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Showing posts with label Blog Pillage Idiot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Pillage Idiot. Show all posts
“Happy Anniversary Attila! Luv ya man,” praised an effusive Ms. Couric as news of the Pillage Idiot’s third anniversary was received with accolades from all over the globe.
Attila at the Pillage Idiot has obviously spent considerable time and energy in penning an excellent review – of a review of "Supreme Discomfort, The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas" to Orlando Patterson.
Mr. Attila’s post is certainly well worth the time and I highly recommend it and want to thank Mr. Attila for taking the time to pull it all together so that others may benefit from his insights.
In a feeble attempt to add to Mr. Attila’s excellent commentary I call the readers attention that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas actually answered this book eloquently in a speech before the National Bar Association in Memphis, Tenn., on July 29th, 1998.
{A note to Mr. Crablaw, he mentions Marvin Gaye's album, What's Going On?}
Supreme Court Justice Thomas said a number of poignant things, including:
I'd like to thank the members of the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association who have been so courageous and forthright and kind to invite me to join you this afternoon. As has become the custom, a wearisome one I admit, this invitation has not been without controversy. Although this is unfortunate, this controversy has added little value in the calculus of my decision to be here.
[…]
Unlike the unfortunate practice or custom in Washington and in much of the country, the court is a model of civility. It's a wonderful place. Though there have been many contentious issues to come before the Court during these initials years of my tenure, I have yet to hear the first unkind words exchanged among my colleagues. And quite frankly, I think that such civility is the sine qua non of conducting the affairs of the Court and the business of the country.
[…]
With respect to my following, or, more accurately, being led by other members of the Court, that is silly, but expected since I couldn't possibly think for myself. And what else could possibly be the explanation when I fail to follow the jurisprudential, ideological, and intellectual, if not anti- intellectual, prescription assigned to blacks? Since thinking beyond this prescription is presumptively beyond my abilities, obviously someone must be putting these strange ideas into my mind and my opinions. Though being underestimated has its advantages, the stench of racial inferiority still confounds my olfactory nerves.
[…]
Of course there is much criticism of the Court by this group or that, depending on the Court's decisions in various highly publicized cases. Some of the criticism is profoundly uninformed and unhelpful. And all too often, uncivil second-guessing is not encumbered by the constraints of facts, logic, or reasoned analysis. On the other hand, the constructive and often scholarly criticism is almost always helpful in thinking about or rethinking decisions.
[…]
I have found during my almost 20 years in Washington that the tendency to personalize differences has grown to be an accepted way of doing business. One need not do the hard work of dissecting an argument. One need only attack and thus discredit the person making the argument. Though the matter being debated is not effectively resolved, the debate is reduced to unilateral pronouncements and glib but quotable clichés.
[…]
The summer of 1971 was perhaps one of the most difficult of my life. It was clear to me that the road to destruction was paved with anger, resentment, and rage. But where were we to go? I would often spend hours in our small efficiency apartment in New Haven pondering this question and listening to Marvin Gaye's then new album, What's Going On? To say the least, it was a depressing summer.
A book-review editor can elicit a positive or negative review of a book (and the subject of the book) simply by choosing a reviewer with known views.
You know all you need to know about the New York Times's feelings toward Justice Clarence Thomas (as if you didn't know it already) when you see that the Times Book Review assigned the review of "Supreme Discomfort, The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas" to Orlando Patterson. Patterson, a respected black intellectual, is a sociologist, not a lawyer. If the Times had had any interest in examining Justice Thomas's legal views, it would not have offered the review to a non-lawyer.
Why is that relevant? Justice Thomas has been a member of the Supreme Court for 15 years and, contrary to the ever-present sneers about his taking orders from Justice Scalia, he has developed a strong and individual jurisprudence over that time. You'd barely know this from reading Patterson's review.
TheMaryland Blogger Alliance (MBA) “Carnival of Maryland 5” will be posted later in the day.
The wheel is still turning but the peripatetic gerbil that powers this blog juggled a few too many balls in the air this past weekend and has “crashed.”
If you have not had a chance to read our previous four Carnivals, please take this opportunity to review some of the best that the Maryland blogosphere has to offer:
Meanwhile, if you’re a MD blogger, and you’d like to join the MBA, you can contact the Pillage Idiot’s Attlia at- pillageidiot -at- hotmail -dot- com.
Attila, pictured above with Katie Couric, wrote on March 11, 2007: “The Carnival was the brainchild of members of the Maryland Blogger Alliance (see sidebar). You don't have to be a member to contribute to our Carnival, but we strongly urge you to join if you're a blogger in Maryland. There's really no downside to it. We're an eclectic bunch. We have no political litmus tests for membership, and an increasing number of our members don't focus on politics at all.”
