Abusing a metaphor

This is a bit of a thinking-cap post. Metaphors and analogies are dangerous things to use in a discussion. I’m not saying that they should be banned, so don’t try to trot that out later, by claiming I said that. What I’m saying is that they are used as stepping stones (premises) for future arguments.

Back in jr high we learned the difference between a metaphor and a simile. A simile is when you state that Thing A is like Thing B. A metaphor is when you say that Thing A is Thing B. It’s great for poetry or novels, because it can be persuasive, and bring up powerful imagery by linking two different things. The important thing to remember is when you use a metaphor is that you are taking two different things, and melding them into one object. (An airplane is a Bird) or (Life is a Highway) You highlight the similarities, and try to forget that those are actually different things. You with me so far? At this point everything is all good. We all understand that an Airplane isn’t actually a Bird, and that Life isn’t actually a Highway. It’s just a literary technique for emphasizing similarities of two different things.

But here’s where the unthinkable happens.

People often use it in a logical argument to prove a point. They use it as a premise to get to a conclusion. This may have a some fancy name in Principles of Reasoning, but I just call it Abusing a Metaphor. I’ll use some examples that I’ve actually seen.

America is an Empire.
Imperial America is a threat to the rest of the world.
Therefore, America must be destroyed and it’s institutions dismantled.

Did you see what just happened? The first line contains the metaphor. America is an Empire. Of course rational people know that America isn’t actually an Imperium. We have no Emperor. (Although the next response is that W. Bush is the Emperor with absolute power) We live in a Republic. The speaker starts by using a loose metaphor. Then uses that metaphor as proof to give some imperative that is likely not ideal. There are some relevant differences between the United States, and an Imperial Nation. When someone tries to work the word “Empire” into a statement about America, they are invoking this insane argument. The word “Empire” or “Imperial” or “Imperialistic” is a good channel marker or red flag that someone advocates atrocity.

Another metaphor that is often used is the Nazi or Hitler Metaphor. Many metaphors are used as a way to demonize someone or something. First you take the thing that you want to demonize (Bush) , then you take something that is universally accepted as being reprehensible. (Hitler) Then you try to morph them together into a single entity. If you make this reference enough times, sometimes with imagery, and pound it into a population’s psyche, you can get people to have the same affective response for two different things. They even blend the names into a single word by capitalizing the ‘H’ in Bush. Perhaps you’ve seen this. (BusHitler)

The next step is to take aggressive action to destroy anything that you can associate with that concept. (9/11, US Flag, Servicemen, Private Businesses) They often use a metaphor for this too. Remember Dick Durbin. It doesn’t even have to make sense, because metaphors are so powerful.

Anyway, when people bust out some strong metaphors, I start to get worried and concerned, because often they advocate something atrocious based on that metaphor. And sure enough, right on cue, “The entire administration should be executed.”

Usually I just tentatively say “Um, you’re using that as a loose metaphor, right? You’re not going to later make a reference to this statement, to make some further point, are you?”

I think that’s best, just to make sure that I understand them correctly. At this point, I’m usually confronted with outright hostility and personal attacks. I can then quickly concede the argument, locking them into the concept that they do indeed hold that position.

I love using the quick concession as an method. Here’s a simile used properly to illustrate and communicate a concept. Using a Quick Concession when someone makes an outrageous claim, is like someone pushing you with all of their weight, and instead of pushing back, you pull them. You help them go in the direction that they want to go.

Here’s an example:

I think that all babies should be brained soon after they’re born.
I agree that you think that. We are in perfect agreement. No arguments here. Set in stone.
Umm. Wait. Don’t label me. I’m smart. You’ve got the wrong idea about me.
No, there’s no miscommunication. I understand perfectly. We both know for a fact what your position is. We might disagree if your idea is actually good and just to brain babies, but we both agree that it is indeed your position. Wait here while I go tell people what your position is.
You blindly follow McChimpyHitlerBurton, America is an Imperium, Iran should have nuclear weapons to kill the jews and eradicate all Americans, Terrorism is a myth, 9/11 is a myth, Al-queida is a myth, 93 WTC bombing was not terrorism, Bush was never in the military, Bush was AWOL, and if you don’t try to cover-up the Christian-Newsome murders, then you are a Nazi, and most of the world agrees with me, and I will never change my mind.
MmmmmmKay. I agree that you think that. Thank you for informing me. I understand.



