Take Five (FU DADT edition)

[JeffR]

Take Five takes a weekly look at the news, or what passes for it.

ONE: Don't think? Don't talk.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), once a voice of optimism for repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, reportedly called Saturday "a very sad day" before the Senate voted to lift the military ban.

"I hope that when we pass this legislation that we will understand that we are doing great damage," said the four-term incumbent before the vote, according to ABC News. "Today is a very sad day."

It was a sad day, indeed, Senator McCain. A day to realize that someone like yourself, who once seemed pretty rational (especially by current Republican standards) is just another old bigot, a dried-out husk of a man born and raised in a world that no longer exists.

Fortunately, my sadness over the pathetic spectacle of your latest foot-in-mouth episode was quickly tempered by the final vote on Saturday, a much needed affirmation that sometimes, even in Washington, elected officials – including, in this instance, eight Republican Senators - can do the right thing. The Senate has finally put an end to the codified prejudice gay and lesbian service members have had to face since the odious compromise legislation known as "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" was enacted in 1993.

So sexual orientation is no longer a barrier to military service, and we get a fresh reminder of what an absolute horror a McCain presidency would have been for the nation and the world.

Sorry, Senator. All in all, turns out that it was a great day.

TWO: Donald Glen Vliet, 1941 - 2010

Lest my comments about Senator McCain being old be construed as ageist, I must admit to being fairly deep into old man territory myself, and thus increasingly and self-servingly more admiring of cultures that respect the wisdom and life experience of the more senior among us.

One such senior was Captain Beefheart, formerly Don Van Vliet and even more formerly Donald Glen Viet, who breathed his last the other day.

"Captain Beefheart, Don Van Vliet, who has died at the age of 69, was one of the most influential American musicians of the 1960s and early 1970s. His status was always cult rather than commercial, and for most of his career he was broke…"

Multiple sclerosis was already burdening the man's body and soul by the time Anton Corbijn made a documentary on him in 1983.  A quote of his from the film should give men and women, old or otherwise, pause for quiet reflection:

"The way I keep in touch with the world… is very gingerly… because the world touches too hard."

THREE: Radio, radio.

With Saturday's hubbub over DADT repeal and the failure of the DREAM Act to survive a cloture vote, all eyes were on the Senate, but strikingly under the radar was another piece of legislation that cleared the chamber on Saturday. Though little commented on so far, it has the potential to be as significant as DADT repeal and more far-reaching.

I'm talking about the Local Community Radio Act, which at last clears the way for voices insufficiently heard or not heard at all to finally claim a piece of the airwaves.

Reclaim the Media says the Act:

"… will allow the FCC to issue possibly thousands of new noncommercial LPFM radio licenses, [and] earned broad, bipartisan support after some ten years of organizing by grassroots media democracy advocates from coast to coast. Backers of the bill included a stupefying range of civil rights groups, religious organizations, musicians, unions and garage-bound radio dreamers around the country."

Wait, ten years of organizing? Seems quaint somehow in this age of tweets and twerps and trinket technology, doesn't it? Guess what, instant gratification junkies? This is how stuff gets done.

FOUR: Home truths.

Today marks the beginning of winter. It's also National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, an event co-Sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless, National Consumer Advisory Board, and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.

For twenty years, this day has honored those who have suffered and died due to a nation's inability to care for its most vulnerable. 152 communities across America participated in last year's Homeless Persons' Memorial Day.

Beyond the important symbolism of this event, the National Coalition for the Homeless has a great resource on what you can do to help end homelessness:

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/want_to_help/index.html

FIVE: First, do no harm. Second, stop fucking lying.

Senator, medical doctor and ordained deacon Tom Coburn was on FOX News this morning, claiming that his opposition to the James Zadroga 9/11 Health And Compensation Act awaiting Senate approval is rooted in the bill not having received scrutiny in committee. Which is a passing strange thing to say, since the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions committee, which counts Coburn among its membership, held a hearing on the bill on June 29th of this year.

Now, I won't use a tactic beloved of Coburn's party and accuse the Senator of hating America. That would be inappropriate and over the top. Apparently he just hates heroic first responders and those who volunteered to clear the rubble from Ground Zero.

Senator, heal thyself.

[spazito]

Wow, I very much enjoyed reading this, it is chock full of information, some of which I was totally unaware, ie the passage of the Local Community Radio Act, I didn't even know such a bill existed.

Thanks for posting this thread, Jeff, it was a great read.

[sandnsea]

Good Stuff! Thanks JeffR.

[Treestar]

Enjoying that one. Great job!

[Cha]

Take Five! Very Good, JeffR.

Mccain thinks he knows better than the Pentagon what is best for the military..I only cringe when I think of what he and the 1/2 baked gov of Alaska would cook up for the American people with the help of fauxsn00ze if they had slimed their way in.

I can see why I was in fetal positiion on Election night!

There's lots of older people who only get wiser with years..John McCain for whatever reason went the other direction.

Thanks for the notice and the story of Captain Beefheart/AKA/Don Van Vliet..I was certainly around then listening to the music of the more well known musicians but, had heard nothing of him except the name.

Please "RECLAIM THE MEDIA"!! And, thank those organizers for all the time they've put in!

And thank you for the link to the National Homelessness. Org..there's a lot we can do to get involved to help those who don't have anywhere to live on the beginning of Winter Solstice!

Republicons must have an oath they swear to in that they shall not tell the Truth under any circumstances lest they be booted from the gopropagandists. President Eisenhower would be so ashamed of where his party has devolved.

[CraigGrant]

Very interesting combination of stories.

Enjoyed your take on all five.

[nofurylike]

JeffR, this is GREAT!! you give so much information in the snips you choose, but your comments bring the whole picture home!

and i love this idea for a column!! i will be looking forward to every installment!!
Thank you!!

[Number23]

This is wonderful! Excellent, excellent job!

It's terrifying to realize that in 2000, I pulled for John McCain like I'd never thought I could pull for a Republican until he was "beaten" by the idiot son of a better man. Seeing McCain now, I would feel sad for him if I wasn't absolutely disgusted and repulsed by his stupidity and bigotry.