Kudos for our fearless leader of the Maryland Bloggers Alliance for saying that “George Carlin's seven words you can't say on the radio” rarely appear in his blog.
I must say that it is one of the reasons that I enjoy his blog.
I am dumbstruck to find the use of foul language in the blogosphere.Yeah, it’s an exercise of free speech, but nevertheless the right to free speech comes with responsibilities.
Whenever I come across a blog site or blog post with foul language, I exercise my right to move on to another web site – in haste.
If someone has such little grasp on their language skills and cannot articulate a position without the use of the foul language, my view is that they have little to offer me as to their opinion.
I dare say that I am hardly “little Miss Goody Two Shoes,” (Where did that expression come from anyway?) but I try hard to talk the walk and avoid the foul language on this web site and applaud Attila for his post and his blog.
Nov. 15, 2006 (Rhoiders) Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi, seen here as she approached a Democratic caucus meeting, has vowed to knock some heads after her set-back in the choice of her rival MD Rep. Steny Hoyer for the No. 2 House leadership post.**
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Steny Hoyer acknowledged Sunday he was seeking assurances from incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she would not retaliate against his supporters after he won the No. 2 House leadership post.
Hoyer, D-Md., insisted there was "no bad blood" with Pelosi after she publicly supported Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania for the job of majority leader. Hoyer said he was confident Pelosi would not punish House colleagues who voted 149-86 last week to make Hoyer the majority leader when Democrats take control in January…
OMG, I simply could not imagine a vindictive unpleasant Speaker-elect Pelosi. Whatever would make Representative Hoyer think that?
We all owe a debt of gratitude to the fearless leader of the Maryland Blogger Alliance, Attila at the Pillage Idiot.
And yes, Ms. Dray, I agree with you about the title of the piece.If Mr. Gainor’s experience is anything like mine, even though I have a fabulous working relationship with my editors, I have essentially never had any input on the titles to my columns or articles.Editors jealously guard that dominion.
Yes folks; the number one rule of blogging is to have an understanding spouse.It goes along with the same joke about artists: whadda ya call an unmarried 50 year-old artist?Homeless.
I am fortunately married to one of the neatest women on the planet.(Sorry Mr. Modjesky.)Not only is she waaaay cool and understanding, but she actually has a job - - and she does small engine repairs.Thank Gawd!
Now I am going to go out and gleefully cancel out Ms. Dray’s votes.
Attila, my Maryland Bloggers Alliance colleague over at the Pillage Idiot, reports (Idiota del pillaje?) that his wonderful “Pillageshop” of Kim Jong Il has been picked by a blog, “Eurabian News - Noticias sobre la transformación de Europa en Eurabia,” in Europe that has had the audacity to publish the blog in Spanish. The horror, oh the horror.
In case you have not seen this Pillageshop, please go here. It is one of the best that I have seen on the subject of Kim Jong II.
Of course, I have never had any such problems.NOOOOO!I’m sure that you noticed how many posts that I made last week – and before it was all over – I moved my site…
Attila remains in our hearts and prayers, there’s hardly anything worse that having a dysfunctionate conversation with one’s technology – well, except if it’s “Chisel guy.”
Attila writes: “With my friends, unlike so many liberals I've encountered, we can tactfully avoid contentious political issues to maintain our friendship, and with my friends, you simply couldn't hope to find nicer, more decent people.”
However as his post continues; he has had experiences in which folks just won’t let go of their all-consuming need to tell everyone about their outrage with current politics…
In my experience it is folks who erupt about Republicans or President George W. Bush – or the Carroll County Republican party.
Oh, give it up already.
I take an enormous amount of pride in saying that I have not a clue as to what party many of my friends are registered and often do not give a rats-behind as to what is their political views.
Having many writer and artist friends, my life is full of many folks who hold different political views than me.They are great folks, with integrity and work hard to contribute and make a difference in the community.
For the most part, when I get together with friends, I’m much more concerned with the welfare of their family, their latest vacations, what books and movies or art shows they are interested-in these days or how their children are doing in school.
Talking about food, landscaping, vacations and pets is much more human and ultimately more rewarding.
Although I can enjoy talking politics, I hardly ever talk politics with my elected or appointed official friends and like it that way.
I’m especially am not fond of artists who “get political” in my face.Politicizing the arts is as bad as politicizing a friendship.(Oh yes, I believe that Hollywood-types or performers maintain their first amendment rights; however, I reserve the right to not patronize their movies – or art shows.Shut and sing.)
On a personal level, at best, I can find it amusing that for some folks, everything in their lives is based on their hatred of President George W. Bush and Republicans.But usually I avoid the humor by avoiding their company.
Folks for whom everything is political are clueless one-dimensional bores.
Please go to Attila’s post – and be sure to follow the links and also read the comments…It is way too funny.