Most often people are just outright lying, or concocting stories to support their world view. When they are challenged on it, they will fall back to the defense that they were just joking or that they were only using a metaphor. That’s usually coupled with hate and venom directed at me for having the audacity to question them. And usually more lies and insults.


That’s OK. When people try to attack me, it just further proves how fantastic I am compared to them.


I found some cool quotes on a forum about the US flag. You can get a feel for a trend by observing how two groups polarize. It doesn’t really matter what the topic is. Almost any forum will demonstrate this. Even if it's just a bear getting tranqed from a tree. People with gravitate into two polarized groups and comments will cluster around these two viewpoints. Liberal and Conservative I suppose. Or Right and Left. People are more than happy to display their true colors. Emphasis added by me.



Yes, we're the Nazis of the 21st century.

American patriotism is synonomous with naziism.

America - land of the free, home of warrantless wiretaps and torture.

-Zimbardo torture, Yes, walking like Frankenstein is the same as shoving a power drill into someone's navel.

i think its stupid to display your flag every day it should only be on special occasions but its a free country (not too free under bush) so i let u go ahead,
i was born in holland and they really show the flag in a very special way on the queens birthday and liberation day to remember that the americans and canadians liberated holland on may 5th 1945.
so several times a year makes it very very special otherwise it becums a a common site . but i will admit my flag will be flying hi the day cheney (viz.prez. incharge of torture) and bush leave the whitehouse and go on trial for killing 1000s of our soldiers in iraq and 100000s of others in iraq.

-You allow me to fly a flag. Why then, thank you.

Alas, all this flag-waving, all these looped yellow ribbons on the backs of cars, all this heroic breast-beating - bundled with all this incredibly courageous hands-off approach to any real (read "active") involvement with either the war or the youngsters who are engaged in it - I'm afraid we've become a nation of scoundrels.


I'm just one guy (age 45, Oregon), but I find the American flag to be a moderately offensive symbol that is waved and displayed by people I almost never find I like. How can you take a symbol of the American empire and identify with it... much less die for it? I don't get it. Needless to say I'm no fan of the Fourth of July either. In fact, I subscribe to Cabel's view that "Patriotism is the religion of hell" and to the well accepted idea that "Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." Flag waving is just a very low form of cognition... and living in America one is surrounded by these flag waving mouth breathers. No point in getting angry about it... you can't really fight it... except by standing for values that matter instead of the militaristic and jingoistic and nationalist values that the flag represents. Sure I know some leftists who say we should claim the stars and bars for our own cause... but there are some symbols that are too tainted to be redeemed. I don't give the flag much thought... just try to stay away from the dangerous people who wave it, and the causes they wave it for.

-wow. I don't even know where to start. I got it. You hate America.


I want to see the Union Jack. I see flags here at car dealerships and every office building. I feel like I'm in the Soviet Union with all of this propaganda. Actually, that's too close to the truth!!

-You feel like you're in the Soviet Union? Really? When you see the American Flag, you feel like you're in the Soviet Union?

I fly the flag even more now precisely because I hate everything Bush stands for. I fly the flag because I own the flag. You own the flag. We own the flag. Bush, the Republicans and America's violent, xenophobic radicals do not have a monopoly on the flag. I fly the flag now out of defiance. I am a patriot, and I fly my flag in the face of those who say I am a traitor because I don't support the president or the war.

-You read it plain as day. "Everything" is pretty all inclusive. He doesn't support the GWOT, and he supports Al-queida. He flys the flag as a icon that he is pro-terrorist. I told you that this faction existed.



You don't destroy "terror" with bombs or flags: flags and bombs create further hate, and it's hate that makes terrorists.

-If you fly an American flag, then you are creating terrorists? Wow. That's a new one. Then liberals should flying their flag, on account of loving terrorists. So get out there liberals and hoist Old Glory...for the terrorists.

I have to admit that one of the reasons I don't display an American flag it that I don't find it an attrative design. There are so many flag designs I find more attractive -- DC, Japan, Canada, Greece, Israel, etc. The American flag is kind of "busy."

I fly the flag upside down now. I've never been more ashamed to be an American than now, thanks to Bush and his idiotic ways.


Thanks to Bush the America flag now stands for nothing.
Flap your flag if that's what gets of off, but you're not achieving a thing.

It's easily misinterpreted as support for the current Administration, right-wing radicalism, the Republican Party, and continued military involvement overseas. It's sad.

-Yep, here's another one that wants a constitional admendment to turn our military into a civil defense force. And this is a moderate view. Some want to disband the military altogether.

