to this web site and find it.

I gave a shout out to PUMA PAC, The Daily PUMA, and The New Agenda. I wish I could have said more. Only had 11 minutes.


Tell me what you think!

Did I do us justice?

SYD

PS. I am traveling this week, so may not check in quite as often as usual. Play nice while I'm away. OK?

Oh, and trollies.... I WILL check in often enough to delete you if you dare.

Grandpa Cheney Supports His Daughter: Comes Out In Favor of Gay Marriage!

Yes it's true!! We can add to the growing chorus of GOP leaders that are calling for states to ratify gay marriage.... Former VP Dick Cheney.

""As many of you know, one of my daughters is gay and it is something we have lived with for a long time in our family," Cheney said Monday at the Gerald R. Ford Foundation journalism awards at the National Press Club.

"I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish. Any kind of arrangement they wish," the former vice president said, according to the the Huffington Post reported.

The pro-gay marriage stance isn't new for Cheney, who during his 2004 campaign with former President George W. Bush made a nearly word-for-word declaration that all types of relationships should be acceptable.

The timing, however, makes his latest speech particularly significant -- it comes just after California's top court refused to overturn the Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage and as the GOP continues to remain split over the issue. John McCain's campaign manager Steve Schmidt and Bush recount lawyer Ted Olsen have both publicly argued in support of gay marriage...""

I guess I should now confess.... and I know it is SHOCKING .... I, Stray Yellar Dawg, have joined the Log Cabin Republicans. I'm still not a registered Republican. But, I am an Independent that is inching closer and closer to the party pf my Granddad. Because, I am starting to like what I am hearing! Couple that with the fact that I do not like what the Obamacratic party did to gays in California... by not speaking out against Prop H8.... and I think you can see where I am coming from.

To be clear: there *were* robo-calls made to California Democrats, encouraging them to vote against the proposition that killed marriage equality in their state. But... they were made by that *racist* Bill Clinton. Alas, common sense would tell us they did not do much to persuade the 95% of African American voters that turned out for Mr. Obama. 85% of those voters, Afrocity laments, voted FOR Prop H8.

She puts forth her opinion as to why, as well: "I’ve read the statistic that 85 percent of blacks voted in favor of Prop. 8 in order to defeat same-sex marriage. It occurs to me that black opposition to same-sex marriage is a safe expression of an intense and virulent anti-white racism because the majority of people who are openly lesbian or gay are white. I suspect this anti-white/anti-gay hatred — if I am correct and it exists and is widespread — is founded in Black Liberation Theology. But whatever foundation it has, homosexuals are the safe white people to hate and the minority that can safely be denied equality. No good is going to come of either of those things."

She is correct, no good can come of the way in which our political parties divide us, in order that we can't rise up. But "divide and conquer" works. And, at the end of the day.... the Democrats may find out that what they did to gay Californians worked a little too well for their liking. Cuz the Log Cabin Repubs are promising a fight. And they have the Governator behind them.

SYD

Stray Yellar Dawg on Sarah Palin Radio: Tonight!

I really cannot believe who I am sharing my hour with... but there ya go. Politics do make strange bedfellows!

Here's the announcement:

Listen to Sarah Palin Radio 24/7

or live every Monday

7 to 8 p.m. (EST) at Sarah Palin Radio

GUEST LINE-UP FOR JUNE 1

Lily Burana, a former stripper and Playboy pinup turned critically acclaimed book author and Army officer's wife, talks about her latest book I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles.

Jackie Gingrich Cushman, co-author with her father Newt Gingrich of 5 Principles for a Successful Life.

Stray Yellar Dawg, creator of Hillary Supporters for Sarah Palin, (at Team Sarah) discusses why she and multitudes of others support Sarah Palin. Politics makes strange bedfellows.

Barbara Grassley, wife of Senator Chuck Grassley, tells what it is REALLY like to be married to a U.S. Senator.

UPCOMING GUESTS
U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra from Michigan and candidate for Governor of Michigan.

U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran, from Kansas and candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Hon. Bob McDonnell, former Virginia Attorney General and Republican candidate for Virginia Governor, explains the national significance of this race.

Andrew Breitbart, author of Hollywood, Interrupted : Insanity Chic in Babylon — The Case Against Celebrity and nationally syndicated columnist of "Big Hollywood.

Andrea Cerwinske, Deputy Executive Director of the National Rifle Association.