or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
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"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
December 01, 2006
We Must Crush Political Correctness So That We Too Can Have Politicians Like This
At Doug Henwood's LBO-talk, Israeli peace activist Bryan Atinsky points to a recent controversy in the mixed Jewish-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli town of Ramle. Here's how Ynet reported it in English:
Arab Knesset members were furious Thursday over the remarks of Ramle Mayor Yoel Lavi, who referred to a request made by Arab residents to change the names of the streets they live in to Arab names.According to a report published in Yedioth Ahronoth Thursday morning, Lavi said, "If they don’t like it, they should go and live in Jaljulia (an Arab village), which is an Arab name. What happened, what? Why should I change the name, because Jamal wants to change the name? He should change his Allah"...
Lavi's remarks were made after a reporter asked for his response for the fact that Ramle's Arab residents had asked to change the street names from Zechariah, Nehemia and Bialik to Tawfiq Zayyad and Emile Habibi.
Sadly, however, English-speaking readers have been denied the full range of the open and frank discussion of this issue. As Atinsky translates a Hebrew version of the story, the entire quote from Lavi was:
"Why should I change the name, because Jamal wants to change the name? Because Ahmad wants to change the name? He should change his god. They all should go get fucked."
Lavi also asked this piquant question of Jewish Israelis who questioned his statements:
“So, have you too become the bitches of every ass-fucking Arab? What happened? Don’t you have respect for the legacy of your own people?â€ÂÂ
I think we can all agree this would be a better country if we could follow Lavi's example and smash the Iron Stalinism of Political Correctness, which has been imposed on America by the terrible might of Wellesley's English department. Then we could see exchanges like this on Meet the Press:
FRIST: Why should we change the name, because Pablo wants to change the name? Because Fernando wants to change the name? He should change his god. They all should go get fucked.LEVIN: You know, that's really not constructive.
REID: I agree. Furthermoreâ€â€Â
FRIST: So, have you too become the bitches of every ass-fucking Mexican? What happened?
Just a few years of this and I think we could get ourselves some of that massive sectarian bloodshed the rest of the world has been hogging for itself.
Posted at December 1, 2006 11:54 AM | TrackBackBut, Pablo and Fernando have the same god as Frist. Why would Frist want them to change their god? Is there this much animosity between Catholics and Presbyterians in the US?
Posted by: Ted at December 1, 2006 01:35 PMIs there this much animosity between Catholics and Presbyterians in the US?
Well, there can be if we give it a little work.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at December 1, 2006 01:36 PMWell, there can be if we give it a little work.
You've lost me. As an American, I deplore work.
If you were to package it for me in the form of some moral panic, perhaps I could be motivated, but really, the only reason Pablo and Fernando are here in the first place, are to do what I don't care to do at lower pay.
Posted by: Ted at December 1, 2006 01:46 PMThey all have the same god.
Posted by: abb1 at December 1, 2006 02:11 PMWhat abb1 said.
Also, I suspect Jon is being facetious about smashing political correctness, but I think this wouldn't be such a bad thing. If people are racist fucks, they should just BE racist fucks. Pretending they aren't by biting their tongues isn't helping us get rid of racist fuckery. Just makes it harder to point to.
Posted by: saurabh at December 1, 2006 02:15 PMIt was not that long ago in this country that Protestants and Catholics dating and getting married got a lot of folks upset.
Posted by: Lloyd at December 1, 2006 02:53 PMP.S., crossing the Christian-Jew or Black-White divide was much much rarer too.
Posted by: Lloyd at December 1, 2006 02:55 PMThis post would be read by a lot more people if the ending were slightly tweaked to read "...some of that hot massive sectarian bloodshed action the rest of the world has been hogging for itself" instead.
This is the internet, after all. We should adhere to its norms.
Posted by: Aaron Datesman at December 1, 2006 03:44 PMSo did they change the street names?
Posted by: Bob In Pacifica at December 1, 2006 05:53 PMThat damned Frist better stick to cats and leave us fucking and fuckless Mexicans alone.
Posted by: Jesus B. Ochoa at December 1, 2006 08:13 PMPersonally I think all streets should be named after fruits and vegetables. We can add numbers when we run out such as 43pear street.
I'm assuming here that pears are not represented by a race or religion, but I could well be wrong on that one.
It was not that long ago in this country that Protestants and Catholics dating and getting married got a lot of folks upset.
It really wasn't that long ago that burning the Pope in effigy was more popular than fireworks on the fourth, and it was often followed up by mob violence, church burnings and murder.
Posted by: Ed Marshall at December 1, 2006 11:58 PMHi Jon,
I tried to send you the following email, but the link you give appears to be inactive.
I'd appreciate a response if you have the time.
WMD's.
To me, this sounds contradictory. Apparently Saddam made a strategic decision to disarm Iraq of WMD, yet he was also pretending to have WMD.
Is there any evidence that Saddam was actually pretending to have WMD?. Apart from speculation that is.
Posted by: Angela at December 2, 2006 12:14 AMI say let it rip folks! Let those Mexicans march in and impose a regulatory siesta for all!
Posted by: En Ming Hee at December 2, 2006 12:29 AM"Is there any evidence that Saddam was actually pretending to have WMD?. Apart from speculation that is."
Saddam was on Channel 4 TV in Britain in February 2003 saying that he didn't have WMDs or connections to al Qaeda.
He also said if he had a connection to al Qaeda he would be proud to announce it.
yep, Saddam out-truthed Bush.
Posted by: Susan at December 2, 2006 01:51 AMHi Susan,
Yes, I understand that, Saddam was cnstantly protesting his innocence.
I would like to see some evidence that he was simultaneously pretending not to have WMD.. As yet. Ive seen none.
Posted by: angela at December 2, 2006 04:00 AMThe Catholic parish I attend is a very busy bilingual one, with half a dozen English and half a dozen Spanish masses every weekend.
Last Christmas, the Spanish folk group - and they are Salvadorans, not Mexicans, although I realize that to you gringos they are all the same - sang this well-known bilingual song of Jose Feliciano at services in both languages -
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.
I wish you a Merry Christmas
I wish you a Merry Christmas
I wish you a Merry Christmas
from the bottom of my heart.
It was a warm multicultural moment that moved us all. People don't have to be divided by differences - they can enrich us, not enrage us. Let there be peace on earth, goodwill to people and other sentient beings.
PS And let's hope the Christ-killers convert.
PPS Not really - some of my best friends are of the Hebrew persuasion. I do hope that an approximation of peace with justice will eventually prevail in that nest of sorrow some call The Holy Land, while recognizing that this requires a substantial change of attitude there.
Posted by: Freddy el Desfibradddoro at December 2, 2006 06:13 AMI would like to see some evidence that he was simultaneously pretending not to have WMD.. As yet. Ive seen none.- angela
There isn't any.
Posted by: Susan at December 2, 2006 11:35 PMYou know, I'm pretty sure I saw that exchange on Fox the other day.
Posted by: acallidryas at December 5, 2006 06:00 PM