A Good Weekend

So my broseph Cullen came down to Iowa for a nice Memorial Day Weekend. He recently bought a motorcycle and rode it for the 5 hour trip. A little bit rainy, but he doesn’t care. We went to the shooting range to figure out who is best. And well, frankly, I’m embarrassed to report that he is best. Yep, you heard me say it, I have no excuses. He just simply out shot me.

Brando Score = 315 = Good
Cullen Score = 345 = Good

The Patented Brando Scoring System is as follows.
0-99 = Fail
100-199 = Needs Remedial Training
200-299 = OK
300-399 = Good
400-499 = Great
500-599 = Fantastic
600 = Perfect

Next time he comes into town, you can be sure I’m dragging him to the range for a rematch. Seriously, I was happy for him that he was shooting so well. I just would have liked to shoot a little bit better than him.

So raise your glass to Cullen and his proficiency at the range.


After we tested we fired off a magazine at remnants of orange clay pigeons at the 100yard berm. I didn’t know that 22 rounds only drop 3.6 inches at 100 yards. That’s a lot of zip.

Then we went Geocaching in the pouring rain. We got pretty much soaked. Dryness percentage 0%.

On Monday I went back to my hometown for the Memorial Day Service. The speaker was a Marine Sgt. Major and he had a pretty good speech. There was a high school kid doing taps, and someone else did the far away taps. There was also a jr. high girl that read some poems, and she had a loud clear voice. There was some singing and what not. 21 gun salute, of course. At one point someone called him a Major Sergeant.

Now, I don’t get super bent out of shape about flag-etiquette, and I’m not one of these old never has-beens that scrutinizes everyone he sees in uniform looking for something slightly out of place, so he can say “In the old days we never looked like that.” I have a pretty high tolerance for stuff as long as their heart’s in the right place.

There was something that I hope we never repeat. I almost don’t want to write it down because I don’t want anyone to make fun of our town. The Retiring of the Colors is at the end of the ceremony when they march off with the flag. You should stand up when they retire the Colors, and if you’re in uniform, you should salute. I can’t remember what song is usually played, but it’s something like Stars and Stripes, or Anchors Aweigh, or the National Anthem. God Bless America would probably even work, even if it isn’t exactly regulation. You know what song they played in my hometown, during the Retiring of the Colors, on Memorial Day?

Baby I’m Coming Home Home Sweet Home - Motley Crue

I was cringing the entire time as that blared out of the speakers. I didn’t cause a scene or anything. I just stood at the position of attention until they were well past us. Then Cullen said “What is this? A wet T-Shirt contest?”

We walked to our car as the song got over, but alas, they had another song queued up for us to listen to as we remembered the fallen.

Winds of Change - The Scorps

I’d like to hope that their hearts were in the right place.


At my funeral I’d like someone to give a rousing speech about all that’s Brando, then have people file past me while someone plays Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

Did I say “Amazing Grace”? I meant to say “Funky Cold Medina”.

-----------------------------

In other news, I’m sure you know that this didn’t escape my attention. I won't be forgetting that one.

In The Navy

When I was a kid, during the summers I would go visit my dad in Florida for a couple of weeks. It was awesome. When I was 7 my dad rented me a go-cart. There were always an endless supply of fireworks and we’d usually go to amusement parks and water parks or just basically whatever you’d imagine a little Brando would like to do. He’d let me shoot a 22, and a little 32 snubnose at cans. When I was about 11 he let me fire a 45 revolver. Probably not the best judgement as that’s a lot of recoil for my little wrists. Anyway, it was still fun and I fired all 6 shots.

Then I’d go back home to mom (they were divorced) and tell her how fantastic it was to go hang out with dad. That sort of pissed her off. She had the job of raising me, and dad had the job of letting little brando run amok.

Here are some pics of little brando having fun over the years.








Anyway, my dad passed away when I was 15 (heart attack), and I have some fond memories of him. He was in the Navy for a good stretch, but I have very little knowledge of his service other than he worked on diesels on submarines. I asked my mom about it, but all she can tell me is that he was a diesel engine instructor at Great Lakes. I have all these grand concepts of his naval exploits and expeditionary adventures. In my mind, he’s some hard-charging dad figure.

So I wrote a letter to the Archives and they sent me a photocopy of his Service Record Book (SRB). My goal was to look for medals, awards, or meriterious masts. Or cool deployments.

Let me put it this way. The beginning of papa-san’s Naval career was a little bit rocky. It was super fun pouring through the dates and NJPs trying to figure out exactly what was happening.

For those of you that have served in the military, you are very aware that showing up on time for formation is important. Unauthorized Absence (UA) isn’t something commanders get a kick out of. Even if it’s 30 seconds. Late is late and commanders don’t care if your car broke down, your girlfriend broke up with you, or if a comet passed between the earth and moon. You had better be standing tall at formation. Retribution will happen and all debts must be paid.

So imagine my dad as a young pup fresh out of bootcamp in San Diego in 1955. He gets assigned to a destroyer harbored in Charleston SC. He is there for a few months, and gets liberty for the weekend to go into town, get drunk, get laid, whatever. Liberty expires at 0500.

Dad isn’t at the formation.

Then the destroyer sails to Norfolk VA that day, without him. I can’t even imagine what sort of stomach cramps I’d be having for missing my ship. Wow. Did he party too much? Was there a girl? Did he get robbed? Was it as simple as staying at a hotel and oversleeping? I hope it was something exiting and sorted like getting in a fight over a gambling debt, but it’s probably something weak.

So the next page of the story is Dad showing up in Norfolk two days later trying to beat the ship to port. Did he rent a car? Did he hitchhike or buy a train ticket? I’ll never know. I wonder what crazy tale that was, but I only have the black and white to go from. At 0630 he was standing tall at the U.S. Naval Receiving Station at Norfolk. I think he did actually beat the ship to port because he wasn’t transferred to the destroyer until 5 days later.

So what kind of trouble does one get in for missing movement of a ship?

Summary Court-Martial, Restricted to ship for 30 days.

That seems a little harsh to me, but I guess back in 1955 they didn’t play games.

There’s a bunch of other stuff too. I see at one point he was an E-7, which is like the Navy’s version of a Gunny. And he also had the standard ribbons and medals. 3 good cookies, and a firewatch medal. He was also on a sub-tender surface ship during the Cuban Missile Crisis.


Here’s a portion of a Meriterious Mast he got when he was on a sub.

Yadda, yadda, takes pleasure in commending EN1(SS) Brando’s Dad, USN for outstanding performance of duty as set forth in the following:

COMMENDATION

For outstanding performance of duty during the period yadda yadda.

The pride which you have taken to insure the proper operation and appearance of the equipment in the Forward Engineroom of USS PICUDA following a battery renewal and subsequent safe and successful sea trails have contributed greatly to PICUDA’s excellent material condition.

Your quick wit, ability to turn a phrase, and all around good humor have contributed immeasurably to PICUDA’s high morale. Without doubt, some of the sparkle of your engineroom has rubbed off on PICUDA. Well done.

Quick wit?

Ability to turn a phrase?

So basically he was given an award for being a smart-ass.

BBC

I was doing my daily scan of the news articles and I saw an article that was refreshingly accurate. As I have commented on in the past, I’ve noticed that many articles have a slight (and sometimes not-so-slight) pro-terrorist slant. BBC has an article on the front page of their website, that was far better than I have grown to expect. Well done BBC.

See, I’m not a pessimist all the time.

They Failed

Is this really the goal of Democrats? Like their actual, no kidding, goal.

Many claim it is, and I'm starting to believe them.

At any rate I'm glad that terrorists won't be given carte blanche. At least not just yet.

Fact or Opinion

Thinking cap time.

This is a concept that is really easy, yet so many people pretend to forget how it works.

When I was in elementary school, we had to do these worksheets that had statements on them. Our job was to decide if they were facts or opinions. I think that the worksheet would do the world population a lot of good. Everyone should fill it out once a year.

The worksheet had looked similar to this.
1. The Sun is hotter than the Earth F or O
2. Strawberry ice cream tastes the best. F or O
3. Water freezes at 32 deg. F or O
4. Football is the most entertaining sport to watch. F or O


It’s the difference between “objective” and “subjective”. You with me so far? Things can be objectively true or false. A false fact. For example “Water freezes at 47 deg”. This is objectively false. Opinion doesn’t factor in at all. It would be on the FACT or OBJECTIVE side of the house.

That’s an easy concept to grasp, granted. And it may seem like I’m pointing out the obvious, but it comes into play in many, many discussions. In my first philosophy class, on the first day, the professor asks the class to make an agreement with him. We agreed that we wouldn’t use the phrase “True for me” or “True for you”. People like to use it as a way to backpedal from an argument, when they are addressing something that is objectively true or false. “The Christian God is true for me, while the Roman Gods are true for him.” would be a violation of this concept, and of logic itself. Either a creator exists or doesn’t. Just because it’s an unknown doesn’t mean it becomes an opinion. A creator’s existence isn’t dependant on the belief of the created.


So here’s the violation spelled out as clearly as I can do it.

People call facts, "opinions", as a way to backpedal away from their false claims. And they also claim victory by calling a lie an opinion.

Here’s an example. This is one that I’ve just made up, so that nobody feels like they’re being attacked, and there is no emotion attached to it. It is simply to illustrate a point. A parable.

There is a pineapple in my kitchen right now, sitting on the counter. A whole pineapple, that we haven’t carved up yet. I could attest that it’s sitting there, or just remain silent, but either way it is actually there. I just went back into the kitchen to check, and yes, there is indeed a pineapple in the kitchen. If someone else claims that there is no pineapple in my kitchen, and they begin making arguments based on that lie, then they must correct themselves before any further conversation can happen. I would most likely remind them that there is indeed a pineapple in my kitchen. I would use great effort to avoid debating the existence of the pineapple, as it is outside the realm of debate. It simply exists, and I would tell them so. If a villain demands proof that there is a pineapple, I probably wouldn’t cater to his demands. The pineapple exists either way. The goal isn’t to convince others that a thing is true. But merely for it to actually be true.

The villain might make claims like this.

“It’s my opinion that you have no pineapple, and everyone is entitled to their opinion”
or
“You’ve failed to prove that you have a pineapple, therefore you have no pineapple.”
or
“I accuse you of having no pineapple. Prove it, to my satisfaction, or else you’re wrong.”

I’m sure you get the idea. These claims sound good on the surface, but upon closer inspection, the diseased logic is clear. The claim by the villain is usually some claim that the truth of an objective fact is a nebulous concept that requires him to sign off on it, before it becomes true. It stems from the belief that everything is an opinion, and everything is subjective.

Say Uncle

Over the last few days I had a nice time with my uncle who came in from Denver. We shot some targets on a perfect spring morning with little wind. I shot a score of 270, which on the brando-scale puts me in the category of “OK”.

Then on Friday, my cousin and I challenged two of our uncles to a round of best-ball golf. The young vs. the old. We even had “age” and “beauty” written on the scorecards. I couldn’t believe the amount of trash talk that was going on. Each team was giving each other free “advice”, or the side comment about which way the green was. By the 4th hole my cousin even recommended something about Gerritol. The prize for the winning team was eternal glory. Sort of like Harry Potter. The kids won by 3 strokes. Yaaay for the good team!

Weapons Grade Crazy

I don’t know what the most noteworthy part of this video is. It could be number of truthers there are. It could be the fact that political candidates feel the need to pander to these ninnies. But I think the most noteworthy comment I have is that if you’re about to address a political candidate, and you’re in public; the moment your hand touches the microphone, you had better have a question ready in your mind, phrased as a question. Hey, you can even think of your question beforehand, and maybe even get the phrasing correct, and write it on a notecard. It’s not against the rules. Keep in mind that one quarter of Americans are Truthers. So without further delay. Truthers on parade.





Just remember, these people vote too. I know that a republic is the least worst form of government that’s we’ve thought up, but on days like these I entertain thoughts that I shouldn’t. Just a bit. The only requirement for enfranchisement in the US is being lucky enough to not die in the last 18 years. Is that really the best way?


AUA sums it up well

“Because face it: whether you like it or not, the vote of a stupid, ill-informed, paranoid freak counts just as much as your vote.”

Robert Heinlein also spits the truth.

"Democracy is based on the assumption that a million men are wiser than one man. How's that again? I missed something."
"Autocracy is based on the assumption that one man is wiser than a million men. Let's play that over again, too. Who decides?"


You need to watch the video at least 3 times to get the full understanding of the jackassery and asshattedness.

Just what I thought

I've grown to expect this. It's what they do.

LINK

Quicky

There are so many things I’d like to cover, but I’ll just be content with a fair question.

Is there any other news source that’s reporting this?





(Motivating post will be later)

Unwind

I had two finals yesterday, and afterward I went out and had a couple of cold ones before I went home, ate dinner and watched Borat.

At the bar I talked to this old guy that vehemently told me how he wanted the Bush twins to be forced into the military and sent to Iraq (presumably to be killed). I told him that I disagreed with that idea and the draft in general, and the concept of sending people into the military. I mentioned that maybe it’s a generational thing, that older guys aren’t aghast at the idea of a draft because they’ve lived with it and grown used to it. I completely overlooked the fact that he only wanted the President's daughters to be killed as a way to hurt Bush. Anyway, it was nothing confrontational. Maybe I should have argued it a little more, but I really just wanted to sip my beer, and watch the local 5 o’clock news on the TV above the bar and de-stress a little bit.

His daughter came up and sat at the bar on my opposite side. The old guy introduced me, and told her that I’d been to Iraq. I can see her quickly perk up, which could be a good sign or a bad sign.

“I’m glad you made it back alive.” she said, which wasn’t offensive, but her posture and tone further alerted my spidey-sense that she wanted to pick a fight.

“Me too.” I reply.

I go back to chatting about nothing with another guy, and when I turn my head a little so that I can be addressed by her again, she demands “So, why didn’t you catch Bin Laden?!” Yup, she’s trying to use me as a target for her hatred.

“He must have been hiding from me?” I answer with a smile.

“Yeah, in a hole or something.”

She looks down at the bar as though she’s thinking about the wording of what she’s going to say next, then shakes her head like she’s introspecting deeply, then says “I can’t imagine what it must have been like to be there”.

When I don’t respond, she waits a couple more seconds and flatly says “I feel sorry for you.”


Yeah, she can probably save her false pity for someone that needs it.

The News

I've been collecting screenshots of various news stories that are misleading, false, or simply pandering to a group by implying a certain agenda. There are a few ways that this can be done. One of my favorites is the Tactical Use Of Quotes (TUOQ), because it's so common. I also like the idea of pairing a picture with a headline or intro that are unrelated, in order to give an impression to a lazy reader. Loaded words. Which stories get ran, and which stories get dropped. Unflattering pictures of someone you're trying to demonize. I also have a problem with presenting a guess as fact, or having a question mark in the headline and pretending it's news. Save that stuff for the editorials.

"Is George Bush a Wiccan Priest? News at 5."


Enjoy the pics.



FAILED is a pretty strong word. All restrictive laws aren't automatic. They have to be individually passed by elected officials. Failed, huh?


Slavery's wrong, m'kay.



It couldn't have anything to do with an active campaign to hunt down terrorists?


They like that "fail" word. It probably had something to do with the fact that a good sized chunk of legislators voted against it.


Run for the hills!



If by "faulted", you mean "found not guilty of murder". Then yes, they were faulted. Nice try.



TUOQ. So then the Iraqi al-Qaeda leader isn't held? Got it.



OH NO! The US murdered a bunch of kids! Er....wait. The terrorists did that. You almost tricked my you sly devil.


Not killed. I got it.


How many times do I have to say it? You're supposed to land airplanes on runways, not beach-goers, not the World Trade Center, not the Pentagon. I guess some people just don't know where to put things.

Coalition Artillery Barrage paired with a picutre of murdered non combatants! Clearly the US should be held accountable for their heinous crimes! uhhhh... What's that? The terrorists did it? Oh, then nevermind. Darn those pesky facts. The terrorists are just resisting...grocery shopping.


I'm pretty sure it had something to do with Nappy Headed Hos, and very little to do with Fire Can't Melt Steel.




So what do the Russians rate American presidents on? How well they serve the Russian people? Why is the word "President" TUOQ'd? I think we know why.


I call into question the objectivity of this news source.


I just put this one in here because I thought it was funny.


So-Called? When you find 23 tourtered bodies in the streets, you can feel free to drop the "so-called" part.



Yeah, and I could be the next star of Indiana Jones.







The Thought Police are coming! Holy Balls! The general public should freak out in 3...2...1.



ABC maintains that Gonzales is dishonest. Got it.






What a bunch of bumbling fools.





Yeah, this wasn't from a news source, but I thought I'd end on a goofy note.

--------------------
update:
Here's one that talks about my old stomping ground at the Yous. There's no joke to it, but I just a bit invested in seeing that little town be nice.

Proof

Check it out.

Rage Against the Machine calling for the murder of all rich white people and everyone in the government.

Listen to the crowd.

When you listen to this your eyebrows should go up as you understand the full weight of what the left intends to do.




And this current administration is no exception. It should be hung and tried and shot, as any war criminal should be. For the challenges that we face, they go way beyond administrations, way beyond elections, way beyond every four years of pulling levers, way beyond that. Because this whole rotten system has become so vicious and cruel, that in order to sustain itself, it needs to destroy entire countries and profit from their reconstruction in order to survive. And that's not a system that changes every four years, that's a system that we have to break down, generation after generation after generation after generation...

That's a solid copy.